Ridgeline eNews

We’re thrilled to announce our first Parent Education Night of the year is tonight, Thursday, October 3, from 6-7:30 PM in the Ridgeline gymnasium. Featuring the one and only Biff Maier as our esteemed Montessori presenter!

Sign-ups for free childcare are now closed. If you’ve signed up for childcare, please check your student(s) in at the library between 5:45-6pm.

Mark your calendars—Tuesday, October 15 is going to be a pizza-packed day! Flyers are coming home in backpacks on Thursday, October 10, so keep an eye out! 👀

Our first all-school restaurant fundraiser is happening from 11am to midnight, and guess what? 50% of the proceeds will go straight to Ridgeline! 🎉

Bring the family, invite friends, and meet new Ridgeline folks while enjoying some seriously delicious pizza! 🍕😋

Don’t have time to hang out? No worries! You can call ahead and grab your order to-go. Whether you dine in or take out, we’d love to have you join in and order any time between 11am and midnight.

It’s a perfect way to enjoy awesome pizza while supporting our school! See you at Track Town Pizza! 👏

Ridgeline parents & families, especially those new to our program, you’re in for a treat! 🎉 Curriculum Sharing is an exciting chance for your child to guide you through the classroom and show off their favorite work. This is an informal, student-led event where kids get to shine and share the confidence and independence they’ve built since the start of the school year! 🌟

Join us on Thursday, October 24 for this special experience. Classrooms will be open for two sessions:
1️⃣ 3:05 - 4:05 pm
2️⃣ 6:00 - 7:00 pm

Pick the time that works best for your family and come see what your child has been up to! 🏫

What’s Happening:

On Wednesday, October 30, we’re teaming up with the Community Health Centers of Lane County’s Dental Prevention Program and the Lions Club to provide free vision and dental screenings for all students!

Vision Screening Details:
The Oregon Lions Sight and Hearing Foundation (OLSHF), along with local Lions clubs, will conduct vision screenings in over 80% of Oregon school districts—including ours! Using the Welch Allyn SPOT Vision Screener, this screening measures your child’s eyes to detect potential vision issues. The device works like a digital camera with infrared light, identifying common vision problems. Screening results will be sent home within a few weeks, along with resources for eye exams if needed. Learn more about the vision screening program here.

Dental Screening Info:
All students will receive a dental screening as part of this all-school health event, along with their vision check. A Dental Screening is a quick look in the mouth to identify any visual oral problems, using a mirror and a flashlight. The child simply stands in front of the screener. If you would prefer your child not participate, you can opt-out using this form. Results from the screening will be shared with families.

Additional Dental Services:
If you'd like to enroll in more comprehensive dental services (hygiene exam, fluoride varnish, and dental sealants), make sure to return the yellow opt-in form that was sent home on September 27. Forms are due back to the office by Thursday, October 10. These additional services are offered twice a year, and the consent is valid for two years. Note: If your child already receives regular dental care, this service may not be necessary.

We’re excited to offer these free screenings to help keep our students healthy!

Thank you to everyone who joined us for Volunteer Power Hour! It was an incredible morning of connection and community building. Parents had the chance to learn about the many ways to get involved—from helping with school events like Stone Soup, Student Marketplace, and the Jog-a-thon to supporting classroom needs and hospitality. Special thanks to the volunteers who shared their experiences and passion for making Ridgeline a fantastic place to be! 🌟

Missed it? No worries! There's always room for more helping hands. We will be creating individual team sign ups in Track It Forward over the coming weeks. Stayed tuned for links in the Volunteer section below or email bethany.dilla@ridgeline.org if you want to get involved in one of the following teams: 💌

Event Teams

• Middle School Events

• Stone Soup

• Student Talent Show

• Parent Education Nights

• Jog-a-thon

• Walk, Bike, & Roll to School

• Student Marketplace

Ongoing Teams

• Library Team

• Community Engagement

• Oregon Battle of the Books (OBOB)

• Hospitality (staff care and teacher appreciation)

• Office Support

• Crossing Guard

Ridgeline’s Fall Bike, Walk & Roll Recap 🚴‍♀️🚶‍♂️🛴

What an awesome day we had on Wednesday, October 2nd, for the Fall Bike, Walk & Roll Challenge! The turnout from students and families was nothing short of amazing!

Thanks to the Safe Routes to School Program through 4J, Ridgeline students got to snag some fun freebies like stickers, tattoos, pencils, and bookmarks—because who doesn’t love a little extra swag? 🎉✨

💫 In addition, those who walked, biked, or rolled their way to school got to enter a raffle to win some cool prizes. One student in Building A won a scooter (the Kinder & Lower El raffle) and one student in Building B won a Hydro Flask water bottle (the Upper El & Middle School raffle). 🚴‍♀️🚶‍♂️🛴

None of this could have happened without our fantastic volunteers! Huge thanks to Jennifer Little, Ruth Tabak, and Shoshanna Holman for keeping the hospitality table warm and welcoming. 💖

And a special shoutout to our orange-vested heroes who kept everyone safe on their way to school: Andy Raasch, Chris Mauksch, Gabe Tabak, Ruhi Sophia Rubenstein, Jenny Hoover, Kunu Dittmer-Bearchum, and Arielle Bertolone. You all rock! 🙌🦺

Lastly, a big round of applause to all the families who started their day extra early to join their students on foot or bicycle—your support means everything! 🚲👣💛

Join the Middle School Events Team!
Want to help plan Middle School dances, the end-of-year Adventure Trip, or assist with 8th grade graduation? If so, email Parent Organizer Nancy Willcox-Trent at nancy.willcoxtrent@gmail.com to get involved.

In the meantime, head to Track It Forward to sign up and bring snacks for the fall Middle School Dance on October 25—there are still plenty of items left to claim! Stay tuned for more info coming soon!

Crossing Guards - Wednesday Mornings Anyone?

Help Ridgeline students safely cross W. Amazon to access the Amazon Trail and the creek bridge by volunteering as a crossing guard. Your support is needed daily from 8-8:30 am and 3-3:20 pm (1-1:20 pm on Wednesdays). There are shifts still some unclaimed shifts!

We provide safety vests, stop signs, and all the good vibes you need! Just make sure to check in with the front office at ridgelineoffice@ridgeline.org to ensure you have a current background check.

Sign up for a morning or afternoon shift (or two!) by visiting Track it Forward, and make a difference in our community!

More Volunteer Jobs!

To learn more about additional volunteer jobs, check out Track It Forward.

1. Volunteers are an integral part of the Ridgeline Community and there are many different ways to get involved. Volunteers serve on committees, prepare materials at home, assist with grounds work, act as crossing guards, help in classrooms, chaperone field trips and much more.

2. Families pledge to complete 40 hours of volunteer time per school year. To fully participate in most volunteer opportunities, volunteers must first complete a background check and volunteer code of conduct.

3. The School Community Coordinator will notify you via email when these 2 steps are complete and you are green badge approved!

4. We would love to get you connected in the ways that best fit your time and talents. Please visit our website for more information on volunteering. You can also reach out to Bethany Dilla, Ridgeline's School Community Coordinator at bethany.dilla@ridgeline.org for more information.

Hello Ridgeline community! The Ridgeline Board of Directors will hold a regular meeting on Tuesday, Oct. 8 at 6:00 p.m. in the Ridgeline library and over Zoom. All Ridgeline community members are welcome to join our regular board meetings, and to make a public comment. The designated time for public comment is at the start of meetings.

Our meeting agenda includes a discussion of new board mentorship procedures and the 2024-25 School Improvement Plan. We will review and vote on the Revised 2024-25 Budget, discuss Special Education staffing, review and vote on updated policies, and hold a new member election.

You can find the agenda here.

In order to attend virtually, please use this Zoom link:

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84074040106pwd=R6PzazBjJFrxabUMtT92ZabaJ7bptn.1

Meeting ID: 840 7404 0106 Passcode: 824778

Community members can also reach the Board of Directors via email (board@ridgeline.org). Public comment may also be made in writing and emailed to the board prior to the meeting. In order to be fully considered at this meeting, comments must be received by noon on the day of the meeting. Please clearly label the email subject line as: "Public Comment." Prior to the meeting, board members will read, review, and take into consideration all comments.

Jenny Noyce

President

Ridgeline Montessori Board of Directors

Hey Ridgeline families! We’ve got spots available in our 7th and 8th grades! 🎒 Now’s the perfect chance to invite your students' friends who might be looking for a close-knit, supportive middle school experience.

Know someone interested? Point them to our Ridgeline website under Enrollment and let’s grow our amazing community together! 🌟