OWL NEWS
Dear Owls,
We hope everyone had a relaxing, positive, and wonderful spring break filled with time to recharge and enjoy with loved ones. It’s hard to believe that the fourth quarter is already here—we are officially in the “final stretch” of the school year!
The next several weeks will be filled with some of our most exciting and memorable events, and we are looking forward to celebrating together as a school community. As we head into this last stretch, we thank you for your continued partnership in ensuring that student attendance remains strong each and every day—every moment counts.
We would also like to extend a big congratulations to our 2nd grade students for winning our first-ever building-wide i-Ready competition! We are so proud of their hard work and dedication, and we can’t wait to celebrate them with an epic prize in the coming weeks.
One School, One Book (OSOB) and state testing are officially here—be sure to check out more information below for important updates and ways to support your child during this exciting time.
With love,
Heather Kama-Starr & Kyle Cohen
3/30 - School Resumes
3/30 - One School One Book Launch
3/30 - Ohio State Testing Begins
4/3 - No School (Good Friday)
4/15 - Early Release and Parent Teacher Conferences
4/21 - PTC Meeting
4/23 - One School One Book Family Night
4/30 - Spring Art & Music Show
5/1 - One School One Book Closing Assembly
5/4 - Educator Appreciation Week Begins
5/13 - Family First
5/22 - Field Day
5/25 - No School (Memorial Day)
5/27 - Pre-K Promotion @ 10:00AM
5/27 - Kindergarten Promotion @ 1:30PM
5/27 - 8th Grade Promotion & Dance @ 6:30PM
5/28 - Last Day of School
We are so excited to officially kick off our One School, One Book (OSOB) program! On March 30th, all scholars launched this year’s experience together by watching our schoolwide kickoff video in their classrooms—what a special way to begin our journey as a reading community.
At Riverside, we believe in the power of reading to bring people together. Over the next month, we invite you to join us in a shared reading experience with this year’s book, Me, Frida, and the Secret of the Peacock Ring. Filled with mystery, twists, and powerful themes of trust, teamwork, and resilience, this story is sure to keep everyone engaged until the very end!
💻 Our OSOB website (LINKED HERE) will be your go-to resource for everything you need, including the reading calendar, nightly trivia, audio recordings, and more.
📖 We strongly encourage families to read together each evening—this is a wonderful opportunity to build routines, connect, and foster a love of literacy at home.
📅 Please be sure to follow the reading calendar and avoid reading ahead so that all members of our community stay on pace together—no spoilers!
❓ Don’t forget to complete the nightly trivia question for a chance to win exciting prizes and earn participation in our Closing Assembly on Friday, May 1st.
📆 Save the Date! Join us for our OSOB Family Night on April 23rd from 6:00–7:30 PM at Riverside—more details coming soon!
Thank you for partnering with us and for helping instill a love of reading in every Riverside scholar. We can’t wait to turn the pages together!
It is hard to believe that Ohio State Tests are here. These assessments are an important opportunity for our 3rd-8th graders to demonstrate their learning and the growth they have made throughout the year.
We ask for your partnership in helping set our scholars up for success during this time:
- 💤 Ensure your child gets a good night’s sleep each evening
- ⏰ Arrive to school on time and ready to go
- 📅 Please avoid scheduling appointments during testing days whenever possible
Your support makes a meaningful difference in helping students feel confident, prepared, and ready to do their very best. We are so proud of the hard work our scholars have put in all year long, and we know they are ready to shine!
We are proud to continue our “Owl Supporter” initiative, where we celebrate Riverside families who go above and beyond to support our school community.
This month, we are excited to recognize a wonderful kindergarten parent, Ms. Allen, for her incredible generosity and commitment to Riverside! Ms. Allen is always eager to lend a helping hand—whether it’s sending in much-needed classroom supplies like snacks or volunteering her time to support field trips. Her willingness to step up and support not only her child, but our entire school community, does not go unnoticed.
Thank you, Ms. Allen, for being such an important part of what makes Riverside so special! 💙
Please join us for our first Art and Music show here at Riverside! On April 30th our school will be transformed into a Glow party with art, music, and glow-themed games and activities! Mrs. Viets will be creating an incredible Glow Art Installation in which all families are encouraged to participate, and there will also be an art show where the work of our scholars will be displayed. As you walk through and see all the wonderful art the students have created, be sure to vote for all the “Best-In-Show” categories!
The gym will once again host our end of the year music concert with Mr. Paul, and there are sure to be songs that you will want to sing along with! The dress code for the evening will be all black or neon colors (think bright, glow-in-the-dark!). Families – join in on the fun and wear your neon colors and light-up wear too! Times for each performance, including arrival, are as follows:
- Pre-K – 2nd Grade: 5:30 arrival, 6:00 performance
- 3rd-5th Grade: 7:00 performance
- 6th-8th Grade: 8:00 performance
Please remember, attendance this evening is mandatory for all scholars. Scholars who miss their music performance and do not have an excused absence will receive a 0 for their concert grade. Mr. Paul must be notified prior to the performance of any absences. Examples of excused absences are as follows:
- Illness
- Family emergencies
Making sure that our scholars and families are present for events like this is crucial in ensuring that Riverside can continue to provide the wonderful, well-rounded educational experience that makes our school a destination. We thank you in advance for your support and can’t wait to share all the amazing things going on in the Riverside Fine Arts department!
What's Inside:
-Free tax prep
-Legal Aid assistance
-Job fairs
-FREE produce markets
NEW!!! Free math camp - page 9
If you have any questions/concerns, please text, call or message me here on dojo!
Hello Riverside Families!
We are excited to share that the Cleveland Clinic School‑Based Health Center (SBHC) Van continues to partner with our school to support students’ health needs. This is an incredible resource for our families—please be sure to take advantage of it! The link is below.
To use the SBHC services, all students must have a completed Integrated Health Form on file. You can pick up a paper copy directly from Mrs. Upperman, and an online link will also be shared with families soon. Please make sure this form is completed so your child can access the full range of services offered by the mobile health van.
April is also National Asthma Awareness Month. This is a great time to check in with your child’s asthma action plan, medications, and triggers. If your child has asthma, please make sure the school has updated information so we can help keep them safe and healthy.
Finally, this is a reminder to check your child’s immunization records. If any immunizations are missing or out of date, Mrs. Upperman will be sending home notices. Keeping immunizations current is an important part of keeping our school community healthy.
Thank you for helping us support the wellbeing of all our Riverside Owls!
Nurse Upperman
We hope you join us on 4/23 for Family First Night at our One School One Book Family Night at Riverside!
- Please call the office (216-838-6700) if your child will not be at school or forward all attendance concerns to Ms. Khayla Smith.
- Scholars are tardy after 9:35AM.
- Scholars will not be released early from school without the office receiving communication and consent from a family member by 3:30PM. We also ask that scholars are not picked up between 3:00PM - 4:05PM. This is to support our preparations for dismissal.
- All daily transportation changes need to be communicated via note, call, or ClassDojo message to the main office by 3:30PM. Word of mouth changes from scholars will not be accepted.
In partnership with our families and communities, Riverside will develop responsible scholars, who think critically and creatively while becoming lifelong learners who make positive contributions to our diverse society. Riverside is committed to providing student-centered, inclusion-based educational practices that seamlessly incorporate technology, the arts, health, and fitness.
Riverside, we overcome, we evolve, we grow - today, tomorrow, and always!