The Whirlwind Weekly

Hello Whirlwinds!

I hope you have all had a great weekend so far! This coming week is packed full of events and fun activites so make sure you scroll all the way throught the newsletter to stay up to date on all that is happeing at RJHS. Make sure you check out the "fundraisers" section to learn how you can help support RJHS and our awesome students. We have also added a "student highlights" section to brag on some of the Whirlwinds who are showing off and showing out this week!

Be sure to check our wbesite and facebook for more of the AMAZING things that are happening at RJHS!

-Jessica Baldwin

Parent Involvement Coordinator

Monday, October 2, 2023

• SMART START MONDAY
• Geometry Tutoring before school
• Camo Day- Color's Day Theme
• PTO Meeting in the RJHS Library @12:00pm
• Volleyball (8/9) @ Clarksville
  

• Quiz Bowl practice after school in the Quiz Bowl room

Tuesday, October 3, 2023

• Geometry Tutoring before school
• Twin Day- Color's Day Theme
• 9th Coffee Shop: Boles
  

• RJHS Bands Fall Concert @ 6:30 at the Center for the Arts

Wednesday, October 4, 2023

• Geometry Tutoring before school
• Algebra Tutoring before school
• Western Day- Color's Day Theme
• Full band rehearsal during Advisory
• 9th Coffee Shop: Hall
  
• Volleyball (8/9) v. LRCA
  
• Quiz Bowl practice after school in the Quiz Bowl room

Thursday, October 5, 2023

• COLOR'S DAY
• Geometry Tutoring before school
• Algebra Tutoring before school
• Black and Red- Color's Day Theme
• 8th Counselor Lesson: Wilhelm/Wilson
• Color's Day Pep Rally @ 2:00
• Color's Day Evening Ceremony between 8th & 9th games
• Football v. Vilonia
  

Friday, October 6, 2023

• Geometry Tutoring before school
• Jersey Day- Color's Day Theme
• Athletics Pictures
• Quiz Bowl practice after school in the Quiz Bowl room

Saturday, October 6, 2023

• Devil Pup Volleyball Invitational
• RJHS/RMS Junior High All Region Choir Auditions
  

October:

10/9-10/10 Vision and Hearing screenings for 8th graders

10/18 End of 1st Quarter

10/19-10/20 School closed for Students: Fall Break

10/19- Contract Day for Teachers

10/24 Flu Clinic

10/25- Skill Trades Expo

10/27- Whirlwind Theatre Fall Production matinee

Congratulations to each of the young men and ladies who were nominated for our 2023 Color's Day Court! The court will be honored in a pep rally on Thursday, October 5, 2023 @ 2:00 where our 2023 Color's Day King and Queen will be announced. Parents are welcome to attend the pep rally. The young ladies of the court will be presented in an evening ceremony between the 8th and 9th grade football games. We would love to see everyone cheering our Whirlwinds to victory on Thursday night!

We want to see everyone show their WHIRLWIND PRIDE and dress up in the daily themes! Please make sure all outfits follow the school dress code.

All Region choir tryouts, will be Saturday, October 7 at Dover High School. This is a graded event for all Jr High choir students, as stated in the choir handbook. Students will meet in front of RJHS at 7:15 am and leave by 7:45 am.

Start getting your pumpkins ready! It's time for our annual pumpkin decorating contest! Click the picture for more details.

Mark your calendars! Our very own Whirlwind Theatre's Fall production of "Honeymoon at Graveside Manor" will open October 26th, 2023.

Check out this awesome adventure opportunity! Contact MS. Nancy Giron for more info! nancy.giron@rsdk12.net

Come out and support our awesome RMS/RJHS basketball teams and enjoy some yummy pancakes too!

Our first FFA fundraiser is underway. We have partnered with Arkansas FFA Association by offering a 6X12' utility trailer to be raffled on November 15th. Tickets are $2/chance and the link to order online is on our Russellville FFA Facebook page. Click the flyer below to access the Russellville School District FFA Facebook page.

Show your WHIRLWIND PRIDE and purchase a spirit button from the RJHS Library! Buttons are $1.50 or $3.00 with ribbon. Ask about custom buttons!

For more info, email jessica.baldwin@rsdk12.net or ronda.khamsourivong@rsdk12.net

Mrs. Mitchell and her FFCLA club won a first place ribbon at the Pope County Fair for their "Drive Smart" booth! The following students helped to create the booth:Maddie Silva, Kerrington Black, Taleiah Thomas, Taylor Kilbur,n Chayney Melton, Kesler Frost, Madison Freyaldenhoven, Emma Skiles, Mady Gorman, Ty Taylor, Ivan Freeman, Tavian Smith, Brody Standridge, Daton Cano, Jacqueline Andrus, Alex Castro, Olyvia Hedrick, Mykiah Ford. Congrats Whirlwinds!

Ms. Vaught and her Russellville FFA members made an impressive showing at their first judging competition Wednesday. Schools from western Arkansas and eastern Oklahoma gathered at Kay Rogers Park during the Arkansas/Oklahoma State Fair for the 2023 AR/OK FFA/4H Days competition. For most of these students, it was their first time competing in anything like this. Notable performances include:

• Luke Paul-7th place finish out of all Arkansas competitors in the Agronomy competition
• Violet Minihan, Olyvia Hedrick, and Piper Crow finished 10th, 13th and 15th respectively out of all Arkansas competitors in the Floriculture event.
• Barrett Davis tied for 9th place overall in the Nursery/Landscape event.
• The Livestock Judging Team looks promising with 8th grader Rylee Wolfe leading the team scoring 272 out of a possible 300 points. Emma Stiles scored 272, Emma Prater had 264, Keely Sheppard 261, and Marley Kate Maloch had a great score of 256. The high score of the day came out of Oklahoma with a score of 288.
• Our poultry team placed third out of Arkansas with Alesia Pridmore, Ethan Huss, and Aimee McCurrie competing.

We are so PROUD to see this new program taking off and we can't wait to see it grow!

Our RJHS Volleyball teams are on a roll in conference play! This week they beat Vilonia and Greenbrier! Their last home game is on Wednesday and they want everyone to pack the stands as they take on Little Rock Christian!

Our RJHS Library reading incentive program is live and ready for students to start participating! Courtesy of of SOAR Reading grant and the RJHS Library, each 9 weeks, students have the opportunity to win brand new free books and chances to win a Kindle Fire at the end of the semester. They can also earn a spot at the quarterly reward event. Here is how it works!

Students read a novel of thier choice and then fill out and submit the #RSDREADS Google form, by completing each task in each section of the form.

Each time students complete ONE #RSDREADS Google Form, they earn a brand new free book and ONE ticket to win a Kindle FIRE at the end of the semester. If students complete TWO #RSDREADS each 9wks, they get to be a part of the quarterly reward event!

Students in grades 6-12 will be exempt from a final exam for semesters 1 and 2 if they meet the following requirements:

a. A student with a 90% average or higher for the 1st/2nd quarter and/or 3rd/4th quarter and are only absent four or fewer days per semester of the class period. Three tardies are equivalent to one absence for exemption purposes, whether excused or not

b. A student with an 80% average or higher for the 1st/2nd quarter and/or 3rd/4th quarter and miss three or fewer days per semester of the class period. Three tardies are equivalent to one absence for exemption purposes, whether excused or not.

Notes:

• Students who are exempt and choose to take the final exam are NOT penalized, regardless of the grade they make on the final exam.

• Students enrolled in an AP Course who take the AP exam in the spring may be exempt from their semester test in that course.

• All absences count towards the exemption policy except for school-related absences.

It is the goal of RJHS teachers and staff to keep student grades updated weekly for parents and guardians to stay aware of their child's/ children's progress throughout the semester. If you are having trouble accessing HAC (Home Access Center) you can email Jennifer Roberts for help with login credentials.

jennifer.roberts@rsdk12.net

The RJHS Cafeteria offers a variety of ala carte items such a bottled drinks and pre-packaged snacks. Students WILL NOT be allowed to charge these items to their lunch account. They must have payment in hand to purchase these items from the RJHS cafeteria.

RJHS students were issued at the beginning of this school year.. It is very important that students keep up with these ID badges throughout this school year. They will need then daily as a student at RJHS. These badges are used in the cafeteria to charge lunch accounts, in the library to check out books, and with our Technology department to check out and repair laptops. Please remind your student(s) to keep their ID badge with them in a safe place every day.

9th grade students are required by the state to ern 15 service hours by the end of the 23-24 school year. Students will have the oppurtunity to ern most of these hours during their Advisroy period on select school days. More information on these CSL hours will be available in October.