Ridgeline eNews
May 9, 2024
RIDGELINE CALENDAR OF EVENTS:
Full calendar: http://www.ridgeline.org/calendar
Thursday 5/9 Board Meeting 6-8pm
Monday 5/20 Site Council Meeting 5-6:30pm
Thursday 5/23 Handel’s Ice Cream Fundraiser 11am - 10pm
Thursday 5/23 Board Meeting 6-8pm
Monday 5/27 No School - Memorial Day
Thursday 5/30 End of the Year Picnic - 5:30pm
Be sure to check the full calendar at https://www.ridgeline.org as some dates may change. Please note that Ridgeline’s calendar differs slightly from 4J elementary and middle school calendars.
NEW NEWS
YMCA Before-School Program at Ridgeline is Starting this Fall - Register Now
The Eugene YMCA is happy to introduce a before-school care program at Ridgeline starting this September! The before-school program will run in the Ridgeline Montessori gym from 7am to 8:15am, and is available for registration NOW! If you are interested in signing your youth up, please get started by clicking here. If you have any questions, please the YMCA Youth Development Team at youth@eugeneymca.org.
Budget Committee Members Wanted
Do you want to learn more about Ridgeline’s finances and participate in the budget process? If so, email Chrystell.reed@ridgeline.org! Attendance at the first meeting is vital as we take time to explain the different line items of the budget and review historical data. Budget committee meetings are open to the public and will be held on Fridays from 8:30-10:00 am, beginning May 17-31.
Bottle Donation Request for Peacemakers
The Lower Elementary Classrooms need clean 2 liter or 64 oz bottles (caps still on) by the end of May. They are making Peacemaker bottle dolls and will need a total of 87 bottles.Thank you for helping provide the supplies for this special work!
VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES
Volunteer Thank Yous
May the 4th Be With You
Thank you Alison Cassin, Chrystell Reed, Zach Reed, Jess Wood, Marie Slatton-Valle, Danielle Wade, Robyn & Shingo Suzumura for remaining faithful to last weekend’s work party. Despite the rain, this mighty crew completed a substantial amount of weeding, pruning, and rock removal. It means a lot to have such dedicated volunteers to help make this space aesthetically pleasing, as a tribute to Betsy. Stay tuned for an update on when we will be planting flowers and bulbs in this space.
Spring Bike & Walk to School Day
The Spring Walk and Bike to School event was a lot of fun! When students arrived at school on Wednesday morning, they were invited to stop by the Walk & Bike to School table to get their hand stamped, and to select a few swag items from the participation prize table. These things included cute stickers, temporary tattoos, and pencils. Thank you to Shoshanna Holman for helping hand out swag and a big thank you to the Safe Routes to School Program for providing all of the walk and bike to school swag! Because we had so many items, we were able to offer the giveaways to all Ridgeline students upon arrival that morning.
Thank you to the following volunteers who helped lead the morning commutes: Jacob Siegel, Jeff Schroeder, Jess Wood, Andy Raasch, and Jon & Nasim Talebreza-May. We also appreciated the extra support from parent participants, who ensured a safe journey for Ridgeline students.
Ridgeline's Staff Appreciation Week - Recap
Families, thank you for spoiling Ridgeline Staff this week! We have felt your love and appreciation.
Monday was delightful, due to wonderful Farmer's Union brewed coffee and an incredible table full of sweet treats. Thank you so much to Mark Sheppard, Jess Wood, Sarah Mauney, Shannon Harty, Laura Waters, Matt Jorgensen, Rachael McEachern, Chelsea Whitney, Amie Chaudoir, Robyn Suzumura, and Cortney McIntyre-Trent for providing these delectable treats!
Tuesday welcomed lovely smells and colorful bouquets to all spaces and places in the school. Students brought in hand-picked flowers to round out beautiful arrangements in each room. Staff have been enjoying these all week long. Thank you Stephanie Schiffgens, Jenna Quillen, Ruth Tabak, and Cortney McIntyre-Trent for helping get the flower arrangements started and distributed.
On Wednesday, Staff were showered with hand-made notes, cards, and words of appreciation – these of course warmed our hearts and are the most endearing gifts of all.
Today, staff have enjoyed a savory and snacky spread, with fun seltzer water. This was a great end of the week pick-me up! Thank you Marci Davis, Matt Jorgensen, Cortney McIntyre-Trent, Dandi Alfeld, Becca Lambeth-Anderson, Ruth Tabak, and Jessica Lynch.
Tomorrow, staff will be spoiled with a potluck lunch. This has been a wonderful tradition that staff look forward to and really enjoy. Thank you to everyone who has signed up to contribute: Christina Anwesen, Laura, Waters, Matt Jorgensen, Rachael McEachern, Nancy Willcox-Trent, Angela Zallen, Ruth Tabak, Stephanie Schiffgens, Jennifer Little, Suyeon Hwang, Dandi Alfeld, Helen Baldwin, Meredith Tufts, Vanessa Jackson, and Cris Cordero.
Last but not least, we want to extend a huge thank you to Ruth Tabak for coordinating these 5 DAYS of special treats, flowers, and notes for volunteer appreciation week. Your creativity and organization made this wonderful week possible - thank you! You have filled our hearts and been so generous in showing appreciation this week. Ridgeline Staff feel loved and appreciated, thank you.
It's time to log your volunteer hours!
There are several amazing volunteers, who have not yet logged all their volunteer hours this year (see the colorful graph below). Please take a moment and do that at your earliest convenience. If you know that you volunteered in the classroom but aren’t sure which days, simply log: classroom volunteer, 15 hours. It is easy to add your name to Track it Forward, just click on the link and follow the instructions. It is even available as an app if it is easier for you to use your phone!
Volunteer hour reporting is important for us to show support for Ridgeline when applying for grants and for reporting to our sponsoring district. Right now is the perfect time to check your calendar and jog your memory and log past hours. Don’t worry too much, estimates and bulk logging are fine. As a reminder, we encourage each family to aim for 40-hours a year. Thank you for giving your time to Ridgeline - it means so much!
Track it Forward
Ridgeline uses Track it Forward for volunteer sign-ups and to log your volunteer hours. If you are new to Ridgeline or have not yet created an account, please do so! Last year we had a lot of folks forget to log their hours. Volunteer hour reporting is important for us to show support for Ridgeline when applying for grants and for reporting to our sponsoring district.
If you are a first-time Track It Forward user and have not set up an account you will need to create an account first. If you already have an account, skip to step two.
1. Go to https://www.trackitforward.com/user
-Select sign in
-Create your account
2. Go to the app store on your device and search for Track It Forward
-Download the app
-Log In
You are all set!
Volunteering
Volunteers are an integral part of the Ridgeline Community. Families pledge to complete 40 hours of volunteer time per school year. There are a myriad of volunteer opportunities throughout the year. Volunteers serve on committees, make materials at home, do grounds work, act as crossing guards, help in classrooms, chaperone field trips and much more. To help us get to know you better and your areas of interest, please fill out the Volunteer Interest form here.
To fully participate in most volunteer opportunities, volunteers are background checked. In addition to the background check, volunteers need to complete the volunteer code of conduct. After that, they will be issued a green badge with their name on it and notified that they are ready to go! Visit our website for more information on volunteering.
CONTINUING NEWS
Kindness Campaign - Concludes May 17
Families can assist students by noting acts of kindness performed at home. Have your student share their acts of care and kindness with you and then write them on the provided strips of paper (please email the classroom teacher if you need more). Your student should bring their completed links back to the classroom each Monday, now through May 13th. Every link will contribute to the classroom’s kindness campaign chain. Each classroom aims to create a paper chain long enough to encircle the gym.
I Scream, You Scream, We All Scream For Ice Cream - Thursday, May 23
Save-the-date: Thursday, May 23 is our first all-school ice cream fundraiser! You will need to bring the flyer to Handel's, located at 550 Pearl St, in the 5th Street Public Market and hand it to the cashier during checkout. We will be sending flyers home with students the week before the event.
This fundraiser goes all day from 11am to 10pm. Invite friends, arrange for a class meet up, or bring your neighbor--this will be a fun one!
Staffing Update for 2024-25
We would like to update you on additional staffing changes for 2024-25.
We are excited to announce that Jes Feather will be joining the Ridgeline team in the role of classroom assistant. Jes has been a part of the Ridgeline community for many years, has served as a substitute assistant, and most recently served as our tier III instructional assistant. We are elated to finally welcome Jes as a permanent Ridgeline team member.
It is with a mix of sorrow and gratitude that we announce Katie Dahill, our room 5 assistant, will be departing at the end of this academic year to support her family business. Despite her departure, Katie expresses a desire to maintain ties with our community and potentially serve as a substitute assistant at Ridgeline. Students and staff will miss Katie and will welcome her back as a substitute as often as she is available. Click here to read a letter from Katie.
In other exciting news, Jonathan Sternberg, our upper elementary assistant will be serving our tier III students in a new capacity next year. Jonathan’s recent graduation and accreditation in elementary education make him the ideal candidate as the tier III instructional assistant. He and Christa Nova, our tier III coordinator, will make an ideal team to support our learners who benefit from additional support.
We are happy to announce that our reliable substitute Ryan Carwile has accepted the floating assistant position for next year. Ryan has filled in as a classroom assistant, SEL assistant, and floating assistant throughout the school year. He finds great fulfillment in working with students and watching them grow. We are eager to have him serve Ridgeline in a more permanent capacity.
RIDGELINE COMMITTEES & ORGANIZATIONS
Ridgeline Board Meeting - Tonight at 6pm
The Ridgeline Board will have a regular meeting on Thursday, May 9, from 6:00 to 8:00 pm over Zoom and in person in the library. Action items on the agenda include: Election of New Officers, Gym Roofing Recommendation, and Certified Staff Contract for 2024-25. Information and Discussion items on the agenda include Facilities Report, Board Officer Roles, Instructional Resources and Materials Policy Research, Policy First Reads, Letter to 4J: Training Schedule & Communication, and Contract Days for Executive Director 23-24. All are welcome to join the regular board meeting and there is time at the beginning of our agenda to make a public comment.
The agenda will be finalized and posted here by Tuesday, May 7th the Zoom link to join is https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88176985729?pwd=UDFvdGk0blZhZzVVbHR0RzlHWmFlUT09 Meeting ID: 881 7698 5729 Passcode: 766547.
You can always reach the board by email (board@ridgeline.org). Members of the public may also provide comments to the board in written form by emailing board@ridgeline.org prior to the meeting. The board will read (not aloud), review, and take into consideration all comments. 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."
Site Council - Monday, May 20 at 5pm
Site Council will meet this Monday, May 20, from 5-6:30 pm in the Ridgeline Library.
Students, parents, classified staff, certified staff, board members, and administration make up the Site Council. No more than half the council may be teachers, and no more than half can be parents at the school. Each stakeholder group meets on a regular basis to identify areas of concern and suggest agenda items for the full Site Council's consideration. In this way, the Site Council ensures that everyone involved in the school has a voice in how the school grows, develops, and is governed. No group is able to dominate site council decision-making, because all action decisions are made by consensus.
Meetings are open to the entire Ridgeline community, and we encourage your attendance and input. You can reach Site Council through the facilitator at sitecouncil@ridgeline.org. Please don’t hesitate to ask questions or give input!
Ridgeline Board of Directors - Seeking Board Members
Hello!
Do you want to give back to your community? Are you energized to work on a variety of diverse projects? Do you enjoy working collaboratively within a group? If so, consider joining the Ridgeline Montessori Board of Directors! We are a diverse group of thoughtful, inquisitive community members who enjoy serving the Ridgeline community. Prior experience is not important. If you'd like to learn more, please read this letter from the Board.
We will have several openings on the Board going into next school year. I would like to personally invite interested community members to join our meetings (virtually or in person), or to meet one-on-one. I can share information about Board responsibilities and insight about how we support the public Montessori education that allows our children to thrive. If you are curious about Board work, please get in touch via email at april-kay.williams@ridgeline.org
Warmly,
April-Kay Williams, Board President, parent, Ridgeline Equity Committee member
COMMUNITY NEWS
Oregon State Engineering Expo
Registration closes soon for K-12 school and program visits to the 2024 Engineering Expo on the Oregon State University campus in Corvallis on June 7, from 11am-2pm, at the CH2M Hill Alumni Center and LaSells Stewart Center.
This free event is open to the public and is a great opportunity for your students to see firsthand the kinds of diverse activities, technologies, and challenges they can immerse themselves in as future engineers. The Expo is a spectacular showcase of ingenuity, featuring projects developed by Oregon State engineering students to address real-world challenges. Many other fascinating exhibits from our engineering community will also be on display.
The length of your visit is up to you, and the Expo is open to explore in whatever way works best for your class. A preview of all Expo projects and visit-planning guidance will be provided to all teachers who register their class for an Expo visit. There are two options for your class to experience the Expo:
In-person visits:
The College of Engineering is offering up to $500 in transportation support per school/program. Funding is available on a limited first-come, first served basis. The final deadline for schools/programs to register is Friday, May 10, at noon.
Online experience:
The 2024 Engineering Virtual Expo will open at 8 a.m. on Wednesday, June 5. It will feature virtual project display pages created by some of the student teams showcasing their projects at this year’s Expo. Virtual display pages will include project descriptions, videos, digital posters, and more. Visitors will have the ability to ask teams questions about their projects. The Virtual Expo site will remain open until Sunday, June 30.
Note: All staff and volunteers are dedicated to ensuring a great experience for your students. Because of the size of this event, tours of engineering facilities will not be available on June 7. Information regarding self-guided campus tours will be provided to all teachers who register their class for an Expo visit. For questions or assistance: engineering.events@oregonstate.edu
NAACP Fundraiser- Requesting Donations for Youth Thrift Store
It’s time for spring cleaning! This week we will begin collecting donations again for our second annual Pop Up Thrift Shop. Similar to last year Lane County youth will be able to download a voucher for $20 per day to shop in the thrift store. Our goal is to send Youth into summer with a few new items to help them feel good about themselves and prepare for summer activities. The thrift store will also be open to the general public and funds raised go towards the NAACP Youth Council and scholarships. We will be accepting donations for the next six weeks and hosting our 3 day thrift shop the second week of June. This event is youth led and this year they even designed the flyer below.
Below is a list of items we are hoping to receive via donations -
Bikes, Helmets, Protective gear
Clothing, Shoes, Eyewear, Jackets
Camping gear, Heaters, Fans,
Exercise equipment and apparel.
Electronics, Cameras, Laptops,
Art, Instruments & Art supplies
Books, Backpacks, School supplies
Small home furniture, Vacuums, Dishes
Etc …
Thank you for your continued support of the Eugene / Springfield NAACP and our programs for youth. Your donations and participation made our first pop up thrift shop a huge success! Let’s come together to support our youth in this endeavor to give back to the community.
Oregon Youth Suicide Prevention Resources
The rates of suicide attempts and related deaths among Oregon's youth often increase each spring. There is a call to action from ODE, OHA, and Lines for Life to provide resources and action items to equip trusted adults, with skills to support students who may be at risk for suicidal behaviors and refer those students to qualified mental health providers. See below for resources to review.