Up and Running!
September is here and students and staff are getting into important routines to help your student succeed! Look for more details below!
It is going to be a great year! We can't wait to see all the good things students are going to accomplish this year!!
As always, please reach out to our caring staff with questions, or if there is anything you need!
Count Day is coming up on October 7!!
All Michigan students are required to be counted twice a year, once in October and once in February. To meet this state requirement, RVA students must complete one or more assignments in EACH CLASS on count day. PLEASE MAKE SURE YOUR STUDENT IS PRESENT ON OCTOBER 7 ALL DAY!! Thank you in advance!!
B.E.L.O.N.G.
To start the year, we began some learning around belonging. We knew that in order to learn, we need to have our physical needs of food, water, rest, and safety met. We learned that we also need our psychological needs of love, belonging, security, and self-esteem to be met to be in the right headspace to learn.
To address this need, we spent time learning about what it means to belong.
B. Be yourself
E. Embrace differences
L. Listen without Judgment
O. Open up
N. No masks needed
G. Grow together
We used our work to begin drafting agreements around how we will treat each other.
River Valley Academy Vision and Mission Work
Staff have been working to establish a unifying vision and mission. Our goal is to align our student achievement and school improvement goals to our vision and mission; we want to make sure our resources are also so aligned. :) In the first weeks of school, students provided input. (For clarity, we are considering vision to be what we aspire to and mission to be our means to get there.) Would you please take a couple of minutes to add your feedback to the Parent/guardian Survey? We would love to include your thoughts and ideas as well! Thank you!!
Parent/Student/Teacher Conferences are coming up on September 30!
Please mark your calendar for trimester one Parent/Student/Teacher conference night, on Wednesday, September 30! Please bring your student (who better to consult regarding their daily progress!) to get information on how to help your student succeed! Conferences will be held from 3-6 PM, here at River Valley Academy.
Goals: Weekly and Daily!
River Valley Academy is the RPS credit recovery option for the students of Rockford. As such, we allow students to work at their own pace. While this allows students to catch up or accelerate, it can also allow them to drag classes out longer than they should. Students have been reminded of our purpose - we are here to complete our work and to graduate!
To teach valuable time management skills we are requiring students to set goals, both weekly and daily. On Mondays, students will set a weekly goal with each teacher. Daily, they will set goals in each class to help them meet their weekly goals. On Friday morning, students will check in with teachers regarding completion of their weekly goal in each class. Students who meet 4 out of 5 weekly goals and have completed their daily goals for the week, will have choice RAM (intervention) time on Friday!
Hand 2 Hand
Hand to Hand is up and running in RPS again this year! Might this free support be a help for your family? Here is a link to sign up!
School Breakfast and Lunch
There is no cost to families for school breakfast or lunch this year! It is still very important, however, for families to complete the Education Benefits form. This form benefits students in other ways, as it is used for various state and college benefits.
Breakfast packs of cold cereal, a snack, and juice will be available for students. RVA receives a hot lunch entrée daily from RHS. The menu is located on the RPS website. Of course, students may bring their own food and drinks as well. We have a refrigerator and microwaves in the kitchenette.
It is important to fuel bodies and minds for productive work at school! :)
Revised RVA Student Guide and Handbook
Please take a few minutes to read the Revised RVA Student Guide and Handbook. You will find RVA expectations and detailed suggestions for success, along with the Secondary Handbook and Code of Conduct set by the RPS School Board.
Cell Phone Ban
As I am sure you are aware, personal electronic devices have been banned in Michigan schools during instructional time. Here is a look at our policy:
RVA Electronic Device Policy
Students may utilize devices (cell phones/ipads/tablets/smartwatches) during non-instructional times. This includes before 7:45 a.m., during passing times, during the student’s scheduled lunch break, and after 2:18 p.m.
Cell phone/ipad/tablet/smartwatch use is prohibited in classrooms, hallways, and other common areas during instructional time. This ban includes PTO breaks, as they occur during instructional time. Students will be able to access music with wireless headphones. However, they may not change songs during instructional time. Students will need to create play lists outside of instructional time.
The use of personal electronic devices is prohibited in bathrooms and locker rooms.
Violation of the school policy will result in the following consequences:
1st Offense
Student takes cell phone to the office and teacher writes a behavior report to log the offense. (Failure to follow this reasonable request of a staff member will result in an Insubordination BR.)
The student may retrieve the device at the end of the school day.
2nd Offense
Student takes cell phone to the office and teacher writes a behavior report to log the offense. (Failure to follow this reasonable request of a staff member will result in an Insubordination BR.)
The student may retrieve the device at the end of the school day.
Half-day ISS will be issued for the next day.
Additional offenses: Discipline will be issued in a progressive manner and the student will be placed on phone suspension while at school.
How can I make sure this year is successful?
With Rockford's trimester high school system, students are expected to complete 2.5 credits (5 classes) each trimester, for a total of 7.5 credits each year. Students will begin the year with 5 classes, which should be completed by November 13. While November 13 seems like a long way off, trimesters are about 12 weeks long, so each week, students should be completing about 10% of each class, to finish on time. Completing this work will require students to make progress on assignments and activities in every class, every day!
Setting goals and making action plans is a key part of earning credit and graduating on time! Students will meet with their assigned teacher/advisor to set long-term and short-term goals for completing classes by November 13!
Picture Day is coming!
All students will be photographed for their RPS ID card and parents will have the option to purchase photos. Photos will also be used throughout the year for student recognition. Photographers will be at RVA on October 16.
How do I know how my student is doing from day to day?
RVA courses are run through either Schoology or Edgenuity. Schoology courses are RPS teacher created and directed. If you want to know how your student is doing in these classes, log in to Schoology. Using a parent log in, parents can see messages and course information. However, if you want to see what your student has completed and what grades they have earned so far in classes, the best way to do that is to log in as your student. Students have access to the course gradebook which includes a list of assignments that need to be completed, showing scores earned on work that has been turned in.
If you want specific information on how your student is doing in Edgenuity, ask your student for their login information. If you log in as the student, you can see a more detailed report.
Good questions to ask your student include:
1. Are you attending all class sessions?
2. Are you completing at least one assignment in each class session?
3. About how far in each course are you?
4. What are you doing well?
5. What can you do better?
Parents and schools are partners in educating students!
How are you doing? People care and want to help!
Hand 2 Hand can help with food and toiletry needs.
RVA has an amazing staff, social worker, and mental health liaison who can listen and connect you to resources!
Ele's Place is a community based organization with the mission to create awareness of and support for grieving children and their families.
