MESSAGE FROM PRINCIPAL COTTON

Parents – The leadership team, teachers, and staff are finalizing our campus plan to receive students for "in-person" learning! As soon as these plans are finalized, we will share them with our RHE learning community!

I appreciate all of our teachers, parents, and students working together tirelessly to ensure that virtual learning at our school is moving along seamlessly!

Our goal is to meet our students' social, emotional, and academic needs while providing love to them through technology! 

Please stay safe and be well!

The Future is Bright 

Monday 9/21:  wear Green and use a Green virtual background to promote mental health awareness.  We want to take care of our mental health and wellbeing like we do our bodies.  When you are sick you go to the doctor.  We can talk to a counselor when our mind hurts. 

Tuesday 9/22: Hashtag Tuesday - Share with your students that their future is bright and that they matter!  #brightfutures on social media platforms:   

• Instagram @unitedvoices4change and @disrespectinok    
• Twitter @disrespectinok   
• Facebook pages: It's Not Okay, Fort Worth ISD UV4C and @disrespectinok.  

Wednesday 9/23:  wear Teal or Purple. Tell an adult if you or a friend needs help. Be a good friend and tell a trusted adult.

Thursday 9/24: wear sports apparel to Team Up and be a good friend.  Wear your favorite team colors or apparel. 

Friday 9/25: My Future is Bright - wear sunglasses and bright colors or a college T-shirt to show how bright your future is! 

Dear Parents and Guardians,

Welcome to the 2020-2021 school year! I am excited and look forward to a successful year at Ridglea Hills Elementary School. As your Elementary School Counselor, I pledge to work with you, Mrs. Cotton, Mrs. Starr, the teachers, and the community to provide the best possible educational experiences for your child.

This letter is to help you understand my job:

FACTS ABOUT YOUR ELEMENTARY SCHOOL COUNSELOR

WHO?
I am an adult friend to children and a resource person for parents. I have a Master’s Degree in counseling and ten years of experience in education. This is my fifth year as a school counselor.

HOW?
I see children individually, in small groups, and during classroom guidance lessons. Children can be referred to me by teachers, parents, the principal, or students can refer themselves.

WHEN?
My office hours are 8:00 am until 3 pm. You can reach me by phone (817) 815-1715 or email tracie.harris@fwisd.org.

WHY?
Children do better when they have a safe and caring adult at school. As a Professional School Counselor, I play an important role in:
• Helping prevent and eliminate barriers to learning,
• Equipping students with personal skills to lead healthy and successful lives,
• Assisting students in exploring and pursuing academic and career opportunities.

WHAT?
I provide help and support to students of all ages, races, cultural backgrounds and circumstances to master the challenges of life! Guidance lessons help all students develop basic life skills through small group and classrooms that focus on:
• Goal setting/Decision making/Planning
• Motivation to Achieve
• Responsible Behavior/Character Education
• Stress Management/Trauma
• Suicide Prevention
• Healthy and Safe Boundaries
• Communication Skills/Disrespect? It’s Not Okay! (INOK)
• Student Leadership/Student Voice
• Cross Cultural Competence
• Interpersonal Effectiveness
• Self Confidence Development
WHERE?
My office is in room 112; Google site is https://sites.google.com/teachers.fwisd.org/rhe-counseling/home.

Please contact me about any concerns you have. Thank you for allowing me to work with your child. Together we can help them have a positive and great year!!

Sincerely,

Mrs. Tracie Harris, School Counselor

Parents,

Welcome to the start of the 2020-21 school year at Ridglea Hills Elementary! During these challenging times, we have been inspired by the heroic efforts shown by people in our community. Now more than ever we need heroes everywhere, including Ridglea Hills Elementary. Together, we accomplish great things and are a powerful force for good, so this year our theme is: Be SupeRHEroes!

We are looking forward to a special school year ahead. We want to help you and your student feel connected to our magnificent Mustang family. Included here is a quick overview of ways to get involved with our stellar school. 

The best way to stay informed about everything going on is by signing up for our different email and social media updates and visiting/bookmarking our RHPTA website. In addition, please have your FWISD background check completed so that you are able to volunteer when interested and available. Finally, please join our PTA – your membership helps provide a voice to all of our students.

We are excited to have you in our Mustang family!

Rachel Harris

RHPTA President

r.harris@tcu.edu

Principal Cotton is looking for parent volunteers to serve on her Site-Based Decision-Making (SBDM) Committee this year.

• The purpose of this advisory committee is to establish a collaborative approach to improve student achievement for all students.
• SBDM was introduced in FWISD in the summer of 1981. Staff and community participation increased during the 1983-84 school year with the formation of several special interest groups. Since that time, SBDM has remained a viable strategy for making informed decisions at the campus level.
• Principal Cotton hosts monthly SBDM meetings for 30 to 45 minutes, and is ultimately responsible and accountable for all decisions made at the campus level.
• If you’re interested in serving this year, please email Principal Cotton at crenesha.cotton@fwisd.org by Oct. 1.

The Virtual Learning Support page is the go-to resource for students and parents. Whether you're getting started using a digital device or online application for the first time or need to learn more about how to use a resource, you'll find the support you need here. Our Quick Reference Guides (QRGs) were designed to give you clear, step-by-step directions for completing common tasks within various applications.  In addition to our QRGs, you will find helpful videos that walk you through the applications used for virtual learning.  On this page, we've compiled information and resources specifically for students and parents to help with common learning tools like Google Classroom, Google Meet, Seesaw, ClassLink, and much more. For students who have received a district-issued device, we have several resources available to help parents and students with technical issues. Our goal is to ensure that parents and students have the knowledge and technology skills needed for success during virtual learning. 

AR will be available starting September 8. Over the summer, AR was moved to a new platform, and the old link will not work. The new link is:

https://global-zone53.renaissance-go.com/welcomeportal/227565

Library news!

Ridglea Hills already had a couple of students close to AR Level 1! Great job!!

The Destiny link I sent last week didn't work, please use the following one:

https://fwisd.follettdestiny.com/

When you click on that link, it will take you to a list of FWISD schools. Click on Ridglea Hills and then catalog to search for a book. When your child has found the book they want, send me an email with the request. My email is: renee.rick@fwisd.org 

I will pull the book and set up a time for it to be picked up. 

Contact: Ms. Rick at Renee.Rick@fwisd.org  

• What are RH Buddies? Our fabulous Mustang families volunteer to spoil a staff member throughout the school year. Participants are paired with an RH teacher or staff member. Throughout the year, you can treat your buddy with a treat or little token of appreciation. 

• What type of treats or gifts? Treats range from little candy and soda pick-me-ups to “Kudos for surviving a round of testing!” gift cards. 

• When do I have to give something? Whenever you want! You can give something once a six weeks, once a month or a “just because” Sonic drink here and there. You’re in charge of your buddy.

• Why should I sign up? RH faculty and staff love our children and care for them every day. We have the best teachers and staff in town, and this is just another way to say “You are appreciated!” 

• Ready to sign up? Contact Beth Wertman. Buddy requests are filled first-come, first-served.

Contact: RH Buddies Chair Beth Wertman beth.wertman@outlook.com

Many of you have reached out and asked what you can do after you are registered for school. Here are some options!

• Join PTA: https://rhpta.membershiptoolkit.com/form/m/124557

• Sign up to volunteer for PTA: https://forms.gle/Kqi21MtUZhdn1yBk6

• Update your information in the online school directory (anyone can update their info here, you do not have to be a PTA member). You can choose what other people see. If you have last year’s login information, please use that instead of creating another account. https://rhpta.membershiptoolkit.com

• Complete your background check (for when we can allow events and parents in the building!) here: https://fwisd.voly.org. 

Contacts:

VP of Volunteers: Jenn Nevitt, jnevitt@sbcglobal.net 

VP of Membership: Ivy Ellis, ivy.ellis@sbcglobal.net 

• Celebrate your RH student with a stampede of mustangs in your front yard! Contact Naomi Gelineau at naomi0617@gmail.com with any questions. 

• Follow the link below to schedule:

Contact:

5th Grade Fundraising Chair: Naomi Gelineau, naomi0617@gmail.com 

• Sept. 21 - 25 is Spirit Week! See above for theme dress details! 

• General information regarding Ridglea Hills Elementary School is available online at our PTA-sponsored website – www.rhpta.com. Please get familiar with this website and bookmark it on your browser.

• For specific questions regarding school-administered matters not addressed on www.rhpta.com, including but not limited to academic affairs, school registration, testing, campus security, school programs, Fort Worth ISD policies and procedures, etc., please contact the school office at 817-815-1700.

• For non-PTA-related posts (i.e., selling uniforms, looking for a carpool group to join, etc.), please head over to the Ridglea Hills Elementary Parents Facebook group.

• Other helpful Ridglea Hills Elementary School-related Facebook pages include the following:

  • Ridglea Hills Elementary

  • Ridglea Hills Elementary School’s Counselor

  • Ridglea Hills Mustang Muscle (for those RHE dads interested in getting involved with school service projects)

  • RHE Run Club

RH Pony Posts Contact: Brooke Mooty, brooke@safecarepartners.net

#BeSupeRHEroes