3/16/2024

Hi Rippowam families,

This week brings us our Parent/Teacher Conferences and our school’s 2nd Community Day this year on Friday, March 22nd.  Our school climate committee has been working hard to support relationship building and positive school culture by organizing a day that will feature a school beautification activity, a workshop on creating an inclusive and positive school culture and a special performance by the NY Red Bull Soccer Team.

PTO Sponsored Silent Auction Fundraiser AND Family Paint Night coming!
Is your child interested in teaching the Red team for the day?  Having brunch with the yellow team?  Throwing water balloons at Ms. Guidotti?  How about VIP parking or seating for 8th grade graduation?  Check out our Rippowam Silent Auction site that is going live on Sunday, March 17th!  The auction ends on Tuesday, March 26th with our Family Paint Night.  See below for details:

Spring Spirit Week March 18th-22nd
Monday:  Dress like your favorite teacher.
Tuesday: Heritage Day - Dress the colors of your country
Wednesday: Rippowam Spirit wear
Thursday: Crazy Sock Day
Friday: Tie Dye/Team Color Day

Parent Teacher Conferences
Please mark your calendars for our upcoming Parent Teacher Conferences on March 20, 21, and 22nd. These are half days for students with conferences in the afternoon.   Teams will be scheduling conferences with students they have identified as needing support academically or with attendance on Wednesday, March 20th and Thursday, March 21st.   Teams will be reaching out to families directly to schedule these conferences.  

Any parent can call and schedule a conference with their child’s team of teachers on Friday, March 22nd. You have the choice of in-person or virtual meetings. You can schedule 10 minute conferences by calling the main office at 203-977-5255 and Carla, Kathy or Claudia will support in signing you up for your desired conferences.  Claudia can support our Spanish speaking families at 203-977-4229.   Please do not reply to this email.
 

8th grade families:  HS Course Selection Process is HERE!
On Thursday, March 21st, school counselors will be pushing into classes to review this information with students in advance of starting this process with your child.  Please start to take a look at this information to get an overview of what is ahead for your 2024-25 school year:    2024-25 High School Course Selection Process

Parent Workshop: Wednesday, March 27th @ Rippowam  Middle School Auditorium
Dolan, Turn of River and Rippowam have collaborated with The Center for Great Expectations to bring you parent training on Growing Resilience in Your Children. We hope you can join us for Session 3 on 3/27.

Session 3: Growing Resilience skills in our children. This training will focus on some of the Key concepts from Ned Johnson & William Stixrud best-selling book “The Self Driven Child.” The authors, a clinical neuropsychologist, and a test prep guru, combine innovative. brain science with insight from their work with families to make a radical case for giving our children more agency to unleash their full potential.

Best,

Kristina Colmenares
Principal, Rippowam Middle School

If you didn’t see the Superintendent’s weekly message, please click HERE.