Dear Parents,

Once again I have to apologize for not getting the update out on Monday. I was so intent on getting up to Glenelg for the Field Hockey game, then out to Reservoir for the Girl’s Soccer game, that I forgot to send out the update. Despite the rainy weather, our teams have been out there battling not only the elements, but also some worthy adversaries within the county. Let’s go Hawks!!!

The following news is provided to help keep you informed:

Kudos

Congratulations to the following students who have been recognized as participants in the National Achievement Scholarship Program: Camille Calvin, Tatiana Hill, and Valerie Obisesan. These three young ladies scored in the top 3% or more than 160,000 black students who took the PSAT as juniors in 2010.

Congratulations as well to Michelle Seu who was recognized by the National Council of Teachers of English with an Achievement Award for Superior Writing. Michelle was the only student in Howard County to receive this award, one of only 12 students in Maryland, and among a group of 500 students nationally. Great job Michelle!

Have you been on the Aspen Family Portal?

If you haven’t done so already, make sure you sign up for the Aspen Family Portal to access your student’s grades, attendance, and conduct. The link to the Aspen Family Portal can be found on the River Hill webpage and the HCPSS website. I recommend that, prior to registering for the portal, you read the information in the link called “What is the Family Portal?” Doing so will help you better understand the registration process as well as basic site navigation.

If you have already signed up and are experiencing issues, the information from this link might also be quite helpful. There are also about 6 or 7 video tutorials you can watch to help you with the Aspen Family Portal. Once logged in to Aspen, you can also access online help and print user guides. If you still have questions after taking these steps, you can call the front office at 410-313-7120. Please note that the person taking your call will only be able to take down your information; they cannot provide technical assistance.

The link below includes some helpful information. Pay special attention to # 5, which discusses registering your email address (teachers will use this address for communications) and # 7, which discusses receiving email notifications. You can select to receive an email notification anytime your child is marked absent from school and whenever they receive a grade on an assignment that falls below a certain threshold (eg-you indicate a score of 70 and would receive an email when your child receives a 63% on his Spanish quiz). I’ll discuss the attendance notification in the next section on absences, but my recommendation for selecting a grade threshold is to select a score that is atypical for your child. If he/she is typically a C student, you should probably select a threshold around 65%. If your child typically gets nothing but A’s and B’s, perhaps a 75% is an appropriate threshold. Regardless of what you select as your threshold, it’s important to consider the following for “dealing with that email notification:”

-Resist the temptation to fire off an email to the teacher; instead, ask your son or daughter about the assignment.

-If you and your student have a concern, encourage your child to discuss it with the teacher. It is important that, throughout their high school years, we build up our students self-advocacy skills.

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Tardies and Absences

The traffic in the morning hasn’t been as bad as it was last year, which is good considering how many rainy mornings we’ve had. Thanks for your help in getting your students here on time and ready to learn. Just a reminder of the tips we encourage you to follow:

-Put your child on the bus if you can. Less cars in the parking lot means less traffic. If the bus isn’t an option, consider carpooling.

-Allow enough time to get to school. Factor in traffic, inclement weather, and potential accidents that could happen in rainy weather.

-Follow the traffic pattern for the school. Don’t go past the island and turn into the school from 108—stay in your assigned lane; don’t “do your own thing” when you get into the school—please follow the established traffic flow (marked cones); don’t let your child out of the car until you pull up into the circle as far as you can.

Regarding absences, I wanted to make sure everyone knew what our process was now that Aspen can send out an email notification. If you have elected to receive a notification, the email you get can serve as a) an indicator that your child is not where he/she is supposed to be or b) a reminder to notify the school of your child’s absence. You can send an email to rhhsabsence@hcpss.org, call the school at 410-313-7120, or send in an excuse note within 48 hours. If your child is absent for two consecutive days and we do not know why, you will receive a phone call from our attendance secretary. Your child’s guidance counselor or administrator might also contact you if the absences continue.

RHHS Theatre Arts Announces Footloose Audition Prep. Workshops

The RHHS Theatre Arts Department will be mounting Footloose The Musical as their March 2012 production. In an effort to prepare students who plan to audition in November , The RHHS Theatre Arts and Dance Departments are pleased to offer a series of dance workshops to prepare students for the Footloose Dance auditions in November. These workshops are for all dance skill levels. This includes those who consider themselves non-dancers. The workshops will take place on 4 consecutive Tuesdays beginning October 25. Stop by the Drama room (205) to get a permission slip from Mrs. Land, or email pland@hcpss.org to get the permission slip electronically. You must turn in a signed permission slip in order to participate. E-mail Mrs. Land with any further questions.

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It's National Yearbook Week!

The first National School Yearbook Week was held in October 1987, by proclamation of President Ronald Reagan. It coincided with the Bicentennial celebration of the U.S. Constitution and the Bill of Rights, ensuring freedom of the press. The purpose of National School Yearbook Week is to recognize the important role that high school yearbooks play in recognizing and remembering school culture and spirit.

Proclamation 5703 reads: "In later years, alumni treasure their yearbooks for the memories they hold of times gone by and friends of long ago. The students who compile yearbooks likewise treasure all that the experience can teach them about teamwork and about writing, the graphic arts, and business skills. The practical cooperation and specialization that students learn in yearbook production stand them in good stead when they enter college or pursue other opportunities."

Celebrate National School Yearbook Week by sharing your high school yearbook with your child. You can also purchase a copy of the 2012 yearbook for the low price of $65 (will go up to $70 on October 31st). Go to www.jostensyearbooks.com or call toll free at 1-866-282-1516. No yearbook sales are done at RHHS.

Do you enjoy using technology? Would you like to listen to exciting guest speakers talk about modern applied technology and science? If so, join Maryland Technology Honor Society! To apply, you must be a sophomore or junior with a strong interest in technology or science. You should have a clear disciplinary record and a minimum GPA of 3.4. Applications are available at the MTHS link on the River Hill website and are due in room 245 by October 7. Additional information about MTHS can be found at http://mths.riverhill.org/

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Homecoming Court Voting

Nominations for Homecoming Court took place during all lunch shifts last week on

both Sept. 27th and Sept. 29th. Students are now asked to elect their 2011

Homecoming Court online using a secure election site.

During 3rd period on Monday, October 3, 2011 all students received a ballot with

their login credentials. Students are asked to vote by visiting: http://vote.riverhillsga.org and logging in.

Voting will end on Thursday, Oct. 6, 2011 at 11:59 PM.

If they have any questions or did not receive their login credentials, please

send an email to: [ mailto:vote@riverhillsga.org ]vote@riverhillsga.org.

As always, you can find a calendar of all our events at:

http://web02.hcpss.org/school_calendars/FAV1-000974A7

Hope to see you out supporting River Hill!! Go Hawks!!

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Student Services Update – September 30, 2011

Be sure to monitor our webpage http://guidance.riverhill.org for upcoming college visits, scholarships and much more!

Seniors – Would you like to receive assistance with your college applications or to have your essays reviewed? PSAT Day, October 12th is a time that is dedicated to you by a team of English teachers and our counseling staff. Each student may have his/her essays reviewed by up to two English teachers. Report to the Information Center the morning of the 12th to sign up for your time slot. Review appointments are scheduled on a first come – first served basis. Counselors will be available to assist you in the Information Center and in Student Services. Last year, over 70 students participated. Please bring two copies or rough drafts ready for review/assistance. With a parent note, you may leave and go on a college visit after your essay has been reviewed or you have worked on your applications.

ATTENTION JUNIORS - Are you interested in an internship at the National Security Agency in Ft. Meade working as a Computer Aide or an Office Assistant? It is a 20 hour a week position for your senior year. The pay is $10.59 per hour. This is a competitive position which will require that students pass a government security clearance. Please see Mrs. Jackson in Student Services if you are interested.

Attention Class of 2012. Are you applying to College Park? If so, in order to meet the November 1st deadline and the 20 school day requirement for transcripts, you should have already turned your transcript request form and your envelopes in to the registrars. Don’t procrastinate!

Upcoming College Visits at River Hill Students must sign up in Student Services to attend a scheduled College Visit. The sign-up book is located on the Student Services Secretary’s desk. A pass will be sent for the student. The teacher has the right to not let a student miss a class. Updated information will be added to the files available for students who miss a college visit. You can find out who is scheduled by:

Listening to the morning announcements. They are announced on the two days prior to the visits.
Checking the list posted on the bulletin board right outside Student Services
Checking the sign-up book
Checking the Student Services website.

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Service Learning Assisting others and volunteering are valued qualities; however, to meet the State requirement for Service Learning Credit a request for approval of your plan must occur prior to doing the service. The forms for approval of any Service Learning Project are located in Student Services. See the secretary or any counselor. It takes at least a week to have your project approved. FYI – washing blackboards for a teacher after school and doing religious service such as serving as an altar boy/girl do not qualify as Service Learning. There are lists in Student Services of pre-approved Service Learning sites, but you are also welcome to submit other projects for approval.

Juniors & Seniors: The ASVAB Carrer Exploration Program can help you take steps now toward finding a career that's right for you. This free test will be administered at River Hill on October 6th from 7:30 - 10am. Sign-up in Student Services by October 4.

The Black College Expo will return once again to DC/Maryland for an eighth year. The expo will take place on Saturday, November 12th, 2011 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the University of Maryland, College Park in the Reckord Armory, with an after-show from 3-5 p.m. The mission this year is to provide on-the-spot resources to help students and their families realize their dream of going to college and becoming successful students. One of the main seminar topics is "The Parent University", where parents will learn how to get funding for a college education via financial aid. BCE and The Scholarship Academy have been responsible for close to 3 million dollars in scholarships to students. Students will meet with various colleges, including 30+ historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs). 11th and 12th grade students will have the opportunity to get accepted on the spot and get scholarships too.

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