From the Desktop of Mr. Joseph
I continue to be impressed with the way the students have gotten into the swing of the school year. Their persistence and willingness to get involved in their classes and the school has filled each day with energy and productive learning. I thank each of you for your consistent encouragement to your child(ren) to come to school each day and give their best effort and have some fun too. Your positive comments and support provide a powerful reminder each day that you believe in your child, that they are loved and if they stay at it they will find success.
As the school year continues to roll on we look forward to building stronger relationships with your children and you so we can keep the great vibe going all year long. Thank you for continuing to reach out to your child’s teachers, counselors, coaches or administrators when you have questions or concerns as we want to address them promptly.
Enjoy your fall and thank you for your continued support for River View and the Kaukauna Area School District.
Dan Joseph
Principal
Online sign up for Parent Teacher Conferences
River View will be holding Parent Teacher Conferences on November 14th and 18th from 4:00-7:30 pm and November 22nd from 12:30-4:00 pm. Conferences are an excellent opportunity for us to share the many wonderful things your child(ren) are doing and also gives us a chance to address any concerns that may be impeding your child’s progress. The school will send an email to all families with the link and directions on how to sign up.
*Save the Date for Free Flu Vaccinations*
Outagamie County Public Health Department will once again be offering free flu vaccines to all KASD students. The clinics will be at Electa Quinney on October 15th from 3:30-6:00 and KHS on October 23rd from 3:30-6:00. Watch for more details to come at a later date.
Safety First
The safety of all our students is a priority that we take seriously both inside the building as well as outside on the playground, in the parking lot and in our crosswalks. With the school year underway I want to remind all drivers to please slow down as you are moving about school property. Thank you as well for giving students and adults plenty of space while they are in the crosswalks and for not calling your child to run between buses to be picked up in the street.
Thank you for NOT parking in drop off lanes and in non-designated parking areas. This makes the traffic flow much smoother and is safer for everyone.
Your child(ren)'s safety is very important to us so thank you for your support and cooperation with keeping these requests in mind as you come to school.
Sign Up for your Child’s Eighth Grade Academic and Career Planning Conferences
Reminder for Parents of 8th Graders
A message from Mrs. Hinz, School Counselor (grade 8)
To meet the goal of equipping all students with the knowledge and skills needed to find success in their post-secondary endeavors, the School Counselors of Kaukauna Area School District have designed the Academic and Career Planning (ACP) meetings during a student's 8th grade and Junior year.
At River View specifically, these meetings are designed for parents/guardians and students to meet with me to gain insight into their child’s development to this point and to help the student create goals for the future and assist with the transition to high school. Your child has been working very hard on a powerpoint and collecting relevant career information to share at their ACP meeting with you.
Parents are key members of the conference team. I will be sending out an email to sign up for an Eighth Grade Academic and Career Planning meeting for your child through Sign Up Genius by the end of September. ACP meetings will be held most days at 7:50 am, 9:45 am, 1:00 pm and 2:30 pm and lasts approximately 45 minutes. These meetings will run from October 8th through December 19th. If you are planning on attending your child’s Academic and Career Planning meeting please sign up by October 31st. If any of these times do not work, I can also try to set up by appointment if necessary. If you are unable to attend your child’s conference, please contact me at 766-6111 ext. 4211 or by email (hinza@kaukaunasd.org) and I will meet with your son/daughter individually (your child will bring home a folder that contains all the information we covered in the conference).
As in the past, I will be holding group ACP meetings on the nights of the parent-teacher conferences in the fall, November 7th, and November 18th. (Please note that these group meetings are meant for parents who have had older children who have gone through the process and are not as individualized).
Mrs. Hinz
School Counselor (Grade 8)
River View Middle School
Kaukauna, WI 54130
920-766-6111 ext. 4211
Each student has the responsibility to attend school regularly and to report to school and scheduled classes on time. Students who attend class regularly not only do better in class but also reinforce lifelong work skills by arriving each day on time. Wisconsin Statutes 118.15 and 118.16 establish the ultimate responsibility for regular school attendance with each student’s parents. The parent of a student is responsible for reporting any absences, the cause, and if required, for sending information upon the student’s return.
It is the parent's responsibility to call the attendance office by 8:30 am to report the absence and state the reason. Call the attendance line at 759-6159, and then press 6. Messages can be left 24 hours a day. Prompt notification to the school is necessary. Students who are not called in by 8:30 am will be marked as unexcused. Prearranged absences can be made by calling the attendance office at 759-6159 (press 6) for the attendance recorder. Prearranged makeup of missed class work may be arranged by notifying the attendance office of any anticipated absences.
Students appearing as unexcused from class or study hall will be ineligible to practice, perform, attend, or compete in any co-curricular activity on the day of the unexcused absence. Students who miss class or study hall due to illness, will be ineligible to practice, perform, attend, or compete in any co-curricular activity on the day of the illness.
Protocol for Tardiness
1. If a student arrives Tardy, without a pass, during the first 5 minutes of class, the student will be marked tardy unexcused.
a. The teacher will inform students of his/her attendance procedures including responses to tardiness on the first day of each semester.
Three to four tardies and students will receive warning and opportunity to correct
b. Five tardies and students will receive a detention and opportunity to correct
c. Repeat step b for additional tardies
Protocol for Excused Absence
As the school year gets underway we want to remind you of a few things regarding our attendance policy. Please refer to our complete attendance policy in the family handbook (page 14-16) for a more detailed description of this policy. In short, a few reminders we would like you to be aware of:
1. Parents/Guardians are allowed to excuse their student for up to 10 days in a school year. A day is considered all or part of a day a student may be absent.
2. If your student leaves during the school day and attends an appointment, they must bring back a note from the provider to be given to the attendance kiosk. This note can and should be turned in immediately the following day should the student not return to school that same day. This note is critical in helping us appropriately code the students absence.
3. We do send out letters throughout the year regarding students attendance to make sure we are all on the same page. These letters are meant as a communication tool and while we appreciate guardians keeping up on their students attendance through Infinite Campus our goal is to avoid any discrepancies in an attendance record.
4. Please take a look at our family handbook located here: River View Family Handbook to see specifics about calling your student in for an absence. When possible, please call our attendance phone line ahead of time if your student will be leaving for an appointment. This allows us to better help your child transition to and from class and be waiting by door 1 for your pick up.
As always, if you have further questions about attendance please feel free to reach out to us for any clarifications.
Protocol for Unexcused Absence
1. If a student arrives without a pass or is unaccounted for, the student will be marked unexcused.
a. Each one period to a whole day unexcused absence- detention and opportunity to correct
b. Three to four days with one period to whole day unexcused- detention, letter of concern and opportunity to correct
c. Five or more days with one period to whole day unexcused(same semester)
Detention, first truancy letter and meeting if no social worker
If student has a social worker, detention, letter of concern, truancy court and sanctions from social worker.
Truancy
Truancy means a student is absent from school without an acceptable excuse. "Habitual Truant" is defined by Wisconsin State Statute, section 118.16(1) (a) and (c) as a pupil who is absent without an acceptable excuse for part or all of five or more days on which school is held during a trimester. Once a student is habitually truant, a letter will be sent for a parent(s) meeting to be held regarding the truancy, prior to referring the student to the Municipal Court of the City of Kaukauna or the Juvenile Intake of the county in which the student resides. A municipal citation may be issued to any student who is truant subject to Municipal Statute 9.27. Truancy Court is held on campus monthly.
Extended Absences/Vacation Guidelines:
We understand that time spent together as a family and that vacations can be an important part of family life. However, the instructional process does not stop when students are not at school, and lost instructional time cannot be recovered or recreated. Therefore, we strongly encourage families to schedule vacations around the existing school vacation days. If you must schedule a trip or other extended absence that will occur during scheduled school days, please follow these guidelines:
The student must have a pre-arranged absence form signed by his/her teachers and parent(s) and returned to the office secretary before the absence occurs. Pre-arranged absence forms are available in the school office and on our website. This will allow us to excuse your child from school and keep accurate attendance records.
Homework often cannot be prepared in advance, because the purpose of homework is to provide practice and review of skills taught in the classroom. Your child’s teacher may be able to prepare some work in advance with ample advance notice of the absence. However, additional work may be assigned when your child returns. (See Make-Up Work During or Following an Absence below for more information.)
Try to minimize the pre-vacation excitement for your child to reduce the instructional time lost due to distraction and excitement.
Make-Up Work During or Following an Absence:
If parents anticipate their child will be out of school for more than two days, they are encouraged to phone the school office (766-6111) and request homework which may be picked up at the end of the day or brought home by a family member. Students can also sign into Google Classroom to see any assignments they need to complete. Students should make up work missed as a result of an absence and will be responsible to arrange for make-up work. The amount of make-up work will be reasonable and commensurate with the situation, with emphasis on quality rather than quantity. Consideration for make-up work will be made for students absent from classes as a result of field trips or special in-school arrangements since they are involved in an educational experience.
We understand that time spent together as a family and that vacations can be an important part of family life. However, the instructional process does not stop when students are not at school, and lost instructional time cannot be recovered or recreated. Therefore, we strongly encourage families to schedule vacations around the existing school vacation days. If you must schedule a trip or other extended absence that will occur during scheduled school days, please follow these guidelines:
The student must have a pre-arranged absence form signed by his/her teachers and parent(s) and returned to the office secretary before the absence occurs. Pre-arranged absence forms are available in the school office and on our website. This will allow us to excuse your child from school and keep accurate attendance records.
Homework often cannot be prepared in advance, because the purpose of homework is to provide practice and review of skills taught in the classroom. Your child’s teacher may be able to prepare some work in advance with ample advance notice of the absence. However, additional work may be assigned when your child returns. (See Make-Up Work During or Following an Absence below for more information.)
Try to minimize the pre-vacation excitement for your child to reduce the instructional time lost due to distraction and excitement.
Make-Up Work During or Following an Absence:
If parents anticipate their child will be out of school for more than two days, they are encouraged to phone the school office (766-6111) and request homework which may be picked up at the end of the day or brought home by a family member. Students can also sign into Google Classroom to see any assignments they need to complete. Students should make up work missed as a result of an absence and will be responsible to arrange for make-up work. The amount of make-up work will be reasonable and commensurate with the situation, with emphasis on quality rather than quantity. Consideration for make-up work will be made for students absent from classes as a result of field trips or special in-school arrangements since they are involved in an educational experience.
-River View Attendance Committee-
From the Library
We are excited to share with our River View families about our new online access to e-books and audio-books for our students. River View is now part of the Wisconsin Schools Digital Library Consortium, and our students have digital access through SORA. SORA is part of Overdrive. Many of you may be familiar with Overdrive, the app used to access digital materials through Kaukauna Public Library. Here is the link: https://soraapp.com/home. Students then choose Kaukauna and access materials with their school Google accounts.
All River View students have joined us in the library for at least one book checkout. Students are welcome to check out books before and after school and during their recess time as well. We are anxiously awaiting over 500 new titles that are coming our way. We hope you see your child enjoying a library book at home.
All students at River View now access to a Chromebook. We continue to provide reminders and lessons about taking care of the Chromebook, using them appropriately, and being a good digital citizen.
The River View Library Media Center is excited to be back to school!
8th Grade Band
The 8th grade band will be joining the KHS Marching Band at the varsity football game halftime show on Friday, October 11th. Come cheer them on!
Red Ribbon Week
October is Alcohol, Tobacco, and Other Drug Abuse Prevention Month. Various prevention activities will be taking place in Kaukauna Schools throughout the month. We will celebrate Red Ribbon Week during the week of October 28th-November 1st to promote prevention and encourage healthy decisions relating to this issue both in the schools and in the community. The red ribbon has come to symbolize a commitment to healthy, drug-free lifestyles. Raising children in a drug-free community is everybody’s responsibility!
River View will have the following dress up days:
Monday, October 28— "Teaming up Against Drugs is NO Sweat": Wear your favorite sweats/team apparel.
Tuesday, October 29—“Sock it to Drugs". Wear Crazy Socks
Wednesday, October 30— “Unite Against Drugs:” Everyone Wear Red !
As a parent or guardian, here are other things you can do to promote and encourage healthy decisions during Red Ribbon Week and throughout your child’s life:
Be a positive role model by maintaining healthy habits in your everyday life in regards to alcohol, tobacco, or other drugs.
Encourage your child to participate in drug prevention activities at school or in your community. These may be during Red Ribbon Week in October or at other times of the year.
Have dinner together.
Educate yourself on the latest information on tobacco, alcohol, and other illicit drugs and how they can destroy your family and community. Visit the website for this information.
Explain to your child that the most important choices you can make are those that keep you healthy and safe.
Encourage your child to take responsibility for saying “NO” to drugs and “YES” to healthy and fun activities.
Keep communication open. Create an atmosphere where your child feels free to talk to you when he or she has a problem.
Build your child’s self-esteem. Spend time together and let your child know that your love is constant. Praise your child’s achievements as well as efforts to do his or her best. The stronger your child’s self-esteem, the more likely he or she will be to choose healthy activities and refuse to use drugs!
Talk to your children about the dangerous effects of alcohol, tobacco and other drugs.
Keys to Success
You can set your child up for success this school year with some basic pointers. Show your child this checklist, and you’ll help him/her get off on the right foot:
· I attend school every day unless I’m sick, and I get there on time.
· I get 8 – 10 hours of sleep each night.
· I eat a healthy breakfast in the morning.
· I pay attention in class.
· I write down my assignments for each subject.
· I start my projects when I get them.
· I complete my homework on time.
· I read for pleasure each day.
Family Tips: Help Kids Balance Their Media Lives: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1gz7GnkwiTLgoFFke8qgqyFLCZ2RJh-lx/view?usp=sharing
7th & 8th Grade Math Study Tips
Frequently as math teachers, we hear, "I don't study for math tests because you can't." As you may know, this is false. Here are a few tips to help students study for math tests and quizzes.
1. Students can review their notes and quiz themselves on key vocabulary and the steps for solving problems.
2. Practice problems. Students can review by completing the odd problems from the sections covered and checking their answers in the "selected answers" part of their book. If they are getting problems incorrect, they can ask a teacher or parent for help in correcting their mistakes.
3. On the "Big Ideas" website, students can find practices, quizzes, and test. Again, they should seek out help if they are not doing well on these. The website also has many skill builders and review games.
4. Many teachers have websites linked to "Google Classroom." Utilize these sites, practice videos and other resources to help you study.
**As always if you have having difficulties check in with your math teacher for extra assistance. Do not wait until the quiz or test to ask for help.
6th Grade Camp
As an enhancement of our environmental education curriculum, sixth grade students attend Camp U-Nah-Li-Ya each Spring. We will stay at the YMCA facility located near Mountain for three days and two nights. Camp information went home the last week of September. If you would like a sneak peak of camp, go to http://www.campunahliya.org/ and select Environmental Education. Information went home with 6th grade students on September 18.
Travel Releases
For the purpose of building strong team connections it is the school’s preference all students participating in co-curricular activities ride the bus to and from games. With that being said, we understand there are times families have other obligations after co-curricular events. If you plan to have your child ride home with you from any co-curricular event, please be sure to complete and submit a travel release form at least 24 hours prior to the event. This will provide us with ample time to get the information to our coaches so they can make sure everyone is accounted for on the return trip. Here is the link to print one from home: https://www.kaukauna.k12.wi.us/family/forms/travel-release.pdf
Prepared For Winter Sports?
Is your child planning to go out for a winter sport? River View Middle School offers boys basketball, wrestling, and girls basketball during the winter months. If your child is planning to participate we want to remind you that prior to practice starting your child must have an alternate year card or a physical form filled out by a doctor in order to participate. If you are not sure which form your child needs please call the main office at River View and we will help you. Please have your child pick up these forms in the main office at River View or feel free to download them for yourself at the following link:
https://www.kaukauna.k12.wi.us/schools/riverview/activities/cocurricularinformation.cfm
Boys Basketball and Wrestling Sign Up
Boys’ basketball practice begins October 21st. Wrestling signs up will be the first week of November and practice will start late November/Early December. If you wish to sign-up, you may do so in the office. Please make sure that your physical/alternate card is up-to-date and pay the activity fee of $20.00. Students cannot practice until all this important information is handed in.
Archery Club
Archery Club is for students in 5th-8th grades. We teach & practice the National Archery in Schools Program’s protocol. All Equipment is provided. Practices are held at Tanner school in the gym on Monday nights! Archery season runs from Nov.-April. Learning nights will begin for each grade level in November w/ regular season practices in December.
There will be an information/registration meeting held October 24th during the lunch periods. Please listen for announcements & stop in & pick up a packet that includes registration form. You must register to attend practice! All registration slips will be due in office by Nov. 4th! Thank you!
Getting Involved at River View
Calling all seventh and eighth-grade students, here is your opportunity to get involved. REACH, which stands for Realizing Everyone’s Aspirations Can Happen, is looking for new members. This group is designed for River View Middle School who are seventh or eighth graders and are committed to remaining tobacco, drug, and alcohol-free. REACH has monthly trips outside the school day to places like Badger Sports Park, bowling, corn maze, a Blizzard hockey game to name a few. The goal of REACH is to encourage students to take positive steps towards building strong values while having fun. It is a great way to meet new people and get involved.
If you are interested in signing up for REACH, please stop by and pick up a form from Mrs. Hinz, room 213C or Mrs. Knick, room 123.
2. Practice problems. Students can review by completing the odd problems from the sections covered and checking their answers in the "selected answers" part of their book. If they are getting problems incorrect, they can ask a teacher or parent for help in correcting their mistakes.
3. On the "Big Ideas" website, students can find practices, quizzes, and test. Again, they should seek out help if they are not doing well on these. The website also has many skill builders and review games.
4. Many teachers have websites linked to "Google Classroom." Utilize these sites, practice videos and other resources to help you study.
**As always if you have having difficulties check in with your math teacher for extra assistance. Do not wait until the quiz or test to ask for help.
6th Grade Camp
As an enhancement of our environmental education curriculum, sixth grade students attend Camp U-Nah-Li-Ya each Spring. We will stay at the YMCA facility located near Mountain for three days and two nights. Camp information went home the last week of September. If you would like a sneak peak of camp, go to http://www.campunahliya.org/ and select Environmental Education. Information went home with 6th grade students on September 18.
Travel Releases
For the purpose of building strong team connections it is the school’s preference all students participating in co-curricular activities ride the bus to and from games. With that being said, we understand there are times families have other obligations after co-curricular events. If you plan to have your child ride home with you from any co-curricular event, please be sure to complete and submit a travel release form at least 24 hours prior to the event. This will provide us with ample time to get the information to our coaches so they can make sure everyone is accounted for on the return trip. Here is the link to print one from home: https://www.kaukauna.k12.wi.us/family/forms/travel-release.pdf
Prepared For Winter Sports?
Is your child planning to go out for a winter sport? River View Middle School offers boys basketball, wrestling, and girls basketball during the winter months. If your child is planning to participate we want to remind you that prior to practice starting your child must have an alternate year card or a physical form filled out by a doctor in order to participate. If you are not sure which form your child needs please call the main office at River View and we will help you. Please have your child pick up these forms in the main office at River View or feel free to download them for yourself at the following link:
https://www.kaukauna.k12.wi.us/schools/riverview/activities/cocurricularinformation.cfm
Boys Basketball and Wrestling Sign Up
Boys’ basketball practice begins October 21st. Wrestling signs up will be the first week of November and practice will start late November/Early December. If you wish to sign-up, you may do so in the office. Please make sure that your physical/alternate card is up-to-date and pay the activity fee of $20.00. Students cannot practice until all this important information is handed in.
Archery Club
Archery Club is for students in 5th-8th grades. We teach & practice the National Archery in Schools Program’s protocol. All Equipment is provided. Practices are held at Tanner school in the gym on Monday nights! Archery season runs from Nov.-April. Learning nights will begin for each grade level in November w/ regular season practices in December.
There will be an information/registration meeting held October 24th during the lunch periods. Please listen for announcements & stop in & pick up a packet that includes registration form. You must register to attend practice! All registration slips will be due in office by Nov. 4th! Thank you!
Getting Involved at River View
Calling all seventh and eighth-grade students, here is your opportunity to get involved. REACH, which stands for Realizing Everyone’s Aspirations Can Happen, is looking for new members. This group is designed for River View Middle School who are seventh or eighth graders and are committed to remaining tobacco, drug, and alcohol-free. REACH has monthly trips outside the school day to places like Badger Sports Park, bowling, corn maze, a Blizzard hockey game to name a few. The goal of REACH is to encourage students to take positive steps towards building strong values while having fun. It is a great way to meet new people and get involved.
If you are interested in signing up for REACH, please stop by and pick up a form from Mrs. Hinz, room 213C or Mrs. Knick, room 123.
PE Force
Welcome Back
First quarter is breezing by! With the cool weather on its way, please have your son/daughter prepared with warm fitness gear as we continue to go outside for many activities. Sixth and seventh grade students will need a head cover for skating if borrowing a helmet throughout the unit. Head covers can be anything that covers the hair such as baseball caps, winter hats, sweatshirts, or shower caps. Students are welcome to bring their own safety equipment and skates.
Laundry and Locks
Please help by reminding your son/daughter to take home and wash their clothes as well as bringing them back after being cleaned. Encourage your son/daughter to lock their locker as well as to ask for help when having trouble. Many other schools and programs utilize our locker room and facilities after school so locking your locker is the best way to protect your items.
Physical Education Staff
Laundry and Locks
Please help by reminding your son/daughter to take home and wash their clothes as well as bringing them back after being cleaned. Encourage your son/daughter to lock their locker as well as to ask for help when having trouble. Many other schools and programs utilize our locker room and facilities after school so locking your locker is the best way to protect your items.
Physical Education Staff
Green Recycling Bin
We have a labeled Rubbermaid bin in the lobby near the auditorium. You may drop off any old toners, printer cartridges, old cell phones, old printers, etc. We have partnered with a Funding Factory that will give us money for playground equipment for these old items.
Parent Resources
*Infinite Campus for Families - Click here https://drive.google.com/file/d/1fT8bn70FhJcQKTfV_VFaL2o7qRkhfH_7/view?usp=sharing
*Google Classroom for Families - Click here https://docs.google.com/document/d/1vA-fr47OVyBAroP9u9kWKdZKCKYoNimjjC2CqWMJe3o/edit?usp=sharing
*Chartwell’s Menu -https://kaukauna.nutrislice.com/
*Community Flyers
Click Here to access information about any current flyers for this month
*2019-20 Parent Calendar - https://www.kaukauna.k12.wi.us/district/parent-calendar.pdf
Work Permits
River View will process work permits for our students. We need the following items from you in order to process it--
*Letter from the employer
*Parent signature and student address
*Birth certificate, baptismal certificate, or green card
*Social Security CARD
*$10.00
***The student needs to be present to sign the permit.
**Grades 5-8 Parent/Student/Teacher Conferences**
November 14, 18 and 22
