Happy New Year! I am wishing you all an amazing 2024. I like even numbers, so I am glad that we are back to an even numbered year!
First Grade Teacher Change:
Just a reminder, that Mrs. Jade Besh will be returning to Riverside on Wednesday, January 3rd. She was involuntary transferred to Hunt A+ Elementary at the beginning of the year. Hunt has hired a new teacher, which means Mrs. Besh will return to Riverside. This also means that Ms. Erika Nelson will be returning to her role as a Title One Reading teacher at Riverside.
Mrs. Besh will be hosting a "Meet the Teacher" event throughout the day on Friday, January 12. This is a teacher workday. Times are being scheduled for 15 minutes from 8:00- 3:30 on this day for families and students to come in and meet Mrs. Besh. Please call the office to set up a time if your child is in Mrs. Besh's classroom. Thank you!
Welcome to Mrs. Pottebaum
Mrs. Courtney Pottebaum will be taking over as the counselor at Riverside on Wednesday, January 3rd. She will be working on building positive relationships with students, staff, and families in the new year. We wish her a warm Riverside Welcome!
End of the Second Quarter:
January 11 is the end of the second quarter and first semester of school. Report cards will go home on Thursday, January 18. There is no school on Friday, January 12 so that teachers can complete report cards.
Attendance Matters:
We are halfway through the school year on January 11. Students typically should have missed only 5 days at this point of the year. How are your child(ren) doing on this goal? The state has mandatory attendance laws that must be followed by all families. Please let me know if you have any questions about this.
Science of Reading:
Teachers at Riverside are learning more about the science of reading. Research has been done on how students best learn to read and the process the brain goes through to learn how to read words. The left side of the brain is where the majority of the brain's language receptors are located. These receptors use what the person already knows about language, both orally and in print, to help the person read. Teachers are learning the best way to reach these receptors and what skills and strategies are most effective in reading instruction. It is great learning and the teachers have been very engaged in it. We will continue to work on this throughout the year and we will get ready to adopt new reading resources for the 2024-25 school year.
Assessments:
The Sioux City Community Schools has assessments that are required of all students coming up the week of January 15. Students will be doing the Winter Diagnostic of iReady Reading and iReady math. This is an online program that assesses their current levels is reading and math. Teachers will then look at the progress that has been made from the fall. This information will be shared with you at conferences which will be held March 11 and 12.
Questions:
Please call the office if you have any questions or concerns. We look forward to working with you all this school year.
Mrs. Thode
