February - Family Newsletter 2019

From the Principal’s Desk

Happy February

As I write this piece it appears that winter has certainly arrived and is making up for lost time with the heavier snowfalls and cold weather. Drive careful and keep yourself warm.

One of the many things I am proud about at River View is that we are consistently working to find ways for students to feel safe and welcome at school. With the constant changes in our society, this can be a challenge at times, but we are willing to take on that challenge to better connect kids to each other as well as the community and the surrounding area. This year alone River View has added the Random Act of Kindness, Alliance and Kindness Committees to give our students more ways to be a part of their school and community. These groups coupled with those already at River View are great opportunities for kids to show their leadership skills, give back to others and learn life long skills.

To further enhance this work I am excited to share that this month we will also be training about 60 students and adults to be Peer Influencers and Adult Advisors for the Sources of Strength program River View has joined. The mission of Sources of Strength is to provide the highest quality evidence-based prevention for suicide, violence, bullying and substance abuse by training, supporting, and empowering both peer leaders and caring adults to impact their world through the power of connection, hope, help, and strength. To learn more about Sources of Strength I invite you to visit https://sourcesofstrength.org/ and spend a few minutes reading the various literature about the program. I truly believe that once you have had an opportunity to learn more about Sources of Strength you will fully understand why River View has made the decision to include this program in our pool of resources to further strengthen our school culture.

Should you have questions regarding the program please feel free to contact me at 766-6111 or josephd@kaukaunasd.org. Once we have our students and adults trained I will provide more information on the different activities that will be put in place to make River View an even better place for all.

Thank you for your continued support.

Enjoy the moments,

Dan

Parent Teacher Conferences February 28th, March 6th, and March 8th

We are using “Sign-Up Genius” online system to schedule our Spring Parent-Teacher-Student conferences that will be taking place on February 28th, March 6th, and 8th. If you are familiar with the system, we encourage you to sign up from the convenience of your home or office. If you have not used Sign-Up Genius before, you will need to create a login before you can sign-up. The directions to create a login are at (www.signupgenius.com). If you need assistance signing up for a conference, please call the school office.

The Parent Teacher Conference sign up site is now open so you are encouraged to click on the link below to schedule a time that works best for you. Please follow the instructions below to set a time for your child’s conference.

Go to the River View School Website to find the Sign-Up Genius link…

www.signupgenius.com/tabs/13576D70FA0CCEE2-parent OR click on the link in the e-mail you received an email from the Infinite Campus Messenger.

To sign up click the tab at the top of the page for the teacher(s)/classroom you are wishing to schedule a conference. Use the directional areas by the tabs to move left or right to find teacher names.

EXAMPLE:  

Once you have chosen the tab for the teacher(s) you would like, click   next to the time you prefer from the available slots and then click at the bottom of the page. As you complete the signup process please remember the following:

a. You can sign up for one teacher per time slot. Signing up for more than one will schedule you with two teachers at the same time.   You will be limited in the number of slots you can sign up for and Signup Genius will inform you when you have reached your limit.

b. To talk with each of your child’s teachers you will need to book a conference time with each of their core and or encore teacher

c. When you select your time please also include your child’s name in the box entitled Student name. To complete the signup process you will need to enter your child’s name. If you are uncomfortable doing that, please place your name in this box. Entering your child’s name will assist teachers with being better prepared for your conference.

d. You are not required to enter your email address or sign up for an account with Sign-Up Genius. If you already have a Sign-Up Genius account, make that choice and enter your login information.

e. Once you are finished, click  and the process is complete.

The following teachers will be holding conferences as a team so when you signup you will be meeting with all your child’s core teachers at the same time.  If you have one of these teams, only sign up for one slot.

i. Bestul/Beversdorf

ii. Janssen/Tilkens

iii. Harris/Abel

iv. Reider/Swedberg/Weast/Mecikalski

v.  Boehme/Peotter

vi. Thiel/VandeHey

If you any questions or are unable to access the internet to sign-up, please contact your child’s classroom teacher or the River View office at 766-6111.

Spotify

Spotify is a free streaming music service that serves millions of songs over the Internet to subscribers. To create an account, users must use an email address or sign in with Facebook.  Spotify is the most popular streaming video service that students use with their Chromebooks. In fact, Spotify consumes more bandwidth on our network than any other site (including YouTube), is the #1 non-educational extension installed with 969 installations, and is the 6th most visited site on our Chromebooks.

Since it is so popular, our District takes precautions so that Spotify use doesn’t interfere with student learning. We have restricted the amount of Internet bandwidth streaming music services can use. We ask that students only use Spotify during work time as permitted by their teachers.

We would like parents to know that Spotify does not allow students under 13 to use their service. For users between the ages of 13 and 18, Spotify requires parental permission for students to set up an account. This is because Spotify does collect and sell usage information from its users and because Spotify music includes explicit content.  

You may wish to talk with your child about their use of Spotify to ensure that they are following the guidelines you set for their technology use.

Kaukauna Community Activity Fair

Sponsored by: Kaukauna Area School District

Purpose: Provide a night for families to come to one location and gain information on the community activities available for their elementary or middle school students (grades 4k-8).

When: Thursday, February 7th, 2019 from 5 – 7 pm

Where: River View Middle School commons and cafeteria -101 Oak St., Kaukauna, WI

Who: Any community activity (club, sport, organization) that involves students from Kaukauna Area School District

Contact: To reserve a table for your group, please email Chris McDaniel – mcdanielc@kaukaunasd.org . Each group will be provided a space including a six-foot table. If you need special accommodations (such as power or more space), please share in email. The event will be promoted on school social media, announcements, and via mass email messenger to students.

Youth Risk Behavior SurveyPASSIVE Permission Form

Our school is taking part in the Youth Risk Behavior Survey sponsored by the Department of Public Instruction. The survey will ask about health behaviors that keep young people healthy, as well as behaviors that result in unintentional and intentional injuries, tobacco use, and alcohol and other drug use. It will also ask about bullying, sexual risk behaviors (mostly for high school students), online risk behaviors, stress and anxiety, self-harm, dietary behavior, and physical activity. It also focuses on positive things like strong connections to the school and to other people.

Students will be asked to fill out an anonymous, online questionnaire that takes about 25-35 minutes to complete. They will take the survey during regular class time.

Completing this anonymous survey will cause little or no risk to your child. The only potential risk is that some students might find certain questions to be sensitive. The survey has been designed to protect your child’s privacy. Students will not put their names on the survey and it does not ask for student IDs or any other individual identifiers. The classroom setting will be set up like a test so that students’ answers remain private.  The school will not have access to individual students’ answers and no class or student will ever be mentioned by name in a report of the results. Your child will get no benefit right away from taking part in the survey. However, the results of this survey do help students by providing schools and the community with information that is used to improve health and safety programs. We would like all selected students to take part in the survey, but the survey is voluntary. No action will be taken against you, or your child, if your child does not take part. Students can skip any question that they do not wish to answer. In addition, students may stop participating in the survey at any point without penalty. If you have questions about the survey, you may contact Karen Wirth, School Social Worker at 766-6111 ext. 4206.  If she cannot answer your questions, she can direct you to the proper person to assist you.

If you do not want your child to take part in the survey, check the box, sign and date the form and return the form to the school office no later than February 8th 2019. Signing and returning this form will dismiss your child from taking the survey. If you have no objection to your child taking part in the survey, you should do nothing with this form. Thank you.

Child’s name: _____________________________ Grade: ___________

I have read this form and know what the survey is about.

[   ] My child MAY NOT take part in this survey.

Parent’s signature:___________________________________ Date:_________________

One School, One Book

We have a wonderful opportunity to participate in a One School, One Book program this school year designed to create a shared reading experience across an entire school community. The book chosen this year at River View is The Red Bandanna (Young Readers Adaptation) by Tom Rinaldi. As a school, we are implementing a variety of activities to heighten interest in reading The Red Bandanna and experience the story with our friends, family, and community.

We were very fortunate to have enough money donated to our One School, One Book program this year to fully fund it. That means that every student at River View Middle School received a copy of The Red Bandanna (Young Readers Adaptation). We want to thank everyone who donated including our River View Parent Advisory Council, River View families, Kaukauna Elks #962, the Kaukauna Educators’ Legacy Fund, and East Wisconsin Savings Bank.

Our desire is to build a community of readers at our school, and we encourage you to read along with your child. The Red Bandanna (Young Readers Adaptation) chronicles the life of Welles Crowther and his September 11th legacy. It is filled with lessons about character and celebrates the difference one person can make.

Spelling Bee

The winning word was..."sumptuous." Leah McElhaney (Gr. 8) took first place in this year's spelling bee. There were 53 contestants, and the bee went 8 rounds!

Taking second place was Norah Bowers (Gr. 7). Third place went to Will Ryan (Gr. 7). Fourth place went to Samee Srinivasan (Gr. 6). Our alternate speller is Marty Cmejla (Gr. 6). The top four will compete at the Regional Spelling Bee on February 7 at Lawrence University. This will be Leah's fourth consecutive trip to the regional bee! Way to go, Leah, Norah, Samee, Will, and Marty!

Women's History Month Essay Contest

Students in grades 6-8 are invited to participate in an essay contest for Women’s History Month sponsored by AAUW-Appleton and the Appleton Public Library.  Students are asked to write about a woman who made a difference in science, technology, engineering and/or math and tell why the woman is significant to you.  Cash prizes will be awarded and winners will be invited to read their essay at a special reception at the Appleton Public Library on March 19, 2019. All entries are due by February 28th.  The application and guidelines can be obtained from the school office and are available online at the AAUW Appleton website at https://appleton-wi.aauw.net/essay-contest/

Yearbooks

Yearbooks are on sale until March 1st - $13.50.  You may order them online or pick up a form in the office. Make checks out to River View Middle School or RVMS.  Or you may order online at www.jostens.com.

https://www.jostens.com/apps/store/customer/1163782/River-View-Middle-School/

Scholastic Book Fair

River View Middle School will be hosting the Scholastic Book Fair the week of March 4-8 in the Library. Students may purchase books and other items during their lunch recesses on those days. The Book Fair will also be open during Parent-Teacher Conferences on March 6th and 8th for River View families. This is a great opportunity to get books into the hands of students!

Gr. 5-12 Orchestra Concert

The River View Middle School Orchestras will preview their upcoming District Solo & Ensemble performances on Thursday, February 7 at 7pm in the River View Auditorium.  Students in 5th-8th grade will perform solos and small ensembles, most of which will be entered in the Wisconsin School Music Association District Solo & Ensemble Festival on Saturday, March 2 at Appleton West High School.   The concert is free and the public is invited to attend. The orchestras are directed by Katie Nesemann.

P.E. Force

It was an exciting second quarter in physical education at River View. We have just finished our volleyball activities. 5th and 6th graders focused on the skills of passing, setting, and serving. Our 7th and 8th graders competed in our annual volleyball tournament! The tournament will continue during our PIE time in February and the student body will get the opportunity to cheer their peers on during the championship.

New activities are ahead for all grade levels including tumbling, hockey, variety games, net games, and various challenges in the fitness lab.

Please remind your son/daughter to bring a change of clothes. Sweatpants and yoga pants are acceptable wear but they need to be a change of clothing.

P.E. FORCE

Mrs. Maurer, Mr. Sanderfoot, Mrs. Mursau, Mr. Bibow, Mr. Rykal, Ms. Ziegler

Solo Ensemble

River View vocalists and pianists will be participating in our regional Solo/Ensemble competition on Saturday, February 23 at Appleton West High School. The students will be performing selected pieces from the contest list for WSMA music judges to earn a rating and have a chance to work with these music specialists. We wish them the best on this exciting and challenging event. We know you’ll represent River View well!

5th Grade Running Club

If you like running or jogging this club is for you! We meet three times a week, Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday. Our goal is to build our running endurance from a half mile to 3.5 miles in time to run the Cellcom 5K on May 18th. Parents will be expected to bring their own child to the Cellcom 5K if they choose. Students will need to have a physical form, medical form, and concussion form on file before the start of practice. Paperwork can be picked up in the office. We start the last week in March, March 25th and will go until May 16th with a pizza party on May 20th. More information to come in March.

Work Permits

River View will process work permits for our students.  The following items are what we need to get a permit for a student:

• Letter from the employer
• Birth certificate, baptismal certificate, or green card
• Parent signature and student address
• Social Security CARD
• $10.00

***The student needs to be present to sign the permit.

7th Grade Field Trip

The 7th grade staff are planning to take seventh-grade students to the Milwaukee Public Museum on Wednesday, April 24th and Thursday, April 25th.  Two 7th grade teams will be traveling to the museum on Wednesday, and two of the teams will be traveling to the museum on Thursday. More specifics will come as we near the trip dates.

The Milwaukee Public Museum is one of the largest and best-known museums of natural and human history in the United States.  It is a rich educational resource with something to excite and challenge people of all ages and interests. Students attending this field trip will explore exhibits that relate closely to the science and social studies curriculum.  Please watch for further information in the March newsletter!

Infinite Campus Parent Portal App

The Kaukauna Area School District provides a Parent Portal Account for guardians.  The parent portal allows you the opportunity to view a calendar of events, schedules, attendance, grades, health, fees, reports, on-line payments and household information for students to whom you have been marked as guardian. Infinite Campus provides a Parent Portal App that you can add to your mobile device. Here are some resources to help you access Infinite Campus Parent Portal App on your mobile device:

Tutorial Video

Instructional Handout

January Student And Staff Of The Month

Students:

Jada Schiedermayer

Xander Biese

Addison Swedberg

Athena Xiong

Lillian Pingel

Nathan Spoehr

Abril Gasca-Ramirez

Taryn Christopher

Addison Baumgart

Tyler Duchow

Staff:

Jessica DeMoulin

Katie Davids

Kristin Wopat

Val Evers

Josh Iverson

Summer School 2019 - link

KASD is already busy planning for Summer School!  Thank you to all the parents who responded to the survey following Summer School 2018.  With the combination of parent and staff feedback, the following decisions have been made regarding Summer School 2019:

Location – Classes will continue to be held at Kaukauna High School

Dates – All courses will be offered in one session:  

Tuesday, June 11 – Friday, June 28, Monday – Friday.

• Strength and Conditioning and Music Lessons/Band Camp will also be held in July.

Other valuable information:

• We will again offer an Open House prior to the start of Summer School for families to become familiar with the location and rooms that classes will be taking place in.
• Busing/transportation will continue to be an option for families for a fee

Community Flyers

Click Here to access information about any current flyers for this month.

• Kaukauna Dance Team Pom Clinic
• 2018 Kaukauna Softball Flyer
• Girl Scouts
• Tech Savvy Poster
• United Way Valentine's Day Festival
• 2018 Electric City Soccer Flyer
• AAUW Essay Contest
• Spike Club for Gr. 6-8 Boys Volleyball

December-January Family Newsletter 2018-19

From the Principal’s Desk

Greetings all!

In past December newsletters I have talked about the gifts of patience, forgiveness, love and acceptance. I believe these gifts continue to be of the utmost importance in the lives our students as they can assist all with building a solid foundation that can last a lifetime. This year I would like to add to this list of gifts of kindness and empathy.

For last month or so River View has had two groups of students/staff working collaboratively to promote a stronger culture/climate through kindness. One group is the Random Acts of Kindness(RAK) groups and they have been hard at work generating ideas of how students at River View can spread more kindness throughout the Kaukauna community. Recently they generated a large number of chalk sayings around the outside of the school encouraging students, parents and visitors to trust and believe in themselves, to be positive and to reach out to others who are in need of understanding and kindness. They are also working on care packages for cancer patients.The other group is the Kindness Committee. This group is working on an Empathy Week for later in December and will be hosting different activities and lessons to assist students with developing an understanding of empathy and how it impacts their lives and the lives of others.

To support these groups’ work, on December 5th, Marc Mero, who is an inspirational speaker will be doing a presentation about empathy, kindness, growth mindset, resilience, etc to all River View students. We are grateful for Marc coming in with his message and providing our students with additional encouragement and motivation to show kindness and empathy toward others. If you are interested in learning more about Marc’s message please visit https://youtu.be/FwqXzkf6gcE or www.ThinkPOZ.org .

I am very proud of both of these groups and their efforts as they are doing important work to enhance our school, community and world to see the value and positiveness that comes with being kind and empathetic to peers and fellow community members.

Thank you for your continued support and I wish you a wonderful Christmas and a safe and productive New Year!


Dan Joseph
Principal

Winter Wonderland Dance

On January 18, 2019, Student Council will be sponsoring a dance for River View Middle School students. Due to this date being a half day, students are expected to leave school at the end of the half day and return at the
start of the dance. The dance will be held in the Commons of River View Middle School, and students will enter and check-in at the main entrance.

Times are:
● River View 5th and 6th-grade students may attend from 4:00 PM to 5:30 pm.
● River View 7th and 8th-grade students may attend from 6:30 PM to 8:00 pm.
● Pick up will be at the front entrance promptly at the end time.

The Winter Wonderland Dance attire is semi-formal, so students may dress formally, or they may wear what they feel comfortable in. District dress-code expectations will be enforced. Permission slips will be handed out in homeroom.

A Passion to Save Lives

On December 5th, Marc Mero, who is an inspirational speaker will be doing a presentation about empathy, kindness, growth mindset, resilience, etc for all River View students. Marc Mero’s commitment to improving the lives of children and teens is unparalleled. It’s not a job – it’s his “passion.” He works countless hours to respond to students who need words of encouragement, and connects suicidal and depressed youth (who are cutting themselves) with school counselors. Most of these students would otherwise hold in their hurt and pain. Marc is their “Hero and Champion!” There are two types of people in this world: Those who say that something needs to be done, and those who say they will do something. Marc Mero is a doer. Marc speaks from the heart when he says: “I’m dedicating the rest of my life to helping young people know that there’s hope in this world. Anyone can achieve their goals and dreams if they choose to BELIEVE! “At the end of your life… it’s not how much money you have in the bank or what kind of car you drove or house you lived in; it’s about how much you give and how much of a positive impact you make on another person’s life.”

Student of the Month

Max Ashauer, Joey Fischer, Ziara French, Jenna Kinas, Kaden Kress, Haley Laatsch, Cameron Michalski, Riley Nieft, Jon O'Neill, and Marli Sanderfoot.  Congratulations!

Staff of the Month

Laurie Bowers, Sandy Brittnacher, Jane Krueger, Sue Mursau, Carolyn Sladek, and Heidi VanDynHoven.  Congratulations!

Yearbook Sale

We are accepting yearbook orders for $13.50 per book. Order forms are in the office. Pay by cash or make checks payable to RVMS. Return form and payment in a sealed envelope with student's name and grade to RV office by March 1st.  Or you may order online at www.jostens.com.

School Musical

This year’s school musical is Disney’s Aladdin JR.

Performance dates: March 15 and 16, 2019 at 7:00 pm

Kaukauna Civic Auditorium- River View School

Performed with permission from Music Theater International, Inc.

Audition materials will be available in the choir room starting December 3. Starting December 10, sign up for an audition time on the choir room door. If you are interested in doing stage crew, please join us for the Stagecraft Club. Information can be found (you guessed it) in the choir room.

Audition dates for Aladdin Jr. are January 2 and 3.

Stagecraft Club

Are you interested in learning about the backstage part of theater? Have you ever wondered how to create a set design or lighting design? Would you like to be able to run our soundboard or light board or possibly be in charge of the special effects part of a production? Would you like to build part of a set, make a prop or do some scenic painting? Do costume design and/or makeup design? If any of these things interest you, you may want to join us for our first ever Stagecraft Club. If you would like more information, please pick up the Stagecraft packet from Mrs. Bauer in the choir room(178). Our first meeting will be December 15, 10:00am-Noon.



By definition: Stagecraft is the technical aspect of theatrical, film, and video production. It includes constructing and rigging scenery; hanging and focusing of lighting; design and procurement of costumes; make-up; stage management; audio engineering; and procurement of props.

Upcoming Musical Events

• Grade 8 & Jazz Band Concert on December 6th at 7:00 pm in the RVMS Auditorium.

• Grades 6-8 Orchestra Winter Concert on Monday, December 10th at 6:30 pm in the KHS Auditorium.

• Grade 7 and 8 and Jazz Choir Concert on Thursday, December 13th at 7:00 pm in the KHS Auditorium.

• Grade 6 Dig It! Musical Performance will be on Thursday, January 10th at 6:00pm for Day 1 students and 7:15 pm for Day 2 students.

Congratulations to Reaghan Millard and Cassidy Prendergast on performing in the UW-Milwaukee Middle School Honors band. The two River View eighth graders were selected into the group from hundreds of applicants all around the state.

Orchestra Concert

The River View 6-8th Grade Orchestras will be performing their upcoming Winter Concert on Monday, December 10th at 6:30 pm in the River View Auditorium. Students will be performing a variety of holiday and winter themed pieces.

Seventh and Eighth Grade Choir Concert

The 7th and 8th Grade Choirs and 8th Grade Jazz Choir will present their holiday concert on Thursday, December 13th. The concert takes place at Kaukauna High School and begins at 7:00 pm. All choir students should report to their warm-up area at the high school no later than 6:40 pm. Please come and share in this wonderful event as the students are working hard to prepare a beautiful performance.

Dig It!

Our sixth grade choir members will perform Dig It! A Musical Tale of Ancient Civilizations on January 10, 2019 during the school day for the fifth graders and their classmates and at an evening performance for their families and friends. The evening performance is at 6:00 pm for the Day 1 choir members and at 7:15 pm for the Day 2 choir members. Each class will present their own show and several students will have special parts in the production. The performance will take place at River View in the Civic Auditorium. All are invited to attend. The musical covers some of the students’ social studies and science curriculum. It is a fun way for our students to learn about the mysteries of the world, science, and history.


The musical begins on November 30, 1974, in Hadar, Ethiopia. Why? That was where and when two archeologists named Tom Gray and Don Johanson discovered an exceptionally complete skeleton of one of our early ancestors from over 3 million years ago. They named her Lucy. In our story, Lucy takes two young archeologists on an adventure back in time to learn about important cultures from the past such as Mesopotamia; Egypt; Asia; Greece and Rome. Our students met famous people from the past like King Zoser of Egypt; Imhotep-the architect of the first pyramids; Gilgamesh- king of the city of Uruk in Mesopotamia (the first recorded epic poem was about Gilgamesh and his battle against the giant, Huwawa); Confucious of Asia who lived from 551 to 479 B.C. and he became one of the best educated Chinese of all time; Sophocles, the author of great plays like Antigone, and Herodotus known as “the father of history”; and Remus and Romulus, twin brothers that legend say founded the city of Rome.


I hope to see you at one of our performances.

Mrs. Bauer

Choir Director

Maker Space Club

River View is going to have a Maker Space Club starting in January! This is a club where students can come to create and socialize using legos, k'nex, yarn, pipe cleaners, duct tape, etc-- you get the idea-- create using stuff!


Please watch the newsletter blog and have your child watch the announcements for more information coming out on times, dates, and how to sign up.


As we get this club set up, we are looking for donations of the following items:

• duct tape
• scissors (in good working condition)
• legos
• k'nex
• lincoln logs
• tinker toys
• magnetix sets
• yarn
• pipe cleaners
• knitting needles
• crochet hooks
• sewing thread
• sewing needles
• fabric scraps
• post-it notes
• card-making supplies
• stamp pads
• stampers (for making cards)
• card stock
• markers

If there's anything else you might have at home that you think students could use to create, feel free to send it in. The club is being run by Beth Knick (knickb@kaukaunasd.org) and Mary Woznicki (woznickim@kaukaunasd.org). Please email Beth or Mary with any questions.


Thank you so much for your support!

Pick Your Pathway

Curriculum Fair, College Night, and Parent/Teacher Conferences at Kaukauna High School on Monday, January 14, 2019 at Kaukauna High School for Eighth Grade students and parents.

• Current 8th grade students and families: 6:45 - 8:00 pm

• Learn about current and future KHS classes and curriculum

• Meet the teachers, school counselors, administration, and representatives from athletics and activities

• Take a tour of the building 

Current 8th grade AND 9th through 12th students and families: 7:00 - 8:00 pm

Talk with representatives from two and four year colleges about post-secondary educational opportunities

Past representatives have included:

• UW Oshkosh

• UW Green Bay

• St. Norbert College

• Ripon College

• Lawrence University

• Fox Valley Technical College

• Northwest Technical College

Current KHS students and families: 4:30 - 7:00 will meet with current teachers regarding academic progress.

Sign-up for specific conference times will be available through SignUpGenius.com; An invitation will be sent to all parents via IC messenger.

Get to Know Our High School Band Students

The band program in the Kaukauna Area School District is educational and fun. With the high school program growing, they are having an exciting year. They travel regularly to the Twin Cities, Six Flags, Disney World and NYC.


A survey of 11th and 12th grade band students at Kaukauna High School was taken this November. Here’s what we found out:

87% are employed.

72% have a GPA of 3.5 or higher.

76% are involved in TWO or more clubs or organizations.

84% are planning on attending a four-year university.


Notable Quotes from the Survey

“High school band has been a life changing experience.”

“Best memories of my high school career.”

“A fun and rewarding experience guaranteed to fuel nostalgia.”

“Band was the place I found a home.”

“Band has been a place where I have met more new friends than anywhere else.”

“I almost quit, but that would have been my biggest regret.”

“Don’t hesitate to join. Band is an unforgettable ride that is an absolute blast.”

“Pep band and marching band are some of the best times I’ve ever had.”

Everyone is so close. Your section is like a family and they are always helpful.”

“Band is the best community of people you will ever meet.”

All-State Choir Members

River View Middle School will be represented by five choir members this January. These choir members were selected to be a part of the All-State Middle Level Choir. They will be learning selected choral literature prior to attending their two days of rehearsals. The final concert will be January 12, 4:30 pm at the Lawrence University Chapel. These students will be working with internationally known conductor Gary Packwood and spending time with some of the best singers from all over the state of Wisconsin. Thank you for your interest and hard work. Way to go, River View Choir!!!

RV Physical Education

Students in grades 5, 6, and 8 are just finishing our current dance unit. In 5th grade the students were taught a few dances and graded on the 5-6-7-8 dance for their progress report. In 6th grade we focused on a few line and wedding type dances and threw in a creative dance option with the Cotton Eye Joe. Our 8th grade students are beginning to perform their self choreographed dances to the song of their choice. While all other grades were dancing, our 7th grade has been working hard on a Cultural Games unit recreating games from other countries with our school equipment. This assignment has them videotaping, editing, creating flags, adding voiceovers and working in google classroom. Ask your child to show you their project, they are amazing!

The rest of second quarter will entail a basketball and volleyball unit for all grade levels. Students will participate in skills, drills, and lead up games.

Girls Basketball

Girls’ basketball practice for grades 7 and 8 starts on January 3rd, 2018. If you wish to sign-up, you may do so in the office. Please make sure that your physical/alternate card and the activity fee of $20.00 is paid. Students cannot practice until all this important paperwork is handed in.

Inclement Weather/Cancellation

Please remind your son/daughter to dress appropriately for the cold weather. In the event of a snowstorm and school cancellations, we will communicate over the following radio and television stations. Additionally, the district has been using the capabilities of a messenger that sends e-mail notification to families with up-to-date e-mail addresses in our student management system. Please refrain from calling school about school cancellations.


Radio: WAPL (105.7 FM), WIXX (101.1 FM), WGEE (1360 AM),

WEMI (91.9 FM), WNCY (100.3 FM), WHBY (1150 AM),

WGEE (99.7 FM), WPCK (104.9 FM), WNFL (1440 AM),

WPKR (99.5 FM), and WSGC (1050 AM)



Television: WBAY-TV (Channel 2), WGBA-TV (Channel 26),

WHBY-TV (Channel 5), WLUK-TV (Channel 11)

Winter Weather

So far this year most of our students have been doing a good job of coming to school dressed for the inclement weather. Winter coats, mittens, and a hat are a necessity during a Wisconsin winter. Thank you for doing your part in ensuring that your son/daughter leaves the house properly dressed.

All students are encouraged to wear winter weather gear if they wish to go into the snow. This will help to keep the students warm and dry when they enter back into school for the remainder of their day. We don’t want to hinder their need to run and enjoy the outdoors, and this will allow them to do so. Students may choose not to wear boots or snow pants, but are then asked to stay on the plowed black top area if they are not wearing those items. Thanks for your help in keeping students warm, comfortable, and safe this winter.

Summer School 2019

KASD is already busy planning for Summer School! Thank you to all the parents who responded to the survey following Summer School 2018. With the combination of parent and staff feedback, the following decisions have been made regarding Summer School 2019:

Location – Classes will continue to be held at Kaukauna High School

Dates – All courses will be offered in one session:

Tuesday, June 11 – Friday, June 28, Monday – Friday.

Strength and Conditioning and Music Lessons/Band Camp will also be held in July.

Other valuable information:

We will again offer an Open House prior to the start of Summer School for families to become familiar with the location and rooms that classes will be taking place in.

Busing/transportation will continue to be an option for families for a fee.

District Wide Food Drive

Kaukauna High School's National Honor Society again sponsored their annual District-wide Fall Food Drive. The food drive ran from October 30th through November 12th. All food and monetary donations will benefit Kaukauna's Loaves and Fishes Food Pantry.


On Tuesday, November 13th, National Honor Society members visited schools, collected and tallied the items and delivered the goods to the food pantry.


Congratulations, for another year straight (and every year since the competition began!) to Electa Quinney Elementary School who, as a school, collected 1,611 food items - that works out to just shy of five items per student! River View Middle School almost caught up to EQ this year, with an incredible 3,365 items - nearly 3 items per student.


Thank you to everyone who participated - your enthusiasm and generosity is so very appreciated by NHS, along with Loaves and Fishes Food pantry.

Parent Teacher Conferences

River View Staff would like to express its appreciation to our families for attending the recent Parent-Teacher Conferences. It is our hope you found the conversations as helpful as we did and that you were able to get your questions answered. Your presence provided a powerful message to your child(ren) and the importance you place on their education. Thank you for continuing to partner with River View Middle School through the Parent-Teacher Conferences.


Also a thank you goes out to the following parents for providing dinner to the staff on conference nights!

Kerri Schaefer, Nicole Smith, Chris Moore, Rebecca Schomin, Katina Franzen, Crystal Hietpas, Rachel Bass, Kory Krueger, Lisa Suprise, Karina Hemme, Katie Meister, Karen Ritzke, Chrissy Roehrig, Carrie Bowen, Susie Mursau, Cheryl Mader, Reba Vandeloo, Paula Isaacs, Kristy Veldman, Abbey Adrian, Rebecca Schomin, Sue Haseman, Nylee Osborn, Martin LaGrow, Janet Reinke, Becky Duel, Libby Welhouse, Christina DiPiazza, Kimberly Rearson, Stacy Knapp, Shelly Krueger, Jane Gates, Aimee Nushart, Darrelee Kinas, Carrie Owen, Cheryl Mader, Alison Johnson, Nylee Osborn, Aimee Lund, Susan VandeHey, Andrea Riehl, Aimee Hamilton, Heather Awe, Kate Dusenbery, Karen Luckow, Allison Thiel, Wendy Bollen Fuchs, Sara Nelson, Tanya Pahl, Andrea Schimke, Tammie Karl, Suzie Isselmann, Kay Hofmann, and Betsy Olson.

River View Spelling Bee

The River View Spelling Bee is just around the corner. The school-wide spelling bee will be January 14, 2019 at 8:00 am in the auditorium. In fifth and sixth

grade, each ELA classroom will conduct a spell-down to determine their top two finishers. In seventh and eighth grade, students will attend a spell-down on December 12th during their PIE time if they are interested in competing in the school-wide bee. The top four finishers in the River View Spelling Bee will compete in the Regional Bee at Lawrence University.

Ski Club

Join the Ski Club and come enjoy the slopes with your friends after school! Whether you're an experienced skier/ snowboarder or have never hit the slopes, RVMS Ski Club is a great way to join your friends in getting outdoors for some winter fun!

The Ski Club is open to all River View students who want the chance to ski or snowboard this winter. No experience or equipment is required as there are several package options are available to meet the needs of all students. We take four trips to Nordic Mountain in Mount Morris, Wisconsin. The Ski Club allows students to enjoy skiing and snowboarding with savings of 60% off average prices!

2019 Ski Club Dates

Below are the scheduled ski trips for the 2019 season. We do our best to choose dates around band & choir concerts and scheduled sporting events. As Nordic Mountain no longer offers credit vouchers for missed trips, please ensure that your student can make most or all of the dates listed below as no money will be refunded for missed trips. Sign-ups are due Monday, December 10th.


Thursday, January 3rd      Thursday, January 17th

Thursday, January 24th Thursday, February 14th

*Make up date: Wednesday, February 20th


Contact Information

Please contact your volunteer advisor with any questions or concerns:

Brandon Sanderfoot at rvmsskiclub@gmail.com.

Get updates via Remind by texting @rvmssk to 81010

Like our Facebook page at River View Middle School Ski/ Snowboard Club!

See you on the slopes!

Encourage Reading Over the Winter Break

Winter break is right around the corner. Here are four tips for keeping middle school students engaged in reading over winter break.

1. Read for fun. Spend time reading favorite holiday stories or the newest installment from a favorite series.

2. Stock up on books at the local library. Libraries may also have fun, free holiday activities throughout the break.

3. Make the most of travel time. If your family will be spending time in the car, bring books along for the ride.

4. Books make great gifts. Check online or at a bookstore for gift ideas.

Books are important and worthy of our attention even during winter break. Happy holidays!

In Charge

Because most parents of children this age (at the middle school) are taller than their children, they have the ability to see further; the horizon is further away, and the parent can see more, the parent can see what is over the hill before the child can. The parent has past experience to connect the present to the future to a more effective degree. That experience gives the parent the credibility and authority to say “no” to the child. Saying “no” is a responsibility that can be taken on without feeling bad about it. Children do expect the parent to say “no” to some things and in many instances the child hopes the parent will say “no”. This is the child’s way of knowing what the limits are. In many instances it keeps them off the hook with their friends. It’s a lot easier for a middle schooler to say, “My dad wouldn’t let me”, than to say, “I’m afraid of getting into trouble.” Sometimes it’s best to put off giving an answer. This gives the parent time to think things through and also shows the child that the request is important enough that the parent has taken time to consider the question or request. Ask questions that require the student to think through the request from several different outcomes. Through questions he or she gets a clearer or more complete perspective of the situation. Finally, after you, as the parent, have made your decision – and it may not make you very popular – stick with it. Your son or daughter will very likely try to sell you a ticket for a guilt trip. Don’t buy it. Tell him or her that you have been there, done that.

Prescription Medication Reminder

For your child to take prescription medication in school, health office staff must have a written order from your child's physician and your written permission. Medication must be in the actual pharmacy labeled container (loose pills sent in baggies or envelopes are not acceptable). Please let the pharmacy know you need a second labeled bottle for school.


This is the expectation for all prescriptions, so if your child needs an antibiotic during the school day for an acute illness, please ask the doctor for a written order (this is different than the pharmacy label).


Any over-the-counter medications need a written note from a parent. Cough drops are not permitted in school due to the choking risk they present along with lack of effectiveness. A healthy alternative is to drink extra fluids, like water.


Please call me with any questions you may have at 766-6111 (Ext. 5250). Thanks for helping us keep our students healthy and safe.


Emily Jansen, RN

School Nurse

MAP Testing

Our Winter MAP testing starts up January 10th. If your student plans on being out for more than one day during the month of January, please see the office to get a prearranged absence form. This is very helpful as we plan to monitor all the students in the building during this month to make sure they all get tested.

We are so proud of this group who worked so hard to create this awesome holiday display! (Olivia Jordan, Lauren Rydzewski, Ella Fennel, Lindsey Hmielewski, Isabella Beckerson, Mataya Raisleger, Maddie Casanova-Velus, Kaylen George) The card will be displayed down town Kaukauna. 

~December is a Great Time to Show You Care~

A caring individual can show good character by being compassionate, kind, loving, considerate and charitable. A caring person is sensitive to others feelings and needs. They are not intentionally mean or make poor choices. We can show that we care by expressing our gratitude and helping others.

Community Flyers

Click Here to access information about the following programs for this month.

• 4-H Flyer
• Girls Soccer Winter Camp
• Appleton Boys Choir Gr 2-6
• Winter Dance Camp Gr 4K-8