Ridgeline eNews

RIDGELINE CALENDAR OF EVENTS:

SEPTEMBER

Friday 9/5 Half kinder class 8:30-11:30 a.m. and half from12:00-3:05 p.m.

Friday 9/5 Supply fee due

Tuesday 9/9 Back-to-School Picnic 5:30-7:00 p.m.

Thursday 9/11 Board Meeting 6:00-8:00 p.m.

Tuesday 9/16 McMenamins (on East 19th) school fundraiser, dine-in between 5:00-10:00 p.m.

Wednesday 9/17 Picture Day

Thursday 9/18 Ridgeline 101 for new families, 6:00-7:30 p.m.

Tuesday 9/30 Monthly Donor Drive ends

For Quick Access:

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.

Monthly Donor Campaign: The Art of Giving

Ridgeline’s Monthly Donor Campaign is officially underway! This September, we’re celebrating The Art of Giving — and inviting YOU to join in.

Why Monthly Giving Matters

Monthly donations are the backbone of our fundraising.
Thank you to the 80 donors already giving!
Monthly gifts provide stable, predictable support that helps Ridgeline flourish year-round.

Special September Match

For every new monthly donor OR any current donor who increases their gift by $5+, a generous community member will give an extra $50.
Match capped at $1,500 — let’s reach it together!

Your Impact Example

A $30 monthly gift =

$80 to Ridgeline in September (with the match!)
$410 over the school year

Be Part of the Art

Whether you give a little or a lot, your support makes a lasting difference. Together, we can make a lasting difference!

***If you want to increase your monthly giving, email giving@ridgeline.org.

Click here to become a monthly donor!

Back to School Picnic – Tuesday, September 9

📅 Tuesday, Sept 9
🕠 5:30–7:00 pm
📍 South Field

Bring your own picnic or take-out, plus chairs or blankets for your family. This is a leave-no-trace event—please pack out all trash and recycling.

Highlights:

T-Shirt Swap – Bring gently used Ridgeline gear to share, or pick up something new-to-you. Free, no trade required!
Fundraising Table – Pick up more Blue Bags and learn how to support Ridgeline Montessori.

Come relax, catch up with friends, meet new families, and share summer stories. We can’t wait to see you there!

REMINDER: Supply & Technology Fees Due Friday, September 5

All Students – $90 Supply Fee

This fee helps us purchase high-quality Montessori and school supplies for every student.

👉 Families can pay here
If this creates a financial hardship, please complete the Financial Assistance Form.

Middle School Students – $30 Technology Fee
Each middle schooler receives a Chromebook for daily use. The fee helps cover repairs, replacements (chargers, cases), and program upkeep.

👉 Pay the middle school technology fee here
If this creates a financial hardship, please complete the Financial Assistance Form.

Click here to pay the $90 supply fee

Student Profile Updates – Action Needed by September 12

This Friday, your student will bring home their Synergy Student Profile.

Please:

Review the profile carefully using the instructions on the attached front page.
Make any updates directly on the profile using a RED pen.
Sign, date, and return the profile—even if there are no changes.

Important Notes:

Address changes: These cannot be updated in Synergy without two proofs of address. If your address has changed, please contact Cynthia to make arrangements.
Returning the profile:

Place it in the basket on the front steps or;
Have your student return it to their classroom teacher.
Deadline: Friday, September 12.

Keeping your contact information accurate ensures we can reach you during the school day. Thank you!

Drop-off & Pick-up Instructions

Now that you’ve had a chance to experience drop-off and pick-up, you know it can get busy! To keep things safe and efficient, please follow these procedures:

Hug & Release Zone: Park and walk your student to the Hug & Release sign by the fence if you’d like to say goodbye in person.

Drop-off line: Drivers, pull all the way forward in the line. Do not drop-off (or pick-up) students in front of Building B.

Traffic flow: Exit with RIGHT turns only from the parking lot.

Pick-up timing: The drive-thru opens at 3:05 pm. Please do not enter the fire lane early (before 3:05), unless you are picking up for an appointment before 2:45 pm (12:45 pm on Wednesdays).

Safety reminders: Watch carefully for students using the crosswalk near Building B and those crossing W. Amazon.

Thank you for helping us keep drop-off and pick-up safe for everyone!

Picture Day – Wednesday, September 17

📸 New Leif Photography will be at Ridgeline on Wednesday, Sept 17 in the gym.

How to Order:

Order online: newleifphoto.inter-state.com
Ridgeline order code: 0192FRA
Paper forms are available in the front office for families paying by cash or check.

Other Details:

Orders can be placed online up to one week after Picture Day.
Once pictures arrive, families will receive a second-chance order form with a student-specific code.
Retake Day: Tuesday, October 22.

Air Quality Guidance

At Ridgeline, student and staff safety—including environmental impacts—is always a top priority. Each classroom is equipped with ERV units that circulate fresh outdoor air and high-quality air purifiers. When air quality is unhealthy, ERV units are turned off, purifiers are turned up, and in some cases, alternative exterior doors are used to help maintain indoor air quality. For full details, please see Air Quality Guidance.

On days when air quality is a concern, Ridgeline will:

Monitor air quality at 7:30 am, 11:05 am, and 2:30 pm.

Use the Oregon Health Authority’s guidance along with local AQI data from LRAPA sensors (posted on PurpleAir.com) to decide whether outdoor activities are safe.

Volunteer Thank Yous

High five to Molly Bullock for her design work over the summer updating our library signage.
Round of applause goes to Sarah Whitsell for designing and redecorating the library bulletin board.
Special thanks goes to Greg & Demetri Hadjivassiliou for helping us get our school campus ready for the start of school.
Big thanks to Charity Needham, Jess Woods, Ruhi Rubinstein, Megan Ary, Max Fleenor, and Daniel Wilson for volunteering as crossing guards.
A heartfelt thanks to Skai Coddington, for taking a truck load of items to the donation center earlier this week.

Volunteer Opportunities

VOLUNTEER HELP NEEDED

Be a Hero: Become a Crossing Guard!

Help Ridgeline students safely cross W. Amazon to access the Amazon Trail and the creek bridge by volunteering as a crossing guard. Your support is needed most on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays from 8-8:30 am and 3-3:20 pm.

We provide safety vests, stop signs, and all the good vibes you need! Just make sure to check in with the front office at ridgelineoffice@ridgeline.org to ensure you have a current background check.

Sign up for a morning or afternoon shift (or two!) by visiting Track it Forward, and make a difference in our community!

Lunch Line Assistant - Tuesday helper

We need one volunteer each day of the week to help support our fabulous Meal Coordinator and classroom staff during the lunch hour.

Primary tasks include: Restocking hot and cold food and assisting students making food selections.

Other opportunities to volunteer include the following (simply click the links below to learn more & sign up)

Lost & Found Manager - create a process to organize and return lost items (weekly or monthly)

Ongoing facilities tasks - weeding and grounds clean up (on your own time)

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!

Ridgeline Board Meeting

Welcome to the 2025-26 school year! On behalf of the Ridgeline Board of Directors: we hope it's a great one! We will hold a regular meeting on Thursday, Sept. 11, at 6:00 pm in the Ridgeline library and over Zoom. We welcome all Ridgeline community members to join our regular board meetings, and to make a public comment. The designated time for public comment is at the start of meetings.

This month's meeting agenda includes hearing reports from our administrators and board committees, learning from our Executive Director about changes to 4J TAG services and a potential partnership with the National Center for Montessori in the Public Sector, and updating members on changes to public meetings laws.

You can find the agenda here.

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

Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83171591529?pwd=3uXTbvOiOa7CrAnOpmReoQaodxmL0J.1

Meeting ID: 831 7159 1529
Passcode: 346394

Community members can also reach the Board of Directors via email (board@ridgeline.org). Public comment may also be made in writing and emailed to the board prior to the meeting. In order to be fully considered at this meeting, comments must be received by noon on the day of the meeting. Please clearly label the email subject line as: "Public Comment." Prior to the meeting, board members will read, review, and take into consideration all comments.

Sincerely,

Jenny Noyce

President

Back-to-School Electronic Forms

Back-to-School packets with links to fillable forms were sent via email on Friday, August 22. Please read through this information carefully and complete the required forms for your student's class as soon as possible!

If you have questions, please contact the front office at ridgelineoffice@ridgeline.org or 541-681-9662.

No Devices During School Day

In July, Governor Tina Kotek signed an executive order mandating a statewide “bell-to-bell” cellphone ban for all K–12 students, effective at the start of the 2025–2026 school year. This new order is fully in alignment with Ridgeline’s existing policy.

As a reminder, this policy applies not only to cellphones but also to smartwatches that can send and receive text messages. We appreciate your partnership in helping students remain fully present and engaged in their learning.

If your student needs to reach you during the school day, they may use the phone in the school’s lobby. To help us uphold this policy, please remind your student to use the office phone—and if you happen to receive a direct call or text from them during school hours, kindly let the office know.

School Schedule & Early Release Wednesdays

Don't Miss This!

We strongly encourage families to prioritize helping their children arrive at school at 8:15 a.m.
The snack cart will be available (free) to all students from 8:00 a.m. - 8:45 a.m. in front of the school.
Classroom group activities begin promptly at 8:30 a.m.
Students not in class at 8:30 a.m. must report to the front office to collect a tardy slip.
Early release days are Wednesdays at 1:05 p.m.

Classrooms Open..……………………………………………….........................8:15 a.m.

Tardy: must check in at the front of school…….............…….........8:30 a.m. and after

Dismissal on Monday……………………………………………………….....................3:05 p.m.

Dismissal on Tuesday………………………...……………………………....................3:05 p.m.

Dismissal on Wednesday—EARLY RELEASE…………………………........1:05 p.m.

Dismissal on Thursday………………………...………………………….....................3:05 p.m.

Dismissal on Friday………………………...……………………………….....................3:05 p.m.

Health & Medication Reminders

Whenever possible, please administer medication at home. If your child requires medication at school, please review the following reminders:

General Guidelines

All medication (prescription or OTC) must be brought to the office by a parent/guardian in its original, non-expired container.
Children may not carry or deliver their own medication.
OTC medication may only be given per manufacturer’s directions. Any change requires a doctor’s note/prescription.
Prescription medication must match the prescription label. Any dosage change requires a new prescription.

Self-Administration

Only allowed with annual written authorization from the Executive Director and Prescriber or School Nurse.
Controlled substances cannot be self-administered.
If your child self-administered last year, please contact the office for updated forms.

Health Forms & Care Plans

A new Health Assessment Form is required each year.
If your child has a health condition (listed below) and you have not been contacted, notify Cynthia immediately.
An Individualized Health Care Plan is required for conditions such as:

Severe allergies requiring an epi-pen (doctor must fax Emergency Care Plan)
Seizures
Cardiac issues
Swallowing issues
Diabetes
Adrenal insufficiency
Asthma requiring an inhaler at school

For questions, contact Cynthia Friedman or Roxanne Grayboyes, RN (remote nurse consultant).

Operation School Bell

The Assistance League of Eugene’s Operation School Bell offers shopping days at Fred Meyer for students whose families need assistance buying clothing for school. Ridgeline has been awarded a limited number of spots for our students to participate. If your family would benefit from this assistance, please contact Cynthia by Tuesday, September 11th. If you are requesting this program, please make sure you have filled out the Benefit Program Eligibility Survey. Depending on the demand, we may not be able to accommodate everyone’s request but we definitely want to hear from you!

Classroom Substitutes at Ridgeline! 🌱

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. NOTE: Starting in the fall of 2025, the substitute pay rate will increase to $18 an hour.

Community Engagement Hotline 🎉

Hey Ridgeline families! We'd love to hear about the fun things you have been doing in the community! Maybe you’ve taken your kids to an event and thought, "This would be even more fun with more Ridgeline friends!" 👫🌟

Great news! 🎉 You can now send activity suggestions to the Community Engagement Team at CET@ridgeline.org (one of Ridgeline's awesome volunteer teams!) 📧. We’ll share your ideas through grade-specific channels so everyone can join in the fun! 🙌

🏀 Planning to attend a UO game?
🥾 Thinking about a hike up Spencer Butte?
🎨 Visiting an art exhibit?

Let us know! The more, the merrier! Just try to give us 1-2 weeks heads-up so we can spread the word through the weekly eNews, Ridgeline's Facebook page, and our fabulous Classroom Organizers. 💡 Let’s keep building community and connection through the activities we already love to do with our kids.

See you out there! 🌈💙

Marty Wilder & Laura Allen

On Behalf of the Community Engagement Team
📧 CET@ridgeline.org

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.

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:

Ridgeline to River Group Ride & Plaza Grand Opening - Saturday, Sept 13

Eugene is celebrating two major milestones with the Ridgeline to River Ride on Saturday, September 13th.

This group bike ride marks the completion of a fully protected biking route that connects the south Eugene area to the Willamette River and the opening of the Downtown Riverfront Park and Plaza.

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

The group ride will begin at 10:30am at Ridgeline Montessori, with riders departing at 11:00am and picking up additional participants at Amazon and 24th around 11:20am.

The ride will conclude at the Downtown Riverfront Park and Plaza Grand Opening, which includes food trucks and live music.

Designed to be safe and accessible for all ages and abilities, the Ridgeline to River route links the E. Amazon Protected Bikeway, Amazon Path, the newly opened High Street Protected Bikeway, and the Ruth Bascom Riverbank Path.

TELL ME MORE

The Riverfront Park and Plaza officially opened on August 7th and is the newest

addition to Eugene’s riverfront park system. This one-acre space blends natural and

urban elements, featuring a tree grove, interactive public art, a splash pad and water

feature, an adventure playground, and ample seating with views of the Willamette River.

When surrounding redevelopment is complete, the plaza will be framed by multifamily

housing and a restaurant, creating a vibrant urban gathering space.

The Ridgeline to Rivers Ride and Downtown Riverfront Park and Plaza Grand Opening invites everyone to come together, explore the finished biking route, and enjoy the beauty of Eugene’s evolving riverfront.

Community Kids Art Classes

Check out this amazing opportunity to register for children’s art classes - taught by a former Ridgeline family. Can be facilitated online or in-person - location is close to Ridgeline.

Back2Youth Programming

Back2Youth outdoor leadership teams support Oregon youth by providing access to nature, bringing exposure to new Eco-systems, activities, sports, and diversity of all kinds, with a focus on team building and self-empowerment skills. They are a multicultural organization that actively engages youth between 11-18 to get out into nature all year around - to get curious, and to explore all the magic that Oregon has to offer. They are results-driven, with a proven record of previous successes.

Coming up, Back2Youth has a Campout Weekend at the beach Sept 5-7, and a Family Empowerment Camp on Sunday afternoons in September. Be sure to check out all they have to offer! For more information, check out their website.

Waka Daiko Free Fall Workshop!! 9/10/25 @ 6:00 PM

Waka Daiko is Eugene’s Youth Taiko club. We invite kids ages 8-18 to join us for a workshop this Fall! Waka Daiko is a volunteer-run organization with no fees. Come try taiko and see if you might like to join a fun group of drummers! Please RSVP to kate.m.downing@gmail.com. See the flyer below!

Stem-Based Creative Art Classes

Check out the flyer below, highlighting some fabulous creative classes in Eugene hosted by an Art Therapist for kids ages 7-11.

FOREST Understory

Does your teen or tween love the outdoors and want to learn survival skills? Whole Earth Nature School has a transformative program called FOREST Understory that does just that! This unique opportunity is an eight-month program that immerses 6th to 10th grade students into the world of ancestral wilderness skills. On the first Saturday of every month, we focus an entire day on a unique skill and improve on lessons from the month before. FOREST Understory builds confidence, creates strong friendships, and deepens nature connection. Come join us for this amazing experience!