Originally delivered on 1/20/2023 1:00 pm

SUBJECT: Riverside School Peek at the Week 1/20/23

Riverside School PTA Newsletter
PTA Logo
Friday, January 20, 2023
PTA Highlights

Dear Riverside Parents,

Congratulations to all the 4th and 5th graders who put on three outstanding performances of Matilda, Jr. last Friday and Saturday.  An enormous thank you goes to the play co-chairs Lala Addeo and Jenni Reynolds, the play committee, and the many parent volunteers for their tireless efforts to bring to life this unforgettable school production.  

Looking ahead, Math Marathon is just around the corner.  Math Marathon is a week-long event celebrating the study of math in our school community.  This year's Math Marathon will feature a virtual Family Math Night hosted by Greg Tang on Thursday, February 2nd at 6pm, during which students and their families will have the opportunity to participate in a math jeopardy activity.  Please see below for more information and details on how to register.  

As a reminder, all full session Winter Afters classes and the Gym Mini-Session #1 Monday class begin next week.  

Calendar reminders for the next few weeks:

January 23 – Winter Afters - All Full Session classes begin
January 30 - February 3 – Math Marathon
February 2 – Family Math Night with Greg Tang (virtual)

February 10 – Spirit Day
February 13 - 20 – Winter Recess, Schools Closed
March 3 – Pizza Bingo 

Have a great weekend!

Allison Maus & Clare Johnson
PTA Co-Presidents

PTA News
ALL FULL SESSION WINTER AFTERS AND "PIN KNOCKDOWN GAMES" START ON JANUARY 23

Please refer to the Riverside PTA Afters Page for the complete schedule, course descriptions, and other important information. 

If your child is registered for Afters, please update School Dismissal Manager accordingly (go to Recurring Dismissal Instructions and select AFTERS from the pick list). Pick-up instructions and further details will also be sent via email by FLEX Academies. For any questions, please contact Virginia Lockhart or Luisa Lander.

COMMUNITY SERVICE CLUB TOY DRIVE MEETING
MATH MARATHON 2023!

Riverside School’s 2023 Math Marathon is around the corner!

*Over 50 families have already RSVP’d for the Thursday, February 2nd virtual Family Math Night at 6pm with master game developer Greg Tang -- Register here today for this family math activity*

And look forward to a week-long celebration of math from Monday, January 30th through Sunday, February 5th featuring at-home pencil and paper game boards with fun math activities that earn chances to win a $50 gift card to the National Museum of Math gift shop (1 winner per grade)!

Stay tuned for the at-home game boards on the PTA website later this month!

ENRICHMENT PROGRAMS

Upcoming Enrichment Programs

  • January 25: Dirtmeister’s Electricity Show (Grade 4)
  • January 26: High Touch High Tech’s Weather Wise (Kindergarten)
  • February 7, 8: CT Historical Society’s On the Move (Grade 4)
  • February 8: High Touch High Tech’s Zoom to the Moon (Grade 1)
  • February 8: Riverside Rhythms presents Reggie Harris’ Music and the Underground Railroad (All Grades) 

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

Update on Future Improvements to Riverside School Building

As per the school district’s Facilities Master Plan, Riverside School is considered a building in need of renovations/additions. The BOE is beginning to consider a major renovation/expansion project at Riverside (when it will happen is not yet known) and as a first step, has included $150k in its 2023-24 capital budget to fund a building study at Riverside School.

This project will only be funded if itis approved by the town’s finance board (aka the “BET”). Residents have the opportunity to address the BET on any budget items via public hearings happening January 24 and March 29. PTA leadership plans to speak at both public hearings to highlight the building’s shortcomings such as lack of accessibility, severe capacity constraints, and inadequate instruction space. While the PTA will be representing all Riverside School families to express support for funding the building study, any Riverside family is welcome to advocate for the project as well. If you have any questions or would like assistance with expressing your spoken or written support (every voice helps!), please contact Carey Bisbee.

COMMUNITY SERVICE CLUB TOY DRIVE MEETING
EARLY MORNING PROGRAM IN THE GYM

Let your children run off their energy before school! The Early Morning Program now heads to the Gym at 8am on Tuesdays and Thursdays, giving students a bit more exercise as the weather outside gets colder. If dropping off after 8am, please bring them to the front door. The drop-in rate is $18 per day, and you may register your child and get more information here. Please contact Melissa Goldstein or Anne Akyuz with any questions.

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
WE NEED YOUR PHOTOS FOR THE 5TH GRADE YEARBOOK!

Please upload the following pictures here by (the new extended deadline) January 31st:

  • Photos of at-school events from Kindergarten through 5th Grade - think First Day of School, Boo Bash, Field Day, etc. Please upload these to the relevant folders to save our committee time reorganizing.
  • A baby photo of your child for the "Guess Who?" section. To see examples, click here. (Note: Most of you have done this already.)

FAQs

  • I'm having trouble uploading photos to the Google Drive. What should I do? Click here and scroll down for instructions.
  • When do you need the pictures mentioned above? We extended the deadline but need all photos no later than January 31st.
  • When should I work on my child's individual page? Stay tuned for details in February. Every student will design his/her own page, uploading his/her own photos (which can include activities outside school) and designing the page using a software program to which we will give you access. Currently, please only upload the pictures mentioned above to our Google Drive. 
  • Do you have enough volunteers working on Yearbook? NO. We can't make this happen without more help. If you have some time from late January through March to work on a small section of the yearbook (i.e., pictures from 1st grade), please email Luisa Lander
District News
Distinguished Teacher Awards: Now Open for Nominations!

Do you know a teacher, social worker, or specialist who goes above and beyond in his or her work with students? If so, we encourage you to nominate him or her for the 2023 Distinguished Teacher Awards! Visit the GPS webpage dedicated to DTA for information on eligibility, nomination procedures and forms, and key dates. Completed nomination forms can be submitted in person or electronically in a single email by March 9 at 5:00pm.

Support the District's Soil Remediation Project at WMS

The Board of Education is moving forward on the Soil Remediation Project for Western Middle School. Due to contamination, WMS students have not been allowed on any of the school’s fields for the past six years. After ongoing discussions with state and federal agencies, a remediation action plan (RAP) now exists, and the state is seeking community input. 

The district is asking the entire Greenwich Public Schools community to support access to safe playing fields at WMS since the WMS field after remediation will significantly improve multi-sport field access for the entire town of Greenwich – from youth through high school sports. With that in mind, GPS families are encouraged to email the CT Department of Energy & Environmental Protection (DEEP) Remediation Project Manager, Jeffrey Wilcox, at jeff.wilcox@ct.gov with comments and reasons why this project is important to our community. For additional information, see the latest project fact sheet.

PTAC Academic Excellence Committee Workshop

"Fostering a Love of Learning at Home" Series 

We have another opportunity for elementary school parents to learn more about hands-on strategies they can use to support their children at home, both with review and enrichment. OGS Principal, Jennifer Bencivengo, has put together a four-part series, "Fostering a Love of Learning at Home." All GPS elementary school parents are invited to join the conversation. All sessions will be offered both in-person at OGS' media center and virtually through Google Meets. If you are interested in attending any or all of this discussion series, you must register by using this link. The second session in the series - "Fostering a Love of Math, Critical Thinking & Problem Solving" - is scheduled for Tuesday, January 24th at 9:15am.

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Community News
International Holocaust Remembrance Day

The United Nations General Assembly designated January 27th, the anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau, as International Holocaust Remembrance Day. On this annual commemoration day, the UN urges every member state to honor the six million Jewish victims of the Holocaust and millions of other victims of Nazism and to develop educational programs to prevent future genocides.

Christmas Tree Recycling!

You may drop off your Christmas tree until January 31st at Byram Park, Bruce Park, Greenwich Point or Holly Hill to be chipped into mulch for town properties. Additional tree recycling details can be found through the Department of Parks and Recreation. Before dropping, be sure to remove lights, stands and decorations! You can also leave them on your property to decompose, providing wildlife habitat and enriching soil.

Discussion and Book Signing with William Bryant Logan

Attend a book signing and discussion at Perrot Memorial Library on Wednesday, February 1st at 7pm with author, NYBG instructor, and arborist William Bryant Logan. Register here. Seating is first-come, first-serve.

Get Help with Summer Planning at SummerFare 2023!

Looking for fun and engaging summer activities for your children? Or perhaps your teen is looking for an internship or summer job?

Check out the Greenwich High School PTA SummerFare on Wednesday, February 1st from 6-8pm. in the GHS Student Center (snow date is February 2). SummerFare 2023 is an annual event that focuses on summer activities, camps and employment for kids. Exhibitors will present materials and talk with public and private Elementary, Middle and High School students and their parents about summer programs, internships and camps. Additionally, there are STEM and college programs at this event. In 2022, over 85 exhibitors and a record-breaking 625 attendees joined us. We are expecting another great turnout for this much-anticipated event. Admission is free!

"Climate Justice in Connecticut"

The YWCA Greenwich will host the "Coretta Scott and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Annual Conversation" on Climate Justice in Connecticut on February 1st at 7:00pm.

High School Musical performed by the EMS Drama Club

The Eastern Middle School 2022-2023 Drama Club will perform the Disney musical “High School Musical” in the school’s Lee Book Auditorium on February 2nd (at 4:30pm), February 3rd (at 7:30pm), and February 4th (at 4:30pm). Thursday’s tickets are $10, and Friday and Saturday’s tickets are $20. Assigned-seat tickets can be purchased online at easternmiddleschool.ludus.com. Doors open 45 minutes before the show, and a concession stand with home-baked goods will be available. This is a great show for the whole family.

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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