RVSD - A Beautiful Magical Place to Be!

We are very excited to share our very first District video, “RVSD – A Beautiful Magical Place to Be” which is now available for viewing on YouTube.  In this short film, teachers, administrators and students share their reflection on what makes RVSD special to them.  Inspired and created by two RVSD parents, Nancy Main and Jennifer Gonzalez, this video captures the essence and joy of teaching and learning in the Ross Valley School District!

Back to School 2018-19 School Year

Welcome to the 2018-19 School Year

On behalf of all RVSD staff, I want to let you know how excited we are that you have chosen Ross Valley for your child/ren’s education.  We are very excited for the new school year and are thrilled to have you back with us and to have all our new families join the RVSD Community!   We hope the 2018-19 school year is off to a great start for you and your student/s, and we are looking forward to a fantastic year of growth, learning, and, of course, fun! 

Back-to-School Packet (hard copy and online information and forms)

Some Back-to-School forms are on SchoolMint, our online student enrollment system.  Other information and forms are sent home via backpack-mail during the first week of school and are also available here on our district back-to-school webpage.  If you do not have printer access, either drop by your child’s school office to pick up copies or ask that they be sent to you.  Please complete and submit all required and applicable forms as soon as possible but no later than Friday, September 21, 2018.

Forms on SchoolMint

• Student Information and Emergency Card – One form per student
  
  
• Parent/Guardian Acknowledgement and Release form – One form per student
  
  
• Declaration of Residency. – One form per household
  California law requires all students to attend the school district in which their parents/guardians reside unless a specific statutory exception applies. (Education Code 48200, et seq.) In California, a person may have only one primary residence. The Ross Valley School District (“District”) is required to take appropriate steps to ensure that students attending its schools satisfy the applicable residency laws.
  
  In May 2018, California School Boards Association (CSBA) revised Board Policy (BP) and Administrative Regulation (AR) 5111.1 – District Residency based on recent changes to CA Education Code, such as protections for immigrant students and families. Therefore, RVSD revised our BP/AR 5111.1 District Residency to be in compliance. At the same time, the district reviewed our procedures and practices to provide families more options to be able to accurately and truthfully demonstrate residency. Because the district does not want to cause undue burden to families who rent, we made some changes to our Proof of Residency so that families can more easily demonstrate residency. New this year, all families need to annually complete the Declaration of Residency form, which has been developed to verify and update student information. Declaration of Residency also serves as a reminder that it is a requirement to update Proof of Residency if the residency address has changed since residency documentation was last provided.
  
  While a completed back-to-school packet is required for each student, only one Declaration of Residency form is required per household. If your residency has changed since you last provided residency documentation (e.g. PG&E bill), please also contact your school office.
  
  
• The Volunteer Application - One form for each parent/guardian or caregiver in a family who wishes to volunteer.  This form is optional - but it is required to volunteer at a district school.

To complete the Back-to-School forms on SchoolMint, log in to your account at http://rvsd.schoolmint.net.  If you have forgotten your username or password, follow the instructions on the “Forgot Username” and/or “Forgot Password” links.  Once you have logged in, click the green “Start” button for each child who is returning to an RVSD school.  You do not need to complete the forms in one sitting.  Once you submit the forms, you will no longer be able to access them.  If you realize you need to make a correction, please contact the school office.

Hard Copy Information & Forms

The following items are provided to students during the first week of school, and they are also available here.

1. Parent/Guardian Annual Notice – This information is required to be provided to families annually, and parents/guardians are to verify that they have received and reviewed the information.  The last page of this document does not need to be returned as the verification of receipt/review is included in the SchoolMint Parent/Guardian Acknowledgement and Release Form.
   
   • Parent/Guardian Annual Notice (English | Spanish)
     
     
2. School Lunch Program – The following information and forms are applicable if you wish for your child to receive school lunches and/or to apply for free/reduced meals or free milk.  Please complete and return the application to your child’s teacher.
   
   • Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) Lunch Program (English | Spanish)
   • Free & Reduced Application Packet(English | Spanish)
     
     
3. Technology Use Agreement – This form is required for each student and is to be completed by the student and parent and returned to student’s teacher.
   
   • Elementary Students
   • Middle School Students
     
     
4. YES Foundation Information – The following items are available on the YES website www.yestokids.org.
   • YES! Overview
   • Annual Family Giving Campaign
   • Shop for YES!
   • Theater 2018-19 Season (applicable to 3rd – 8th graders)

General Information

• 2018-2019 School Calendar
• Advice for Parents in the Event of An Emergency (English | Spanish)
• Student/Parent Handbook - Coming Soon
  
  • Elementary Schools
  • White Hill School

Other Forms

Please review the items below and complete and submit the applicable forms to your child’s school office.

Volunteer Information and Application

All volunteers must submit within 30 days of volunteering a “Volunteer Application” along with written verification from a healthcare provider of negative tuberculosis within the last 4 years (i.e. skin test or Risk Assessment Questionnaire).  If in doubt as to whether your participation in our schools constitutes volunteering, please check with your child’s school’s principal and/or administrative assistant. Note that additional requirements apply to those who will be volunteering as field trip drivers and/or chaperones on overnight field trips.

• Volunteering In Our Schools Information (English | Spanish)
• Volunteer Application (English | Spanish) - If you did not complete the Volunteer Application on SchoolMint when you completed the other back-to-school forms, you may print, complete, and submit it to your child’s school.

Family members may volunteer at a student’s school.  For anyone other than a student’s family member who wishes to volunteer, please contact the applicable school office to learn more about the required procedures.  We encourage all persons to submit the paperwork at the beginning of the school year, even if you are unsure you will volunteer, to ensure there will not be any confusion or delay at the time of the event.

Educational Field Trip Driver

In addition to the Volunteer Application and TB clearance, the Field Trip Driver form and a copy of the auto insurance policy declaration page for each vehicle to be driven on field trips are also required for any parent/guardian driving on a district school event, including if only driving your own child.

• Educational Field Trip Driver Form (English | Spanish)

We encourage all persons to submit the paperwork at the beginning of the school year, even if you are unsure you will drive on a school-sponsored activity, to ensure there will not be any confusion or delay at the time of the event.

Annual Pesticide Notification

This form is required only if you wish to be notified before a pesticide is applied at your child’s school.

• Annual Pesticide Notification Information and Form (English | Spanish)

Authorization to Administer Medication/Treatment & Authorization to Release Information to Physician

This form is required only if your student needs to have medication administered while at school.

• Authorization to Administer Medication (English | Spanish)

Student Accident & Sickness Insurance Program

This information and application are required only if you wish to apply for insurance.  Note:  The District does not assume responsibility for medical treatment (ambulance transport, surgery, hospitalization, etc.).

• Accident & Health Insurance Program Cover Letter (English | Spanish)
  
• Student Accident and Illness Coverage Information and Application (English | Spanish)

Mail the completed application directly to the insurance company (see application for mailing address).  Do not return it to your child’s school office. 

QUESTIONS OR WANT MORE INFORMATION?

If you have any questions or do not have the ability to access SchoolMint or print the required forms, please contact your child’s school or Marci Trahan, Assistant Superintendent at 415-451-4064 or  This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

WHITE HILL CHOIRS WIN TOP HONORS AT 2018 CMEA FESTIVAL

April 20, 2018

White Hill Middle School’s 7th and 8th grade choirs performed and earned top honors at the CMEA (CA Music Educators Assoc.) Choral Festival, held at the incredible Weill Hall on the campus of Sonoma State University.

Two pieces “Coro Forte” and “Bella Voce” earned UNANIMOUS SUPERIOR ratings - the highest possible achievement at a CMEA Festival!
 
After delivering stunning performances on a professional stage in front of three expert judges, our choirs then went to the sight-reading room to perform both rhythmic and melodic music notation with just a few minutes to study each exercise. They earned Superior ratings from the sight-reading judge as well as the three performance judges.
 
A few highlights from the judges' comments:

"Beautiful part work, guys - wow! I wish you fed my high school!"
 
"Poetically convincing, musically subtle and refined, and you have great stage presence... your intonation, your tone quality, your posture, your connection with your conductor, and your conviction as a performing ensemble are just superlative."
 
"Every time I've judged a festival there is always one group who makes my day. It doesn't matter how big or small they are, it's about how they perform, how they are connected to what they're singing, and their sound. Yesterday at the CMEA Festival in Weill Hall, the White Hill Middle School Bella Voce was that group! Susie Martone, Brava Tutti on an incredible performance! As a bonus, they were also one of the best group of audience members I've had the pleasure of sitting behind whilst judging. No talking, no phones, and so supportive of everyone who was on stage while they were in the audience. This is what it's all about!"

Congratulations to Susie Martone and all of our WHMS students who participated in this event and thank you for making such beautiful music!
 
Click here for a photo album
 
Click here for a video playlist