Hello Ridgeline Families- In our second week we really reach our āfull-swingā. In the classroom, the work has begun in earnest. This can sometime be a bit of a shock to students after a long summer break. It takes a lot of focus and energy to teach and learn so much new information over the course of a day. What to watch out for right now in your student is whether they are keeping up and managing their time inside and outside of school. I talked to a young man today, a senior, and we were on the subject of cell phones. And he offered this unsolicited perspective to me. He said, āhonestly, you know I do get easily distracted and procrastinate and my cell phone was part of the problem.ā He continued that he is striving this year to procrastinate less and get more done during his time in class. Fairly simple concept, but profound from a self-awareness perspective. Heās grown and matured and I got the sense it took him until his senior year to not just acknowledge some habits, but also have an intentional plan to be better. Same advice we adults would offer him, but it landed more distinctly when he realized it on his own. Like many things with our kids, we have to stick to the message and keep repeating the good habits we want them to form, and it will sink in eventually!
The second part of this take-away, is that for our students as the demands ramp-up, a tendency I often see is avoidance or procrastination. Like if I pretend itās not real or put it off long enough it will go away! Our teachers are masters at reminders and coaching their students to use time wisely and the are always willing to support and work with them. We want our students to talk to us, be honest, and weāll work with themā¦ every time.
There is another attendance reminder for your review. We added a new code to track students who are in class for a āpartialā period. Please look that over as it will answer any questions and explain why this is a useful tool. Without hard data, but through conversations with office staff and teachers, our on-time attendance has noticeably improved. Most of our work yet to do is 1st period in the morning. But it is getting better. Thank you for your efforts to get your students here on time. Only 168 more wake-up days left to pester your teens in the morning!
Next week we have our Back To School Night, Thursday, 5:30-7:00pm. Come to the main entrance to the commons for this OPEN HOUSE style event. Teachers, coaches, club advisors, student leaders, counselors, admin, we are all on hand to answer questions and provide information for parents and students to have a successful school year. Please Stop By!
Weāre also just a week away from kicking off Homecoming festivities. This has grown into a very fun week starting with an all-school spirit assembly. Our dance on Saturday, the 5th, is usually a huge event and a lot of fun for kids to experience their āschoolā in a different way. I always encourage kids to come. Showing up is the most important part! Even for your reluctant kidsāencourage them to give it a shot and enjoy it for what it isāand opportunity to make a moment through a common shared experience with your friends and classmates. $10 tickets, guest form Required in advance (due 10/3/24) for non-RHS students. More info below.
Be as informed as possible, there is something for everyone in the Falcon Flyer!
Make it a great weekend! --Mr. Hardt
2025-26 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) Opening Date Announced!
Everyone who works in higher education financial aid and admission offices hope the 2025-26 FAFSA is free of the bugs that plagued last year's FAFSA roll-out! A potentially good sign is this week's announcement that the form will be open December 1, 2024. If you and your student plan to complete the form, you can get yourselves prepared by creating your FSAIDs ahead of the December 1, date (assuming you do not already have an FSAID from a previous filing).
Crossover Trades Night
If you have a student who is considering the world of the skilled trades after graduation, this event might be a good one to check out together! NEWESD 101 will host a Career Crossover Trades Night on Wednesday, September 25, from 5:00-7:30 PM at Mount Spokane HS. Featured trades include construction, automotive, healthcare, hospitality, manufacturing, and various others.
WSU CASHE Conference
WSU is excited to invite high school juniors and seniors to the CASHE Conference (Children of AztlƔn Sharing Higher Education) at Washington State University! This three-day, two-night event is designed to inspire and empower Chicanx/Latinx students, focusing on leadership development and higher education (though students of all identities are welcome).
Event Details:
- Dates: November 15-17, 2024
- Location: WSU Pullman Campus
- Student Application: CASHE Application
- Application Deadline: Sunday, October 27 by 11:59 PM
- Transportation: Provided via charter buses from multiple locations across Washington state.
- Cost: $75 (covers transportation, lodging, meals, and conference materials; please note that fee waivers are limited and available upon request)
Women in Engineering Day at the University of Idaho
On Saturday, September 28, the University of Idaho will host a program on the UI campus designed to introduce students to the wide away of professional pathways available in engineering. The last day to register is THIS FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, so move quickly if your student is interested!
Washington State University SHAPING Conference
Shaping High School Asian Pacific Islanders for the Next Generation (SHAPING) is a leadership conference that encourages junior and senior high school-level students of Asian-American/Pacific Islander descent to pursue higher education. This annual event on the Pullman campus intends to foster and address the needs of higher education among the Asian-American/Pacific Islander community. This year S.H.A.P.I.N.G will take place Friday, October 11 through Sunday, October 13. The application deadline to register is Friday, October 4 by 11:59 p.m. There is a one-time $50 fee (scholarships offered) which covers transportation, lodging, S.H.A.P.I.N.G merchandise, and food for the entire conference.
US Army at RHS
Several times a year, the United States military branches send recruiters to campus, and RHS makes them available to interested students during select lunch periods. Next Wednesday, September 25, SSG Baldwin of the United States Army will be available during lunch for any students who wish to discuss a career in military service.
š **Support Our Dance Team for the Competition Season!** š
Weāre excited to announce a special donation to support our dance team as we prepare for upcoming competitions! We are selling exclusive Ridgeline T-shirts and sweatshirts, designed to showcase our team spirit and pride.
Not only will you be getting a stylish addition to your wardrobe, but a portion of the proceeds will directly contribute to funding our competition uniforms. These uniforms are essential for our performances and help us look our best on stage, showcasing the hard work and dedication we put into our craft.
By purchasing a T-shirt or sweatshirt, youāre not just supporting our teamāyouāre also becoming a part of our journey. Every purchase helps us get one step closer to our goal.
Thank you for considering supporting us! Your contribution means the world to us and will make a huge difference in our season. If you have any questions or would like to place an order, feel free to reach out. Letās dance our way to success together!
https://whateversclever.boutique/collections/rhs-dance-proceeds-shop
Attendance Matter
Dear Parents and Guardians,
As part of our efforts to improve communication and ensure greater clarity around student attendance, we are updating some of our attendance codes at Ridgeline High School. Below are the new and revised attendance codes that will take effect Monday, 9/16.
Updated Attendance Codes:
TUN (Tardy Unexcused):
This code replaces the previous TLTC code. It will be used for all students who arrive 1-10 minutes late to class without an excused reason. Please remind your child of the importance of punctuality.TEX (Tardy Excused): Excused only by a parent/guardian contacting the attendance desk for an accepted reason.
TUN P (Unexcused Partial Class Period):
This is a new truancy code. It will replace the former UTR code. TUN P will be used for students who:Are 10+ minutes late to class
Miss significant portions of class time in the middle of class
Leave class early without permission
If an ongoing issue arises related to tardiness or missing large chunks of class, it may result in further disciplinary actions.
TUN P (Excused Partial Class Period): Excused only by a parent/guardian contacting the attendance desk for an accepted reason.
Why These Changes Matter:
We believe these updates will help provide a clearer picture of your child's attendance and help address issues like tardiness or unexcused absences more efficiently. Regular attendance is critical to academic success, and these changes aim to encourage responsibility and time management among our students.
How You Can Help:
We ask that you continue to speak with your child about the importance of arriving on time and staying engaged throughout each class period. If there are any challenges that might impact their attendance, such as medical or family concerns, please inform the school so we can support them. Our Attendance Desk number is 509-558-3801.
Thank you for your continued partnership in your childās education.
Sincerely,
RHS Administrative Team
Sign up to join in on the fun this year with the Ridgeline Business Club. No payments necessary yet, but need to know if you are interested. Scan the QR code to let us know you are interested. This is for new and returning members. We will keep you posted when we can start accepting payments for any fees we have. Thanks, Falcons!š
Attention Seniors!
š¤Class of 2025 š¤
Senior Photos must be submitted by Monday, October 28th.
Link for Senior Portraits: https://www.hjeshare.com/eShare/?code=25falcons
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!
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
