"Finish Strong. You Got This !!"

As you know, earning credits in a variety of courses is critical to student success and completing these graduation requirement is essential. As we end semester one I encourage all of our students to buckle down, take some EXTRA time, and finish this semester strong.

Every credit not earned, puts you further away from the goal of attaining a HS diploma. We believe all of our students have the capacity to be successful in high school. Now is the time to dig deep, and take care of YOUR business as students, so we don't have to.

R Reeves, Principal

Monday, January 20: NO SCHOOL: Martin Luther King Day

Thursday, January 23: FINAL DAY OF 1ST SEMESTER (earn those credits !!!)

Friday, January 24: NO SCHOOL, SEMESTER BREAK

Monday, January 27: 2ND SEMESTER BEGINS at 7:55 am

Friday, February 14: No School unless weather make-up.

Monday, February 17: No School President's Day

1. Academic Success: Studies show that students with regular attendance perform better academically. Chronic absenteeism (missing 10% or more of school days=18 days in a school year) is linked to lower grades, higher dropout rates, and less engagement in learning.
2. Graduation Rates: Regular attendance is a strong predictor of high school graduation. Missing school frequently increases the risk of falling behind and dropping out.
3. Skill Development: Attendance fosters the development of essential life skills, such as time management, responsibility, teamwork, and communication.
4. Social Benefits: School attendance helps students build relationships with peers and teachers, contributing to emotional well-being and a sense of belonging.
5. College and Career Readiness: Students with consistent attendance are more likely to be prepared for higher education and the workforce. Employers and colleges value reliability and commitment, traits reflected in good attendance records.
6. Health and Well-Being: Chronic absenteeism can signal underlying issues like health problems, mental health challenges, or family difficulties. At school we provide access to meals, counseling, and other support systems.

Why Attendance is Important

• Consistency in Learning: Regular attendance ensures continuity in education, making it easier for students to grasp complex topics and participate in discussions.
• Preventing Gaps: Missing school can lead to gaps in knowledge that are hard to fill, affecting future learning.
• Building Habits for Life: Developing a habit of punctuality and reliability in high school prepares students for responsibilities in adulthood.

Sending students can be a bit nerve-racking at times and we understand that given the things that are happening locally and across the nation in the last few weeks. I can assure you we are doing everything in our power to make sure for 7 hours a day, that each and every one of our students are walking into a culture at RA Long that is safe and inviting. The vast majority of our students are coming to school ready to learn, ready to hang with friends, ready to have some fun, and to leave each day with a little something to feel good about.

Safety we have in place:

• A school resource officer on site: Officer Cummo.

• 50+ cameras monitoring our campus

• Teachers and Admin monitoring campus during any unstructured time.(passing time, lunches, etc)

• Doors are locked down during instructional time. Video entry/buzz in system in place and monitored for visitors.

• ALL parents/guardians MUST show ID to take a student out of school.

• In the first 8 days of school, safety drills and protocols are practiced for multiple scenarios, and monthly drills will continue to be conducted.

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In light of other "social media threat situations" toward targeted schools that are and have been occuring online across our county and the country, we continue to encourage our students to act if you HEAR/SEE SOMETHING, SAY SOMETHING ! These situations will immediately be turned over to law enforcement and investigated. To this point, our students have been doing a tremendous job of doing just that, reaching out and communicating with our administrative team.

Thank you for trusting in us to take care of your young adults on the daily !

Respectfully,

R Reeves, Principal

College Presentations

· LCC- Tuesday, January 21. Lunch visit in cafeteria.

· Northwest College of Construction- Tuesday, January 21 12:30pm

· West Coast Training- Thursday, January 23 10am

· BodyMechanics School of Massage- Tuesday, January 28 10am

College Workshops

· WSU Instant Decision Day- Wednesday, January 22 9am. WSU Pullman and Vancouver on site to help with applications and scholarships. Get accepted right away!

· CFSWW Scholarship Information Meeting- Thursday, January 23 12:30. Community Foundation for Southwest Washington provides scholarship opportunities for Cowlitz and Clark Counties.

· CWU Application Workshop and "Next Steps"- Work through your application to get accepted. If you've already applied, come learn about what to do next.

New Scholarships- Again I have highlighted newly added scholarships in orange on the Master List. There are a bunch of new ones open for students in all grades. Here are some of them:

· Abby's Closet DREAMS Scholarship- For graduating, female identifying students. Categories for trade school, community college, 4-year university, and healthcare. 2.5+ GPA. https://www.abbyscloset.org/dreams-scholarship-general

· Christophers High School Poster Contest- All Grades. Create an original 16x20 poster "You can make a difference" https://www.christophers.org/highschoolpostercontest

· House Scholarship Foundation- All Grades. Short essay on community service and extracurriculars. https://www.nationalhsf.org/old-application

· Altrusa Scholarships- For graduating seniors. Categories for LCC, vocational school. $3000 each. Paper application in Career Center

· Red Canoe Scholarships- For graduating seniors with a Red Canoe bank account (you can go open one with $5). Academic or vocational school. 3.0+ GPA https://www.redcanoecu.com/about/scholarship-program

· Pat Sawyer Memorial Scholarship- For a graduating female senior planning on an engineering degree. Paper application in Career Center.

Scholarships with Upcoming Deadlines-

· Mas Family Scholarships- Deadline Jan 31. Graduating senior of Cuban descent. 3.5+ GPA https://masfamilyscholarships.org/apply

· Black Future Foundation- Deadline Jan 31. Graduating senior, Black or African American. 3.2+ GPA, first generation college student. https://www.blackfuturefoundation.org/scholarships

· Washington State Fair Foundation Scholarships- Deadline Jan 31. For Washington graduates. Many scholarships, one application. https://thefairfoundation.awardspring.com/Home/Scholarships

· Gen and Kelly Tanage Scholarship- Open to all grades! https://www.genkellyscholarship.com/apply

· RevPart Scholarship- For STEM fields. https://revpart.com/scholarship/

· Path to Pro Scholarship- For trade or vocational schools. https://webportalapp.com/sp/login/skillpointefoundation_homedepot-pathtopro

· Equitable Excellence Scholarship- https://equitable.com/foundation/equitable-excellence-scholarship

Hire A Helper Scholarship- https://www.hireahelper.com/about/scholarships/

· Ewing C Kelly Scholarship- Multiple $3,000 awards. For a graduating senior in financial need with a history of good citizenship and academic merit. Paper application in Career Center.

· American Welding Society Scholarships- Awards vary. For graduating seniors pursuing a career in welding. https://scholarship.aws.org/applications/

· Get Schooled- $2,000 for seniors and juniors! https://getschooled.com/peak-scholarship/

· Keep an eye on the Scholarship Master List! I added over 15 new scholarships this week. https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1SR8dCFUt62oLCLHXkN3S2GzdQgYZSJju-kIi2et54Es/edit?usp=sharing

· Washington State Governor's Scholarship for Foster Youth- For graduates in the foster system. Multiple awards of $2,000-$4,000. https://csf.smapply.org/prog/Governors_Scholarship/

· Lambeth Family Foundation Scholarship- For Washington graduates pursuing a future in in engineering, math, computer science, environmental studies, forestry, or business. 3.0+ GPA 8 awards of $3,000 renewable for 4 years. https://learnmore.scholarsapply.org/lambethscholarship/

· RA Long Booster Club Scholarship- For RA Long graduates with a parent in Booster Club. Multiple awards of $500+. https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdXryUJ0uDGsxRCxueEeblehKRUmDGzFRmACvCuLQrV0rZxOQ/viewform?vc=0&c=0&w=1&flr=0

· Jack Shack Lunch Shifts- Ongoing throughout the school year. You must first obtain your food handlers card, which can be done here: https://www.co.cowlitz.wa.us/1062/Food-Handler-Testing and has a cost of $10. After you have your card, you may sign up with Mrs. Myers in the Jack Shack. This can be a Service to School OR Community Service job.

· Jack Shack- Ms. Meyers needs volunteers during lunch, especially on Wednesdays. Can be used as Service to School hours. Must have WA Food Handlers Card. Get it here: http://www.foodworkercard.wa.gov/

· Be a CHAMP- Get CHAMPS certified for more fun volunteering opportunities. https://www.longviewschools.com/family-resources/volunteerget-involved

A quick note from me to you: Thank you for answering the call for Community Service! Local organizations have really begun to count on RA Long to make their events successful, and that is a credit to YOU, and you alone. You sign up, and you SHOW UP. I am incredibly proud of how active and engaged you all are, even after you've reached your required hours. I thank you, and the community appreciates you. Get those service slips into your advisors. Keep it up, Jacks and Jills!

• Essentially this is an AFTER SCHOOL DETENTION on a Fridays for minimal infractions(swearing, horseplay, etc) or disruption in a classroom
• Time: 2:30-3:30 in room 115
• Failure to attend will result in 1 day suspension the following week.

Own your behavior and choices. The outcomes are up to you.

DRESS CODE- applies to EVERY student taking a class at RA Long. This includes Mark Morris students taking class(es) at RA Long.

The dress and appearance of students is the direct responsibility of the parents and students in collaboration. School attire should reflect an academic focus and help maintain a safe and healthy school environment. Student appearance should be neat and clean and the body must be covered from the top of the shoulder to below two inches above the knee. If in the judgment of school officials dress or appearance is disruptive, the student will be required to change into appropriate clothing or will be sent home for insubordination. Team uniforms & spirit days must comply with administrative guidelines. The following rules apply to both genders:

• No under garments showing (including sports bras)
• No spaghetti straps, backless, strapless, halter-tops, crop tops, half-shirts, low-cut tops, one-shoulder, off-shoulder or see-through clothing
• Skirts/shorts must be no more than two inches above the knee (even with leggings).
• Cuts/slashes/fraying must also occur below the fingertip line
• Any rips that show skin must be no more than two inches above the knee.
• No sagging or bagging—pants must be pulled up
• No pajamas (tops or bottoms), slippers, costumes, blankets, or capes(flags)
• No displays (messages or pictures) that are vulgar, obscene, profane, violent, drug/alcohol/tobacco related, affiliated with gangs, discriminatory or demeaning to any person due to race, religion, ethnic group, gender or sexual orientation (including the Confederate flag or swastikas)
• Flags may not be worn as attire.
• No hats, bandanas, hairnets, head wraps, pulled-up hoods or sunglasses (exceptions for approved medical or religious reasons) If a hat is taken from a student, it will be returned on Friday after school. Hats are not to be seen in any classroom or in the hallways at any time.
• No unsafe jewelry such as spikes, long chains, etc.

Be sure to call the Attendance Office @ 575-7113 for all absences.

Leave a voice mail stating clearly the student’s name, date, and reason for absence.

Please remember to bring photo identification when picking up

your child for any appointments

If you are in need of extra food to support your family please contact Ms. Brunelle at mbrunelle@longview.k12.wa.us

Email: rreeves@longview.k12.wa.us
Website: https://ralong.longviewschools.com
Location: 2903 Nichols Boulevard, Longview, WA, USA
Phone: 360-575-7228
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ralhsverified

FACEBOOK https://www.facebook.com/ralhsverified

Instagram @ralonghighschool

Mr. McCabe Athletics/Activities INSTAGRAM AD_RALong

TWITTER: @AD_RALong

Tag photos w/ #RALPride