Panther Tales

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Panther Tales is our primary means of communicating school information and news. Panther Tales is sent to families via email and text each Thursday. Starting August 14th, we will alternate between a full-length Panther Tales and a "Mini" Newsletter. You can also access prior Panther Tales on our School Website.

Dear Ridgeview United Families,

I hope this message finds you well and that your child has had a smooth and positive start to the school year. As we head into our second week, I want to take a moment to thank you for your continued support and partnership. It's been a joy to see our students settling into routines, building new friendships, and engaging actively in their learning.

Teachers are working hard to create warm, structured, and engaging classroom environments where all students feel safe and supported. As we move forward, we encourage open communication—please don’t hesitate to reach out to your child’s teacher or our administrative team you have questions, concerns, or just want to check in.

We’re off to a great start, and I’m confident that with your continued support, we’ll have a fantastic year together. Let’s keep the momentum going!

Warm regards,

Thomas Garrett
Principal
Ridgeview Charter Middle School

More detailed information about the arrival and departure process can be found in Last Week's Panther Tales or on the School Website.

• Trimble Carpool Line: "First Line"- The first 30 cars in the Trimble Carpool Line should proceed past the school, turn around in the culdesac and line up pointing South towards the school (making a right-hand turn into the carpool driveway.). The cars in this line will all go First. "Second Line"- After the First Line is full, cars can line up along Trimble pointing North (school on left-hand side). Cars in this line will go Second, after the First Line has cleared. Graphic below for help. This process helps us ensure that we do not back up Trimble road any further than necessary. Teachers and staff will be helping direct cars as we learn this process together.
• Do not block busses: Please avoid stopping or parking in a way that blocks school buses. When buses are delayed, it affects transportation for many students and causes safety concerns.
• 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.
• Students may not be dropped off at the front-office side of the school unless arriving tardy after 8:45.

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

August 8th: Fall Sports Physicals Due

August 13th: Principal’s Coffee & PTA Member Meeting, 9:00 am, Media Center

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

August 13th: Orchestra Instrument Fitting, 5:30 pm, Orchestra Room

August 18th: Chorus Parents Meeting (all new Chorus parents), 5:00 pm, Chorus Room

August 21st: i-Ready Night, 5:30 pm, Media Center, (Virtual and Live){ Scroll for Info}

August 22nd: Honor Roll Celebrations (7th & 8th Grade), During School, Students Only

August 28th: Curriculum Night & Title 1 Night

September 12th: Chorus All-State Applications Due

October 3rd: Parent Party & Auction; Purchase tickets HERE {Scroll for Info}

October 9th: Pantherpalooza; Purchase tickets HERE {Scroll for Info}

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

The following links are for the things your student needs for a successful year. If you are unable to provide any of these items please reach out to our counselors or social worker so that we can help!

If your student previously attended Lake Forest Elementary, please note that Ridgeview is NOT a Community Eligibility Provision school. This means students do not automatically receive free meals at breakfast or lunch, but must complete an application in order to do so.

To ensure your child continues to receive school meals without interruption, we urge you to complete a new meal application as soon as possible. You can submit your application online by visiting www.myschoolapps.com.

If you have any questions or need assistance, contact the Fulton County School Free & Reduced Team at 470-254-2220 or FreeandReduced@fultonschools.org.

Talented and Gifted Program Information
Please see the attached document for important details about our Talented and Gifted (TAG) program. It includes eligibility criteria, program services, and how to support your child through the identification process. We encourage all parents to review the information carefully.

We are excited to announce our new honor roll banners for current 7th and 8th graders! Keep your eyes on the front office and cafeteria walls! Please watch for more information on honor roll celebrations which will be held later this month on August 22nd. We will be celebrating current 7th and 8th graders that earned either all A's or all A's and B's last year. Congratulations!

i-Ready is an online, research-based program that supports student learning in both reading and math. It begins with a diagnostic test that students take three times a year. This test helps teachers understand each student’s strengths and growth areas to guide instruction and personalize learning. It also plays a role in helping the school determine course placements.

Testing Dates:
🗓️ Beginning-of-Year Diagnostic – August 11-14, 2025 (Students bring wired headphones if possible)
🗓️ Mid-Year Diagnostic – December 2025
🗓️ End-of-Year Diagnostic – May 2026

Please have all students at school on time and ready to do their best! Snacks and drinks are not sold in the cafeteria on testing days. Students should pack or plan to purchase a full lunch. If you have any questions about i-Ready or your child’s progress, please reach out to your child’s homeroom/compass teacher.

If your student is interested in participating in one of the athletic teams offered at RCMS, they MUST have a valid physical on file by August 8th.

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. Be on the lookout for a cross country parent info meeting soon.

We are thrilled to announce that morning intramurals will begin after Labor Day and will continue twice a week from 7:30am to 8:15am. This is a wonderful opportunity for students to engage in activities such as basketball, indoor soccer, and fitness. Students must have an intramural form and health insurance form on file prior to participating. Please click HERE for more information about the intramural program, and for links to the required forms.

Let's make this a fun and energetic experience for everyone!

Coach Kimberlee Lloyd

lloydk@fultonschools.org

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

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

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

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

The PTA is excited to start the 2025-2026 school year! We look forward to another great year and cannot make this year happen without your support. The PTA needs YOU! We wanted to make you aware of our new membership levels. Please join us in supporting our school by joining online at www.ptarcms.org. If you'd like to show your support with a larger donation please contact Karla Avery, Treasurer RCMS (treasurer@ptarcms.org)

Our first general PTA meeting is on August 13 at 9:00 a.m. in the media center. We hope to see you there!

Your support is vital to our community’s success. We look forward to an outstanding

year working with you to enhance the RCMS experience.

Jennifer McCarren and Chelsea Hallam

RCMS PTA Presidents 2025-2026

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 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 Pantherpalooza 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.

Jessica Lawrence

2025-2026 President, RCMS Foundation

Contact: RCMSFoundation@gmail.com

Let's Go Panthers!!

Yes, we have two parent-run organizations that provide support to our students and community at RCMS. Both organizations, working together, provide critical support for different areas of RCMS. We hope that you will take time to learn more about both and consider supporting these important organizations.

We understand that questions or concerns 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.

Contact information for all staff can be found on our 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.

We appreciate your patience as we roll out a new Panther Store model.

• If you placed an order on or before 7/31, your items will be available for in store pick up by 8/12. Any missing items will be fulfilled by 8/12.
• Online orders placed by 8/8 will have an in school pick up option on or before 8/21.
• Online orders placed by 8/19 will have an in school pick up option on or before 9/4.
• ALL ORDERS PLACED ON OR AFTER 8/20 WILL REQUIRE SHIPPING TO YOUR HOME. THERE WILL NOT BE AN IN-SCHOOL PICK UP OPTION.
• Please click on the size tab on the left hand side of the screen, manufacturer size charts are provided for each item.
• Please read the return/refund policy- items cannot be returned or refunded due to size. Only items with true printing defects can be exchanged for a replacement.
• A GroupMe has been created for 6-8th grade parents interested in swapping or selling spirit wear.

FOR ORDER QUESTIONS PLEASE CONTACT Brick@KBSSportsapparel.com

FOR THE PANTHER STORE QUESTIONS PLEASE CONTACT rcs.spiritwear@gmail.com

Support our PTA and Foundation! Donate $5 in order to dress down. Cash Only and please send exact change! Remember to adhere to our Non-Uniform Day Dress Code which you can find on the school website under "Students & Families" or by clicking HERE.

Join the RCMS administration at an informative session on i-Ready. This diagnostic tool provides teachers with valuable data to guide instruction and personalize learning paths. It also plays a role in helping the school determine course placements for the following year, including advanced, accelerated, or remedial classes.

Please fill out this form regarding i-Ready Night: i-Ready Night Interest Form

Por favor, complete este formulario con respecto a la Noche de i-Ready: Noche de i-Ready

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 before October 3rd (online only!), $30 day of the event. Foundation Silver Memberships and above receive one free Pantherplaooza ticket.

Purchase tickets on the RCMS Foundation Website.

Students who purchase tickets in advance will get early admission!!

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.

Raider Football is hosting Future Raider Night at their season-opening game against Centennial on 8/15 at 7:30 pm in Riverwood's Hoskyn Stadium. Check out the game day details HERE to help you plan your visit.

Thank you to our Scouts, Deane Estes and Ben Brightwell-Rickert, Troop 463, for helping to honorably retire the American Flag at our entrance way and replace it with a new one.

Sixth Grade Panthers are quickly making new friends and learning the Ridgeview Ropes!

First Day success! Looking good in that School Spirit Wear 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!