River Valley Academy News

Hard to believe we have already completed one third of the first trimester! The weeks are flying by!

Please reach out with any questions or concerns, or if there is anything you need!

Take care,

Jenny Thompson

Director of Adult and Alternative Education

Rockford Public Schools

Students and teachers will be meeting Monday to evaluate progress on goals for weeks 3 and 4 of trimester 1 and to set goals for weeks 5 and 6. Goals should reflect efforts to complete all 5 classes before November 10, the end of the trimester.

Students (and their parents) who didn't meet their goals for two goal setting periods (4 school weeks) will be invited to an Academic Support Plan Meeting. A component of the meeting will be to build a plan to support students in meeting their goals.

Progress Reports for the current two-week goal setting period will be emailed to parents on Friday, September 22, by 2:20 PM.

In an effort to support student social and emotional needs, the Rockford Public Schools Special Services Department is surveying students. Please read this letter from Mindy Duba, the Executive Director of Special Services. RVA students will be surveyed on Thursday, September 21.

To help our students learn to be successful in school and in life, we will be incorporating employability skills/ Social Emotional Learning lessons. Teachers will lead interactive lessons on the Essential Academic and Social Behavior Standards during RAM time. We believe these lessons will be an enormous help and support for our students!

To prepare adequately for the Michigan Merit Exam in April, RPS juniors will be taking the NMSQT/PSAT in October. This year, the SAT will be given online. RVA juniors will take the NMSQT/PSAT to practice using this new format.

Recruiters from the Michigan Army National Guard will be visiting RVA on Wednesday, September 20. Interested students will be able to have their questions answered, and to learn about opportunities available to them.

RVA students had an amazing opportunity to visit the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Muesum on Thursday, September 14. We were the first tour group they have had, since opening post-covid! There were several retired teachers serving as docents/teachers to help us learn about Gerald R. Ford, Grand Rapids native, and former President of the United States!

Students were challenged to learn about Gerald R. Ford and to look at his campaign ads. After touring the museum, students were asked to consider how he might make a campaign ad, if he were running in the 2024 election.

It was surprising to some to learn that Gerald R. Ford was an average American, that many can relate to. His father was abusive and his mother left his father when he was a baby. He was adopted by his step-father. He didn't have money to attend college, so he sought scholarships. His wife, Betty Ford, battled breast cancer and addiction, and was divorced when she met him. Through a very challenging time in our country, with Richard Nixon's resignation, the Vietnam War, and a recession, Ford remained steadfast and helped the country heal.

Ask your student what they learned and/or remember about the day!

Please take a few minutes to read the RVA Student Guide and Secondary Handbook. You will find RVA expectations and detailed suggestions for success, along with the Secondary Handbook and Code of Conduct set by the RPS School Board. After reading, please complete the RVA Student Guide and Secondary Handbook Signature form.

Our school day will begin at 7:45 and end at 2:18. Here is a look at the class time schedule: Daily Schedule.

With Rockford's trimester high school system, students are expected to complete 2.5 credits (5 classes) each trimester, for a total of 7.5 credits each year. Students will begin the year with 5 classes, which should be completed by November 10. While November 10 seems like a long way off, trimesters are about 12 weeks long, so each week, students should be completing about 10% of each class, to finish on time. Completing this work will require students to make progress on assignments and activities in every class, every day!

Setting goals and making action plans is a key part of earning credit and graduating on time! During the first weeks of school, students will meet with their assigned teacher/advisor to set long-term and short-term goals for completing classes by November 10!

All students will be photographed for their RPS ID card and parents will have the option to purchase photos. Photos will also be used throughout the year for student recognition. Photographers will be at RVA on Monday, October 2.

A graduate said, "Without you guys, I wouldn't be where I am today. Graduation is one thing, but the connections I have made with the teachers have taught me how to be a better person. All of the teachers at River Valley have helped me tremendously through my classes. The teachers are there to do whatever is possible to help you graduate."

We can't wait to get to know our students and to watch them succeed and grow into responsible adults! It's going to be a great year! To help you through, you can count on the RVA Staff! Get to know us in this section of the RVA News!

Sean O'Brien has been a teacher at RVA for four years. Before joining our team, he was a teacher and coach at Reeths-Puffer. In Rockford, Sean is the Varsity Track Head Coach and an assistant varsity football coach.

Sean attended Ferris State University for his bachelor's degree and Wayne State University for his master's degree.

Sean has also worked at a golf course and for a contractor. When asked how he decided on a career path, Sean said, "My grandfather and father were teachers and coaches, and I was always around them when i was little. I wanted to do the same thing they did."

Sean is motivated by his family and friends. When asked what he enjoys most about his job, he said, "Building relationships with students and staff and watching our students grow and succeed."

RVA courses are run through either Schoology or Edgenuity. Schoology courses are RPS teacher created and directed. If you want to know how your student is doing in these classes, log in to Schoology. If you need help getting in to Schoology, use this How to Cheat Sheet. Using a parent log in, parents can see messages and course information. However, if you want to see what your student has completed and what grades they have earned so far in classes, the best way to do that is to log in as your student. Students have access to the course gradebook which includes a list of assignments that need to be completed, showing scores earned on work that has been turned in.

Edgenuity courses offer parent updates. If you would like to be signed up to receive these, please complete this form. When the form has been processed, you will receive directions for signing up for the Parent Portal along with an access code. You will receive daily updates. If you want specific information on how your student is doing in Edgenuity, ask your student for their login information. If you log in as the student, you can see a more detailed report.

Good questions to ask your student include:

1. Are you attending all class sessions?

2. Are you completing at least one assignment in each class session?

3. About how far in each course are you?

4. What are you doing well?

5. What can you do better?

Parents and schools are partners in educating students!

Eight Resume Mistakes That Can Keep You From Getting Hired
https://www.aarp.org/work/job-search/info-2020/resume-mistakes-to-avoid.html

Hand 2 Hand can help with food and toiletry needs.

RVA has an amazing staff, social worker, and mental health liaison who can listen and connect you to resources! Visit the RPS Mental Wellness Community Resource Guide for important information and contact information.

Ele's Place is a community-based organization with the mission to create awareness of and support for grieving children and their families. Please find a very helpful guide for parents - how to support teens, as well as a handout titled, How to Help Yourself: For Teens below.

Also, North Kent Connect (NKC) is a hub of help for families who could use some help with food, utilities, counseling, and support. Please check out the flyers below!

Fall sports tryout information can be found at the Rockford Athletics Website. Fall sports include: Cross Country, Football, Girls Golf, Boys Soccer, Girls Swim and Dive, Boys Tennis, Volleyball, Boys Water Polo. Sideline Cheer, Field Hockey, Girls Rugby, and Equestrian.

Ram’s Tale—also known as OUR yearbook! Notes on Book Sales and Senior Photos

Yearbook Advisor: John Feeley — jfeeley@rockfordschools.org

Book Cost:
$65 August 1st through Friday, September 30th—We hope you buy here!
$70 October 1st through Friday, December 16th
$75 December 17th through Wednesday, May 31st!

Books can be ordered at yearbookforever.com
● Select Rockford High School for ALL 9-12 students
● Ensure to select Rockford, Michigan as there are Rockford schools in other states!

Senior Pictures— The Requirements / must be wallet size & in color!

Before submitting your senior picture, please consider the following guidelines and requirements.
Must:
⮚ Be a wallet sized photo (2X3)
⮚ Formatted vertically
⮚ Appropriately dressed
⮚ Not full length
⮚ Full color image
⮚ No sepia or other toned images

Preferences:

*Digital images 300 DPI or greater

*Digital images over hard copy phones, especially in the case of shooting one’s own photo

*Turn in early!!

Email Pictures to jfeeley@rockfordschools.org
Please Email Pictures: DO NOT send links!
Senior Photos Due By Friday, December 9th, 2023
—1 week before Christmas Break

September 18: Goal setting for weeks 5 and 6 of Trimester 1

September 27: RPS Early Release Day

October 2: Picture Day/Goal setting for weeks 7 and 8 of Trimester 1

October 4: Michigan Fall Count Day - All students must be present all day!

October 11: RPS Early Release Day

October 16: Goal setting for weeks 9 and 10 of Trimester 1

October 27: RPS Early Release Day - students dismissed at 11:48

October 30: Goal setting for week 11 and 12 of Trimester 1

November 10: End of Trimester 1 - Students should have a minimum of 5 classes completed by this day!

North Kent CONNECT: Clients | North Kent Connect (nkconnect.org)

Mobile Food Pantries: https://www.feedwm.org/findfood/

Assistance with housing, food, utilities:

contact 211 by phone or text (800-877-1107), text your zip code to 898211

Youth in need of shelter: The Bridge 616-451-3001 or 877-275-7792 the bridge - Arbor Circle

RVA Team - A caring group of educators dedicated to meeting students where they are and helping students grow and succeed!

Email: jthompson@rockfordschools.org
Website: http://www.rockfordschools.org
Location: 350 North Main Street, Rockford, MI, USA
Phone: 616-863-6324
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rivervalleyacademy
Twitter: @academy_river