Originally delivered on 11/4/2022 1:30 pm

SUBJECT: Riverside School Peek at the Week 11/4/22

Riverside School PTA Newsletter
PTA Logo
Friday, November 4th, 2022
PTA Highlights

Dear Riverside Parents,

It was wonderful to see so many smiles, fantastic costumes, and impressive dance moves at last Friday's Boo Bash.  A huge thank you to Justine Pearson, Jillian Storms and their team of volunteers for organizing a spectacular evening for Riverside students.  If you have photos from Boo Bash, please send them to the Riverside Reel.  All Riverside families should have received an invitation from Shutterfly to this year's Reel earlier today. 

Please join us next Friday, November 11th at 9am for Riverside School's annual Veterans Day Ceremony.  The outdoor ceremony will honor those who served in the U.S. Armed Forces and will include a special tribute from Riverside's student and staff choruses.

Next week also kicks off our 5th annual Holidays for Haiti community service event.  The virtual portion will run from November 11-18, and we are excited that the in-person event will be back in the gym on November 18th at 3:15pm.  All donations directly benefit Danita’s Children, a school and orphanage in Haiti.  This event continues to be a wonderful opportunity for our students to help children in need.

Please note the following date reminders:

  • November 7 – Deadline to RSVP for the Next Community Service Club Meeting
  • November 8 – School Closed, Election Day - Please VOTE!
  • November 11 – Veterans Day Ceremony, Red Shirt Day
  • November 11 – Community Service Club Meeting
  • November 11-18 – Holidays for Haiti Virtual Event
  • November 17 – Fall PTA General Meeting
  • November 18 – Spirit Day and Holidays for Haiti In-Person Event
  • November 23  –  Early Release, Thanksgiving Recess
  • November 24-25 – Schools Closed, Thanksgiving Recess

Have a great weekend!

Allison Maus & Clare Johnson
PTA Co-Presidents

PTA News
VETERANS DAY CEREMONY IS FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 11th

Please join us for the 18th Annual Riverside School Veterans Day Ceremony on Friday, November 11th at 9am. We will honor those who served in the U.S. Armed Forces in an outdoor ceremony in front of the school. In case of rain, the ceremony will be moved to the gym. Children are encouraged to wear their Red Shirts on Veterans Day.

Please invite family members who have served in the armed forces to join us for the ceremony, as they will be honored. If you know a Veteran who will join us that day, please email Maureen Stanley, so that we can properly recognize and thank them for their service at the ceremony.

For any questions, please contact Laura Stahl and Maureen Stanley.  

DOES YOUR STUDENT KNOW THE POWER OF KINDNESS?

The Community Service Club (CSC) will be hosting its second meeting on Friday, November 11th after school in the cafeteria. CSC will be discussing random acts of kindness -- what this means, giving examples, asking the kids to come up with their own ideas of how to exhibit kindness both at home and in the community and sharing them with the group. If you are interested in your 2nd to 5th grader joining this meeting, please email Wendy Browning-Lynch by Monday, November 7th. Your child may NOT attend if you have not contacted Wendy by this date.

ACCEPT YOUR INVITATION TO THE RIVERSIDE REEL

The Riverside Reel is the PTA’s members-only photo & video share site. Earlier today, invitations to join the site for the 2022-2023 school year were emailed to families with up-to-date profiles on rivpta.org. Anyone who wishes to access the site going forward must click the link in the invitation. If you didn’t receive an invitation, please email riversidereel@gmail.com.

Do you have photos from last week’s Boo Bash that you’d like to share? Send them, and photos from any other PTA programs and events (current and past!), to riversidereel@gmail.com

HOLIDAYS FOR HAITI: NOVEMBER 11 - 18 🇭🇹

We are back in-person with Holidays for Haiti! If you are new to Riverside School, your family does not want to miss this incredibly impactful event which will be held in the school gym on Friday, November 18 at 3:15pm. If you cannot attend the event, you can still participate virtually between November 11 - 18. For more information about both the in-person and virtual events, check out Holidays_4_Haiti

Riverside School has been supporting Danita’s Children Orphanage and School in Haiti for the last 4 years. Now, more than ever, Haiti needs our help and generosity. Please join us and thank you!

LAST DAY TO DONATE YOUR HALLOWEEN CANDY!

TODAY is the last day the Wellness Committee will be collecting any unwanted Halloween candy. 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 by 4:15pm today.

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!

AMERICA RECYCLES DAY & BATTERY DRIVE

Tuesday, November 15 is America Recycles Day, also known as National Recycling Day! Students are encouraged to wear green to celebrate!

Collection bins will be outside the front doors November 14-18 for a week-long Battery Drive. Batteries will be weighed before being deposited at The Holly Hill Resource Recovery Facility. Let's see what we can keep from entering the landfill! Thank you for your support and commitment to recycling at Riverside! 

Penguin with book
SAVE THE DATE - FALL PTA MEETING IS THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 17

Please join us on Thursday, November 17 from 9:30-10:30am via Zoom for the Fall PTA General Meeting. The first 10-15 minutes will include PTA business items, followed by a presentation from Patti Jomo on tips for a positive and productive Parent-Teacher Conference.  More information and Zoom details to come.   

Patti Jomo is a Family Engagement Specialist with Willow Road Consulting. She works with schools, districts, businesses, and nonprofit organizations to help them understand what REAL family engagement is and to allow their work to support greater student growth and achievement. She began work with GPS four years ago to build and deliver the "Families As Partners in Learning" first as a field test, and now to roll it out as a program that builds and strengthens family engagement.

Penguin with book
RIVERSIDE SCHOOL BOOK FAIR IS COMING BACK!

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!

For any questions, please contact Kim Treibick or Julie Ahn.

ENRICHMENT PROGRAMS

Maria Scrivan, Author Visit

Maria Scrivan, bestselling author of the Nat Enough series and local Greenwich resident, visited our 4th graders on Thursday for a presentation and workshop. She shared her personal inspiration for writing and illustrating Nat Enough, as well as the creative processes, tools, and materials she uses to create each book. Maria then conducted workshops on the key elements of graphic novel illustration, including panel comics, three-panel cartoons, character design, speech bubbles, cartoonist shortcuts, sound effects, expressions and more.


Upcoming Enrichment Programming

  • 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)
  • December 2: High Touch High Tech’s What's the Matter (Grade 3)
  • December 15: Dinosaurs Rock (Grade 2)
  • December 19: Riverside Rhythms featuring violinist Renee Oliver (All Grades)
  • December 21: Author Visit with Jerry Pallotta (Grade 1)


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

SAFETY DUTY: MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN JUST 15 MINUTES!

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.

5th Grade News
BIKE RODEO IS NEXT MONDAY, NOVEMBER 7th!

On Monday, the 5th graders will participate in Riverside School's fun (and educational) Bike Rodeo. 5th graders should bring their bikes to school (with helmets!) and park them next to the blacktop outside the cafeteria. From 10:30am-12pm, Bob DeAngelo from Pedal Greenwich (with the help of the Greenwich Police and Jon Baxandale from Bax Cycles) will be running a Bike Rodeo behind the school to teach our kids about bike safety, maintenance and give them a chance to test their skills at fun obstacles and stations.

For more details, please visit Fifth Grade Families.  If your child would like to ride at school but does not have a bike or helmet, please contact Liz Hung as soon as possible.

THANK YOU, PARENT VOLUNTEERS!

Thanks to your support in providing supplies, the 5th grade raised $1,200 for Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation and had a blast working together for a great cause. At the Boo Bash Bake Sale, we raised a record amount to help our class give the school a meaningful gift at the end of the year. Thank you! 

District News
Greenwich Public Schools Board of Education Meetings

You can attend this year’s Board of Education meetings in person or on Zoom – which makes it easier to stay informed! Here is a list of 2022-2023 academic year Greenwich Board of Education meetings. Information on how to access the meetings virtually can be found on the GPS Accessing Virtual BOE Meetings page. All meetings start at 7:00pm unless otherwise noted.

  • Wednesday, November 16, 2022
  • Thursday, December 1, 2022 (Budget)
  • Thursday, December 15, 2022
  • Thursday, January 19, 2023
  • Thursday, February 2, 2023 (Retreat, no public comment)
  • Thursday, February 23, 2023
  • Thursday, March 16, 2023
  • Thursday, April 20, 2023
  • Thursday, May 18, 2023
  • Thursday, June 1, 2023 (Retreat, no public comment)
  • Thursday, June 15, 2023
ALP Program Update and Grade 2 Placement

Important dates for Grade 2 Enrichment Placement for the 2022-2023 School Year are as follows: 

  • November 15: Grade 2 ALP Enrichment Q&A for Parents
  • November 7-18: Grade 2 ALP Enrichment Parent Referral Window
  • December 9: Grade 2 ALP Enrichment Deadline for Parent Input for Building Advisory Committee 
  • January 3: Grade 2 ALP Enrichment Placement Recommendation Notifications 
Subscribe to Receive Greenwich Public Schools Newsletters

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Community News
POSTPONED: Documentary Screening & Discussion: Angst, Raising Awareness Around Anxiety

Perrot Memorial Library is working to reschedule a screening of Angst. This short documentary covers all aspects of anxiety, how to deal with its symptoms and support others who suffer from it. 


Contact Harriet Gilmer or Alessandra Okay with questions or for more information.

Greenwich Conservation Commission: The Great Pumpkin Rescue

The Greenwich Conservation Commission and Waste Free Greenwich invite you to The Great Pumpkin Rescue Saturday, November 12from 1-4pm at the Cos Cob Train Station Parking Lot! Bring your leftover and/or unwanted jack-o-lanterns, pumpkins and gourds to be composted and stay for the fun (no paint, glitter, googly eyes or candles)! This family-friendly, free event will feature a pumpkin smash and lawn games, including pumpkin bowling, spooky ring toss, pumpkin bean bag toss and gourd tic tac toe. Earn raffle tickets for chances to win prizes that will help your family cut household waste. To participate in the pumpkin smash, residents must bring their own bat or mallet and protective eyewear. Our team will also conduct demonstrations to share tips about backyard composting. If you can't join The Great Pumpkin Rescue, bring your pumpkins and gourds for composting to the designated drop area near the yard waste section at the Holly Hill Resource Recovery Facility or compost them in your own yard!

Greenwich Library and PTAC: AuthorsLive: Behind Their Screens with Emily Weinstein

On Sunday, November 20th at 3:00pm, Harvard researcher Emily Weinstein will discuss her co-authored book Behind their Screens: What Teens are Facing (and Adults are Missing) with moderator Kathy Steiner of Greenwich High School at the Berkley Theater, Greenwich Library. Register for free at https://greenwichlibrary.libcal.com/event/9803766

Contrary to many assumptions, teens are not simply “addicted” to their screens. They are instead trying to navigate a networked world. Drawing on a survey of more than 3,500 teens, authors Emily Weinstein and Carrie James explain that young people need empathy, not exasperated eye-rolling, from adults who should try and understand the complicated nature of teens' online life rather than issue commands.

Greenwich Alliance for Education: Annual Turkey Trot

Support the Greenwich Alliance and our public schools by registering here for the annual Turkey Trot, a 5K & 1 Mile fun run/walk on Saturday, November 26!

Start Times: 1 Mile - 9:30am (sharp); 5K - 10:00am

Registration Fees: 

  • Adults: $35 (after 10/31), $40 (race day)
  • Children: $15 (13 and under)
Kids in Crisis: Holiday Central

Kids in Crisis will be holding its annual "Holiday Central" at the North Greenwich Congregational Church, located at 606 Riversville Rd., Greenwich CT 06831. There are several opportunities to help between now and Monday, December 5:

  • Sponsor a Child’s Holiday Wish: A typical list includes a winter coat, sneakers, pajamas, underwear and something fun. They'll send you the list!
  • Shop the Online Registry: Kids in Crisis has set up a Amazon registry for online shopping.
  • Giving Tree: Just let Kids in Crisis know how many wishes you need to create your giving tree and they will send the list!
  • Holiday Food or Gift Drive: Please contact jfebles@kidsincrisis.org for a list of what’s needed most this year.
  • Donate Gift Cards: Consider donating gift cards in any amount that can be used to purchase last-minute items from supermarkets, Target, Walmart, Old Navy, Visa/Amex, etc.
  • Sponsor a Holiday Dinner: The dinner benefits those kids staying at Kids In Crisis’ SafeHaven shelter this holiday season. 

For more information or to schedule a drop-off, please contact jfebles@kidsincrisis.org

Perrot Memorial Library: Author Visit with Gordon Korman

Gordon Korman will be visiting the Perrot Memorial Library on Thursday, December 4th at 4pm. Find additional details here and please call the library at (203) 637-8802 in advance to sign up!

Greenwich Department of Human Services Fund: 2022 Holiday Aid Program

The Greenwich Department of Human Services Fund is running their "2022 Holiday Aid Program" to provide financially eligible Greenwich residents with food, clothing, toys, and gift cards at Thanksgiving and for the Winter Holidays. The program is made possible by generous donations from community organizations, church groups, corporations, and private individuals. 

Because the need is greater than ever this year, the Fund is looking for additional support for the “Holiday Wishes” portion of the Holiday Aid program. The Fund is seeking monetary donations or $25 gift cards to Walmart or Target. Gift cards will be distributed to Greenwich families, so that they can purchase clothing and/or toys for their children. The deadline for gift card donations is Friday, December 9.

Daughters of the American Revolution "American History Essay Contest" for Grades 5-8

The DAR (Daughters of the American Revolution) is running an "American History Essay Contest" for children in grades 5-8.

QUICK LINKS
PEEK AT THE WEEK

Access the Peek Archive for past issues. If you are not receiving an issue every Friday please email riversideschoolpta@gmail.com.

SUBMISSIONS

Have something to add? Email us at: peekweekriv@gmail.com/ Deadline for submissions is 3pm on Wednesday of the school week

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