Hello Ridgeline Families- Over my 29 years in education, I’ve worked in 3 districts and 5 different schools, including elementary, middle, and high school. It has given me perspective and I believe prepared me, more than I realized, for this job—principal of the best high school in our region…Ridgeline! My previous experiences helped me understand what is most important in a highly effective organization. It is the culture that you develop and foster through the people you surround yourself. When the opportunity to apply for Ridgeline came about, way back in 2018, I originally ignored it. You know why? Because I had not previously been a high school teacher or administrator, so it was unknown, and I wasn’t sure if I could do it. We’ve all experienced doubting what we can do, and we never know unless we try! I’m grateful that someone asked me to think about applying and consider the opportunity to lead a school that, at the time, didn’t have a name or even the dirt acquired to build on this current site. Now, my goal is to create a school environment with a culture that can last far beyond me and the people who are here today. Ok- there’s my reflective newsletter moment for the week! I’m laughing, as I wrap up this sentence, my background music is Cyndi Lauper, Girls Just Wanna Have Fun…. hmmmm?
This was a short week for students, but staff were very busy during our Monday Learning Improvement Day. The name basically sums up what we do that day---it is our opportunity to look at how we do our work in the classroom and as an organization of people. Holding true to our mission of Growth, it is important for us to evaluate our practices regularly and look at ways to improve. In education, you never quit learning or refining what you do. It’s definitely not like my high school days in the late 90’s, early 90’s where you could tell by the faded ditto sheet that was pulled out that it hadn’t been refined in a while! One of the strengths of our teaching faculty is a mind-set of continuous improvement and growth. They get excited about getting results! A primary focus for us this year is really getting good at functioning as a Professional Learning Community (PLC). Through this formalized structure it allows us to be more intentional about analyzing the results of our students work and the impact our lessons have. It is valuable time, that we could use more of, as the daily life of a teacher can sometimes feel isolating as you may not see another adult over the course of a busy day and have that opportunity to talk about how things are going. So- thank you for supporting the non-student day for us.
We send our email to all of our East Region schools to share highlights with their families. While we are one big community, you spend most of your time with people with the same age kids as yours, right? Ridgeline High School offers many events for the whole family and kids of all ages. Of course we have the sporting events, along with many youth sports/dance/cheer camps. Nearly every week, the Flyer advertises a new and exciting event like the upcoming kids camps, Trunk Or Treat, and our fall theater production of The Plot, Like Gravy, Thickens. Bring your young kids to these events and you’ll start to see how they will begin to see themselves as Falcons!
Student Drop Off: Reminder—for morning only student drop off, you can access the bus loop on the Southeast side of the building. This option is available after 7:25. If you are typically arriving on campus after that time, especially if you’re coming from the East and pull off on our first entrance, avoid the round-about and continue to the last parking lot entrance where the busses go in and out. Follow the loop around—it could change your life!
I’d like to thank my wonderful Communications Secretary, Tessa Johnston (pictured with me here today). She is the woman behind the weekly newsletter as well as our vibrant social media and other communications. She does an amazing job pulling everything together for us each week. Even I have to read the newsletter every week to keep track of what’s happening around here! Thank you TESSA!
Stay informed, read the Flyer!
Make it a great weekend! --Mr. Hardt
CVSD is pleased to offer the Parenting Wisely Workshop at the Safe Center on November 4th and 7th. A flyer with all of the details is attached. This is a free workshop for parents and caregivers with youth aged 11 and older. Dinner & childcare is also provided.
Please share this flyer with families in your school and help us get the word out. Pre-registration is required and the flyer includes all registration info.
North Idaho College admission counselor, Sara Bennett, will be at RHS on Thursday, October 24, during 3rd period (10:10 AM). Registration and signed passes will be required to attend.
Spokane National College Fair 2024!
Each year, the National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC) sponsors a series of major college fairs across the country. These college fairs provide students access to a wide variety of colleges and universities from across the country and the world. We are fortunate to have the Spokane National College Fair here in Spokane on Tuesday, October 29. Ms. Plaster and Mr. Spraggins will take a small group of pre-registered juniors to the morning session. If you and your student wish to attend, there is an evening session available (6:00 PM - 8:00 PM); the event will be held at the Spokane Convention Center. Student attendees are strongly encouraged to complete the registration process and obtain a bar code; having one will make the fair experience far more efficient in terms of connecting with colleges and universities. Please direct any questions you may have to Mr. Spraggins (bspraggins@cvsd.org).
University of Idaho admission counselor, Casey Campbell, will be at RHS on Friday, October 5, during 3rd period (9:50 AM). Registration and signed passes will be required to attend.
Lilac Royalty Program
Senior girls: Would you like to represent Ridgeline in this year’s Lilac Royalty Program? Mandatory meetings begin next week, and you must attend one to be eligible to apply. See the meeting dates below—if you can’t make one, unfortunately, you won’t be able to participate. For more information, email Mrs. Roberts at jroberts@cvsd.org. This is time-sensitive, so please reach out ASAP!
Veterans Honor Wall
2024 Ridgeline HS Veterans Honor Wall
We would like to honor the veterans in your family during Veterans Day next month. We have a few questions and you can upload a photograph of your family members and closest friends who have served. These vets will be honored during the assembly and throughout the week on our video screens in the Commons.
You can only fill out one form, but each form can accept up to 5 veterans. We are requesting students and staff to fill out information for one veteran, but you can add up to four more if you have a lot of service history in your immediate family.
Photographs in uniform are wonderful, but it is not required that uploaded photos are of someone in their uniform. Please complete submissions by Thursday, Oct. 31 so we can include your honorees in the assembly the following week. Thank you for helping us honor those who you are close to. Veterans Day is an important day to celebrate our service men and women.
AP Studio Art
AP Studio Art is a new Advanced Placement course offered at Ridgeline High School this year! In it, students create portfolios of around 15 high quality artworks to submit to College Board in May for evaluation and scoring. Each student's portfolio is centered around a sustained investigation topic of their choice. AP Studio Art is a rigorous and challenging course designed for serious artists. At the beginning of the year, the AP Art students created 3 mini-artworks to demonstrate their skills, creativity, and finesse! You can view them in the display cases outside room C203 through the end of the week. Students pictured holding their mini-artworks are: Joaquin Anderson, Oliver Schmedtje, and Xian.
Girls Basketball Pre-Season Meeting- Oct 22nd
For those interested in playing Girls Basketball this season, there will be a Pre-Season Meeting in Coach Rehkow’s room, H107, next Tuesday, Oct. 22nd during BOTH lunches. Please attend to get important information about tryouts, registration, and schedules.
Hey Student leaders-
Please join us for the upcoming kickoff meeting for the city’s comprehensive plan update—Tuesday, October 21, at Trailhead Golf Course.
The meeting will provide attendees with information about the plan’s purpose and how they can participate in shaping growth and development in Liberty Lake for the next 20 years. This is where sustainability minded students can volunteer to sit on the Climate Policy Advisory Committee, which will help shape the environmental policy statements contained in the comprehensive plan.
Class of 2025: Cap & Gowns must be ordered by October 22nd
Hey Seniors- if you missed the Graduation Informational Meeting today during Advisory, please stop by the office or see Mrs. Fuller to grab your Josten's Cap & Gown packet!
You can also purchase your Cap & Gown online by visiting ⬇
https://www.jostens.com/apps/store/customer/3126653/Ridgeline-High-School/
Please note to purchase your Cap & Gown by October 22nd!
Unified Soccer Game- October 24th
Unified Soccer
Co-ed Unified Soccer is off to a great start. We have 26 students playing for Ridgeline this year, and it is our biggest turnout ever. So far, we have played Central Valley 2 times and Rogers once. We have won 2 games and tied one. Our Falcons have scored a total of 8 goals over the 3 games, but we have had countless laughs. We love cheering on our players and the other team. It is free to attend!
Come Support our Falcons on October 24th at 4pm @RHS!
Attention Seniors!
🤍Class of 2025 🤍
Senior Photos must be submitted by Monday, October 28th.
Hey Seniors!
Have you submitted your Senior photos yet? Please follow directions to upload Senior Photos ⬇️
Upload your senior photo here: https://www.hjeshare.com/eShare/home?code=25falcons
Image must meet the requirements. The administration reserves the right to refuse a photo based on appropriateness or photo quality. The yearbook staff will do its best to notify you if a submitted photo does not meet the requirements for publication.
Check if your photos have been uploaded, check this link ⬇️
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1gBmdX1aZvXT-fheb8NhakCbykrNmpZGyVMNmxGP4CXc/edit?usp=sharing
Link for Senior Tribute ads: https://www.yearbookordercenter.com/job/21919
Have extra-curricular photos, family, special pictures or additional portraits of your senior you'd like to share? Use the attached link to purchase a senior tribute ad for our yearbook.
Tributes vary in size and price. Parents and guardians get to choose the layout, photos and write a special message.
Please be advised that yearbook staff members will not edit spelling or crop pictures, and the administration does reserve the right to refuse tributes due to inappropriateness.
Please click link below for more information!
Link with our schools
& discover innovative school programs
Join us in our regional Central Valley learning communities for these “Community Link Events”:
- Central Learning Community – Tuesday, Oct. 22, 6pm
Evergreen MS, 14221 E 16th Ave, Spokane Valley
- Eastern Learning Community - Tuesday., Oct. 29, 6 pm
Ridgeline HS, 20150 E Country Vista Dr, Liberty Lake
Enjoy pizza and hotdogs as you peek inside our school programs and learn about the state of the district.
You’re an important link with our schools. We hope to see you there!
Find out more & RSVP today! CVSD.org/CommunityLinkEvents
Hey Falcons, join us October 28th from 6:00-7:30 for our annual Trunk or Treat! Host a car or show up dressed in your spookiest costumes and enjoy some popcorn and hot cocoa for $2 (cash ONLY) while visiting our trunks in the west side parking lot or playing games! See Mrs. Sutton in room B204 with any questions. Be the first class to win 30 verde loco points by bringing in the most candy for your grade!!Trunks must stay for the entire trunk or treat for safety reasons!
Register for our Ridgeline K-6 Weekend Wrestling Camp: Saturday-Sunday, November 2-3rd
Ridgeline High School coaches and wrestlers will be running a weekend wrestling camp for youth in the Spokane/Liberty Lake area Saturday-Sunday, November 2-3. This camp can serve as an introduction to wrestling for a brand-new athlete, or a chance to review the basics and get some mat time for someone with several years of wrestling experience.
Registration: Student sign up information and payment will remain open until the beginning of camp or until we reach 100 campers.
https://gofan.co/event/1972723?schoolId=WA87837
-Please print and bring the Minor Participation Release Form or plan on completing during Check In/Drop Off
-Reach out to Coach Brice Gretch prior to start of camp if in-person registration/payment is required
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
