I am really excited to welcome all of our Riverside families to the 2016-2017 school year.  This will be my 16th year working in the Grants Pass School District as a teacher and administrator and I feel very blessed and fortunate to be the new Principal at Riverside Elementary! Riverside is a great place to be and we look forward to partnering with you for the success of our students. Our goal is to create a loving, consistent environment where your children will grow academically, socially, and emotionally. We are going to help make them the best readers, mathematicians, and responsible students possible.

To help us reach our goals we have some new faces here at Riverside. We hired five new teachers last spring and are so excited to see the enthusiasm, dedication, and hard work they will bring to their classrooms, teams and school.

  • Joining the 1st grade team is Miss DeLisle. Miss DeLisle is a graduate from the Grants Pass School District and we are excited to have her back as a teacher in our school!
  • Joining the 2nd grade team is Mrs. Sturley.  Mrs. Sturley was a substitute in our school last year and we are fortunate to have her back as a full time teacher this year!
  • Also joining 2nd grade is Mr. Hampton. Mr. Hampton is coming to us from Whitefish, Montana and once worked as a mountain guide on Mt. McKinley. 
  • New to 3rd grade is Mrs. Turnham.  Mrs. Turnham student taught at Redwood Elementary School and we are lucky to bring her to Riverside. 
  • New to our 5th grade team is Mrs. Holbrook. Mrs. Holbrook is joining us from Myrtle Creek where she taught for two years. She also taught in Las Vegas for a year prior to moving to Oregon.

Please join me in welcoming the ‘newbies’ to our Riverside family.

As we continue to keep our parking lot and driveway safe and increase the flow of traffic in our parking lot/turn around area we ask that you adhere to the following:

  • The speed limit in the parking lot is 10 mph.
  • The turn around area is one way only.
  • Parking is allowed in designated spots in the parking lots.
  • In the turn around, continue to pull all the way forward as cars leave to make room for those behind you.
  • Do not leave your car unattended in the turn around. 
  • We ask that you remain in your cars and the teachers will help get student to cars as everyone comes through the turn around.
  • School policy states dogs are not to be on campus during school hours unless designated as a service dog.

Thank you for your help with the safety of our students. 

I talked with every class the first week of school about how to be successful and asked them to do three things: First, work hard and do their best at everything they do. Next, read at home every night. Lastly, make attendance a priority and be on time.  We appreciate your efforts in supporting these three things at home. 

We would also like to encourage all families to get involved in their student’s education at school.  Here are a number of ways that you can partner with us:

  1. Ensure that your child has regular attendance, establish a regular bed time, and ensure he/she is on time to school each day.
  2. Check your child’s backpack daily.
  3. Volunteer in your child’s classroom (teachers really appreciate the help).
  4. Join the PTA.
  5. Participate in parent/family nights, watch the calendar for dates and times.
  6. Be involved in our Read At Home (RAH) program.  Read with your child for at least 15 minutes each night.

My office is always open to parents and students.  Please contact me if you have any concerns, questions, suggestions, and even when you have praises.  You can call me anytime at 474-5780 or you may reach me by email rhenderson@grantspass.k12.or.us.

Don’t forget to mark your calendars for our annual Back to School Night on Thursday, September 29th starting at 6:00 PM. We look forward to seeing you here.

Sincerely,

Rob Henderson - Principal