Dr. Troy N. Wright September 2016 Volume 11, Issue 1 Principal 12301 Spotswood Furnace Road Rod Goode, Assistant Principal Fredericksburg, VA 22407 Michelle Gordon, Instructional Coordinator Christine Rogucki, Assistant Principal Tim Stimmell, Athletic Director Brian Lutterbie, Assistant Principal Phone: 540.548.4051 Fax: 540.548.2964 LaTonya Parker, Counseling Director Cassandra Crawford, Assistant Principal http://www.spotsylvania.k12.va.us/rhs FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL IS TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 6, 2016~SCHOOL STARTS AT 7:35 A.M. BE ON TIME! Greetings Bears: Ninth Grade & NEW STUDENT Please allow me to be the first to welcome you to the upcoming school year and share a little about what is new at RHS this ORIENTATION year. First and foremost, I just want to share my conviction that Riverbend is an excellent school. Our staff is dedicated to helping your student be successful, our parent community is highly supportive and our students are driven and dedicated to their school community. This combination creates a wonderful environment to learn and work and a place where I am very Wednesday, proud to serve as your principal. August 31, 2016 6-8pm This year Riverbend will graduate our first cohort of 60 students from the AP Capstone Program offered by College Board. Please come out to Riverbend was selected by College Board to pilot this program, and we are excited for the opportunities AP Capstone has pro- Ninth Grade & New vided for our students. These students took the initial class, AP Seminar, last year and will complete the other course require- ment this year by taking AP Research. After successful completion of these courses as well as four additional AP courses, Student Orientation. they will receive the AP Capstone Diploma, demonstrating a high level of college readiness. We are very proud of this pro- This is a great oppor- gram and the students who have chosen this rigorous path. If you are interested in being a part of the second cohort, we still tunity to get your have room in the AP Seminar Class. We recommend students take the AP Seminar Class in tenth or eleventh grades. Please schedule, locker, and contact the counseling office soon to enroll or to find out more information about this exciting opportunity. meet your teachers. There will also be Riverbend’s instructional focus this year will continue to be on literacy. Last year we implemented the CUE (Circle, Under- opportunities to meet line and Extend) strategy to help students do a better job of reading and comprehending complex questions. By circling verbs and underlining key words in multi-step questions, directions and essay prompts, students are much more prepared to answer with representatives the question as this strategy forces them to slow down just enough to determine exactly what the question is asking before they from student organi- start answering it. The “Extend” provided the teachers some flexibility within the strategy to extend the learning. We will zations and athletics. continue with CUE this year while also implementing our new literacy focus which will deal with teaching content-based vo- PE uniforms, PTSA cabulary. Learning new vocabulary terms is an essential part of every classroom; however, there has been very little profes- and Class Dues can sional learning about the best method to teach vocabulary words until recently. While many of us might remember an educa- also be paid. tional experience of long lists of words and looking up definitions, that was probably not the best strategy. We feel that this year’s vocabulary focus will have a significant impact on student achievement that will positively impact all content areas. RHS will continue implementing a new literacy strategy each year in order to provide our teachers and students with a variety Welcome to our beautiful of literacy strategies for both teaching and learning. school! School starts at 7:35 a.m. All visitors While on the topic of literacy, what are your students reading this summer? What are you reading this summer? I cannot em- please use the Main En- phasize enough the positive impact that increased time reading will have on your student’s educational experience. This is trance located behind the best done by modeling reading as a parent, and also by providing your students with a variety of books that he or she finds flag poles. YOU MUST interesting. Reading for entertainment increases students vocabulary, comprehension and the speed at which they read which HAVE A PHOTO ID To has a positive impact on many college and career opportunities. Increasing the frequency and length of time reading is also Enter Our School. You one of the best strategies your students can do to improve their score on the reading sections of the ACT / SAT tests that are so must also ring the bell important for college admittance. In our English classes, we have a pilot group of teachers who are providing more student inside the lobby and wait choice in literature selections in an effort to increase enthusiasm in reading as we understand that having a book that is appro- to be buzzed in. Thank priately leveled and also interesting is paramount to increasing the likelihood of students reading and finishing the book. you for understanding the need for these safety I would like to encourage parents to be actively involved in your student’s school life. This year we had several parents who measures. volunteered their time on a consistent basis to help in the office. If you would like to volunteer this year, either in the office or for any other program, please contact Ms. Dickinson at [email protected]. I feel that the more parents we have involved in our schools, then the more accessible our school will be to parent feedback. One great way to get involved is by joining the PTSA. You can contact them at [email protected]. They will also be available to answer questions at New Student / Freshmen Orientation on August 31 at 6pm. If you are a new student or a freshman, I encourage you to attend the orientation on the 31st , and I look forward to meeting our new Bears. We are excited about this year and the many opportunities that are available. Thanks for all your support in making RHS the best, and let’s have a great year! Sincerely, Troy Wright Don’t Cheat the Bears! Page 2 SAVE THIS NEWSLETTER! STUDENT SERVICES School Testing Class Schedules (See Page 8 for Dates) Counselors Students will receive their schedules SAT/ACT Testing the first day of school. Adjustments to Dontee Sylvester Testing dates and registration materials student schedules have been made for are available online at (SAT’s) failures and Summer School. Regis- Counselor A-C www.collegeboard.org, (ACT’s) tration drives the development of the Ext. 5328 www.actstudent.org Seniors should take master schedule and teacher assign- the SAT in October or November. ments. Therefore, schedule changes Kimberly Rolling Please be sure to register online, as the will be made for the following circum- deadline for the first testing date is early stances only: Counselor D-HR September. Ext. 5325 PSAT Testing Failure of a course which is a pre- Jenna Haley requisite for a scheduled course or Testing will be given at Riverbend on graduation requirement October 19, 2016. Payment information Counselor HU-N Clerical error will be available during September. All Ext. 5326 Change in course availability 10th and 11th grade students should take Joanne Rahm the test. It is a good opportunity for Balancing of class size Juniors to identify weak areas before tak- Level changes (ex. English 9 to Counselor O-S ing the SAT. This test is FREE to Advance English 9) Ext. 5324 Sophomores for the 2016-2017 Once a change is made there will be no LaTonya Parker school year. reversal back to the previous class. A stu- dent who withdraws from a class after the Director & Counselor T-Z ASVAB Military Testing first nine weeks grading period will receive a “WF” (withdrew failing) or Ext. 5323 The Armed Services Vocational Aptitude “WP” (withdrew passing) which are treated Battery (ASVAB) will be given at River- as an “F” when calculating the grade point Counselors are available for bend in the fall. Anyone thinking about a students and/or parent con- average (GPA). A student may not drop a military option after graduation must take required course at any time. Please refer ferences during the hours of the ASVAB. Others may wish to take to the “Catalog of Secondary Course Offer- 7:15 A.M.- 2:45 P.M. Please this test as well because it provides the ings and Related Information” for addi- call Ms. Bohnstedt ext. 5321 student with information about career tional information or contact Student Ser- for an appointment. Students interest. Register in Student Services. vices. Please note, students may not leave school early on a daily basis unless en- are assigned to a counselor Selective Service rolled in a school/work program or with according to the student’s last If you are a male, 18 years of age or permission from the principal. name. older, you are required to register with Selective Services. The school will have a representative here periodically to assist in registering 18 year olds for selective College Night service. For more information check: Wednesday, October 19, 2016 www.sss.gov. 6:30pm-8:30pm The College Board Advanced Placement College Night will be held at Spotsylvania Towne Center. Over 100 colleges and Registrar Program (AP) provides an opportunity for students to take college-level courses and Armed Forces recruiters will be present to Ms.