
The River Hawk
Rio Norte News - September 1, 2023
A Note From the Principal
Good Morning River Hawk Families,
Thank you to all of you that were able to come out to Back to School Night this year. It was such a great event and wonderful to speak with many of you throughout the evening. I thank our teachers for the time they put into thoughtful, informative presentations and I am hopeful that you found the tips shared Thursday night to be worth while! The biggest theme of the night were recommendations to check students' grades through Infinite Campus and monitor their Google Classroom and/or teacher websites, where you can find a multitude of resources to help your student be successful. We know it was a challenge for some of our Valencia HS families due to the Homecoming Game date conflict that arose. If you weren't able to be with us, please take a moment to see my address to parents below and feel free to reach out to teachers if you have any questions.
We were very proud of our River Hawks during Thursdays' instructional "scripted" lockdown drill. They did a great job listening to the information, discussing with their teachers and asking some great questions. While we hope we are NEVER in this situation, consider taking a moment to discuss plans with your student. In my address on RioTV Tuesday, I will answer the question that has come up most often since the drill so tune in Tuesday morning. If your student has remaining questions they can ask their teacher, see their counselor, or talk with an administrator.
Monday kicked off our major school-wide fundraiser for the year. The money we bring in is absolutely critical to funding a multitude of activities and events for our students this year. If you haven't set-up your student's fundraising page, please do so HERE, and if you need assistance, here's a 3 minute "how to" video. While they can no longer earn the Golden Ticket prizes, they can still earn prizes by helping to bring in donations. Any student whose donations total $50 or more can attend the Day of Awesomeness in October. We appreciate your support!
Finally, today we had our first visit from Pongo and his handler, Mr. Eric. Pongo is our district's friendly, trained K-9 Firearm Detection Dog. Our students did great with him today, but be sure to read the story below, on Pongo's purpose!
In this issue learn more about:
- Important Dates
- Pongo and Mr. Eric, our K9 Firearm Detection Unit
- Valencia High School MSA JUMP Program for 8th graders
- PTSA General Association Meeting this Thursday via ZOOM
- PTSA Panda Express Fundraiser (Lunch or Dinner)
- Repeat of: SCV Community Health Fair, Teen Mental Health Toolkit for Parents from LA County Public Health, and Rio Merchandise Back to School Sale
Enjoy the cooler weather and the extra day off this Labor Day Weekend!
Sincerely,
Brenda Bennett
Important Dates
Now through Sept 7th:
- Back to School Rio Merchandise Sale - flyer below
September 4th:
- Labor Day Holiday - No School
September 5th:
- Hart District School Safety Community Collaborative at the Santa Clarita Activities Center 6-8 p.m.
- PTSA General Association Meeting 5-6 p.m. via Zoom (see below)
September 8th:
- End of Quarter 1 Progress Reporting Period
September 12th:
- Make-up photos and picture package re-takes
September 13th:
- PTSA Panda Express Fundraiser 10 a.m.- 9 p.m.
- Valencia HS JUMP (MSA) application DUE
CLICK HERE for a printable copy of the calendar pictured.
Pongo's Purpose - Safety!
Meet Pongo and his handler, Mr. Eric, who will randomly visit campuses in the Hart District every day. Pongo is not a drug dog. He is trained to detect firearms and gunpowder to help ensure our safety on-campus. When here, they will monitor student arrival at the front or back gate, check PE lockers, and check the general campus and perimeter. This is a proactive layer of safety to deter individuals from bringing firearms or explosives onto campuses and help everyone feel more secure. Pongo and Mr. Eric will visit us throughout the entire school year.
8th Grade JUMP MSA Program from Valencia H.S.
Please note: STUDENTS must apply using their hartdistrict email account. If the form tells you to sign-in, check that you're in your hartdistrict account. Applications are due September 13th - no exceptions!
PTSA General Association Meeting
Please join us this Thursday evening, September 7th, for our first General Association meeting of the year. All parents/guardians, teachers, students and staff are welcome! The meeting will be held on Zoom!
Meeting ID: 879 1270 0629
Passcode: 353881
Thursday, Sep 7, 2023, 05:00 PM
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RIO NORTE JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL
Thomas Flores, 8th grade Assistant Principal
Shonna August, 7th grade Assistant Principal
ATTENDANCE Needs: Email lmcdaniel@hartdistrict.org
Email: bjbennett@hartdistrict.org
Website: https://www.rionortejuniorhigh.org/
Location: 28771 Rio Norte Dr, Valencia, CA, USA
Phone: 661-295-3700
Nondiscrimination Statement / Declaración de no discriminación
The William S. Hart Union High School District prohibits discrimination, intimidation, harassment (including sexual harassment), or bullying based on a person’s actual or perceived race, color, ethnicity, national origin, immigration status, ancestry, religion, age, marital status, pregnancy, parental status, physical or mental disability, medical condition, military or veteran status, political affiliation, sex, gender, gender identity, gender expression, genetic information, sexual orientation, or association with a person or a group with one or more of these actual or perceived characteristics. For questions or complaints, contact Equity Compliance Officer and Section 504 Coordinator Erum Velek, and Title II / Title IX Coordinator, Mark Crawford. Both can be reached at the William S. Hart Union High School District, 21380 Centre Pointe Pkwy, Santa Clarita, CA 91350, (661) 259-0033, or by email: UCP@hartdistrict.org.
El Distrito de Escuelas Secundarias William S. Hart Union prohíbe la discriminación, la intimidación, acoso (incluido el acoso sexual) o intimidación basada en la realidad o percepción de una persona raza, color, etnia, origen nacional, estado migratorio, ascendencia, religión, edad, estado civil, embarazo, estado parental, discapacidad física o mental, condición médica, estado militar o veterano, afiliación política, sexo, género, identidad de género, expresión de género, información genética, orientación sexual, o asociación con una persona o un grupo con uno o más de estos características percibidas. Para preguntas o quejas, comuníquese con el Oficial de Cumplimiento de Equidad y el coordinador de la Sección 504, Erum Velek, y el coordinador del Título II / Título IX, Mark Crawford. Ambos pueden ser contactado en William S. Hart Union High School District, 21380 Centre Pointe Pkwy, Santa Clarita, CA 91350, (661) 259-0033,
o por correo electrónico: UCP@hartdistrict.org.