Shortcut To October Newsletter 11
Shortcut To October Newsletter 11
Shortcut To October Newsletter 11
EAGLE EXTRA
October 01, 2011
Dear Parents, Thank you to those of you who attended Curriculum Night on September 12. Successful schools and successful students are the result of positive partnerships between home and school. Teachers appreciated the opportunity to share course expectations and to discuss ways we can work together to challenge all students to excel academically. Parents of our prekindergarten through third grade students deserve recognition for having the best attendance at this event. Attendance by parents in these classes ranged from 60 percent to 100 percent. On Curriculum Night several of you attended the presentation about the Odyssey software purchased recently. Thank you for your interest. All parents need to be informed that the software is produced by Compass Learning and is designed to provide academic reinforcement and enrichment practice opportunities for students. A combination of Spirit, 2010 auction, and PTO funds supported the purchase of the math and language arts software for grades five and six. We recently received a grant from First Citizens Bank and Trust that will allow us to purchase an additional grade level and are in the process of deciding which grade level will receive the software. Our plans are to continue to seek funding so that teachers and students at every grade level will have access. At the meeting presenters shared with parents that not only can we use the Odyssey software at school but also fifth and sixth grade students can log onto the program at home and use it to practice reading and math skills. For assistance, please contact your childs teacher or Mrs. Donna Wilkins, one of our computer teachers. Parents of seventh grade math students are reminded that Mrs. Kerri Martin has already set up Odyssey for use at home by her students so that they can review and strengthen math skills learned in sixth grade and achieve a greater depth of competence in seventh grade math. As a faculty we will continue to explore new methods and instructional resources for maximizing student achievement. Please do not hesitate to ask questions or to offer ideas for exploration. As always, your support of RWA and interest in your childs education are greatly appreciated. Sincerely, Nancy Coleman
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Make-up Pictures Monday, October 3 is make-up picture day for any student in grades prekindergarten through 11 and seniors who did not have their pictures taken in September. Also, pictures may be taken again on this date if a parent or student is not satisfied with pictures taken previously; however, the original picture package from Strawbridge Studio must be returned to school on or before October 3. If you need assistance with school pictures, please call the school and ask for Mrs. Young or Mrs. Martha Ladd. Mums the Word Just a reminder that Monday, October 3 is the deadline to order mums from the Booster Club. Six inch pots of greenhouse grown mums are available in four colors: gold, red, orange, and purple. The cost is $12 per mum. For assistance and order forms, contact the school office, an athlete, or a Booster Club Board member or visit the schools website (www.richardwinn. org). Also, order forms were sent home with lower school students. Orders placed by the deadline of October 3 will be filled at the school on October 6 at 5:00 P. M. Additionally, mums may be purchased on-site at the football game Friday evening, September 30 while supplies last. Meeting for Parents of Seniors Parents of seniors and senior students are invited to attend a meeting conducted by Mrs. Krista Bellomy, Director of Student Services, on Monday, October 3 at 6:00 P. M. The meeting will be held in the library. The purpose of this meeting is to prepare students and parents for a successful senior year and to y in that need to at Clemson Univershare activitiesthe Valley take place during the senior year in sity order to prepare students for graduation and admission into college. If you have specific questions or topics that you would like addressed Fellowship of Christian Athletes The at the meeting, please e-mail Mrs. Bellomy at kbellomy@richardwinn.org.
(FCA) Rally in the Valley will be held Trip: Parent Meeting Williamsburg at Clemson University on September 4.of sixth and is $32 which cov- particiParents The cost seventh grade students pating in the to trip to Williamsburg, ers admissionfieldthe football game Virginia are invited to a meeting the FCA activity. and registration for on Monday, October 3 at 6:00 P. Taylor, Mrs.M. in room 14. Mrs. Missy information necessary Courtney Thames, Spanish trip sponsor, will provide details and other teacher, is the sponsor for this activfor making sure you and your child are prepared to
enjoy the trip scheduled for October 24-27! Participating students and chaperones will visit Jamestown, Colonial Williamsburg, Yorktown, Monticello, and Pamplin Park.
October 1, 2011
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Fourth Graders to Visit Wood Magic Forest Fair Mrs. Jean Woodle and her fourth graders are looking forward to their field trip on Friday, October 7. They are visiting Wood Magic Forest Fair at Harbison State Park in Columbia, South Carolina. During the trip students will learn how the forest benefits people and animals, how wood is made into various products, how foresters use fire to protect forests and wildlife, and how to recycle paper. Also, the students will enjoy a magic show about wood products. Thank you to Mrs. Woodle for planning this special event for our fourth graders. St. Judes Math-A-Thon As a service learning project, students in grades kindergarten through six (K 6) are invited to support St. Judes Childrens Research Hospital through the Math-A-Thon Program. The program is designed to help students improve their math skills while also teaching students the importance of helping others. All proceeds will benefit St. Judes Hospital which serves approximately 5,700 patients each year. The lower school will launch its campaign on Friday, October 7. Each student will receive a math workbook and sponsor form envelope. Completed workbooks and all donations are due by Friday, October 21. RWA appreciates Mrs. Linda Grant for coordinating this project. Please consider participating in this worthy cause..join RWA and St. Judes Hospital in the battle to fight cancer. PSAT Administration All ninth, tenth, and eleventh grade students will take the PSAT at school on Wednesday morning, October 12. Please be sure these students arrive at school on time, well fed and well rested. The PSAT provides practice to prepare students for taking the SAT and also serves as a qualifier for the National Merit Scholars Program for juniors. Parents of current Duke TIP Scholars are reminded that your child may take the PSAT this year, and last years Duke TIP Scholars, currently in eighth grade, may also take the PSAT to determine qualification as a South Carolina Junior Scholar. For questions, contact Mrs. Krista Bellomy, Director of Student services by telephone at 635-5494 or by e-mail at kbellomy@richardwinn.org. Wee, Little Miss, Junior and Miss RWA Pageants The class of 2013 invites all girls in grades one twelve (1-12) to participate in the Wee, Little Miss, Junior and Miss RWA Pageants. Entry forms are due to Mrs. Shannon Wilder by Friday, September 30. The pageants will be held in the gym on Saturday, October 15 at 5:00 P. M. for Wee and Little Miss and at 7:00 P. M. for Junior and Miss RWA. Practice sessions are scheduled for Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, October 10-12 from 3:00 until 4:00 P. M. Mrs. Wendy McDonald and Mrs. Shannon Wilder, junior class sponsors, are in charge of the pageants. For questions or details, please contact either of these teachers. They may be reached at 635-5494 or by email (wmcdonald@richardwinn.org; swilder@richardwinn.org).
Report Cards Issued: October 19 The first nine weeks grading period ends on Thursday, October 13 and report cards will be issued on Wednesday, October 19. Teachers and administrators welcome the opportunity to conference with parents about students progress, behavior and work habits. Please feel free to call the school office for assistance with scheduling an appointment before school, after school or during a teachers planning period. If a parent would like to meet with several teachers and/or administrators at the same time, arrangements can be made through Mrs. Bellomys office. Bonfire Rescheduled The rain played havoc with homecoming spirit week activities this year! As you know we canceled the bonfire but it has been rescheduled for Wednesday night, October 19 in honor of senior football players and in recognition of RWAs many loyal students and sports fans. Please come join the fun in the gravel parking lot from 7:00 until 8:30 P. M. There is no charge to attend but various food items such as chili and smores will be sold. Students in grades six and below MUST be accompanied by an adult.
Senior Night for Volleyball and Football Senior volleyball players will be honored at their game on Tuesday, October 11 and senior football players and cheerleaders will be honored at the football game on Friday, October 21. Please attend these special recognitions of our athletes. Students wearing student section, RWA spirit, or homecoming tee shirts purchased during the 2010-2011 or 2011-2012 school years may attend these games free of charge. Adult supervision is required for students in grades six and below. (Dress code applies during the school day on Tuesday, October 11; October 21 is a Friday---students may wear jeans and spirit wear during the school day.) Cheerleaders Planning an Awareness Night for Cancer Cheerleaders are planning Cancer Awareness Night activities to be presented during the football game on October 21. Watch for details and plan to support this service learning project. Contact Miss Blake Little, one of our cheerleading captains, or Mrs. Danielle Little, cheerleading sponsor, to offer assistance or to ask questions.
October 1, 2011
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Boy Scouts During September Mr. Larry Parrish, District Executive for Boy Scouts of America, met with all first through fifth grade boys to explain benefits of joining Boy Scouts of America and then held a parent meeting on September 22. If you missed the meeting but would like information, please contact Mr. Parrish at lparrish@bsamail.org. PTO Thanks You ..for participating in the Innisbrook Fund-raiser, for attending the Annual Academic Banquet, and for participating in the Box Tops for Education and Campbells Labels for Education. Please continue to clip and save to support RWA! The next PTO meeting is scheduled for Monday, October 10 at 6:00 P. M. in the faculty lounge. You are invited to attend or to submit your thoughts in advance of the meeting to a PTO Board member.
Kooky Spooky Halloween Show for Prekindergarten 2nd Graders Mrs. Sarah Dippity, magician and puppeteer, will present a fall and Halloween program to our youngest group of students on Tuesday, October 25 at 10:00 A. M. in the fine arts room. Thank you to Mrs. Deborah Poland for scheduling this event and for checking to make sure the program is enjoyable, not scary! Aerie Yearbook Blitz Week: October 24-28 If you missed the early bird yearbook special, you will have another opportunity to order a 2012 yearbook for $70 + 4.90 tax, exclusive of personalization and other extras during the week of October 2428. Families ordering more than one yearbook receive a $10 discount for the each additional copy ordered. Watch for details coming soon from Mrs. Martha Ladd and the Aerie Yearbook Staff. Enrichment Friday Activities We are in the process of organizing a variety of activities to enrich school experiences for students in grades 7-12. Individuals have committed to teaching such lessons as cooking, strategic board games, drivers education, archery, Pilates, Zumba, Latin music, dance, and culture; Bible stories, and much more but we welcome suggestions for other areas of interest to students and we welcome suggestions for names and contact information for persons willing to lead sessions. If you would like to volunteer your time and talents or know someone who might, please contact Nancy Coleman or Mrs. Krista Bellomy. Contact information is as follows: ncoleman@richardwinn.org; kbellomy@richardwinn.org. Spring Sports A number of students are interested in playing softball and soccer this spring; however, for health and personal reasons, teachers who have coached these sports are not able to do so this school year. Parents who may be interested or know someone who may be interested in coaching are asked to contact Coach Atkerson. Students Recognized by Duke Universitys Talent Identification Program Several of our seventh grade students qualified for recognition through the Duke University Talent Search. Congratulations to Bryant Carvalho, Tyler Douglas, Hunter Tate and Grace Wilder. To be recognized a student must have scored at the 95th percentile or higher on a specific subtest or total battery of an acceptable standardized test (i.e. Stanford Achievement Test) or have a standard score at or above 125 on an IQ test (i.e. Otis Lennon). Achieving either of these criteria affords students opportunities to participate in various programs and courses offered through Duke which are specifically designed to challenge and enrich academic experiences for talented students. Also, these students may take the PSAT for the first time during their seventh grade year and the SAT at a younger age. We are Proud of: The competition for the Rock Around the Clock Beauty Pageant was held on Saturday, Sept. 24th. Congratulations to the following young ladies: Hailey Glisson-Little Miss Rock Around the Clock; Cali Swearingen-Pre-Teen Miss Rock Around the Clock and Blake Little-Teen Miss Rock Around the Clock.
Other Very Important Dates to Remember Friday, October 14 Teacher Workday/STUDENT HOLIDAY! Monday, October 17 HOLIDAY for STUDENTS and STAFF! Friday, October 28 Horatio Alger Association Scholarship Applications Due (www.horatioalger.org) Monday, October 31 Coca-Cola Scholarship Program Applications Due (www.coca-colascholars.org) Thursday, November 3 Annual Square Dance Sponsored by the Junior Class Thursday, November 3 Annual Powderpuff Football Game Sponsored by the Aerie Staff Kick-off: 4:30 P. M. with Ms. Homely coming and Ms. Heartbreaker being crowned at half-time Friday, November 4 Teacher Workday/STUDENT HOLIDAY! Thursday, November 10 Patriot Day/Evening for Grade Five Wednesday Friday, November 23 25 Thanksgiving Holidays for Students and Staff Saturday, March 24 AUCTION!!!!! Friday, April 20 Junior/Senior Prom
Athletic Events Tuesday, October 4 JV and Varsity Volleyball @ Home (Playing Oakbrook): 4:30/5:30 P. M. Thursday, October 6 JV and Varsity Volleyball @ Home (Playing Spartanburg Christian): 4:30/5:30 P. M. Thursday, October 6 JV Football @ Home (Playing Spartanburg Christian): 6:00 P. M. Friday, October 7 Varsity Football @ Dillon Christian: 7:30 P. M. Tuesday, October 11 JV and Varsity Volleyball @ Home (Playing Spartanburg Day): 4:30/5:30 P. M. (Senior Night) Thursday, October 13 JV and Varsity Volleyball @ Hendersonville: 4:30/5:30 P. M. Friday, October 14 Varsity Football @ St. Johns Christian: 7:30 P. M. Monday, October 17 JV and Varsity Volleyball @ Greenwood Christian: 4:30/5:30 P. M. Thursday, October 20 JV Football @ Laurens: 6:00 P. M. Friday, October 21 Varsity Football @ Home (Playing Byrnes): 7:30 P. M. (Senior Night) ;Cheerleaders Sponsor Cancer Awareness Night at the Game Friday, October 28 Varsity Football @ Dorchester: 7:30 P. M.