Ridgeline eNews

RIDGELINE CALENDAR OF EVENTS:

FEBRUARY

Saturday 2/7 Lottery Tours (K-8) 10:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.

Monday 2/9 Fundraising Committee Meeting 9-10:30 a.m., Ridgeline Library

Thursday 2/12 Board Meeting 6-8 p.m.

Friday 2/13 Drop-in Coffee Hour with Ridgeline Board, 8:45 - 9:45 a.m. OR 2:00 - 3:00 p.m., Hideaway Bakery

Friday 2/13 Middle School Winter Dance 6:30 p.m., Ridgeline Gym

Saturday 2/14 Eugene Concert Choir 2:30 pm, Hult Center (Lower El classrooms)

Monday 2/16 No School - Presidents Day

Tuesday 2/17 Lottery Tours (K-3) 5:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.

Saturday 2/21 OBOB In-School Battles - 1:30 - 5:30 p.m.

Sunday 2/22 Lottery Applications Close

Thursday 2/26 6th Grade Outdoor School Family Info Night 5:30-6:30 via Zoom

For Quick Access:

Attendance:

Report an absence: attendance@ridgeline.org
Planned Absence Form (at least 3 days in advance)

Click here to view the full calendar as some dates may change. Please note that Ridgeline’s calendar differs slightly from 4J elementary and middle school calendars.

🎬✨ Ridgeline on KVAL — Check Out Our Latest Feature! ✨🎬

Our second promotional video aired on KVAL earlier this week, and we’re so excited to share it with our community! You can watch it here: KVAL.com segment 2.

This segment is especially fun because it highlights members of our Ridgeline family! It features Ridgeline parent and Board member, Amanda Donofrio and her son, Robert Donofrio, an upper El student. This video also features Ridgeline parent Shikha DeFazio and her daughter, Amelia DeFazio, also an upper El student. We love seeing our students and families helping share the Ridgeline story! 💛

Sharing videos like these is a wonderful way to help spread the word about Ridgeline and introduce others to our unique public Montessori program. We encourage you to watch, share, and help more families discover our amazing school community! 🌟

These videos, along with short clips, are posted on:

Ridgeline’s YouTube page
Linked on the homepage of our website
Featured on Ridgeline’s Video page, and;
Will be shared on our social media as part of our ongoing outreach and education efforts during lottery season.

We’re so grateful for your partnership in helping tell Ridgeline’s story!

Ridgeline School Tour - This Saturday, February 7

Lottery season is here and we are pleased to offer several opportunities for families to learn more about Ridgeline. These events offer visitors a chance to see Montessori in action, explore our classrooms, and learn more about what makes Ridgeline a truly unique public education option. Lottery information & tours sign ups are available on our website.

We will host two guided school tours in February:

K–8 Tour: Saturday, February 7, 10–11:30am
K–3 Tour: Tuesday, February 17, 5–6pm

Applications Dates:

Lottery applications for the 2026–27 school year are open and posted on our website.
The application deadline is February 22 at 11:59pm.
All available seats are filled through this process, which is independent of the 4J School of Choice lottery.

Thank you for partnering with us to help families learn about public school options.

Wellness at Ridgeline

Did you know that Ridgeline’s school counseling program supports the social, emotional, and behavioral well-being of all students in grades K–8? At Ridgeline, Jon provides schoolwide support for every student, while also offering more individualized and intensive support for those who may need extra help.

“My goal is to ensure that every child feels safe, connected, and equipped with the skills they need to thrive at school.”

— Jon Talebreza-May, School Counselor

Throughout the year, if your child could use some extra support or you want to share about life circumstances, simply email Jon here.

Silent Auction Classroom Baskets — Donations Needed by Feb 13

🗓 Student Art Show & Silent Auction

Friday, March 13 | 5:30–7:00 pm | Gym

As part of the culminating celebration for Ridgeline's 10-day direct donation drive, we’re excited to host the Spring Student Art Show & Silent Auction on Friday, March 13, from 5:30–7:00 pm in the gym.

This year, the Fundraising Committee is introducing a fun new addition to the event: Classroom Raffle Baskets! Classroom organizers sent emails out last week, sharing the theme for each classroom, along with ideas for each class basket.

Instead of awarding the basket to the highest bidder, each one will go to a lucky raffle-ticket winner to add excitement and help make participation accessible for more families.

How you can help:

Donations can be simple—items families already have on hand (such as unused or unopened supplies) are absolutely welcome
Not every family needs to participate; just 5–7 donated items can create a wonderful basket
If possible, we also ask that each classroom contribute the basket, bucket, or container to hold the items

We’re hoping to collect classroom basket contributions during this two-week window: January 30–February 13. To contribute an item, please contact your classroom organizer via email. We want to avoid duplicate items. Donations (well-labeled) can be delivered to the front office by 2/13.

Thank you for helping make this a meaningful event and a successful fundraiser for our school. 💛

✨💃Middle School Dance! ✨

Get ready to light up the night! On Friday, February 13, from 6:30–8:30 PM, Ridgeline Middle School students are taking over the gym—and the theme is GLOW PARTY! 🌈

Wear your brightest neon or glow-in-the-dark outfits, and feel free to bring any glow-in-the-dark accessories to shine on the dance floor. We’ll have glow and neon themed decorations, fun music, and snacks to keep the energy high all night long! 🎶✨

Important reminder: This dance is for Ridgeline 7th & 8th graders only. Students from other schools are not able to attend.

Grab your glow gear and get ready for a fun, unforgettable night with friends! 🌟

2025-2026 Yearbook Photos Needed

Hello Ridgeline families,

We need YOUR help in making this year’s yearbook extra special! 📘💛
Have you chaperoned a field trip, attended a school event, or snapped photos along the way? If so, we would love to include your photos in the yearbook.

We are currently looking for photos from:

Field trips
Walk, Bike & Roll to School
The Talent Show
Spirit Week
Read-a-Thon (including the book swap and Barnes & Noble performances)
General classroom activities
Class presentations

If you have photos you’re willing to share, please contact Heather Riedman to send them in.

Thank you for helping us capture and celebrate the memories of this school year! 📸🌟

🎥 In Case You Missed It: Link Below to Watch the 2026 Ridgeline Video Submissions

Some acts are meant for the gym stage… and some are meant for the screen! Our students have been submitting incredible talent show acts by video, making the showcase more accessible for everyone, including performances that can’t be done live in the gym.

Click on this link to watch the creativity, courage, and pure Ridgeline joy on display.

Volunteer Thank Yous

🍝 Pastathon at Pastini — THANK YOU! 🍝

A huge thank you to all the families who joined us for our Pastini fundraiser on Thursday, January 22! Thanks to your support, we raised an amazing $1,122.06, with 40% of the evening’s proceeds going directly back to our school—wow! 🎉👏

It was such a joy to see smiling faces, shared plates of delicious Italian food, and friends connecting over a fun night out. We hope you enjoyed an evening filled with great food, community, and giving back.

Thank you for showing up, supporting Ridgeline, and making this fundraiser such a success! 💛✨

🎉 Talent Show Volunteer Thanks 🎉

👏 Another HUGE thank you to Sarah & Chauncey Mauney for their incredible work facilitating and leading the talent show! They did so much behind the scenes—from organizing each act and communicating event-day details with families, to running the dress rehearsal and managing everything behind the curtain during the show. Thank you for all you did to ensure every performer felt supported and had everything they needed to truly shine. Your dedication made the night a success! ✨👏

🙌 High fives to Nora Fandino and Liz Baughman for welcoming guests and distributing programs—we so appreciate you!

🎧 Big thanks to Noah Enelow for helping with sound and lighting throughout the show.

🎭 Thank you to Cris Cordero for volunteering as a stagehand and keeping everything running smoothly backstage.

🍪 Special thanks to our Cookie Crew parent volunteers, Devin Hughes and Laura Waters, for helping make the night extra sweet! 💛

📸 Kudos to Alden McEwen for taking excellent photos and capturing the smiles, laughs, and joy throughout the night—memories we’ll treasure! ✨

🪑 Extra appreciation to Marisa Fairbanks, Noah Enelow, Aaron Dilla, and everyone who jumped in to help clean up chairs—teamwork at its best!

We’re incredibly grateful for all the helping hands that made the Talent Show such a success! 💛✨

Volunteer Opportunities - New/Still Needed

🎉 Middle School Parents & Caregivers — we need YOU! 🎉

Help us make the Glow Party Dance shine! ✨ We’re looking for a few volunteers to jump in as snack providers and clean-up helpers. Every helping hand makes a big difference 💛

👉 Click here to sign up and be part of the fun!

Volunteer Opportunities - Ongoing/Coming Soon

Ongoing Facilities Volunteer Work

Sign up to volunteer on your own time here: weeding and grounds clean up.

Art Show- Coming Soon

Our Art Specialist, Merideth Turner, will need lots of helping hands mounting student artwork for our Student Art Show on Friday, March 13. If you are interested in assisting with this take-home work during the week of February 18, email Bethany Dilla .

We will also need help mounting artwork onto butcher paper for the large classroom art displays in late February, and hanging the art the day before the event on Thursday, March 12. Sign-ups coming soon!

🌟 Volunteer Team Sign-Ups

Below is the list of 2025–2026 volunteer teams and there's always room for more volunteer power! Click on the links below if you want to be part of one of the fun volunteer teams! These groups are a great way to connect with other Ridgeline families and get in your volunteer hours!💌

Event Teams:

Student Talent Show - Complete for this year!
Student Marketplace - Coming in February 2026
Spring Walk + Roll to School - Coming in April 2026

Hospitality Team (staff appreciation week ) - Coming in April 2026
Stone Soup - Complete for this year!

Ongoing Teams:

Lunch Bunch
Library Team
Crossing Guard Crew
Oregon Battle of the Books (OBOB)
Helping Hands Material Prep Team (book covering, sign making, etc)
Campus Care Crew

There’s a place for everyone to get involved and make this year amazing! If you have questions or want to learn more about any of these teams email Bethany at bethany.dilla@ridgeline.org or visit Track It Forward.

***Classroom volunteer opportunities are now available. Look for these sign-ups through your classroom organizer emails.

Volunteering - What You Need to Know

Volunteers are an essential part of the Ridgeline community, and there are many ways to get involved!

From serving on committees, preparing materials at home, and helping with grounds work, to assisting in classrooms, chaperoning field trips, acting as crossing guards, and more—your time and talents make a big difference.

Each family is asked to contribute 40 volunteer hours per school year and we’d love to help you find volunteer opportunities that fit your schedule and interests.

To participate, all volunteers must first complete a background check and sign the Volunteer Code of Conduct.
Once these two steps are complete, the School Community Coordinator will notify you by email that you are green badge approved and ready to volunteer!
Visit our website or contact Ridgeline’s School Community Coordinator, Bethany Dilla, or learn more.

Track it Forward - Information for New Volunteers

Why It Matters

New beginnings prompt the opportunity to form new habits! When it comes to volunteering, we need everyone to consistently track ALL volunteer hours throughout the school year in Track It Forward. Volunteer hour reporting is important for us to show support for Ridgeline when applying for grants and for reporting to our sponsoring district, Eugene 4J.

How to Get Started

If you are new to Ridgeline and have not yet created a Track it Forward account for logging your volunteer hours, please take a moment to do so. If you are a first-time Track It Forward user and have not set up an account you will need to create an account first.

Go to https://www.trackitforward.com/user or go to the App store on your device and search for Track It Forward
Next download the App
Create your account/log in
Sign up for volunteer opportunities and log your volunteer hours!

February Board Meeting

Hello Ridgeline community! The Ridgeline Board of Directors will hold a regular meeting on Thursday, February 12 at 6:00 pm in the Ridgeline library and over Zoom. All Ridgeline community members are welcome to join our regular board meetings, and to make a public comment. The designated time for public comment is at the start of meetings.

Our meeting agenda includes PAC, staff, and committee reports. We will hear from our Operations Manager about the community input gathered throughout the Possibility Project and discuss a new budgeting process we are piloting this year. We will discuss recommendations about changes to our Administrative Salary Schedules, learn about Ridgeline's 4J annual review, hear updates about the Principal Search, and discuss a proposed Disruptive Public Comment Procedure.

You can find the agenda here: 02-12-26 Ridgeline Board Meeting Agenda

In order to attend virtually, please use this Zoom link:

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84074040106pwd=R6PzazBjJFrxabUMtT92ZabaJ7bptn.1

Meeting ID: 840 7404 0106 Passcode: 824778

Drop-In Coffee Hour with Ridgeline Board of Directors

Dear Ridgeline Community,

You're invited! The Ridgeline Board of Directors would love to meet you for a drop-in coffee hour on Friday, February 13, from 8:45 - 9:45 OR 2:00 - 3:00 at Hideaway Bakery.

If you are curious about what the Board does, or what we've been working on lately, or how you might participate in Board work, we would love to chat. The Board is a dedicated group of Ridgeline community members who love our school and collaborate to support it with tangible, meaningful work. We're a joyful, constructive group that works with our Executive Director and administrative team to enact Ridgeline's mission and vision. Join us at Hideaway if you'd like to learn more!

Our Commitment to Student Safety & Privacy

At Ridgeline, our priority is that every student feels safe, supported, and able to learn each day. Grounded in Montessori values of dignity, respect, and care for the whole child, we want families to know that we have clear procedures in place for how staff respond if immigration enforcement personnel were to come to campus. Staff are required to route all requests through school leadership and legal counsel, and we do not share student or family information without a valid judicial order. These guidelines are designed to protect student privacy, maintain calm, and ensure all requests are handled lawfully—so learning and community remain at the center of our day.

We encourage families to think ahead and discuss plans that feel right for your family once students leave campus. Families may also choose to connect with one another to coordinate support, recognizing that our strength as a community comes from shared care and partnership.

Families who would like additional information or support may find these resources helpful:

Oregon Department of Justice Sanctuary Promise Guidance
Know Your Rights
Oregon Department of Education: DACAmented/Undocumented Students Toolkit

We remain committed to Ridgeline being a safe, welcoming community for all children.

📸✨ Order Your Ridgeline Yearbooks! ✨📸

We’re excited to offer the Ridgeline school yearbook again this year for students, families, and staff! 🎉 It’s a wonderful way to capture and celebrate the memories of this school year.

📕 How to Order:

Online ordering only: newleifphoto.inter-state.com
Order Code: 0291HV
Price: $25 per yearbook

🗓 Order Deadline: Friday, March 13, 2026

Don’t miss out—order your yearbook today and enjoy revisiting all the special moments from this year at Ridgeline!

🌟Questions: Contact parent volunteer and Yearbook Coordinator, Heather Riedman, at hcates373@yahoo.com.

Classroom Substitutes Needed

Are you, or somebody you know, interested in joining our amazing substitute pool for the 25-26 school year? At Ridgeline, substitutes support our Montessori classrooms in the role of classroom assistant, working alongside the lead staff member to help maintain a calm, productive learning environment.

Whether it’s a pre-planned absence or a same-day need, we count on our subs to step in with flexibility, reliability, and care. If you enjoy working with children and being part of a supportive school community, we’d love to hear from you! For more information and to apply, click here.

🧥 Lost & Found

The Lost & Found Station is located on the front porch of the school! We will be donating sweatshirts and hoodies at the end of this month (specifically ones that have been here for a couple months). Come claim your stuff and please take it home! 💙

Ridgeline’s Recommended Reading Articles

Ridgeline Revealed is a monthly article series that offers behind-the-scenes insights into the school, providing families with information on key aspects they may not typically see. Our goal is to share timely topics and increase transparency about day-to-day operations in a short, easily digestible format.

Check out the NEW January 2026 article:

The Ridgeline Lottery and the Waitlist Why Enrollment Matters (More Than You Think)

Recent Articles:

Discovering Our Cosmic Purpose at Ridgeline: Through Preparing, Sharing, & Acts of Service - December 2025
The Courage to Try: Building Curiosity and Resilience through Friendliness with Error - October 2025
Normalization in Montessori: What Is It and Why It Matters - September 2025

If you want to know more about a Ridgeline or Montessori-related topic, please let us know. Simply email your question or suggestion to ridgelineoffice@ridgeline.org with 'Ridgeline Revealed' in the subject line.

Articles from 2024-2025:

Ballet Fantastique Presents...

Little Mermaid: The 80s Pop Ballet at the Hult Center!

Get Mermaid TIX now and use the special family discount code below.

Watch the sneak preview here!

PeaceHealth Play Days @ Kidsports

No School? No Problem! We have your upcoming No School days covered here at Kidsports. Kidsports is excited to offer PeaceHealth Play Days for kids when school is not in session. Your kids will get to spend the day having fun, being active, trying new sports & games, being creative and playing with friends.

Grades: 1-5

Cost: $60 per day

Extended Care: additional $15 per day

Days/Times: No-school days 9am–4pm

Extended Care: 8–9am and 4–5:30pm

Location: Kidsports Fieldhouse 2054 Amazon Parkway, Eugene, OR, 97405

Dates: Jan. 30, Feb. 2, Feb. 16, Mar. 30, Apr. 10, Jun. 5

Register Now

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