Hello Everyone,

I hope you are all having a wonderful April! I certainly am as I enjoy the great energy we have in the school right now.  

Watching our senior students work their way through the Senior Ex capstone project has been eye-opening and impressive. Just yesterday, Superintendent Harding and I took in some presentations by seniors on the current progress of their projects. The intelligence and hard work on display was amazing to witness. The students show a deep understanding of their chosen topic and an ability to analyze complicated subjects that many adults struggle with. I can’t wait to see the final projects and presentations.  Having this capstone to the Riverdale High School experience is such a fantastic way for students to wrap up their learning journeys with us and show how well-prepared they are for their future in school and the workplace. Thank you to the students and staff for all of your hard work.

I would like to welcome Amrutha Kalyansunder to Riverdale High School as our biology teacher for the remainder of the school year. She is a fantastic person to step in and meet the needs of our students. Please see her introduction below.  

Sincerely,

Bart Hawkins, he/him/his

Riverdale High School Principal

 

Last year's Paddle Raise was earmarked for high school STEM resources. The science department is using the money to update the lab, investing in state of the art measurement tools so that students can experience the most modern lab techniques. These tools allow for more hands-on work in science and math classes, and are going to be used for years to come. They will allow for meaningful engagement with material covered through Physics, Biology, and Chemistry, giving the students the opportunity to use modern measurement and lab practices that they will see in college and beyond. Thank you to the PTC for their continued outstanding support of our programs.

 

Riverdale High School juniors will take required state tests during their Chemistry and Civics classes. Learn more about how state tests results are used and parental rights here. Contact Sarah Hansen with questions about state testing.

Math: April 18-20 during Chemistry

Science: April 21-22 during Chemistry

Language Arts: May 2,4,6 during Civics

 

RHS is hosting a food drive for the Oregon Food Bank from April 4-28. We are looking for non-perishable, boxed, and canned foods in particular. The donation boxes will be in the lobby and there will be one in Ms. Keldorf's room. Please bring as much food as you can! If you have any questions, please contact Truly Martin or Layla Rosenthal directly. 

Hello! My name is Amrutha Kalyansunder. I'm from the coastal city of Madras located in the southern tip of India. I have a bachelor's degree in zoology and biotechnology and a master's degree in biomedical genetics. Teaching lets me creatively express myself and inspire young minds. I am passionate about all things natural. I love animals and my go-to place is the sea. Having moved to Oregon last year, I am taking the time to go on new hikes, explore the coast and embark on new adventures every day!

Find the Junior Parent College Night slides and recording below from Robert Lovvorn.

Riverdale High School has been invited to attend the Asian American Youth Leadership Conference on Friday, April 22 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

We have the opportunity to take four students of Asian American or Pacific Islander descent to the conference. 

Each year, close to 500 high school students, selected from multiple school districts, both public and private, from Oregon and SW Washington attend the Asian American Youth Leadership Conference. Typically, 40 high schools from multiple school districts are represented at the conference. Students from diverse ethnic backgrounds, including Cambodian, Chinese, Filipino, Hmong, Indian, Iranian, Japanese, Korean, Laotian, Mien, Pacific Islander, Pakistani, Thai, Tibetan, and Vietnamese, among others were in attendance. Furthermore, close to 30% of the students self-reported as “mixed-race” or “other.”

Since its founding in 1993, the conference has helped thousands of students realize their individual potential as leaders of tomorrow. Each year, the program has been planned around a theme relevant to the students’ focus on leadership-development, communication, and cultural identity. At each conference, over 100 adult volunteers and school chaperones participate in the facilitation of the activities and workshops. 

Utilizing the talents and experiences of college students and professionals to facilitate workshops, the conference incorporates various topic-related exercises and activities to enhance and reinforce leadership skills and ideals. The conference also gathers prominent members of the community to inspire Asian high school students to develop leadership qualities as well as to pursue leadership positions.

If you are interested in attending, please get a permission slip from Grace Thompson at the front desk. If more than four students want to attend, we will choose based on a lottery system. Permission slips are due no later than Friday, April 8.

Adult chaperones from RHS at the event will be Abby Rotwein, Director of Equity and Inclusion, and Michele Rosenbaum, School Board Director.

If you have questions, please email Abby at arotwein@riverdale.k12.or.us.

 

 

An incredible guest speaker coming to Riverdale High School on Friday, April 15th. You can learn more about Karen at her website, Karen Gaffney Foundation. We encourage you to check out her TEDxPortland talk and the video of her swimming across Lake Tahoe. The links are below: