Riverbend Parent Newsletter

Riverbend Families,

As we conclude the school year and welcome summer, I wanted to take one last moment to reflect on some of the amazing accomplishments of our students and staff. 2022-2023 has been a year worth celebrating! Here are just a few highlights:

• 99% of all Riverbend students successfully met the required academic standards for promotion as outlined in our student handbook.
• All Riverbend students meeting successful academic requirements earned the opportunity to participate in the daily Tribe activity of their choice. This drastically reduced the number of D's and F's for the 2022-2023 school year.
• Riverbend choir and band students successfully competed in a variety of contests earning recognition for many of our students.
• Riverbend athletic teams continued to build on our stellar extracurricular programs with numerous team and individual awards.
• Over 150 Riverbend students were recognized throughout the school year as "Pillar Champions" of Respect, Responsibility, and Resiliency.
• Riverbend students had the opportunity to participate in 17 different clubs throughout the year.
• Christmas Tree Club raised $2,000 for local charities this year.
• Riverbend teachers and counselors worked very hard this year to create 6 new elective offerings for students beginning the 2023-2024 school year.
• Riverbend hosted the first ever "Student Skills Day" this past spring. 29 local businesses donated their time and resources to allow students the opportunity to learn more about their interests outside of the classroom walls.
• Jenna Alt, Riverbend FACS teacher, was recognized as the MVR-3 District Teacher Of The Year.

These are just some of the exciting things that happened at Riverbend this year. We look forward to making new memories with our students and families during the 2023-2024 school year. Riverbend administrators will be in the building throughout the summer. So, please reach out to us if you have any questions or concerns. I hope that you and your families have a safe and restful summer break. Thank you for allowing us the opportunity to be a part of your students' lives.

Sincerely,

Todd Dempsey, Principal

For as much fun as summer can be, it can also create lots of challenges for families. Check out the following resources to help make this summer a good one:

Meal Assistance - Breakfast and lunch is available to all children under the age of 18 on weekdays from June 1-30 and July 5-August 4. Meals are available at PHS, RMS, PI, Dorris Hoffmann, Nike, Truman, and Zitzman. Meals must be eaten on site. See photo for more information.

Mental Health Services - The Franklin County Community Resource Board is dedicated to creating a system of care for the Children and Families of Franklin County, MO. Check out their website https://www.franklincountykids.org/ to learn more about available services. Residents of Jefferson County are encouraged to explore https://www.comtrea.org/services/behavioral-health to learn about available resources.

Pacific Sports Camps - Pacific High School is committed to the development of student athletes. It is the intention of our staff to provide quality instruction to all camp participants. For more information about our camps and clinics, visit the following website https://www.pacificsportscamps.com/

Educational Opportunities - Check out Scenic Regional Library's summer events lineup to keep your mind sharp this summer https://scenicregional.org/teens/

Fine Arts night was awesome! We had some amazing art on display at the Art Show and the eighth grade choir put on a great performance for the spring concert!

Thank you Mrs. Puls and Mr. Mann for all the hard work you do for our Riverbend students.

The Meramec Valley R-III Board of Education has made the difficult decision to propose a tax levy increase on the August 8th ballot. This decision was not made lightly, and it came only after a two-year process in which the district identified and enacted nearly $2.5 million in cost-cutting efficiencies and reductions. Even with those savings, reduced state funding and major cost increases have forced the district to deficit spend each year and now, valued student programs, extra-curricular activities, and critical staffing is at-risk

MVR-III Superintendent, Dr. Carrie Schwierjohn shared, "The Board of Education and staff have spent the last two years working together to find reductions and efficiencies wherever possible within our district. But like most families and businesses, we are also experiencing the impacts of inflation. The rising costs of health insurance for our staff and increased costs of supplies and services have significantly exceeded our revenue. A tax levy increase is critical to our district's future."

https://www.mvr3.k12.mo.us/article/1126915

• 6/1-6/30: Summer Discovery (More information can be found by clicking this link: https://www.mvr3.k12.mo.us/page/summer-discovery
• 7/20: Riverbend 101 (6:00-7:00 PM) - This is an adults only event designed to inform parents about all of the in's and out's of Riverbend. It is open to all parents/guardians of any 23-24 Riverbend student. Please join Riverbend administrators for conversation and light refreshments. *More information will be communicated via email and social media as the date approaches.
• 8/15: Open House (5:00 PM)
• 8/21: First Day Of School