Principal's Weekly Update #32

Greetings, Pirate Families,

Welcome to the second week of the fourth quarter! It’s hard to believe we are already in the final stretch of the school year. This is a critical time for our students to stay focused, finish strong, and take full advantage of every learning opportunity ahead.

“The horizon is in sight, Pirates, now is the time to push forward and finish with strength and pride!"

Let’s continue to encourage our students to stay consistent, motivated, and committed to their goals as we move toward the end of the year.

Reminders for the week:

• Course Registration is underway. Students must be present and on time during their scheduled homeroom sessions to complete registration. If they are absent or late, courses will be selected for them.
• We are approaching End-of-Year (EOY) benchmarks, which begin soon, and preparation is key.
• Encourage students to stay organized, attend tutoring if needed, and keep up with assignments.

Thank you for your continued partnership and support. Let’s make this a strong and successful finish for all of our Pirates!

Have a great week,

Dr. Gloria Woods-Weeks
Principal

• Congratulations to our EC MU, OCS, and IDMO students and teachers for once again winning the Durham Special Olympics Basketball Tournament on Thursday—an incredible achievement!
• Shout-out to Coach Cade and our Athlete Ambassadors for leading engaging Field Day activities for the students at Little River Elementary on Friday. Your leadership and service made a meaningful impact!

Report Cards – April 13
Quarter 3 report cards will be distributed to all students on Monday, April 13. Be sure to review progress and celebrate growth!

Course Registration Continues
Counselors will continue visiting sophomore homerooms next week to complete registration for the 2026–2027 school year.
*Get full details here:
https://www.dpsnc.net/o/riverside/article/2785376

Spring Musical: Mary Poppins
A spoonful of sugar and a whole lot of talent!
Come support our incredible student performers as they bring this classic to life.

Dates: April 16, 17 & 18
Time: 7:00 PM
DPS Employees attend FREE!
More info:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/14Ag8MXxRKdtDH94KmXX49kH2D_1mcUUV/view?usp=sharing

ASVAB Testing – April 14
The Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB) is a free career exploration assessment that helps students discover strengths and future career pathways.

Location: RHS Media Center
Time: 9:30 AM
Register here:
https://forms.gle/MFLiU8HVi3bhqKbEA

· Senior Decision Day Volunteer Request: Hey Parents! I am planning a Decision Day celebration for seniors on April 30th during 1st period. This is to recognize all their hard work and celebrate their post graduation plans. I am looking for volunteers to help set up the day before, assist on the day of, and break down after the event. Please sign up at the link below if you would like to volunteer!

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0448AAAE28AAFBC16-62900126 decision

· Decision Day, April 30th, during 1st period in the Media Center: Please have your students register to attend Decision Day. All students must register to be able to attend! Even if you are not planning to attend, please fill out this form, so we know what your student will be doing post-graduation. Here is the link for students: https://forms.gle/B2j3FxQW27LjCzHN9

· Parents: Please make sure you and your students have completed FAFSA (through studentaid.gov) if your student is planning on attending college, university, trade school, or community college. FAFSA is necessary to receive financial aid, including scholarships, grants, work study, and loans. If you do not complete FAFSA, you will not receive financial aid to help pay for college. If you have any questions or concerns, reach out to Ms. K. Email: osk3@duke.edu

· Parents of Juniors and lower classmen - I have created a presentation with voiceover explaining the main components of the college application process and important things to know that I highly recommend watching to get a head start in planning for and thinking about the college process. Link: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1xHdbXVRjokTg971vPguamRNCgGnR-TJK/view?usp=sharing

· Additionally, here is a checklist for juniors: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Oj2ERdaNXFKbmlzQo2SvLwlayjYfCNxE3SPI41n5VqM/edit?usp=sharing

· Upcoming events in April: April FAFSA office hours: Come get help on FAFSA and understand your financial aid letter

• Thursday April 16: Lunch A, B, & C in media Center
• Thursday April 23: Lunch A, B, & C in media Center
• PRIZES EVERY WEEK THE MONTH OF April FOR STUDENTS WHO HAVE COMPLETED FAFSA (If you have already completed, you can enter the raffle by filling out the form) (raffle entry)

· Check out my newsletter for SCHOLARSHIPS, upcoming events, and helpful information.

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1skBzvx-KMGqiLjElJRODLcNw1_N8j7wCF47njoPv9Vs/edit?tab=t.0

· College Acceptances and Scholarships

Have your students submit their college acceptances and scholarships

here to be featured.

What a week for Pirate Athletics, Riverside is rolling, and our spring sports teams are making serious noise across the board.

Softball continues to surge, improving to an impressive 8–4 on the season with statement wins over East Chapel Hill and Chapel Hill. The Pirates were powered by a standout performance from Paisley Russell, who went a perfect 2-for-2 with three runs, three RBI, and a triple. In the circle, Grace Arrington was dominant, shutting the door without allowing a single run. The team also saw a strong contribution from Lila Goldstein in the Chapel Hill win, highlighting the depth and balance fueling this hot streak.

On the diamond, Riverside Baseball has been just as dominant, earning wins over Hillside and Southern Durham. Lucas Setji had a monster week, going 5-for-6 with four stolen bases, six runs, and a career-high six RBI. Micah Harris added to the offensive surge, finishing 3-for-5 with five runs, three RBI, and a stolen base. On the mound, it was a true team effort, with multiple pitchers stepping up to secure the win over Southern Durham.

Women’s Soccer delivered one of the most explosive performances of the week, defeating Southern Durham 10–1. The Pirates showcased impressive balance with six different goal scorers, led by Jocelyn Fernandez, who netted four goals in a standout performance.

The Men’s Golf team also turned in a strong showing, placing second in their latest outing, just five strokes shy of first, demonstrating their consistency and competitiveness.

Rounding things out, Women’s Lacrosse posted a season-high seven goals against Northwood, with Nehir Volkan leading the offensive charge.

All in all, it was a statement week for Pirate Athletics, dominant performances, standout individual efforts, and teams building momentum as conference play heats up, with multiple squads in position to compete for titles.

This Week in Athletics

Monday, 4/13

• Women’s Lacrosse @ Chapel Hill – 6:00 PM
• Men’s Volleyball @ Northern Guilford – JV 5:30 PM | Varsity 6:30 PM
• Tennis – Varsity @ East Chapel Hill (5:00 PM); JV vs. East Chapel Hill @ Riverside (4:30 PM)
• Track & Field vs. Southern Durham, Chapel Hill – 5:00 PM
• Baseball (Varsity) vs. Heritage – 6:00 PM

Tuesday, 4/14

• Men’s Lacrosse @ Chapel Hill – JV 5:00 PM | Varsity 6:30 PM
• Baseball vs. East Chapel Hill – JV 5:00 PM | Varsity 7:00 PM
• Softball @ Northern Durham – 6:00 PM
• Golf (Host Conference Match) @ Croasdaile – 2:00 PM
• Women’s Soccer vs. Chapel Hill – JV 5:00 PM | Varsity 6:45 PM

Wednesday, 4/15

• Tennis – Varsity @ Chapel Hill (5:00 PM); JV vs. Chapel Hill @ Riverside (4:30 PM)
• Men’s Lacrosse @ RCS – 5:00 PM
• Women’s Lacrosse Super Site (Host):
• Carrboro vs. Northwood – 5:00 PM
• Seaforth vs. Riverside – 7:00 PM

Thursday, 4/16

• Women’s Soccer @ Northern Durham – 6:00 PM
• Baseball (JV) @ East Chapel Hill – 5:00 PM

Friday, 4/17

• Men’s Lacrosse @ Cleveland – 6:00 PM
• Softball @ Hillside – 5:00 PM
• Baseball (Varsity) @ East Chapel Hill – 6:00 PM
• Men’s Volleyball (Host Tournament) – 4:30 PM

Saturday, 4/18

• Men’s Volleyball (Host Tournament) – 8:00 AM
• Track & Field – Apex Invitational – 9:00 AM

Let’s keep the momentum going—Go Pirates!

What a week it was for Pirate Athletics! Riverside is rolling, and spring sports are making serious noise across the board.

Volunteer: Our athletics programs depend heavily on volunteers to help with game day entry, concessions, etc., during all home game day events for all sports. Please consider taking the time to VOLUNTEER HERE!

Keep our Kids in the Game Donation: Help us keep our students competing on 30 Varsity & Junior Varsity teams at Riverside by donating during this special fundraiser. Your gift of $203 provides the equivalent of the expense for one student to participate in one season this year. Did you know that Durham Public Schools only provides 14% ($15,000) of the funding needed to run our Athletics program at Riverside? The other 86% of the funding comes from ticket sales, sponsorships and fundraisers. That means the Athletics Department and the Booster Club need to produce over $89,000 in revenue this year to support our students. 100% of donations through this effort will go directly to the Booster Club to help our kids. ALL gifts make a difference. DONATE HERE!

Corporate Sponsorships: Do you or someone you know have connections to a local business? A number of sponsorship packages are available and we would love to proudly display your logo all over Riverside High School! Please see the attachment and contact the Booster Club for more information!

Stay Connected

Follow Riverside High School on social media for updates, celebrations, and reminders!
📸 Instagram: @riversidepirates | 💻 Website: www.dpsnc.net/riverside

Make it a great week, Pirates! Roll Pirates Roll!

--Dr. Woods-Weeks, Principal