February RCO Meeting – Please join us at our next RCO meeting, Tuesday, February 28th from 6-7:30.  Our guest speaker will be Tod Schneider, Crimes Prevention Specialist of the Eugene Police Department, who will provide information and answer questions about internet safety.  Ridgeline Board and Administration members will be present to provide information about Ridgeline's policies regarding student computer use at school.  Child care is provided, and we ask that you contact the office to sign up so we can staff appropriately.  Meeting time counts toward volunteer hours.  Please come and be involved.  It does make a difference for your child, and the Ridgeline community.

 

DROP-OFF/PICK-UP PROCEDURES

For a safe and speedy dismissal...

 

Student Behavior/Expectations During Pick-Up/Dismissal – 

·       Students are to quietly wait with their teacher or assistant. 

·       Students must check out with their teacher or assistant before leaving campus. 

·       Students may not run, play tag or catch in the dismissal area. 

·       If parents would like to visit, please walk down to the playground area with your student(s).

If you plan to drop-off / pick-up curbside

·       Drive up Donald Street and take a right on E. 35^th Avenue.  Drop-off / pick-up will take place on the North side of this street, curb-side only.

·       Once your child has exited/entered the car safely, you can follow E. 35^th Avenue to Willamette Street and continue on your path, right or left.  Do NOT do a u-turn on E. 35^th Avenue.

·       Do NOT leave your vehicle at the curb; it impedes traffic, creating unsafe conditions.  This is for the drop-off and pick-up only.

·       Students should exit the vehicle on the curb-side

·       Staff or volunteers will supervise and escort students from the curb to the school / school to vehicle.

If you plan to park and walk your child to the classroom

·       Drive up Willamette and turn left on E. 35^th Avenue.  This will allow you to park along the South side of E. 35^th Avenue, or on one of the nearby streets. 

·       Parents/guardians must leave the building by 8:40 a.m., unless volunteering or observing (must be scheduled in advance and have signed in at the office).

The West parking lot is OFF LIMITS week days to Ridgeline Montessori.  

Thank You – Hurray! We really appreciate the multiple offers to remove the TV and wood! Also thank you to Grandma Phyllis for volunteering to help with the childcare for the pre-lottery information sessions and making materials. We love it when extended family members get involved! We also have one parent willing to help with Teacher Appreciation, but we need others to step up and help. This is really a fun project, as it is an opportunity to thank the teachers we all love.

 

Volunteer Opportunities Still “On the Table” -

Contact Cynthia to volunteer for any of the volunteer jobs below.

 

Parking Lot People With Flashlights – 2 volunteers needed for each of the pre-lottery information sessions to stand in the parking lots and direct perspective families. Thursday, March 1^st 6:10-6:40pm and Saturday, March 10^th 9:40-10:10am.

 

Childcare Helpers – 1 volunteer needed  for each of the pre-lottery information sessions to help Ridgeline assistants Emily Kintigh and Adriene Phillips with childcare for the pre-lottery sessions. If you have an Upper-El or Middle School student who wants to come volunteer with you that would be helpful.

 

CONTINUINING NEWS -  

Middle School Info. Session - 5th and 6^th grade parents and students are invited to a Middle School information session with Middle School teacher Jon Labrousse. Learn all about what Ridgeline’s Middle School has to offer. Thursday, March 1^st 7-7:45pm in the Middle School classroom.

 

Ridgeline’s Lottery – Help promote our upcoming lottery. Pre-lottery Information Sessions will be held Thursday, March 1, 6:30-7:30pm and Saturday, March 10, 10-11am in the cafeteria. Enrollment  applications will be available at the information sessions, and on the website starting March 1. Enrollment applications are due in our office Wednesday, April 4, by 4pm. Lottery drawing is Wednesday, April 11, at 11am.

 

COMMUNITY NEWS -

SAVE THE DATE! The 5th Annual Girls Rule! happens March 17th from 9:00 – 3:00 at the Lane Community College Center for Meeting and Learning.  Girls Rule is a great opportunity for girls ages 9-14 and a parent or caring adult to laugh, play and learn together.  This year’s theme is No Matter the Shape, Leave Your Mark.

 

The event features fun and interactive sessions, including Crafts, Self-Defense, Science and Nature, Dance and Movement and more!  Free lunch, entertainment and prizes! For more information and to register, go to www.opheliasplace.net or call 541-284-4335. Deadline for registration is March 9^th.

 

 

Help us have a low environmental impact at the spaghetti dinner by bringing your own items.

 

Crafters may arrive at 5:30pm to set up their tables at the Spaghetti dinner. Please remember if you have kinder or lower-el crafters that an adult needs to remain with the table at all times.

 

 Volunteer Opportunities

DDD Copying, Stapling, and Assembling – Volunteer needed the week of February 21^st to help put together the DDD letter to go home to families that Friday. Contact Cynthia to volunteer.

 

Spray Painter Needed – Volunteer needed to spray paint small wooden materials. Contact Cynthia to volunteer.

 

Material Maker – Detailed oriented person needed to make materials. This problem involves a variety of skills – copying, laminating, using an e-xacto knife, etc. Attention to detail a must. Contact Cynthia to volunteer.

 

Book Hauling – Volunteer needed to pack up books and take them to the Goodwill. Contact Cynthia to volunteer.

 

Childcare for Pre-Lottery Info. Sessions – Volunteers needed to help with childcare for the two pre-lottery info. sessions. We need help on Thursday, March 1^st 6:15-8pm and again on Saturday, March 10^th 9:45am-11:30am. Contact Cynthia to volunteer.

 

Lottery Posters - Posters to promote the 2012 Ridgeline lottery are here. We need volunteers to help hang posters throughout the greater Eugene community. If you can help, stop by the office and pick up posters. We have a list of places around town where the posters typically hang.

 

Recess Equipment Labeling & Organizing Volunteer Needed ASAP – We need someone to come in and label new recess equipment and organize it into bags or bins so that it may be checked out at recess. Contact the office to volunteer.

 

Teacher Appreciation – Parents are needed to plan and execute appreciations for our teachers for National Teacher Appreciation week May 7-11. If you are interested in being an appreciation ambassador, contact Cynthia.

 

CONTINTUING NEWS –

Tardy/Absence Policy - Students are expected to be in class ON TIME every day.  Excused absences and tardies consist of: doctor/dentist appointments, illness and bereavement (other reasons are unexcused).  It is imperative that you contact the school if your student will be arriving late or will be absent.  This can be done by calling the office, emailing or sending a note ahead of time.  Students not in class on time must check in at the office prior to going to class.  All tardies and absences become part of each student’s permanent record.  If your child is absent three consecutive school days, or has irregular attendance, a note from a doctor or nurse practitioner may be required.  Unexcused tardies and absences will be notified by the Auto Dial system via a phone call and an e-mail to parents at home or at work.  This procedure helps to maintain the safety of all students. 

Ridgeline strongly enforces Oregon truancy laws (ORS 339 010-339.990) which requires that students attend school on a regular basis.  Eight (8) or more half-day absences in a four-week period are considered a violation of Oregon school attendance requirements.

"Kids Nights In" at Ridgeline Montessori - Ridgeline's Middle School students have come up with a solution to long boring weekends away from their friends: spend Friday nights at school!  Starting in February, the Middle School will be hosting "Kids' Nights In" in the Upper Gym at Ridgeline. The first event will be Friday, February 17, from 5:30-8:30pm.  We will watch "Finding Nemo" on the big screen, and play games, including a "Find Nemo Scavenger Hunt."

COST: $10 per child.  Pizza and salad dinner can be purchased for an additional $5 per child.  Dinner will be served from 5:30-6:15pm.  Space is limited to 35 kids ages 4 and up (sorry, no diapers!).  Pre-enrollment is highly encouraged!  Future 'Kids' Nights In' will be on March 9, April 20, and May 18.  Please contact Jon Labrousse jon.labrousse@ridgeline.org with any questions.

 

Student Craft Fair – In conjunction with the Spaghetti dinner there will be a student craft fair. Students may sign up in the office to sell handmade items (no food) from 6-8pm, Friday, February 24^th during the Spaghetti dinner DDD kick-off event. Because all available tables will be used for dinner seating, students will need to bring their own table. Kinder and Lower-El students will need to have a parent present at their table throughout the evening. All proceeds from crafts sales go to the seller.

 
COMMUNITY NEWS -

Oregon Heart & Vascular Institutes’s 11^th Annual Heart Fair -

“On Friday, Feb. 10, and Sat., Feb. 11, Oregon Heart & Vascular Institute at Sacred Heart Medical Center will bring a gigantic inflatable human heart to Center Court at Valley River Center as part of the Institute’s 11^th annual Heart Fair. The 27-foot-wide heart is a walk-through, inflatable replica of the human heart that teaches visitors about the anatomical features of the heart, as well as common heart diseases. Visitors will hear the heart beat as they walk through. The fair includes a variety of other displays, including one focused on the link between heart health, exercise and good nutrition. Hours are 2:30-10 p.m. Friday and 10 a.m.-9 p.m. Saturday.”

Hurray, the catalogs arrived and they were sent home on Tuesday! Please return your order to the office by Friday, February 10^th.

 

 A huge thank you to Jackie Chapman and Michael Land of Lands Landscape Maintenance, a Ridgeline family, who did a fabulous job on mowing and weed eating around our grounds.

 

Spaghetti Dinner Volunteers Update–

4 more SET UP volunteers needed 3pm

4 more SERVING volunteers needed 5:45pm-8pm (or 8 in shifts)

8 more CLEAN UP volunteers needed 7:30-8:30pm-ish

Contact Cynthia to volunteer or sign up on the clipboard in her office.

 

SeQuential Bio Fuels – There is now a new SeQuential gas station on two corners of 18th and Chambers. Shop or buy gas at SeQuential Bio Fuels at these new locations or on McVay Highway in East Eugene. Tell the attendant that your purchase goes to Ridgeline, or drop off receipts in the Ridgeline office. We get $.05/gallon or 5% back on purchases!

RCO Meeting – The next RCO meeting will be Tuesday, January 24th from 6-7:30 PM in the Middle School classroom. Our guest lecturer will be former Ridgeline Middle School teacher, Jen Wyld, who will speak about Montessori in the Home. Ever wondered how you could use some of that Montessori philosophy, that works wonders for your child at school, in your home? At the next RCO meeting, Montessorian Jen Wyld will give a short talk on some practical ways you can have a little taste of Montessori at home. All ages, k-8, will be covered and hopefully you will leave with some concrete ideas you can implement right away!

As always, we will be discussing fundraising events, and funds raised thus far. Your presence is important to the community, so please come for all or part of the meeting and have your voice included. CHILDCARE IS PROVIDED and we ask that you contact the office in advance to sign up so we can staff appropriately. MEETING TIME COUNTS TOWARDS VOLUNTEER HOURS. See you there.

Carpool Needed – A Lower el parent is looking for someone in the W. 18th (near Churchill High) area to pick up her son a couple of mornings a week, any days. In exchange, she can pick up an afternoon carpool a couple days a week, any day except Monday. If you are able to help please contact Kat at ooooshiny@gmail.com.

Mid-Year Volunteer Hours Tally Update – Stay tuned Cynthia is learning a fancy new (well new to her) computer way to send out the tally report letters. We are in process, and hoping to get letters sent in the next week. If you have not started your hours, we encourage you to read Ridgeline’s volunteer needs below and leap into action! There are so many ways to help, and Ridgeline would not be the amazing community it is without your help!

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES -
Lottery Posters - Posters to promote the 2012 Ridgeline lottery are here. We need volunteers to help hang posters throughout the greater Eugene community. If you can help, stop by the office and pick up posters. We have a list of places around town where the posters typically hang.

Detailed Wood Crafts Person Needed – to reproduce handmade materials. This includes building small wooden trays with diagonal cuts, cutting small geometric shapes, drilling holes, etc. If you have these skills and tools, please contact Cynthia for more details.

Recess Equipment Labeling & Organizing Volunteer Needed ASAP – We need someone to come in and label new recess equipment and organize it into bags or bins so that it may be checked out at recess. Contact the office to volunteer.

Spaghetti Dinner Volunteers Needed – The Spaghetti dinner committee had a fabulous meeting this week and they are busily gathering information and planning. Thank you to our planning team!

Spaghetti Dinner Volunteer Needs –

Table & Chair Set Up – 3pm Friday, February 24th in the cafeteria

Cook & Food Prep. – 3pm Friday, February 24th

Servers & general help during the dinner – 5:30pm-8pm

Clean Up Crew – 7:30-8:30pm

E-scrip – volunteers needed to set up computers and help folks sign up for escrip

Teacher Appreciation – Parents are needed to plan and execute appreciations for our teachers for National Teacher Appreciation week May 7-11. If you are interested in being an appreciation ambassador, contact Cynthia.

CONTINTUING NEWS -
E-scrip: Great news--another local restaurant has joined e-scrip!! Original Roadhouse Grill by Gateway Mall is now a supporter. Use any credit card that is registered with e-scrip to pay your tab and Ridgeline will get up to 5% of your total, at no cost to you. Not yet signed up with e-scrip? Why not take 3-5 minutes right now. Go to www.escrip.com and help Ridgeline earn more money through this simple, cost-free ongoing fundraiser. Thank you.

Student Craft Fair – In conjunction with the Spaghetti dinner there will be a student craft fair. Students may sign up in the office to sell handmade items (no food) from 6-8pm, Friday, February 24th during the Spaghetti dinner DDD kick-off event. Because all available tables will be used for dinner seating, students will need to bring their own table. Kinder and Lower-El students will need to have a parent present at their table throughout the evening. All proceeds from crafts sales go to the seller.

 

 

 

 

 

 The catalogs and order forms will be here any day now. We will send them home hopefully early next week. This year the catalog is available on-line at http://mydigimag.rrd.com/publication/?i=92821.  Be sure to use the fundraiser order form (when you receive it) as not all items in the catalog are available for this fundraiser. Please fill out the order form carefully, tallying each page, and remember to include the shipping and handling fee. We encourage you to share the catalog and fundraiser order form with friends and family. Be sure these folks write on their order form which Ridgeline family they are connected to so we know with whom to send the seeds. Ridgeline gets 45 cents per dollar ordered.