Riker Hill Elementary School

Dear Riker Hill Families,

What a wonderful week it has been at Riker Hill! On Wednesday evening, our talented musicians wowed us at the Riker Hill Winter Concert at MPM. We are so proud of their performance, especially for a January concert! It was clear that their hard work and dedication really shone through, and our new instrumental music room is clearly paying off. The students truly sounded exceptional, and it was a joy to hear their musical superpowers come to life. A huge thank you to our incredible music teachers, Mrs. Wise, Mr. Ojeda, and Ms. Jo, for their guidance, encouragement, and expertise in helping our students achieve such a remarkable performance.

We are also incredibly grateful to the HSA for spoiling us with Staff Appreciation Philly Pretzels this week. The pretzels and dips were absolutely delicious: a true treat! Your thoughtfulness brightens our days, and we cannot thank you enough for these special moments.

This week, our school-wide challenge was “Our Superpower = Caring in Our Actions.” During Caring Token Week, students were encouraged to demonstrate caring behaviors such as, helping others, using kind words, including classmates, and showing empathy. Classes earned tokens for these actions, and the class with the most tokens at the end of the month will receive a reward. Caring actions create safe, welcoming spaces, and by acting with empathy, our students help ensure that everyone feels they belong.

Quick safety reminder: Especially with roadways and walkways narrowed by snow, please keep your eyes on the road and drive slowly during drop-off and pick-up.

Finally, schools will be closed tomorrow, Monday, due to snow. We hope your family enjoys a fun winter day together, perhaps sipping hot chocolate while watching a movie, building a snowman, or heading outside for some sledding. Most importantly, we hope everyone stays safe and enjoys the beauty of the snow!

Warmly,

Mrs. Benavides

Principal

LPS will be closed on Monday, January 26, 2026, due to the ongoing storm and unsafe road conditions. All activities are canceled, both before and after school.

Our "RAM-markable" Musician of the Month program honors high-achieving students who pair musical excellence with exceptional character and leadership.

For December 2025, we are proud to recognize ten outstanding musicians who not only master their own craft but consistently go above and beyond to support and mentor their peers in their musical journeys.

These individuals embody the spirit of our music program by fostering a collaborative environment where every student is encouraged to reach their full potential.

Congratulations to:

Syan Banergee - Trombone

Hesper Werkman - Trombone

Christian Lee - Violin

Miranda Li - Viola

Tess Auger - Cello

Kavish Soni - Violin

Diego Jara - Music Class Grade 5

Yihan Wu - Music Class Grade 2

Brody Adelman - Chorus Grade 5

Taraji-Sinclaire Ivey - Chorus Grade 4

Are you ready?

Tickets for the Livingston All-Stars vs the world famous Harlem Wizards are on sale!

-Student tickets: $25 in advance

-General public tickets: $35 in advance

-Reserved tickets: $45

-Are on the "good side" of the gym

-Adults get a $5 merch gift certificate

-Kids get a Harlem Wizards team photo and a photo op with one Wizard

-Courtside Plus Tickets (only 60 available!): $75

-Courtside seating

-A pre-game meat and greet for 10 minutes with 2 Wizards

-A souvenir lanyard

-A free team photo

-$10 discount on advanced purchase of a jersey

Every kid has the ability to purchase a jersey in advance and be a "Wiz Kid"

Jerseys are $50 at the door, but $5 off if you purchase in advance!

Wiz Kids get a pre-warm up before the game with the Wizards, a photo op, and a Wizards "Grand Entrance"

We had so much fun with Game Night last year that we brought it back, for NO CHARGE this year! (Snacks and drinks will be available for cash purchase)

Save the date to win some great prizes and have a ton of fun February 25.

Due to limited space in the cafeteria, even though it's free admission we need you to pre-register if you want to be sure to join in the fun!

Registration will open NEXT Friday, January 30, at noon!

Monday, 1.26

SCHOOLS CLOSED - SNOW DAY ⛄

Tuesday, 1.27

Fifth Grade Roller Skating Party

Wednesday, 1.28

Spelling Bee - FINAL ROUND

Thursday, 1.29

Spelling Bee - FINAL ROUND (Snow Date)

Friday, 2.6

The 100th DAY OF SCHOOL

Wednesday, 2.11

HSA Meeting via Zoom @ 7:00 pm

Friday, 2.13.

Class Valentine's Parties

Monday, 2.16 - Friday, 2.20

SCHOOLS CLOSED - WINTER BREAK

Monday, 2.23

2 Hour Delay for STUDENTS - Staff PD

Wednesday, 2.25

BINGO NIGHT

Please kindly forward it to them. The settings to receive these communications are listed in the Genesis Parent Portal. Also, if your child is no longer attending RH, please disregard these messages until the system is fully updated by our Tech Department.

Any questions? Please reach out to the Riker Hill Office Team.

Principal: Mrs. Brooke Benavides

Email: bbenavides@livingston.org
Website: livingston.org/rikerhill
Location: 31 Blackstone Drive, Livingston, NJ, USA
Phone: 973.535.8000