Riverstone International School Newsletter
October 30, 2014
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 Hi All,
Last week I began talking about our Community and Service "Pillar." I mentioned that we promote service throughout the entirety of a student's career here at Riverstone. While Boise offers many opportunities for service, both individually and as part of a group, what makes Riverstone's approach different is that we encourage our students to find opportunities in areas that they believe in - places where they find purpose.
Gretchen Arguedas, our College Counseling Director, asked every senior to share a few of the ways in which they have found a purpose in service. I've been around here long enough that I shouldn't be in awe of our students, but every time over the last 13 years that I have looked into their lives, I am amazed. They speak volumes about a Riverstone education and our Five Pillars.
The following is a sample of the many ways our 18 seniors contribute, or have contributed, to our community:
- Coaching the Middle School Girls Basketball team the past two years
- Volunteering for the Idaho Meth Project
- Helping with the NNU International Justice Mission Stiletto Run to raise awareness of human trafficking
- Volunteering at the Idaho Food Bank
- Serving on the Meridian Mayor's Youth Advisory Council; elected to the Executive Council to organize all youth volunteers and service projects.
- Tutoring students in Spanish
- Serving as a "Freelance" math tutor for high school students
- Volunteering at Riverstone athletic events as part of Riverstone Athletic Leadership
- Replanting native plants in the Boise Foothills in the place of invasive species, as well as rebuilding trails and measuring biodiversity in the Boise River
- Helping coach a youth basketball team
- Coaching Preschool - Grade 5 at soccer camps
- Volunteering at Idaho Youth Ranch
- Assisting at the Idaho Humane Society
- Coaching younger students at Volleyball camp
- Coaching the Middle School orienteering club
- Teaching Tae Kwon Do beginners class at the Boys and Girls Club
- Teaching people about the animals at the zoo as a Zoo-Teen
- Developing a project at One Stone to encourage education for foster kids
- Serving as chairperson of Youth M.O.V.E. to improve the services for mental health for youth
- Volunteering for the Idaho Federation of Families for Children's Mental Health
This is what a small class of Riverstone students can do! Next week, I'd like to talk about our student communities' sense of engagement and purpose.
Call for anything, 
Bob Carignan Head of School bcarignan@riverstoneschool.org |
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CLOSURES ON WARM SPRINGS **TOMORROW**
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 According to the Ada County Highway District (ACHD), Warm Springs Avenue in the Barber Nursery area will be completely closed from Friday, Oct 31 - Sunday, Nov 2 to install sewar lines. Traffic will not detour up Warm Springs Mesa, so please plan an alternate route.
Flaggers will be present on Monday, Nov 3 to allow traffic through but anticipate delays. |
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STATE OF THE SCHOOL ADDRESS
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 Thank you to everyone who attended last week's State of the School Address. We appreciate your time and enthusiasm for Riverstone's future!
If you were not able to attend, please listen to an abbreviated voice presentation from Bob Carignan and view the slide deck.
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ELEMENTARY SCHOOL LOCKED AT 4:00 PM
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 For increased safety of our staff and students, please note that the Elementary School front doors will be locked at 4:00 PM each day.
Parents picking their children up from After-Care should proceed directly to the Multi-Purpose Room along the east side of the school.
Elementary students in After-School Activities will be brought out to the front of the Elementary School by their instructor to meet parents.
Thank you for your cooperation! If you have questions, please contact James Hamilton-Vail, Director of Elementary Education. |
 Parents are invited to one of Riverstone favorite traditions: The Elementary School Halloween Parade! The Parade is on Friday, October 31 and starts at 2:30 PM.
Elementary students should bring their costumes to school. They will change into costumes before the parade. Costumes should not include weapons, toy or otherwise.
Middle & High School students should not wear costumes to school.
Following the parade, Elementary classes will hold their annual Halloween parties.
Elementary School Halloween Parade: Friday, Oct 31 at 2:30 PM in the Elementary School; Meet in the atrium
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RIVERSTONE LIVE AT THE CRUX: NOV 1
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Riverstone-grown bands Jam Fabrik and Lone Tree River, as well as solo performer Tiara W will be performing live on Saturday, November 1 at The Crux!
Come down, have a beverage, and support our musicians in their first live show in a public venue. The Crux has graciously invited us to play. Let's show them that Riverstone can bring a supportive and enthusiastic audience.
Riverstone LIVE at The Crux: Saturday, Nov 1 at 6:30 PM (1022 W Main ) **FREE**
Please contact Damon Brown, Music Teacher, with questions.
  
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STUDENT ACTIVITIES SESSION TWO BEGINS NEXT WEEK
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 Session 2 for After School Activities for Elementary and Middle & High School students begin next week, November 3.
Sign-up this week to reserve your spot!
Please contact Tarrah Elam, Student Life Coordinator, with questions.
Download Elementary School Activities Session Two here.
Download Middle & High School Activities Session Two here. |
 Thank you to everyone who has contributed to the 2014 Annual Fund! As Matt and Suzanne Long wrote in their newsletter this week, " All of us have our personal reasons for why this is the best school for our children, and the Annual Fund is what makes every one of those things possible. It is a critical financial source for the school to provide the supportive, loving, challenging, individualized, forward-thinking school we all expect and experience every day."
With less than a week into the campaign, we have received $56,264 in contributions and pledges to date with 19% participation from parents, staff, and Trustees!
Our goal is to collectively contribute $200,000 to the Annual Fund. We are striving for 100% support from our Board of Trustees, parents, and staff. We are also seeking to increase alumni participation.
Thank you to Mr. Burton's Gr 2 students for helping chart our participation progress!
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SIBLING ENROLLMENT FOR 2014-15
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 Although it seems really early to be thinking about next school year now, we are already accepting applications for the 2015-16 school year.
We've had an upswing in interest for the next year, particularly in our youngest grade levels. Because of this, we would like to remind current parents that siblings receive first priority consideration for any spots available in all grades, but only until January 15, 2015.
What does this mean for current parents?
Please note that for 2015-16, we anticipate one class each of both Preschool and Pre-Kindergarten as follows: - Maximum of 12 students in Preschool
- Maximum of 16 students in our dual-language Pre-Kindergarten
Depending on interest, we hope to open two sections of Kindergarten with a cap of 16 students per class.
Please invite your friends to attend our first open houses that are coming up in two weeks!
Elementary School Open House (Preschool - Gr 5) on Tuesday, Nov 11 starting at 9:30 AM; Meet in ES Atrium
Middle & High School Open House (Gr 6-12) on Thursday, Nov 13 starting at 9:30 AM; Meet in ES Atrium
Please email Rachel Pusch, Director of Enrollment Management and Administration with questions. |
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HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL TRYOUTS
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 Students in Gr 9-12 are encouraged to tryout for Riverstone basketball teams!
Gr 9-12 Girls Basketball
- Tryouts will be held Monday, Nov 3 at 5:00 PM in Kennedy Gymnasium
Gr 9-12 Boys Basketball
- A player meeting will be held Tuesday, Nov 4 at 11:30 AM in the Kennedy Gymnasium
- Tryouts will be held Friday, Nov 14 at 6:00 PM in the Kennedy Gymnasium
**All players who will be Freshman and Juniors next year MUST have a physical completed prior to tryouts. If students do not bring a completed physical form, she will not be allowed to tryout and will therefore not be able to make a team. Please do not forget this form! Download the physical examination form here.
Contact Demi Dlouhy, PE teacher and Athletic Coordinator, with any questions.
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MIDDLE YEARS PROGRAMME TEACHING CONCERT
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 Middle School and Grade 10 students who have music class this semester will be presenting a Teaching Concert to the Elementary School on Wednesday, Nov 5 at 2:05 PM in the Elementary School Atrium.
This event is a great opportunity for older students to share their work with younger students in an interactive and informal performance setting.
Parents are warmly welcomed to attend.
MYP Teaching Concert: Wednesday, Nov 5 at 2:05 PM in Elementary School atrium |
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SIGN UP FOR RIVERSTONE'S RAKE UP BOISE TEAM
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 Join Riverstone's Rake-Up-Boise Team!
Fall has finally arrived and so have many of the leaves that fall into our yards. Raking up the yards of those who are not able is one of many ways that Riverstone gives back to our community.
Please contact Tarrah Elam, Student Life Coordinator, if you have questions.
Rake Up Boise: Saturday, Nov 15 Meet at Riverstone at 9:00 AM |
Just a reminder that all visitors to the school must sign in and pick up a visitor badge at the Elementary and Middle School front desks.
Whether you are helping in a classroom or dropping off a forgotten lunch, we appreciate everyone signing in. Knowing who is in the school is a vital element of our school safety procedures.
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 The Executive Director of the Northwest Association of Independent Schools (NWAIS), Siri Akal Khalsa, will be visiting Riverstone on November 17. Besides touring the school and meeting with staff, he has happily agreed to present a short talk to parents on trends in independent education.
All parents are invited. Feel free to bring a friend!
Parent discussion with Siri Akal Khalsa, NWAIS Executive Director: Monday, November 17 at 2:45 PM in the Library |
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STILL TIME FOR FAMILY DIRECTORY PHOTOS
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 We are still adding photos to our photo directory -- it's not too late to send in your family's photo! Don't worry if your photo is not totally up-to-date!
- A family photo (1MB digital file)
- If your child lives in two households, please feel free to send two photos
We look forward to seeing all of the beautiful (or entertaining) pictures of you and your families! If you have any questions, please contact Treacy Liebich. |
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SHARE YOUR TALENTS WITH STUDENT ACTIVITIES
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Are you interested in getting more involved in our school community? Do you have a talent or passion you are interested in sharing with our students? Do you love making your own cards or jewelry? Perhaps you an expert in karate or woodcrafts?
Consider teaching in our after school programs! We would love to have more parents offering classes after school. Commitments for after school activities are 1 hour per week from 3:30 PM to 4:30 PM during a six week session. We will pay you for your time!
We are currently coordinating activities for the session that begins the first week in February and continues until the week of March 9th. Consider sharing your passion!
Please contact Tarrah Elam, Student Life Coordinator, to discuss the possibilities. |
 Thank you to Gr 4, 7 and 11 for the wonderful Merci lunch last Friday, Oct 24!
We truly appreciate the chance to spend time together, enjoy the delicious food, and admire the charming decorations. Your creativity and culinary skills make our day!
Thank you again! |
 All parents are encouraged to attend the next Parents' Association meeting on Thursday, November 13 at 8:45 AM in the Elementary School Multi-Purpose Room.
Hope to see you there! Please contact Michelle Nenov, PA President, with questions. |
An update from Coach Raymond:
"Great tournament and Fall season everybody! I'm so happy about what we have done and how the team has improved in just a couple of weeks compared to the previous seasons. I have seen every player progress and have become more excited, not just in games, but during our practices as well. I am sure that every team we played this season will remember us not just for the great goals we scored, but also our determination to get better." Congratulations to the team for their 2nd place finish in the 2014 Fall tournament!
Check the Riverstone Facebook page for more photos.
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Much to our delight, Riverstone alumnus, Mara Truslow ('09) recently visited Riverstone. We asked her to share what she's been up to recently. Here's what she wrote:
"Since I graduated from Vanderbilt in 2013 with a degree in Human and Organizational Development, I've stayed in Nashville, TN teaching. Last year, I taught 7th grade writing (and social studies) at Nashville Prep, a charter school that serves North Nashville. I was on the founding 7th grade team of a three-year-old school that is still growing and evolving. Over the course of the year, I worked on an experimental writing curriculum in our Revolution Lab, where all students worked on laptop computers. Then, I transitioned to tackle the transition to Common Core, where I worked on a semester-long Pilot Unit focusing on crafting analytical summaries of informational texts. Last year, I was also enrolled in an M.Ed program at Lipcomb University, where I finished my Masters in Instructional Practice this past summer. I've also transitioned from Nashville Prep and am currently teaching about 30 minutes south of Nashville. I've moved from a very urban district to a much more rural area. I still teach 7th grade language arts, but in a more traditional school setting. I'm hoping to go back for a PhD in education focusing on the organizational complexities of schools in the next few years."
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LIBRARY VOLUNTEERS NEEDED
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 We are looking for Very Important Parents/Grandparents (VIPs) to volunteer once a month for an hour during the Preschool through Grade 3 Library Classes.
Volunteers will work with the librarian to help children select books and with the smaller ones read in small groups. Students come once a week for a 45 minute class and hear a story tied to their unit of inquiry, learn something about the unit or library, and check out books/read. Help is always appreciated at other times.
Sign up to volunteer in the library on the Community Opportunities sheet.
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 There are just a few spots available to audition for the Variety Show.
Get your friends together and create a beautiful, fun, outrageous, dramatic, and totally unique performance. Parents, students, faculty... all are encouraged to participate!
All acts should be group performances of 2 or more people and no more than 5 minutes in length.
Sign up here to audition the week of November 3. The Variety Show is Friday, Dec 5 following the Book Fair Preview and Parents' Association Pizza Dinner.
Once audition slots are gone, they are gone until next year. Sign ups are online only and may be done on the Community Opportunities sheet.
Please contact Damon Brown, Music Teacher, if you have questions. |
 Our High School Basketball Coaches are hosting open gym sessions for High School players to get some extra practice before basketball season starts. No fee!
High School Boys Basketball Open Gym: Every Sunday from 4:30 PM - 6:30 PM.
High School Girls Basketball Open Gym: Every Saturday from 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM.
Attending open gyms is not mandatory for playing on a school team. Please contact Boys Coach Eric Chapman at echappy@aol.com with questions!
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There is a lot going on next week at Riverstone! Although not a complete list of all things happening, here are some highlights for the week.
View the school calendar here.
| Friday, Oct 31 | Elementary School Halloween Parade starts at 2:30 PM in the Elementary School atrium
| | Saturday, Nov 1 | Open Gym Girls Basketball from 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM
Riverstone LIVE at The Crux at 6:30 PM at 1022 W Main St
| | Sunday, Nov 2 | Open Gym Boys Basketball from 4:30 PM - 6:30 PM
| | Monday, Nov 3 | High School Girls Basketball Tryouts at 5:30 PM
| | Tuesday, Nov 4 | High School Boys Basketball Player Meeting at 11:30 AM in Kennedy Gymnasium
| | Wednesday, Nov 5 | Middle Years Programme Music Teaching Concert for Elementary School Assembly at 2:05 PM in the Elementary School Atrium
| | Friday, Nov 7 | Merci Lunch hosted by Gr 3, 7, and 10 |
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FACEBOOK PHOTO OF THE WEEK
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This week's Facebook photo of the week features Demi Dlouhy, our Athletic Director, cheering on RSFC at last Thursday's cold and blustery game.
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