Please note the following health protocols for school:

Fever/Vomiting-  If your child has a fever over 100 degrees or higher, or is vomiting, they must be fever-free (without any medication) or no vomiting, for 24 hours before returning to school.

Lice- If you suspect your child has lice (eggs or live nits), please bring them to the nurse to have her check.  District policy does not allow the school to exclude students for eggs, but any student with live nits will need to stay home until treated, then cleared by the nurse. 

Hand, Foot, & Mouth Disease- This highly contagious virus, common in children, can cause fevers, painful mouth blisters, hand sores, and a sore throat. Students can return to school when fever free (without medication) and mouth and/or hand sores are cleared up.  For more information, click here.

For all of these, and any health-related questions, 

you can always watch out to our school nurse.  

We need your input... we are making progress currently 55% of families have taken the survey.  Our goal is 100% family participation.

Please take the survey by March 27, 2026

Link to Survey, Click on "Take the Survey"

Every student whose adult completes the survey will be entered into a special drawing for a prize at our April Pep Rally (2 winners per grade level), AND the first 3 classrooms with 100% participation will get a popsicle party!

Families... when you have completed the survey, print the confirmation page, OR fill out the flyer (here and sent previously) and return to your child's teacher.  Siblings may have the same confirmation.

Thank you for your support in meeting our 100% participation goal!

Your child is invited to participate in the Grand Vision’s DRUM, PLAY, PERFORM! Cultural Arts Passport (CAP) Percussion Club. Students will play drums and have fun with Grand Vision Foundation’s Meet the Music! This after-school percussion program invites students to explore rhythm, beat, and teamwork through hands-on music-making. Students will learn how to read rhythms, play together in an ensemble, and try out a variety of percussion instruments. Each participant will receive their own drumsticks and drum pad, and the program will end with an exciting performance for families, friends, and the school community! Meet the Music is an approved LAUSD arts partner, led by professional teaching artists who make learning music joyful and engaging.

This program is only available for 3rd-5th graders.

Program Dates: March 6 - June 5, 2026 (no class on 3/13/26)

Days & Time: Fridays, 3:00 - 4:00pm 

Location: Auditorium

Click here for the form

Student Council is sponsoring our yearly Yearbook Cover Design Contest.  This is open to all 5th graders.  The cover design should represent the theme of "A Sky Full of Stars" - this years culmination theme.  All art mediums are accepted as long as the art is original to the student - NO AI or computer generated images will be accepted.  Designs must be submitted on letter size white paper (8.5 x 11) with the design in portrait (vertical) mode. Students should write their full name and room number ON THE BACK.

Riverside Drive students will vote for their favorite design at Family Art Night in April, and the winning design will be featured on our yearbook and culmination program.

Submissions are due to Ms. Meyers by Friday, March 20

Teaching Children to Be Upstanders

Being an upstander starts when a witness to discrimination, harrassment, or harm stops being a witness and takes an active role.  This is a lot harder than it sounds for both children and adults.  It's not easy to go against social norms.However teaching children to be upstanders can stop bullying, hate speech, and discrimination.

Four Steps to Being an Upstander

- Notice their surroundings

   This includes understanding when you're in a place or situation where you might need to act.

- Recognize that there's a problem

This seems easy, but many people take ANY ambiguity or doubt as a reason to not act.

-Assume personal responsibility

If not you, who will help?

- Decide the best way to help and ACT.  

There are a lot of ways to help, not just jumping in and being a hero.

Five "Ds" of Intervention

Directly address -Confront and protect the people involved

Distract- Creating a diversion and getting everyone safe.

Delegate- Find someone with authority to help.

Delay- Insert yourself into the situation.  Ask if anyone needs help.

Document- Make a statement, serve as a witness

Simply understanding what being an upstander involves can go a long way toward creating a safer school and world.  It goes against our social norms and must be explicity taught. Talk to your children early about being an upstander, and lead by example.  For more resources click here.

Past Topics from Dr. Rocky

    - 2026 Flu Season here

    - 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

Our school is getting to participate in the LAUSD Tasting Boxes.  This week our 4th and 5th graders will be tasting different local organically grown citrus fruit - blood oranges, pomelo, kumquat and more. Thank you to our Climate Literacy Champion Ms. Kachlon for this wonderful opportunity for our students.  Every grade level will get to participate on a rotating schedule.

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

Grand Vision Percussion Club (Bucket Drumming)- will meet Friday in the auditorium, 3:00-4:00

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. 

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!

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.

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 Marching into school on time with classes advancing on our game board who have ZERO tardies.  We will also be playing a bingo game on March 17 to earn free meals at restaurants.

Please see the flyer for additional information.

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.