Riverstone International School
September 1, 2016
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Hi All,
As I sit here in the Denver airport taking my youngest child to college, it is easy to see and reflect on the wonderful and life changing experience Riverstone has been for our family.
Luckily, we will also be meeting up with my oldest child, who graduated from Riverstone with the Class of 2012. Listening to my two children - both now Riverstone alumni - chat about what they have read and what they learned (and super odd things they share about music that only an IB music student would know) always makes me happy and grateful. But Javanese Gamelan music, really!? As Class of 2017 senior Rowan P said in his wonderful speech at our All-School Convocation this past Monday, it is a great time to look forward at Riverstone. We have welcomed a wonderful group of students, faculty, and families to our community. The excitement on our first day back was energizing and we now begin what will be our best year ever. Please take the time to say hello to any new faces you see and welcome them to this great community as we all move forward together! All my best,
Bob Carignan
Head of School
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 We will not have school on Monday, Sept 5 in recognition of Labor Day. Classes will resume on Tuesday, Sept 6.
We hope you and your family have a wonderful holiday! |
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FRESH LOOK FOR THE RIVERSTONE NEWSLETTER
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As you may have noticed, we have freshened up the look of our weekly newsletter by updating the header and colors in the design. This was driven by a desire to be more in line with our website design and the brand vision we have set for Riverstone. We hope you enjoy the new look!
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Join us for lots of great information and the opportunity to ask questions regarding the Primary Years Programme (PYP), the Middle Years Programme (MYP), and the Diploma Programme (DP).
Elementary School Parent Coffee
Elementary School Director, James Hamilton-Vail will be hosting the last informational coffee for Grades 4 - 5 parents to talk about the upcoming school year. Please join James in the Multi-Purpose Room at 8:45 AM tomorrow, Friday, Sept 2.
Middle Years Programme (MYP) Parent Coffee
Damon Brown, MYP Programme Coordinator will explain the requirements of the MYP Programme and how students learn and prepare for the Diploma Programme. Please contact Damon Brown with any questions.
Diploma Programme Parent Coffee
Jami Whitmer, our Diploma Programme Coordinator, will explain what the DP requirements are, what courses Riverstone offers, and what the benefits of the DP in college preparation are, and more.All interested parents are encouraged to attend, regardless of whether your child is in the DP, soon to be, or has many years before participating. Please contact Jami Whitmer with any questions. These meetings will be held in the Library in the Middle School on the following days:
Grade
| Date
| Middle Years Programme (Grades 6 - 10)
| Wed, Sept 7
8:30 AM - 9:30 AM
| Diploma Programme
(Grades 11 - 12)
| Thurs, Sept 8
8:30 AM - 9:30 AM
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*All parents are welcome to attend the MYP and DP Parent Coffee sessions. |
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MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL NEW STUDENT MEET-AND-GREET
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 New Student Meet, Greet and Eat!
If you are a parent of a new student to Riverstone in Grades 6 - 12, please encourage your child to come to the New Student Meet, Greet and Eat party next Tuesday, Sept 6 at 11:55 AM in the Library. Our school counselor, Andrea Kuenzli, will be there to meet all new students and welcome them to the community. |
 Thank you to everyone who attended Convocation on Monday!
We hope you enjoyed senior Rowan P's speech on all the different parts that come together to make this wonderful community we have. You can download and listen to that speech by clicking here. And thank you to the entire senior class for teaching us those "Dancing Queen" dance moves!
Idaho Education News was also there for our Convocation and made this wonderful video about our unique back-to-school tradition.
Special thanks to our Parents' Association for so warmly welcoming families and students to the new school year at the Boo-Hoo Yahoo Coffee and Ice Cream Social.
Check out photos on the Riverstone Facebook page and Instagram.
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Elementary School Rafting Trips Are Next Week!
Starting with Preschool and Pre-Kindergarten on Tuesday, Sept 6, Elementary School students will be kicking the year off with a splash.
In preparation for next week's trips:
- Please ensure that a Cascade Raft and Kayak Release Form has been completed for every participant by TOMORROW, Friday, Sept 2. Please return forms to your child's classroom teacher.
- Let your child's classroom teacher know if any adults from your family will be participating in a raft trip and if you will be providing your own transportation or if you will be riding with the group on the bus.
Detailed information about the trips can be found via the links in the table below.
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Grade
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Date
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Tue, Sept 6
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Fri, Sept 9
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Thurs, Sept 8
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Middle and High School Trips Approach During the week of Sept 12, all Middle and High School students will head for the hills! And rivers and lakes and trails too! Please refer to the Trip Informational Letters for details about each trip. For those of you who still need to put the finishing touches on your preparations, consider bringing the Equipment Lists to some of the great Labor Day Sales this weekend. Please feel free to contact Ben if you have any questions.
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Grade
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Dates
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Gr 6 Yellowstone
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Tue, Sept 13 - Fri, Sept 16
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Gr 7 Weiser River Bike Trip
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Tue, Sept 13 - Fri, Sept 16
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Mon, Sept 12 - Sat, Sept 17
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Gr 9-12 Fall Backpacking Trips
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Wed, Sept 14 - Fri, Sept 16
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 Parents' Association Meeting
Please join the PA for their first meeting on Thursday, Sept 15 at 8:45 AM in the Library.
Photo Directory - Send Family Photos!
The Parents' Association would like to create our 3rd Riverstone Photo Directory to compliment the school's student directory and help everyone get to know one another. In addition to names and contact information, we hope to have a photo of every family in the school!
To have your family's photo included, please send an email to Riverstonepa@riverstoneschool.org with the following:
- A family photo (1MB digital file)
- If your child lives in two households, please feel free to send two photos
- Landscape photos work best and they do not have to be formal - a family selfie is great, too!
We are excited about our third year of offering this and we look forward to seeing all of the beautiful (or entertaining) pictures of you and your families! If you have any questions, please contact Natalie Geffros.
Calling All Pinterest Crafters! The PA is looking for a volunteer or volunteers that are craft junkies and love to DIY projects for PA initiatives such as staff appreciation projects, year-end gifts, and other items to create throughout the school year. These are projects that are doable from your home and not time intensive. If this is you, please contact Natalie Geffros today.
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IMPORTANT POLICIES AND PROCEDURES
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 Please review Riverstone's important policies and procedures. Any information regarding the following topics are included.
- School hours
- Student absences or attendance notifications
- Checking students in and out
- Illness Policy
- Administering medication at school
- Managebac
- Visitor sign-in
- Elementary School Before- and After-Care
- Middle and High School After School Study Hall
If you have any additional questions regarding Elementary School policies, please call Sarah Taylor at 208-424-5000. If you have any additional questions regarding Middle and High School policies, please call Melinda Quick at 208-424-5000 ext #1.
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STUDENT AFTER-SCHOOL ACTIVITIES
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 We will be sharing information about the upcoming after-school activities in the next week.
Please make sure to read through the next newsletter as well as check the Resources page on our website for updated information.
Thank you!
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Co-Ed High School Soccer
Soccer practices are Monday and Wednesday from 4:00 PM - 6:00 PM and on Friday from 4:00 PM - 5:00 PM. If you would like to participate, sign up through Idaho Rush for the Idaho Select Co-Ed team and then contact both coach Mark Stilinovich and Athletic Director, Pete Burton to let them know you will be participating.
In the event of bad air quality, a determination to cancel any outside practices or games will be sent via email to all coaches and participants by Idaho Rush and posted to their website homepage and Facebook page as soon as possible.
 Open Gym and Middle/High School Girls Basketball
All Middle and High School Girls Basketball players are encouraged to participate in open gym sessions. First practice will be on Monday, Oct 31. If you are interested in playing or if you have any questions, please contact Coach Bashaw or Athletic Director Pete Burton.
Coach Bashaw will be opening the Kennedy Gymnasium for players who are wanting to touch up on basketball fundamentals and compete in scrimmages against fellow players. There is no fee to participate.
The days and times for the open gym are: |
Date
| Time
| Tuesday, Sept 6
| 6:30 PM - 8:00 PM
| Wednesday, Sept 7
| 6:30 PM - 8:00 PM
| Tuesday, Sept 13
| 6:30 PM - 8:00 PM
| Thursday, Sept 15
| 6:30 PM - 8:00 PM
| Tuesday, Sept 20
| 6:30 PM - 8:00 PM
| Tuesday, Sept 27
| 6:30 PM - 8:00 PM
| Thursday, Sept 29
| 6:30 PM - 8:00 PM
| Tuesday, Oct 4
| 6:30 PM - 8:00 PM
| Tuesday, Oct 11
| 6:30 PM - 8:00 PM
| Thursday, Oct 13
| 6:30 PM - 8:00 PM
| Tuesday, Oct 18
| 6:30 PM - 8:00 PM
| Thursday, Oct 20
| 6:30 PM - 8:00 PM
| Tuesday, Oct 25
| 6:30 PM - 8:00 PM
| Thursday, Oct 27
| 6:30 PM - 8:00 PM
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Facility Use at Riverstone
Any request to use the facilities at Riverstone for after-school sports such as soccer and flag football through organizations or individuals who would like to use the soccer field or gym need to obtain a facilities use agreement and can contact Athletic Director, Pete Burton to do so.
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A NOTE FROM OUR SCHOOL COUNSELORS
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 Back To School Tips
The following is a note with back to school tips from Andrea Kuenzli and Shirley O'Neil, our school counselors. Please share these tips with your student to prepare them for the new school year.
- Create a Study Space: Prepare yourself to succeed this semester. Include study methods that worked for you in the past and ditch those that didn't help you. Finding a quiet place to study will also help you to focus on your work away from distractions.
- Create Routines: We are creatures of habit and starting the school year off with a successful routine can carry out through the entire year. Create a schedule that gives you enough time to settle down and unplug at least 30 minutes before bedtime.
- Get Involved: Become an active part of your school community by joining clubs, teams, or other organization that interests you. If there's not a club that interests you, think of starting your own. This is a great way to meet friends and get involved in an activity that you enjoy.
- Get to know your teachers: Your teachers are here for you. If you have any questions, don't be afraid to ask. Talk with older students or advisory members and ask how they stay organized.
If you would like more tips on ways to start the school year off right, please email Andrea or Shirley and feel free to stop by the counseling office located in the Elementary School at any time.
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 Looking for Fall Trip equipment lists, school supplies and book lists, athletic consent form, or the school calendar? Please visit our Resources page on the Riverstone website at any time to find necessary forms and information throughout the year.
You can access the school calendar here.
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NO MICROWAVES IN ELEMENTARY LUNCHROOM
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 Please remember that we do not have microwaves available for Elementary School students to use during lunch. Unfortunately, the microwaves were overloading the circuits in the multi-purpose room on a regular basis.
Please send your Elementary School student with lunches that do not need to be heated. Thank you for your understanding. Please read more about the lunch program offered by Life's Kitchen below. |
 Life's Kitchen continues as Riverstone's hot lunch provider! Ordering is as easy as last year, with menus available two months in advance and online payment options.
*Please make sure to update your student's grade in the Life's Kitchen program for the new school year.
To access the school lunch site, review the menu, and order, please click here. (Riverstone's School Code: 211-930)
You may download more information on the school lunch program here, including ordering instructions.
Please download menus for September. Thank you! |
This week's Facebook photo features our fabulous Riverstone Staff - Hooray for the new 2016-17 school year!
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