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

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

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.

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.

"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.

Make sure you are receiving GPS e-newsletters directly to your inbox! To subscribe, select the relevant newsletters below and click the orange "Follow" button on the right side of the page.

• GPS District Digest (district newsletter)
• GPS Daily Health Alerts (daily COVID cases)
• Together We Can! (Office of Special Education & Student Supports)
• GPS Capital Projects Update
• All About Academics: K-8 (updates from program coordinators)
• All About ALP

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.

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.

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.

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!

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.

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.

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Riverside School PTA

90 Hendrie Avenue

Riverside, CT 06878

School Office: (203) 637-1440

www.greenwichschools.org/rs