Ridgeway RAP August 19, 2024

August

• August 20 - First Day of School!

September

• September 2 - NO SCHOOL - Labor Day
• September 12 - Unit B and C Curriculum Night 5:15-6:15, PTSA Social 6-6:30, PTSA Meeting at 6:30
• September 23 - NO SCHOOL - Teacher Workday
• September 26 - Picture Day, Unit A Curriculum Night 5:15-6:30 (Parents only)

Welcome to the 24-25 school year! The start of school is such an exciting time. Please take some time to read through the RAP (this week and every week) to ensure you don’t miss any important information.

Students are encouraged to bring a sealed water bottle (nothing that leaks when it tips over) with water ONLY. I know many of our students enjoy the Prime hydration drink, but that should be reserved for lunch or outside of school hours. Students will only be allowed to have water within the classroom. When spills take place it is much easier to clean up and recover from a water spill vs. other drinks. Students are also encouraged to bring a healthy snack.

Reminder, students should report directly to their classroom or to the cafeteria (if they need breakfast) when they enter the building tomorrow morning. Unit A students and families please report to the gym for the Boo Hoo Breakfast. Please be aware, the donuts are for adults only - feel free to stick around after kids go to class to enjoy one while meeting some other Unit A families. There will be a photo backdrop set up outside the front of the building for photo opportunities before your child enters the building.

See below for first day/week of school information that was sent via email last week!

1. If we weren't at Ice Cream Social, how do we get our new parent pick up cards? All documents from Ice Cream Social, including pick up cards, will go home with your student on the first day of school if you could not attend. For pick up on the first day (if you don't have your blue card), please be prepared to show your ID.

2. Which entrance is North? The door at the back of the building (facing the playground) that enters at the library/media center.

As many of you have probably seen/heard, CPS has a new cell phone policy for middle and high schools. Elementary policy is unchanged, however some of the communication and graphics do not make that clear. Elementary cell phone policy is the same as middle school - phones must be turned off and in backpacks during school hours. Smart watches must be off or in sleep mode during school hours. Please review these expectations with your student. We will also be reviewing this policy and consequence sequence with students so that everyone knows what to expect.

Consequence sequence for phone/smart watch misuse:

1. On the first offense, the student will be given a reminder and given a chance to correct the behavior.

2. Second instance - an office referral will be written and parents will be contacted, scholar will be asked to put the phone/watch away. If scholar refuses or additional offense occurs, then:

3. Cell phone/watch taken for one day, locked up in office, office referral is written, phone given back to scholar at dismissal. If scholar refuses or additional offense occurs, then:

4. Cell phone/watch taken, phone will be locked up and a guardian must pick it up from the office. Office referral written. If scholar refuses or additional offense occurs, then:

5. Scholar will be required to check in at the office every morning to turn in the phone/watch and have it stored (locked) in the office until dismissal each day for the remainder of the school year.

Columbia Public Schools has a Visitor Management System in all our buildings. The goal of the Visitor Management System is to welcome our guests while also promoting the safety and security of scholars, teachers and staff.

During school hours, this system requires all visitors, contractors, and volunteers to scan or manually enter their state issued IDs to gain entrance. Visitors will then receive a visitor’s tag that identifies them as guest in our buildings. A visitor’s badge will not be necessary for those who visit our schools simply to drop off an item in the office or pick up paperwork.

This is a new system for both visitors/volunteers and us as school staff. Please be patient as we work through these new procedures.

Construction Update – There will likely be bus loop construction happening throughout this entire school year. Students will have access to the blacktop and yellow playground during recess times. We may also utilize the gym at times for extra activity opportunities. Temporary fencing will be installed to separate the blacktop and yellow playground from the construction areas. All employees who work for the contracted construction company have already gone through district background checks and are cleared. I realize this situation is less than ideal, but we are making the most of it. I will continue to provide updates as things progress. Please remain patient and flexible, as changes in procedures will likely take place throughout the year.

Arrival – Parent drop off and bus drop off will continue to take place in the front of the school on Sexton like in years past. This procedure will not change until the bus loop is completed. Due to the limited playground space we have available currently, we will not be able to have all school recess in the mornings. It would not be safe or responsible to put 240 students in the blacktop and yellow playground space. When students arrive they will report directly to their classroom or to the cafeteria if they need breakfast. Teachers have prepared “soft start” activities for students to participate in from 7:20-7:40. There will not be new instruction happening during that 20 minutes, as not all students arrive at the same time. When the bell rings at 7:40, the school day begins and instruction starts.

Late Arrivals/Early Pick Up - Our back/North entrance is becoming our main entrance. If your child arrives after 7:45, you will need to park and walk your student to the back/North entrance. You will be let in and will sign your student in there. If you need to pick your child up early, you will need to park and walk to the back/North entrance where you will sign them out and your student will be called down to meet you there. Visitors or volunteers coming into the school will also be required to use the back/North entrance to sign in.

Dismissal – Parent pick up will take place on the blacktop like it has in years past. When you arrive to pick up your child, you’ll need to park (likely street parking, as we have even less parking space right now than we did last year) and walk onto the blacktop. You will need to bring your blue parent pick up card with you (these will come home with you at ice cream social). Mrs. Graves will be on the blacktop taking student names, students will be released from their classroom and will walk to the blacktop to meet you. You will then exit the playground with your student. Dismissal begins at 2:40 and students should be picked up no later than 2:55. Buses will pick students up in the front of the school like in years past.

First Day of School – We will not be able to congregate as a whole school on the first morning like we did last year. With the limited outdoor space and play areas, we are unable to have the entire school outside. We will have a Photo Booth backdrop set up at the front of the school for photo opportunities. Your child will enter the building and travel to the cafeteria for breakfast or directly to their classroom. Unit B and C parents should not enter the building. Unit A parents please report to the gym for Boo Hoo breakfast. At Ice Cream Social Unit A parents will receive an invitation for the Boo Hoo breakfast that will share more information.