The Richey Weekly

Good morning, Richey Family!

Thank you for making last week’s Principal Appreciation celebration so special for Dr. McCormick. Your participation, thoughtful gestures, and positive energy reflected the caring community we continue to build at Richey.

On a personal note, many of you already know that I am a huge Eagles fan, so after that tough loss, I may need some extra tea, a protein shake, and plenty of hugs! However, just like we encourage our students to do, we will reset, regroup, and come back stronger!

We have another busy and exciting week ahead, including National School Lunch Week, Remarkable Red Clay Day, our fire drill, Family STEM Night, and Friday’s Staff In-Service Day. Let’s continue supporting one another, maintaining consistent routines, and creating engaging learning experiences for our students. Please review this week’s important dates, reminders, and resources. Thank you for everything you do to help our students learn, grow, and thrive!

Mission

Our mission is to deliver quality education in a safe and secure learning environment while nurturing the needs of the whole child.

Vision

The Richey Community nurtures the whole child through diverse learning experiences, academic excellence, and continuous collaborative efforts.

This Week

• October 13: Fire Drill at 1:30 p.m. and Remarkable Red Clay Day- wear red

• October 15: Family STEM Night from 6:00–7:30 p.m. and Woody's on Wheels from 11:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m.

• October 16: Staff In-Service Day

Looking Ahead

• October 19: Richey Pride Day and Staff Flu Clinic from 8:00–9:00 a.m.

• October 21: Grade 4 Field Trip to Kalmar Nyckel

• October 22: Faculty Meeting at 7:45 a.m.

• October 23: SAEBRS and Trusted Adult Survey window closes

• October 23: Building switches over to heat

• October 24: PTO Trunk or Treat from 2:00–4:00 p.m.

• October 26: Kindergarten In-House Field Trip to Winterthur

• October 28: MTSS Tier 2/3 Team Meeting at 7:45 a.m.

• October 30: End of Marking Period 1

• October 30: Storybook Character Day and Pumpkin Palooza

• October 30: Principal Meeting at 9:30 a.m.

• November 2: Grading Day

Please join us in welcoming our new Kindergarten teacher, Ms. Kendall Fink, to Richey! Ms. Fink joins us from Odyssey Charter School, where she gained experience supporting students in both general and special education settings. We are excited to welcome Ms. Fink early this week and look forward to having her as part of the Richey family!

Thank you to our incredible Richey nutrition team for providing healthy, delicious meals that fuel our students and support their learning each day. We appreciate everything you do for our school community!

PAWS AWARD CEREMONY

Our first PAWS Award Ceremony of the school year will take place during Morning Meeting in each homeroom.

Teachers should select two students for each award category:

• Academic All-Star
• PAWS Pride
• Bucket Filler

Please celebrate your students and take pictures to share with their families! Teachers may use the provided Smart Board slide or create their own. New award certificates are available digitally, and printed copies will be kept in the Work Room. White cardstock is available in the Main Office and Work Room for staff who would like to print their own.

• PAWS Ceremony Slide
• Richey Certificates for MP

Thank you to Carolina for creating our new certificates!

PUMPKIN PALOOZA & STORYBOOK CHARACTER DAY

Following the PAWS celebration, students will participate in Pumpkin Palooza and Storybook Character Day. This is a free PAWS event, and all students are included.

Please remember:

• Costumes may not include masks or play weapons.
• Students will create pumpkin crafts and participate in pumpkin-themed learning activities.
• Craft materials will be provided before October 30.
• Each grade level should select a common time to complete the activities.
• Teachers may use the resources included in Ms. Durant’s email or incorporate their own pumpkin-themed activities.

Optional Resources

• Spookley the Square Pumpkin Video
• Spookley the Square Pumpkin Read-Aloud

Please contact Ms. Durant or your team leader with any questions or if you need assistance accessing the materials.

All staff must complete the training that applies to their role:

• Test Administrators and Proctors: Register for PDMS Course #24246 and complete all three modules through:
  ClassLink → DeSSA Resources → Training → Test Administrator Training
  Completion is required to administer IAB, Smarter Balanced, and DeSSA assessments and access Assessment Viewing Application (AVA)

• Staff Who Will Not Administer or Proctor: Complete PDMS Course #26402.

• All staff must also complete the DeSSA Test Security Non-Disclosure Agreement and submit it to Ms. Irving by October 30.

BEHAVIOR DOCUMENTATION & PARENT CONTACT

Every behavior referral submitted in DSC requires a parent or guardian phone call. Document all conversations and contact attempts in DSC i-Tracker, including when a telephone number is disconnected, not working, or no one can be reached.

When documenting incidents involving students with a Behavior Support Plan (BSP), please review:

• Behavior Incidents and BSPs: Full Guidance
• Behavior Incidents and BSPs: One-Page Guide

These resources provide guidance on when and how behavior incidents should be documented in RAP.

BSP resources contributed by Nadia Johnson

SNACK REMINDER

Please ensure that all school-provided snacks are eaten at school during the designated snack time and are not sent home with students. This helps prevent food, wrappers, and other trash from being left on buses or throughout the community. Thank you for helping students dispose of all snack-related trash before dismissal.

HOST THE MORNING ANNOUNCEMENTS

All classrooms and learning spaces are invited to host our Friday morning announcements! Use the Morning Announcements Sign-Up Sheet to select a date through January. Please note that some announcements may be broadcast on Thursday when school is closed on Friday. Thanks for joining the fun!

WOODY'S ON WHEELS IS BACK!

Woody’s on Wheels has been rescheduled for October 15. Staff members who would like to order lunch should review the menu and preorder here. Please preorder in advance so your meal is ready!

RECESS SAFETY: A SHARED FOCUS

We have had 10 reported recess incidents, making recess our second-highest location for behavior referrals after classrooms. This is not shared to place blame, but to help us identify an area where our collective attention can make an immediate difference.

During recess, please:

• Remain in your assigned supervision zone.
• Move throughout the area and continuously scan.
• Spread out rather than gathering with other adults.
• Engage with students and address concerns before they escalate.
• Respond promptly when a student needs support.

Your active presence helps prevent incidents and ensures recess remains safe and enjoyable for everyone. Thank you for continuing to work together to support our students.

SCHOOL SAFETY REMINDER

Please remain observant throughout the school day, especially during arrival and dismissal. If something does not look or feel right, contact administration or the main office immediately and do not attempt to intervene. Staff should also remain familiar with our Standard Response Protocol (SRP). Review the recent school safety incident shared by the district constable.

DONATION WEBSITE REQUESTS

Staff members planning to use donation websites such as DonorsChoose or AdoptAClassroom must receive approval from Dr. McCormick before submitting or publishing a project.

Please provide a copy of the proposed website content for review. Requests should include a clear plan for how the project will support students and staff while aligning with Richey’s mission, vision, and CIP goals.

SAEBRS & TRUSTED ADULT SURVEY

The SAEBRS and Trusted Adult Survey window is open from October 5–23.

SAEBRS

• Grades K–2: Homeroom teachers complete the screener for students.

• Grades 3–5: Students complete MySAEBRS independently.

• Access through FastBridge in ClassLink.

Trusted Adult Survey

• Grades 1–2: Teachers ask the questions and record student responses.

• Grades 3–5: Students complete the survey independently.

• A Spanish version is available.

Please refer to Ms. Durant’s email for links and additional information.

PROTECTING RICHEY’S BRAND

When using AI to create school materials, please protect Richey’s official logo and mascot:

• Do not ask AI to recreate or redesign the logo or mascot.

• Create the design first, then add the official image afterward using Canva, Adobe, or another design program.

• Before publishing or printing, carefully check the school name, spelling, colors, logo, and mascot.

Please refer to Alva’s September 30 email, sent at 8:01 a.m., for additional information.

PLC Meeting Agendas

The Red Clay and RCEA negotiated agreement describes a Professional Learning Community as an ongoing process in which educators work collaboratively to achieve better results for students. PLCs are intended to be teacher-driven and are expected to meet for 45 minutes each week.

The agreement states that “PLCs are required to have an agenda, but no minutes shall be submitted.” To provide teams with a central location for maintaining their required agendas, team leads should add each PLC agenda to the PLC Agenda Shared Folder . Meeting minutes are not required.

Instructional Walkthroughs

Instructional walkthroughs are underway using the district’s 2026–27 Walkthrough Tool. These brief visits highlight effective instruction and help administration identify opportunities to support teachers and students. Please review the tool and its areas of focus.

Family STEM Night

Please consider volunteering for Family STEM Night on Thursday, October 15!

Your support will help make this a fun and engaging evening for our Richey students and families and something delicious will be provided for our volunteers! If you are interested in helping, please reach out to Angela Morrow.

• Staff Hours: Contractual hours are 8:45 a.m.–4:15 p.m. Schedule changes require administrative approval.
• Absences: Enter absences in DSC and Frontline promptly. Contact administration directly for a last-minute absence, late arrival, or early departure: Dr. McCormick—302-757-4877 or Ms. Irving—484-368-2768.
• Daily Coverage: Review the Daily Staff Coverage Assignments each morning.
• Building Access: Badge in daily and ensure exterior doors close and lock behind you. Never leave doors propped open or unattended.
• Morning Arrival: Please close vehicle doors gently when assisting students.
• Replacement badges are available at the Red Clay District Office, 1502 Spruce Avenue, directly behind Baltz Elementary School.

RCCSD LETRS Cohort Opportunities

To support the Science of Reading requirements outlined in SB 4, Red Clay is offering LETRS cohorts for PreK–3 educators. Eligible educators currently serving students may receive a monetary stipend after successfully completing all course requirements.

Available Cohorts

• LETRS Early Childhood (PreK–K): DSC #137596

• LETRS Volume 1, Cohort 3 (K–3): DSC #137597

• LETRS Volume 1, Cohort 4 (K–3): DSC #137598

• LETRS Volume 2, Cohort 1 (K–3): DSC #137600

• LETRS Volume 2, Cohort 2 (K–3): DSC #137602

Cohorts begin in November or January. Space is limited, so interested educators should review the dates and register in DSC.

• November cohorts: Register by October 30

• January cohorts: Register by December 11

Please contact Kelly Harkins with questions.

Arts & Letters Learning Labs

Great Minds is offering free, virtual 60-minute Learning Labs to provide teachers with practical strategies for instructional planning and Arts & Letters implementation.

Available Times: 4:00–5:00 p.m. | 5:15–6:15 p.m. | 7:00–8:00 p.m.

Teachers may earn professional learning and buyback hours by registering in DSC. View the registration directions.

Contributed by Kelly Harkins

Arts & Letters Implementation Resources

Year 1 Implementation Overview

Module 1 Deep Dives: Kindergarten | First Grade | Second Grade | Third Grade | Fourth Grade | Fifth Grade

IPR and Mark Reporting Calendars

• 2026–2027 Interim Progress Reporting Schedule

• 2026–2027 Mark Reporting Schedule

Contributed by Corey Heacock, Ed.D.

Elementary Math Resources & Updates

The User-Friendly Elementary Math MTSS Guidebook is available to support staff with identifying student needs, planning interventions, and navigating the Math MTSS process. Updated data-collection templates are also available under the yellow Cycle Review tab of the MTSS-A User Guide. Please make a copy before entering data. Staff may also use the updated Analyze the Data chart when reviewing i-Ready results.

Additional Math Updates

• DreamBox: Teachers can create Math Expressions assignments, and priority standards have been added for each grade level. View the assignment directions.

• Student Activity Books: Check all books, especially Volume 2, for copies containing answers. Notify Meaghan as soon as possible if replacements are needed.

• Assessment Data: At the end of the year, K–3 teachers should enter Math Expressions results in ProgressBook, and grades 4–5 should enter results in iTracker.

• Morning Work: Consider using a math center or game to provide meaningful practice and engagement.

Contributed by Meaghan Echeverria

Principal Appreciation Week Winners

Congratulations to Ms. Reynolds, who found 31 mini photos of Dr. McCormick and won the Principal Appreciation Week challenge! She will receive a Dunkin’ gift card, and her class will enjoy an extra recess.

Congratulations also to Room 302, our runner-up with 24 photos! Their class will also receive an extra recess. Thank you to everyone who participated and to the PTO for sponsoring the prizes and making the week so much fun!

👻 You’ve Been Booooked!

The PTO’s classroom book-sharing activity is underway! Two bags will circulate, one for K–2 and Autism classrooms and one for grades 3–5.

When your class receives a bag:

1. Read the Book Fairies’ letter and enjoy the books.
2. Return all materials to the bag.
3. Check your class off the teacher list.
4. Display the “We’ve Been Booooked” tag on your door.
5. Surprise another classroom within your grade group.

Please keep door tags displayed through October 31 and return all bags and materials to the PTO mailbox by November 2.

🍬 Feed and Name the Candy Monster

The Candy Monster will remain in the front lobby through October 23, collecting individually wrapped candy, snacks, and non-food treats for Trunk or Treat.

• Submit a name suggestion
• View the Amazon Wish List

🎃 Annual Trunk or Treat - October 24 | 2:00–4:00 p.m. (Richey Back Parking Lot)

This event is open to Richey students, staff, and their families. This is not a drop-off event; parents and guardians must remain with their children.

• Volunteer or decorate a vehicle
• RSVP for Trunk or Treat

All volunteers will be entered into an end-of-year raffle for a $50 gift certificate.

📅 Future PTO Meetings

• January 12
• March 16
• May 11

Help us celebrate our Richey family!

• October 26: JeanMarie Jordan
• October 29: Amber Merritt
• October 31: Amy O'Neill

During one lesson this week, pause for a moment and quietly notice:

• A student who is more engaged than before
• A question that shows deeper thinking
• A small sign of progress that might otherwise go unnoticed

Instructional growth does not always happen in big, visible moments. Sometimes it is found in a raised hand, a thoughtful response, or a student who keeps trying. Take a moment to recognize the learning happening right in front of you. 💙