Rimrock Raider Newsletter

Well that was a fast summer! With school just around the corner, I hope everyone is enjoying the last days of the break and mentally preparing. To help you do that, this newsletter shares some key information to help orient our students and families going into the start of school on 19 August.

We are excited to bring back nearly all of of our outstanding team from last year. A couple of key additions we have for this year at Rimrock include our new Secretary and Registrar, Mrs. Ruth Ann Fahl, as well as the return of our band program thanks to our District's new music teacher, Mrs. Samantha Ellis. Mrs. Sariah Pearson is coming up from the elementary and joining us as the Rimrock Counselor. We also have a new TRIO Specialist, Mrs. Katie Imholte. We are so fortunate to have each of them join our staff and support our students!

This year our students' class schedules (complete bell schedule attached below for reference) will have a few adjustments compared to last year. Start times will be the same (8:00 AM for Junior High students, 8:05 AM for High School, with High School breakfast served at 7:50). The school day will also end at the same time as last year (3:37 PM for Junior High, 3:40 PM for High School). One adjustment though is we are reintroducing "What I Need" (WIN) time, which will be an opportunity for students to meet with their classes, teams, or clubs, seek help from teachers, or study. Some students may be directed to meet with teachers during WIN time for intervention and assistance if they fall behind in class or are struggling with content. Student Body assemblies will also typically take place during this time. WIN time will be 15 minutes attached to the end of lunch for both JH and HS, which also has the benefit of giving students just a little more time to reset before they continue with their afternoon classes.

A change to the schedule specific to JH students is that they will now have Homeroom time (identified as 1st Period on their schedule) with the teacher who is their class advisor. These 10 minutes will help our JH students go into the day prepared, with an opportunity to turn in missing work, check email, and listen to the student body announcements. They will then have breakfast immediately after before proceeding to their morning classes.

We have been working to increase the functionality of the PowerSchool Parent Portal as a way to save time and effort for you as well as our office. While many of you likely use the Portal regularly, below are a few notable things to look for as we start the year.

Start by logging into the Parent Portal at https://sd365.powerschool.com/public/ (if you need assistance with access, please email our secretary, rfahl@sd365.us).

First of all, Class Schedules for the Falls Semester are now available (see "My Schedule" on left side). If students have any questions, please let me know by email at jwaterlander@sd365.us. Note that any changes to student courses must be completed by the end of the 1st week of school (22 August).

I also recommend parents/gaurdians take a look at "Email Notifications", where you can set up to receive updates on your students' grades, attendance, and fee balances. You can specify the frequency of these updates here as well.

The biggest update going into this year is that all the forms required to start the year are now available digitally. Look in the Parent Portal on the left side for "Forms". There you will see the following:

- Annual Student Information Update (required)

- BGV Bus Rules (if applicable)

- BGV Media Consent (required)

- BGV Standard Student Residency (only needed if student is newly enrolled or your housing status has changed)

- BGV Student Technology Use Agreement (required to use issued Chromebooks and access School Internet)

- Idaho Migrant Education Program (only needed if student is newly enrolled)

Also available is the registration form for Athletics, as well as the request for any students who plan to drive to and park at Rimrock (this is required for students to receive a parking pass).

Filling these out online will greatly help in expediting our administrative processes to start the year. However, if you are unable or unwilling to enter this information online, all forms will also be made available to students to take home on the first day of school.

For all our Junior High Students (Grades 6 - 8), your teachers have provided the attached list of recommended items to help you be successful in your classes this year. If possible, we encourage you to gather these before school starts. If you have any difficulties, just let the office or your teachers know and we will do our best to assist.

- August 5th through 11th: Fall Sports No-Contact Period

- August 12th, 1st day of HS Fall Sports

• High School Cross-Country at 7:00 AM
• High School Volleyball at 4:30 PM
• High School Football at 6:00 PM

- August 13th, all day: Free Sports Physicals at Desert Sage Mobile Clinic (Rimrock Parking Lot)

- August 13th, 7 PM: August School Board Meeting

- August 14th: All Staff Return to School

- August 15th, 4 - 6 PM: Rimrock Open House

- August 15th, 5:30 PM: 10th Grade (Sophomore) Student & Parent Class Meeting (Room 206)

- August 19th: 1st Day of School!

- August 19th: JH Football Practice starts after school @Rimrock

- August 20th: JH Cross-Country starts after school @Rimrock

- August 20th: JH Volleyball starts after school @ GRAND VIEW ELEMENTARY

- September 2nd: Labor Day (NO SCHOOL)

PLEASE NOTE: Complete calendars for Fall Athletics will be released on the school website, Facebook, and through coaches once finalized.