Riverstone International School Newsletter
November 20, 2014
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 Hi All,
Thank you to all those who have contributed to the Annual Fund this week. As one of only two fundraisers that we have during the year, your gifts are important and appreciated - they literally help every student every day!
As I have mentioned, we ask that all parents give at a level that they feel comfortable with. Strong participation numbers are critical to Riverstone securing outside grants and gifts as these numbers indicate a dedicated community that believes in giving its students the best education possible.
If you haven't given yet, please do so before the campaign ends tomorrow. We will be sending out our results next Tuesday.
Hope to see you tomorrow at Friday Morning Music!
Call for anything,
Bob Carignan
Head of School
bcarignan@riverstoneschool.org
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One More Day! Participation is climbing rapidly!
As of Thursday late afternoon, we have received $160,000 in contributions and pledges to date with 84% participation from parents, staff, and Trustees. Thank you!
No gift is too small. Seriously!
We are also grateful for the support from other important community members, like alumni, grandparents, alumni parents, former parents, and friends of the school.
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. The campaign ends on Friday, Nov 21.
Your contribution, no matter the size, helps ensure that Riverstone can continue to sustain and offer what you love as your Riverstone.
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FRIDAY MORNING MUSIC **TOMORROW**
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 Join us tomorrow morning for Friday Morning Music. Students who study music privately will be performing. It's a nice way to start your day.
If your student is interested in performing in the future, please contact Laura DeLaney, Music teacher.
Friday Morning Music: Friday, Nov 21 from 8:00 AM - 8:30 AM in the Elementary School Atrium |
 Students in Gr 9-12 are invited to Movie Night at the High School on Friday, Nov 21.
The Student Council will be showing the 1986 classic, "Ferris Bueller's Day Off" in the High School common area. This movie is rated PG-13. Students can bring popcorn and a pillow to sit on! No charge.
The movie will begin at 7:00 PM and finish by 9:00 PM. Riverstone teachers will chaperone the event.
Please contact Andy Johnson, High School Director, with any questions. |
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RIVERSTONE'S RAKE UP BOISE TEAM
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 Due to the inclement weather, we will not be raking on Saturday, Nov 22 and rescheduling the date.
The Student Council organizers will contact everyone on the Community Opportunities sheet as soon as we have Plan C for Rake Up Boise. Thanks for your patience.
Contact Kathleen Gilton, Director of Community Engagement & Communications, with any questions. |
 This year's entry to the Festival of Trees is, "See the Leader in You!"
Our tree decorating team is happy to have more help setting up the tree, even if you haven't been able to be involved thus far. The more the merrier!
If you would like to help, join the team from 2:00 PM - 5:00 PM at the Boise Centre on Sunday, Nov 23.
Please give Kim a call if you are coming to help so she can give you the latest status and confirm their timeframe. You may reach Kim at (208) 484-1560. |
 Riverstone's Book Fair is just around the corner! There are lots of ways for adults and kids to be part of the fun! Bookmark Contest for students: Information will be sent home on Friday, Nov 21 in your child's backpack. Please return entries by end of day on Tuesday, Dec 2. Opening night: Friday, Dec 5 from 4:30 PM - 6:00 PM (same night as the Variety Show and Dinner; please see information below) Book Fair schedule: The Book Fair will be held from Monday, Dec 8 to Friday, Dec 12 from 8:15 AM - 4:00 PM daily. Online ordering: If you can't make it to the fair itself or have family members who would like to do some online shopping, please share this link to the online book fair. Online ordering will be available from Friday, Nov 21 - Tuesday, Dec 9. For more information or to get involved, please contact Kim Fall.
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VARIETY SHOW + DINNER + BOOK FAIR
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 Bring your family to Riverstone on Friday, Dec 5 for an evening of family fun!
Book Fair Opening Night (4:30 - 6:15 PM in Elementary School atrium)
Pizza Dinner (5:30 - 6:15 PM) Make it easy on yourself and your family by having pizza dinner with friends at the school before the Variety Show.
- $5ish Pizza, Caesar Salad, and Treat
- Beverages by donation
Variety Show (6:30 PM start in the Kennedy Gymnasium) The Variety Show includes performances of all types from our Riverstone community. There is always something unexpected and wonderful about this event. Invite family and friends -- all ages welcome! |
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WINTER CONCERT + GRANDFRIENDS DAY
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 Save the date for the Elementary School Winter Concert and Grandfriend's Day on Wednesday, Dec 10.
Grandfriends Day will start at 12:30 PM.
The Winter concert starts at 2:00 PM in the Kennedy Gymnasium and lasts approximately one hour.
Concert dress for Elementary students is jeans, dark pants or skirt and a white shirt.
More details coming next week!
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Congratulations to Science teacher, Samantha Cole, whose teacher grant application, Hands on Biotechnology, was selected by the Idaho CapEd Foundation to be funded.
The CapEd Foundation made a surprise visit to Samantha's Gr 11 Diploma Programme Biology class earlier this week where they announced her grant was funded. Well done, Samantha!
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NOTE FROM OUR SCHOOL COUNSELOR
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 There is a growing body of research elucidating the negative effects of perfectionism. In fact, the push to be perfect often leaves one at a greater risk of anxiety and depression.
Students that believe they need to be perfect often appear as procrastinators (they have trouble starting something that feels that it needs to be perfect), or they may present with anxiety as they struggle to make sure that homework/tests/activities are all perfect.
As parents, we often unwittingly support these perfectionistic beliefs by telling our child that, "We don't care, so long as they've done their best." This instills in the child a sense of always needing to do things right. In fact, I often tell students that it is okay to make mistakes -- they would not be in school if they already knew how to do things perfectly. When a child strives to be perfect, they are often feeling disappointed as they more often than not do not meet the standard.
As parents we can reassure our children that we do not expect perfection. We can teach them resilience by allowing them to make mistakes and then find a solution. We can allow them to find the internal motivation for things by allowing them to struggle through finding different ways of doing things. We can have compassion for them when they do make a mistake.
We can model for our children our own lack of perfectness.
If you have questions or would like to meet with our school counselor when she is at Riverstone on Fridays, please contact Shirley O'Neil at soneil@riverstoneschool.org.
************* Join us for a Parent Information Session with Shirley O'Neil, School Counselor, on Friday, Dec 5 at 2:45 PM in the library. Shirley will be sharing information about our Elementary School Character Building and Middle School Student Wellness Programs that have been introduced this year. There will be an opportunity for questions.
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 Our librarian, Susan Tabb, is looking for two to three large (refrigerator size) boxes for a Kindergarten project that will be done in the library. She needs the boxes no later than Friday, Dec 12.
Contact Susan Tabb if you have some boxes to donate.
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 We enjoy sharing news from our alumni! Margaret Yang graduated from Riverstone International School in 2009 where she continued her postsecondary education at Whitman College in Walla Walla, WA. She then earned her Bachelor's of Art degree in Economics and French. During her time at Whitman College, she was a teaching assistant for the introductory macroeconomics courses. She also held various positions in the Associated Students of Whitman College. Currently, Margaret is pursuing a dual Master's degree at the University of Pennsylvania Graduate School of Education in Higher Education and Reading Writing and Literacy. Margaret hopes become a student affair's professional to work with college-age students after she graduates. Note: Hanging in the gym foyer is a shadow box with mementos from the Beijing Olympics. This shadow box was a gift from Margaret to the school! |
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Note from Middle School Girls Basketball Coach Abby Fereday:
Middle School girls beat Ambrose last Thursday. JV won 26-4 and Varsity won 30-8. On Tuesday of this week, combined teams beat Rolling Hills 29-8. We play Notus today!
Next Middle School Girls Basketball Game: Tuesday, Nov 25 versus Horseshoe Bend at 4:00 PM in the Kennedy Gym
Next High School Girls Basketball Game: Tuesday, Nov 25 versus Ambrose School at 6:00 PM at the Kennedy Gymnasium
Contact Demi Dlouhy, PE teacher and Athletic Coordinator, with any questions. Pictured below is the Middle School Basketball Team (most of them at least!) |
 We enjoy sharing our students' news outside of school. Please feel free to send a note to Kathleen Gilton if you would like to share your child's news!
Gwen D (Gr 11) and Darci D (Gr 5) auditioned and were selected to participate in the ACDA National Honor Choir. Gwen was selected for the Senior High School Mixed Choir and Darci was selected for the Children's Choir. Over 3,300 students auditioned for these choirs nationally.
Congratulations Gwen and Darci!
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Gr 5 recently completed a summative project for their media literacy unit in which they created their own online news site, RIS Today. Students conducted research and interviews to complete their news articles and collaborated with their section teams to ensure comprehensive coverage of each topic area.
We encourage you to view articles by clicking on the section links (community, sports, editorial, etc.) at the top of the site and accessing articles within each section that way. View RIS Today here.
This link will only be active for a week or two so please be sure to look soon!
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CREATE COMMON GOOD LUNCH PROGRAM
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 As you know, Create Common Good (CCG) is Riverstone's lunch provider. In the past six months, they have revitalized their lunch program to better meet the needs of the students, families, and schools who rely on their nutritious lunches.
Be sure to check out their lunch options!
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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.
| Thursday, Nov 20 | Middle School Girls Basketball Game at 4:00 PM at Notus.
High School Girls Basketball Game at 6:00 PM at Victory Charter School.
| | Friday, Nov 21 | Friday Morning Music at 8:00 AM in the Elementary School Atrium
Annual Fund End of Campaign!
| | Sunday, Nov 23 | Festival of Trees Set Up at Boise Centre from 2:00 PM - 5:00 PM; Contact Kim Liebich for more information
| | Wednesday, Nov 26 - Sunday, Nov 30 | Thanksgiving Break! |
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FACEBOOK PHOTO OF THE WEEK
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This week's Facebook photo of the week featured Seņora Vallejos and members of the Pre-Kindergarten class. This was Seņora Vallejos' first time in snow!
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