The kids are back and all is well at Rivera! After many hours of preparation of interactive classrooms, analyzing data and preparing rigorous standards-based lessons, the staff at Rivera has kicked off the new year with a bang! I was able to visit each class both Monday and Tuesday and here's what I saw: teachers enthusiastically teaching students and setting goals with them, students highly engaged in learning, and a genuine sense of happiness on the part of the teachers and the students.
We began our year with some celebrations. Although the data released by the California Department of Education are only preliminary estimations, we are fairly confident that Rivera met our Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) for all subgroups and showed gains in closing the gap between the subgroups. In addition, the preliminary information reflects that we raised our Academic Performance Index (API ). As is the case with most celebrations, we quickly realized that we continue to have work to do to increase the achievement level for each student at Rivera. So our work has begun again and the staff at Rivera are prepared for the challenge that the new year brings.
Mrs. Setzler, SDC teacher, received new "wiggle chairs" that were donated by a parent. They come from VS Furniture in Germany. They have been researched using body heat imaging to show increased oxygen to the brain and thus increased attention while learning! They're really cool! Kids can wiggle from side to side, front to back, and swivel. I could use one in my office!
Please plan to attend our Back to School Night this Thursday, August 27, from 6:00-7:30 p.m. You will have the opportunity to meet your child's teacher and listen to them present information regarding their goals for the school year. Their first presentation will be from 6:15-6:45. They will repeat the presentation from 7:00-7:30. This will allow parents who have more than one child at Rivera to attend more than one presentation.
Our PTA will begin our evening at 5:45 with a general meeting. Our outstanding PTA board has arranged for the following community members to be at our Back-to-School Night to share information about the services available to our Rivera families: Rivera PTA; RUSD Nutrition Services; Altura Credit Union; Orange Terrace Community Center; Orange Terrace Library; The Little Gym of Riverside; My Learning Studio; Boy Scouts; Girl Scouts; and the Woodcrest Pacers 4H Club. Each of these groups will have a table set up in the quad beginning at 5:45. You will have the opportunity to visit the various tables before and after the class presentations.
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