Dear Riverside families,
Happy Fall Y’all! Where has the time gone? It seems like we were just beginning the year and introducing the students to the new year and now we’ve wrapped up the first quarter. Fall activities have already come to a close or are entering the postseason portion as we speak. I hope that you are having a great year and that your children are reporting wonderful things that are happening at school!
Riverside was approached by Spalding Academy on June 10, 2020, to discuss a potential co-op of sports. The Riverside School Board Cooperative Committee, in consultation with the entire RPS school board, has met with Spalding Academy numerous times since that point. At the October 11, 2021 board meeting, RPS voted to enter into an NSAA cooperative agreement with Spading Academy starting in the 2022-2023 school year. This would include all athletic activities at the high school level. This is currently waiting for approval from the Nebraska State Activities Association (NSAA) board of directors. As shared in prior communications, we will remain the Riverside Chargers and our colors will remain blue and gold. Spalding Academy students in grades 7-12 will now have the option to join our Riverside team if they choose to play sports. If you have any questions please feel free to reach out to me or any of our nine board members.
At the October 11th meeting, the board of education did approve a revised school calendar for this current school year. The only change is March 28 will now be a NO SCHOOL DAY for all staff and students. This change resulted from a comp day offered to staff as we added a staff in-service day over the holiday break. The new calendar can be viewed and downloaded from our school website by clicking “Menu” and then “Calendars” under the District column.
We also posted the first newsletter of the 2021 school year on our website. This can be viewed two ways: in the “News” section of the homepage or by clicking the “Documents” tab and then clicking “District”. We will no longer be printing and mailing newsletters. They will be posted for your viewing on the website only. If you would like a printed copy of the newsletter, you may contact your school office to pick one up.
In keeping with open and transparent communication regarding COVID protocols and Return to School plans, we have seen no confirmed positive COVID cases in either of our school buildings to communicate! The purpose of the Return to School plan is to outline the protocols Riverside Public Schools will follow for in-person learning in the 2021-22 school year as well as protocols to create a safe and predictable environment that can be used by parents, students, staff, and community during the COVID-19 pandemic. We recognize that while it is best practice to have responses planned and to be prepared for a wide range of scenarios, individuals’ health situations are unique and private information. When/if we get confirmed cases in our buildings, if your child is impacted/exposed you will be notified of the case but not the name of the individual. The Return to School plan can be located on the school website at www.riversideps.org under the “District” tab and then click on “COVID”. We welcome feedback and if you have questions regarding the Return to School plan or the current health status of our buildings, please contact me at 308-358-0640 or 308-497-2431.
As we brace ourselves for a very busy and active few short weeks before we head into the holiday season, we hope you can find time to reflect on all we have to be grateful for and be in the moment with your children to enjoy all that they are experiencing and learning. And as always, Be Respectful, Be Productive, and Be Safe...Be a CHARGER!
Ms. Stephanie Kaczor, Supt.