The Titan Times: Week 7

Titan Families,

Welcome back from a three day weekend, and welcome to the month of September! We have 2nd and 3rd grade's Curriculum Night TONIGHT from 5:30-6:30 PM and Kindergarten and 1st Grade's Curriculum Night on Thursday from 5:30-6:30 PM. We look forward to connecting you further with our staff and help you better understand what is ahead for the 2024-2025 school year.

We officially welcome all visitors and volunteers to campus this week! We are excited to have you here striving and thriving in our Titan Community. Here are a few things to know:

• If you plan to volunteer on campus in any capacity throughout the year (and we hope you do), be sure you have done the district required training. The information on that is in a blurb below in our newsletter. When volunteering, please be mindful that you are serving all students during that time and not only your Titan(s). Be sure to check-in in the front office and head to the classroom or location you're assigned.
• If you are visiting to have lunch with your Titan, there is a dedicated table for you and your child to sit at in the cafeteria. As guardian, you are only allowed to bring food for and sit with your child. Be mindful of the times to eat with your child. We will not pull your child out of class to go down early to lunch or to attend a different lunch time to accommodate your schedule. Lunch times are detailed in this newsletter below and on our campus website.

Below is much more information like our focus in Titan Time for leading and learning, the RSVP link for our Grandparents Day Lunch, how to connect with us on Instagram, our updated student handbook, and more information about our upcoming APEX fundraiser. I will detail more about APEX in next week's newsletter.

Otherwise, again, thank you for being a part of our Titan Community. It is a joy to be of service to you and your family. Should you have any questions, please feel free to call our campus, and Ms. Melynda, our wonderful receptionist, will be more than happy to support you or direct you to someone who can.

Take care and lead well,

Dr. Amy Sharp

Proud RPE Principal

We are excited to share the information about our newest committee, the Educational Access Ambassadors (EAA)! The Office of Educational Access (OEA) is seeking to establish an ambassador group of LISD parents/guardians during the 2024-2025 school year. Additional information and the application link can be found here. This application will remain open until Thursday, September 5th at 5 pm. If you have any questions, please contact Sue Neidecker.

LISD changed their volunteer system and your past log in may not work. If you are a past LISD volunteer, check the “Volunteer Portal Link” to see if you can sign in. If not, then you can email support@raptortech.com or register again using “Volunteer Application Link”.

As parents and students, you have an interest in the policies and procedures which govern the schools of the District. Policies are established to create an orderly, friendly, learning environment for each student.

This handbook contains a great deal of required and useful information for a large number of students and parents. It cannot be as personal as we would like. Therefore, we address students, not directly as "you," but rather as "the student," "student," or "children." The term "the student's parent" may refer to the parent, legal guardian, or another person who has agreed to assume responsibility for the student. This handbook intends to communicate essential information concerning the operation of the District's schools. The information provided should assist parents and students in learning about the school(s) and knowing what the school(s) expects of students.

Schools exist for the students’ use. It is hoped that students will use them to the fullest extent.

Policies:

• Much of the information in this handbook is based on policies adopted by the Leander ISD Board of Trustees. Copies of these policies are available through the LISD website, www.leanderisd.org, or on any campus or district facility.
• This handbook is required reading for all students. The information is also made available to parents to keep them informed about procedures. More information on policies and guidelines is available from school principals. Questions regarding this handbook or its contents should be directed to the campus principal.
• The Student Handbook is available through the Leander ISD website at www.leanderisd.org. In addition, upon request, hard copies of the 2024-2025 Student Handbook may be requested through the office of the Assistant Principals.

References made to policies in the student handbook consist of summaries or partial excerpts from the complete policy text. The official policy manual adopted by the Board of Trustees remains the authoritative reference. Any policy change adopted during the life of this handbook will take precedence over any conflicting statement in this handbook. A copy of the policy manual is available on each campus and in each department.

She is still serving as an inspiration to us all in our #1LISD community! A reminder that once a Titan, Always a Titan.

• 5th: Kindergarten and 1st Grade Curriculum Night (See Flyer Below)
• 9th: Monday Enrichment Classes Begin!
• 11th: Texas First Responders Day & 9/11 Remembrance Observed on Campus
• 13th: Grandparents Day Lunch; where grandparents are welcome to eat lunch with their Titan(s). There is not a free lunch provided for grandparents; however, grandparents may purchase a school lunch or bring food in. ----> RSVP Here by Sept. 11th
• 16th-20th:
• National Instructional Technology Professional Week! We Celebrate Ms. Christie Pfenninger, our campus tech of 16 years.
• Celebrate Freedom Week- Students will partake in various activities in classes for this state mandated week of learning regarding the constitution. Learn more here.
• 16th: APEX assembly on campus- APEX starts! See info below.
• 18th:
• P.R.I.D.E. Table prizes starts and goes from 7:10-7:40 AM. Students turn in there filled out P.R.I.D.E. cards for a prize!
• PTA General Meeting: Featured Speakers: Dr. Amy Sharp and Ms. Lacy Olmstead
• 23rd: Staff Professional Development Day- No School for Students
• 26th: APEX Obstacle Course Day- Schedule Coming Soon!
• 27th: Last day with APEX staff and earning rewards for fundraising goals

We are so excited to combine two excellent programs into one great focus for our Titans. We are using Leander ISD's Ethical Principles (Culture of Caring) and Leander ISD’s Graduate Profile to make our Titan Community leadership and learning focus come to life.

What are we doing as a campus community?

Each month, we will have a new focus and will introduce Titan Excellence during our Titan Time Assembly. Then at the end of each month our teachers will choose two students from their homeroom that have exemplified these qualities through learning and leading. We will celebrate these students at our end of the month, Titan Time Assembly.

Why the change?

We want to effectively integrate important values into our school culture and provide students with regular opportunities to be celebrated for their achievements. This approach should encourage positive behavior and a strong sense of community among our Titans. Our hope is that the monthly focus and the recognition at the end of each month will help keep students engaged and motivated throughout the year.

How can you help?

We encourage you to support this effort by talking about these things at home with your Titan(s), too.

Check out how we shine each day through dress and communication.

River Place Student Theatre Audition information is out!!! Want to join the 2025 production of Alice in Wonderland Jr?

1. Go to RPST.show
2. Click Alice Audition Materials
3. Follow each step in order! Spreadsheet maybe hard to read via phone so look via computer or get the google sheet app.

Must be zoned in River Place Elementary and grades K-5 to audition!!!

Remember practice requirements:

-starting September 10th to October 3rd every Tuesday and Thursday 3-5pm

-October 8th to December 19th every Tuesday (unless you get a lead or featured role then every Tuesday AND Thursday) 3-5pm

-January 7th to February 28th every Tuesday AND Thursday for everyone 3-5pm

-March 3rd to 6th 4-7pm

*We offer scholarships! If your family needs assistance please see information under our Home tab!

Families interested in being a part of the Free/Reduced lunch Program need to reapply each year. Please use this link to apply for the 24-25 school year if you haven't already done so. Also, if you are needing assistance with food for your student(s) for the weekend, you may use this google form to sign up for the Backpack Program. Your Titan(s) would receive a bag of food/snacks that they can put in their backpacks to take home each Friday. Please reach out to our school counselor if you have any questions.

Join PTA TODAY because increasing our membership, even by one, makes it possible to:

• Get funds to teachers to supplement classroom needs.
• Connect with teachers, parents, and administration to voice needs for our school and our Titans.
• Fund library technology, guest speakers, playground equipment.
• Help plan community activities such as Fall Fest, Apex Fun Run, Book Fair, Mentoring
• programs, Field Day, Career Day & STEAM Night.
• Support Teacher and Staff Appreciation.

Myths Debunked!

• PTA does NOT require mandatory meetings or volunteer hours.
• PTA is NOT just for stay-at-home parents or for those who want to take on a large leadership role.

PTA is-

• for ANYONE who wants to be a bit more connected to teachers, principals and the Titan community. In sum, there is no wrong or right way to be in PTA!
• something that takes 5 minutes to join and if you join now your $10 membership will enter you in a monthly raffle for gift cards, free water bottles, and MORE!
• easy to join! ----------> https://riverplacepta.membershiptoolkit.com

Incentive:

FOR AUGUST membership sign ups I will have TWO raffles (gift cards, Titan Shirts or water bottles) If you sign up by 8/14 you will be entered in BOTH raffles.

Here are our Titan Community Communication Tools-

• River Place Elementary School Website
• Twitter Account
• PTA Facebook Page
• Remind App for River Place Insiders

Email: ContactTeacher@leanderisd.org
Website: https://riverplace.leanderisd.org/
Location: 6500 Sitio Del Rio Blvd, Austin, TX 78730, USA
Phone: 512-570-6911
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RiverPlaceElementaryPTA/
X (formally known as Twitter): @RiverPlaceTitan

Instagram: @riverplace_elem