Panther Tales: Special Edition

Dear Students, Families, and Staff,

As another successful school year comes to a close, I want to thank each of you for the hard work, resilience, and enthusiasm that made this year so meaningful. Our school community has continued to grow academically, artistically, and athletically, and I am incredibly proud of all we have accomplished together.

This year, we celebrated strong academic progress across all grade levels. Our students embraced new challenges with determination, while our teachers continued to provide engaging and innovative learning experiences that supported student success. We are excited to build on this momentum in the year ahead.

Our athletic programs also had an outstanding season in the MACC League. Congratulations to our Softball and Boys Basketball teams for earning championship titles this year. Their dedication, teamwork, and sportsmanship represented our school with pride.

The fine arts programs continued to thrive as well, showcasing remarkable student talent and commitment through performances, competitions, and community events.

Highlights from the year include:

• An incredible production of Mean Girls, where students impressed audiences with their creativity, energy, and performance skills
• A memorable performance at the City Springs Performing Arts Center that helped raise more than $25,000 in support of our arts programs
• More than 500 students participating in Large Group Performance Evaluation and earning Superior and Excellent ratings

We also celebrate several outstanding student achievements:

• One orchestra student advanced to the second round of Orchestra All-State auditions
• Five students were selected for District Honor Band
• Twenty-two students participated in District Honor Chorus
• Four students earned placement in the Statewide Honor Chorus
• Six students were selected for All-State Chorus

Thanks to the generosity of our Foundation, the music department received additional instruments this year, creating even more opportunities for students to participate and grow musically.

Throughout the year, our orchestra and chorus students shared their talents at numerous school and community events, including Hispanic Heritage Night, the Black History Month Assembly, the Olympics Opening Ceremony, the 8th Grade Awards Ceremony, and several evening concerts.

As we begin summer break, thank you to our families for your continued partnership, to our staff for your dedication and care, and to our students for the enthusiasm and spirit you bring to our school each day.

I hope everyone enjoys a safe, restful, and well-deserved summer. We look forward to welcoming you back for another exciting year ahead.

We would also like to recognize and thank the following employees as they begin new chapters in their journeys:

• Noni Norman – Camp Creek Middle School
• Dr. Mitzi Jackson – Riverwood International Charter School
• Terri Phillips – Vietnam
• Iveth Ceniceros – Stay-at-home mother
• Andrew Laidlaw – Scotland
• Carmen Morris – Lake Forest Elementary School
• Pradnya Pabley – High Point Elementary School
• Sai Guvvala – McNair Middle School
• Maritza Hernandez – Dunwoody Springs Elementary School
• Tomomi Davis –
• Patrick Bruce Wright – Principal, Cogburn Woods Elementary School

We thank them for their service and contributions to our school community and wish them all the very best in their future endeavors.

With appreciation,

Principal Thomas Garrett

• If your student is any courses eligible for high school credit, you will need to accept or decline high school credit for those classes.

• May 21st : You will receive an email from Ms. Bulluck explaining the process and asking you to submit your decision.

• June 5th : You will have until Friday, June 5 to respond to that email accepting or declining high school credit.

Courses eligible for high school credit: Spanish 1, French 1, Japanese 1, Enhanced Algebra, Algebra 1, Geometry, Physical Science, 9th Grade Literature/Composition

If you have any questions about what it means to accept or decline high school credit and how it may impact your student’s academic record, please reach out to Ms. Bulluck at Bulluck@fultonschools.org

Summer Office Hours will be 7 a.m.-3 p.m. each day. Ridgeview will have summer registration on Tuesday and Thursday from 9-10:30 a.m. and Wednesday from 12:30-2 p.m. Students who attended one of our feeder schools DO NOT need to register at Ridgeview for the upcoming school year.

If your student has a MySchoolBucks account for the cafeteria, any funds remaining at the end of the year will rollover to next school year. If your student is leaving FCS or you would like your balance refunded, you can use the below form to initiate the request.

We are proud to recognize our PBIS Students of the Year for consistently modeling positive behavior and demonstrating outstanding character throughout the school year. These students have exemplified leadership, responsibility, and kindness while making meaningful contributions to our school community each day.

To honor their achievements, each student received a certificate and a $25 gift card generously provided by our PTA. Congratulations to these exceptional students for their dedication, hard work, and commitment to excellence. We are incredibly proud of you! 🎉

6th Grade:
Bria Narcisse
James Williams

7th Grade:
Benjamin Nyholm
Ayanna James

8th Grade:

Madeline Dillon
Christopher Dijon

With summer only a few weeks away, it’s a good time to check in with your child and line up mental health support for over the summer, if needed.

Through our partnership with Cartwheel, your family has access to:

• Appointments with a licensed therapist within days

• Virtual, flexible scheduling — evenings and weekends available throughout the summer

• Care is available in multiple languages including English and Spanish

• Free with Medicaid; most private insurance accepted

Cartwheel also offers parent guidance sessions, an opportunity to ask questions, talk through concerns, and get practical support for everyday challenges. You don’t need a referral or a crisis to reach out.

Get started by filling out this simple interest form.

Looking for helpful resources this summer? Check out Cartwheel’s free Parent Guides here.

Planning ahead for summer break? Riverwood offers camps for basketball, volleyball and just added football. Visit the Riverwood Athletics website for more details.

*** The website will undergo some annual maintenance in July, so please note these important dates now and be patient if we have some interruptions in information updates***

July 30th: Panther Peek

August 3rd: First Day of School

August 7th: Fall Sports Physical Deadline

It's time to register for the Fall 2026 season! All Riverwood music students are eligible to play an instrument in the marching band, and any Riverwood student can join the Color Guard. This is a great way to get involved at the high school! Details for the upcoming season can be found HERE.

If there are any questions about marching band, please direct all questions to karantonisw@fultonschools.org.

Ridgeview Charter Middle School will offer both recommended and required summer learning opportunities for students during summer 2025. Students who qualify for either program have received a summer school registration letter from their teacher. Summer Learning will take place at Ridgeview daily between June 2nd and June 30th.

You can learn about the Summer Learning Program, including the criteria for being required or recommended to attend, information about transportation and nutrition, or information about the curriculum, by clicking Summer School.

While you're cleaning out for summer, consider donating old school uniforms that are too small or might not be needed if your student is moving on to a new school. RCMS will use them to make sure all of our students dress for success next year. Please bring them to the front desk and we will do the rest!