Please support the 5th grade fall community service project and buy lemonade!  The 5th grade classes are holding lemonade stands this month to benefit Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation.  Our efforts will help fulfill Alex Scott's dream to fund innovative research projects and support families dealing with a cancer diagnosis.

The final two lemonade stands will be:

Saturday, October 22, 2:00-4:00pm at 36 Arch Street (hosted by 5-P)

Sunday, October 23, 2:30-4:30pm at 7 Colonial Lane (hosted by 5-W)

You can donate at the lemonade stand or online.  We hope to have a great turnout from Riverside School!

We hope everyone is getting into the Halloween spirit because Boo Bash is NEXT Friday, October 28th! If you haven’t already done so please make sure to purchase your tickets TODAY at www.rivpta.org

Please also consider signing up for a VOLUNTEER slot. This fun-filled evening for the children wouldn’t be possible without the help from our parents. Specifically, we are looking for more parents to volunteer during the K-2 party between 5-6 PM to help with games and arts & crafts. 

Thank you for volunteering; we appreciate your support! 

On Monday, October 24th, there will be an in-person Spirit Wear sale in front of the school from 2:30pm–3:30pm. Come and check out new apparel and accessories or pick up items recently back in stock. Can’t make it in person? No problem! Visit the Spirit Wear shop to purchase Riverside gear today.  Go Red Hawks! 

NOTE: There will also be an in-person spirit wear sale inside the café immediately following the Grades K-2 Coffee on Monday morning.

Please make sure to place your school photo orders by TODAY, Friday, October 21. Orders placed after October 21 will incur a $7.00 shipping fee, and photos will be mailed directly to the student's home. Last week, you should have received an information sheet from Coffee Pond, which provides instructions for accessing your child's 3 photo proofs. Photo retakes will take place on school grounds on Tuesday, October 25. If your child was absent or if you are not satisfied with your child’s school portrait and would like the opportunity to retake it, please email Janet Delos or Emily Trammell.

Due to the Early Release on Wednesday, October 26, please note that lunch on Wednesday, October 26 will be Grilled Cheese, and lunch on Thursday, October 27 will be Pasta Day.

The Food Allergy Research & Education (FARE) Teal Pumpkin Project is a worldwide movement to create a safer, happier Halloween for all kids. Putting a teal pumpkin on your doorstep means you have non-food treats available, such as glow sticks or other small toys, for trick-or-treaters with food allergies or other conditions.

If you would like to show your support and participate in this initiative, please print out and display the teal pumpkin flyer or paint a pumpkin teal and place it on your doorstep, and provide some other non-food "treats" on Halloween. To learn more, or add your house to the Teal Pumpkin Project map, please visit: https://www.foodallergy.org/education-awareness/teal-pumpkin-project or contact Nicole Spayde.

The Wellness Committee will be collecting any unwanted Halloween candy the week after Halloween.  All types of wrapped candy are acceptable. No loose or unwrapped candy. Please leave your donations in the marked collection bins at the school entrance Tuesday, November 1 through Friday, November 8.

For every pound of candy collected, local pediatric dentist, Dr. Stacy Zarakiotis, will make a donation to Operation Smile to support children in need of corrective dental surgeries. Thank you in advance for supporting this good cause!

Save the date for this year's IN-PERSON Riverside Book Fair, where you will find us "Chillin' with Books" on November 30th and December 1st. Be on the lookout for the class visitation schedule, volunteer sign-ups and more information coming soon on www.rivpta.org.

Please also join us for a Hot Chocolate Social on November 30th, from 5:30 - 7:00pm, which will include a fun raffle for each grade starting at 6:30pm!

Any questions, please contact Kim Treibick or Julie Ahn.

Riverside Rhythms
On Monday, we kicked off our 2022-23 Riverside Rhythms lunchtime performance program, which brings various musicians to the Riverside cafe throughout the year. Deirdre and Sean Murtha, a husband and wife duo who enjoy connecting Irish traditional to Appalachian and Maritime music, shared a program of old-time Americana songs for the harvest season, singing in harmony and introducing the students to a wide variety of instruments.  The children enjoyed the Murthas’ performance, clapping along and even doing some dancing!  Our students were polite and respectful, appreciating the music as they ate. It was a wonderful day for all!

High Touch-High Tech - Power of Light
What is the electromagnetic spectrum? How does light move through the layers of the atmosphere? Can light bend? Can light break? This week, Stacy from High Touch-High Tech helped our fifth grade students figure out the answer to these questions. Students participated in hands-on learning highlighting the Power of Light.

Animal Embassy

On Wednesday, the Kindergarteners got to see the softer side of nature with Animal Embassy's Amazing Mammals program. Program director, Chris Evers, has been coming to Riverside School for over 15 years and did an incredible job educating our students about animals and the natural world. The students learned how to distinguish mammals from reptiles and how coverings can help animals survive in their habitat - whether it's fur, fins or scales. They also learned that, like us, our furry friends take care of their offspring to teach them what they need to know to survive. The Kindergartners met a variety of Animal Ambassadors including Olivia the Bolivian chinchilla, Zim the baby hedgehog, Harriet the sheep, and Cuni the pig.

Henry Jones - African Drumming 
Riverside’s favorite musician is back this year, and our students and teachers couldn’t be happier. Henry Jones lead drumming workshops with each of the first and second grade classes. Students were introduced to the rhythms of African drumming while playing handmade West African drums. The classes also learned about the drums' origins and other instruments.

Upcoming Enrichment Programming

• October 25: Government Assembly with Carol Glynn of CT Storytelling Center (Grade 3)
• October 27: High Touch High Tech’s The Force Is with You (Grade 1)
• November 3: Author Visit and Workshop with Maria Scrivan, author of the Nat Enough series (Grade 4)
• November 9, 10: Bash the Trash’s Sustainable Sounds (Grade 2) 
• November 16: High Touch High Tech’s Newton’s Day at the Park (Grade 4)
• November 17: High Touch High Tech’s Vibes (Grade 5)

These programs are paid for by your generous donations to the PTA. Thank you!

Please save the dates for this year's Grade Level Coffees. Mr. Weiss and Ms. Key will share information about Riverside School and answer questions from parents. Both coffees will take place in the school's café.

Grades K-2: Monday, October 24 at 9:00am
Grades 3-5: Wednesday, November 2 at 9:00am

Wondering what to do with the plastic bags, wraps and film not accepted in the Town of Greenwich's single stream recycling program? You can now conveniently recycle plastic bags, wrap and film at Riverside School! As participants in the 2022-2023 Trex Challenge, Trex collection bins are stationed inside Riverside's front door and in the media center for the school year. Additional off-site collection bins are at 32 Hendrie Ave, 28 Chapel Lane and 35 Druid Lane. The challenge will run through April 15 with winners announced on Earth Day, April 22. Please email riversidegreencommittee@gmail.com with questions.

Accepted Items: DRYand CLEAN grocery, ice, bread, produce bags, cereal bags, bubble wrap, dry cleaning and newspaper bags, ziploc bags, plastic shipping envelopes, case overwrap/film and other acceptable items

Not Accepted: Frozen food bags, net/mesh produce bags, pre-washed salad bags, dog food bags and other not accepted items 

REDUCE, REUSE, RECYCLE!

Safety Duty is an important part of keeping our children safe at Riverside School. Volunteers make the morning drop-off process more efficient and secure. Volunteers assist children as they exit their vehicles in the front driveway from 8:30am - 8:45am daily and help to enforce the “Rules of the Road.”  Sign up online.

For more information, contact Sean Sullivan.