The Riverwalk Roar: Virtual Academy

Pride,

There's a lot of fear and angst in the air, and I wish it was because Halloween is this Saturday. Over the past few weeks and months, I've seen and heard, and experienced some of the following fears (also known as worries or anxieties): "Will I get COVID-19? How close am I to a layoff? Is my child really doing OK in virtual (or face to face) learning? How can I get all my work done and help my child at the same time? What's going to happen if my candidate doesn't get elected? What if we return back to school full time/if we don't return back to school full time? How can I keep myself and my family safe? Will there ever be a time when I don't have to wear a mask?" You can imagine the number of thoughts and worries that are both spoken and unspoken.

What do we do with all these anxieties? How do we move (and help our children move) to a better place?

1. Name it. Fred Rogers let us know that "feelings are all right, whatever is mentionable is manageable." Even just admitting that we are worried allows us to begin a process of sorting through the causes. Ever so often, I don't want to admit how I really feel because I think I'm supposed to have it all together. During those times, I know I'm just spinning my wheels. Most of the time, we are afraid of what we can't control and we have experienced such a loss of control over the last seven months.
2. Know that fear usually drives us to our old bad habits of coping. We know that eating all the Oreos doesn't work. Yelling doesn't work. Working more doesn't work. Shopping Amazon doesn't work. Binge-watching Netflix doesn't work. Our insecurities have a way of immediately triggering those familiar, comfortable, dysfunctional, and destructive "fix it" strategies that lead us nowhere fast. Our logical selves tell us that these methods don't work but our emotional muscle memory takes over to revert back to those bad places. Again, call it what it is and know when to say to yourself, "yes, here I go again."
3. Choose which way to go. Once I realize I have "stinking thinking," I know I have to make a choice. Will I stay there or will I intentionally move to a better place? I find that for most of us, it has to be a deliberate, mechanical process. Yes, I acknowledge my emotions and what's triggering them, but I don't have to set up a permanent residence there. I can move out and I can move on.

None of this is easy. I'm blessed to have a wife, friends, and other "principal friends" who patiently listen, ask hard questions and care enough to be there with me and for me to work through this process. None of us can make it alone. The good news is that we can replace our irrational fears with truths based on reality. That process takes courage and responsibility. Please remember that our students (your children) do what they see the adults do. As a culture, we find ourselves in a season of deep anxiety and worry. We can lead ourselves and our children to a better, healthier place if we are willing to take the next step. Fear, anxiety, and worry become bigger and scarier monsters when we deal with them all alone.

That's one reason I absolutely love having "a Pride" because we're all in this together and there's not another group that I'd rather be with than you all.

Be brave, be strong, and make good choices this week. Have a great week, Lions!

~Dr. Compton

#RiseUpRiverwalk

Make sure you stay up to date with all things Riverwalk Academy by downloading our mobile app (which is available in the App Store and Google Play).

Come run (virtually) with the Lions between November 18th and November 30th. Registration ends on October 28th.

The standard shirt is included in your registration. You may choose to upgrade your shirt to a long sleeve or a long sleeve performance shirt.

Click here to register for this annual event.

Virtual Academy Students, we'd love to see how you celebrate Red Ribbon Week. Make sure you share your photos by emailing them to us, or use the hashtag #RWARedRibbonWeek.

Add additional visual indicators in student profiles to help bring focus to items below passing score or past due.

1. Log in as a student
2. Select the avatar in the far right.
3. Select Settings.
4. Check the Accessibility option shown below to turn on additional visual indicators.
5. Select Save.

Once visual indicators are turned on, the following icons will appear in the student Gradebook:

Following the instructions below, students can print:

• When viewing their progress overall and/or for a specific course.

Parents can print:

• When viewing a student's progress overall and/or for a specific course.
  

FYI . . .

There are some reports that have come errors (asking for login credentials, 403 errors) when trying to access content in PCx. Tech confirmed that this is also fallout from the Chrome 85 release. They are going to create a bug and get it over to engineering to work it.This is Sev 1 ticket meaning everyone stops and addresses. There is a work around in 403 Issue document in Chrome.

This guide introduces you to the Pearson Connexus platform and demonstrates how you and your student will access and navigate courses in the picture below. Use this link to view the user guide.

Please see the linked document that was provided by Pearson to help those of you who are using Chromebooks to access the materials.

See the linked document, provided by Pearson, about the technical requirements for accessing specific course content.

2nd Grade Parents, you'll receive more information about this later this week. Between October 12th and November 13th, all second-grade students will participate in two assessments, the Cognitive Abilities Test (CogAT) and the Iowa Test of Basic Skills (ITBS). The only option for these assessments are that they have to be administered on-site.

This Wednesday is the final session and it begins at 9:00 am.

Pride,

We've had some parents express an interest in starting up a Riverwalk Academy Athletic Booster Club. If you're interested in learning more about the Booster Club, or if you're able to donate your time and talents, please contact Mr. Ed Losee.

Shout out to Hayden Thurman (6th Grader) for being named the cheerleader of the week.

Monday - 26th

• Red Ribbon Week: Proud to Be Drug-Free (wear red)
• Cross Country practice 3:15 pm - 4:30 pm
• Cheer Practice 3:15 pm - 5:00 pm
• Boys Basketball Practice 3:30 pm - 5:00 pm at the RH Events Center

Tuesday - 27th

• Red Ribbon Week: Put a Cap on Drugs (crazy hat day)
• Cross Country practice 3:15 pm - 4:30 pm
• Cheer Practice 3:15 pm - 5:00 pm
  
• Boys Basketball Practice 3:30 pm - 5:00 pm at the RH Events Center
• Board Meeting @ 6:30 pm (agenda posted here on Monday by 6:30 pm)

Wednesday - 28th

• Red Ribbon Week: Lei off Drugs (Hawaiian Day)
• 2nd Grade CogAT Testing (session 2) for Virtual Academy Students
• Cross Country practice 3:15 pm - 4:30 pm
• Boys Basketball Practice 3:30 pm - 5:00 pm at Riverwalk Academy

Thursday - 29th

• Red Ribbon Week: Be Brave and Just Say No (dress like a superhero or book character)
• Cross Country practice 3:15 pm - 4:30 pm
• Cheer Practice 3:15 pm - 5:00 pm
  

Friday - 30th

• Band (Beginner: 9:00 am - 10:30 am & Advanced: 11:00 am - 12:30 pm)

Saturday - 31st

• Cross Country Girls 1A/2A State Qualifiers Meet at Crooked Creek Recreation Park (Chapin, SC) @ 11:00 am

Email: info@riverwalkacademy.com
Website: www.riverwalkacademy.com
Location: 5750 Mt Gallant Rd, Rock Hill, SC, USA
Phone: 8033278400
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/riverwalkacademy
Twitter: @RiverwalkLions