Timber Talks

As we move into another exciting week of learning, we want to take a moment to thank you for your continued support in helping your children thrive at school. With colder weather now upon us, please ensure your child is dressed warmly and prepared for outdoor recess. A cozy coat, hat, and gloves will help them stay comfortable and enjoy their time outside during recess. Please write your child's name on all of their clothing items. As they take off layers, a lot of items end up in our lost and found.

We also want to highlight the importance of consistent attendance. Being on time and staying for the entire school day are crucial to your child’s success, as it ensures they don’t miss valuable instruction and have a full opportunity to engage with their classmates and teachers. Last week, we saw an increase in tardies (our tardy line has been out the office door in the morning) and early dismissals, and we truly appreciate your efforts to help improve this by making school attendance a top priority.

Lastly, a quick scheduling reminder: next Monday, school will be closed in observance of the holiday. Because of this, Friday will be a full school day instead of a REID day. Please plan accordingly as we work to make the most of our time together this week.

Thank you again for your partnership in ensuring your child’s education is the best it can be. Your support at home makes a world of difference, and we are grateful to work alongside you in helping your child learn and grow!

Thank you for your continued support,

Lindsey Fullenwider, Principal
Trevor Syring, Vice Principal
RMEOffice@estacada.k12.or.us

In order to help you all know what the week looks like, we will list it out clearly for you each week. REID days are for invited students and will change each month. Students are invited to REID days for a variety of reasons. Sometimes it's to extend or challenge a student, and other times it might be to provide extra help on a particular skill. On those days, our doors open at 7:50 and dismissal is at 10:00 am. If you have questions about this week's schedule, please let us know!

This Week:

• Jan. 19th: No School/Holiday
• Jan. 20th: Regular School Day
• Jan. 21st: Regular School Day
• Jan. 22nd: Regular School Day
• Jan. 23rd: REGULAR SCHOOL DAY 7:45 - 2:35

Upcoming Events:

• Jan. 29th: Family Literacy Night (see flyer below)
• Jan. 30th: No School/Holiday
• Feb. 11th: Kinder/5th Grade Family Breakfast
• Feb. 11th: 4th/5th Grade Music Concert
• Feb. 26th: Family Bingo Night

To foster a shared understanding of our school rules and how they are consistently enforced, we will be highlighting key aspects of our expectations, including how we try to first teach and support students in making positive behavior choices and how we approach discipline at River Mill. You can also find student behavior and discipline policies in our Parent/Student Handbook. If you have any questions or concerns about our school rules, student behavior, or discipline policies, please don’t hesitate to contact Lindsey Fullenwider or Trevor Syring. We value our partnership and collaboration with families and appreciate your support in creating a positive school environment!

Our Discipline Referral System is designed to intervene and correct serious, inappropriate behavior patterns, build an immediate and consistent response to such behaviors, and provide a method of communicating behavior problems to parents in a timely manner.

There are two levels of documented inappropriate behaviors: minor referrals and major referrals. Minor referrals are dealt with at the classroom level and reported to the office. Major referrals are reported to the office and dealt with by an administrator. Prior to issuing a Discipline Referral to the principal or vice principal, the teacher is expected to follow procedures outlined in Positive Behavior Support and Intervention (PBIS) Protocols. Any serious infraction listed below, may be immediately referred to an administrator:

1. Possession/use of Weapons (including fake and look-alike weapons)

2. Possession/use of Drugs (including alcohol or tobacco)

3. Fighting or Assault

4. Harassment, Bullying, Physical Aggression, or Threat

5. Verbal Abuse, Swearing, or Inappropriate Communication or Affection

6. Theft or Forgery

7. Property Damage or Vandalism

8. Extreme Disrespect, Defiance, or Disruption or Inappropriate Location

Discipline referrals may result in a conference to discuss the incident, determine an appropriate consequence, and parent/guardian contact.

Again, if you ever have any questions our concerns regarding student behaviors and or our discipline policies, please do not hesitate to contact us!

During morning drop-off, we’ve noticed several cars letting students out before reaching the crosswalk area. Please remember that students should only exit their cars when your vehicle is stopped either just in front of or just behind the crosswalk. These areas are clearly marked with a line indicating where to stop.

This procedure ensures that our staff stationed at the crosswalk can see all students and help them cross safely. When students exit cars a few vehicles back, it becomes difficult for staff to see them while directing traffic, which creates a potential safety risk.

Thank you for your attention to this and for helping us keep all of our students safe during arrival each morning!

On Fridays, we have REID Days! During this time (8:00–10:00 am), teachers invite students for small group intervention and extension instruction.

This is a unique opportunity for students to:

• Receive extra support in a small group if they are not yet meeting proficiency.
• Be challenged with enrichment activities if they are already working above proficiency.

These two hours of focused, small-group instruction make a big difference in helping students grow and reach grade-level standards.

Please help support your child’s learning by ensuring they attend when invited. It’s an important advantage that truly benefits their success!!!

We have already noticed a drop in student attendance, and we want to take a moment to stress how important it is for students to be at school—on time—every day. Consistent attendance builds strong learning habits, helps students keep up with important instruction, and supports both their academic and social growth. Thank you for partnering with us to make sure your child is present and ready to learn each day!

Research shows that when students miss just one day of school each month, it can add up to weeks of lost learning over the course of a year, which makes a significant impact. Regular attendance is one of the strongest predictors of student achievement, as it ensures children don’t miss key lessons, group activities, and opportunities to practice new skills with their peers.

We know mornings can be busy, and sometimes life throws curveballs, but your efforts to get your child to school on time each day make a big difference. Thank you for partnering with us to build strong routines and support your child’s success—we are here to help every step of the way!

To ensure the safety of all our students, we ask that all families use the PickUp Patrol app to inform us of their child's daily transportation plans. Please make sure you have set up your child's plans for the first day of school and for the rest of the school year. This is an essential step for the first day of school. You can update these plans at any time! Registration emails were sent earlier this week.

If you need any help or support, please don't hesitate to reach out to us. We're here and happy to assist!

At River Mill Elementary, we are committed to ensuring every child has the opportunity to succeed. Through our Title I program, we work together with teachers, parents, and students to provide the support and resources needed to help every student thrive in reading and beyond. We recognize the importance of forming a strong partnership with families and community members in order to positively impact the students in our school. We value input from parents, guardians, and community members in decision making. Please review the attached document to view our process for engaging families as partners in the educational process.

Great news! This year, ALL students will receive free breakfast and lunch — and that includes meals on REID days too!

Link to the Nutrition Services Webpage

Since 2000, Todos Juntos has been a leading non-profit in Clackamas County, bringing the capacity and expertise needed to improve outcomes for rural communities. They have developed after-school programs that provide leadership development and pro-social opportunities for historically underserved populations, and have expanded their reach to offer community-based, comprehensive, and integrated programs in four Clackamas County communities.

Todos Juntos is proud to make a positive difference in the lives of many families — and we are proud to partner with them here at River Mill!

Please take a moment to check out their Early Learning Newsletter — it’s filled with helpful information and great resources for families! Just click the green link below to view it.

Cell phones and personal electronic devices need to be put in student’s backpack bell to bell. A personal electronic device—commonly referred to as a ‘cell phone’—is any device capable of making and receiving calls, sending text messages, or accessing the internet independently from the school’s network. This includes, but is not limited to, smartphones, flip phones, tablets, e-readers, smartwatches, smart glasses, and other web-capable devices, as well as the headphones or earbuds connected to them. In alignment with Executive Order 25-09 from the Oregon Governor’s Office (and ESD policy JFCEB), we will be following the guidance that electronic devices not be used during the school day. Students who disobey this rule or are in noncompliance with this rule, will have a conversation with the staff member to be reminded of the expectations on their first offense. For a second offense, the cell phone will be taken to the office until the end of the day. Parents will be notified and a meeting with school administration will be set up. If there is a third offense, the device will again be temporarily held, parents will be informed, and another meeting will be set up. Beyond a third instance of noncompliance, the school will determine appropriate consequences, always prioritizing keeping students in class and engaged in learning. The Elementary Schools will not be responsible for loss or damage to students’ cell phones or personal electronic devices brought to school.

Oregon law (ORS 329.479) permits parents/guardians and adult students* to annually opt out of Oregon’s statewide summative tests in English Language Arts (ELA) and/or Mathematics by submitting this form to the school the student attends. The school shall provide any student who is excused from a statewide ELA or mathematics test with supervised study time while other students are testing. To opt-out of OSAS statewide summative tests in English Language Arts (ELA) and/or Mathematics, please complete the form, provided in the button below. This form must be completed by the parent/guardian.

Visit Oregon’s Starting Smarter webpage (https://or.startingsmarter.org) to learn more about what your child should know and be able to do in English Language Arts and Math, to view sample test questions, and to read more about your child’s test results. Contact your child’s teacher or school principal with questions.