|
|
|
Hammin' it Up in Extended Care
Grandes Students Sterling Anne Wheeler and Daniel Borovina enjoy the lemonade stand with Extended Care staff (from left) Janet Asher, Tina Schwartz, and Anne Ransome. |
|
Dr. Alice Kahle to Speak at PA Meeting Wednesday
Dr. Alice Kahle, Rio Grande School's consulting psychologist, will be joining us at Wednesday's Parent Association meeting to guide a discussion entitled "Attention and Its Tangents," which will address attention issues in elementary aged children. Dr. Kahle has worked with Rio Grande School since 2006, and she has been instrumental in helping us design our social-emotional learning goals, advising teachers and administration on best practices in supporting individual and groups of children, and meeting with parents and children. Please join us for the first of our parent education sessions this Wednesday at 8:00 am in Gilbert Hall. |
|
Buddy Program Brings Together the Young (and the Younger)
Kate Remsberg, NewsGrande Editor
For the students and teachers who participate in RGS' buddy program, the time spent together is often a highlight of the year. Our upper cluster and early childhood classes collaborate in pairs to make a strong connection between our oldest and youngest in the student community.
Our sixth graders spend time with buddies in the Grandes classroom. Our Kindergartners can hardly contain their excitement as they make their way across the courtyard to fourth grade. And fifth grade has the important charge of being buddies with our youngest students: the Pequenos. Each week, the two classes meet and share time together. Such a connection between an older and younger student is beneficial to both. Not only do the younger students look up to their buddies, as Fourth Grade teacher Kristin Potter says, "It is especially empowering for the fourth graders because they have just entered the upper cluster and are now the youngest in their recess and academic group. The buddy program gives them a chance to be mentors and leaders."
The best spokespeople for the positive effects of the buddy program are the students themselves. Because I'm in the position of seeing a wide range of our students working and playing t ogether in the after-school program, I see the pride of the Kindergartners when the fourth graders arrive firsthand. And I see the care of the fourth graders, whose faces burst into smiles as their buddies shout their names out and shower them with hugs. Asked about what they love about the buddy program, our Grandes class had wonderful things to say including the serious, "we get to talk to them, and they listen", and the not-as-serious "my buddy laughs at me and jumps like a frog". For the youngsters, their buddy creates a lasting memory of the classroom experience, even though the interactions may seem very simple.
In addition to an academic partnership, some meetings are as simple as sharing a time for snack or a fun activity. The common goal for each set of classes is that a genuine connection is formed, and through that connection there's a real blend of serious mentorship and enjoyment. As sixth grade teacher Ahlum Scarola mentions about his class, "This interaction gives the sixth graders a sense of responsibility and ownership of their leadership role at RGS...not to mention they think it's great fun."
For our upper cluster students, the real-life mentoring experience develops their leadership skills for the full three years. For our early childhood students, the idea that they have someone to literally and figuratively look up to is a cherished and important part of their experience at RGS - one that they can look forward to when they enter the upper cluster themselves.
Pictured Above: Kindergartner Dylan Lincoln enjoys the book that Fourth Grader Nicky Perillo is reading to her. |
Admission Open House on
October 14
On Wednesday, October 14 at 9:00 am, RGS will open our school and classrooms to prospective parents. This is an excellent opportunity for friends and neighbors to see our school in action! We are so proud of the work that is being done by our excellent staff, and it's time to share our educational mission with the community at large.
If you know someone who might be interested in RGS, please stop by the front desk and pick up an invitation. Or, better yet, take several and hand them out at your office, place of worship, community organizations, or parent groups. The more interest we generate in our school - the more candidates we attract - the stronger our RGS community becomes!
If you have any questions about the Open House, or would like to volunteer to help, please contact Director of Admission Barbara Bentree. |
|
|
RGS Stars 
First grader Mark Generale recently participated in a LEGO building competition at Toyopolis. He competed in the 5-7 year-old category and won First Place with his bright red spaceship. He was extremely excited to take home a LEGO Star Wars spaceship as his prize. Congratulations, Mark, keep up the great building!
 James Horn of Spears Architects and trustee and parent Brent Bonwell proudly display the American Institute of Architects Award James won for his design of Rio Grande School's main building. The prestigious statewide award was presented at a banquet in Albuquerque on Saturday, September 26. Be an RGS Star! 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. | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Mark Your Calendar
Parent Association Meeting
Wednesday, October 7
8 am in Gilbert Hall
Annual Gathering
Friday, October 9
6 to 8 pm in the RGS Courtyard
Admission Open House
Wednesday, October 14
9 to 11 am in Gilbert Hall
NO SCHOOL
Parent-Teacher Conferences
Friday, October 16 & Friday, October 23
Parent Association Meeting
Wednesday, November 4
8 am in Gilbert Hall
NO SCHOOL
Head's Holiday
Friday, November 6
NO SCHOOL
Teacher Report Writing & Thanksgiving Holiday
Monday, November 23
thru Friday, November 27 |
RGS Spiritwear Is Coming!
Please join us for the first ever RGS Spiritwear Sale! Proceeds will benefit the RGS Teacher Professional Development Fund. Come stock up on custom limited edition 'vintage' RGS logo hoodies, watch-plaid logo lounge pants, and fleece pants.
The sale will take place Wednesday and Thursday, October 14 & 15 during drop-off and dismissal. Get ready for the chilly days ahead and support our teacher's continuing education!
Recylced Art Announcement
We will be participating in the Recycle Santa Fe Art Schow in November are are collecting would-be landfill items for art projects. Plastics that are #3 and up, drink pouches, packaging and anything that cannot be recylced is needed. Purple collection boxes have been placed in each classroom, but items can also be delivered to Melissa in the art room.
RGS Annual Gathering this Friday Night
Don't forget to mark your calendar for Friday night's Annual Gathering happening in the RGS courtyard! There will be food, drink, and a chance to catch up with friends and teachers. The highly anticipated slideshow will also be shown. We'll hope to see you from 6-8 pm on Friday! | |
NewsGrande