Riverstone International School Newsletter
March 20, 2015
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 Hi All,
Happy Spring Break! We hope that your conferences went well and that you feel you have the information needed to understand what your student is doing well and areas upon which they can improve. Remember, if you still have more questions, feel free to schedule an appointment with your teacher after the break.
The last few days have been a wonderful example of how our inquiry based approach to education inspires our students to learn and share. Here is a just a short list of what has been happening:
- During their open house, our Preschool students showcased how they express themselves, including art, drama, and music
- Gr 1 led the Elementary school assembly with a combination of literary analysis, poetry, and music
- Gr 3 celebrated the founding cultures from Idaho through dance
- Gr 7 went to lunch at a Mexican restaurant and spoke Spanish exclusively
- Gr 9 got their first look at the solar power go cart that will the centerpiece of their spring Design Technology curriculum and incorporate many STEM elements
- Gr 11 French students visited several Elementary School classrooms and read and sang the book they wrote related to the environment (see video on YouTube)
- Gr 11 music students performed at the Alterra Retirement home
- Gr 12 were completing final revision of papers that will be sent around the world to IB evaluators
And yesterday, during our Middle and High School Morning of Service, we contributed over 450 hours of service to the community, for a grand total of 900 hours this school year. Check out photos on Facebook.
It is so exciting to see students in action, exploring their passions, and sharing their joy with our community. Please be safe and enjoy some unstructured time with your kids!
Call for anything,
Bob Carignan
Head of School
bcarignan@riverstoneschool.org |
 Please remember that the school will be closed for two weeks for spring break. We have a staff in-service scheduled for Monday, April 6. There is no school on this day.
Students will return to school on Tuesday, April 7.
Have a safe and relaxing spring break!
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 All parents are encouraged to join us to Meet the Seniors on Tuesday, April 14!
This is your chance to hear directly from the seniors. What did they feel they gained by attending Riverstone? Where are they going to college (or still considering)? What was their most memorable experience at our school? Why is Riverstone unlike other schools?
These students and their personal stories will re-affirm for you why you have chosen Riverstone! Please mark you calendars and join us! This special event usually lasts 60 - 90 minutes.
This event is kindly hosted by the Parents' Association.
Meet the Seniors on Tuesday, April 14 at 8:45 AM in the Elementary School Multi-Purpose Room
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RE-ENROLLMENT & CHECKLISTS
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 Thank you to our families who submitted their re-enrollment contracts and deposits for 2015-16! With the re-enrollment contracts are a checklist of forms that also need to be completed.
At this time, we have 64% of families with their forms complete.
It is critically important for staff efficiency to complete the forms on the checklist as soon as possible so we can work over the summer months with the most up-to-date information. This makes a world of difference for us and we certainly appreciate your help. If you are among the remaining 36% who still need to submit your forms, please do so here.
Please contact Lisa Armstrong with any questions.
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 It's time for nominations for next year's PA Board and Event Chair positions! As always, all positions are open for nomination. Nominees will be voted on and approved at the PA meeting on May 14th. Turn in your nomination forms in person to Lisa Armstrong at the Elementary School, Robyn Olnes at the Middle School OR submit it electronically to Kim Liebich. Additional forms can be found on the counter at Lisa Armstrong's desk.
Link to the PA Meeting Minutes here.
The next Parents' Association Meeting will be Thursday, April 9 at 8:40 AM in the library.
If you have any questions, comments, or suggestions, please contact PA President, Michelle Nenov via email or (415) 990-4138.
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 The Parents' Association has started planning for the second Annual Riverstone Family Photo Directory!
Please take a few family photos of everyone happy and relaxed during spring break! And then email them to riverstonepa@riverstoneschool.org. The next edition of the photo directory will be released in the fall when school starts.
Please contact Treacy Liebich with questions.
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 Senior Brian B has been honored by being chosen for a Scholastic Art & Writing National American Voice Medal award. There are only 32 award winners across the country at this level. Congratulations!
Please click here to watch Brian read his poem.
The following is Brian's artist's statement about his poem.
"This is my first poem from my collection, 'Stories from Somewhere Not Spoken.' The focus of my collection is to fabricate anecdotes grounded in reality that are not vocalized nor intimate in today's social sphere. "The Exodus Manifesto" tracks the story of an immigrant who, through promise and disappoint, comes to America for a better life. Through simplicities he finds some respite, yet the overall stigma of immigration still remains. My goal of the poems were to take a 'statistic' and hyper-focus on a single story, in hopes that some humanity will be added to the topic. The structure was based from music; something grand, artistic and beautiful to highlight and accent the story. The piece won a Regional Gold Key and American Voice nomination at the regional level, and went on to win the National American Voice Medal at the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards (out of more than 255,000 entries). 'The Exodus Manifesto' is also being published in the Spring Edition of the Claremont Review, an international magazine for emerging artists and writers."
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We enjoy sharing what our students are up to outside of school! If you have news to share, please email Kathleen Gilton.
During this past weekend's BSU Climbing Competition, Nat B (Gr 7) came in 3rd in his class (11-15 yr old males)! Saturday's competition was part of the Idaho Climbing Series. Well done Nat!
Congratulations to the following Riverstone students who competed in the Idaho State Chess Championships!
Students who received individual awards include:
- Darci D: Grade 5 1st place
- Ethan M: Grade 3 4th place
- Cord G: Grade 3 13th place
Riverstone also placed in the team awards competition:
- Fourth Grade (Vedant R, Jean Michel E and Lucas E) 4th place team award
- Third Grade (Ethan M, Cord G, & Yutaka G) 3rd place team award
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Congratulations to our Mandarin teacher, Eric Pedersen, and his wife on the birth of their new son, Brevik!
Is that not the cutest baby picture ever?
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 We are thrilled to share the news that the J.A. and Kathryn Albertson Foundation has given a $250,000 gift to our endowment campaign that will be used to establish the J.A. and Kathryn Albertson Scholarship Fund. The scholarship will expand school choice for Idaho's youth by enabling more students with financial need to attend Riverstone International School. Their gift and commitment to education in Idaho is much appreciated.
Our next Parent Mixer will be held on April 15 at 6:30 PM at the home of Alexander and Nicole Toeldte. Please save the date on your calendar!
If you have a conflict on the date that your class is invited and would like to attend another evening, please feel free to do so.
Contact Kurt and Treacy Liebich to learn more about this important endeavor!
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Evening mixer date
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Parents in the following grades are invited*
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April 15
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Gr 2, 6, 10
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May 6
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Gr 3, 7, 11
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Thank you to the 150 Middle and High School students who gave up their morning off to help out in our community and our school.
Our students spent their morning helping Boise Parks & Recreation, Boise Urban Garden School (BUGS), Discovery Center, Idaho Fish & Game, Idaho Youth Ranch, Riverstone (!), and The Cabin.
Thank you to alumna Melinda Quick ('09) and all of our parents who volunteered to lead a group!
Please check photos on Riverstone's Facebook page.
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To help with planning, here are a few important events you will want to include in your calendar.
The first day of school, vacations, etc for 2015-16 are on the school calendar!
Monday, April 6
| School closed for Teacher In-Service
| Monday - Thursday, April 6-9
| Senior trip
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Tuesday, April 7
| Students return to school
| Tuesday, April 14
| Meet the Seniors at 8:45 AM
| Wednesday, April 15
| Endowment Parent Mixer
| Friday, April 17
| Senior Art Show at the Crux
| Saturday, April 18
| Gr 9-12 Prom
| Thursday, April 30
| Gr 10 MYP Personal Project Exhibition
| Monday, May 4
| Diploma Programme Exams Begin
| Wednesday, May 6
| Spring Arts Festival
Endowment Parent Mixer
| Monday - Friday, May 11-15
| Gr 8 and 10 Spring Trips
| Monday - Sunday, May 11-17
| Gr 9 Spring Trip
| Tuesday - Friday, May 12-15
| Gr 3 Spring Trip
| Wednesday - Friday, May 13-15
| Gr 2 Spring Trip
| Thursday - Friday, May 14-15
| Kindergarten and Gr 1 Spring Trips
| Tuesday, May 26
| Gr 5 Exhibition Evening
| Wednesday, May 27
| Honor the Seniors Dessert
| Thursday, May 28
| Commencement
| Tuesday, June 2
| Gr 5 Move Up Ceremony
Middle & High School Awards Ceremony
| Thursday, June 4
| Last Day of School with Field Day and All School BBQ
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BIG BREAK BIRDING CONTEST
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 Join in Riverstone's 4th Annual Big Break Birding "Competition" that really is just about fun.
Raffle tickets will be given for every list submitted, the longest list, oldest birder, every bird not on someone else's list, and best bird photograph! Everyone has a chance to win!
Turn in a list of birds that you identified over spring break to Ben Brock by Friday, April 11.
Download a flyer with more information here.
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 Riverstone International School is proud to partner with the American Heart Association through Jump Rope for Heart! Last year our school raised $4,596 and our goal is to raise $5,000 for lifesaving research this year.
Donations are due April 10 to classroom teachers.
This community service project teaches our students the importance of heart health (exercise, nutrition and living tobacco free), while having a great time jumping rope! Students also have the opportunity to raise funds for the American Heart Association to provide education in our community, and fund research & development, all in an effort to lower the risks of America's #1 and #4 killers, heart disease and stroke.
Why participate? When your child talks about his/her reason for participating in Jump Rope For Heart (such as a lost loved one or a family history of heart disease), it helps them to connect the dots to a healthier life and might even inspire a few other family members to live heart healthy too!
The top 25 students who collect the most donations will have the opportunity to visit LifeFlight Boise!
Please contact Demi Dlouhy with questions.
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 We will see you back at school on Tuesday, April 7!
View the school calendar here.
Saturday, Mar 21 - Monday, April 6
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Spring break and staff in-service
**NO SCHOOL**
| Tuesday, April 7
| Students return to school
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The week's Facebook photo of the week features the crowd at last Saturday's performances by Lone Tree River and Jam Fabrik.
Keep an eye on Riverstone's Facebook page to keep up with what's happening at Riverstone!
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