RIVERSIDE ELEMENTARY NEWSLETTER

Dear Parents/Guardians,

The school year is going by fast and we are now in our last quarter of the 2024-2025 school year. Third quarter report cards were sent home on Tuesday, April 1. Spring pictures and yearbook orders have arrived and will be sent home during the first week of April, so please check backpacks for these if you ordered these items.

We are excited for our One School, One Book program this month! Each student will receive a free book and packet to go home and we encourage each family to read and complete our OSOB activities with your students this month!

Thank you everyone for supporting our PBIS Clubs Choice Fundraiser this year! We met our goal of selling over $10,000! We can't do this without your generous donations and fundraising efforts! Fundraiser items will be delivered and available for pick up at Riverside Elementary on Friday, April 25 from 3:00-6:00 p.m.

During the months April and May, we will be completing our required emergency drills. Parents or legal guardians have the right to opt their student out of participating in lockdown drills and there is no negative consequence for nonparticipation in these drills. If you prefer to opt your student out of the lockdown drills, please notify the school office so we can make arrangements for students to be in a supervised location in the school while these drills are taking place, or you also have the option to pick up your student from school.

Our third grade students will be taking the MCAs/MTAS during the last two weeks of April. PK-3 students will also be taking their spring grade level Fastbridge Reading and Math assessments beginning the last week of April. Please see the schedule below and contact us if you have any questions regarding testing.

During the testing window dates, it is important for students to get a good night's sleep, have breakfast, and be at school each day before 8:15 a.m.. Testing typically begins during the first few hours of the school day. If you have upcoming appointments for your students in April and May, please schedule those for after school if possible.

Go Huskies!

Kim Meyer

Third Grade MCA or MTAS Reading: April 14-17

Third Grade MCA or MTAS Math: April 22-28

The MCA and MTAS assessments are based on the MN Academic standards. A majority of students at these grade levels take the MCA (Minnesota Comprehensive Assessment). MTAS (Minnesota Test of Academic Skills) participation is limited to special education students who meet the eligibility requirements for the test. These state-wide assessments are one measure of how well students are doing on the content that is part of their daily instruction. Teachers and school staff use these results, along with other classroom indicators, to make curricular and instructional decisions to best support students' learning.

K-1 earlyReading and earlyMath: Last Week of April - Second Week of May

earlyReading and earlyMath assessments are administered for the purpose of screening student advancement in foundational reading and math concepts. The outcomes guide instructional strategies at the classroom level and pinpoint areas of growth for individual students. The assessment is administered one-on-one to students and requires 5-10 minutes per session.

2-3 - aReading and aMath: Last Week of April - Second Week of May

aReading and aMath are designed for screening and inform differentiated instruction for students at all achievement levels. These are computer-adaptive measures of reading and mathematical skills that are individualized for each student. These assessments are delivered in a group format in about 30 minutes each.

April 1-4

• National Library Week

April 1

• April Fool's Day
• Third Quarter Report Cards Sent Home

April 2

• Autism Awareness Day

April 4

• National School Librarian Day
• School Lockdown Drill 2:30 p.m. (If you do not wish for your student to participate, please call the school office ahead of time so arrangements can be made.)

April 10

• Statewide Tornado Drill 1:45 p.m.
• Riverside PTO Meeting 3:20 p.m. in Music Room

April 14 - 17

• Third Grade MCAs/MTAS Reading

April 18-21

• Easter Break

April 22-28

• Third Grade MCAs/MTAS Math

April 23

• Administrative Assistant Day

April 24

• School Lockdown Drill 2:30 p.m. (If you do not wish for your student to participate, please call the school office ahead of time so arrangements can be made.)

April 25

• Terrific Kids Program 2:20 p.m.
• Second Grade Field Trip to Sioux Falls Circus
• Clubs Choice Fundraiser Delivery/Pick Up (3:00-6:00 p.m.)

Heartwood Hotel #1

A True Home

Kallie George, Stephanie Graegin (Illustrator)When Mona the Mouse stumbles across the wondrous world of the Heartwood Hotel in the middle of a storm, she desperately hopes they'll let her stay. As it turns out, Mona is precisely the maid they need at the grandest hotel in Fernwood Forest, where animals come from far and wide for safety, luxury, and comfort. But the Heartwood Hotel is not all acorn souffle and soft moss-lined beds. Danger lurks, and as it approaches, Mona finds that this hotel is more than a warm place to spend the night. It might also be a home. This delightfully enticing start of a chapter book series tells a tale of friendship, courage, and community, with exquisite black-and-white illustrations throughout.

WAY TO GO HUSKIES!

STUDENT HUSKY PRIDE PUNCH CARDS TOTAL THIS YEAR: 1556

We are so proud of our Riverside students and celebrate positive choices that they make on a daily basis! We want to make sure to share all the amazing things they do at school everyday! By demonstrating positive behaviors, and showing their Husky Pride, students learn they can help make Riverside a fun and safe place to learn.

Recognizing and praising positive behavior reinforces these actions. Celebrating even small achievements can boost a student's confidence and motivation. Additionally, maintaining consistent boundaries and consequences helps establish expectations and reinforces accountability. By working together, we can empower student to manage their emotions, resolve conflicts peacefully, and thrive academically and socially. Thank you for your continued partnership in promoting a safe and supportive learning environment for all our students.

Thank you to Nicole Kapplinger, our school librarian for creating a warm and welcoming library where students can always find a special book to read, and where the love of learning and reading is modeled and encouraged every day! Thank you to Susan Kirk for also working in the library during the months of April and May!

Thank you to Mackenzie Erickson, our Occupational Therapist! We appreciate all you do for our students!

Thank you to Lois Ziemer and all those who volunteer at Riverside throughout the year! You truly make a difference and we appreciate the work that you do to help support our students and school!

Not Pictured:

Korbyn Mendenhall: Kindergarten

"Acting Responsibly"