Principal's Weekly Update #10

Greetings Pirate Families,

Welcome to a new week at Riverside High School! On Monday, October 26, we begin a new quarter, a fresh opportunity for our students to reflect, reset, and recommit to their academic goals. As we move into quarter two of the semester, let’s encourage our Pirates to take ownership of their learning, make the most of every classroom experience, and finish the semester strong.

The start of a new quarter is a reminder that every day brings an opportunity to grow, improve, and make progress toward our goals. Thank you for your continued partnership and support as we work together to ensure that Every Classroom. Every Student. Everyday. reflects our commitment to excellence.

“Every new quarter is a chance to turn what we’ve learned into what we can achieve. Let’s move forward with purpose, embrace every opportunity, make each day count, and keep the main thing the main thing.”

— A New Quarter, A New Opportunity

Let’s make this a great second quarter, Pirates!

Your voice matters! There is still time to help shape Riverside High School’s School Improvement Plan. We invite families to review our proposed goals for teaching, learning, and student support and share feedback by Friday, October 30.

To participate:

1. Visit the Durham Public Schools website at DPSNC.net.
2. Select “Help Shape Our School’s Improvement Plan.”
3. Review the plan, use the guest login information provided, and complete the feedback survey.
4. Be sure to select Riverside High School when completing the survey.

Thank you to everyone who has already shared feedback! Your input helps us better understand what matters most to our families and how we can continue improving the educational experience and support we provide for our students.

There is so much to celebrate at Riverside! Thank you to the students, staff, families, and community partners who continue to make our school special. Congratulations to our Pirates on these outstanding accomplishments!

• Three-Peat Champions! Congratulations to our men's cross-country team for winning the 2026 Tobacco Road Athletic Conference Championship for the third consecutive year! What an outstanding accomplishment!
• Hispanic Heritage Cultural Night: A huge thank-you to Ms. Ballon, Mr. Velez, and all our student organizers and performers for making the 2026 Hispanic Heritage Cultural Night a tremendous success. Thank you for sharing your culture, talent, and traditions with our Pirate family!
• PLTW Engineering Speaker Series: Thank you to our Project Lead The Way (PLTW) teachers and families for hosting an informative Engineering Speaker Series last Friday. We especially appreciated the Pirate alumni who returned to share their experiences and the meaningful work they are doing in our communities.
• Flag Football Senior Night: Congratulations to our seniors and their families who were recognized on Senior Night! The Pirates made the evening even more memorable with a 25–6 victory over Jordan High School.
• JROTC Drill Competition: Congratulations to Major Bond, Sgt. Major McPherson, and our JROTC cadets for earning top honors in Unarmed Regulation Drill, Color Guard, Armed Regulation Drill, and Armed Knockout at the Red, White, and Blue Drill Competition at 71st High School in Fayetteville, NC. Your discipline, teamwork, and commitment to excellence make us proud!
• Pirates Serving Our Community: Shout-out to members of our men's and women's soccer teams who supported a community service project with teachers and students at Club Boulevard Elementary. Thank you for demonstrating the power of service and teamwork!
• Pirates Inspire Young Learners: Our Pirate Athletics Media team and members of our cross-country, volleyball, cheer, and football teams visited Easley Elementary on Tuesday morning. Our student-athletes were outstanding role models for the first-grade students. Thank you for representing Riverside so well!

Want to see more Pirate Pride? Photos from these events are available on the live feed of our school website.

• Our school attendance last week: 82.%

• Goal for next week: 95%

• Reminder: Every day matters! If your student will be out, please let us know.

• We can do BETTER!

Monday, October 26

• Senior Parent and FAFSA Night at 5:30–7:30 p.m. RHS counselors will share information about postsecondary opportunities and supports for seniors. The first information session begins at 5:30 p.m. At 6:00 p.m., the focus will shift to FAFSA information, including one-on-one assistance for families completing the forms and paperwork.

Tuesday–Wednesday, October 27–28

• ACT WorkKeys Testing: Testing for eligible senior CTE concentrators. Or goal is 95% participation. Pirates, govern yourselves accordigly.

Thursday, October 29

• RHS Haunted House: October 29–31, 4:30–8:30 p.m. The event location - Auditorium, admission - $10, and intended audience - middle and high school.
  

Friday, October 30

• Quarter 1 Report Cards Distributed
• Deadline to provide feedback on Riverside’s School Improvement Plan
• Varsity Football at Chapel Hill High School at 7:00 p.m.

Please mark your calendars and encourage your students to stay informed, prepared, and engaged.

The Riverside High School PTA wants to recognize our amazing staff! The past few weeks have presented challenges, and our faculty and staff have continued to respond with grace, resilience, and dedication to our students.

The PTA is planning a fun, Halloween-themed treat day to remind our staff how much we appreciate everything they do for our children—especially the many ways they go above and beyond the call of duty.

Families, we need your help!

• Sign up to donate an item or contribute funds to make this appreciation event a success.
• Items may be sent with students beginning Monday, October 26, labeled “PTA HOSPITALITY” and delivered to the front office, or brought in on the morning of Wednesday, October 28.
• If bringing or sending items is difficult, the PTA may be able to assist. Please contact Stephanie Riley at 919-491-9803 to discuss arrangements.

Please use the PTA sign-up link or QR code provided with this update to participate.

Thank you for helping us celebrate and encourage the people who work so hard for our Pirates. Your generosity makes a difference!

Click here to sign-up or use the QR code.

The Riverside Athletic Booster Club is excited to begin preparations for the 2026 Riverside Athletics Hall of Fame! This special event will celebrate the outstanding athletes, coaches, and contributors who have helped shape the history and tradition of Riverside Athletics.

As we prepare to recognize this year's honorees, we are seeking local businesses and community partners interested in sponsoring event tables and supporting the celebration. Sponsorships help us honor the legacy of our Pirate family while investing in the future of Riverside Athletics.

Here is how you can help:

• Explore Sponsorship Opportunities: Share the sponsorship information with local businesses, organizations, and community partners who may be interested in supporting Riverside Athletics.
• Purchase Tickets: Join us in celebrating the people and accomplishments that have made Pirate Athletics special.
• Spread the Word: Forward the event information to friends, alumni, and members of our community.

Please use the Sponsorship and Registration links provided with this update for additional information, sponsorship opportunities, and ticket purchases.

Let's come together to celebrate the tradition, excellence, and Pirate Pride that make Riverside Athletics so special!

Winter Sports Tryouts and Athletic Eligibility

Winter sports tryouts are scheduled for the week of October 26. Families should contact the appropriate head coach for specific tryout dates, times, and requirements.

Head Coach Contacts

• Men's Basketball: Christopher_Mayshack@dpsnc.net
• Women's Basketball: Keith_Jacquier@dpsnc.net
• Wrestling: Sean_Nickson@dpsnc.net
• Swimming and Diving: sball77@gmail.com
• Indoor Track and Field: Jason_Smoots@gmail.com

Winter Sports Ticket to Play Is Now Open!

The Ticket to Play process is available for indoor track and field, basketball cheer, men's basketball, women's basketball, wrestling, and swimming and diving.

To complete the process:

1. Complete your student's DragonFly profile to 100%.
2. Upload all required documents, including a current physical.
3. Submit the Ticket to Play Google Form once the DragonFly profile is complete.
4. The Athletic Department will review the submission and contact you through the email listed in DragonFly if anything is incomplete. Please make corrections and resubmit promptly.

Helpful links:

• DragonFly Athletics
• Winter Sports Ticket to Play Form

Please complete all requirements as soon as possible to help ensure your student is prepared for tryouts.

Pirate Athletics: Games This Week

We invite our families and community to come out and support our student-athletes! Your presence and encouragement make a difference.

Volunteer Opportunities: We need volunteers at our games and athletic contests. Please share the volunteer sign-up information with your parent groups and help us fill the available opportunities. Please use the volunteer sign-up link provided with this update. CLICK HERE TO SIGN-UP

Monday, October 26

• Flag Football vs. Northern — 6:00 p.m. at Southern Durham

Tuesday, October 27

• Men's Soccer vs. Chapel Hill — JV at 5:00 p.m.; Varsity at 6:45 p.m.

Friday, October 30

• Varsity Football at Chapel Hill High School — 7:00 p.m.

Please check the school's athletic communications for any schedule changes.

Game Highlights: Pirates on the Rise!

Women's Flag Football: A Shutout Victory!

Our Riverside Pirates bounced back from an overtime loss to Southern School of Energy and Sustainability with an impressive 22–0 victory over the Cary Imps!

The Pirates have been delivering strong performances all season, recording six victories by 22 points or more. Their recent success includes 14 wins in their last 18 games dating back to last year, bringing their season record to 7–2.

Congratulations to our flag football team and coaches for their resilience, determination, and continued success!

Varsity Football: A Dominant 41–7 Victory!

The Pirates delivered an outstanding performance against East Chapel Hill, earning a decisive 41–7 victory!

Offensive Highlights

• Taylen Lea led the offense with three rushing touchdowns and three touchdown passes.
• Leighton Lascallette, Dakari Monds, and D’Marte McMillian-Pearson each caught touchdown passes.
• Devin Carroll contributed significant rushing yards to power the Riverside offense.

Defensive Highlights

• Josh Elmenshawi, Elijah McDonald, and Alex Roper led the defense with double-digit tackles.
• Mohammed Tall, HK Nicholson, and Marcus Hargroves each recorded key interceptions, helping keep the East Chapel Hill offense in check.

Congratulations to our players and coaches on an outstanding team effort!

The Pirates conclude their regular-season play this Friday at Chapel Hill High School at 7:00 p.m. Let's show up and support our team as they finish strong!

Pirate Families, thank you for your continued partnership, encouragement, and Pirate Pride. As we begin the second quarter, let's remind our students that progress comes from consistent effort, positive choices, and a willingness to learn from every experience.

Encourage your Pirate to set a goal, establish strong habits, attend school daily, and take advantage of every opportunity to grow. Together, we can make this quarter one of achievement, connection, and success.

Every Classroom. Every Student. Everyday.

With Pirate Pride,