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Red Stick Academy
December 2023
Site Leader Corner: Thank you!
At this special time of the year, I wanted to thank each one of you. Over the last year and a half, we have accomplished so much together: the fruits of which are becoming visible. We have a permanent sign on Jefferson Highway. We have established a school zone. We are installing a sport court in the front of the property. Our parent organization is gaining traction and becoming more and more involved in our success as a school. Our campus LEAP scores for the last 2 years have been rated a "B". We had a 7th grade student earn a perfect score on the state's end of course Algebra 1 exam. Our school population has remained steady. Our relationship with Grace Notes has created a strings program that is accomplishing so much in a limited amount of time. We are clearly living out our vision of "excelling in academics and the arts." This can only be accredited through a strong partnership between the faculty/staff and the families of Red Stick Academy. Thank you for entrusting your most precious commodity, your child, to our school. We are grateful and blessed by the partnership.
RSA Winter Fine Arts Festival
We are pleased to announce our Winter Fine Arts Festival for Red Stick Academy's Music and Visual Arts. Everyone is welcome, so please invite family and friends to attend. Details:
Grades participating: ALL! Kinder-8th grades
Date: Monday, December 11 at 6:00 PM. Rehearsal will be at 5:00 PM that same day. The program will conclude by 7:30 PM. Aftercare will end at 4:00 today so that children can eat dinner and change before the program.
Location: Jefferson Baptist Church, 9135 Jefferson Highway
Dress: Students should dress in holiday dress - no t-shirts, hoodies or blue jeans.
Instruments: Grace Notes School of Music will be transporting all school instruments for this concert. However, if your child has their own musical instrument, they should bring it for this performance.
Our New Sign!
Thank You Parents!
We recently held our first World's Finest Chocolate Fundraiser where we sold almost $7000 in chocolate bars. We held our second Fall Field day, the day after Halloween. The weather was beautiful and we had all kinds of activities for our students on our campus. We raised over $175 at the "Pie the Principal" station to help us achieve our financial goal to purchase a sport court for our campus.
Blessed to be a Blessing!
RSA Parent Association Corner
This is a new section in our school newsletter. Please be sure and read through for important updates from our parent association!
Thank you for your support of RSA and the Parent Association through your participation in Pizza Friday, Lunch on the Lawn, and the Used Book Sale! A special shout out to those parents and family members who helped make our CommUNITY events happen in October and November.
RSA Parent Association Meeting – Next meeting is Friday, 12/1
Our next Parent Association Meeting will be Friday, December 1 after carpool in the RSA Multi-Purpose Room. We hope to see you there!
The RSA Parent Association meets monthly after carpool in the Multi-purpose Room. The purpose of the meetings is to plan and organize schoolwide events. We would love to have as many parents as possible attend as your schedule permits. For more information on the Parent Association or to be added to the volunteer list, please contact Lydia Lafleur at 225-938-7949 or lafleurl@bellsouth.net.
Teacher Appreciation
Be on the lookout for ways to show your support to our wonderful RSA teachers and staff. In November, we Stocked the Lounge, honored those teachers having Fall birthdays, and provided each of the teachers and staff a beautiful homemade cake as a Thanksgiving treat.
Two upcoming happenings in December:
- Holiday Helpers Teacher Gifts: We will be collecting contributions for teacher holiday gifts from 12/4 to 12/13. Donations will provide a monetary gift to each of our 15 teachers and staff members. Information will be sent home next week.
- Stock the Lounge: Thank you to those who provided goodies for our teachers and staff in November. Please see this Sign-Up Genius for suggestions and to sign up! Items may be dropped off at school on the first Friday of the month.
Upcoming CommUNITY Events in December
· Pizza Friday – Friday, December 8
· Lunch on the Lawn – No Lunch on the Lawn in December.
Looking Ahead to January:
· RSA Parent Association Meeting: Tuesday, 1/9 after carpool
· Pizza Friday: Friday 1/12
· Lunch on the Lawn: Friday 1/26
Please contact Lydia Lafleur, Ms. Silburn, or Mrs. Latona to let us know how you would like to get involved. Thank you!
Teacher Appreciation Holiday Helper Project
ORGANIZED BY THE RED STICK ACADEMY PARENT ASSOCIATION
With the holiday season around the corner, why not check one gift off your list? The RSA Parent Association is organizing a Teacher Appreciation Holiday Gift Project that includes all faculty and staff.
The idea is simple ~ the gift of cash and a special treat will be given to our amazing faculty and staff, along with a list of children who contributed. If you choose to participate, we ask that you send a donation of $10 to $20 per student or an amount comfortable to you.
Please return the completed form that will be sent home, along with your contribution, to the school office by Wednesday, December 13. Please send your donation in the form of cash or a check made payable to “Cash.” Please label your envelope “Holiday Helpers.”
Winter Diagnostics
RSA conducts iReady diagnostics in Reading and Math three times a year - Fall (August), Winter (December) and Spring (April). Kinder-8th grade students will be involved in their diagnostic testing starting December 4. RSA also conducts DIBELS (Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills) assessments three times a year (August, December and April) for our Kinder-3rd grade students. Both assessments let us know how much progress your child has made in the first four months of the year. Please encourage your child to do their best. Reports will be sent home as soon as the results are recorded.
Fall Mid-Terms (6-8th Grades)
To help your child prepare for high school, students in 6-8th grades will be taking fall mid-terms in their ELA, Math, Science and Social Studies classes the week of December 11. Teachers are preparing study guides to help the students study. Our middle school students will be taking a test over the material from the entire first semester. These exams will count for 20% of their semester average.
Tuesday, 12/12: ELA
Wednesday: 12/13: Math
Thursday, 12/14: Social Studies
Friday, 12/15: Science
Please be sure that your child properly prepares for these exams, gets a good night's sleep and is eating a nutritious breakfast. These exams will be the first thing they do each day. Students are allowed to go home after their exam to study for the next day's exams or can stay and study on campus.
Reenrollment and Open Enrollment Ends 12/1!
To reserve your child’s spot for the 2024-25 school year, click here [track.spe.schoolmessenger.com] to login to your PowerSchool account and go to Forms. Intent to Return ends Friday, December 1. Failure to complete your Intent to Return by Dec. 1, 2023, may result in the forfeiture of your student’s seat for the next school year. This year, our reenrollment period coincides with our Open Enrollment time! So after you reserve a spot for your child, tell your friends to apply for enrollment at RSA. The grade level with 90% responding to intent to return will win a pizza party! So far, our 1st and 7th graders have won a pizza party!
CYT
Thank you to the students who participated in this semesters CYT@School. The Lion King performance was super cute! Unfortunately, due to staffing, CYT will not be able to offer the drama club in the spring on our campus. We look forward to CYT@School returning 2024-25.
Winter Dress Days
Students are encouraged (not required) to get ready for winter break with some fun dress days.
Friday, December 1: Flannel Friday
Friday, December 8: Camo-ho-ho (wear camouflage to hide from the naughty list)
Friday, December 15: Long Winters Nap (wear your favorite holiday pajamas - must be appropriate)
Dress Code Reminders
Although RSA does not require uniform attire for our students, the school is eager to help children learn to discern modesty and discretion in choosing apparel appropriate for their age and activities. They will need parental assistance and guidance in choosing comfortable play clothes and shoes. No pajama pants unless it is a specifically designated dress day. Girls should wear shorts under skirts. Students should wear tennis shoes for physical education and/or recess.
Colder Weather Means Outerwear
With the colder weather comes the need for your child to come to school with a jacket or sweater. Please don't forget to put their name in it!
EBR Bookmobile
Water Bottles!
Don't forget to send a refillable water bottle with your child each day. Water keeps your brain hydrated and it's hard to learn when you are thirsty and/or distracted by headaches. Per the handbook, please do not send your child with a sports drink or a sugary drink in their water bottle. Be sure your child's name is on the bottle. :)
Morning Arrival
- Students should be in their desks by 8:00 am.
- Please make sure to have your child at school before 8:00. You can drop off your child as early as 7:45. If you need early drop off, it starts at 7:30 and is $5/day.
- Late arrivals have to sign in at the administration office and be sent to class with a pass.
- If your child is out sick for 3+ days, please send them back to school with a mandatory doctor's note for an excused absence. If your child is out sick for 1-2 days, please send them back with a parent or doctor's note.
Absences and Makeup Work - Page 9 in the Handbook
If a student is to be absent, parents should notify the teacher by 9:00 am on the first day and every day of the absence. For anticipated absences, parents are asked to give notice well in advance to the principal. Notice can be given by phone, email, or in writing. For excused absences, students are given the same number of days as the number of days missed to make up a test or to turn in make-up work. Make-up tests will be given at the discretion of the teacher within the allotted days, and students may be required to report to school early or stay late to make up tests. However, if there is a test given or assignment due on the day the student returns that he or she knew about or reasonably should have known about during the absence, and if the student was present for the original instruction (not review) related to the test or assignment, then the returning student will take the test or turn in the assignment on the day of return.
For excused absences of five days or more, teachers and the principal will formulate a personalized make-up plan for the student. With prior notification, the principal may allow students to make pre-arrangements for family or student trips, although such absences will still be considered unexcused. In such a case, the student must take all tests in advance of the trip and must turn in all work occurring during the trip immediately upon return to school. In any case of a missed test, for whatever reason, a make-up test may be different than the original test given to the rest of the class.
Administration of Medication
Please do not send medication in your child's backpack. All medication (prescription and over the counter) should be administered through the front desk. Please see the form below for your convenience.
PowerSchool and Schoology
Homework and Planners
School Dismissal
- School finishes at 3:00 pm.
- If there is any change in your child’s transportation schedule, please submit it in written form, so we can adjust accordingly.
- Aftercare begins as soon as carline is over. The first 20 minutes is dedicated homework time.
- Aftercare is provided until 5:00 p.m. for $15/day or $50/week.
Afterschool ELA/Math Lab
Afternoon Carline
- Thank you for remembering to use your hands free connection while in carline.
- We appreciate you showing your carline sign on your rearview mirror up until the time your child gets into the vehicle.
- Please stay in your vehicle.
- Please pull up close to the vehicle in front of you.
- If you are not inside the gate, help us keep the line off of Jefferson Highway by creating two lines and take turns going into the gate.
December Birthdays
12/6. Alyssa (7th)
12/9. Makenzie (1st); Travis (Facilities)
12/13. Elijah (7th)
MARK YOUR CALENDAR!
EBR Bookmobile
No checkouts today. Just returning books. Special craft for all students.
9AM: 3rd
9:10: 4th
9:30: Kinder
9:40: 1st
9:50: 2nd
10:00: 7th
10:10: 8th
10:20: 5th
10:30: 6th
Friday, Dec 1, 2023, 09:00 AM
iReady Winter Diagnostics
The week of December 4. All students K-8. ELA and Math.
Monday, Dec 4, 2023, 07:00 AM
Winter Fine Arts Festival
Kinder-8th grade students artwork and music performance
Monday, Dec 11, 2023, 06:00 PM
Jefferson Baptist Church, Jefferson Highway, Baton Rouge, LA, USA
Middle School 6-8th grades Mid -Term Exams
Tuesday, 12/12: ELA
Wednesday, 12/13: Math
Thursday, 12/14: Social Studies
Friday, 12/15: Science
Students can leave after exams are completed to study at home (excused) or stay on campus and study.
Tuesday, Dec 12, 2023, 08:00 AM
NO AFTER CARE
With the start of the holiday break, there will not be any aftercare Friday, December 15. There will be class parties that day and students are encouraged to leave after their party. Please watch for communication from your child's teacher(s). Everyone should be picked up by 3:15.
Friday, Dec 15, 2023, 07:00 AM
Teacher Inservice
NO SCHOOL - STUDENT HOLIDAY
Tuesday, Jan 2, 2024, 08:00 AM
Students Return from Winter Break
Wednesday, Jan 3, 2024, 08:00 AM
2Q Report Cards
Will be emailed home today
Thursday, Jan 4, 2024, 07:00 AM
About RSA
Email: info@redstick.academy
Website: https://redstick.academy
Location: 6455 Jefferson Highway, Baton Rouge, LA, USA 70806
Phone: (225) 960-1370
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RedStickAcademyOfficial