Panther Tales

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Dear Ridgeview Community,

Welcome back! I hope everyone had a restful and enjoyable Spring Break. As we return, we are entering a busy and important time of the school year. Students will soon begin participating in upcoming assessments, and we are confident they will demonstrate all they have learned.

We are also excited to enter a time when we celebrate the many great things happening across our school. We hope to see you at our Spring Concerts and our Musical: Mean Girls, Jr! I have seen the students rehearsing and can say that we have a very talented cast this year! We are also looking forward to the many celebrations of our 8th graders as they transition to high school. This grade was my first class of 6th graders as the principal at RCMS. While I will be sad to see them go, I know that they will do exceptionally well in high school.

During this time, it is easy to get lost in the many events taking place. We hope this newsletter and the links contained below will help you to stay informed and participate as much as possible.

Thank you for your partnership as we work toward a strong finish to the school year.

Yours Truly,

Principal Garrett

April 20th: Milestones- Social Studies: 8th Grade Only

April 22-24: Milestones- ELA

April 27th: Jewish Heritage Club Meeting, 8:00 am in the Orchestra Room

April 27-28: Milestones- Math

April 29th: "Mean Girls Jr." Dress Down Day- Students must wear PINK to participate {Free!}

April 30th: Milestones- Algebra: Algebra Students Only

April 30-May 2: Mean Girls Jr. Musical {Scroll for Info!}. Purchase tickets HERE

May 1st: Deadline: Skip The Carpool Line Blind Auction {Scroll for Info}. Click HERE to bid.

May 1st: Milestones- Science/Phys Science: 8th Grade Only

May 6-7: Iready Diagnostics (Reading: ALL students; Math: 6th & 7th Only.)

May 12th: Band Concert at 6:00 PM

May 13th: PTA presentation for parents "Helping Students Learn", 7:30 am {Scroll for Info}

May 13th: Chorus Concert at 5:30 PM

May 13th: Orchestra Concert at 6:30 PM

May 15th: 8th Grade Ceremony 9:30-11:00 am {Scroll for Info}

May 16th: 8th Grade Dance {Scroll for Info} Purchase Ticket HERE.

May 18th: 8th Grade Picnic {Scroll for Info}

May 18th: OLYMPICS Opening Ceremony {Scroll for Info} Purchase Olympics t-shirt HERE

Georgia Milestones testing begins NEXT WEEK. As we prepare for the upcoming Georgia Milestones, we want all students to feel confident and ready to do their best! Here are a few helpful tips:

• Get a good night’s sleep before each testing day so you are well-rested and focused.
• Eat a healthy breakfast to fuel your brain.
• Arrive on time and come prepared with a positive mindset.
• Take your time—read each question carefully and check your work before moving on.
• Use strategies you’ve learned in class, such as eliminating wrong answers and showing your work when needed.
• Stay calm and do your best—remember, this is your opportunity to show what you know!

We are proud of the hard work our students have put in all year and know they are ready to succeed!

Why: To provide opportunities for both acceleration and remediation in next year's courses (both for students will be at Ridgeview AND students who are moving onto Riverwood).

• Reading: All students are required to take the reading diagnostic this year.

• Math: Only Grades 6 and 7 are required to take the iready math diagnostic.

Additional Information:

• ELA milestone results will not be available until November; therefore, these iReady results are needed in order to inform next year’s placement decisions.
• iReady results can influence summer school recommendations.
• For 8th Graders: iReady results can impact a student's high school course placement (e.g., Reading, Environmental Science vs. Biology).
• iReady results are also used for TAG testing eligibility.

As testing season approaches, it’s normal for students to feel nervous. A healthy level of stress can help with focus, but too much anxiety can interfere with performance. Here are simple ways families and students can work together to reduce test anxiety.

Tips for Parents

• Keep routines consistent. Regular sleep, meals, and study times help students feel calm and prepared.
• Focus on effort, not perfection. Praise hard work and preparation rather than test scores.
• Encourage positive self-talk. Help your child replace “I can’t do this” with “I am prepared and will do my best.”
• Limit last-minute pressure. Avoid cramming the night before; a relaxed evening leads to better focus.
• Listen and reassure. Acknowledge feelings and remind students that one test does not define them.

Tips for Students

• Prepare ahead of time. Break studying into small chunks instead of waiting until the last minute.
• Practice calming strategies. Try deep breathing, stretching, or quiet music before the test.
• Get a good rest. A full night of sleep helps memory and concentration..
• Eat a healthy meal. Fuel your brain with breakfast or a balanced snack.
• Do your best and move on. Focus on one question at a time and avoid worrying about previous answers.

Remember

Tests are just one way to show what you know. Confidence, preparation, and a calm mindset can make a big difference. If you have questions or need additional support, please feel free to reach out to any counselor.

If your child has been struggling lately — school feels harder, emotions feel bigger, or something just feels off — Cartwheel, our virtual mental health partner, is here to help.

• Appointments with a licensed therapist within days
• Virtual, flexible scheduling — evenings and weekends available
• Available in English, Spanish, and other languages
• Free with Medicaid; most private insurance accepted

Cartwheel also offers parent guidance sessions — a chance for you to talk through what you're seeing and get some support. You don't need a referral or a crisis to reach out. Get started by filling out this simple interest form.

Join the Spring Library Love Beanstack Reading Challenge, running April 13–May 15! Students can log reading minutes and complete fun activities to fill in their bingo boards. Read, explore, and earn bingo as you build great reading habits this spring.

Log in through Beanstack and start reading today!

Congratulations to the Girls' A soccer team on their 2-1 win against Atlanta Classical Academy. They will face AIS on Tuesday, April 21 @ AIS in the semi-finals. Let's go Panthers!!!!

Like field day- but for THREE days. All students are assigned to a country and can sign up to compete in fun games on behalf of their country. Everything from quizbowl, ultimate frisbee, tug-of-war, tricycle race and THE MILE! Students who are not competing cheer on their country. Each country wears a different color shirt which can be purchased HERE.

Please include teacher's homeroom in the notes section! If you would like to donate an extra shirt to a student in need, please write "donation" in the notes section. Shirts will be distributed to the students the week prior to the opening ceremonies.

FUN FACT: Did you know that the flags that hang in the front entrance hallway are ACTUAL flags from the 1996 Atlanta Olympics? They were gifted to RCMS in honor of our ongoing annual Olympics!

Mean Girls Jr. The Musical is almost here and you do NOT want to miss it. You can purchase tickets online in advance or at the door. The link to purchase tickets is HERE.

Wednesday, April 29th, PINK DAY! To celebrate the opening of our musical, students who wear PINK may dress down. (No charge to participate)

Thank you to Artemis Smiles Orthodontics and the Ridgeview Foundation Members for supporting this program!

Good news! If you missed the March 30th deadline, you MAY still be able to snag a yearbook (LIMITED STOCK REMAINING) through the school OSP while supplies last. If the link does not work, the remaining yearbooks have sold out.

Hoping to avoid the carpool line next school year??? Participate in our Blind Auction for a chance to win one of FOUR (4) VIP parking spots that allow you to bypass the line and pick up your students from a special VIP area! Even better- all proceeds benefit the RCMS Foundation and our students! Click HERE to submit your bid!

During the month of April, The Panther Store will be open Tuesdays from 8:30-9:05. The in person Panther Store will close for the school year at the end of April. The online store is always available!

Have a student completing 5th grade this spring? Celebrate their promotion to Ridgeview with spirit wear from The Panther Store! See below for details.

We will post information in this section that is received from RICS and applicable to our current 8th graders transitioning to RICS. However, Parents are responsible for monitoring the Riverwood Website and Riverwood Athletics Website for complete information on RICS programs and opportunities.

If your child is enrolled in a high school credit course, you will have the option to accept or decline credit for each class. In May, you will receive an email with detailed information once teachers have finalized grades. At that time, you will be asked to respond via email with your decision for each course. If you choose to accept the credit, the grade will be recorded on your child’s high school transcript. If you choose to decline the credit, the grade will not appear on the transcript, and your child may be required to retake the course in high school.

We are excited to celebrate our 8th grade students as they reach this important milestone!

Please note that space and parking are limited and the school will communicate a plan for family attendance in the near future.

Volunteers will be needed for the check in table, please consider signing up HERE.

We look forward to honoring our students and this special moment together!

The 8th Grade Dance is on Saturday, May 16th in the RCMS gym. This year's theme is “Tropic Like It’s Hot”...a tropical-inspired night, complete with a neon glow party. We are excited to make this a memorable event for our 8th graders!

Students can look forward to a night of music, dancing, and fun as they celebrate finishing middle school. Tickets are on sale HERE!

Help us celebrate the entire 8th grade class with an epic 8th Grade Picnic! The PTA will provide Chick-fil-A sandwiches, chips, drinks and a dessert truck, plus live DJ entertainment and field games. Your supplemental donation helps us make this event extra special for our students- donate HERE . Thank you for your support!

Volunteers will be needed for set up, clean up, and during the event. Sign up HERE.

Coach Russo is hosting a player/parent information meeting on Monday, April 20, at 5 pm in the Riverwood Coffee Shop. The coffee shop is room 1209 on the first floor, and there will be a sign by the door pointing you in that direction. Rising 9th-graders/parents are encouraged to attend!

Tryouts for the fall 2026 season will be held at the Riverwood Softball Field from 4-6 pm on Monday and Tuesday, May 4 and May 5. Rising 9th graders will try out from 5-6 pm to accommodate local school dismissal times.

Got Pics of our Panthers doing anything RCMS Related? Submit them to PanthertalesRCMS@gmail.com and you might just see them here!

Ridgeview students just returned from a fabulous spring break trip exploring PERU!

Gracias to Senora Evans for coming out to support her 8th grade students in their Jr Raiders Lacrosse match vs Marist yesterday!

Congratulations to the B soccer team on completing a winning season! They wrapped play just before spring break with an 8-0 shutout over Intown. Nice work Panthers!

Information published in Panther Tales is limited to communications directly from RCMS, RCMS PTA, RCMS Foundation, Fulton County Schools or our feeder schools and can be submitted it to PanthertalesRCMS@gmail.com.

If you wish to share promotional material related to a local opportunity such as a camp, sports program or other business geared towards our students, you can learn how to distribute your materials through Peach Jar by clicking here.

Thank you to these partners in our community who have chosen to support RCMS!