Ridgeline eNews

FEBRUARY

Thursday 2/26 Board Work Session 6-7:30 p.m.

MARCH

Tuesday 3/3 10-Day Direct Donation Drive starts

Thursday 3/5 Equity Committee Meeting 4-5pm, via Zoom

Saturday 3/7 OBOB Regionals for grades 3-5 at ATA

Thursday 3/12 Board Meeting 6-8 pm

Friday 3/13 Student Art Show & Silent Auction 5:30-7pm

Saturday 3/14 OBOB Regionals for grades 6-8 at Kelly Middle School

Thursday 3/19 Board Work Session 1-3pm

Monday 3/23 Spring Break starts

Monday 3/30 No School

For Quick Access:

• Ridgeline 25-26 Events Calendar
• One Page School Calendar
• Ridgeline's YouTube Channel

Attendance:

• Report an absence: attendance@ridgeline.org

• Planned Absence Form (at least 3 days in advance)

Click here to view the full calendar as some dates may change. Please note that Ridgeline’s calendar differs slightly from 4J elementary and middle school calendars.

Our annual Direct Donation Drive is just five days away! Get ready to make a meaningful impact through Ridgeline’s largest fundraiser of the year—no selling, just giving.

The Bottom Line

Starting Tuesday, March 3, watch for the first of three special electronic appeals via Smore. We have 10 days (March 3–March 13) to reach our first milestone: $10,000 in direct gifts.

When we hit that goal, generous donors will unlock an additional $6,000 match—turning $10,000 into $16,000 for our students.

These funds directly support the following:

• Art and PE specialists

• Montessori materials and programs

• Facility safety and maintenance

• Student wellness and enrichment

This year, our direct donation drive theme is: “The Art of Stewardship.”

As a public charter school, Ridgeline receives approximately 20% less state and local funding than other Eugene public schools—resulting in a $555,900 funding gap this year. That’s why this drive matters so much.

Every dollar donated goes directly to Ridgeline, helping bridge that gap and sustain the programs that make our school exceptional.

💥 $6K Match Challenge – Let’s Amplify Our Impact!

If we raise $10,000 in 10 days, generous community donors will contribute an additional $6,000. That means your gift helps unlock even more support for our students.

We hope you’ll take a few moments to read each of the three campaign messages, make a contribution to the Direct Donation Drive, and learn more about how art—and stewardship—shape the learning experience at Ridgeline.

💙 Thank you for investing in public Montessori education. Every gift—big or small—moves us closer to our $100,000 goal.

Let’s do this, Ridgeline!

Friday, March 13 | 5:30 PM | Ridgeline Gym

Join us for the culminating event of our Direct Donation Drive! It will be an unforgettable evening celebrating creativity, community, and connection at Ridgeline’s Student Art Show & Silent Auction. Stroll through a beautiful gallery of student artwork, enjoy short and heartwarming student art presentations, savor a complimentary cookie, and join in the fun with raffle tickets and silent auction bidding!

Tell Me More

🍪 Cookies for Everyone
Each attendee will receive a complimentary cookie coupon featuring artwork designed by a Ridgeline student. Redeem your cookie anytime during the event! Gluten-free options will be available.

✨ Community Art Project
Stop by our interactive art station and help us complete a special event-themed collaborative piece.

💫 Family Photo Booth
Strike a pose in front of our colorful backdrop! With fun props and big smiles, this is a perfect way to capture the night.

🎁 Classroom Raffle Baskets

Purchase raffle tickets at the event for a chance to win your favorite themed classroom basket. (Card or cash accepted.)

• $3 each

• 2 for $5

• 5 for $10

• 11 for $20

🛍️ Silent Auction

We’re thrilled to feature incredible baskets filled with local experiences, self-care treats, family fun packages, date nights, wellness memberships, and more! Perfect for spring break adventures, summer plans, birthday surprises, or a little something for yourself.

Bidding Window: 5:30–6:45 PM

✨ Coming Soon! Watch for a preview link with basket descriptions and starting bids.

🌟 Sponsor Shoutouts

A HUGE thank you to our generous sponsors for supporting this special event:

• Every Kid Pediatric Dentistry

• Roehl & Yi Investment Advisors LLC

• Dartmouth Capital, LLC

🙌 Invite & Volunteer

The more, the merrier! Invite friends, grandparents, neighbors—everyone is welcome. All proceeds directly support Ridgeline’s P.E., Art, and Social Emotional Learning programs.

Want to help make the magic happen? Click here or visit the Volunteer section below to sign up.

We can’t wait to see you on March 13 for a joyful night of art, fundraising, and community celebration! 💛

As part of Ridgeline’s commitment to strong leadership and thoughtful organizational continuity, we’ve begun the search for our next Principal. This is an exciting opportunity to welcome a Montessori-aligned instructional leader who will build on our strong foundation and support students, staff, and our school community.

View and share the Ridgeline Principal Brochure

We’re grateful for your partnership in sharing this opportunity with your networks as we plan intentionally for Ridgeline’s future.

📚 OBOB — A Huge Thank You & Congratulations! 📚

First and foremost, a heartfelt thank you to Jasmine Stull for serving as this year’s OBOB Coordinator! We are grateful for your communication with coaches and families, attention to detail, and your leadership in facilitating last weekend’s in-school battles. 👏✨

A special thank you as well to our incredible volunteer coaches. Your time, energy, and dedication to supporting our Ridgeline readers truly make a difference. We are deeply appreciative of:
Paula Luginbuhl (2x!), Ann Carney Nelson, Alana Folsom, Alycia Canavan, Yumi Aikawa, Vanessa Jackson, Rachael McEachern, and Brent Munoz.

In-School Battles

Thank you to everyone who came out to support Ridgeline’s nine incredible OBOB teams!

In the Grades 3–5 division, we had six outstanding teams:

• Squished Between Pages

• City of Books

• Better With Books

• Obviously the Best of Bookworms

• The Beat OBOB Team

• Plot Twisters

In the Grades 6–8 division, we had three fantastic teams:

• Axolotl Questions Wolf-figure It Out

• Dealing With Us

• Steve’s Army

We are thrilled to congratulate Coach Alana’s team, Obviously the Best of Bookworms, for winning the Grades 3–5 in-school battle! They will advance to the regional competition on March 7 at Arts & Technology Academy (ATA) Middle School. 🎉

Congratulations as well to Coach Brent’s team, Dealing With Us, for winning the Grades 6–8 division at the school battles. They will compete at the regional competition on March 14 at Kelley Middle School. 🎉

We celebrate the dedication, teamwork, and love of reading shown by all of our participants. We are so proud of every team and will be cheering on our two advancing teams as they head to regionals! 📖💛

Art Show & Silent Auction

• We need 8 volunteers to set-up the student art gallery in the gym on Thursday, March 12 from 3-5pm. Click here to sign up to volunteer!

• We need several volunteers to sign up for a 1-hr shift at each of the following stations during the art show on Friday, March 13: cookie table, raffle ticket cashiers, silent auction attendants, and checkout cashiering. Click here to sign up and volunteer at the event on Friday, March 13.

Below is the list of 2025–2026 volunteer teams and there's always room for more volunteer power! Click on the links below if you want to be part of one of the fun volunteer teams! These groups are a great way to connect with other Ridgeline families and get in your volunteer hours!💌

Event Teams:

• Student Marketplace - Coming in March 2026

• Spring Walk + Roll to School - Coming in April 2026

• Hospitality Team (staff appreciation week ) - Coming in April 2026
• Stone Soup - Complete for this year
• Student Talent Show - Complete for this year

Ongoing Teams:

• Lunch Bunch

• Library Team

• Crossing Guard Crew

• Oregon Battle of the Books (OBOB)

• Helping Hands Material Prep Team (book covering, sign making, etc)

• Campus Care Crew

There’s a place for everyone to get involved and make this year amazing! If you have questions or want to learn more about any of these teams email Bethany at bethany.dilla@ridgeline.org or visit Track It Forward.

***Classroom volunteer opportunities are now available. Look for these sign-ups through your classroom organizer emails.

Volunteers are an essential part of the Ridgeline community, and there are many ways to get involved!

• From serving on committees, preparing materials at home, and helping with grounds work, to assisting in classrooms, chaperoning field trips, acting as crossing guards, and more—your time and talents make a big difference.

Each family is asked to contribute 40 volunteer hours per school year and we’d love to help you find volunteer opportunities that fit your schedule and interests.

• To participate, all volunteers must first complete a background check and sign the Volunteer Code of Conduct.
• Once these two steps are complete, the School Community Coordinator will notify you by email that you are green badge approved and ready to volunteer!
• Visit our website or contact Ridgeline’s School Community Coordinator, Bethany Dilla, or learn more.

Hello Ridgeline families,

We need YOUR help in making this year’s yearbook extra special! 📘💛
Have you chaperoned a field trip, attended a school event, or snapped photos along the way? If so, we would love to include your photos in the yearbook.

We are currently looking for photos from:

• Field trips

• Walk, Bike & Roll to School

• The Talent Show

• Spirit Week

• Read-a-Thon (including the book swap and Barnes & Noble performances)

• General classroom activities

• Class presentations

If you have photos you’re willing to share, please contact Heather Riedman to send them in.

Thank you for helping us capture and celebrate the memories of this school year! 📸🌟

We’re excited to offer the Ridgeline school yearbook again this year for students, families, and staff! 🎉 It’s a wonderful way to capture and celebrate the memories of this school year.

📕 How to Order:

• Online ordering only: newleifphoto.inter-state.com
  

• Order Code: 0291HV
  

• Price: $25 per yearbook

🗓 Order Deadline: Friday, March 13, 2026

Don’t miss out—order your yearbook today and enjoy revisiting all the special moments from this year at Ridgeline!

🌟Questions: Contact parent volunteer and Yearbook Coordinator, Heather Riedman, at hcates373@yahoo.com.

Gathering Ferns Preschool, run by Ridgeline parent and experienced teacher Shannon Harty, is enrolling now for fall of 2026! Our program is for three- to five-year-olds and runs Monday-Thursday, 8:45a-12:45p. (Children may attend two or four days per week.) We provide a small and nurturing environment focused on community, nature, and art only a mile and a half from Ridgeline.

www.gatheringfernspreschool.com

Do your kids love nature exploration and outdoor adventures? Then check out Nearby Nature's Natural Neighbors After School program! K-5th grade participants enjoy hiking, natural science, Earth art, and free time in Nearby Nature's outdoor classroom and Alton Baker Park.

• Programs happen Tuesdays and Fridays from 2:30-5:30 pm and Wednesdays from 2-5:30 pm, rain or shine, with flexible drop off for the first hour of each day and pick up between 5-5:30 pm.

• Online enrollment is ongoing -- details at Natural Neighbors After School.

• Scholarship assistance available. https://www.nearbynature.org/natural-neighbors/.

• No School Day camps are also available on February 16th.

Former Ridgeline Learning Center assistant teacher Ruby Nelson runs programs for children’s forest school activities, focused on herbalism and crafting. Her program The Moon School offers one-time weekend workshop days, beginning February 7, a spring break, and a summer camp.

The Moon School creates a space for children to spend time in nature, connect with their creativity, and make botanical medicines. We are a great program for families who value outdoor education, arts and music in a wholesome, whimsical space that feels like a children’s storybook.

For more information, check out www.the-moon-school.com and follow @themoonschooleugene on instagram. To contact Ruby directly, email themoonschooleugene@gmail.com.

In Girls Who Code’s free summer program, Pathways, you'll learn to code over seven weeks of flexible, self-paced learning, and turn your interests into real-world tech projects while exploring exciting tracks like AI and Game Design — no experience required! Plus, this virtual program connects you with Girls Who Code's supportive, global community, and throughout the summer, you'll meet Partners and like-minded peers in live workshops and our exclusive Discord server.

Students who submit a Pathways Application by the Early Decision Deadline of February 25, 2026 receive priority consideration! The final application deadline is April 10.

Pathways is open to high school girls and non-binary students of all experience levels, including rising 9th graders, graduating seniors, and returning participants. Want to learn more? Check out our live webinar recordings and events here.

Little Mermaid: The 80s Pop Ballet at the Hult Center!

Get Mermaid TIX now and use the special family discount code below.

Watch the sneak preview here!

No School? No Problem! We have your upcoming No School days covered here at Kidsports. Kidsports is excited to offer PeaceHealth Play Days for kids when school is not in session. Your kids will get to spend the day having fun, being active, trying new sports & games, being creative and playing with friends.

Grades: 1-5

Cost: $60 per day

Extended Care: additional $15 per day

Days/Times: No-school days 9am–4pm

Extended Care: 8–9am and 4–5:30pm

Location: Kidsports Fieldhouse 2054 Amazon Parkway, Eugene, OR, 97405

Dates: Mar. 30, Apr. 10, Jun. 5

Register Now