Panther Tales

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Dear Ridgeview Charter Middle School Parents,

As we near the end of another remarkable school year, I want to take a moment to reflect on the incredible journey we've shared together. This year marked my first as principal at Ridgeview, and I am immensely grateful for the warm welcome and unwavering support from our dedicated community.

Our commitment to celebrating diversity and cultural heritage was showcased during our 3rd Annual Music Night on Hispanic Heritage Day. It was a joyous occasion filled with music, dance, and the vibrant spirit of our students and families.

I am thrilled to announce that our girls volleyball team brought home the championship title in the Metro Atlanta Athletic Conference—a testament to their hard work, dedication, and teamwork.

Furthermore, our language students excelled at Lingaupalooza, with outstanding performances from our French, Spanish, and Japanese students, showcasing their linguistic and cultural proficiency on a grand stage.

Thanks to the generosity of our PTA, we were able to award $15,000 in mini-grants, empowering our teachers to innovate and enhance the educational experience for our students.

This year also marked the inaugural Sandy Springs Music Classic, a collaborative effort that brought together middle and high schools from across Sandy Springs to celebrate the power of music and community.

I am incredibly proud to share that our 8th-grade students achieved the highest GA Milestone scores in ELA, science, and social studies in the past decade—a remarkable achievement that speaks to their dedication to academic excellence.

Our basketball teams showcased their talent and sportsmanship, with both boys and girls teams finishing as runners-up in the MACC, demonstrating their commitment to excellence on and off the court.

As we bid farewell to another school year, we celebrated our sense of community and camaraderie at the 38th Annual RCMS Olympic Games—a cherished tradition that brings us together in friendly competition and celebration of our collective achievements.

I am also delighted to share the success of the Foundation's Parent Party, where over 150 parents and staff came together to raise funds for free music and athletic offerings for our students. It is heartwarming to see our community come together in support of our shared vision for student success.

As we reflect on the past year and look ahead to the future, I am filled with gratitude for the privilege of serving as your principal. Thank you for your continued support, partnership, and dedication to the success of our students.

Wishing you all a restful and rejuvenating summer break.

Warm regards,

Principal Garrett

The Principal's Award is a prestigious honor bestowed upon students who exemplify outstanding qualities in citizenship, athletics, academics, and leadership. Recipients of this award demonstrate exceptional commitment to their school community and beyond, embodying the values of integrity, responsibility, and respect.

Overall, recipients of the Principal's Award embody the well-rounded qualities that

contribute to the fabric of a vibrant and thriving school community. Their

achievements and contributions serve as a source of inspiration and pride for

their peers, teachers, and the school administration.

Mr. Garrett has brought the Top Ten Principal’s Award to Ridgeview this year. To qualify, students had to have the highest cumulative grade point average for the past two and a half years in school.

Our 8th graders had so much fun last Saturday at the 8th grade dance! Thank you to all the volunteers and chaperones who made this event possible!

Aug. 1: Panther Peek. This is Ridgeview's sneak peek opportunity to receive class schedules and meet teachers. 6th Grade: 9-11:30 a.m., 7th Grade: 12-1:30 p.m., 8th Grade: 2-3:30 p.m.

Aug. 5: First Day of School! Arrive on time by 8:45 a.m.

Aug. 7: Fall Sports Physicals are Due

** Note: The RCMS website will undergo maintenance in July, so there might be a delay in information updates **

Summer Office Hours will be 8 a.m.-4 p.m. each day. Ridgeview will have summer registration on Tuesday and Thursday from 9-10:30 a.m. and Wednesday from 12:30-2 p.m. Students who attended one of our feeder schools DO NOT need to register at Ridgeview for the upcoming school year.

Please make sure you check Infinite Campus on May 31st to access your child’s final 23-24 report card.

We will have both recommended and required summer school this summer for Ridgeview students. Students would have or will receive a summer school registration letter from their teacher if any of the following situations occur.

Students who may be recommended:

-A 6th-8th grade student who failed a year-long World Language course and wants to retake the course through Fulton Virtual (Parents should contact Mr. James Hulett at 470-254-8575 or email at hulettj@fultonschools.org for assistance.)

-6th-8th grade student who failed an ELA and/or reading course

-6th-8th grade student who failed a math course

-6th-8th grade student who is performing 2 or more year(s) below grade level on the Winter i-Ready Diagnostic in Reading

-6th-8th grade student who is performing 2 or more year(s) below grade level on the Winter i-Ready Diagnostic in Math

- 6th-8th grade student being recommended by his/her teacher

- 6th-8th grade student being considered for retention

Students who are required to attended:

-8th grade student who did not meet the reading indicator on the Georgia Milestones ELA Assessment

*Due to new state standards, the Georgia Milestones Math scores will not be received until July 2024; therefore, math scores cannot be used for summer school criteria. (Preliminary results of the GA Milestones are slowly beginning to come in already.)

Summer school for Ridgeview students will be hosted at Sandy Springs Charter Middle School.

Please note the following information about the program:

Summer Principal: -Dr. Amy Watson (Sandy Springs)

Location: Sandy Spring Charter Middle School (8750 Pride Place Sandy Springs, GA 30350 - Phone: 470-254-4970)

Duration of the program: -June 5 through July 3, 2024

School day starts: -9:00am

School day Ends: -1:30pm

Summer Holiday: -June 19, 2024

Transportation: -Limited transportation will be provided by the district. Location/stop times (TBD)

(Once this information is made available by the district, it will be on the RCMS website.)

Breakfast and lunch: -free of charge

- Breakfast is from 8:30am to 8:55am

- Lunch is at approximately 11:15am to 11:45am

Teachers have started sending out summer school registration forms to parents/guardians for those students who are required to attend and for those students who are being recommended to attend. Once you receive these letters, please go ahead and register your student or you can simply call the number at the bottom of the registration form and ask us to register your student for you. For your convenience, a registration form has been attached as well.

Please let us know if you have any questions.

While you're cleaning out for summer, consider donating old school uniforms that are too small or might not be needed if your student is moving on to a new school. RCMS will use them to make sure all of our students dress for success next year. Please bring them to the front desk and we will do the rest!

RCMS families- Please help keep the clinic closet stocked with items that our students need from time to time. Thank you for your help! Here is our Amazon wish list link.

Panther Tales takes submissions for RCMS news or events that would benefit our student body. To submit your information, please fill out this form and the Panther Tales team will get back to you with any questions.

The RCMS Foundation supports BOTH the Music and Sports programs at the school. We would like to thank our community sponsors for believing in the mission the Foundation is supporting and helping to fund all of these programs for the students. Our Foundation sponsors include Shep Lawrence of Allstate Insurance Co. and Jennifer Barnes of Barnes Young Realty Team.

Joining the Foundation helps ensure that the school can continue to support these wonderful programs, and becoming a Corporate Partner is a great way to promote your business and support the students. Find out more about our Corporate Partnership Program here and look below to see and support our generous sponsors.

• Parent Teacher Association: Consider joining PTA with a range of donation levels to suit all families. These donations fund teacher grants, classroom supplies, staff gifts and recognitions, and student treats and incentives throughout the year. Please join at www.ptarcms.org.

• RCMS Foundation: Our amazing Foundation provides funding to our music and athletics programs. If your student participates in these hallmark programs, we need your support. Community partners are needed, too. Donate at www.rcmsfoundation.org.

Besides Panther Tales, Ridgeview Charter Middle School has several ways you can stay up-to-date on news and happenings. Follow us on our main Facebook and Instagram pages for a peek into the daily life of RCMS, plus read success stories about some of our RCMS alumni! The Ridgeview PTA also has Facebook and Instagram pages for PTA-sponsored happenings, spirit wear updates and volunteer opportunities.

Email: Ridgeview@fultonschools.org
Location: 5340 South Trimble Road, Sandy Springs, GA, USA
Phone: (470)254-7710
Twitter: @RCMSPanther