RHS Sunday Message #12
November 8, 2009

Riverside will offer a Saturday Academy on November 14th and 21st for students who are trying to improve their grades.  Saturday Academy is held in the Riverside Media Center and takes place between 9:00 a.m. and 12 noon.  The Riverside National Honor Society is also offering after-school tutoring every Tuesday and Thursday in the Riverside Media Center.  The RHS Media Center remains open until 4:00 pm. on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

Congratulations to the Casts and Crews of Picnic and The Glass Menagerie for their outstanding performances.  You can continue to support the Riverside Arts Department by attending one of our fall Chorus Concerts.  The Riverside Chorus will be performing next Friday and Saturday night at 7:00 p.m.  I would like to ask all attendees to consider bringing a canned food item which we will donate to the Salvation Army.

The following students were named Riverside Students of the Month for the month of October:

Siera Alston, Newt Barringer, Sarah Hodge-Copple, Tyquan Wagstaff, Alexandra Rodriquez, Shaqwan Grant, Sarah Harrison, and Andrew Maamari.  Riverside is proud to recognize these students for their outstanding citizenship and contributions to our school.

As always, thank you for listening, and Roll Pirates Roll!

RHS Sunday Message #11
November 11, 2009

Report Cards were sent home with all students this past Thursday.  Nearly 600 students maintained a "B" average or better for the first nine week grading period.  I am very proud of those students and hoping to see that figure grow as we progress throughout the year.

Riverside will offer a Saturday Academy on November 7th, 14th, and 21st for students who are trying to improve their grades.  Saturday Academy is held in the Riverside Media Center and takes place between 9:00 a.m. and 12 noon.  The Riverside National Honor Society is also offering after-school tutoring every Tuesday and Thursday in the Riverside Media Center.

Riverside's Theatre Productions Department is offering two plays this fall season.  Picnic will be performed Wednesday and Friday evenings and The Glass Menagerie will be performed on Thursday and Saturday.  All performances begin at 7:00 p.m. and will be held in the Riverside Theatre.  Please come out and support our students by attending one of these fine plays.

As always, thank you for listening, and Roll Pirates Roll!

RHS Sunday Message #10
October 25, 2009

Please visit our Riverside Website if you would like to view a text version of today's Sunday Message.  Also, while viewing our website, check out the new College and Career link which will provide for you important information about how to begin planning for your future after you graduate from Riverside.

Monday, October 26, is a teacher work-day and a holiday for students.  Report Cards will be distributed during a homeroom on Thursday so parents should expect to see your student's report card when they arrive home on Thursday afternoon.  We have enjoyed a very strong first-quarter grading period and I am anxious to see how many of our students earned honor roll status for the first-quarter grading period.  Students who earn all B's or above or who maintain an overall "90" average or above are recognized as Riverside Scholars.  I encourage every student to strive to become a Riverside Scholar.

Parents and students are reminded that students must earn six credits in order to be promoted to the tenth grade, twelve credits to be promoted to the eleventh grade, and twenty credits to be promoted to the twelfth grade.  Our goal is for every Riverside student to graduate, in four years, with a diploma that allows our students to compete and succeed in an ever-changing 21st Century Society.  I am confident that with the proper support, encouragement, and effort, this goal can be a reality for all.

As always, thank you for listening, and Roll Pirates Roll!

RHS Sunday Message #9
October 18, 2009

While viewing our website, check out the new College and Career link which will provide for you a lot of information about how to begin planning for your future after you graduate from Riverside.

There are many great things happening at Riverside.  We have very talented students, highly dedicated teachers, and involved and active parents.  However, we must never lose our focus.  Too often we allow other priorities to interfere with what we are trying to accomplish in school.  Let's work together to impress upon our students that doing well in school should be their top priority; and that all other activities must be handled within the context of complementing and supporting the importance of putting their academics first. 

The key is simple yet challenging.  We must demand from our students that they respect each other, their teachers, and our learning environment.  We must demand that our students come to school prepared to learn and to be willing to put forth the effort required to succeed.  We must demand that students challenge themselves by taking rigorous courses that will teach them the invaluable skills of effective communication, problem solving, and critical thinking.   And finally, we must demand of ourselves that we serve as good role models for our students. 

The last day of the first-quarter grading period will be October 23rd.  Students have one week remaining to make sure they earn their best grades possible with each of their courses.  Please consider sending your student to Saturday Academy each Saturday, from 9:00 until 12 noon, so they can receive additional support.  Saturday Academy is always held in the school's media center.


As always, thanks for listening, and Roll Pirates Roll!

RHS Sunday Message #8  October 11, 2009

While viewing our website, check out the new College and Career link which will provide for you a lot of information about how to begin planning for your future after you graduate from Riverside.

Congratulations to the following students for being named Riverside's Students of the Month for September:  Yasmine Alston, Kiwan Rogers, Rubiel Cruz-Joachin, Tarkia Royster, Esaiah Hester, Niya Johnson, Alix Wicker, and Oleg Nepliouev.  These students will enjoy an off-campus luncheon with me, during the week of October 19th as a reward for their good works.

The last day of the first-quarter grading period will be October 23rd.  Students have two weeks remaining to make sure they earn their best grades possible with each of their courses.  Please consider sending your student to Saturday Academy each Saturday, from 9:00 until 12 noon, so they can receive additional support.  Saturday Academy is always held in the school's media center.

Next Wednesday will be a PLC Early-Release Day.  Students will be dismissed at 12:15 p.m.  All students must be off-campus by no later than 12:30 p.m. as our teachers will be meeting with their Professional Learning Community Teams until 4:00 p.m. that afternoon.

As always, thanks for listening, and Roll Pirates Roll!




 

RHS Sunday Message #7
October 4, 2009

Our students did a great job this past week with Spirit Week.  The participation rates were high and most of the students handled themselves in a very classy manner.  We had a terrific senior picnic and the entire student body behaved very well during the pep rally.  I am proud of our students and commend them for the excellent school spirit that exists at Riverside.  I do want to remind our students to be mindful of the dress code when we return to school on Monday and to make sure their dress is respectful and appropriate.

Congratulations to Riverside seniors Alix Wicker and Monroe Wolf.  Alix and Monroe are two of only five seniors in all of DPS who were named National Merit-Scholarship Semi-Finalists.  This is a huge honor and one for which Alix, Monroe, and their families should be especially proud.  I also want to congratulate Katie Basden, Ian Butts, Stephen Odom, Maria Palombo, Haley Rollins, and Landon Summers for being selected to participate with the North Carolina Honors Chorus.  Only one high school in all of North Carolina had more students named to the NC All-State Chorus team than Riverside.  I am extremely proud of our students and their teacher, Ms. Jill Boliek.

The following are upcoming events and activities for the week of October 5th through October 9th:

1.  There will be an informational meeting for the parents of all 10th and 11th grade students on Thursday night, October 8th, at 6:30 p.m. 

2.  We will offer Saturday Academy on October 10th from 9:00 until 12:00 noon in the school media center.  This is a great program for students who would like extra support with their academics.

As always, thanks for listening, and Roll Pirates Roll!





RHS Sunday Message #8  October 11, 2009

  Also, while viewing our website, check out the new College and Career link which will provide for you a lot of information about how to begin planning for your future after you graduate from Riverside.

Congratulations to the following students for being named Riverside's Students of the Month for September:  Yasmine Alston, Kiwan Rogers, Rubiel Cruz-Joachin, Tarkia Royster, Esaiah Hester, Niya Johnson, Alix Wicker, and Oleg Nepliouev.  These students will enjoy an off-campus luncheon with me, during the week of October 19th as a reward for their good works.

The last day of the first-quarter grading period will be October 23rd.  Students have two weeks remaining to make sure they earn their best grades possible with each of their courses.  Please consider sending your student to Saturday Academy each Saturday, from 9:00 until 12 noon, so they can receive additional support.  Saturday Academy is always held in the school's media center.

Next Wednesday will be a PLC Early-Release Day.  Students will be dismissed at 12:15 p.m.  All students must be off-campus by no later than 12:30 p.m. as our teachers will be meeting with their Professional Learning Community Teams until 4:00 p.m. that afternoon.

As always, thanks for listening, and Roll Pirates Roll!



 

Week of Sept. 28

This week is Riverside Homecoming and Spirit Week.  This is a great week for our students and teachers...............especially when handled appropriately and positively.  The theme for this year's spirit week is Treasure Island:  Take No Prisoners.  Our school uses this week to build school spirit and to give our students an opportunity to feature the creative sides of their personalities.  Each day will sponsor a theme allowing students to dress-up in a way that demonstrates their love for their school and their friends.  As we progress out through the week, I want to remind our students that while I want them to have fun, it is important that our dress is never offensive, disruptive, nor disrespectful to individuals or groups of people. 

Everything about Spirit Week should be positive and intended to promote all that is good and great about our school.  We will end the week with a cook-out for seniors, a pep rally in the football stadium, a big football game against East Chapel Hill, and then our annual Homecoming Dance to be held Saturday night from 8 - 11 p.m.  I have been especially pleased with our first month of school and very proud of our students for their excellent performance.  It is my expectation that Spirit Week continues within this same frame of success and that we will experience one of the best Spirit Weeks and Homecoming Events in school history.Monday will be Sunburn and Sunshine Day:  no bathing suits will be allowed.
Tuesday will be Jungle Boogie Day:  dress like we did back in the 70's and 80's.
Wednesday will be Going Coconuts Day:  dress as wacky-tacky as you can, just be sure to keep it appropriate and wear nothing that will disrupt your classes.
Thursday will be Shipmates Day:  friends should dress alike on this day.
Friday will be Pirate Pride Day:  we hope everyone will sport Purple and Gold all day long.

Parents should have seen their student's progress reports by now.  Please contact our school at 560-3965 if you have concerns about your student's academic progress or if you did not receive a progress report.

As always, thanks for listening, and Roll Pirates Roll!

RHS Sunday Message #5
September 20, 2009

Riverside has an outstanding reputation and we have had many excellent experiences in year's past: however, I want this year to be a very special year, a championship-like year.  I want our graduation rates and promotion rates to be at our highest ever.  I want our test scores to soar with more students than ever before earning level III's on their EOC, VOCAT, and teacher-made exams.  I want our students to make good, safe decisions and to avoid being suspended from school, and students to attend class every day, on time, unless they have a legitimate reason for being absent.  I challenge the entire Riverside family to work especially hard throughout the current school year so that 2009-10 can be one of the best school years ever in Riverside's illustrious 19-year history.

The following are upcoming events and activities for the week of September 21st through 25th:

The Durham Council of PTA Exceptional Children's Programs will host an Open House for at Grey Stone Baptist Church on September the 22nd at 6:30 p.m.

The registration deadline for anyone who would like to take an SAT Prep class through Durham Public Schools is Tuesday, September the 22nd.  Please call 560-3816 for more information

Progress Reports will be sent home in all subject areas on Thursday, September 24th.

Riverside will host a special meeting for the parents of all ninth graders on September the 24th at 6:00 p.m. followed by our annual Senior Parent Information Night which will also be held on September 24th and to begin at 6:30 p.m.  We strongly encourage our parents to stay involved and informed and hope you can attend these important meetings.

As always, thanks for listening, and Roll Pirates Roll!

RHS Sunday Message #4
September 13, 2009

Riverside's Site-Based Decision Making Committee is in need of three new parent representatives.  All interested parents are asked to contact me by email or at 560-3965.  We will elect these three new parent representatives at our PTA General meeting which will be held next Thursday night at 6:00 p.m.  At the conclusion of our general meeting, we will have an Open House during which time all parents can follow your student's schedule and meet your student's teachers between 6:30 and 7:30 p.m.  Again, we invite all Riverside parents to attend our Fall Open House which will be held on Thursday, September 17th, and beginning at 6:00 p.m.

Our School Picture Day will be held on Tuesday, September 15th.  All students were given a picture package in homeroom with information regarding the various available purchasing options.  Payments are required at the time of the photo and all checks should be made to Strawbridge Studios.  Please call our front office at 919.560.3965 for more information.

The Durham Council of PTA Exceptional Children's Programs will host an Open House for all parents of students who have been identified as part of the Exceptional Children's program on September the 22nd at 6:30 p.m. at Grey Stone Baptist Church.  Please call 919.384.1161 for more information.

Riverside's mission is to provide a safe and orderly learning environment in which all students and educators can experience academic success.  We have very high expectations for ourselves and our students and we know that when we work together as a family, there is nothing that can stop us from accomplishing our goals and objectives. As always, thanks for listening, and Roll Pirates Roll!

RHS Sunday Message #3
September 6, 2009


Riverside's Site-Based Decision Making Committee is in need of two new parent representatives.  All interested parents are invited to attend our next Site-Based Decision Making Committee meeting scheduled to be held on September the 10th at 4:30 p.m.  This meeting will be held in the media center.

The RHS Booster Club is sponsoring a BBQ plate luncheon on Saturday, September the 12th, from 11 - 1 at the football stadium.  Please stop by and enjoy some delicious food at $7 per plate and support all of Riverside's athletic programs.

I want to encourage all parents who can---- to consider donating classroom supplies to your student's teachers.  All teachers could benefit from receiving copy paper, pens and pencils, three-ring binders, markers, and hand sanitizer.  Most of these supplies will be used to assist needy students who cannot provide for themselves.  I also want to encourage all students to keep hand sanitizer with them and to wash their hands frequently throughout the day as we all need to do our part to stay healthy and to avoid catching and spreading the flu.This is a reminder for car all riders to be picked up each day behind the school, adjacent to the cafeteria, from 2:30 p.m. until 2:45 p.m.  Parents are reminded that unsupervised students must be off campus each day by no later than 3:30 p.m. 

We have had two outstanding weeks of school and I am extremely proud of our students and teachers. Our students are focused and working hard, we have had very little drama, and school spirit is very high.  Our mission is to provide a safe and orderly learning environment in which students and teachers can experience academic success.  We need for our students to be respectful, to be prepared, and to be on time.  As always, thanks for listening, and Roll Pirates Roll!