Red Pride Weekly - Family Edition

Greetings Gladiator Families!

Thanks for a successful September. Our focus on attendance led to over 95% attendance for the month. While our monthly focus will change each month, we need to stay focused on going to school each day. In order to successfully lower our chronic absenteeism rate, we will need to maintain a 95% or higher attendance rate throughout the year.

Upcoming Dates

• Thursday, October 8 - End of 1st Grading Period
• Friday, October 9 - NNAT3 Screening for 2nd graders
• Monday, October 12 - No School for Students; Parent Conferences
• Tuesday, October 13 - No School for Students; Professional Development Day
• Tuesday, October 13 - Community Meeting - 1% Sales Tax Referendum; 6:30 pm, RHS
• Wednesday, October 14 - PTA Meeting; 5:30 pm, Library
• Thursday, October 15 - Report Cards Distributed
• Thursday, October 15 - Fall Picture Makeup Day
• Thursday, October 15 - Great Shakeout Earthquake Drill
• Monday, October 19 - 2nd Grade Performance; 6:00 pm, Gym
• Friday, October 23 - PTA Boo Bash
• Monday, November 2 - No School for Students - Professional Development Day
• Tuesday, November 3 - No School for Students - Election Day / PD Day

Shout Out

This week's shout out goes to our amazing custodial team; Mrs. Kim, Mr. Juan, Mr. Mark and Mr. Cody. Friday was National School Custodian Appreciation Day. Students shared cards and treats to say thank you to our team. Ms. Klein's class invited Mrs. Kim to their classroom to say thank you with a "We would be 'muffin' without you" sign and a gift of muffins.

As a reminder, breakfast and lunch are free for all Riverheads Elementary students. Gladiators in grades PK, K and 1 will have breakfast delivered to the classroom and they will select their breakfast there. Gladiators in grades 2 - 5, will need to stop in the cafeteria on their way in the building to pick up their breakfast before heading to their classroom. All students in grade K-5 make their lunch choices when they arrive in the classroom each morning

You can also find the breakfast and lunch menu on our website by going to Our School > Menu.

Please note that menus are subject to change.

1. All sandwiches served with option of dark green lettuce & tomato slice.

2. All side salads & chef salads are made with romain lettuce and/or fresh spinach.

3. Raw Veggie Cup = may contain a mixture of celery, cucumbers, cauliflower, & green peppers.

4. Manager's Choice (USDA) may be substituted for one of the other entrees listed above.

Each month we will celebrate a different aspect of life at Riverheads Elementary. October is Bullying Prevention Month, and we know that encouraging Empathy is one of the most successful ways to prevent bullying. When students are able to put themselves in someone else's shoes and see the world from their perspective, they will be less likely to pick on or bully others. Please help us support our Gladiators by encouraging empathy, kindness and respect for others.

We have a number of activities scheduled for the month of October.

Counselors School-Wide Activity

Counselors are building on the theme with a new school-wide book and art project inspired by Beneath by Cori Doerrfeld.

Students will explore the idea that there is often much more to a person than what we can see on the surface. Our hope is to encourage students to look closer, listen longer, and choose kindness, remembering that everyone has a story we may not completely see. Everyone will create a two-sided quilt square showing a little of what others see and what makes them who they are “beneath” the surface. Hundreds of individual squares will then come together to create one giant school-wide quilt mural. Our message: “You can see my square, not my whole story.”

School-wide Assembly

We have Leslie Rob, a teacher, comedian, and an author, coming to present to our Gladiators on October 20. She recently wrote a book called The Butter Bus Bullies. She is from VA and often tours with the Bored Teachers comedy circuit.

Family Resources

What is Bullying?

Bullying is unwanted, aggressive behavior that involves a real or perceived power imbalance. The behavior is repeated or has the potential to be repeated over time. Bullying can occur in person or online (cyberbullying). Bullying may include:

• Physical actions, such as hitting, pushing, or damaging belongings
• Verbal actions, such as name-calling, teasing, or threats
• Social behaviors, such as excluding others, spreading rumors, or public embarrassment
• Cyberbullying through text messages, social media, gaming platforms, or other digital spaces

Below you will find a Family Guide to Recognizing and Responding to Bullying taken from the VSBA's Sample Parent/Caregiver Guide: Recognizing and Responding to Bullying.

Strawbridge will be returning on Thursday, October 15 for Fall Retake Picture. Students who require retakes and those that were not here for our first Fall pictures will have their picture taken the morning of 10/15.

We are grateful to have Mrs. Bobbie Berkstresser (Nurse Bobbie) and Mrs. Meagan McGuire (Nurse Meagan) serving our Gladiators. It is a wonderful gift to have two RNs on staff!

If your child requires medication, please work with our nurses to ensure that that an up-to-date medication permission form is complete and that the appropriate medication has been brought to the clinic. If your child has other medical needs, please reach out to our nurses to discuss these needs with so that we can implement plans as necessary.

Last year, our school came together through Where Oliver Fits, creating our giant puzzle wall and celebrating the idea that everyone has a place where they belong. During our next guidance rotation, beginning next week, we are building on that experience with a new school-wide book and art project inspired by Beneath by Cori Doerrfeld.

Students will explore the idea that there is often much more to a person than what we can see on the surface. Our hope is to encourage students to look closer, listen longer, and choose kindness, remembering that everyone has a story we may not completely see.

Just like last year’s puzzle, our students and grown-ups will each contribute a piece! Everyone will create a two-sided quilt square showing a little of what others see and what makes them who they are “beneath” the surface. Hundreds of individual squares will then come together to create one giant school-wide quilt mural. Our message: “You can see my square, not my whole story.”

As always, your school counselors are here for our students and families. Reach out anytime by email, phone, or ParentSquare with questions or concerns.

Mrs. Cheyenne: lewis.ct@augusta.k12.va.us
Mrs. Mack: mcmanaway.pa@augusta.k12.va.us
Riverheads Elementary: 540-337-2535

Ms. Cheyenne Lewis - lewis.ct@augusta.k12.va.us

Ms. Paige McManaway - mcmanaway.pa@augusta.k12.va.us

Augusta County Public School Elementary School Handbook for 2026-2027

Each morning our Gladiators are asked to live up to our Red Pride Pledge by living up to our Riverheads Expectations for Success. They do this by being...

• Safe
• Respectful
• Responsible
• Caring
• Learners

When you are in the hallway helping and the Pledge of Allegiance starts.

Mrs. Coleman posted some new 4th grade artwork this week. The standard for the lesson does not begin to express what the students are able to create.

4th grade students can set up, paint and clean up with six different types of paint.

Our 2nd grade students had a little fun when they practiced their spelling words last week