December 3, 2021 EDition
Family-School Partnership
Ralston Valley High School is committed to ensuring that your experience with our school is collaborative, successful and helps your child(ren) learn and grow. These past two years have been incredibly challenging and we want to know how you feel we are doing! In the last few years, we have had a low response rate to our Family-School Partnership Survey, so I'm hoping you will take a few moments to share your feedback.
Below is a link to complete a survey about family-school partnerships. The survey will only take 10 – 15 minutes. We will use these results to improve our school and your child(ren)’s learning environment. The survey opens Monday, Nov. 29, and closes Wednesday, Dec. 22. Thank you in advance for taking the time to give us feedback!
Click here to complete the survey
Mica Buenning, Principal
Bus ROute Information
North Area Transportation
We have some good news to share! Beginning Monday, December 4, the following bus routes are being reinstated:
N-17 AM Ralston Valley;
N-24 AM Drake;
N-43 AM Sierra and West Woods;
N-43 PM Sierra, West Woods, and Drake
Thank you again for your patience!
If you have any questions, please contact us directly at
303-982-1998.
North Area Transportation
Jeffco Connect Changes
Jeffco Connect is Retiring!
Beginning December 8th, you will now solely be using your Parent Portal account to update all of your and your student’s information. Your user name and password will remain the same. Basically, all of the information on Jeffco Connect is now housed in the Parent Portal through Infinite Campus. Please see our website for more detailed information.
You MUST log into the Parent Portal to:
· update contact information
· set communication preferences
· view your student's grades and attendance info
· pay your fees.
Enroll Jeffco
Enrollment - Are you Planning on Returning to RV?
It’s almost time to EnrollJeffco! Enrollment for the 2022-23 school year will open on December 13, 2021. Are you planning on having your student return to RVHS? If so, please let us know in advance by registering your student. This will allow the District to better prepare for next year’s staffing, budget, resources, and more for our school.
First Semester Finals
First Semester Finals
First semester finals will be administered on Friday, December 17 (White Day) and Monday, December 20 (Blue Day). Students unable to complete a final during the scheduled time must contact their teacher to schedule a make-up final. No early finals will be administered.
Second Semester Schedules
Second Semester Schedules
Second-semester schedules will be released in Infinite Campus at 3:00 p.m. on Friday, December 17. Households will receive an email indicating that schedules are available for viewing in Infinite Campus. The email will also include information related to fee payment and the schedule review process.
Counseling Department
College Scholarships
Seniors were sent an email this week reminding them of the resources they can utilize to find scholarship opportunities. Since the Senior Seminar Schoology course will be disabled at the end of the semester, we are in the process of migrating all of the information and resources to the Counseling website.
You can access this information by navigating to the RVHS homepage --> Counseling & Registrar --> College/Career --> College Planning --> Scholarships/Financial Aid.
Transcript Requests for College Applications
In order to have a transcript sent to a college before winter break, your senior must turn their blue Transcript Request Form in to the Counseling Office by noon on Friday, December 17th. Any forms submitted after this deadline will not be processed until we return from winter break in January.
Senior Seminar Hours
Seniors need to have completed all 15 hours, including all of the required iSafe hours, of Senior Seminar before December 11. They will receive 0.25 credit and a "P" on their transcript for the 1st semester if requirements have been met.
Scholarship Presentation
Colorado School of Mines is offering a free virtual scholarship presentation about where to find scholarships, how to apply, and what scholarship committees are looking for in applications.
Date: Tuesday, December 14
Time: 6:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.
Free Webinar on Digital Balance
The Colorado Wellness Center for Girls is hosting a free webinar, "Helping Parents Guide their Kids to Digital Balance (with an emphasis on friendships and mental health)", featuring Jack Brustkern, the founder of Screen Allies.
Date: Wednesday, December 8th
Time: 7:00-8:00pm
Warren Tech Applications
Warren Tech applications for the 2022-23 school year will open on Monday, December 13. Beginning this year, the application process will be completed through Enroll Jeffco. More information about applying and about all of Warren Tech's programs across their three campuses can be found on their website.
Women in Science and Engineering (WISE) Summer Internship
WISE is hosting a summer internship program for graduating seniors from May to August 2022 at Medtronic in Boulder and Louisville to gain experience in the medical device industry. The internship is paid and is expected to be a 30-40 hour per week commitment. For more information and to access the application, click here.
Job Board
Is your student looking for a part-time job? The counseling office often receives information from companies looking to hire students. These positions are posted on a Job Board directly inside the counseling office door, on the right. Tell you student to come check out the postings!
athletics
Winter sports are underway. Basketball started the season with a number of tournament games this week. The varsity boys are now 1-0 and varsity girls 2-0.
Swimming and diving have their first meet of the year at Meyers pool on Friday at 4:00 p.m. They will be competing against a number of Jeffco schools in the first league action of the season.
Wrestling left for Colorado Springs this morning to compete in the Battle of the Best tournament at Pine Creek High School. The tournament will continue on Saturday.
Ice Hockey begins the season with home openers this weekend at the Apex Ice Arena. The Mustangs take on Monarch HS on Friday at 8:30 p.m. and Resurrection Christian on Saturday at 7:00 p.m. The Mustangs will have their first road game at the South Suburban Sports Complex against Valor Christian next Saturday at 5:55 p.m. Electronic ticketing is currently the only way to enter Valor sporting events and you can purchase tickets here if you are planning to attend the game.
A huge shout out to our football team who finished the season with a 9-3 record placing them in the quarterfinal playoffs. It was a great ending to the season by our coaches and players and a great representation of why RV is such a great school.
Activities
Big week for our Vocal Music Department and Spirit Squads next week.
Our Winter Choir Concerts are next Tuesday and Wednesday nights. You can purchase tickets online at https://www.rvchoir.com/ . For those of you that would like to enjoy Tuesday night's concert from the comfort of your home, you can purchase a Live Stream Pass.
Next Friday and Saturday, our Cheer and Dance teams will be down in Colorado Springs at the Worlds Arena competing in the CHSAA State Spirit Championships. Cheer performs on Friday at 11:42 a.m. and Dance will compete in the Poms division on Saturday 9:26 a.m.
Good luck to both of our spirit squads!!!
SCIENCE SPOTLIGHT
During the previous class, students used trajectory analysis to calculate where they would like their teacher to stand. The next class period, they got a chance to launch the water balloon at Mr. Lowery, their Physics teacher to see if their calculations were correct!
Mrs. Martin’s Anatomy and Physiology class took an evening field trip to Red Rocks Arvada campus for a cadaver experience. Students were able to examine both a male and female cadaver and apply what they have learned about body systems and maintenance of homeostasis. Students were able to handle organs and even had to put organs/structures back in the correct spots at the end of the night.
Students in Ms. Springmann's Honors Earth Science Class explore the impacts of albedo, thermal expansion, and glaciers vs sea ice on climate change.
Students in Mr. Bradley's AP Physics learned about torque and rotational dynamics.
Happeniings around ralston valley
Congratulations to Ralston Valley HS German student, Lauren Guo, who won her section of the US IDO (the international German language Olympiad) finals at the Goethe-Institut in Chicago this last weekend. Lauren and the winner of the other section, Chelsey Gilbert (Monroe High School, WI), will both travel to Hamburg in the summer of 2022 to represent the USA in the international finals. The Goethe-Institut said, "During the two-day competition in Chicago, (Lauren and Chelsey) did not only show their impressive German skills, but also demonstrated great teamwork-skills and creativity." RVHS German teacher, Paula Blum, is absolutely delighted for Lauren. She was not surprised at the outcome as Lauren is someone who absorbs new language and grammar easily and can put them to use straight away.
health
Covid Testing will not be available at Ralston Valley during winter break. Instead, tests can be taken at the Central Education Office on Mondays and Tuesdays until we return to school on January 4th. The Educational Center is located at 1829 Denver West Drive, Golden, CO 80401. Families and/or those involved in extracurricular activities can attend from 9:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m on Dec. 20, 21, 27, 28 and, January 3rd.
Mask Up!
Please help us by reminding your student(s) to bring and wear their mask correctly while at school. Completely covering their nose and mouth will help us foster a positive culture, keep all students in school, avoid quarantines, and keep our students and staff healthy! Thank you! #BetterTogether
Medication and Self Screening
A few reminders, please screen or have your students self-screen for any COVID symptoms before sending students to school. Please contact me (Kristie.Charron@jeffco.k12.co.us) for any student with a positive COVID test. If your student will be taking any medication at school, please complete the medication agreement form, have your doctor sign, and return to the nurse (this is also for any over-the-counter medications).
Please also continue to send state allergy, asthma, and seizure plans to myself or our health aide (michelle.hanson@jeffco.k12.co.us) in the main office. If your student has any new or existing health concerns that require a health plan, please contact the nurse so that we can get a health plan in place for your student at school.
I have included the link for the Jeffco Health Services Website which has the necessary forms to complete for medications at school.
https://www.jeffcopublicschools.org/services/health_services/medications
Quick Reference
Administration
Principal - Ms. Buenning, (303) 982-5600
12th Asst Principal - Mr. Litzau, (303) 982-5611
9th Asst Principal - Mr. Ackerman, (303) 982-5595
11th Asst Principal - Mr. Pergola, (303) 982-5604
10th Asst Principal - Ms. Kline, (303) 982-9378
Athletics Director - Mr. Stadler, (303) 982-3563
Dean - Mrs. Nigut, (303) 982-5101
