Reardan Weekly

Today we honored all who have and currently are serving in the military.

Breakfast was provided by the ASB officers. The band, led by student EJ Preuschoff, played the Star Spangled Banner, Stars and Stripes Forever, Service Medley, and Classic March Duo. Jakari Singleton played a solo of TAPS. VFW Essay winner, Skyler O'Rourke, read the winning essay. Landon Chatigny read the poem Veterans Day by Cheryl Dyson. Some of the elementary classes sang My Country, Tis of Thee. Students from the elementary handed out cards that were made to show appreciation to all the veterans. It was a wonderful program and we truly hope that all those in attendance feel of our gratitude for their service.

The Superintendent’s Outdoor Adventure Club went fishing after school on Thursday at Hawk Creek. Thank you Transportation Director Mike McCain for sharing your fishing expertise and joining us on this adventure!

In honor of Native American Heritage Month, we partnered with the Spokane Tribe on these videos a few years ago.

Dress For Winter Weather

As the weather continues to change, we wanted to remind you to dress your child in layers to ensure they stay comfortable throughout the school day. Mornings can be chilly, but temperatures often rise by the afternoon, so layering is a great way to keep kids cozy and ready for anything!

Additionally, please remember to write your child’s name on their sweatshirts, jackets, and other outerwear. This small step helps us return lost items to their rightful owners. Without names, items often end up in our overflowing Lost and Found!

Fall Conferences

We also want to remind you that Fall Conferences are scheduled for:

• Monday, November 25th – 8:00 AM - 7:00 PM

• Tuesday, November 26th – 8:00 AM - 11:30 AM

You can schedule a conference time with your child’s teacher through Skyward Family Access or contact the elementary office at (509) 796-2511 for assistance.

Upcoming Events:

• Saturday, November 9th: P.I.E. Chili Cook-Off – 5:00-6:00 PM; Movie Night – 6:00-8:00 PM
  Both events will be held in the Commons. We hope you can join us for a fun evening!

• Monday, November 11th: No School in observance of Veterans Day

• November 25-26: No School due to Fall Conferences

• November 27-29: No School for Thanksgiving Break

We are into November and our focus this month is on Gratitude. I want to take this opportunity to express my gratitude for all of the parent support our Middle School Staff has received from parents this year. Thank you for encouraging students to be at school, and calling or emailing the attendance line when they are unavoidably absent, for helping students organize their backpacks and asking them to check for missing assignments in Skyward, and encouraging them to come and talk with their teachers if they are struggling in classes. I would also like to thank parents for supporting our “away for the day” cell phone policy now in its second year. It makes a huge difference in classroom engagement when students know their devices are off limits.

This week in our Family Connect groups and also during social studies classes, students participated in a learning activity about Harassment, Bullying, and Intimidation. It is so important that students know and understand these terms and how they are different from CONFLICT. Our Counselor SAP, Elisabeth Roberts, will be in middle school classrooms each month with specifically designed lessons on these and other related topics. If you can discuss and reinforce all of these ideas at home, it is so valuable for our students. When parents and staff are a united team, our students feel loved and supported. Thank you for being amazing parents!

Please put Monday and Tuesday, November 25th and 26th on your calendars for Student Conferences. These are NON-STUDENT days reserved for teachers, students and staff to meet in groups or individually to discuss concerns and plan for success. We are reserving the evening times on Monday, 11/25 from 3-7 pm for drop-in conferences, but are happy to schedule conferences with parents, students, and all of their teachers during the other times. Please email Principal Newsum if you would like to make a conference appointment. dnewsum@reardansd.net

District Update:

Note to Parents from Technology Director and MS Principal, Debi Newsum:

I want to inform everyone about a recent decision regarding student access to the website Cool Math Games. After careful consideration and multiple reports of concerns, the Technology Director and the Administration Team have decided to turn off student access to this website, effective Friday, November 8th. Although Cool Math Games is known as a "free" educational games site, it is supported by advertising. Unfortunately, this year, some ads on their pages have led students to inappropriate and unsafe websites. Our monitoring system, SecURLy, has flagged multiple instances, and we’ve had some parents express concern as well. Our #1 goal is to keep all of our students safe from harm, and as a district we have determined that Cool Math Games is simply not a website we can trust. We will be reviewing other “free” websites carefully in the future as well. If you have any questions or concerns about technology and student use, please contact either myself at dnewsum@reardansd.net or your child’s principal.

High School Update:

• No School on Monday, November 11th: In observance of Veterans Day, there will be no school. Take a moment to thank a veteran for their service!

• Parent-Teacher Conferences: High School conferences will be held on Monday, November 25th, with both day and evening hours, and Tuesday, November 26th, in the morning. This is a great time to discuss your student’s progress and set goals for the rest of the school year. To schedule a conference, please call the office at 509-796-2701.

• Reardan Trap Team Event: The Reardan Trap Team is hosting a trap shoot on Saturday, November 9th, at the Spangle Gun Club. Best of luck to all participants!

Thank you!

JoLynn Ray - Principal

Fun Fact!

In 2021-2022, the Options program started with 25 students, K-12. Today, enrollment is at 70 students and still growing! If you are interested in learning more about our program, complete the "Interest Form" here or call (509)796-2701 ext 5.

Upcoming events:

Come join us for a hot cup of coffee on November 22, 2024 at the Option Village. This will be a great opportunity to chat with other parents and share ideas! (flyer attached)

Academic Spotlight:

In Grossology class the Options' students learned about Gyotaku! Gyotaku is a traditional Japanese art where fishermen use sumi ink and rice paper to create life-like impressions of freshly caught fish. This method not only preserved records of species and sizes but also allowed the fish to be consumed, as the ink was non-toxic. Check out a short video about it here. Instead of using sumi ink and rice paper, we used watered down acrylic and plain white cotton fabric. This project was so much fun! (photos)

Want to try it at home?

Supplies - fish (real or plastic), watered down acrylic paint, white cotton fabric, foam brushes

1. Clean the fish with water and pat dry.

2. Lay the fish on its side and pin the fins out flat so you can see the detail.

3. Paint the fish with a light coating of paint.

4. Gently put a piece of white fabric on top of the fish and rub every inch of the fish.

5. Carefully pull the fabric off and repeat.

Mandatory Winter Athlete Parent Meeting Thursday, November 14th

Immediately following the Cheer Showcase that begins at 6:00pm in HS Gym

Elementary students had the chance today to taste test a new breakfast item; the Berry Smoothie!

A big THANKS to the ESD Nutritional Services for making taking the time to serve the students today.

Today for breakfast the students got the chance to try out a new recipe; homemade carrot apple muffins! Heidi Newman is showing off a tray full of freshly baked muffins.

https://doh.wa.gov/newsroom/washington-state-sees-steep-increase-whooping-cough-cases

As colder weather is upon us, please make sure that your students that ride the bus are dressed appropriately. This means having a coat, gloves, hat, and anything else the student might like to be comfortable. We want to make sure that if anything happens to the bus, the students have layers to keep them warm.

Below is a picture of two route busses warming up for the morning run that driver Judy Samek took out by our NE property. Bus drivers are often the first ones on campus and the last ones to leave, ensuring that students arrive to and from school safe, and that each one is known, loved, and learning. Thank you bus drivers!

If you have a senior who is getting ready to attend college, please plan on attending our Financial Aid Night to get all the information you need for filling out FAFSA forms and other scholarship information.