FEBRUARY 9, 2024 EDition

Parent Teacher Conferences


Parent Teacher Conferences will be Tuesday, February 13th from 4:00-7:00 p.m.  This is a wonderful opportunity for you to connect with your students' teachers. All teachers will be in the main gym and the small gym.  Please make every effort to keep your conferences to 5 minutes.  If you have topics that you would like to discuss that will need more time, feel free to schedule a follow-up appointment. 


The PTSA are generously providing dinner for teachers during Parent Teacher Conferences. If you would like to contribute, please use the Sign Up Genius link below.

 

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/508054BA4AA2BA20-47719531-teacher#/


Senior Bulletin

The latest edition of the Senior Bulletin was sent to households of seniors earlier this week.  Be sure to check your inbox for detailed information related to the following:

Join us at Summit Jeffco: Empowering RV Families for Student Success!

We encourage you to attend this event that promises to empower and equip you with valuable insights to support your student's educational journey. Join us at Summit Jeffco hosted by Jeffco Public Schools on Saturday, March 2 from 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at Summit Ridge Middle School.

Summit Jeffco is a unique gathering where families can connect with district and school staff, as well as experts in various fields, to explore important topics that impact our students. Discover how you can play an active role in improving your student's educational experience and foster their growth.


Summit Jeffco Event Details:

Date: Saturday, Mar 2, 2024

Time: 8:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m.

Location: Summit Ridge Middle School

Learn More & Register 

 The Panorama Family Survey offers an opportunity for parents, guardians, and families to provide feedback on barriers to engagement, school climate, school fit, school safety, and Jeffco's Strategic Plan.  The Panorama Family Survey can be accessed here 

Mental, social and emotional wellness of students is a priority that we share with our community and one that we are addressing with layers of support including school counselors, social emotional learning specialists, school psychologists, social workers along with partnerships with outside agencies like Hazel Health. 

This year, we continue our partnership with Hazel Health’s Telehealth services to provide a free telehealth extension of mental and physical health support for Jeffco students enrolled at district-managed schools accessed at home with a parent/guardian. 

Parents/guardians may access these services on behalf of your student by visiting this webpage and following the instructions for – Steps to Access Care. 

Drop off and pick up

It is a great time to remind everyone to be thoughtful of our neighbors during drop off and pick up.  We must keep the right of way clear for emergency vehicles and through traffic.  With only one road to enter and exit a building this size, with this many people, the roads at the school will always be congested.  There are a few things we can do as a Ralston Valley community to help make these busy times of day run as smoothly as possible.  

Main Entrance - Please be sure to pull as far forward as you can in the loop at the front of the school when dropping off or picking up your student.  This helps to alleviate backups in the roundabout and get as many cars off of 80th Ave. as quickly as possible.  

Roundabout - The roundabout is part of the road.  Please do not park in the roundabout while waiting for dismissal time.  This blocks the flow of eastbound traffic and prevents traffic exiting to the east from leaving campus as well. Please do not stop and pick up your student in the roundabout or on 80th Ave.

Fire Station - As traffic backs up on southbound Alkire, please be sure to leave room for our first responders to exit the firehouse safely and without obstruction.  Do not block the exit of their garage.

82nd Ave. - Please pay attention to posted road signs along 82nd Ave.  There are multiple speedbumps on 82nd Ave., making it necessary to go the speed limit or slower to ensure safe driving and prevent damage to your vehicle.  There are also multiple No Parking signs along 82nd Ave. next to the school's property.  Please do not park there to pick up your student.

Thank you for your continued diligence when driving in and around Ralston Valley.

activities 

PTSA 

Welcome to the second half of the 2023-2024 school year.  The Ralston Valley PTSA is looking forward to finishing out the school year supporting the students and staff at Ralston Valley.  Please take a moment and register for the PTSA by going to the PTSA website (rvptsa.digitalpto.com) and using the link on the right side.  By registering we will be able to contact you to let you know what is happening with the PTSA.

In addition to registering for the PTSA, we are looking for volunteers to serve this year and hopefully beyond.  We have positions that may be ideal for parents of freshman students as they can serve for the entire time their student is at the school.  Please look at the Board page to see if there are any open positions that interest you.  Should you find a position that interests you, please email the PTSA at rvptsa@gmail.com and we can get you in touch with the previous person to get you trained and pass along the needed information.

If there are any seniors that are interested, the PTSA offers a scholarship for which you have to be a member of the PTSA to apply.  More information about the scholarship will be available in the coming weeks

If you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact the PTSA at rvptsa@gmail.com

I look forward to seeing and/or meeting you throughout the school year.

Senior Yard Signs Now Available 

Order your class of 2024 Senior Yard Signs here - 

 https://rvseniorsigntest.itemorder.com/

All orders are processed once the store closes on March 11, 2024. Purchased signs will be available for pick up on April 3, 2024 at the Parent Graduation Meeting. Proceeds go to Ralston Valley After Prom. 

Yearbook Orders 

Last chance to guarantee a copy of this year's yearbook! Capture the special moments and celebrate the memories of the year. Order today through the Jeffco Student Fee Payment system. 

Mustang Speech and Debate competed at the Arvada West Tournament last Saturday.  The team did an excellent job preparing for the Tournament, working on Lincoln Douglas Debate cases, speeches, and Program Oral Interpretation with literary synthesis.  Next tournament is at Cherry Creek High School for Congressional Debate.


Holden Hanou - First Place Tournament Champion, Original Oratory

Eden Wagonlander - Program Oral Interpretation

Zayne Yeager - Lincoln Douglas Debate

athletics 

Spring Sports Registration is Now Open

Spring sports registration is now open for the following sports: Baseball, Girls Golf, Boys & Girls Lacrosse, Girls Soccer, Boys Swim & Dive, Girls Tennis, and Track.


Deadline:

Swim & Dive, and Golf - Feb 16 @ 3:00

All Other Spring Sports - Feb 23 @ 3:00


Please visit the RV Athletics website to register.  You must have a valid athletic physical to register.


Registration Website: Spring Sports Registration


Wrestling

Wrestling is at Legend HS this weekend for Regionals.  The top four at each weight class will move on to next weekend's State Championship at Ball Arena.  Good luck tonight and tomorrow.  

Swimming and Diving

They did it.  The girls put together a full team performance at the League Championships and took home the 5A Jeffco team title last weekend. They turned right around and headed to State this week at VMAC.  Our 200 Medley Relay and 400 Free Relay teams are in the finals.   Lili Neisser (100 back) and Lilia Barlow (200 and 500 free) are headed to the finals as well.  Congratulations to Sophia Hineline on finishing in the top 15 in the Dive portion.

Girls Basketball

Winners of 3 straight, including a 58-36 win over Arvada West, the Mustangs are sitting pretty heading into their final week of regular season play.  Currently sitting 10th, the Mustangs need a win this week against Columbine to finish second in Jeffco 6A.  

Boys Basketball

Ralston Valley was snowed out of their rivalry game against Arvada West on Saturday.  That game will be made up on Monday at Arvada West.  A win will clinch second place in 6A Jeffco for the Mustangs.  Heading into the final week, Ralston Valley is a strong contender to finish the regular season in the top 10.  

Ice Hockey

Last weekend our Hockey team scored a 5-0 victory over Resurrection Christian and then got snowed out ahead of a rematch with Poudre School District on Saturday.  The Mustangs will look to stay hot when they welcome Castle View to APEX tonight at 8:00 and then visit Mountain Vista tomorrow.  

Hometown Ticketing - All Jeffco events have gone cashless this year.  When attending games at our schools or stadiums, save yourself time by purchasing your tickets ahead of time by using the link below.  You can also purchase punch passes to use for your entire family.  Punch passes will save you money on processing fees.

HOMETOWN TICKETING BOX OFFICE

National Letter of Intent Day - February 7th

Congratulations to the 21 Mustang Senior Student-Athletes who have signed to continue their sports careers with the next stop on their education journey!  We loved being with your families, friends, and coaches to celebrate you on Wednesday morning.

Kenji Bray Colorado School of Mines Baseball

Alex Kreidler University of Massachusetts, Amherst Diving

Logan Madden Washburn University Football

Peyton Knoebel U.S. Air Force Academy Football

Jackson Moran Colorado State University Football

Tyrese Johnson U.S Air Force Academy Football

George Patterson University of Northern Colorado Football

Laird Jones Washburn University Football

Jacob Huffman Black Hills State University Football

Jackson Hansen Colorado Mesa University Football

Makian Maydew Lewis and Clark College Golf

Samantha Peters University of Redlands, CA Lacrosse

Margot Mulhern University of South Dakota Soccer

Hannah Jachimiak Eureka College, Illinois Soccer

Evan Berman Willamette University Soccer

Lili Neisser Iowa State University Swimming

Mary "Ella" Brooks Clemson University Track & Field

Gianni Lombardi Northern Arizona University Track & Field

Madeline Dominick University of Texas, El Paso Volleyball

Bailey Koopman Johnson & Wales University, Providence Volleyball

Lincoln Gregersen U.S. Air Force Academy Wrestling

off campus policy

Due to the nature of our campus, we do not allow students to walk off campus during the school day.  

9th grade students are not allowed off campus at any point during the school day unless they leave with their parents/guardians. 

If your 10th grade student is driving, they may leave campus with parental permission.  They are expected to follow local and state driving laws.  Please click on this FORM to give your sophomore child the ability to leave campus with your permission.  

Our campus is not closed to our 11th and 12th grade students and they may leave campus. 

 Schedule for The week 

February 12 - 16, 2024

Monday, Feb. 12th - Silver Day

Tuesday, Feb. 13th - White Day

Wednesday, Feb. 14th - Blue Day

Thursday, Feb. 15th - White Day 

Friday, Feb. 16th  - Staff Development Day, No School for Students

Counseling Department

College Night - Save the Date!

RVHS is hosting an upcoming college night.  While the information will be geared towards juniors and their parents, all students and families are welcome to attend.

Date: Thursday, March 14, 2025

Time: 6:30 p.m.

Place: RVHS Auditorium

JCCA Student Scholarship

The Jefferson County Counselor Association is offering a scholarship of $1,000 to a Jeffco senior.  Students must have a 2.5 GPA and be willing to share a story of how a school counselor postivitely impacted them in school.  Click here for the application - the deadline to apply is April 1, 2024.

Outdoor Lab Scholarship

If you are a current senior who has served as a High School Leader or Intern at Outdoor Lab, you are eligible to apply for a $2,000 scholarship!  The scholarship can be used for any college or vocational training program.  Applications are due April 14, 2024.  For more information and an application, stop by the counseling office or click here.

JCEA Scholarships

Each year The Jefferson County Education Association awards scholarships to senior students who want to pursue a career in education or in the physical sciences.  Scholarship amounts range from $1,000-$2,000 and are renewable each year.  All application deadlines are February 14, 2024.  Click here for more information and applications for each scholarship.

Upcoming College Visits

Representatives from the following colleges will be in the RVHS Counseling Office on these dates and times:

University of Arizona - Wednesday, Feb. 21 - 1:00p.m.

FAFSA Block Party

Multiple organizations are coming together to throw a "Statewide FAFSA Pop-Up Block Party."  Students can get help with their FAFSA and be entered into on-site scholarship and prize drawings - prizes are given away every 30 minutes!  There will also be a college and resource fair.  Click here for more information and to register.  Free parking will be provided upon registration.

Date: Saturday, February 17, 2024

Time: 10:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.

Place: CU Denver-Student Wellness Center, 1355 12th Street, Denver

Summer Multicultural Engineering Training @ Mines

SUMMET (Summer Multicultural Engineering Training) program at Colorado School of Mines is an engineering, science, and technology program designed for rising juniors and seniors from underrepresented populations, including ethnic and racial minorities, women, and first-generation prospective college students.  There are three week-long sessions in June and the program is FREE except for a $50 confirmation fee.  Click here for more information and to apply.  

AP Exam Fees

The $98 exam fee for spring sections of AP testing (Comparative Government and Microeconomics) was posted to student fee accounts in Infinite Campus this week.  The AP exam fees are due on Friday, February 23rd.  After that date, a $25 late fee will be added.

Please direct any questions or concerns about AP exam fees or deadlines to Mr. Merkel at scott.merkel@jeffco.k12.co.us

 Advisement Corner 

Advisement 

In Advisement next week, students will have a block party with another Advisement Class to celebrate Valentine's Day. This fun celebration will include games like Bingo, Scattergories and Word Scrabble. This is a great time for students to connect with each other while also supporting our district initiative around belonging. 

 ralston valley HAPPENINGS

Writing Skills Are Growing

Sophomores in Ms. Ray's English Language Arts are writing descriptive paragraphs using imagery and strong verb choices.

Tapas in Advanced Placement Spanish Class

AP Spanish Language & Culture students had a tapas lunch where they got to experience the Spanish tradition of La Sobremesa. Families and friends get together, usually on Sundays, and have extended lunches with multiple courses while they talk about everything happening in their lives and in the world around them. These lunches are typically around three hours in Spain. 

Modern History Simulates Berlin Conference

Students in Ms. Dean's Modern History class engaged in geopolitics during a Berlin Conference simulation.  Their task was to partition land in Africa.

World Language Classes Find Unique Ways to Learn


Deutschklub met last week to compete in the Gummibärolympiade (Guumibear Olympics). Teams had to build the highest structure with gummibears and toothpicks, be the fastest in the Gummibear relay race, catapult a gummibear the furthest and answer trivia questions about Gummibears.   

In French II class,  students wrote and performed a  puppet show explaining how different French holidays are celebrated.  

Ceramics Classes Hard at Work

Ms. Billings-Munoz's Ceramics students create bowls, pots, and vases.

Current Events Discussion In U.S. Government

Ms. Dean's class worked in small groups as they read about current events for context in discussion about how to balance individual liberty and government power.

Jeffco Schools Foundation's Equity and Excellence Art Exhibit

Congratulations to the following Mustang Art students representing RVHS in the 2024 Jeffco Schools Foundation’s Equity and Excellence Art Exhibit:

 

Katie Brotherton

Payton Campbell

Sei Chen

Kayla Cooley

Kate Decker

McKenna Erickson

Caroline Garrison

Kathryn Shedd

CJ Walter

 

A huge congratulations to Junior Katie Brotherton.  Her mixed media drawing 'Bird's Nest' was awarded Senior High Best of Show 2-D.  Equity and Excellence Art Exhibit is a K-12th grade Jeffco Schools Foundation exhibit, in its 20th year.  It was started by two Jeffco Schools Visual Art Educators to celebrate the different perspectives of culture, diversity, and equity through excellence in artistic representation.

 

The Equity and Excellence show will run from Thursday, February 1st until Tuesday, April 2nd. Come celebrate these talented art students  at the Opening Night: Friday, March 8th from 5:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. at Jeffco Schools Education Center in Golden Colorado. 

"Bird's Nest" 

Katie Brotherton

Katie and Mrs. Buenning

Geometry in Construction Classes Chicken Coops for Sale

This semester's final project in the Geometry in Construction class involves students building chicken coops. The students will apply their mathematical and construction skills to construct coops that comfortably accommodate four chickens, with a maximum capacity of six. This hands-on project exemplifies how geometry can be utilized to solve real-world problems. 

The coops will be available for sale at $750.00 each.  If you are interested in purchasing a chicken coop please fill out our Google form here. The proceeds from the sales contribute to funding next year's program. The anticipated finish date for the coops is the week of May 20th, a perfect time for the chicks to be moved into their new permanent home and enjoy the Colorado summer.  An example of what the chicken coops will look like is provided below.  

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