Principal's Corner Greetings Riverside Families,
I hope this message finds you all doing well. It was a great week at Riverside Drive. I loved seeing our youngest students get so excited about meeting Zero the Hero on the 100th day of school, and it was great seeing everyone dressed up in their Olympic gear and representing different countries. We closed out Thursday with our International Family Night. A world of thanks to Mrs. Brunell, Mrs. Johnson, Ms. Nevills, and Mr. Stephens for putting together such a fun evening. Please read below for information about the week ahead.
Warm regards, Ms. Richardson |
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| Lockdown Drill Thursday, February 12 Students and staff will be participating in a lockdown drill during the day. Teachers will go over what to do should our campus require being on lockdown. This can include quiet rooms, no use of technology, lights off, doors locked, and more. Please discuss with your child the safety protocols of what to do and the importance of being able to follow directions in an emergency. |
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| RDCS is a closed campus. A reminder for parents and guardians... Riverside Drive Charter is a closed campus. Parents and Guardians are welcome to enter campus at dismissal to pick up students, but everyone not enrolled in Team Prime Time must exit campus by 2:45 pm on Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday, and 1:45 pm on Tuesday. I thank you in advance for following our school policies and ensuring student safety. |
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No School- Monday, February 16 School will be closed for President's Day. |
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| Dr. Rocky's Health Corner Flu Season is Here! The 2026 flu season has arrived earlier and has spread more widely than previous years. Some children are becoming seriously ill. This year's flu, including a new strain H3N2, has emerged this year. It is associated with a seasonal respiratory virus that can cause complications in children, including pneumonia. Tips to Help Prevent Your Child From Catching the Flu: - Flu vaccinations can be given to children as young as 6 months. - Avoid close contact with people who are sick - Wash hands with warm soap and water frequently - Avoid touching eyes, nose and mouth areas. Flu symptoms can include fever, sore throat, headaches and fatigue. Pediatricians advise seeking medical care urgently if your child has trouble breathing, bluish lips or face, chest pain, or fever about 104* that does not respond to fever-reducing medicine. For more information from Nationwide Children's Hospital clickhere
Past Topics from Dr. Rocky - All About Pinworms here - My Child Won't Listen to Me here - How to Talk to Children About Their Day here - New Year, New Beginnings here - Creating a Culture of Kindness here and here - Anxiety in Children and Teens here - The importance of reading here - Setting Screen Time Goals here - How much sleep is enough sleep? here - Tips for preventing the flu from CHLA here - The No-Panic Guide to Head Lice click here |
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| Afterschool Clubs We are so excited to have so many of our students in our Clubs. As of now, they are all full. There are waiting lists for most, if a space should open up. Here are this week's updates: Glee/Choir Club- will meet on Monday in room 22 and Wednesday and Thursday in the auditorium at 2:45-3:45pm Theatre Club - will meet Monday and Tuesday in the auditorium 3:00-5:00pm Climate Literacy Club - will meet Monday in room 38, 2:45-4:00pm Science Club- will meet Friday in room 38, 2:45-4:15pm Basketball Club- will meet Friday on the basketball courts, 2:45-4:15pm
As a reminder, all students who attend an after school club MUST be enrolled in Team Prime Time. They will report to TPT before their club begins, but do not need to stay when club is over. This is a district mandate.
All students will be dismissed from the Huston Gate. If you need to pick up your student early, please come to office for us to call the club and then you will meet your student at the Huston Gate. |
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| E-Choices Lottery ~ Februrary 19th We will conduct our 2026-2027 E-Choices lottery on Thursday, February 19th, at 1:30 in the auditorium. You do not need to be present to be selected. You are welcome to contact the office after the 19th to inquire about your status. The District will send a notification to applicants in March. |
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| We Need Yearbook Photos Do you have any photos for our yearbook? We are looking for field trips, celebrations, class pictures, special events and spirit days. You can send them to Ms. Meyers bjm3953@lausd.net thank you! |
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| School Communications Please do not opt out of our communications system. This is an extremely important way for us to communicate with you about emergencies, upcoming events, and information that is important for you to know. If you are not signed up for the LAUSD Parent Portal, please do. Families can access attendance records, Schoology, grades, test scores, and more. Beginning this year families will need to digitally sign field trip slips and this can only be done on the Parent Portal or LAUSD App. If you need your child's student ID number and parent pin, please contact the main office at 818-990-4525. We will also be offering a parent workshop for those who might need additional support on Friday, November 7 at 8:30am. More details will be sent home soon. If you have opted out of text messages, you can go here. Once there, scroll towards the bottom to the blue headings. Open the one "Opting-In Phone and Email Messages" and then follow the directions for "Opting-In to Text Messages". If you have opted out of emails, please email the school so we can forward your information to the correct department. You can also access a job aide here for written directions. |
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| Enrichment at Riverside Drive Our PTA-funded enrichment and District-funded arts programs are underway. Read below to see what your students are currently learning and what is on the horizon. Visual Arts ~ Rooms 9, 4, 2, 3, and 42 Enrich LA Garden ~ Rooms 13, 11, 18, 21, 22 & 20 Got Game PE ~ all classes will be back in February LAUSD Theater with a focus on language and social skills development ~ Rooms 19, 13, 18 & 16 LAUSD Dance ~ Rooms 20, 11, 4 & 41 LAUSD Music ~ Rooms 42, 16, 41, 43, 17 & 19 |
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Attendance Matters Regular attendance is essential for your child's success! LAUSD expects all students to maintain a 96% or better attendance rate (missing fewer than 7 days in one school year).
Benefits of regular attendance: - Higher academic achievement
- Use more academic language
- Develop healthy habits for the future
- Demonstrate reliability and confidence
- Make and keep connections with others
Please plan your vacations during school vacation's winter break, spring break, and summer vacation .If your child is absent for three days without a valid excuse, they are truant, and you will receive a truancy letter from the district.
Tardiness
School begins at 8:01 am. If your child is not in class by 8:01 a.m., they will be considered tardy. If your child is tardy for 30 minutes or more for three days without a valid excuse, your child will be considered truant. Tardy students will need to be brought by parent/guardian to office to sign in. Attendance Incentive Each month students can earn incentives if they: Come to school on time! Come every day! Stay the entire day!
This month we will be spreading love to our students and classes with excellent attendance. We will continue our game, It's Sweet to Be at School and give away Valentine themed fidgets. Please see the flyer for additional information. |
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After School Programs Team Prime Time Site Director: Coach Maka Assistant Site Director: Coach Madison This year, LAUSD is implementing a One Comprehensive Program model at every school site with a Beyond the Bell program. This change means that students who have traditionally participated in the Youth Services (YS) program will now need to be enrolled in our site's grant-funded program —Team Prime Time. All students must be picked up promptly at dismissal if they are not enrolled in Team Prime Time. If you need afterschool care for your child, please be sure to fill out and submit your Team Prime Time application ASAP.
STAR Nova Classes - New Classes Begin February 2 Please see the following flyer about upcoming STAR classes. You may also reach out to the STAR Director for Riverside Drive, Miss Caroline at carolineh@starinc.org with any questions.
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| School Breakfast and Lunch Menus A recess snack (second chance breakfast) and lunch are available at no cost to all students at Riverside Drive Charter. You can take a look at the menus here. Menus are also available on the Yum Yummi app. |
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Jackets, Sweaters, Water Bottles, and Lunch Boxes...Oh, My! Please check the playground and table at the Huston Gate for missing items if you can come to campus at dismissal. You can also check the tree platforms and playground for any missing items. Items that were not claimed by Friday, December 19, have been discarded. Please write your child's name on their jackets, sweatshirts, lunchboxes, and water bottles. This will allow us to help them find their belongings. Please encourage your child to keep track of his or her belongings. I thank you in advance for your partnership. |
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LAUSD and Riverside Drive Cellular Telephone Policy REMINDER LAUSD and Riverside Drive have a NO Cellphone and Smart Watch Policy Phones and smartwatches MUST be turned off and stored in backpacks. Our Governance approved policy is as follows: 1st Offense - Student is directed to put the device away 2nd Offense - The staff member will confiscate the device. It will be returned at the end of the day. Notice sent home. 3rd Offense - The staff member will confiscate the device and send it to the Main Office. A parent/guardian will need to pick up the device from the office and sign the policy notice. ** Further violation of the District Policy will require a conference with the Principal. **
I thank you in advance for your cooperation. |
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Classroom Birthday Celebrations I want to remind our school community about our Governance Council's approved birthday celebration policy. ** Parents must receive prior approval from the classroom teacher for all celebrations. ** - Parents must make arrangements with the classroom teacher at least 48 hours in advance. - Treats, if allowed by the teacher, must be store-bought AND must meet the dietary restrictions of ALL students in the class. - No goodie bags, toys, or balloons. - Celebrations are limited to the last 10 minutes of the school day - In lieu of a treat, families can donate a book or other prearranged item to the class. - Parents are not allowed to use their volunteer badges to come to a birthday celebration. |
| A Few Things to Remember...
Food Drop-off- LAUSD and RDCS do not allow 3rd party deliveries (restaurants, DoorDash etc) or restaurant food drop off for students. If your student forgets their lunch at home, they are welcome to get a free snack/lunch from the cafeteria or families may drop off a homemade lunch in the office. As a reminder, we will not interrupt classes to let students know that something has been dropped off for them, and instead contact them during recess or lunch.
Social Media ~ We encourage our school community to follow the District's message, if you see something, say something. Please encourage your children to report any concerns to an adult on campus. Your partnership is much appreciated.
Parent Volunteers ~ A few reminders when volunteering on campus... Please maintain confidentiality and refrain from sharing personal academic and behavioral information about other people's children. If you have questions or concerns, please speak to the teacher. We appreciate your support in maintaining a safe and respectful classroom environment.
Student Injuries ~ Students with injuries that require crutches, splints, slings, or other equipment, MUST return to school with a doctor's note. District policy requires the note to indicate the student is cleared to return to campus and any restrictions.
Covid ~ Please notify the main office if your child tests positive for Covid. We are responsible for notifying any close contacts so that they know to look out for symptoms. You informing the office is a way to help ensure that everyone can make decisions to keep themselves and others healthy. |
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Arrival and Dismissal Gate Information Students may enter any school gate for arrival and dismissal. Arrival: Gates open at 7:30 am and are closed promptly at 8:01 am. Students arriving after the gates close will need to enter through the Main Office and will be marked tardy. Dismissal: Gates open at 2:29 pm (M, W, Th, F) and 1:29 pm on Tuesday. Gates are locked at 2:45 pm. UTK, Kinder, and 1st grade students not picked up on time will be taken to the Main Office. 2nd - 5th students not picked up on time will be sent to Team Prime Time. Students repeatedly not picked up on time will need to enroll in Team Prime Time. TK, Kindergarten, and 1st grade parents, please pick up your students at their classroom.
Safety First During Drop Off and Pick Up! Please model safe behavior when dropping off and picking up students. Be respectful of our surrounding community and follow traffic laws. Do not park in crosswalks, make illegal U-turns, block the driveways of our neighbors, or allow students to cross in the middle of the street. School police will be making patrols, and drivers may be ticketed. Thank you for your partnership and cooperation in advance. |
Just A Reminder! Monday, February 16- No School for President's Day Wednesday, February 18- NAEP Testing for 4th Graders Thursday, February 19- Riverside Drive 2026-27 School Lottery Wednesday, February 25- SSC/Governance Meeting at 3:00pm on Zoom Friday, February 27- Pep Rally at 8:01am Tuesday, March 3- Spring Picture Day Thursday, March 12- Family Fitness Night Tuesday, March 17- iReady Parent Workshop at 8:30am |
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Upcoming Events | | No upcoming events. |
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