HOLIDAY AFTERS MINI SESSION 

Registration Dates:

Monday, November 19 at 7am

to Monday, November 24 11:59pm

The Riverside PTA is pleased to share that we will again be offering a Holiday Afters Mini-session this year. This is an abbreviated session that will begin on Thursday (12/4) when we return from Thanksgiving break (note Monday and Tuesday are half days due to conferences), and run through Friday (1/16), after which the Winter Afters session will begin. 

We are excited to offer a series of festive favorites and classics with a holiday-themed twist!

Check out the Riverside PTA Afters page to preview the Holiday Afters Mini-session class schedule and descriptions. Registration will open on November 19. 

If you would like to enroll, please note that each student will need to have a profile on Eleyo prior to registering. Please also note that 4th and 5th graders who are participating in the Winter Musical should NOT sign up for this Afters Mini-Session as many of the dates will conflict with rehearsals.

Questions? Email the Afters team: Liz Shaw, Suzy Roth or Jaclyn Glazer

LOST & FOUND PICK-UP EVENT 

Monday, November 10 - Friday, November 14, 2025 

Missing a sweatshirt? Water bottle? Jacket? It might be waiting for you in the Lost & Found!

• WHAT: Lost and Found Pick-Up Event
• WHEN: Monday, November 10 - Friday, November 14
• WHERE: Outside of the gymnasium 

BOOK FAIR IS BACK! 

Wednesday, November 19 - Thursday, November 20, 2025

SOLD-OUT FLOW SOCIETY SHORTS
Pre-Order Now!

WORDMASTERS PREP WITH MS. CIAFONE

Now Underway

ALP ELA teacher Ms. Ciafone is leading a dynamic before-school enrichment class for 4th and 5th graders this Fall, designed to prepare students for the national WordMasters Challenge on November 24.

The WordMasters Challenge is a prestigious vocabulary competition where students across the country tackle advanced word lists and solve analogy puzzles that stretch their critical thinking and verbal reasoning skills. There are three national Challenges each year—in November, February, and April.

Classes meet Monday mornings at 8:00 AM on the following dates:
10/6, 10/13, 10/20, 10/27, 11/3, 11/10, 11/17, and 11/24 (Challenge Day)
💲 Cost: $200 for all 8 sessions

Give your child a head start in vocabulary mastery and flexible thinking—spaces are limited and sessions are already underway!

Questions? Please reach out to Jocelyn Michels or Virginia Lockhart at Riverside School PTA

 SUPPORT THE RIVERSIDE PTA BY JOINING TODAY!

INTERESTED IN THE EARLY MORNING PROGRAM?

Sign-up Now!

The Early Morning Program (EMP) at Riverside School is a before school enrichment program that provides a fun, familiar place for Riverside students before the start of the school day and is staffed by a Riverside teacher.

The program runs every Monday through Friday from 7:15-8:30am, and students could be dropped off at any point during that timeframe. Visit the Early Morning Program page for more details.

THE NEW GPS REPORT CARD

Follow-up Note (session held on October 21, 2025)

On Tuesday, October 21, 2025, Principal Martín and Assistant Principal Collette provided parents with an overview of the new GPS Elementary School Report Cards. You can find the explanation for making the changes in this GPS District Video.

Although details are still being finalized, rather than assessing students' skills on a scale of 1-5, teachers will now assess students' skills as either ES (Emerging Skill), DS (Developing Skill) or SS (Secure Skill). 

The skills being assessed remain the same as in prior years for the applicable grade level, as they are tied to the CT Common Core standards. 

Please note that the first marking period will end at the end of November.