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**An Important Notice about Flu Precautions at RGS** |
Greetings!
As the flu season has come early this year, we want to keep you informed about the preventive and precautionary steps Rio Grande School is taking against both seasonal and H1N1 flu viruses. We are fortunate to have in our parent body John Wheeler, New Mexico Secretary of Homeland Security and Emergency Management, who keeps us well informed about the government's planning and response to the flu in our state.
In order to do our part to prevent the spread of flu, we are
- using alcohol-based hand sanitizer in classrooms;
- encouraging all students to wash their hands vigorously (in the time it takes to sing "Happy Birthday");
- wiping down frequently touched surfaces with antibacterial wipes;
- reminding students to cover their mouth and nose when they sneeze or cough and to wash and sanitize their hands immediately thereafter.
If your child displays typical flu symptoms, we recommend that
- you keep your child at home and inform your child's classroom teacher as soon as possible;
- your child stay at home for at least 24 hours after flu symptoms have disappeared;
- children with compromised immune systems or increased risk factors (such as diabetes or asthma) see a doctor immediately.
We are working with state officials on the possibility of offering a flu vaccine to be administered here at RGS during school hours. We are also preparing a Continuity of Operations Plan (COOP) for RGS. Such a plan will
- guide us in the event that individual or small groups of students are out of school for extended periods;
- address how we will help maintain the continuity of learning for homebound students in the unlikely event that school must be closed due to large groups of students or faculty falling ill;
- determine at what point and when lost school days would be made up.
Communication between home and school is obviously very important during flu season; please check your email and read NewsGrande regularly to stay on top of the latest. | |
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Take care,
Jay Underwood
Head of School |
All School Meetings
In Full Swing
Alanie Rael, Bianca Gonzales, and Anna Bennett, with the rest of their sixth grade class, put on humorous skits at the second All-School Meeting of the year on Friday, September 4. The skits illustrated the important questions that guide each class' day-to-day activities and interactions. The picture above shows the skit that revolved around the question of 'Is It Your Best Effort?' Other skits included 'Is it safe?' and 'Is it respectful?' |
RGS Welcomes Partnership with Youth Symphony
We are happy to welcome the Santa Fe Youth Symphony Association as they will be offering lessons and making Rio Grande School their new rehearsal space. The mission of the SFYSA is to help children discover their musical potential, develop those musical skills, and to nurture a lifelong passion for music-making through performances that enhance the region's cultural atmosphere.
As part of our ASAP program, an instructor from SFYSA will offer Suzuki violin lessons. The tenets of the Suzuki method are early music exposure, parent participation, learning with others in a group, step-by-step skill development, and positive encouragement. The violin lessons will be held on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 3:10-4:10, and students attend both days. Students in grades 2-6 were introduced to the violin at a SFYSA demonstration this morning. If you would like to learn more about this program, or are planning to enroll your child, please attend the Parent Information Session on September 15 at 8:00 a.m. in the MAC.
SFYSA's top group, the Youth Symphony Orchestra, will be rehearsing weekly in the MAC in preparation for their annual concerts; these concerts are highlights within Santa Fe's music community. This past summer, a group of these young musicians went on a concert tour in Europe as well. The orchestra is comprised of students from Santa Fe Prep, the Waldorf School, Monte Del Sol, Los Alamos H.S., and St. Michael's H.S., to name a few. We hope that having them rehearse (and perform) on our campus will inspire our beginning students to keep practicing so that they may eventually join this top-notch youth orchestra! We also hope that this growing relationship will help the community at large to recognize RGS as a strong supporter of the performing arts in Santa Fe.
For more information on the SFYSA, please click here. |
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Meet Even MORE New Team Members
 Sarah Thomas - Fourth Grade Associate Teacher
She may not be a new face to the RGS community, but Sarah is new to the RGS faculty. Born and raised in Dallas, Texas, she and her husband, Patrick, moved to Santa Fe in 1995 in search of life near the mountains and a smaller city. Mother of Second Grader Jackson and Grande Lucas, Sarah has been heavily involved with the RGS Parent Association, and was a subsitute teacher last year. In addition to her work with Kristin Potter in fourth grade, Sarah is pursuing her Master's Degree in Education, with a specialization in Literacy through RGS's partnership with Lesley University.
 Kate Remsberg - Third Grade Associate Teacher, Extended Care Director, and NewsGrande Editor
Arriving in Santa Fe on August 1st, Kate comes to RGS from Boston, where she was born and raised in nearby Arlington. A student at The Shady Hill School in Cambridge, MA for ten years, Kate feels at home in the RGS environment and philosophy. And after working as the Assistant to the Head of a small elementary Montessori school, she is thrilled to be more involved in a classroom. Her boyfriend is pursuing a Master's at St. John's College - the impetus for her move - and a Master's of her own is hopefully not far behind. Kate will be working with Sara Hughes in third grade and Anne Ransome in Extended Care.
 John Rangel - Upper Elementary Music Specialist
A native of New York City, John has been teaching music to children for 17 years both privately and in the classroom. John will be using his background in music performance and computer programming to teach the upper elementary music students. This will be the fifth music program that John has helped to develop. Before Rio Grande School, John worked with Barbara Bentree in Los Angeles where they created two elementary music programs together. John is currently teaching music classes at Northern New Mexico College in Espanola. He is also a well-known composer and pianist who has toured all over the world with many name jazz artists. John has recently been recording at the first completely solar powered studio here in Santa Fe. |
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RGS Stars  Second Grader Christian Branch is a true RGS star for his recent donation to the St. Vincent's Hospital Cancer Center. After a community service trip to the Center with his first grade class and teachers Sarah Morse and Bridget Green, Christian was inspired to save his monthly allowance for the entire year to make a contribution to this worthwhile cause. Impressed by the amazing work of the doctors and the determination of patients learning to walk again, Christian wanted to do something more to help. Pictured below with Robert Glick, the Vice President of Philanthropy for the Center, Christian is a model for giving and generosity in our community. Congratulations on this wonderful accomplishment, Christian!
If you're interested in giving to the Christus St. Vincent Regional Medical Center, please click here.
A Sincere Thanks from Jennifer Jackson
Upper Elementary Language Arts Teacher Jennifer Jackson the lucky winner of the staff raffle at last year's Gala Grande, which sent her and her husband to Paris this summer. Jennifer writes: "This summer, my husband and I had a fabulous time in Paris thanks to the generosity of RGS parents. Our visit to France was awe-inspiring, as we saw and experienced the rich culture, people, and food of this vibrant city. Notre Dame, the Louvre, the Eiffel Tower, Versailles, Napoleon's Tomb -- we visited and learned about these places and much more. The highlights were eating at cozy cafes, walking the tree-lined boulevards, and experiencing the diverse street life. Thank you again for this unforgettable experience!"
Afraid of shameless self-promotion? Don't be! We take pride in the accomplishments of our students, parents, grandparents, staff, and alumni. Please email your star's information to NewsGrande editor Kate Remsberg. | |
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Mark Your Calendar
Student Photos
P-3rd Grade
Tuesday, September 15
Coffee in the Courtyard
Wednesday, September 16
8 am in the courtyard
*NOTE THE CHANGE*
RGS Parent Association Meeting,
Wednesday, September 16
8:30 am in Gilbert Hall
*NOTE THE CHANGE*
Student Photos
4th-6th Grade
Wednesday
September 16
Back-to-School Night,
Thursday, September 24
6 to 8 pm in Gilbert Hall
NO SCHOOL
Yom Kippur
Monday, September 28
Seventh Grade Options Night,
Thursday, October 1
6 to 8 pm in Gilbert Hall
Annual Gathering Friday,
October 9
6 to 8 pm in the RGS Courtyard |
PA Meeting & Coffee Moved to Sept. 16
The Parent Association meeting and Coffee in the Courtyard with new staff originally slated for Wednesday, September 9 will now take place on Wednesday, September 16 at 8:00 am. Join us in the courtyard for coffee, tea, and conversation with new staff, courtesy of the Parent Association, and stay for a PA meeting in Gilbert Hall in which we will discuss exciting volunteer opportunities this year.
Join Us for the Annual Pet Parade
Each year RGS families and staff march as a funky group of people and pets in Santa Fe's "Desfile de los Ninos." Join us next Saturday, September 12. We will meet in the Cathedral parking lot; please be there by 8:45 am or earlier. The parade starts moving at 9:00 am. Look for Ms. Cottle with the RGS banner. You can come with or without a pet! You can always bring a stuffed animal too. Students must be accompanied by an adult. We hope to see you there!
Back to School Night Coming Up
Be sure to plan to join us for Back to School Night on Thursday, September 24 from 6 to 8 pm. Learn all about your child's classes and hear about schoolwide goals. Child care for children ages 3 and above will be offered. Stay tuned for more information. |
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Wear Your RGS Pride!
Sweatshirts, Hoodies, Fleece Vests, Hats & much more. Come on and visit the RGS Store! | |
NewsGrande
