Riverview East Academy

Dear Parents,

This newsletter was supposed to go out in February, but as you might have guessed, there was a pretty big event that hit the school. It was the the largest flood of the decade. As you know, we were relocated to Jacob's Center that caused additional work for both teachers and administrators. Thank you for your continued support in our transitional space.

High School Intervention:

We have started our intervention for students to prepare them for the End Of Course Exams. These exams are required for graduation. Some of our students are not taking these classes very seriously. The district finds so much importance to these exams that they are going to be extending the student day next year to prepare students better. Even if a student is in ninth grade, they need to take the intervention offered and take the EOC test. These tests are taken in April. They are as follows:

ELA 9 April 12

ELA 9 April 13

ELA 10 April 16

ELA 10 April 17

***Make Ups April 18-20

Algebra 1 (HS only) - April 23

Geometry April 24

Biology April 25

US History April 26

American Government April 27

Algebra 1 (8th Grade) May 1

***Make Ups April 30th-May 4

As you can see, it is a very full schedule. We have a limited time to prepare students, and we are using every opportunity to do so. We found with the results we just received from the retake test in December that students who took the intervention seriously with their teachers made gains by either passing the test or gaining points towards passing.

We want each student to pass these tests. Some students have made it clear that since they have their points, they do not want to retake the tests. The problem is that on their permanent transcript it will read that they did not pass the test. This is confusing in that students can get a non-proficient score and still have their graduation points. Our expectation, however, is that students try for proficiency. We will be contacting parents of students who have made this choice to make sure the parents are also wanting this for their child. Again, it is important to think of the long range consequences for this decision.

Please speak with your child about where they attend intervention. We want them to all attend, and make sure they are taking these classes as seriously as every other class they are taking. Their graduation is at stake.

Middle School Intervention:

Like High School, there are specific interventions offered to students to prepare them for upcoming testing. This takes a different spin in that we have a small group of students who we believe would benefit for extra help in reading. They are in a program called Corrective Reading. This program allows students to make gains in their reading. The other students are working in a program called Front Row. This program can be used at home for practice in both math and reading. Please ask your child about this.

Elementary Intervention:

There are also very specific testing happening in elementary. One such test is the Third Grade Guarantee. Students in grades K-2 do a lot of preparations so that students can be prepared for this test. In grade 3, students have a very specific curriculum to assist students. In grades 4-6, students also work with the Middle School programs along with teacher created interventions. We believe that each student should be properly prepared for the tests they will be taking.

Thank you for making Riverview a Great School.

The primary students celebrated the 100th day on February 2nd. The day was full of fun 100th day activities!

In the morning, the 5th grade students helped the kindergarten make a patterned fruit loop necklaces. In the afternoon the kindergarten and autism units participated in 100th day stations. The students made a tower using 100 cups, licked a sucker 100 times, made a gumball machine with 100 gumballs, put together 100 piece puzzles, built structures using toothpicks and 100 marshmallows and made a 100 link chain. The students were even given a surprise visit by the Queen of 100--Mrs. Myers!

All the primary students made a special 100 day snack in the afternoon. Each student counted 10 items of 10 different treats. It was a delicious way to end the 100th day!

Social studies teacher Kevin Reilly has been teaching for five years, and has been here at Riverview for two years. In that time, he has become a trusted and highly respected part of the team.

Before coming to Riverview, Reilly taught at Cincinnati State STEM Academy, which he describes as “very different. It was a small charter school, just high school.” When he was there, he says, he “didn’t have as much supporting staff that helped me out” as he does at Riverview. Another thing he likes about Riverview is “the uniqueness of it, as a K-12 building.”

Reilly is passionate about his subject; he has a degree in History, and has always wanted to work in a field where he could “be around history.” In addition to his passion for his subject, he also enjoys his interactions with his students. He says, “A lot of the kids are great, they’re fun to interact with, and a lot of them are funny. There’s never a boring day.”

When I asked what the best part of the job was, Reilly replied, “Having 8th and 9th grade, and seeing a huge change in maturity and academic progress.”

There’s more to Reilly than just his job, of course—outside of school, he loves going to sporting events, especially “Xavier, the Reds . . . the Bengals, not so much.”

He also enjoys traveling—he frequently visits Chicago and Louisville, among other cities—and watching movies. When I asked him for his top three favorite movies, he said there would be “a lot of Scorsese.” He gave it some thought, and said, “Gangs of New York, the Departed . . . and can Lord of the Rings count as one?” I told him it could.

That’s Kevin Reilly: sports fan, movie lover, highly qualified teacher, and all-around good guy. We’re lucky to have him here at Riverview.

Read about it, talk about it, and think about it! Find ways for your child to build understanding, the ultimate goal of learning how to read. The tips below offer some fun ways you can help your child become a happy and confident reader. Try a new tip each week. See what works best for your child.

■ Make books special. Turn reading into something special. Take your kids to the library, help them get their own library card, read with them, and buy them books as gifts. Have a favorite place for books in your home or, even better, put books everywhere.

■ Get them to read another one. Find ways to encourage your child to pick up another book. Introduce him or her to a series like The Boxcar Children or The Magic Tree House or to a second book by a favorite author, or ask the librarian for additional suggestions.

■ Crack open the dictionary. Let your child see you use a dictionary. Say, “Hmm, I’m not sure what that word means… I think I’ll look it up.”

■ Talk about what you see and do. Talk about everyday activities to build your child’s background knowledge, which is crucial to listening and reading comprehension. Keep up a running patter, for example, while cooking together, visiting somewhere new, or after watching a TV show.

■ First drafts are rough. Encourage your child when writing. Remind him or her that writing involves several steps. No one does it perfectly the first time.

■ Different strokes for different folks. Read different types of books to expose your child to different types of writing. Some kids, especially boys, prefer nonfiction books.

■ Teach your child some “mind tricks”. Show your child how to summarize a story in a few sentences or how to make predictions about what might happen next. Both strategies help a child comprehend and remember.

■ “Are we there yet?” Use the time spent in the car or bus for wordplay. Talk about how jam means something you put on toast as well as cars stuck in traffic. How many other homonyms can your child think of? When kids are highly familiar with the meaning of a word, they have less difficulty reading it. Visit www.ReadingRockets.org for more information on how you can launch a child into a bright future through reading

Ohio’s Alternate Assessment for Students with Significant Cognitive Disabilities (AASCD)

The AASCD uses Ohio’s Extended Standards (OLS-E) and is designed to allow students with significant cognitive disabilities to demonstrate their knowledge and skills in an assessment. The AASCD will be administered by grade band (grades 3-5, grades 6-8, and High School). Students in grades 3, 4, 6 and 7 will be assessed in English language arts and mathematics. Students in grades 5 and 8 will be assessed in English language arts, mathematics and science. Students taking the High School- AASCD will be assessed in English language arts, mathematics, science and social studies.

The AASCD looks different than traditional testing. There are few written components and students answer test questions from a choice of 3 picture choices. Some examples of released test questions are pictured below. You can also go to the websites below for more released test questions.

Assigning students to participate in taking the AASCD is an IEP team decision. The following questions should be answered at the IEP meeting and will determine if the student is eligible.

Does the child have a significant cognitive disability? Is the student learning content based on the Extended Standards? Does the student require significant supports and modifications to participate in grade appropriate curriculum?

The AASCD test is given individually to students.

The testing window is from February 20, 2018- April 13, 2018. Results are available June 2018.

You can find more information at http://education.ohio.gov/Topics/Testing/Ohio-English-

Language-Proficiency- Assessment-OELPA/Ohios- Alternate-Assessment- for-Students- with-Sign or at http://oh-alt.portal.airast.org/.

Prepare for College Checklists

Junior Year

1. Often junior year grades are the final grades that will influence the college application.

2. Continue involvement in activities that will develop leadership skills; update the

academic and extracurricular portfolio. In you are not involved in extracurricular activities or work, it is not too late.

3. Set up the college application process checklist, college folders and calendar.

4.With your family, begin to learn about financial aid (grants, scholarships, loans, and

work-study).

5. Attend college fairs and visit college campuses during spring break and summer vacation.

6. Choose meaningful summer activities: academic or enrichment programs, volunteer

activities or employment.

7. Begin preparation for the application process (draft essays, assemble portfolios, contact coaches if you are an athlete, consider letters of recommendation, etc.).

8. Continue researching programs, narrow down your list.

These steps also apply when you are considering entering the workforce or military after high school:

1. Maintain your grades.

2. Do your research on the company and/or the military branch.

3. Consider participating in activities that will give you more exposure to the field (internships, ROTC, etc).

4. Create/update your resume.

5. Narrow down your choices and apply!

It’s never too early to prepare!

Guidelines for Keeping Students Home from School Due to Illness

Keep your child home from school if:

Your child was sick with vomiting or watery diarrhea within the last 24 hours. (Students

need to be free of vomiting and diarrhea for 24 hours before returning to school.)

Your child had a fever of 100° F or higher at anytime within the last 24 hours. (Students

must be without fever for 24 hours without fever reducing medications before

returning to school.)

Your child is being treated for strep throat (your child must be on antibiotics for 24 hours, and bring a note from provider before coming back to school.)

Your child has a lasting cough or a cold with fever and body aches.

Your child has been diagnosed with a communicable disease such as head lice,

ringworm, scabies, pink eye etc. (Students may return to school once the recommended

timeframe of treatment has been completed. Consult with your physician/provider and

school to determine when child can return.)

Communicable Diseases:

The school may send a student home if it appears that they may have a contagious illness. The parent may be asked to provide a doctor’s note indicating the symptoms have been evaluated before the student is allowed to return to school. The Ohio Department of Health Communicable Disease Chart serves as the guidelines for determining the recommendations for the student.

*In some instances the Guidelines for Keeping Students Home listed above are modified to prevent or contain an illness outbreak in a school.

Please call your doctor or school nurse if you have any questions or concerns, or if your child does not seem to be getting better.

A cold without fever should not be a reason to stay home from school.

GOOD HANDWASHING PREVENTS THE SPREAD OF ILLNESS!

The Riverview East Academy Academic Staff view homework as an integral part of the learning process and includes opportunities for students to reinforce, synthesize, and extend classroom learning.

Below are some homework rules that we at Riverview East Academy believe to be helpful to parents.

• Set aside a regular study time that is not interrupted by family plans, school activities, television or computer time, and with a definite beginning and ending time.

• Establish a study area, away from household distractions, with good light and space for studying.

• Make sure your children have materials they need to do assignments and a safe place to store them.

If students do not have written homework, they should be using the time to read and log their reading time in thei planner. All grades have an independent reading component that is required to pass language arts.

Parents, please remember that outside food is prohibited for students. Students are not allowed to order food during lunch, and they should not have food delivered to them at school.

PARENTS! Don't forget to check your students progress on PowerSchool. No account, no problem. See Ms. Katie in the main office at Riverview East Academy to sign up and create your very own account. PowerSchool will allow you to view your students grades in each of their classes, monitor your child's attendance, and keep you informed of any disciplinary actions. If you already have an account, the staff at Riverview East Academy encourages you to continue using PowerSchool to help keep your child on a path to success.

We are fortunate to have an after school program that offers students with great learning opportunities. There is also an after school activities bus that enables students to stay after school. This bus will start going to Mount Washington and then downtown. We want students to stay after school each day to get extra help with their work along with participating in excellent programming. Please sign up with Grad Cincinnati staff. Call Mr. Gittens at 363-3437 for further information.

Please click the link below to see all of the wonderful students who earned either a Hawk Award or Honor Roll award. Please click the link and go through the list to find your child. We have many amazing students at Riverview.

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1rRmb33Giw6q8skqA4XKknmP07Qukb1nk4zkSmYq5zUw/edit?usp=sharing

Riverview is now on Facebook and Twitter. Please like our page and follow our twitter handle for news, pictures, and announcements!

Twitter- @RiverviewHawks

Facebook- https://www.facebook.com/Riverview-East-Academy-558055017691872/

Riverview East Academy will create an environment in which all members of the school community work to ensure that every student meets and/or exceed the district's defined academic standards. To this end, we will continue to develop the necessary academic and social supports needed for each student to achieve educational success and become a productive and responsible citizen.

Website: http://rivervieweast.cps-k12.org/
Location: 3555 Kellogg Avenue, Cincinnati, OH, United States
Phone: 513-363-3400
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Riverview-East-Academy-558055017691872/
Twitter: @RiverviewHawks