Dear Parents/Guardians,
Welcome back! As the new school year gets underway, I want
to welcome you as our partner in your child’s education. We value, appreciate, and seek out your
involvement and collaboration for the success of your child. Together, we want to build on your hopes and
dreams for your child’s success in school and for the future.
Our goal this year is to ensure that every student attends school
regularly. Positive attendance is key to keeping students on track academically
and engaged in all aspects of school life. Every
day counts and good attendance is extremely important. High attendance
rates are linked to better student achievement. This is true for every
grade, PreK through high school. Families play a key role in making sure
students get to school safely every day and understand why attendance is so
important for success and in life.
It is understood that some absences are unavoidable due to health
problems or other circumstances.
Students must stay home when they are ill. But we also know that when students miss too
much school, regardless of the reason, it can cause them to fall behind
academically. The most important message to our students is that attendance matters.
Absences add up quickly. Before you know it, missing just two or three days a
month can translate to missing 4 to 5 weeks of the school year. Too many
absences represent lost learning time in the classroom. Your child is less
likely to succeed if he or she is chronically absent, which means missing 18 or
more days over the course of the school year.
Families should avoid extended vacations that require students to
miss school. Kindly try to line up vacations and medical appointments with the
school’s schedule.
We want to make the most of our time together in order to support
our students. We are asking for your support in
helping your child get to school by 8:20 a.m. every day this year.
When our students are not at school, we notice because we
care! We want to ensure that everyone
receives the education they need to reach their full potential. We value your
support and encourage you be an active participant in your child’s education.
Thank you for all you do. We look
forward to working together to support your child’s school success.
Arrival and
Dismissal
Arrival and dismissal can be hectic times of the
day at school. Here are some tips for making morning drop off and end up day pick
up run smoothly:
·
Riverton School hours are 8:20-2:50. Breakfast is served in
classrooms between 8:05-8:20. Students may not be dropped off before
8:05. There is no adult supervision
before 8:05. If you need childcare before or after school, please call the City
of Portland Recreation at 808-5400.
·. Please be sure to obey all the speed limits on and surrounding the
school grounds to keep students safe during drop off and pick up.
·
During drop-off and pick up times, please use the parent loop at
the far end of the school building.
Drop-off should be a kiss-and-go. If parents need to park, please pull
into a parking space to allow for a smoother traffic pattern for others.
The
front doors are for bus students
only during drop off and pick up times.
·
Please notify the school office if there are changes to your
child’s regular dismissal plans as early as possible, but NO LATER THAN 1 PM. After this time, the message might not make it to
the teacher and child. Any changes require a parent/guardian to contact the
school through note, email or phone call (874-8210).
·
For safety and security reasons, we are asking all students to say
goodbye to their parent/guardian at drop off outside, so that students can walk
to class independently. Any adult who wishes to visit a classroom must sign in
and out at the main office, and wear a visitor’s badge. Also, the school door
is locked each day at 8:40. Please press the doorbell on the wall to the left
of the door to be let inside, and come to the office. The minor inconveniences
these procedures may present are a small price to pay for our school’s safety
and security.
Dates to Remember:
·
Tuesday,
September 12, Grade 5 Band Demo, 1:15
·
Friday,
September 14, Spirit Day! Wear your Riverton colors
·
Friday,
September 14, PTO “Charleston Wrap” Fundraiser Kick Off
·
Monday,
September 17, Learning Works starts, 2:50
·
Thursday,
September 20, PTO meeting in Media Center, 5:30.
·
Wednesday,
September 26 is first early release day. School
dismisses at 1:50 PM
· Monday,
October 9, No School- Indigenous Peoples Day
Cordially,
Mrs. Ann
Hanna, Principal
