Reardan Weekly

Native American Heritage Day is a time to honor and recognize the rich cultures, histories, and contributions of Native American communities. It is celebrated annually on the Friday following Thanksgiving, providing an opportunity for reflection on the significance of Native American heritage and its impact on American society.

Reardan Schools marked this important day on November 22 with an all-district assembly, bringing together students and staff to learn more about Native American culture, history, and traditions. This celebration fosters awareness, respect, and a deeper understanding of the Indigenous peoples' enduring legacy.

We were blessed to work with the Spokane Tribe and Aly Stensgar, the Tribe’s Education Director, to coordinate a celebration of tribal culture. Aly brought Dave Madera, Wellpinit Cultural Teacher, and Empeero Corral, also with the Spokane Tribe, who explained the significance of the regalia and the meaning of the dances to our incredibly curious and engaged students. We learned the stories of the dances, and Dave even passed around a Native American Headdress Roach made with real porcupine quills for everyone to interact with. The dancing was accompanied by Native American singing and drumming, much like you would see at a traditional Pow Wow. It was a joy to see our own elementary, middle and high school students, some of them Nationally Ranked Dancers, participating in this event along with students and adults from Wellpinit. The celebration ended with an invitation for all Reardan students and staff to join by learning the Happy Dance. Many were hesitant at first, but soon we had a few hundred people on the floor celebrating together. We are so thankful for our partnership with the Spokane Tribe for helping us learn and grow.

As winter weather settles in, we want to ensure our students are safe, warm, and ready to learn each day. Here are a few important reminders to help your child have a successful winter season:

Dress for the Weather
Please send your child to school dressed for cold temperatures, including a warm coat, hat, gloves, and boots if possible (please label clothing with your child’s name). If your child needs assistance with winter gear, please don’t hesitate to reach out—we are here to help!

Outdoor Recess
We prioritize outdoor play as long as it’s safe. If the temperature (with wind chill) is above 20 degrees students will have outdoor recess, so please make sure they are dressed appropriately.

Stay Healthy
Winter months often bring an increase in colds and flu. Please remind your child to wash their hands frequently and cover coughs and sneezes. If your child is feeling unwell, we encourage you to keep them home to rest and recover.

We appreciate your partnership in keeping our school community safe and thriving during the winter months.

Reminder:

• Popcorn Friday is held on the second Friday of each month (12/13). Popcorn costs $0.25 per bag.

• P.I.E. Movie Night takes place on the second Saturday of each month (12/14) at 6:00 PM in the Commons.

We are off to an exciting start on our 15-day trip around the world! Today, we traveled to France and learned so many fun things! The kiddos were delighted to discover how the French celebrate Christmas. From eating delicious bread and shopping for berets to decorating a tree like we do in the United States, there’s so much to explore! They also learned that in France, Santa goes by the name Papa Noël.

The preschool hallway is transformed to showcase each country we visit and all the fun facts we’re learning. Feel free to swing by and take a look!

And don’t worry—next time we will be sure to invite you to join the fun!

RMS would like to thank all of the parents who came to conferences; we loved getting to know you and your children better. We’d also like to thank parents for taking the time to sit and do a home conference with your child as they shared their progress, reflections and goals with you in their self-assessments. Please remember to sign and have your child return the last page to either Ms. Koch or Mrs. O’Rourke. We are compiling all of the data to review and assess. Your feedback is important and appreciated.

Middle school wrestling hosted their home match on Monday, 12/2 and will have one more match at ACH on Monday, 12/9 at 4 pm. Come and join the fun and chaos and support our wrestling team. Our next home game for MS girls’ basketball will be Thursday, 12/12 against Liberty at 4 pm in Smith Gym. MS boys’ basketball will begin in January with their first game on 1/21.

This month we are focusing on the character trait of kindness. Our students are also building positive relationships in Family Group time on Mondays by decorating their doors for the holidays. For our PBIS end of the month reward on December 20th (an early release day) students will need to complete a Kindness Bingo card and have no major office referrals. We will celebrate with character trait awards, sugar cookie decorating, a hot cocoa and cider bar, and a fun holiday movie.

PIE is sponsoring a TEEN NIGHT on Saturday, December 7th from 5-7 pm in the commons. They will have Karaoke, Cookie Decorating, Ornament Making, an Indoor ‘snowball fight’ and other fun activities. There will be nachos, snacks and drinks for sale as well. ALL Reardan MS and HS TEENS are invited to this event and families are welcome!

Hello, Reardan Staff and Families,

Here are some exciting upcoming events and activities to look forward to in the next couple of weeks:

Sunday, December 7th: Join us for the Reardan FFA Breakfast at the Community Hall from 8:00 AM to 1:00 PM. Bring your appetite and support our hardworking FFA students!

Wednesday, December 11th: The annual Winter Concert will take place at 7:00 PM in the High School Gym. Come and enjoy a night of festive music featuring performances from our talented students.

Winterfest: December 9th - 13th

• Participate in the FOOD Drive to support local families in need this holiday season. Drop-off locations are in both the Elementary and High School buildings. Let’s work together to make a difference! (see flyer below for needed food items)
• Dress-Up Days for Grades 7-12:
  • Monday: Ugly Christmas Sweater Day
  • Tuesday: Santa’s Workshop
  • Wednesday: Class Colors Day
    • Grades 7th, 9th, and 10th: Wear Green
    • Grades 8th, 11th, and 12th: Wear Red
  • Thursday: Christmas Ho Ho Ho Western Day
  • Friday: School Spirit Day – Wear your Screagle Gear!
• Special Winterfest Events:
  • Battle of the Belt Wrestling Match: Thursday, December 12th, at 6:00 PM in Davenport. Cheer on our wrestlers as they compete for the belt!
  • Basketball Battle: Friday, December 13th, in Reardan, starting at 3:00 PM. Support our teams in this exciting matchup!

Let’s make Winterfest a fun and spirited celebration for all!

Thank you for your continued support of our students and programs. Let’s make this season joyful and bright!

Best Regards,

JoLynn Ray - High School Principal

Drivers Ed Available in Wellpinit:

Deer Park Driving School LLC is offering classes in Wellpinit. See the flyer for more information or dpdrivingschool.com.

Our school district is continuing to explore different paths with a goal of offering Driver's Ed onsite at some level in the future.

Winter Celebration

Please join us for an exciting Winter Celebration for all Options students and families on December 19, 2024 from 12:00 - 3:00pm. We want to celebrate you! Please RSVP on the google form sent to you on Parent Square. We will still have enrichment classes on this day up until the celebration starts.

End of Semester

The end of 1st semester is January 24th! If you are considering joining the Options program please reach out to us ASAP by completing the "Interest Form" here.

Physics/Aviation

Students are having a blast learning about science by building their own gliders! They discovered how forces such as lift, drag, and thrust help planes fly high. By experimenting with different designs, they learned firsthand how to make their gliders soar. It was a fun and exciting way to explore the world of aviation!

Jenny Cox honoring the seniors at the soccer banquet Thursday night. We are so proud of all the hard work these girls have given to the program and excited to see where they go in the future.

Pizza Factory Pizza is ALWAYS a hit with the students!

The Transportation Department has worked hard to secure almost 1.4 million dollars in grant funding for 2 new electric school buses and infrastructure installation. Both agencies have provided grants that greatly reduce the cost of electric vehicles and through stacking these awards our district will not pay any money out of pocket for these vehicles. We have partnered with Avista for our infrastructure needs and will likely not pay out of pocket for the upgrades required to install chargers.

Why are we going after electric buses?

• On March 28th, 2024 Governor Inslee signed into law HB 1368 moving Washington State toward electric school buses.

• Reduced emissions and a healthy environment for our students.

• Investing in our future and getting ahead of regulatory changes towards fossil fuels.

• Long-term savings on operational costs.

• Increased funding for the replacement of buses

Construction is progressing nicely with Avista and Colvico despite the weather.

Seeing that our hard work has something tangible to show is exciting. If you have any questions or concerns or would like to know more about the process please contact the transportation department at 509-796-4361 or by email at mmccain@reardansd.net. Thank you!

Did you know?

We are excited to offer access to a School-Based Health Clinic right here on campus! In collaboration with Lincoln Hospital and Clinics, we provide on-site clinic appointments once a month. If your student needs to see a healthcare provider, please contact our school nurse to schedule an appointment.

The next clinic date is Wednesday, December 11th.

Our clinic offers a variety of services, including:

• Sick visits
• Well-child exams
• Sports physicals
• Medication management, and more!

We encourage parents to attend appointments in person, but you can also participate via telehealth (Zoom) or by phone if needed.

For questions or more information, please don’t hesitate to reach out. Additionally, check out this fact sheet from the Washington State Department of Health to learn more about the benefits of School-Based Health Clinics.

We look forward to supporting your student’s health needs!

Our final blood drive of the year is on Thursday December 19th and we need your help to reach our goal of 80 units for 2024!! We are just 13 units away so please sign up today and help save lives this holiday season!!

At Inland Power we understand the importance of people helping people and serving our membership. One way we show support to the communities we serve is through the Inland Power Community Foundation Scholarship Program. Each year the Foundation distributes 15 - $1,000 scholarships to Inland Power members and their children who have plans to continue their education at college or trade school.

This year, the application process is already underway! We are now accepting scholarship applications until Dec. 31, 2024. Applications received by the deadline will be reviewed in Jan. 2025 and recipients will be notified in Feb. 2025.

To learn more and view an application, please visit inlandpower.com/scholarships.

The Reardan-Edwall School District does not endorse any activities or opportunities from groups not directly connected to the school district.