The River Hawk
Rio Norte News - August 22, 2025
A Note From the Principal
Good Morning River Hawk Families,
I am pleased to report our students did a GREAT job with our Fire Drill this past Thursday. They were orderly, listened to instructions, evacuated properly and we were done in less than 15 minutes! This coming Wednesday, August 27th we will have our first Lockdown Drill of the year. Students will be educated about our protocols in advisory class during this drill. Read more about it below.
It is a busy week ahead, starting with our Fundraiser Rally on Monday. Students will attend a quick 30 minute launch to tell them all about the fundraiser, how they can help their school, and what prizes will be awarded. Students will then create their Pledgestar account in their History class on Tuesday or Wednesday. On Thursday, we have a minimum day schedule with classes dismissing at 12:05 p.m. so teachers can prepare for Back to School Night that evening. Be sure to read the article below with all the information about Thursday evening, including dinner boxes for sale. Find a PDF of our special schedules next week below the student spirit day photos.
Today, ASB sponsored Red v. Blue Spirit Day and our River Hawks brought the spirit! I can't be certain, but I think our 7th grade might have outdone themselves! Finally, check out RioTV if you'd like to see my student address on letter "O" from my SOAR series (begins about 11:11).
In this issue learn more about:
Important Dates
PSA - Be Aware - 21+ Beverage
Lockdown DRILL - Wednesday
Back to School Night - This Thursday!
ASB News: See all the latest updates!
REPEATED in this issue:
- Dress Code & Personal Device Enforcement in Effect
- Back Gate Changes for Students
- School ID Cards - Needed Every Day
Our Care Text (and email)
Sincerely,
Mrs. Bennett
Important Dates
August 25th:
- School Fundraiser Rally/Assembly
August 26th:
- Direct Donation Fundraiser Starts
August 27th:
- Scripted Lockdown DRILL - special E-day bell schedule
August 28th:
- Minimum Day, dismissal at 12:05 p.m.
- Back to School Night 6-8 p.m.
September 1st:
- NO SCHOOL - Labor Day
September 2nd - 5th:
- Rio Rodeo Spirit Week
September 5th:
- Rio Rodeo - Back To School Dance 4:30-6:30 p.m.
September 12th:
- Progress Reporting Period for Q1 ends
September 16th:
- Progress Report Grades post to IC (Infinite Campus) after 3 p.m.
CLICK HERE for a printable copy of the calendar pictured. Please use this calendar for our holidays, minimum days, and Early Release Schedule to plan as many appointments and trips during non-school times. Please note the testing minimum days in May are critical days for all students to be present. I will talk about why we've scheduled it this way in the future, but please don't plan a vacation during those important test dates.
PSA - Be Aware - New 21+ Drink
Our district has become aware of a beverage that is showing up on school campuses with many parents having no idea that it is labeled for 21 and over. Uchie is marketed as botanical sparkling beverage that sort of has that energy drink look, which is why parents often don't realize what it is. If you look at the Uchie link above, you will see they label their product for "adult use only" because it contains intoxicants and warns it can be habit-forming or addictive. On school campuses in the state of California, intoxicants fall under the same category as alcohol and drugs and are subject to disciplinary action. As such this product is not allowed at school, will be confiscated if found, and parents will be notified. As we do not want to advertise this product to students, this is for your information and education.
This Wednesday, August 27th we will have our first lockdown drill. This is an educational scripted drill during the advisory period. Students watch a video where Mrs. Bennett and our School Resource Office (SRO) will educate students about our safety protocols and the importance of these drills. The video will periodically pause for teachers to have short scripted conversations. For safety purposes, this video will NOT be on RioTV. We will NEVER do a random lockdown drill. All drills will be announced in the newsletter before they happen and parents will receive email reminders the night before and the morning of. If you have concerns about your child participating in this drill, please reach out to your child's counselor by this Tuesday, August 26th, so their counselor has time to get back to you prior to the drill.
Please join us at Back To School Night this coming Thursday, August 28th to learn more about your student's classes and teachers. Our library will open at 6 p.m. for the annual book fair and the evening begins on the outdoor stage at 6:15 p.m. Principal Bennett will give a welcome address to all parents at the start of Period 1 through RioTV.
A printed copy of the letter pictured will go home with your child on Wednesday after they fill it out with their advisory teacher. Should your child lose it or forget to give it to you, download this document (below). You would still need their class schedule which can be found in Infinite Campus. Click here for directions to find your child's schedule. Again, you do not need to print this if your child remembers to give it to you on Wednesday.
For your convenience, Jersey Mike's will be selling $10 boxed lunches for dinner (see flyer below) AT Rio Norte Thursday evening. A percentage of those boxed lunches and bottled water ($1), sold by our ASB students, will go to the Principal's Donation Account, which provides Rio Norte staff their annual staff shirt. Kona Ice will also be available for sale and they will donate a portion of those funds to our ASB.
Our Back to School Dance Rio Rodeo will be held on Friday, September 5th from 4:30 - 6:30 p.m. Tickets are now on sale for $30 and include nachos, dessert, DJ, photo booth, games, inflatables, decorate your own bandana, and more! The last day to purchase is Sept. 2nd - No Exceptions. If you buy a ticket at the door the cost will be $35, but will not include food.
- VERY IMPORTANT: If you bought a groove pack, your student MUST go to the ASB window to RSVP they will be attending. If a student does not do that, they will not have a ticket to the dance! Tickets are loaded onto our students' ID Cards, which is why EVERYONE has to go to the ASB window to have that done. This helps us know how many people to purchase food for, so we're not wasteful.
Dress Code and Personal Device Enforcement in Effect
We are enforcing our Personal Device and Dress Code policies.
- Students who have any devices out will have them confiscated and sent to the office. Excuses such as, "I was just checking the time," "I needed to call (a parent)," "It fell out of my pocket," are not acceptable excuses as the items are to be off/silent and in the student's backpack. A student will never be denied trying to reach a parent, but must get a staff member's permission. In emergency situations our staff would allow students to use their phone once it's deemed safe to do so.
- We do our best to be consistent with regard to dress code violations, but with the number of students compared to adults we can only address what we actually see. Because of this we have told students we will not be negotiating with them - if we see it and the clothing is not appropriately fitting they will be sent to change. The growing trend of tucking a regular t-shirt up into the bra is not acceptable. Rolled down shorts or pants that lead to bottoms falling down as they walk (or creating a larger space between top and bottom) could result in a dress code violation because of the way they are worn.
Back Gate Changes for Students
We have TWO changes that began this past Monday:
- Students riding bikes, e-bikes, non motorized scooters, etc. will be sent to the Main Gate at the front of the school to enter campus and walk their bikes to the bike racks. Our bike racks are on the blacktop near the boys' locker room entrance and staff have been having issues with students getting back on their bikes and riding to and from the racks before and after school once they're out of our campus supervisors' view. If students only enter through the main gate this will help with safety for all, because we have supervision in the lunch area and by the bike racks. Student pedestrians will still be allowed through the back gate.
- Additionally, if a student has forgotten their ID card, staff will send them around to the front Main Gate where we can process them without the ID card. However, repetitive instances without an ID card could result in consequences.
We appreciate your support in keeping students and staff safe!
School ID Cards - Needed Every Day
All students were issued an ID Card at summer check-in. Students need it every day to be scanned through our gate, get breakfast/brunch and/or lunch in the cafeteria, to check-out books from the library, buy tickets to and enter events and to be issued SOAR Bucks for doing amazing things on campus according to our SOAR motto. Please be sure your student has their ID card and that they can easily access it quickly at the gate. Consider a lanyard or see-through case that clips into the backpack for quick access if your student is struggling to find it each day.
Students who missed check-in and still need their ID photo taken can now go to the library and receive their card. If a student is having an issue with their ID card (blurry bar code, wrong number, not scanning, etc.) the library will replace it for free this week. Students who lose their ID card will need to purchase one for $5 in the library. The library is open before and after school, except Wednesdays after school due to staff meetings.
RIO NORTE JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL
Lauren Dunn, 8th grade Assistant Principal
Rebecca Rose, 7th grade Assistant Principal
ATTENDANCE Needs: Click Here for information or Email RNattendance@hartdistrict.org
Email: bjbennett@hartdistrict.org
Website: https://www.rionortejuniorhigh.org/
Location: 28771 Rio Norte Dr, Valencia, CA, USA
Phone: 661-295-3700