Panther Tales

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Dear Ridgeview United Families,

Welcome to an exciting new school year! As we prepare to open our doors on Monday, August 4th, I’m filled with enthusiasm for the incredible experiences and opportunities that await our students, staff, and families.

Over the summer, our dedicated team has been hard at work getting everything ready for a strong start—classrooms have been carefully prepared, resources organized, and plans set in motion to make this school year our best one yet. We’re thrilled to introduce new programs and initiatives designed to enrich learning and strengthen our school community.

To our returning families, we’re so glad to have you back. Your continued support means the world to us. And to our new families—welcome! We’re excited to have you join the Ridgeview United family, where every child is celebrated, every voice matters, and every day brings new opportunities for growth.

Please be sure to stay connected through our website and social media, where you’ll find important updates, upcoming events, and helpful resources throughout the year.

Let’s make this school year exceptional—embracing challenges, celebrating successes, and working together to create a nurturing and inspiring environment for all. I look forward to seeing you on August 4th and sharing a year filled with learning, connection, and achievement.

Here’s to a fantastic start!

Warmly,

Thomas Garrett, Principal
Ridgeview Charter Middle School

August 4th: 1st Day of School for Students

August 5th: Band Instrument Fitting 5:30 pm - 8:00 pm

August 7th: Band Instrument Fitting 5:30 pm - 8:00 pm

August 8th: Fall Sports Physicals Due

August 13th: Orchestra Instrument Fitting 5:30 pm

August 13th: First Dress Down Day (Benefitting PTA and Foundation); $5 Cash

August 28th: Curriculum Night and Title 1 Night

October 3rd: Parent Party & Auction

October 9th: Pantherpalooza

October 23rd: Hispanic Heritage Month Concert (All music programs)

If you are unable to provide any of the following items for your student, please reach out to your school counselor or our school social worker so we can provide help!

All students are required to have the supplies listed on our school-wide supply list. In addition, your student's teachers may provide a list of specific supplies needed for their class. This list will be provided at Panther Peek and by email.

All RCMS students will use a locker to store their items during the day. Unlike schools where the student provides a lock, our locks are built into the lockers but must be re-set and serviced each year for security. Families are asked to pay the fee associated with setting and servicing the locks. You can pay your child's locker fee through the Online School Payments link ("OSP"), linked below.

All students are required to "dress out" in their PE Uniforms during PE Class. You can purchase your student's PE Uniform using OSP. Uniforms will be passed out by the PE Teachers during the students' first week of PE. You do not need to select a size - teachers and students will ensure the correct sizing. Please Note: Dressing Out is a class requirement for all PE Students. Failing to meet this requirement can affect the student's PE grade and their eligibility/participation in both PE and RCMS Athletics.

We know our Panthers love breakfast and lunch! Fulton County has transitioned to a new meal payment system. Any existing meal account balance WILL automatically roll over. You can sign up for the new platform HERE. You can apply for free or reduced meals online by clicking HERE . Paper applications are also available at the school.

RCMS requires a uniform for all students which is set forth in our School Uniform Policy. In addition to uniform-compliant black or tan bottoms, students may choose from "spirit-wear" tops purchased through our online Panther Store or from non-spirit wear tops (solid-colored collared shirts and sweaters with no logo) described in the School Uniform Dress Code.

Some examples of non-spirit wear uniform tops are pictured below. Popular stores with uniform-compliant options are Old Navy, Target, Gap, Amazon, and Walmart.

Mrs. Nicole Vaughn is joining the Ridgeview Charter Middle School family as the new band director! This is her 6th year of teaching. She received her bachelors in Music Education at the University of South Alabama, master's in Flute Performance at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and is finishing her doctorate in K12 Educational Leadership at Edgewood University in Madison, WI. She is passionate about educating and inspiring students to find their voice through music, and is looking forward to connecting with every student and their families!

Welcome Mrs. Vaughn!

If your student is interested in participating in one of the athletic programs offered at RCMS, they MUST have a valid physical on file. Download the physical form on the athletic webpage or click below. Physicals can be turned in at Panther Peek in room 209, by having your student deliver it to Coach Dixon, or by email to dixonaa@fultonschools.org.

Fall Sports are starting soon! We have included the full tryout schedule below for you to download. Please be mindful that the schedule can change due to weather or scheduling conflicts. Check the School Website and have your student listen to the announcements for updates.

All of these sports are provided by the RCMS Foundation and are, therefore, open to students in grades 6th-8th.

Tryouts begin:

Volleyball (girls) August 11th 4:15-5:45 (6th/7th)

Volleyball (girls) August 12th 4:15-5:45 (7th/8th)

Soccer (boys) August 14th 4:15-5:45

Softball (girls) August 18th 4:15-5:45

Cross Country does not require a tryout. Practice will begin August 21st at 7:15 am.

Each grade level will have it's own school counselor this year. Each counselor is committed to helping students grow academically, explore future career pathways, and navigate social-emotional development. Ms. Iveth Ceniceros and Ms. McAfee are returning again this year. In addition, we are excited to announce that Mr. Ken Stevenson is joining us from Spalding Drive Elementary School!

6th Grade: Ms. Mcafee, mcafeeb@fultonschools.org

7th Grade: Ms. Ceniceros, cenicerosi2@fultonschools.org

8th Grade: Mr. Stevenson, stevensonk@fultonschools.org

New this year: We now have a position solely dedicated to supporting our students who have a 504 plan or who are in the process of qualifying for an IEP. Our very own Ms. Aubain has taken over this role. Parents will no longer be working with their grade-level counselor on these issues, which will free up our counselors to focus on other areas.

MTSS/504 Support: Ms. Aubain, AubainY@fultonschools.org

All volunteers must be registered with Fulton County Schools before they can volunteer in the school. Please complete the required online training and registration process so that you can serve in our Panther Community!

We have two parent-run organizations that provide support to our students and community at RCMS. You will learn more about both organizations in the coming days and weeks. We hope that you will take time to learn more about both and consider supporting these important organizations.

We hope you’re as excited as we are to kick off the 2025–2026 school year at RCMS! The RCMS PTA is already hard at work planning ways to support our students, teachers, and staff — and we’d love for you to be part of it. Join the PTA today and help make a difference in our school community. Your support funds amazing programs, classroom resources, teacher appreciation efforts, and so much more.

New this year: Check out our freshly redesigned PTA website at www.ptarcms.org! It’s your go-to spot for updates, volunteer opportunities, and ways to stay connected. Thanks for being an essential part of the RCMS community. Let’s make this year the best one yet!

Through the generosity of our parents and partners, the RCMS Foundation pours over $100,000 into the many music and athletic programs at RCMS. This incudes our school musical, chorus, band, orchestra and eighteen (18!) sports teams for our kids. It is incredible to see and hear the sounds of students playing music, performing on the stage, competing in sports or cheering on their fellow Panthers.

We often do not realize how lucky we are. Many schools have to limit the number of students in their music programs, but we do not! Most middle schools do not have many sports available for their students, but we have so many options! FCS does not provide sports for 6th graders- but we do!

The difference is the Foundation. When it comes to sports, the RCMS Foundation pays for the coaches, the refs, overtime for our custodians, league fees so that we can compete in the MAAC, equipment, uniforms and more. We also have one of the largest band programs in FCS and we are proud to provide funding for two Georgia State University music students who provide extra instruction in the classroom. The Foundation also provides money for instruments, repairs, classroom supplies, music and professional development....not to mention the spring musical!

We hope that we can count on your support this year. Please join as a member and mark your calendars for our two big events: Parent Party on October 3rd and Panther Palooza on October 9th! Also, if you have a business that would be interested in partnering with us, click HERE to learn about our corporate partnership program.

Let's Go Panthers!!

This Panther Tales Newsletter is our primary means of communicating school information and news. Panther Tales is sent out to families via email and text each Thursday. Starting August 14th, we will alternate between a full-length Panther Tales and a "Mini" Newsletter, which is a shorter version of our newsletter that contains top reminders for the upcoming week. You can also access prior Panther Tales on our School Website.

We understand that questions, concerns, or issues may arise from time to time. To help ensure timely and effective communication, we ask that families follow the steps below when seeking support:

1. Start by contacting the teacher.
2. If the issue remains unresolved, reach out to your child's assigned school counselor.
3. If further support is needed, contact the grade-level Assistant Principal
4. If the matter is still not resolved, contact Mr. Garrett.

Assistant Principals:

6th Grade: Mr. Wright, wrightp1@fultonschools.org

7th Grade: Ms. Bulluck, Bulluck@fultonschools.org

8th Grade: Mr. Young, youngk2@fultonschools.org

For urgent matters, please call the school’s front desk directly for immediate assistance.

You can find contact information for all teachers and staff on our school website's staff directory or through Infinite Campus.

In recent years, we’ve seen an increase in the spread of inaccurate information through group-mes, text chains, and social media platforms. Before sharing or acting on any information, we kindly ask that you contact the school to confirm its accuracy. We are committed to responding to inquiries, but please understand that some matters require time to thoroughly investigate and verify before we can provide a response.

False information can quickly create confusion, anxiety, and unnecessary concern. Once shared, it becomes difficult to correct. Please help us maintain a positive and informed Panther community by verifying information before passing it along.

Thank you for partnering with us in support of clear communication and a strong school community.

Students will arrive by vehicle, bus, or on foot and proceed directly to the cafeteria (6th grade) or gym (7th & 8th grades) until the 8:55 bell.

• First Two Weeks: For the first two weeks of school, when the 8:55 bell rings, they will go to their homeroom class. This will help us get acclimated to the new school year and connect with their home room teachers.
• After the first two weeks, students will go directly to first period when the 8:55 bell rings.
• Dismissal begins at 4:05 pm.
• If you need to pick up your student early from school for a doctors appointment or other reason, they must be picked up before 3:30 pm.

As we prepare for the first day of school on Monday, August 4th, please check your child’s bus stop for any updates and/or changes. We ask that all parents utilize the Here Comes the Bus App. If you do not have the app, instructions can be found HERE.

The Carpool line is the ONLY method of picking up or dropping off your child via car. Students may not be picked up or dropped off in the parking lot, neighborhood or adjacent park. Limited Walker Passes are issued to students whose parents can demonstrate that they live within walking distance to the school and sign an appropriate waiver. Walker Passes are only to be used by that student in order to walk home. To request a Walker Pass, please reach out to the front desk.

To help ensure a safe and efficient drop-off and pick-up experience, please keep the following in mind:

• Morning carpool operates from 8:30 AM to 8:45 AM. Students arriving after 8:45 AM may be marked tardy. Students must be dropped off in the Carpool Line (Trimble Side) and may not be dropped off on the Media-Center/Front Office entrance. Students arriving by bus will not be marked tardy, regardless of arrival time.
• Dismissal begins at 4:05 PM.
• Please remember that carpool tends to move more slowly during the first few weeks of school. We appreciate your patience and kindness as everyone learns the routine and we work together to improve the process.

Thank you for helping us keep our students safe and our carpool running smoothly!

Fulton County Schools (FCS) has a policy that allows students to use up to five (5) remote learning days per semester, or 10 per year. These days do not count as absences. While we always prefer for our students to be in school, these days may be used to keep students current on their work when they must be absent but are still able to complete work. Please note that work assignments must be turned in within two (2) days of the absence in order to qualify as a remote learning day.

Contact Ms. Price (pricem@fultonschools.org), front desk, to request a remote day.

Please request remote days in advance if possible. However, remote days may also be approved day-of in some circumstances.

Join us for our Annual Parent Party & Auction benefitting the RCMS Foundation. Tickets include admission to the party, drink tickets, food and -most importantly- the chance to meet and mingle with the RCMS parent community! Tickets are available on the Foundation Website by clicking HERE. Foundation Members receive a discount on tickets.

Our incredible auction will be available online again this year! You do not need to attend the party to bid in the auction. If you have items to donate to the auction, please complete this Google Form and our committee will be in touch.

Join us for Ridgeview’s Fall Festival – a fun-filled celebration for RCMS students only!

Date: Thursday, October 9th

Time: 4:00 - 6:30 pm

Location: RCMS Field

Tickets: $25 in advance (online only!), $30 day of the event.

Purchase tickets on the RCMS Foundation Website.

Get ready for an exciting afternoon packed with games, food, music, bounce houses, and Panther spirit! Pantherpalooza is all about having fun and bringing our Ridgeview community together. It’s the perfect way to kick off the fall season, connect with friends, and celebrate everything that makes Ridgeview special.

We can’t wait to see you there!

Go Panthers!

We will be featuring our corporate partners in each issue of Panther Tales. If you have a business (or know of one) who is interested in supporting our Panthers, please visit our Corporate Partners page and learn how you can help our students AND have your business feathered here!