NEWS FROM THE NEST
NEWS FROM THE NEST Volume I, Issue 2
July 2013
In this issue: P.1
Feature Article: Summer Program Fieldtrips
P.2
Upcoming Events School Update
P.3
Booster Club Student Uniforms
P.4
Letter from Mr. Barker
P.5
Kindergarten Screening Ridgeline Summer Program
RIDGELINE SUMMER PROGRAM KICKS OFF WITH FIELD TRIPS Ridgeline’s Summer Program is off and running! Students finished out their first week of Desert Southwest/Cowboy & Cowgirl themes with a field trip adventure to Dancing Horse Ranch in Black Canyon City. The students had a blast horsing around at the ranch with face painting, crafts and horse rides.
The second week of Ridgeline’s Summer Program featured a Patriotic theme as students celebrated the Fourth of July and what it means to be great American citizens. Students finished out the week with a field trip to Butterfly Wonderland.
Aug. 3
Back-to-School Pool Party
Aug. 9
Meet Your Teacher Night
Aug. 12
First Day of School
Aug. 15
Booster Club Meeting
The Booster Club would like to invite all Ridgeline families to join them at our Back-to-School Pool Party at the Anthem Community Center on Saturday, August 3rd from 7:30-9:30 pm.
School Information Update Please make sure you have updated the school phone number in your contacts. The school phone number is: (623) 223-1335. Our previous phone number of (480) 488-9362 is no longer in service for Ridgeline Academy. Page 2
Booster Club Update First Meeting is August 15th at 3:30pm! Ridgeline Academy greatly values parent involvement and encourages all of our parents to participate in student educational programs. Our Parent Booster Club provides the optimal avenue for your support into our classrooms. We invite all Ridgeline parents to come and meet the Booster Club board members and hear about the exciting events they have planned for the upcoming school year.
Student Uniforms Ridgeline Academy is currently partnering with three unique uniform providers to ensure our families have access to highquality and reasonably priced uniform options. You can find the contact information for these providers on our website at: http://ridgeline.teamcfa.org/pages/ parents_and_students/27288/uniform_partners. Booster Club will also be facilitating a bulk uniform purchase and uniform swap to assist parents in finding high-quality uniform options. They will be selling the uniforms at events throughout the summer, starting at the Back-to-School Pool Party on August 3rd. Please also bring any uniforms you wish to donate to the uniform swap. Page 3
Letter from Mr. Barker Dear Ridgeline Academy Parents: During the 2010 Arizona legislative session, § ARS 15-701, or the Move on When Reading Law, was passed. This law requires school districts to retain students in third grade if they fall “ far below” the established reading proficiency level on the Arizona Instrument to Measure Standards (AIMS) Reading Test in third grade. While the law was passed several years ago, this academic year, the 2013-2014 school year, marks the first class of students that are potentially affected by the legislation. This law includes many stipulations about parents’ right to appeal and students who may be exempt from this requirement, such as students with limited English proficiency or a disability. This bill also includes obligations of the school for students who may be in danger of failing as a result of this new requirement. Ridgeline Academy values a collaborative partnership between home and school. We have a solid literacy curriculum and assessment program. We incorporate a structured Response to Intervention (RTI) process, which enables us to provide additional student support to address specific reading deficiencies. Continuous progress monitoring is provided to all of our students ensure student success. This allows us to keep our parents informed of their child’s progress throughout the school year. While we do not expect for this legislation to affect many, if any, of our Eagle scholars, I do feel that it is important to share this information with our Eagle family. We value your input and support, and look forward to working together to ensure that we have another very successful year for all of our students. If you have questions or would like more information on this law, the full document can be found online at http://www.azleg.gov/ ars/15/00701.htm, or as always, I welcome you to contact me at any time. Thank you for the privilege of serving you and your child at Ridgeline Academy. Your partner in education, Keven Barker School Director Page 4
Kindergarten Screening The Ridgeline Academy Kindergarten teachers will begin screening for kindergarten soon. Please watch for an email to sign your student up for this testing. Parents do not need to bring anything other than the student to be screened. If you have any questions, please contact Mrs. Downing at [email protected]. R i d g el i n e A ca d e m y S u m m e r P r og r a m
WEEKLY THEMES & FIELDTRIPS July 8th-12th: Wild About Animals Week Friday fieldtrip: Wildlife World Zoo & Aquarium July 15th-19th: Summer Fun Week Friday fieldtrip: Wet n’ Wild Water Park July 22nd-26th: Solve a Mystery Week Friday fieldtrip: Children’s Museum of Phoenix
SPOTS STILL
AVAILABLE!
Questions? Please contact: Whitney Stockhauser Summer Program Director [email protected] Page 5
July 2013
In this issue: P.1
Feature Article: Summer Program Fieldtrips
P.2
Upcoming Events School Update
P.3
Booster Club Student Uniforms
P.4
Letter from Mr. Barker
P.5
Kindergarten Screening Ridgeline Summer Program
RIDGELINE SUMMER PROGRAM KICKS OFF WITH FIELD TRIPS Ridgeline’s Summer Program is off and running! Students finished out their first week of Desert Southwest/Cowboy & Cowgirl themes with a field trip adventure to Dancing Horse Ranch in Black Canyon City. The students had a blast horsing around at the ranch with face painting, crafts and horse rides.
The second week of Ridgeline’s Summer Program featured a Patriotic theme as students celebrated the Fourth of July and what it means to be great American citizens. Students finished out the week with a field trip to Butterfly Wonderland.
Aug. 3
Back-to-School Pool Party
Aug. 9
Meet Your Teacher Night
Aug. 12
First Day of School
Aug. 15
Booster Club Meeting
The Booster Club would like to invite all Ridgeline families to join them at our Back-to-School Pool Party at the Anthem Community Center on Saturday, August 3rd from 7:30-9:30 pm.
School Information Update Please make sure you have updated the school phone number in your contacts. The school phone number is: (623) 223-1335. Our previous phone number of (480) 488-9362 is no longer in service for Ridgeline Academy. Page 2
Booster Club Update First Meeting is August 15th at 3:30pm! Ridgeline Academy greatly values parent involvement and encourages all of our parents to participate in student educational programs. Our Parent Booster Club provides the optimal avenue for your support into our classrooms. We invite all Ridgeline parents to come and meet the Booster Club board members and hear about the exciting events they have planned for the upcoming school year.
Student Uniforms Ridgeline Academy is currently partnering with three unique uniform providers to ensure our families have access to highquality and reasonably priced uniform options. You can find the contact information for these providers on our website at: http://ridgeline.teamcfa.org/pages/ parents_and_students/27288/uniform_partners. Booster Club will also be facilitating a bulk uniform purchase and uniform swap to assist parents in finding high-quality uniform options. They will be selling the uniforms at events throughout the summer, starting at the Back-to-School Pool Party on August 3rd. Please also bring any uniforms you wish to donate to the uniform swap. Page 3
Letter from Mr. Barker Dear Ridgeline Academy Parents: During the 2010 Arizona legislative session, § ARS 15-701, or the Move on When Reading Law, was passed. This law requires school districts to retain students in third grade if they fall “ far below” the established reading proficiency level on the Arizona Instrument to Measure Standards (AIMS) Reading Test in third grade. While the law was passed several years ago, this academic year, the 2013-2014 school year, marks the first class of students that are potentially affected by the legislation. This law includes many stipulations about parents’ right to appeal and students who may be exempt from this requirement, such as students with limited English proficiency or a disability. This bill also includes obligations of the school for students who may be in danger of failing as a result of this new requirement. Ridgeline Academy values a collaborative partnership between home and school. We have a solid literacy curriculum and assessment program. We incorporate a structured Response to Intervention (RTI) process, which enables us to provide additional student support to address specific reading deficiencies. Continuous progress monitoring is provided to all of our students ensure student success. This allows us to keep our parents informed of their child’s progress throughout the school year. While we do not expect for this legislation to affect many, if any, of our Eagle scholars, I do feel that it is important to share this information with our Eagle family. We value your input and support, and look forward to working together to ensure that we have another very successful year for all of our students. If you have questions or would like more information on this law, the full document can be found online at http://www.azleg.gov/ ars/15/00701.htm, or as always, I welcome you to contact me at any time. Thank you for the privilege of serving you and your child at Ridgeline Academy. Your partner in education, Keven Barker School Director Page 4
Kindergarten Screening The Ridgeline Academy Kindergarten teachers will begin screening for kindergarten soon. Please watch for an email to sign your student up for this testing. Parents do not need to bring anything other than the student to be screened. If you have any questions, please contact Mrs. Downing at [email protected]. R i d g el i n e A ca d e m y S u m m e r P r og r a m
WEEKLY THEMES & FIELDTRIPS July 8th-12th: Wild About Animals Week Friday fieldtrip: Wildlife World Zoo & Aquarium July 15th-19th: Summer Fun Week Friday fieldtrip: Wet n’ Wild Water Park July 22nd-26th: Solve a Mystery Week Friday fieldtrip: Children’s Museum of Phoenix
SPOTS STILL
AVAILABLE!
Questions? Please contact: Whitney Stockhauser Summer Program Director [email protected] Page 5
