Rattler News

27th- 31st

Learning Topics for Elementary:

Community

Tolerance (fighting prejudice)

Responsible citizenship (being an upstander)

Anti-bullying

This week is Texas Holocaust Remembrance Week. During Texas Holocaust Remembrance Week, we will learn about important values that help us create a better world for everyone.

Community is about working together and helping each other, just like a big family. Tolerance means accepting and celebrating our differences, and not letting prejudice get in the way of kindness. Being a Responsible Citizen is about being an upstander—someone who stands up for others and does the right thing. Lastly, being Anti-Bullying means we always choose kindness and speak up when we see someone being treated unfairly.

By learning these values, we become more understanding and caring, making our schools and communities safe and welcoming places for everyone.

There are many ways to commemorate Holocaust Remembrance Day 2025, including:

• Attend events: Participate in memorial services, lectures, exhibitions, and survivor testimonies

• Light a candle: Take part in the "Light the Darkness" initiative by lighting a candle at 8 PM local time

• Learn and educate: Read books, watch documentaries, and explore online resources

• Share your knowledge: Raise awareness by sharing what you've learned with others

• Support charities: Donate to organizations that promote tolerance, combat prejudice, and support survivors

• Speak up: Challenge prejudice and speak out against Holocaust and genocide denial

• Encourage others to learn: Encourage others to learn about the Holocaust and other genocides

• Share personal stories: Share stories of survivors and victims on social media

• Show a film: Show a film that includes survivor testimony, readings, or short films

• Participate in online events: Participate in livestreams of commemoration ceremonies

Genius Hour will begin Feb. 7th

THANK YOU to the 6 parents who have already signed up to be a volunteer during Genius Hour!! I will send out a schedule soon that will allow for the selection of which Friday you would like to volunteer.

This semester our students are going to be taking the lead on their very own passion projects during Genius Hour! This means many of the students will be working on very different projects. We would love your help with this! We know our community has a ton of people with amazing skill sets and experiences.

For example: We may have a student, or group of students, interested in environmental issues. Maybe they decide to explore the science of climate change and renewable energy, specifically focusing on how individuals and communities can reduce their carbon footprint using sustainable energy solutions. Maybe you have experience with different types of renewable energy sources (solar, wind, hydroelectric, etc.). We would connect you with that group so that you can help the group make their project dynamic and extremely meaningful. Or maybe some of our students are doing a project on a particular animal and you are a veterinarian! You would be a great partner with these students to really boost their learning!

If you are interested in volunteering during some, or all, of our Genius Hours please complete the survey below. We are so excited for the possibilities of this experience for our students! You could make this so special for them!

If you have any questions about what Genius Hour is we encourage you to watch the previous videos, look through our old Newsletters that offer info as to what Genius Hour is and how it benefits our students, or just email Sally.sosa@leanderisd.org.

NO MORNING SAFETY PATROL for the rest of the week. It's too cold!

Change your sign up if you'd like :).

If you have any questions please do not hesitate to reach out to Michelle Baker or Sally Sosa!

Remind your children that if it is raining or wildly cold to not report to their duty.

Hello 5th grade families,

As the transition from 5th to 6th grade is quickly approaching, we are excited to welcome our newest Eagles to our Canyon Ridge MS family! For this transition, we have some important upcoming dates in February and wanted to share that information with you. The first step is a parent meeting where the CRMS Counselors & Administrators will address the course selection process and course offerings in detail at the fifth grade webinar on February 18th at 5:30pm.

We look forward to beginning the middle school journey with you soon!

~CRMS Eagle Team

Calling 5th Grade Parents! Please save the date for graduation on Friday, May 23rd at 8AM. The ceremony will take place in the Multi-Purpose Room at River Ridge. Light refreshments will be served. Please contact Christine Hammond at christineshammond@gmail.com if you have any questions.

For information about the program, please contact:

Maria Hoffman

Spanish Volunteer Program Specialist

maria.hoffman@leanderisd.org

Phone: (512) 570-0213

Please upload using this link: https://photos.jostens.com/LTERLQ

Hello Parents!

We have now begun the plastic bag passion project at River Ridge.

2nd Grade Starting: 1/17/2025 and Finishing: 2/14/2025

4th Grade Starting: 2/18/2025 and Finishing: 3/25/2025

5th Grade Starting: 3/31/2025 and Finishing: 4/23/2025

K & 1st Grade Starting: 4/24/2025 and Finishing: 5/21/2025

Each grade level will collect empty, clean, and dry plastic bags to turn in at any time during the 4 week time period scheduled above. There is a large, blue tutu trash can on wheels that will move to each grade level after each time period ends.

Keep them coming!

Parents you are welcome to help your students collect plastic bags and encourage them to bring them in during their grade level time period to only deposit empty, clean, and dry plastic bags, and not any other items that need to be discarded separately.

The Art Room is in desperate need of Clorox Wipes and paper towels.

If you would like to donate it would be greatly appreciated!

THANK YOU!

Don’t miss all the exciting updates and opportunities unfolding at our school! 🎉🐍

• PTA NEWSLETTER

• Click here PTA Memberships to join our school’s PTA! Your membership goes toward the events, classrooms enhancements, clubs, and more. By joining, you will receive the PTA newsletter, be able to attend meetings, share ideas, and help your child's school in so many ways. You do not have to volunteer in order to be a member- BUT we will always take a volunteer!
  

• PTA Website
• PTA Store

Get your amazing spirit gear at https://1stplace.sale/94803.

Dear Families,

Thank you for your continued support and engagement in your child's education. I wanted to inform you that we will no longer be accepting book drop-offs at the front office. That system has become more of a hindrance than a benefit for our school library operations. Instead, students will need to bring their books back and forth to school to help foster responsibility among them.

Each grade level has a rolling crate that goes back and forth every day. Students will drop off books in the morning to ensure that other students can check out previously checked-out books throughout the day. If your child forgot their book the previous day, have them drop it off in the grade level crate to ensure it's returned.

With our schedule, students come at the same time and day each week, making this process more streamlined. If you haven't already signed up for reminders, please text the following message to 81010 to join our reminders:

Tuesday Library- @rrdglibtu

Wednesday Library- @rrdglibwed

Thursday Library- @rrdglibth

Friday Library- @rrdglibfri

Thank you!

Hi Everyone!

I am excited to share that our campus will be participating in the Waves of Reading program. Here is a digital copy of the program details. Hard copies were already given to your student(s).

If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to have them reach out to me. Marissa.Casal@leanderisd.org

Thanks, everyone!

https://sites.google.com/leanderisd.org/katiehaedgescurriculumcorner

Use this link to register: https://sites.google.com/leanderisd.org/leander-isd/home

Jan 31st

7:40AM

Jan 31st

Kinder get a dress up day!

Tuesday, Feb. 4th

1st grade gets a dress up day!

It is with mixed emotions that we say goodbye to our incredible registrar, Lani Teasley, as she embarks on a new chapter in her career as an admin assistant at a high school within our district. Lani has truly been an invaluable member of the River Ridge team. From managing enrollment and transfers to keeping track of attendance and grading, she has consistently gone above and beyond to ensure everything runs smoothly. Her positive energy, dedication, and willingness to jump in and help wherever needed have made a lasting impact on our school community. Whether it's tackling the daily tasks or lending a hand with school events, Lani has always been the go-to person with a smile on her face and a can-do attitude. We are so grateful for all of her hard work and the joy she brought to our school. River Ridge won't be the same without her, but we know she'll continue to shine wherever she goes. We wish her all the best in her new role and will miss her dearly!

Thank you, Lani , for everything—you will always be a part of the River Ridge family!

The Leander Educational Excellence Foundation's Wrinkle in Time Gala is just a few weeks away! The ticket window will be closing soon—don't miss your chance to miss an evening featuring a #1LISD student theatre performance, art created by student artists, a 360 photo booth & more! We can't wait to celebrate & be inspired with you.

Gala Tickets & Sponsorships