Hello Ridgeline Families- What a week! We had a real nice week at school, and the kids have been great! Knock-on-wood, but everyone is doing the right things and the halls are happy and healthy! Our next check on progress is coming soon with the conclusion of the 2nd semester. Please take a look at Powerschool, and encourage your students to do the same. Also remind your student to have a conversation asap with their teacher if they have questions and concerns.
We had a great crowd on hand Tuesday for the official Grand Opening of our Ridgeline Credit Union, Powered by GESA! Many special guests joined the Ribbon Cutting, including representatives from the City of Liberty Lake, Spokane Valley Chamber of Commerce, Garco Construction, Mrs. Tere Landa from our school board, friends, family, and of course a team from GESA Credit Union. We’re very excited about the opportunities for work experience and financial literacy our students will gain working as tellers with real accounts. If you already bank with GESA, be sure and ask for our Custom Ridgeline Debit card. GESA provides a percentage back to schools on every purchase. All Ridgeline debit card purchase ‘kickbacks’ go directly to Ridgeline. Read more in the complete article below. And PLEASE review the Parent Information Letter.
Later that Tuesday night our basketball teams took on G-Prep. The boys had the early game and it was a barn-burner! Unfortunately, Prep pulled away on some late free throws and took the win. Our boys played their hearts out and showed a very strong TEAM effort in the loss. On the girls side, they pretty much led wire-to-wire on equally good team play, and I learned that Emma Myers has had 10 straight games scoring over 20 points! (see her article from the Spokesman below). I was getting a little tired last Friday night and I left during the 3rd quarter of the girls game, knowing it was being broadcast on 700 ESPN. Our local radio guys Larry Weir, and Paul Sorensen were calling the game. An interesting theme kept coming up in their conversation. They seemed very enamored by the combined spirit squad of our cheerleaders, dance team, and pep band. They were making some loose comparisons to experiences they’ve had at every high school in our region, and referencing the culture and climate (spirit) that was so evident in a school that hasn’t been around that long. At one point they were discussing this again and describing it as a whole ‘nother level, when Paul Sorensen exclaimed, “They’re En Fuego!” It was classic!
On Thursday our school gathered in the gym to honor MLK Jr. through an all-school assembly. Spoiler Alert! This was the best MLK assembly I’ve ever experienced! The message, through the combined music, voices, and dance, evoked very strong emotions causing the audience to get choked up and moved many to tears. The backdrop for our event was pictures of six very influential individuals from the early civil rights movement. Our ASB leadership team did a great job of connecting MLK’s vision to our own mission at Ridgeline- Belong. Inspire, Grow. Following their remarks, we were treated to an outstanding original poem from sophomore, Annie Cope. The next portion of the program solidified the moment. Staged on the court were our band, orchestra, choir, and the dance team. Adding dance to a performance like this has never been done by us before. Kudos to our dance coaches, especially Assistant Coach, Trinity Burke for her choreography on this piece. Director, Eric Parker, framed the “performance” like this: “Cry Glory,” arranged by Nate Hunt, was written to depict the spoken word of MLK, but to also elevate the expression of his words through music and dance. The triad of all the performing arts is that when expressing emotion we first try through dialogue. And if the story needs to express that emotion in a higher state, we sing or make music. And when the conveyed emotion needs the highest compliment of emotion, we dance. This was the premise of our why. The music took us through the story of the civil rights movement almost chronologically. The first movement was an arrangement of one of the most famous African American spirituals, “Swing Low, Sweet Chariot.” In our second movement, the choir joined as we heard the marching song of the civil rights, “Lift Every Voice and Sing.” This gave our students in the audience a sense of what a peaceful march may have sounded like in the 1960s. Bob Marley’s anthem, “Get Up Stand Up” is the third part of the piece. It included police sirens, whistles and an intense chant as we reflect on the obstacles, the tension of the times and the power of our citizens when they unite to change the world. The finale was an inspirational arrangement of John Legend’s “Glory” from the film Selma. This section perfectly weaved the original artist, John Legend’s amazing vocal, with our choir and instrumental students. The rap by Common gave the piece a contemporary feel and the message that the victory will all be ours if we keep moving forward. The whole totality of the what it all felt like together left us all inspired and reminded by the efforts of Dr. King. You can watch the event on our Youtube channel. Thank you to Kevin Egeland and students for their media support.
So much more to learn, enjoy, and stay informed of in today’s Falcon Flyer. Get your Yearbook purchased now, before we sell out! Ticket sales for our Winter Formal Dance are also on sale in the Business Office! Hopefully your students are starting to talk to you about VERDE LOCO, our massive spring celebration and spirit event!
Enough from me for one day, NO SCHOOL MONDAY for the MLK holiday.
Stay informed, read the Falcon Flyer weekly!
Make it a great weekend! –Mr. Hardt
Running Start: MANDATORY MEETING for NEW Running Start Students and Their Parents/Guardians
Last month, Mr. Spraggins and Ms. Plaster hosted Running Start/Dual Credit meetings for sophomores and juniors interested in the options available through the Community Colleges of Spokane (CCS) and Eastern Washington University (EWU). With the EWU, SCC, and SFCC Running Start applications soon opening, we turn our attention to registering interested new students for the program. RHS will host a MANDATORY MEETING on Wednesday, February 5, at 6:00 PM in the RHS Theater. If your student will be new to the Running Start program, please plan to attend this meeting with your student, as we will more deeply explore the program, its finer details, and the responsibilities associated with participation. Please Note: RHS requires applying students (and a parent/guardian) to review and sign a Participation Agreement before the CCR counselor will sign-off on the necessary counselor forms. If you have questions, please contact Mr. Spraggins (bspraggins@cvsd.org), Ms. Twining (ktwining@cvsd.org), or Ms. Plaster (kplaster@cvsd.org).
FAFSA NOW OPEN!
If you are the parent/guardian of a current senior who plans to enroll in college next year, this notice is for you! The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is NOW OPEN. The FAFSA is an online federal form that, once completed, will offer your student the opportunity to be considered for grants, work-study, scholarships, and student loans at the colleges and universities to which they've applied. For your information, here is an important link with information your student and you may wish to review ahead of filing the form.
Additionally, RHS hosts a local scholarship page we share with East Valley, West Valley, and Freeman school districts. We will update the scholarship page as scholarships become available throughout the winter/spring. I encourage your student to routinely check the page for scholarship opportunities that may benefit your student!
Attend NewTech Prep Career Night to gain early access to the 2025-26 NewTech application!
Still interested, but can't attend Career Night? Find the NewTech application link on their website starting February 1st. Apply as soon as possible for your best chance at earning a spot in your program of choice.
After attending Ridgeline High School’s Veterans Day assembly, Don Walker, a local veteran and organizer for Liberty Lake’s Hometown Heroes Program, was super impressed by the many student artworks at the assembly. In fact he was so impressed by the artwork that he offered to purchase one of the artworks from sophomore painting student, Aimee Thompson! Congratulations Aimee on making art that is deeply meaningful and inspiring to the community!
Ridgeline Credit Union powered by Gesa
Today, Tuesday, January 14th, marked the official grand opening and ribbon-cutting ceremony for Ridgeline Credit Unionpowered by Gesa, and operated by Ridgeline FBLA. The event was a memorable celebration, attended by numerous supportersand crucial stakeholders from the school district and community. Also in attendance were the Ridgeline Credit Union student interns, Scarlet Lambert and Ryland Rivera, along with student tellers, FBLA officers, and Kelli Demarest, the FBLA and Credit Union Adviser. Thanks to Matt Lambert, CVSD Eastern Region Director, for speaking on behalf of the district, to the Liberty Lake City Administrator, Mark McAvoy for being here to congratulate our student workers, and the Gesa Credit Union team. Thank you to Mr. Hardt and the whole Ridgeline administration team for their support, leadership, and willingness to say YES to new adventures and opportunities for our Falcon students.
We extend our heartfelt thanks to the Greater Spokane Valley Chamber of Commerce and their Executive Director, Lance Beck, for leading the ceremony with such enthusiasm and professionalism. Most of all, we want to express our gratitude to Don Miller, CEO of Gesa Credit Union, whose visionary idea of establishing student-run high school credit unions laid the foundation for this project. His support in approving the financing for the Ridgeline Branch has been instrumental in bringing this vision to life.
A special thank you goes to Brandon Allison, Greg Oliver, and Ryan Hollingsworth from the Gesa Education Department. Their dedication to hiring, training, marketing, and implementing the credit union at Ridgeline has been exceptional, ensuring asmooth launch and operation of this new branch.
Falcons, be sure to visit the Gesa window during your lunchtime on Tuesdays, Thursdays, or Fridays to learn more about the special promotions happening during the first two weeks of opening. This includes a free $100 deposited to your savingsafter your first five transactions, and free drink tickets from The Nest by Deca, not to mention being entered into the fabulous prize drawings. It doesn’t take any money, or guardian signatures to get started. Also, not only do you have access to the Ridgeline branch of Gesa, you can use any Gesa branch located all over Washington, and now Idaho. In the next 3 weeks, the custom Ridgeline Visa Debit card will also be available. To stay up to date on credit union offerings and updates follow us on Instagram @ridgeline_credit_union
We are excited about the opportunities Ridgeline Credit Union will bring to our school community and look forward to its positive impact.
Debate Team
Freshman Armani Bain took first place in the novice best speaker category, and with teammate Lindsey Carney (9), made it to the Public Forum Debate novice quarterfinal rounds of the Conway Classic Speech and Debate Tournament at Gonzaga University on Jan. 10-11.
Logan Crowley (10), who has placed in the final rounds in speech events the past two tournaments, again placed in the final rounds with Spoken Word Poetry. Also competing in speech events were Elizabeth Hargrove (9), Alyssa McSwain (11) and Grace Morgan (10).
Other competitors in Public Forum Debate were Molly Milonas (10) and Makayla Sweeney (11). Morgan and McSwain were also participants in Congressional Debate. Sahil Modah (9) represented the Falcons in Lincoln-Douglas Debate.
The 75th annual tournament is one of the largest debate events in the northwest, with approximately 30 schools that includes some from Texas and California participating.
The team will compete in its sixth tournament of the season at Ferris High School on Jan. 24-25.
When your shelves overflow with old looks,
Why not give life to those dusty books?
Donate them with care,
Spread stories to share,
And turn readers into hooked bookish cooks!
Ridgeline Readers! Book Club is collecting your new and gently used books for the rest of the month. Clear out your bookshelves, closets, car trunks, and anywhere else books might hide. Bring them to the library and Mrs. Maxwell will trade you books for candy. Any age range or genre works. All donations are going to support readers at teen shelter Crosswalk.
Collecting books until January 31st!
🌟 Parents Night Out Fundraiser
We will watch your kids so you can enjoy a delightful evening on January 24th from 6pm to 9pm at Ridgeline High School. Have a night kid free!
👶 Potty-Trained Kids Welcome!
Have a night out while your little ones (potty-trained, please!) enjoy games, pizza, crafts, movies, and more!
🎮 Activities Galore!
- Engaging Games
- Delicious Pizza
- Creative Crafts
- Movies
💲 Affordable Pricing:
- $30 for the first child
- $10 for each additional child
🔒 Limited Availability!
Don't miss this chance for you and your little ones. We look forward to seeing on Friday January 24th. Thank you for supporting Ridgeline High School Key Club!
Email Lori Maupin at lmaupin@cvsd.org with questions.
Hey Falcons! Do you need a job? Check out our Jobs Board! It's updated regularly and there are some amazing opportunities!
There are flyers in the office to scan the QR code, too!
If you have any questions, please see Mrs. Demarest in E202 or email: kdemarest@cvsd.org
