conferences are coming!

Communities Dedicated to Learning and Achievement

Principal’s Corner

The end of the first quarter is quickly approaching and preparation for Student Led Conferences is in full swing. We hope to

see all of our parents here for conferences November 16, 17 and 18. It is urgent that you fill out your schedule and return

it to your homeroom teacher if you have not done so already. The Student Led Conference (SLC) process is intended to

provide students with a voice when it comes to their learning and achievement. A reminder to parents is that, at any time,

our doors are open for you to contact and meet with any one of your child’s teachers. Please submit your conference

schedule as soon as possible. While you are here for conferences, please stop by the computers located in the foyer and

take the quick family survey. Your feedback is important to us. Everyone who takes the survey will be entered in a drawing

for one of 3 (1 per grade level) prize baskets!

I have had the opportunity to receive parents for my monthly “Coffee with the Principal”. The purpose of the monthly

gatherings is to provide an opportunity to share information, ask questions, and seek input. The meetings are well

received. Look for an email (through Skyward) soliciting feedback related to an evening opportunity in the near future. It is

important to me that I keep the door open for everyone when it comes to hearing what our parents/community is thinking

about our school. The opportunity for me to meet and socialize with parents is incredibly valuable. I am extremely

grateful of Misty Shaffer, the Yelm Starbucks manager, for providing coffee for my monthly meetings. The next Coffee is

scheduled for Friday, November 4th. Our special guest will be Mr. Ryan Akiyama, Principal of YHS. This will be the first of

many opportunities to hear about YHS and the transition activities for our current 8th and 9th grade students/families in

preparation of the 9-12 configuration for the 2017 – 2018 School year.

Finally, if you are interested in volunteering at our Teen Night dances, our next Teen Night is December 2, from 7:00 to

9:00 pm. Please email our Booster Club President Tracie Choate, at [email protected].

Sincerely,

John Johnson, Principal

Conferences are coming! Wednesday, November 16—Thursday, November 17—and Friday, November 18

**These are each half days—Students are released at 10:30 a.m.** There is NO late start on Wednesday, November 16 and Friday, November 11 is Veteran’s Day—No School.

Please return your student’s conference forms as quickly as possible to help teachers set schedules.

SUCCESSFUL TRUSTWORTHY ORGANIZED RESPECTFUL MOTIVATED STORM Report November 2016

mailto:[email protected]

News and Notes

STORM Report November 2016

SUCCESSFUL TRUSTWORTHY ORGANIZED RESPECTFUL MOTIVATED

YELM HIGH SCHOOL

Message from Ryan Akiyama, Principal

Hello Ridgeline families: I am writing to introduce myself to you and to begin what I hope will be two-way communication over the course of this school year about how we can plan for a positive transition experience to the 2017-2018 school year for the Class of 2020 as well as the Class of 2021. I feel incredibly blessed to have been hired last spring as the new principal of Yelm High School, and I am determined to work with your student to make

2017-2018 their very best year of school… yet. Ever since I began spending time with YHS students and staff last June, I have fallen more and more in love with this community. While I am admittedly still climbing the steep part of the learning curve, each day brings new revelations for me about this amazing school community. I know that our middle school families and educators deserve an awful lot of credit for their hard work through the middle years that result in some really spectacular young people at YHS. It’s because of the exceptional character qualities I see in so many of our YHS students that I am enthused to welcome 9th grade students to our campus next year: they will have plenty of positive peer role models here at YHS, and we'll have plenty of formal as well as informal opportunities for YHS upperclassmen to team up in support of the Class of 2020. In 2017-2018, 9th grade students at YHS will experience a world class education due to collaboration amongst a strong core instructional team of teachers who will work closely together with a dedicated 9th grade counselor and 9th grade assistant principal. Our adult leaders will work with some of our very finest student leaders to ensure a successful transition from middle school to high school for each individual 9th grade student, and to provide academic support as well as connections to student life at YHS through a variety of events and activities. Throughout this school year, I will team up with the leadership team at RMS to get to know the members of the Class of 2019. I'm highly interested in working with our soon-to-be sophomores in developing a shared understanding of their unique role and responsibilities as upperclassmen at YHS next year.

We will have multiple opportunities for RMS families to share questions, suggestions, and topics for future discussion. I'm looking forward to joining Mr. Johnson Friday, November 4 for the RMS "Coffee with the Principal" meeting beginning at 7:00 am in Room 522, and I will also be soliciting your input through other means as well. Finally, if you have any questions or suggestions for future newsletters or other forms of communication, please email me at [email protected] and I'll do my best to ensure we are responsive to your feedback.

mailto:[email protected]



Middle School Parent Toolkit Transition Newsletter

Middle School Parent Toolkit Newsletter Ah, middle school, the time when many kids regard their parents as being “dumb,” “over-protective,” and “not knowing anything.” Things are either a crisis or they are nothing. Here’s what happens as part of the transition in the middle school years: our children become more and more independent. In 6th grade, it’s the transition between elementary and middle school. There’s a bit more coddling in their academic setting, and the students have a healthy sense of unease as they enter the social world of middle school. By the end of 6th grade, they’ve pretty much got it all figured out, and their social world bursts open with wild abandon. For the next two years, they think they are standing at the mountain top and they know it all. Mood swings are rampant, popularity becomes a curse and a blessing, body image, attire, and being cool all take precedence over anything else. So how do parents navigate these years keeping their kids safe and in check, while also keeping their sanity? Here are a few of my favorite tips: (Expanded on following pages)

Make Time to Talk About School

Take Attendance Seriously

Get Involved

Teach Study Skills

Visit the School and Its Website

Attend Back-to-School Night and Parent-Teacher Conferences

Support Homework Expectations

Social Media and more

Finally, being a parent of a middle schooler means setting boundaries, setting rules, having expectations that stick, and allowing your child to suffer the consequences of their actions. If your child flunks a test, don’t blame the teacher. Your child should be the first one you talk to. If the teacher says your child isn’t doing homework and your child says s/he is, make them show it to you each night. If your child goes to an unacceptable website at school, and gets in trouble for it, don’t blame the school. Kids learn from their consequences. If we take away their accountability, they will never learn responsibility. It’s ok not to be the “cool mom” or the “cool dad.” “Cool” only matters if you need a sweater. It’s the “mom” and “dad” word that matters the most. Be consistent! Your kids will always love you for it. Good luck with middle school! Keep your eyes and ears open, and ask for help when you need it. You are surrounded by support, and you are SMART and strong to ask for it. The content shared has been reviewed by parents and RMS and YMS staff members. Please look for additional information as we continue with the transition toward a comprehensive 6 – 8 middle school.



Middle School Parent Toolkit—Page 1

Middle School Parent Toolkit Tips Here are a few of my favorites:

1. Make Time to Talk About School Staying connected with preteens and teens as they grow more independent can be a challenge for parents, but it's more important than ever. While activities at school, new interests, and expanding social circles can become more central to the lives of many middle school students, parents and guardians are still their anchors for providing love, guidance, and support. Make efforts to talk with your child every day, so he or she knows that what goes on at school is important to you. When preteens and teens know their parents are interested in their academic lives, they'll take school seriously as well.

2. Take Attendance Seriously Middle schoolers should take a sick day if they have a fever, are nauseated, vomiting, or have diarrhea. Otherwise, it's important that they arrive at school on time every day, because having to catch up with class work, projects, tests, and homework can be stressful and interfere with learning. Middle schoolers may have many reasons for not wanting to go to school — bullies, difficult assignments, low grades, social problems, or issues with classmates or teachers. Talk with your child — and then perhaps with an administrator or school counselor — to find out more about what's causing any anxiety. Students also may be late for school due to changes in their body clocks. During adolescence, the body's circadian rhythm (an internal biological clock) is reset, telling a teen to fall asleep later at night and wake up later in the morning. Keeping your teen on a consistent daily sleep schedule can help avoid tiredness and tardiness. For students who have a chronic health issue, educators will work with the families and may limit workloads or assignments so students can stay on track.

3. Get Involved Volunteering at your child's middle school is a great way to show you're interested in his or her education. Keep in mind, though, that while some middle school students like to see their parents at school or school events, others may feel embarrassed by their parents' presence. Follow your child's cues to determine how much interaction works for both of you, and whether your volunteering should stay behind the scenes. Make it clear that you aren't there to spy — you're just trying to help out the school community.

Parents can get involved by:

organizing and/or working at fundraising activities and other special events

chaperoning field trips or teen nights

attending school board meetings

mentoring or tutoring students

attending school concerts, plays, and athletic events

Check the school or school district website to find volunteer opportunities that fit your schedule. Even giving a few hours during the school year can make an impression on your child. 4. Teach Study Skills

Planning is a big part of helping your middle-schooler study for tests now that he or she is juggling work from multiple teachers.

Using the school planner supports organization and is also a great communication tool. The planner should include items ‘completed’ and item that are ‘due’ in the near or distant future.

Be sure you both know when tests are scheduled, and plan enough study time before each. When there's a lot to study, help determine roughly how much time it will take to study for each test, then make a study calendar so your child doesn't have to study for multiple tests all in one night.

Remind your child to take notes in class, organize them by subject, and review them at home each day.

http://kidshealth.org/en/parents/comm-6-to-12.html

http://kidshealth.org/en/parents/comm-13-to-18.html

http://kidshealth.org/en/parents/bullies.html

http://kidshealth.org/en/parents/sleep-problems.html

http://kidshealth.org/en/parents/academics-illness.html

http://kidshealth.org/en/parents/school.html

http://kidshealth.org/en/parents/preteen.html



Middle School Parent Toolkit—Page 2

Middle School Parent Toolkit Tips Continued

5. Visit the School and Its Website

Knowing the physical layout of the school building and grounds can help you connect with your child when you talk about his or her school day. It's good to know the location of the main office, school nurse, cafeteria, gym, athletic fields, and special classes.

On the school website, you can find information about:

the school calendar

contacting school staff

special events like teen nights and class trips

State Level testing dates

sign-up information and schedules for sports, clubs, and other extracurricular activities

6. Attend Back-to-School Night and Parent-Teacher Conferences

Preteens and teens do better in school when parents are involved in their academic lives. Attending back-to-school night at the start of the school year is a great way to get to know your child's teachers and their expectations. School administrators may discuss school-wide programs and policies, too.

7. Support Homework Expectations

During the middle school years, homework gets more intense and the time spent will probably be longer than during the elementary years, usually a total of 1 to 2 hours each school night.

An important way to help is to make sure your child has a quiet, well-lit, distraction-free place to study that's stocked with supplies. Distraction-free means no phone, TV or websites other than homework-related resources. And be sure to check in from time to time to make sure that your child hasn't gotten distracted.

Sit down with your child regularly to talk about class loads and make sure they're balanced. It's also a good idea to set a specific start time for homework each night. Helping preteens and teens establish a homework schedule sends a message that academics are a priority.

Encourage your child to ask for help when it's needed. Most teachers are available for extra help before or after school, and also might be able to recommend other resources.

8. Social Media and more…

The social impact during a grade level transition cannot be overlooked. Technology, friends, seeking independence, peer pressure and more will have an impact on internal and external responses to each situation that arises. During adolescence, everything is a big deal. The parent role is tremendous . Work with your school when seeking support for behaviors that may not have existed prior to the middle years.

Finally, being a parent of a middle schooler means setting boundaries, setting rules, having expectations that stick, and allowing your child to suffer the consequences of their actions. If your child flunks a test, don’t blame the teacher. Your child should be the first one you talk to. If the teacher says your child isn’t doing homework and your child says s/he is, make them show it to you each night. If your child goes to an unacceptable website at school, and gets in trouble for it, don’t blame the school. Kids learn from their consequences. If we take away their accountability, they will never learn responsibility. It’s ok not to be the “cool mom” or the “cool dad.” “Cool” only matters if you need a sweater. It’s the “mom” and “dad” word that matters the most. Be one, and be consistent! Your kids will love you for it.

Good luck with middle school! Keep your eyes and ears open, and ask for help when you need it. You are surrounded by support, and you are SMART and strong to ask for it.

http://kidshealth.org/en/parents/back-school.html

http://kidshealth.org/en/parents/help-teen-homework.html

http://kidshealth.org/en/parents/tv-habits.html

More News and Notes



TEACHER

FEATURE

Mrs. Kathleen

Schouweiler

Mrs. Schouweiler went to Stadium High School and

then attended Central Washington University,

earning a degree in Elementary Education with a

Music minor at the age of 21! She enjoyed the

education classes but in her spare time spent most

of it in the music library. She comes to us after

teaching math at Mill Pond Elementary, here at RMS

she teaches 7th grade math. She has been a teacher

since 1987!

Originally she planned to attend law school but

teaching was something that she had been

interested in since childhood. She grew up in a

house connected to a daycare/preschool and can’t

remember a time she has not been helping children!

Mrs. Schouweiler is married, she has six children, 1

grandchild and another on the way! Her oldest

daughter is also working towards a teaching degree

as well.

She loves reading and attending Mariners games in

addition to enjoying many school sports her children

are involved in. She is a very busy mom with her

children’s many activities and church groups. She

spends as much time as possible with her grandson

as well.

We are so happy to have her join the RMS family!

Congratulations Yelm FFA

YELM FFA NAMED #1 - When students succeed,

a teacher or advisor is not far behind. The FFA

chapter was awarded the recognition as the top

chapter in the nation out of 7,859. A great

accomplishment for students, but a testament

of the support and mentorship provided by all

the FFA advisors: Matt Chisam, Hillary Hull,

Dawn Lantz, Mike Mensonides, Matt Mounts,

Dusti Nash, Darla Sheppard, and Lisa Todisco.

MINI CTE - EXPO

Students and Parents: Visit the CTE Expo during

conferences and learn about the Career and

Technical Education Classes available at Yelm

HS. Student leaders will be there to answer

questions, talk about classes, and how to get

involved in student

leadership activities.

News and Notes



Booster Club News If you would like more information or would like to volunteer, please contact our Booster Club President, Tracie Choate at email address: [email protected].

UPCOMING DATES

Teen Nights

2 December

Booster Club Meetings

8 November

13 December

Help support our

Canned Food

Drive!

November 7 through November 23

All items will be donated to Yelm Community Services Food Bank—Help support our local community.

Homerooms are running a competition to see who can bring in the most! Hope you can help the homerooms - they are excited to be giving back to the community at this time of the year when they need it most.

Emergency Weather Closures or

Delays Notices

With the weather changing, we begin to think about emergency school closures. You can sign up to receive email or text alerts as soon as there is a decision to close or delay school due to emergency conditions. Register to receive alerts for Yelm Community Schools at FlashAlert on the District website under “Family Resources” and the Ridgeline website by going to: www.ycs.wednet.edu The District will also send out messages via the autodialer system. Please be sure to keep your phone numbers up to date.

Please remember to vote!

Ballots must be postmarked by Tuesday, November 8 or dropped off at an official drop-box by 8:00 p.m. An official drop-box is located in our District Office parking Lot and outside the gate at Lackamas Elementary.

Parent Survey—Fall Student Led Conferences Wednesday, November 16—Thursday, November 17—and Friday, November 18

REMEMBER TO TAKE OUR SHORT PARENT SURVEY FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO ENTER A DRAWING FOR 1 OF 3 GRADE LEVEL BASKETS!!

(Must take survey to enter)

Veteran’s Day Assembly

Our Veteran’s Day Assembly is Tuesday, November 10 at 8:15 am in the Main

Gym. Please attend this student-led assembly if you can. Thank you to all our

veterans. We appreciate your service and the opportunity to honor you.



Athletics

News from Athletics

7th and 8th grade Winter I Sports (Wrestling and Girls Basketball) will begin on Monday, November 14. Sports registration is now done completely online by going to https://www.familyid.com/ridgeline-middle-school. Winter 1 Sports Registration is due on Wednesday, November 9, 2016 in in order to participate in the first practice on November 14, 2016. The cost is $30 per sport and there is an annual ASB fee of $25.

9th grade Winter Sports (Boys and Girls Wrestling, Boys and Girls Basketball, and Girls Bowling ) will begin on November 14—Registration due November 1 in order to participate in the first practice. The cost is $50 per sport and there is an annual ASB fee of $25.

Sports registration is now done completely online by going to https://www.familyid.com/yelm-high-school . Please contact Mrs. Minor, ASB and Athletics Secretary, for more information at 360-458-1100, option 6 or the YHS Athletics Secretary, Debbie McLean. You can reach her at 360-458-6205.

Fastpitch Season Summary from Coach Riches…

The Storm Fastpitch program had another solid year, where players worked hard and improved greatly from the beginning of the season to the end. The JV team was competitive all year long and learned how to perform within the roles they were asked on a daily basis. There was a lot of improvement in their skills, especially with those who had very little experience coming into the season.

The Varsity had another solid season, having 6 wins and 1 loss. The 2 games with the YMS Whirlwinds were extremely competitive, with them splitting the wins. Even though there was healthy competition, both teams and spectators had fun and were proud of the extreme sportsmanship that was exhibited on both sides. The coaches were very proud of how hard the players worked throughout the season.

The families of both our Varsity and JV players should be proud of how your daughters represented their families, their school and their community with class. As coaches, we are grateful to this group of players. Thanks for all of the hard work and memories from the season.

Don’t forget to set your clocks back

one hour on Sunday, 2:00 am

(November 6) before you go to bed!

Or you will be running late on

Monday morning!

https://www.familyid.com/ridgeline-middle-school

https://www.familyid.com/ridgeline-middle-school

https://www.familyid.com/yelm-high-school

https://www.familyid.com/yelm-high-school

Students did an amazing job these last two weeks showing their support for Kindness and Spirit Week!! Breast Cancer Awareness (Pink Out Day) and support of our student Robert who recently passed away due to

health complications were on the forefront. Kindness Week also entailed special days such as Monday: Kindness Dares, Tuesday: Compliment & Robert Spirit Day, Wednesday: What I Like About You Day, Thursday: Pink Out

Day, and Friday: Free High Five Day



Scenes from Kindness Week and Spirit Week



Scenes from Kindness Week and Spirit Week Continued

COMMUNITY RESOURCES Monday:

Free Dinner 6:00-7:00 p.m. Yelm Prairie Christian Center 501 103rd Ave NW 360-458-7564

Tuesday:

Food Distribution 10:30 a.m.-Noon Yelm Prairie Christian Center 501 103rd Ave NW 360-458-7564

Free Dinner & Take home food 6:00 p.m.

Emanuel Lutheran Church 206 3rd St SE 360-458-3861

Thursday: Food Distribution 10:30 a.m. - Noon

Yelm Prairie Christian Center 501 103rd Ave NW 360-458-7564

Food Distribution 1:00-4:00 p.m. every

Thursday First Thursday of month is Commodities Yelm Community Services Food Bank 624 Crystal Springs Rd NW 360-458-4003

Saturday:

Food Distribution 3:00-5:00 p.m. Free Dinner 6:00 p.m. Crossroads Community Covenant

Church 11520 Bald Hill Rd (Four Corners) 360-400-7877

Yelm Community Services Holiday Program 2016

Sign up @Yelm Community Services Thursday, November 3, 2016 1:00pm – 4:00pm Sign-ups are for both Thanksgiving & Christmas food baskets and gifts for children 12 and under. Requirements for food baskets

proof of address proof of people in household

Requirements for toys

proof of income proof of people in household proof of address proof of children 12 and under for this program

Please contact Yelm Community Services if you or someone is interested in adopting a family or if you know of a family needing extra help this year. Donations are always welcome. Thanksgiving Food Basket Distribution Tuesday, November 22 Children’s Toy and Gift Pick Up Wednesday, December 21 Christmas Food Basket Distribution Thursday, December 22 Yelm Community Services 624 Crystal Springs Road NW Yelm, WA 98597 360.458.7000

For more information go to : http://yelmcommunityservices.com/



Community Resources

Mark Your Calendar

November 4

“Coffee with the Principal” 7:00am Room 522

All parents welcome! Special Guest! YHS Principal Mr. Akiyama

Parent Confirmation Selections Sheets Due

November 7

Canned Food Drive Begins

November 8

Election Day - Every Vote Counts!!

Lego League—2:00—3:00 pm

November 9

Late Start


7-8th Grade Winter 1 Sports Registration Due

November 10

Veteran’s Day Assembly 8:15 am

Early Release at 10:30 am—Records Day

November 11

No School—Veteran’s Day

November 14

7-8th Winter 1 Sports Begin

November 15

Spirit Day—Color Wars


November 16 (NO Late Start)

Early Release at 10:30 am—Conferences

November 17


November 18


November 22


November 23

Late Start

End of Food Drive November 24-25

No School—Thanksgiving Break

The Ridgeline STORM Report

published by

Ridgeline Middle School

10605 Carter St SE

Yelm, WA 98597

Principal

John Johnson

Assistant Principal

Jody Fritz

Counselors

Stacey Jansen (L-Z)

Melanie Keller (A-K)

Secretaries

Kim Gosney

Nicole Minor

Tracy Ubrun

Contact us:

Tel: 360.458.1100

Fax: 360.400.1256

Our newsletters are always

available online at

www.ycs.wednet.edu/ridgeline

School hours

7:30 am—2:00 pm

Ballots must be postmarked by Tuesday, November 8 or dropped off at an official drop-box by 8:00 p.m. An official drop-box is located in our District Office parking Lot and outside the gate at Lackamas Elementary.

Thank you to our school-community business partners: ABC Academy, Costco of Hawks

Prairie, Dairy Queen, Leavitt Orthodontics, Stewart’s Meats, Les Schwab Tires

and Yelm Dental—Dr. Smith



conferences are coming!

Documents