Ridgeline eNews
June 13, 2024
RIDGELINE CALENDAR OF EVENTS:
Full calendar: http://www.ridgeline.org/calendar
June
Thursday 6/13 Field Day 9am - 12pm
Thursday 6/13 Last Day of School ***Early Dismissal at 1:05pm
Friday 6/21 Office closes for the summer
In the Fall
8/12 Office reopens
9/4 First day of School
Be sure to check the full calendar at https://www.ridgeline.org as some dates may change. Please note that Ridgeline’s calendar differs slightly from 4J elementary and middle school calendars.
NEW NEWS
Ridgeline Board Approved 2024 - 2025 School Calendar
The Ridgeline Board of Directors approved the 2024-25 school calendar and alignment of early release days with 4J, beginning with the 2024-25 school year. This alignment will consistently provide 4J special education services during all instructional hours for our students and assist with the extensive planning and scheduling of IEP-related meetings.
Starting in the 2024-25 school year, school doors will open at 8:15 am, and students will be considered tardy after 8:30 am. Dismissal time will be at 3:05 pm on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday, with early release at 1:05 pm on Wednesdays.
We understand that change can be challenging and aim to provide ample notice to allow for schedule adjustments for the coming school year. We look forward to an amazing 2024-25 school year!
Ridgeline Success: 2023-2024 Fundraising Achievements
We’re thrilled to share the success of our 2023-2024 fundraising efforts!
WHY IT MATTERS:
As a public charter school, Ridgeline receives 20% less funding than other public schools. Your support helps bridge this gap, ensuring we can provide quality Physical Education and Art and maintain our facilities.
BY THE NUMBERS:
2023-2024 Goal $98,000
Total Raised: $97,908.74
Go deeper: See attached summary sheet
WHAT'S NEXT:
Your continued support is vital. The fundraising committee has been busy planning exciting events for next year. We look forward to celebrating Ridgeline's 25th anniversary in the 2024-2025 academic year. Stay tuned for lots of fun and how you can get involved!
THE BOTTOM LINE:
Every donation, big or small, makes a difference. Together, we’re building a brighter future for our students.
Special thanks to our Fundraising Committee for all their hard work:
Jen Anonia, Committee Lead
Heather Hickcox, Committee Lead
Amanda Donofrio, Member at large
Amanda Bedortha, Member at large
Danielle Wade, Site Council Representative
April-Kay Williams, Board Representative
Chrystell Reed, Executive Director
Bethany Dilla, School Community Coordinator
Yaeko Rodrigues, Operations Manager
Thank you for your unwavering support!
Please Return Ridgeline Books!
We are still missing over 50 books from the Ridgeline Library. If you received an email from your student’s teacher, please check at home and return all checked-out books to the school this week and no later than Friday, June 21.
School Climate Survey- Results from Last Year
Prior year school climate survey results are available on Ridgeline's website on the Family Resource page under ODE Report Cards and Climate Survey Results.
Before Launching into Summer....Double Check For Head Lice
We recommend you double check your child’s hair for nits and live bugs before sending them to summer camps, grandma’s house, or to the cousins. Lice are tiny brown and gray parasites that can cause itching and scratching, especially in areas of the body that are covered with hair (typically behind the ears, near the scalp, and neck). You will be able to see the tiny lice eggs (called “nits”), which look like grains of sand attached to the hair shafts. Unlike dandruff, nits stick to the hair shaft and do not come off easily.
Prevention: Pick up a shampoo with tea tree oil and have your student use it regularly. We hear the Trader Joe’s Tea Tree Tingle Shampoo is a great, affordable option.
Home treatment: If you need to pursue lice treatment, ask your doctor to recommend shampoos, creams, or lotions. Nix Ultra lice treatment is available over the counter. Clothing and linens need to be washed in very hot water: 128.3 degrees Fahrenheit or 53.5 degrees Celsius. Personal items and toys need to be cleaned and bagged. The home and car must be cleaned and vacuumed as well. For more detailed information click here.
VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES
Volunteer Thank Yous
Adventure Trip Chaperones!
Thank you to all the amazing parent volunteers who helped with driving and chaperoning the Middle School Adventure Trip: Corey Hoogendorn, Jes Feather, Sara Mader, Shingo Suzumura, Andrew Gillespie, Nancy Willcox-Trent, Jenna Quillen, and Jonah McElfresh. You are awesome!
Field Day!
Thank you to all the volunteers who helped contribute popsicles, bubbles, and temporary tattoos for our fantastic field day - we appreciate you! We also want to thank all the volunteers who helped with setting up, facilitating a station, serving as Kyle’s assistants, and helping clean up. We extend a big round of applause to Shoshanna Holman, Mia Sims, Jessica Lynch, Dan Trent, Jenny Hoover, Blaise Cooper, Angela Zallen, Meghan Rogacki, Amie Chaudoir, Cory Hoover, Kelsey Cluff, Jennifer Horner, Amanda Volgardsen, Erin Wagner, Max Fleenor, Tate Kelley, Alison Cassin, and Rae Kelley.
Track it Forward - Information for New Volunteers
If you are new to Ridgeline and have not yet created a Track it Forward account for logging your volunteer hours, please take a moment to do so. Volunteer hour reporting is important for us to show support for Ridgeline when applying for grants and for reporting to our sponsoring district, Eugene 4J.
If you are a first-time Track It Forward user and have not set up an account you will need to create an account first. If you already have an account, skip to step two.
1. Go to https://www.trackitforward.com/user
-Select sign in
-Create your account
2. Go to the app store on your device and search for Track It Forward
-Download the app
-Log In
You are all set!
Volunteer Opportunities - NEW
Facilities - Summer Help Wanted
Is it tough to get your 40 hours of volunteer time in during the school year? Do you enjoy being outside and working with your hands? We have some great summer volunteer opportunities for you to consider. Check Track It Forward to review the Facilities summer projects volunteer help jobs!
For all of these opportunities, please reach out to Jesse Cloninger, at jesse.cloninger@ridgeline.org to sign up (the School Community Coordinator will not be in the front office checking this list from late June through mid-August).
Volunteering - It's not too late to add your volunteer hours to Track It Forward!
Volunteers are an integral part of the Ridgeline Community. Families pledge to complete 40 hours of volunteer time per school year. As we wind down this school year, we want to remind everyone that it's not too late to track your hours! Bulk entries in Track It Forward are perfectly acceptable such as "15 hours of crossing guard duty". Please submit them at your earliest convenience.
There are a myriad of volunteer opportunities throughout the year. Volunteers serve on committees, make materials at home, do grounds work, act as crossing guards, help in classrooms, chaperone field trips and much more. To help us get to know you better and your areas of interest, please fill out the Volunteer Interest form here or reach out to Bethany Dilla, Ridgeline's School Community Coordinator, at bethany.dilla@ridgeline.org. We would love to get you connected in the ways that best fit your time and talents.
To fully participate in most volunteer opportunities, volunteers are background checked. In addition to the background check, volunteers need to complete the volunteer code of conduct. After that, they will be issued a green badge with their name on it and notified that they are ready to go! Visit our website for more information on volunteering.
CONTINUING NEWS
Help Care for Our School Library
Ridgeline library books are still being found around town in other free libraries. We need your help to ensure our school library remains a valuable resource for all students. If you find displaced Ridgeline library books, please bring them back to the school! We do not want to start charging replacement fees for unreturned books. Your cooperation helps us maintain a complete and accessible library collection. Thank you for helping us steward the resources that we have.
Openings Available in Before/After Care at Your School! - Eugene Family YMCA
The Eugene Family YMCA is excited to announce they have openings in the before/afterschool programs at Ridgeline for the upcoming school year. If you have not yet registered, please take a moment to do so. They have increased the number of possible youth in these programs next year, which means there is a lot of room for new families. Please help spread the word and share the flyer below.
RIDGELINE COMMITTEES & ORGANIZATIONS
Ridgeline Board of Directors - Seeking Board Members
Hello!
Do you want to give back to your community? Are you energized to work on a variety of diverse projects? Do you enjoy working collaboratively within a group? If so, consider joining the Ridgeline Montessori Board of Directors! We are a diverse group of thoughtful, inquisitive community members who enjoy serving the Ridgeline community. Prior experience is not important. If you'd like to learn more, please read this letter from the Board.
We will have several openings on the Board going into next school year. I would like to personally invite interested community members to join our meetings (virtually or in person), or to meet one-on-one. I can share information about Board responsibilities and insight about how we support the public Montessori education that allows our children to thrive. If you are curious about Board work, please get in touch via email at april-kay.williams@ridgeline.org
Warmly,
April-Kay Williams, Board President, parent, Ridgeline Equity Committee member
COMMUNITY NEWS
GirlCon 2024
GirlCon is a fantastic event for girls aged 10-18 and their parents, aimed at empowering young women through inspiring talks, engaging workshops, and fun activities. It's a wonderful opportunity for our community to come together and support the girls in our lives. Click on this link to view the Ophelia’s Place website for more information about GirlCon 2024.