RBS Principal’s Notes
September 29, 2017
IN THE NEWS:
RBS Wins National Blue Ribbon Award for Exemplary High Performing Schools
I am extremely proud to announce that RBS has been recognized by the U.S.
Secretary of Education as an Exemplary High Performing School. We are one of 342 schools in the nation and 4
schools in New Hampshire to be recognized.
However, we are the only elementary school in NH to receive this award
in 2017. Eligibility is based on the
most recent state assessment data. For
NH, that is the Smarter Balanced Assessment.
I, along with another staff member, will be accepting the award on
behalf of the school at a ceremony in Washington, DC in November. We will also have a school celebration in the
coming months (more information at a later date). Parents, thank you for sending us students
who are ready and eager to learn each day.
We are blessed to be in such a supportive community where education is
so highly valued. If you would like to
know more about the National Blue Ribbon Award, please click HERE.
Harvest
Festival
Harvest
Festival Information
Please join us
for our 5th Annual Harvest Festival on Saturday, October 14th.
We will be sending out an informational
flyer next week.
Harvest Festival
Calendar Raffle
Information and ticket
sheets for our annual calendar raffle were sent home last week. Each
student received 5 tickets (attached to each calendar). Tickets cost $10
apiece. If additional sheets are needed, please feel free to call the
office or click on the flyer below. We have $1,500 worth of prizes to
give away during the month of October...feel free to enter as many times as
you'd like!
There will be a winner each
school day until October 27th, and a there is even a chance to win
$500 at the Harvest Festival! Raffle tickets will be collected until October
27th, and the homeroom that sells the most raffle tickets in each
grade level will win an extra recess!
STRINGS CLUB for
Fourth Graders
STRINGS
CLUB will meet in the music room every Tuesday from 2:40-3:30
PM. Parents and students are invited to
take a look at the string instruments in the music room 2:40-3:30 PM on Tuesday October
3rd. This week you can see
and touch a violin, a viola, a cello and a string bass before you choose the
one you want to learn to play in STRINGS CLUB. You do not need to bring an instrument of your
own to this no obligation open house! A
club sign-up form with more details is available HERE.
A Note
from Miss Ferns (Librarian)
Dear Parents, Please help keep our library books safe. Recently, many
books have been destroyed by water damage. Please have your
child/children use a plastic bag that zips closed to carry books to and from
school in his/her backpack. Thank you, Hattie Ferns
RBS
Clothing
You can order
Riddle Brook School clothing online! Please go to www.bedfordwear.com.
Hover over Schools in the menu bar, and select Riddle
Brook School. An order typically takes 7-10 business days to be
delivered. You can order in a variety of colors and styles. We have
a few samples hanging in the office area so you can get an idea of what is
offered. Also, there is a size chart on the website for your reference.
10% of profits come back to the school.
Bedford Education
Foundation
The BEF is holding their
annual fundraising event on November 17th from 7pm to 10pm at the Bedford
Village Inn. The theme is Nostalgic November. For more information
on the event and how to purchase tickets, click HERE.
Questions can be directed to info@befnh.org
Pat’s Peak Learn to
Ski and Ride Program
Sign-up information is
coming soon! Registration deadline will
be November 15th. The program
will start on Friday, January 5, 2018, and it is a five-week program. Please contact Kim Peicker at kpeicker@comcast.net with any
questions.
PTG News and Information
LAST CALL…Meadow Farms
Gifts, Wrap and More: Looking
for quality gift wrap, everyday gifts and gourmet mixes? Our popular Gifts, Wrap & More fundraiser
starts Monday 9/18. Brochures, with
ordering details, should have come home with elementary students this
week. Families, students, and staff at McKelvie, RAL and BHS will be able
to order online via this link McK-RAL-BHS Ordering
Link
All orders are due
by Monday, 10/2 and product will direct to your home. 40%
of sales are donated back to our schools!
New To Bedford? The PTG will host a welcome for all new
families to Bedford. This open house style event will take place on Wednesday,
October 4th at the Bedford Town Library at 9:30 AM or
6:30 PM. Families new to the district
will be receiving invitations in the mail. Representatives and/or Administration from all
6 schools will be on hand. Families can
learn about school events/programs and town happenings. Light refreshments will be served and your
children are welcome to attend. If you
have any questions or would like to attend this event please contact Aneesa
Fallon at aaf4@comcast.net
Support the PTG: Our support drive is under way and if you’d
like to make a donation to the PTG you can do so via PayPal by visiting our
website www.bedfordptg.org. Donations via check can be made out to Bedford
PTG and returned to school with students in the PTG support envelops that have
been sent home. With your support we are
able to put over $65,000/year in programs and events into our schools!!
Looking To
Volunteer: Volunteer forms
were sent home with students in grades K - 8. Please be sure to return these forms in order
to receive notifications of volunteer opportunities in your school. Volunteer forms can be downloaded from
the PTG
website. PTG volunteers logged over 23,000 hours last year, earning
each of the six schools the Blue Ribbon Award for excellence in volunteering. We'd love to have you join us!
REMINDERS:
Change in Practice
Regarding Student Absences and Excuses – IMPORTANT PLEASE READ
Superintendent McGee sent
the message below to parents in late August, but I wanted to follow up as well.
Overall, our attendance
rates are very high. Thank you! It is very helpful to have our students present
and ready to learn every day. At the same time, we have a small number of
students who struggle to get to school for a variety of reasons. In order to
address those situations more effectively, we have adjusted our practice
regarding attendance.
- If a student reaches 10 days (20 half days)
absent in a school year, we will promptly send a letter home that will
require parents/guardians to provide appropriate written documentation for
all future absences in that school year.
- If a student reaches 15 days (30 half days)
absent in a school year, we will require a meeting to establish a plan for
the student to return to regular attendance.
Our goal is to work
together with families to help all students attend regularly. The full
procedure is in each of the School Handbooks and can be found directly here.
Two additional points:
·
If parents do
not call in to our attendance line or write a note to their child’s teacher, it
will be considered an unexcused absence.
·
Because I
wanted to make sure that parents saw this information (in my Principal’s
Notes), we will begin on October 1, 2017.
Picture Retake Day –
October 18th
If
you would like your child to have his/her school picture retaken, please take a
look HERE for more information.
Bedford Hall of Fame Induction
Ceremony
Please join us as we
recognize the Inaugural Class of the Bedford
Hall of Fame. The ceremony will take
place on Homecoming Day - Saturday, October 21st at 2:00 PM - in
the Bedford High School Dining Commons. For more information,
and to order tickets, please click HERE.
Special Education Parent Focus Group
The district is looking to
expand the parent volunteers in the Special Education Parent Focus Group, a
formal partnership between special education parents and the school community.
Parent participants represent each of the schools and encompass all grade
levels. Meetings are held monthly on the
third Wednesday from 9-10 AM at the SAU office. Discussion
and activities support family engagement and improvements in the district special
education initiatives. Please contact Chris Lassonde, Director of Special
Services (lassondec@sau25.net). We
would love to have more parents join us!
UPCOMING EVENTS:
October 4 – PTG New Family Welcome (9:30 AM Bedford Town
Library)
October 6 – Workshop Day (No School for Students)
October 9 – Columbus Day Observance – NO SCHOOL
October 14 – RBS Harvest Festival (More info. to come)
October 18 – RBS Picture Retake Day
November 2 – Coffee with the Superintendent (9:30 AM @ BCTV)
November 10 – Veterans Day Observance – NO SCHOOL
November 18 – PTG Ski and Skate Sale
November 22-24 – Thanksgiving Break
December 1 – Grade 4 Ellis Island Day
