Hello Ridgeline Families- Two weeks ago I talked about ala-carte scheduling and who this makes sense for and who it probably doesn’t. Today I want to tell you about a Ridgeline Senior who has benefitted greatly from a non-traditional high school schedule.
I’m pleased to introduce Sofia Stearns-pictured here. I’ll preface this article noting that Sofia gave me permission to share her story with the public.
Randomly one day, I bumped into Sofia and started chatting with her, as I heard her story, I was very impressed at how much “adulting” she was already doing at such a young age.
She is on track to graduate after attending several high school and online schools in our region before landing here where she wanted to have a more “normal” senior experience and enjoy events like prom and graduation.
She currently takes two classes on campus at RHS and at least one other online course.
During her junior year she went full time online because she began working a lot more, and landed a job at Kootenai Hospital as a CNA.
She has continued in that job during her senior year where she works three or more 12 hour graveyard (turns out they call it the ‘nocturnal’ shift now-a-days) shifts per week, 7pm-7am!
I’m glad her in-person school day doesn’t start until 4th period so she can get some sleep coming off the night shift!
She has solid plans for the future. She will pursue her RN degree, and eventually wants to be a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist. She’s identified the schools, programs, residency requirements, etc… she has a plan!
Sofia has her own apartment and pays her own bills. In her free time she enjoys being outdoors with her dog. She especially enjoys the summer and spending time in the water. She definitely doesn’t like the snow!
I’m very proud of her! Her story highlights her commitment and also reminds me of many of our students who hold down jobs and work a significant number of hours during the week, while attending school. I have a great deal of respect for our students who maintain their school schedule and work nights and weekends. Everyone is just trying to make it. Working students are a great reason to have a-la-carte scheduling options available so they can earn their diploma on time!
Every week I see and hear so many great examples of the amazing talent of our Ridgeline Students. I see and hear many examples of how great young people they are in the way they handle themselves and the way they treat others. We’re fortunate to be able to provide so many opportunities to our students and when they take on a project or activity they sky is the limit for how far they often go!
This is why it is important to take a look over the Falcon Flyer every week. There is always something new and information to pay attention to. AND there’s always something to celebrate!
Make it a great weekend! --Mr. Hardt
Class of 2025 Valedictorian and Salutatorian
The opportunity to be selected for valedictorian and salutatorian academic honors are among the most time-honored traditions in the academic lives of high-achieving high school students. For the Class of 2025, Ridgeline High School is pleased and proud to announce this year’s valedictorian and salutatorian honorees. The Class of 2025 Valedictorian is Owen Packebush, and Class of 2025 Salutatorian is Prasidha Krishnaswamy! Please join the faculty, staff, and students of Ridgeline High School as we congratulate these extraordinary students on their accomplishments!
NewTech Prep application is available now for current 10th and 11th Graders!
Learn more and apply - https://www.spokaneschools.org/o/newtech
Spokane Valley Tech Skill Center Application Available SOON!
Please check out their website to learn more about their programs https://www.spokanevalleytech.org/apps/pages/about
FAFSA NOW OPEN!
If you are the parent/guardian of a current senior who plans to enroll in college next year, this notice is for you! The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is NOW OPEN. The FAFSA is an online federal form that, once completed, will offer your student the opportunity to be considered for grants, work-study, scholarships, and student loans at the colleges and universities to which they've applied. For your information, here is an important link with information your student and you may wish to review ahead of filing the form.
Additionally, RHS hosts a local scholarship page we share with East Valley, West Valley, and Freeman school districts. We will update the scholarship page as scholarships become available throughout the winter/spring. I encourage your student to routinely check the page for scholarship opportunities that may benefit your student!
Falcons Robotics Shines at State Championship!
On February 1st, the Falcons Robotics team competed at the 2025 FIRST Tech Challenge State Championship in Seattle, Washington. They proudly took home the Motivate Award, a prestigious honor recognizing teams that embody the spirit of FIRST Tech Challenge through Gracious Professionalism®, enthusiasm, and dedication to the values of FIRST.
With this award, the team has earned an invitation to one of the FTC Premier Events, where they plan to compete once again. Stay tuned for more updates as they continue their journey! #FalconsRobotics #FTC #MotivateAward #GraciousProfessionalism. Follow us on Instagram @falcons19589
Welcome to our professional clothing career closet! We are a non-profit community clothing bank operated by the Ridgeline FBLA officer team. Our goal is to provide professional attire for individuals in need, sourced from generous donations from the community. We offer appointments for borrowing clothes for FBLA and DECA competitions, job interviews, and any other professional events. Additionally, we will have designated walk-in days for those who require immediate assistance. To schedule an appointment, please scan the QR code below. Thank you for supporting our cause and helping individuals dress for success!
To continue the celebration of Verde Loco Month, please join us on Wednesday, March 12, 2025 for the Emerald City Prom Fashion Show at Ridgeline High School to see 30 of your Class of 2025 seniors shine in stunning PROM fashions from Believe Prom and Tux presented by the Ridgeline Business Club. The prom fashion show has quickly become an exciting tradition our students look forward to every year. Falcon families will love this chance to see their seniors looking their best on the Ridgeline Theater stage. The goal of this event is to honor our senior class, and share their favorite high school memories and exciting plans for the future after graduation.
New this year, we have some guest performers, and other fun surprises. We can’t wait to see family, friends, and community members at this special once a year event.
The Ridgeline Business Club would be honored to have the parents/families of our Falcon seniors send in photos from their high school proms to feature in a slide show during the fashion show. Please send your JPG, PNG, or PDF format photos to kdemarest@cvsd356.org to be included in the slide show no later than March 7th, 2025. RHS staff members are encouraged to send in photos, too!
Presale tickets bought between February 12th and March 10th are $10 per person, plus any pre-sale tickets purchased by students will receive a $50 off coupon from Believe Prom and Tux. Tickets can still be purchased after March 10th for $15 online or at the door the night of the event.
The doors will open at 6:30 pm, with the show starting at 7 pm. Thank you for supporting this fun fundraising event for our Falcons!
We meet Mondays after school in the library
The Slam (competition) is on Monday, March 17th after school
Anyone can participate in the Poetry Slam on the 17th - students have to come to the meetings – but it’s helpful if you do
Students can come to the meetings and not participate in the Slam
It’s just a group for kids who want to read, write, discuss, and potentially perform poetry.
Questions? Come see Mrs. Maxwell in the library anytime.
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
