June 11, 2021

Dear Amazing RHS Families and Students, Especially our Graduating Seniors:

Congratulations on the upcoming graduation of your senior! I cannot thank everyone enough for your endless hours of supporting your students during the last four years—both at school and home, especially in this previous year. Gratitude to all is the focus of this message as families went above and beyond the call of duty to provide whatever was necessary to add to our students’ already rich school experience.

The end of the last school year and this current one has challenged us in unprecedented ways. Still, while it was not a smooth time, I witnessed how love, care, dedication, collaboration, discipline, and strategy brought these outstanding young men and women to the finish line. Resiliency and perseverance are attributes that our 20021 graduating class has in abundance. I am confident that these acquire skills will develop in them making wiser choices for themselves and discerning and waiting for what is right for them, career-wise. On Friday, June 18, we will send them off with grace and best hopes for dreams to come true within two ceremonies for safety purposes. We will show them our never-ending support, and as an extended family, congratulate them in unison for achieving the ending of their high school career on time and with choices. Our seniors are made of love, hope, and joy. Together, I echo the thoughts of all of us who love them, and as they walk away from this year, I want them to know that they are powerful and can improve society. I hope that they cultivate deep self-love and confidence and remember that kindness matters.

You will find the Class of 2021 Banner gracing our beautiful building. As COVID 19 continued, the picture was made into a banner to celebrate the Class of 2021.  This banner will hang in the commons representing “resiliency and perseverance” for generations to remember the 2021 graduating class and these extraordinary times.

Additionally, if you are unable to attend the commencement ceremony or would like for family members and friends to watch the ceremonies, everyone is invited to watch the ceremonies live on YouTube at the links below.

• Renton High School:
  • Friday, June 18, 9:00 a.m.
    • Last name A-L
  • Friday, June 18, 12:00 p.m.
    • Last name M-Z 

As a token of gratitude, the graduation speech I will deliver on June 18 will be printed and enclosed with diplomas once available to be picked up at RHS.

For all students, as we wrap up, please be aware of the following details to end the year strong:

1. Senior’s last day to turn in work in June 11^th.  For all other students, it is June 23^rd, but please check with your teachers in case they set earlier deadlines.
2. Final grades will be mailed home by the end of June.
3. RHS will be closed starting July 2.  The Main Office will reopen August 13^th, 2021.
4. The Start Up day for students formally known as TRIBES, will be August 24^th, but details are still being worked on.  Please check your email for updates in August.
5. All students are to keep their Chromebooks over the summer break, except for Seniors.  Seniors are to return Chromebooks on Senior Checkout Day 6/15/21.  Please also bring your charger, and Hotspot if you have one.
6. The last week of school schedule is:

• June 21 – A, D, E students in-person
• June 22 – B, D, E students in-person
• June 23 – All students are remote.  Here is the bell schedule for the last day of school:
  • Period 1 – 7:20 -7:50
  • Period 2 – 7:52 - 8:22
  • Period 3 – 8:24 - 8:54
  • Period 4 – 8:56 - 9:26
  • Period 5 – 9:28 - 10:00

Best wishes to our graduating 12th graders, whom I will miss much—please come back and visit.  Everyone have a safe summer break.

Warmly,

Dr. Giovanna San Martin| Principal
Renton High School | (425.204.3401) | F 425.204.3412 | 400 S. 2^nd Street | Renton, WA 98057 |

“Diversity is being invited to the party. Inclusion is being asked to dance.” –Vernā Myers

May 28, 2021

Dear RHS Students and Families,

Happy Memorial Weekend to all our families and students!  This is a time to honor and give thanks to the men and women who died while serving in the U.S. military.  RHS has tremendous gratitude for the sacrifice and dedication of all the men and women who serve in the many branches of the U.S. armed forces.  We hope everyone has a safe and restful weekend.

This is the outline for this update:

1. Change to In-Person days June 2^nd and 3^rd
2. Graduation Guide and Senior Survey
3. Graduation Tickets Updates
4. Ordering Transcripts
5. Graduation Speakers
6. Free ORCA Pass for RHS Students!
7. Spirit Week coming up!
8. Connect In Place Summer Opportunity
9. Other Opportunities/Flyers

If you need anything, please call our Main Office line to request support: 425.204.3400, or to submit a question ask for help on our Contact Us page on our RHS Website.

Warmly,

Dr. Giovanna San Martin| Principal
Renton High School

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1. CHANGE TO IN PERSON DAYS JUNE 2 and 3

There is no school on Monday, May 31^st and Tuesday June 1^st.  Because of this, RHS voted to have group A students come on June 2 and Group B on June 3, so each group gets one day on campus next week.

Group D students should come Wednesday through Friday, and Group E students should come Wednesday and Thursday.

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2. CLASS OF 2021 GRAD GUIDE

Attention all seniors!  The Class of 2021 webpage on the RHS website has been updated to include the 2021 Grad Guide, the Senior Timeline, a recorded presentation from the counseling department, the Senior Survey, and Transcript Requests.

All of this information is very important for families to review with their graduate.  Some items on the Grad Guide are still under development (for example, the electronic ticketing process for Commencement).  It is vital that all seniors check their school email weekly at a minimum to be sure to not miss any updates.  Additionally, updates will be posted to the C/O 2021 webpage, so check back regularly.

Please have your 12^th grader complete their Senior Surveys. The Senior Survey shares your graduating 12^th grader’s future plans. It must be done to access graduation tickets and as part of your senior’s checkout from RHS.

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3. GRADUATION TICKETS UPDATE

Each graduating senior will now get to have four (4) spectators at graduation on June 18^th.  They will receive 2 codes that are good for 2 seats each. They can choose four seats together or 2 seats together in one location and 2 seats in another location.

From the Grad Guide:

COMMENCEMENT ADMISSION TICKETS:   The ticketing will be done online through a platform called Hometown Ticketing. Once all graduation requirements have been met and verified, each student will be provided two ticket codes to “purchase” FOUR tickets. Graduates will receive two codes that are good for two seats each.  Graduates can choose four seats together or two seats together in one location and 2 seats in another location.   Please note the term “purchase” for this event does not mean Commencement tickets will cost money; it indicates the acquiring of the tickets. Each student will be given two unique codes that will only allow them to “purchase” the 4 tickets for their chosen spectators. Currently each graduate will get two (4) ticket. Once the “purchase” is complete the tickets will be sent to the purchaser’s mobile device, attendees will show the ticket on their mobile device at the gate, it will be scanned to ensure that it’s authentic, and once this is verified they will be allowed into the facility. The ticket will include a section and seat number and the stadium seats will be labeled to ensure that attendees are in the correct area (similar to a Seahawk game or other sporting event). This reserved seating will also help to ensure that social distancing is taking place. Should a spectator not have a mobile device to show their code for entry, please contact Mr. Villalobos in the main office for assistance.

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4. ORDERING TRANSCRIPTS

This is a reminder to our graduating seniors to order your transcripts!  Seniors wishing to have their final transcript sent to a college or other institution must download and fill out the below request form. All requests should be emailed to Linda.PappasStallman@rentonschools.us no later than June 17^th.

Download form here pdf document.

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5. GRADUATION SPEAKERS

For any senior interested in reading a speech at graduation, Graduation speaker auditions will be held Wednesday, June 2 at 2:45 pm via Zoom. 

Important to know:

• We need ONE speaker per graduation time slot: Last name A-L (9 am), and last name M-Z (12 pm).

• Students will need to present a "draft" of their speech - aiming for 2-3 minutes total. It doesn't have to be perfect.  Once candidates are selected, they will be teamed with a teacher "mentor" to polish up their speech.

• Try to make your speech as accessible to ALL RHS students as possible. Try to use a unifying metaphor throughout your speech to tie all four years together that all of the senior class can relate to. Please avoid any negative comments regarding your experience...unless there is a positive growth lesson that is learned from it. 

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6. FREE ORCA PASS FOR RHS STUDENTS

Renton High School, Talley High School, and Dimmitt Middle School 8^th graders can sign-up for a 3-month Summer Youth ORCA Pass from King County Metro. Summer Youth ORCA Pass is good all summer for unlimited rides on local transit including any bus, the Sounder train, Link light rail, streetcar, Water Taxi, and more!

• sign up online. 

See more details and information flyers.

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7. RHS SPIRIT WEEK!

• Music Monday: Favorite summer vibe music (Instagram poll)
• Tacky Tourist Tuesday: Show us your "summer vibe" clothing.
• Flag Wednesday: Show us the flag that reps you!
• Rainbow Thursday: Show us your rainbow!
• Color Wars Friday: Wear the colors to rep your class!
  • Freshman: Gray
  • Sophomores: White
  • Juniors: Black
  • Seniors: Red

Follow the ASB Instagram @rentonspiritsquad. Tag us in your posts!

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8. CONNECT IN PLACE SUMMER OPPORTUNITY

Looking for a fun summer learning opportunity? Take a course from Connect in Place, where college students teach free courses ranging from the Evolution of Rock and Roll to How Computers Think! Connect in Place has taught 400+ classes to a community of 3,000+ students and wants to continue making education more accessible + engaging this summer!

Sign up for Summer Session 1 (June 14 - July 11) here:

• Middle School
• High School

Sign-ups close June 2nd

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9. MORE OPPORTUNITIES

For more events please view flyers and opportunities.

Dear RHS Students and Families:

We wanted to provide students and families with an update about the 2020-2021 RHS yearbook.

Yearbooks are still on sale. The cost for all students this year is $35. They can be purchased online through InTouch. There are a limited number of books on order, and we cannot order extra this year.

In light of the unusual school year we have had, the RHS yearbook staff wanted to include coverage of some students’ return to in-person learning, as well as the sports seasons and graduation. This means that the yearbooks will not be available for pickup this school year. We have opted for a fall delivery for our books.

Yearbooks will be ready for pickup during Back to School Day (formerly Tribes Day) in late August. Sorry, we are not able to ship yearbooks directly to students, so arrangements will need to be made to attend the drive-thru distribution in August. If families are unable to attend the drive-thru distribution, please contact Ms. Soule directly after the pickup event has ended to make arrangements to pick up yearbooks by appointment.

Finally, we wanted to say thank you to all the parents and students who shared photo contributions with us for this year’s book. Without your support, a yearbook this year would have been nearly impossible. Thank you!

Thank you,

LeeAnne Soule, Renton High School Yearbook Advisor
leeanne.soule@rentonschools.us

Gear Up Connections: Summer Exploration

The end of the school year is fast approaching with just about 6 weeks left of instruction. We here with GEAR UP believe in Renton School District’s mission, that our students should graduate with options, and that they are the biggest driver of who they want to be and what they want to do in their adult life. We also recognize that our students are still in the process of discovering that. Each opportunity and experience they participate in helps them define the things that they like doing and what they care about. This summer, there are loads of opportunities and activities that our GEAR UP Students can sign up for.

It has been a strange time across the globe, and virtual learning has been challenging. More screen time may not be the first thing you think about when helping your child stay engaged this summer. We can assure you that, although these programs are virtual, they will be engaging, movement oriented and interactive! Most importantly, your student will continue to grow and learn about themselves while developing skills that will be helpful with their future goals!

SUMMER OPPORTUNITIES – In Partnership

Brighter Future Summit

In partnership with the UW GEAR UP Achievers team, young men of color and male-identifying students of color in 8^th and 9^th grade will have an opportunity to come together to build connections, get inspired, and prepare for their futures! The event will be virtual and will include a lot of interactive and engaging content that will allow for students across districts to come together and recognize all their amazing potential. It will be hosted on June 5^th from 1-4pm. Make sure to register as soon as possible! If you have any questions, you can email Eric Dent with University of Washington’s GEAR UP Achievers program.

STEM Summer Camp with Renton School District’s CTE

Renton School District is hosting a virtual STEM Summer Camp! GEAR UP students are eligible to register, and they will spend the summer learning about STEM, decision making, problem solving, fabrication, and programming. The camp runs from June 28^th to July 2^nd. Learn more about the STEM Summer Camp or email Ted Sobey for more information. Don’t wait to register your student for this year’s STEM Summer Camp! It will be a lot of fun, will expand your student’s mind, and encourage new thinking!

Washington Business Week

Washington Business Week is back and it is all virtual. This is an incredible summer opportunity for your student to gain TWO (2) college credits while in high school. In partnership with WBW and Renton Technical College, you can sign your student up for a week-long summer excursion where they will take the lead as their team races against the clock to develop a world-changing idea and pitch it to potential investors at the end-of-week competition. Guided by a mentor from a local business, students learn to work as a team, explore careers, build a network with professionals and future leaders. This is a free event for GEAR UP Students! Email your GEAR UP Site Coordinator for the registration code! If you are interested, please email your GEAR UP Site Coordinator and they will guide through the registration process. You can go to WBW’s website for more information.

King County Library Services

KCLS has amazing programming and resources all year long. Definitely take some time and explore their site! From homework support to learning and understanding more about the world around us, students and families have access to an abundance of resources, completely free! Check out KCLS’s website!

GEAR UP Achievers UW Summer Programs

Applications for the GEAR UP Achievers Summer Programs will be due MAY 21^st! So, fill them out as soon as possible and get them submitted! You will be able to check off the camps you are interested in! Below are brief descriptions and timeline of the different summer camps being offered.

Husky Leadership Presents Robots!

In partnership with Robot Mesh, GEAR UP students will learn how to build and then construct actual robots! All materials will be mailed to your home prior to the start of the camp! Register soon, spaces are filling up! The camp is virtual and will run Tuesday- Friday, 1-4pm, July 6-9 and July 13-16!

Clean Energy City Planner

In partnership with Clean Energy Institute, GEAR UP Students will learn all about clean energy, how energy is created, stored, and transferred within a community. Students will be able to work as a group on and engineering design plan for their ideal city experience! This is a great opportunity for students interested in policy, environment science, climate change, and environmental law! This virtual camp will be hosted Monday-Friday, 1-4pm, July 12-16.

NanoCamp!

In partnership with UW MEM-C, GEAR UP Students will learn the physics and engineering behind nano technology! Every student will be tasked with doing hands-on demonstrations to examine the way matter behaves with it is 1/1,000^th the size of a human hair! All materials will be mailed to homes prior to the camp! This virtual camp will be help Monday-Friday, 1-4p, July 19-23.

Our Future Matters Summer Leadership Academy

In partnership with Our Future Matters, GEAR UP Students who identify as Pacific Islander will have an opportunity to connect in community, foster leadership of Pasifika students, learn Pasifika history, and engage in storytelling, art, music and dance! Students will also learn about college preparation, advocacy, community engagement and cultural awareness! This camp runs July 26- August 5, Monday- Thursday, 1-4pm.

La Chispa – The Spark

GEAR UP Students who identify as Latino/a/x are invited to apply for UW’s La Chispa Summer Camp. Join bilingual Spanish/English hosts, college mentors, keynote speakers, and even a live DJ! Hosted virtually on Tuesday and Wednesday, from 1-4 pm on July 27 and 28^th, students will be able to connect in community across various schools, aiming to build self-confidence, strengthen cultural identity and increase academic success!

Family Survey

GEAR UP has another ask of you! I know there have many surveys that you have been asked to fill out over the year, but we are asking that you fill out just one more. Please fill out our Family Survey and give us some feedback on our college and career readiness services! In the short answer response, we would love to hear from you on different programs you would like to see in the upcoming year! Your feedback is greatly appreciated, and we look forward to hearing from you!

May 14, 2021

Dear RHS Students and Families,

Before you read over the updates below, please take a moment to recognize and celebrate with us Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month.  We are proud of our students and families that are part of this community and want to share with everyone more ways to get involved.  If you haven’t been following our ASB on Instagram @RentonSpiritSquad, you should do so today to take part in the posts about AAPI heritage. Please view online events that you can participate in.

This is the outline for this update:

1. ATTENTION SENIORS – Key Information
2. ASB Elections!
3. Financial Aid Fridays
4. Class of 2021, set aside time this summer to consider options and prepare
5. More Opportunities
6. Guided parent support

If you need anything, please call our Main Office line to request support: 425.204.3400, or to submit a question ask for help on our Contact Us page on our RHS Website.

Warmly,

Dr. Giovanna San Martin| Principal
Renton High School

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General RHS/RSD Updates

1. ATTENTION CLASS OF 2021 SENIORS! 

• Cap and gown pick up- update

If you were unable to come to RHS on April 30^th to pick up your Cap and Gown or other items purchased from National Achiever, you can still come to RHS to get your items.  This includes the Graduation Yard Sign purchased for all Seniors by your ASB!

If you are an IN-PERSON student, please go to the ASB window at lunch to pick up items already paid for.  If you are a REMOTE student, come to RHS during business hours (8:00 am to 2:30 pm) to pick up your items, wearing a mask.  Please call the main office line when you arrive and be ready to give them your information to receive your items.

If you still want to purchase items, please know that RHS does not handle the purchasing of items.  All purchases go through National Achiever.

• SENIOR BABY PHOTO FOR SENIOR SLIDESHOW:  There is still time to submit a baby photo, so it is added to your slide on the Senior Slideshow!  Please email your photo along with your full name to : rentonclassof2021@gmail.com

Deadline is May 28^th!

• CLASS OF 2021 GRAD GUIDE AND MORE

Attention all seniors!  The Class of 2021 webpage on the RHS website has been updated to include the 2021 Grad Guide, the Senior Timeline, a recorded presentation from the counseling department, the Senior Survey, and Transcript Requests.

All of this information is very important for families to review with their graduate.  Some items on the Grad Guide are still under development (for example, the electronic ticketing process for Commencement).  It is vital that all seniors check their school email weekly at a minimum to be sure to not miss any updates.  Additionally, updates will be posted to the C/O 2021 webpage, so check back regularly.

Please go look at it all today! 

If you have any questions, please email your school counselor or submit your questions online.

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2. ASB Elections!

ASB is currently accepting election applications for all Class Officer & ASB Executive Board positions for 2021-2022!  Being a member of ASB means you have a real say in how the school is run.  It gives you leadership experience and an opportunity to collaborate with your fellow students.

To learn a bit more, watch the ASB Promo video.

If students are interested apply online with Google Docs. Make sure you are logged into your Renton student account to access the application! 

Deadline for ASB Election application will be 5/21/2020.

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3. FINANCIAL AID FRIDAYS

12^th grade parents, does your student and/or you need support with completing financial aid? Join the Career Center Team during Financial Aid Fridays, 11:30 am -1:30 pm, for any support you need related to financial aid. These workshops are drop-in style, so you and your 12^th grade can join for as long or as little as is needed!  Please routinely check the career center page on our RHS website where all information is updated routinely.

May 28, 11:30am-1:30pm
Registration Required

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4. CLASS OF 2021, SET ASIDE TIME THIS SUMMER TO CONSIDER OPTIONS AND PREPARE

It’s common for graduating seniors to lose momentum during summer break, and this year has been more challenging than most. But don’t let uncertainty about the coming months derail your hopes and dreams for the future. Take time this summer to reflect on what you want life to look like down the road.

• Once graduation is behind you (Congratulations!), set yourself up for success in life after high school:
  • Have a plan for college or career training. It’s not too late! Washington’s public and private colleges and universities are ready to welcome you.
  • Prepare a budget and know how to access health care.
  • Need help? Have questions? Identify supportive people and places on your college campus or in your community.
• Check out Washington GEAR UP’s Graduate Handbook, which provides next steps for recent high school graduates. The handbook includes a to-do list, info about college course types, financial aid tips, and more.
• Parents and families can help! Ask the adults in your life to review the Family Guide: Supporting Your Child After High School, which helps family members support graduates as they prepare for and complete their first year in college. The family guide is available in eight languages.

Life is changing, but you are ready—you can do this! Stay on track and plan your future on the Washington Student Achievement Council website.

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5. MORE OPPORTUNITIES

For more events please view flyers and opportunities.

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6. GUIDED PARENT SUPPORT

For families who are looking for a Parent Support Group, please join the Parent Support Group sponsored by Guided Pathways Support.  This group meets via Zoom on Thursdays from 4 to 5 pm.  Lead Parent Partner, Melody Parshall, is back to host the Parent Support Group Thursdays at 4 pm.  Join Melody, other parents and community partners to talk about your strength, hope and resilience in the ongoing challenges of parenting in a pandemic.

This is a free event and open to any parent living in King County.

To join via Zoom, click the link below on any Thursday at 4:00 pm:

https://zoom.us/j/5805201454?pwd=Zy85U1RtalBDaFJjKzRwWnVPaHZlQT09

Meeting ID: 580 520 1454

Passcode: 2sDNep

Dear RHS Students and Families,

As May approaches quickly and we continue to exhibit flexibility and adaptation in our ever-changing environments, it would be futile to ignore the impact and strains COVID brings to our health. As I have led RHS for the past 12 years, the five first as an Assistant Principal, I am very aware of the increase in resiliency that all stakeholders have shown regardless of their personal situation. Within this context, I would like to bring up May as Mental Health Awareness Month. It raises awareness of trauma and its impact on the physical, emotional, and mental well-being of children, families, and communities.

For 2021’s Mental Health Awareness Month, the main message is “You Are Not Alone.” There is healing value in us connecting in safe ways, prioritizing mental health, and acknowledging that it’s acceptable to not feel okay if our experiences make us feel in that manner. To assist with this effort we have social-emotional activities for all staff that help us spread the word through awareness, support, and advocacy activities that address specific questions or issues students and staff may be facing in their classroom. We also have engaged in Trauma Informed Practices to support our staff in supporting our students who are living with trauma.

We are very fortunate to host one of the four Teen Health Clinics in the State of WA at the building. Through these avenues, we contribute to addressing a wide range of mental health issues and focuses on what teachers and education professionals can do to deal with mental health issues in the classroom and schools.

Finally, something to celebrate: the first week in May is Teacher Appreciation Week.  We are so proud of every single one of our RHS teachers, who worked tirelessly to provide the best access to education possible during the last year of this pandemic.  Students, when you see your teachers in person or on a Zoom call next week, please take a moment to thank them for all they do!

This is the outline for this update:

1. Parent Workshops for Youth Suicide Prevention
2. Cap and Gown Pickup – Update/ Senior Baby Photos
3. Financial Aid Fridays
4. RTC Pathways Opportunities
5. More Opportunities
6. #206Rising Youth Talent Search
7. Guided parent support

If you need anything, please call our Main Office line to request support: 425.204.3400, or to submit a question ask for help on our Contact Us page on our RHS Website.

Warmly,

Dr. Giovanna San Martin| Principal
Renton High School | 425.204.3401 | F 425.204.3412 | 400 S. 2^nd Street | Renton, WA 98057 |

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General RHS/RSD Updates

1. PARENT WORKSHOPS FOR YOUTH SUICIDE PREVENTION

Parents!  Learn to identify and appropriately respond to signs of adolescent stress, depression, and suicidal thinking.  Understand risk factors, stress, and depression, and how they are and are not related to suicide.  Understand your role in youth suicide prevention in general and the role you can play in supporting your child.

When: April 30^th, 2021 from 5:30 pm to 7:00 pm  Join the Meeting Online. Space is limited; meeting opens at 5:20 pm.

Questions?  Contact Anna Vu   anna.vu@rentonschools.us

2. ATTENTION CLASS OF 2021 SENIORS! 

--> Cap and gown pick up- update

If you were unable to come to RHS on April 30^th to pick up your Cap and Gown or other items purchased from National Achiever, you can still come to RHS to get your items.  This includes the Graduation Yard Sign purchased for all Seniors by your ASB!

If you are an IN-PERSON student, please go to the ASB window at lunch to pick up items already paid for.  If you are a REMOTE student, come to RHS during business hours (8:00 am to 2:30 pm) to pick up your items, wearing a mask.  Please call the main office line when you arrive and be ready to give them your information to receive your items.

If you still want to purchase items, please know that RHS does not handle the purchasing of items. All purchases go through National Achiever.

--> SENIOR BABY PHOTO FOR SENIOR SLIDESHOW:  There is still time to submit a baby photo, so it is added to your slide on the Senior Slideshow!  Please email your photo along with your full name to : rentonclassof2021@gmail.com

Deadline is May 28^th!

--> There will be SENIOR CLASS GRADUATION coming soon, so keep checking your email!

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Post-Secondary Information

Please routinely check the career center page on our RHS website where all information is updated routinely.

3. FINANCIAL AID FRIDAYS

12^th grade parents, does your student and/or you need support with completing financial aid? Join the Career Center Team during Financial Aid Fridays, 11:30 am -1:30 pm, for any support you need related to financial aid. These workshops are drop-in style, so you and your 12^th grade can join for as long or as little as is needed!

May 14, 11:30am-1:30pm
Registration Required

May 28, 11:30am-1:30pm
Registration Required

4. RTC PATHWAYS OPPORTUNITIES

RHS 10^th, 11^th, and 12^th graders - Come learn about the Renton Technical College (RTC) Pathways on May 11^th, 6-8 pm!  RTC offers certificate programs, 2-year and 4-year degrees designed to provide you with the training and skills you need to access entry level positions in specific industries.

This event will highlight:

• Advanced Manufacturing
• Business Management
• Culinary Arts
• Health & Human Services
• Information Technology
• Transportation Technology
• College and Career Programming

Registration is required. Please register by May 9^th to request translation services during the presentation.

5. MORE OPPORTUNITIES

For more events please view flyers and opportunities.

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Community Information and Events

6. #206RISING YOUTH TALENT SEARCH: We're Looking for a Bright Idea!                                   

Calling all youth entrepreneurs ages 12-19! We’re looking for a “bright idea” and throwing a party for the winner!
Bring your “bright [business] idea” for a chance to earn $500 for your school or youth group for a party or function in June 2021! Prizes will be awarded for 2nd and 3rd place as well.

Contestants must register in advance.

Eligibility:

1. Ages 12-19
2. Live, attend school, work, play or pray zip code: 98144, 98108, 98118, or 98178
3. Register on Eventbrite

Contestants must:

1. Register in advance
2. Attend a minimum of two (2) coaching sessions (See dates and times below)
3. Submit their own pre-recorded business idea (up to 2mins) to 206Rising@gmail.com by May 7th.

We’re giving away all the tips and free game beforehand at our open coaching sessions where you'll hear from established business owners! Must attend minimum two (2) sessions to enter. (See dates and times below)

Dates and Times of Sessions:

April 21st @3:00-4:00pm (virtual)

Mental Toughness – Staying Healthy to Stay in the Game! with Health and Beauty Sherose Candice Smith and former NFL Receiver and Athletic Trainer DiAndre Campbell

April 28th @3:00-4:00pm (virtual)

Politicking and Business 101 – Putting Yourself Out There! with Musician and Music Producer P Washington

May 5th @3:00-4:00pm (virtual)

Marketing and Advertising – Influencing the Influencers!  with CEO and Paraprofessional Marcus Daniels

May 12th is Pitch Day @3:00-4:00pm (virtual)

PITCH DAY (selected videos/pitches shared and winners announced)

For more information, please visit Rising Org Please direct inquiries to Mahogany Purpose Villars at 206Rising@gmail.com,

7. GUIDED PARENT SUPPORT

For families who are looking for a Parent Support Group, please join the Parent Support Group sponsored by Guided Pathways Support.  This group meets via Zoom on Thursdays from 4 to 5 pm.  Lead Parent Partner, Melody Parshall, is back to host the Parent Support Group Thursdays at 4 pm.  Join Melody, other parents and community partners to talk about your strength, hope and resilience in the ongoing challenges of parenting in a pandemic.

This is a free event and open to any parent living in King County.

To join via Zoom, click the link below on any Thursday at 4:00 pm:

https://zoom.us/j/5805201454?pwd=Zy85U1RtalBDaFJjKzRwWnVPaHZlQT09

Meeting ID: 580 520 1454

Passcode: 2sDNep

April 16, 2021

Hello, Renton High School families and students, 

We are excited to welcome you back to Renton High School, as we are returning to in-person learning on April 19, 2021! Our administration and staff are delighted to reconnect with families and students in-person via the hybrid return to learning plan. Our custodial staff has worked tirelessly to clean and sanitize our campus and will continue to do so throughout each day. Upon return, we need students to please be aware of and follow signage requests and directions. While we understand that students will be excited to return to in-person learning, it is imperative that social distancing and mask requirements are followed. As a general reminder, students who are feeling unwell should remain at home, accessing their classes remotely after notifying the school attendance secretary. Please see the below information for our hybrid return to learning plan. 

Schedule 

Students with last name beginning in A – L will attend school in-person on Monday and Tuesday and virtually Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday each week. Students with last name beginning M – Z will attend school online Monday, Tuesday, and Friday and in-person on Wednesday and Thursday each week.  

In–Person Learning Identification Card 

Each student will be provided with an in-person learning ID card specifying which in-person days (Monday/Tuesday or Wednesday/Thursday) they are supposed to be on campus for during in-person learning at Renton High School. On the first day, each student needs to bring some form of their own identification with their name and picture on it (and old ASB Card, ID, etc.) to be allowed to enter the building at the seek scan station. If they do not have one, they will be asked to verify their birthday to confirm who they are. Once admitted, they will go directly to 1^st period, where they will receive their new in-person ID card. Students need to bring their in-person learning ID card with them to campus every day on their designated days to be granted entry.   

Arrival 

Please make sure student health attestations are completed prior to students arriving on campus. If student health attestations are not completed prior to arrival, students will complete them during 1^st period. Masks must be correctly (covering mouth and nose) worn upon arrival to campus and remain on unless eating or drinking. Students are encouraged to bring an additional/back–up mask in case something happens to the one they are wearing. Students should arrive to campus with Chromebooks fully charged and remember to bring their Chromebook charger. 

From 7:05 – 7:45 a.m. Students will only be able to enter the Renton High School campus through the east or west courtyard gates (See map). Please do not attempt to drop students off in driveway in front of the school from 7:05 – 7:45 a.m. Upon entry students will be directed to seek scan temperature check stations where a touchless system will take their temperature. Students arriving at 7:45 a.m. or later will only be able to enter through the main entrance where they will follow the same process. Students must register a temperature of 100.4 or lower to be admitted in the building. If a student registers a temperature of 100.5 or higher, they will be given two additional opportunities (with time in between) to register a lower temperature. If a student does not register a temperature of 100.4 or lower after three attempts, they will be escorted to the wellness room and a parent/guardian will be contacted regarding next steps. Upon entry into the building, students must go directly to their first period class. 

Lunch 

For lunch students will not be allowed to leave the campus (including going into the student parking lot). Students are welcome to bring their own lunch or free lunches will be provided to each student. Lunch will be provided in the cafeteria via a “grab and go” system, in which students get their own lunch. Students will be allowed to each in the cafeteria, cafeteria hallway, courtyard, and auxiliary gym (Seniors only). Students are not allowed to order food to be delivered via Door Dash, Uber Eats, etc.  A limited number of students are allowed to hang out in the commons, but no food may be consumed in there.  For any student observing Ramadan, the Commons will be a food-free area, but all are welcome at the above-mentioned designated lunch areas.  

Dismissal 

Upon dismissal for the school day, all students must exit the building and campus immediately. Students will not be allowed to congregate or visit on campus. Food for remote learning days with be distributed on Tuesday and Thursday immediately after school. Students with last names beginning in A – L will receive their bags as they exit on Tuesdays and students with last names beginning in M – Z will receive their bags as they exit on Thursdays. Those students participating in athletics will have an in-person learning ID card that identifies them as such and will be allowed to access the area they need to at their designated time. 

Social Media 

If you are not already, please be sure to follow Renton High School on our social media platforms for updates, information, notifications, and more! 

• Facebook – The Real Renton HS www.facebook.com/therealrentonhs 
• Instagram – @therealrentonhs 
• Twitter – @therealrentonhs  

We cannot wait to welcome you back to RHS next week!

Warmly,

Dr. Giovanna San Martin | Principal
Renton High School | 425.204.3401 | F 425.204.3412 | 400 S. 2^nd Street | Renton, WA 98057 |

March 5, 2021

Dear RHS Students and Families,

March is Women’s History Month and as a woman in leadership, this time of year means a great deal to me.  During this month, March 8th is designated International Women’s Day.  It is a time to celebrate women’s achievements, raise awareness about women’s equality, and encourage our daughters to grow into the strong leaders this world needs.  Those of you with daughters, sisters, nieces, granddaughters, cousins, sisters, and of course mothers, grandmothers, and aunts, take a moment this day or this month to celebrate their strength, innovation, creativity, and spirit.  Acknowledge that they stand on the shoulders of generations of women whose contributions to the building of our nation largely went unrecognized.  

It may seem that 100 years is a long time, but when compared to all of history it is a drop in the bucket.  In 1920, just over 100 years ago, the 19^th Amendment was ratified by the US Senate, finally affording women the right to vote.  A right they fought for, often at great sacrifice.  We recognize their endeavors and are thankful that we live in a time period where we have legal protection for equal rights as women.  However, women still are fighting for true equality.  We look to leaders such as Eleanor Roosevelt, First Lady of the United States in 1933 to 1945, who used her position as wife to the president to campaign for equal rights under the law.  It is easy to forget that how things are now are relatively new for us.  It wasn’t until the 1970’s that women could do things like get a credit card in her own name, serve on a jury, be guaranteed they wouldn’t be fired from a job if they got pregnant, or obtain health insurance at the same rate as a man.  In fact, sex discrimination wasn’t outlawed in health insurance until 2010.

As former First Lady Michelle Obama said, “There is no limit to what we, as women, can accomplish.”  This is true, but while it is because of women who have and continue to fight for truly equal and protected rights, we still cannot be guaranteed we are allowed to shine even in 2021.  At RHS, we recognize all of our young ladies learning at our school, and the amazing women in education who are helping them grow.  As Eleanor Roosevelt said, “The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.”

This is the outline for this update:

1. Meal Services for Students and Families
2. Multicultural Week 2021
3. COVID Vaccine information for King County
4. 9^th grade Chromebook Swap
5. Girls Who Code Summer Program
6. Highline College’s Outreach
7. Summer college credit opportunity
8. Financial Aid Fridays
9. Guided parent support
10. Virtual Community Service Opportunities
11. International Women’s Day Panel with the Seattle Seahawks

If you need anything, please call our Main Office line to request support: 425.204.3400, or to submit a question ask for help on our Contact Us page on our RHS Website.

Warmly,

Dr. Giovanna San Martin| Principal
Renton High School | 425.204.3401 | F 425.204.3412 |

 400 S. 2^nd Street | Renton, WA 98057 |

“Diversity is being invited to the party. Inclusion is being asked to dance.” –Vernā Myers

---

General RHS/RSD Updates

1. MEAL SERVICES FOR STUDENTS AND FAMILIES:

Renton School District Nutrition Services is able to provide breakfast and lunch for ALL students for FREE this school year! Students who are returning for in-person learning will be provided meal kits as they leave the school building every Monday and Wednesday.  These kits will include breakfast and lunch meals to be prepared and eaten at home. Adults picking students up from school may also pick-up additional meals for children 1-18 years who are not attending in-person learning at this time.  The community Grab and Go Meals will still be available every Monday and Wednesday.  If you have any questions or concerns, please contact Nutrition Services at (425)204-3545 or email nutrition@rentonschools.us

2. MULTICULTRAL WEEK 2021

Multiweek is going to Social Media! @RHSMulticulturalWeek on Instagram.  Follow us @RentonSpiritSquad and @TheRealRentonHS on Instagram!

Each day, you can post on your Insta or use your Zoom Profile image to join in the spirit week!  This is the theme for each day:

• Monday 3/8: Say “Hello” in a different language.  @RHSMulticulturalWeek  #Multi2021
• Tuesday 3/9: Rep your flag! Change your profile pics, rep the colors.  @RHSMulticulturalWeek  #Multi2021
• Wednesday 3/10: Rep your culture! Post a picture of in traditional dress @RHSMulticulturalWeek  #Multi2021
• Thursday 3/11: Virtual food fair!  Post a recipe or a picture representing your culture.  @RHSMulticulturalWeek  #Multi2021
• Friday 3/12: Virtual Multi Show! Rep RHS!  Post pictures in your Renton Gear.  @RHSMulticulturalWeek  #Multi2021

3.COVID VACCINE IN KING COUNTY

Please visit King County’s COVID vaccine information page to find out when you are eligible to receive the vaccine.  

4. 9^th GRADE CHROMEBOOK SWAP

Attention all current 9^th graders – if you are still using your middle school Chromebook, you can now swap it out for a brand-new High School Chromebook!  Just email Mr. Gochanour to request he get your new Chromebook ready, and come by the main office during business hours to swap.  You will need to bring in your old Chromebook and charger to get the new one.

Brandon.gochanour@rentonschools.us

5. GIRLS WHO CODE SUMMER PROGRAM

Apply to Girls Who Code’s free 2-week Virtual Summer Immersion Program for an unforgettable experience! Current 9th -11th grade girls and non-binary students are eligible to apply. 

We strongly encourage students from underrepresented groups in tech to apply early, including Black, Latinx, and students from low-income backgrounds.

Why should you join Girls Who Code this summer?

• Learn how to use HTML, CSS, and JavaScript coding skills to make an impact on what matters to you. Not a coder yet? No problem!
• Join a sisterhood of supportive peers and make lifelong friendships!
• Meet women in tech from top corporations like Disney, AT&T, Twitter & more. 
• You can join for free! Plus, Girls Who Code will provide need-based tech support for those who qualify.

The application deadline is March 19th.  Join a webinar, check out this flyer and the FAQ page for more information.

NEW SIP Infographic.png (296.4 KB)

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Post-Secondary Information

Please routinely check the career center page on our RHS website where all information is updated routinely.

6. HIGHLINE COLLEGE’S OUTREACH

Do you have any undecided seniors or seniors that have no post-secondary plans beyond high school? Then, this event would be perfect for them! Discover Your Pathway at Highline College is coming up on Monday, March 23, 2020 (11:00am – 1:00pm). We promise you and your students will find this event an effective tool that benefits them by connecting them to educational opportunities and resources. Activities will include:

• Virtual classroom Visits
• Career Advising
• Career exploration

Students must register individually.

7. SUMMER COLLEGE CREDIT OPPORTUNITY

Washington Business Week (WBW) is a week-long summer program that issues 2 transferable college credit to students who complete a virtual week. This opportunity is available to current 8^th – 11^th graders. Students will work in teams, with industry experts, on a real-world industry specific problem-solving experience. There are camps focusing on Business, Clean Energy, Telehealth, and Advanced Business. Each area will have camps through the summer, but space is limited to 100 students per week. Signup today!

8. FINANCIAL AID FRIDAYS

12^th grade parents, does your student and/or you need support with completing financial aid? Join the Career Center Team during Financial Aid Fridays, 11:30 am -1:30 pm, for any support you need related to financial aid. These workshops are drop-in style, so you and your 12^th grade can join for as long or as little as is needed!

March 12, 11:30am-1:30pm
Registration Required

April 2, 11:30am-1:30pm
Registration Required

April 16, 11:30am-1:30pm
Registration Required

April 30 11:30am-1:30pm
Registration Required

May 14, 11:30am-1:30pm
Registration Required

May 28, 11:30am-1:30pm
Registration Required

---

Community Information and Events

9. GUIDED PARENT SUPPORT

For families who are looking for a Parent Support Group, please join the Parent Support Group sponsored by Guided Pathways Support.  This group meets via Zoom on Thursdays from 4 to 5.

Lead Parent Partner, Melody Parshall, is back to host the Parent Support Group Thursdays at 4 pm.  Join Melody, other parents and community partners to talk about your strength, hope and resilience in the ongoing challenges of parenting in a pandemic.

This is a free event and open to any parent living in King County.

Join via, Zoom on any Thursday at 4:00 pm:

https://zoom.us/j/5805201454?pwd=Zy85U1RtalBDaFJjKzRwWnVPaHZlQT09

Meeting ID: 580 520 1454

Passcode: 2sDNep

10. VIRTUAL COMMUNITY SERVICE OPPORTUNITIES

Although the Community Service requirement ahs been waived for the class of 2021, all other classes can take advantage of virtual opportunities.  Remember hours are totaled throughout their high school years so 9^th-12^th could earn hours. Below are two programs that are available.

 

11. INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY PANEL WITH THE SEATTLE SEAHAWKS 

Open to all RHS students, teachers, family and community members! Join in on Monday, March 8^th from 3 pm-4 pm PST to hear from five incredible women at the Seahawks organization speak about their careers and how they got here – there will be something for everyone! Please register online.

March 5, 2021

Dear RHS Students and Families,

March is Women’s History Month and as a woman in leadership, this time of year means a great deal to me.  During this month, March 8th is designated International Women’s Day.  It is a time to celebrate women’s achievements, raise awareness about women’s equality, and encourage our daughters to grow into the strong leaders this world needs.  Those of you with daughters, sisters, nieces, granddaughters, cousins, sisters, and of course mothers, grandmothers, and aunts, take a moment this day or this month to celebrate their strength, innovation, creativity, and spirit.  Acknowledge that they stand on the shoulders of generations of women whose contributions to the building of our nation largely went unrecognized.  

It may seem that 100 years is a long time, but when compared to all of history it is a drop in the bucket.  In 1920, just over 100 years ago, the 19^th Amendment was ratified by the US Senate, finally affording women the right to vote.  A right they fought for, often at great sacrifice.   We recognize their endeavors and are thankful that we live in a time period where we have legal protection for equal rights as women.  However, women still are fighting for true equality.  We look to leaders such as Eleanor Roosevelt, First Lady of the United States in 1933 to 1945, who used her position as wife to the president to campaign for equal rights under the law.  It is easy to forget that how things are now are relatively new for us.  It wasn’t until the 1970’s that women could do things like get a credit card in her own name, serve on a jury, be guaranteed they wouldn’t be fired from a job if they got pregnant, or obtain health insurance at the same rate as a man.  In fact, sex discrimination wasn’t outlawed in health insurance until 2010.

As former First Lady Michelle Obama said, “There is no limit to what we, as women, can accomplish.”  This is true, but while it is because of women who have and continue to fight for truly equal and protected rights, we still cannot be guaranteed we are allowed to shine even in 2021.  At RHS, we recognize all of our young ladies learning at our school, and the amazing women in education who are helping them grow.  As Eleanor Roosevelt said, “The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.”

This is the outline for this update:

1. Meal Services for Students and Families
2. Multicultural Week 2021
3. COVID Vaccine information for King County
4. 9^th grade Chromebook Swap
5. Girls Who Code Summer Program
6. Highline College’s Outreach
7. Summer college credit opportunity
8. Financial Aid Fridays
9. Guided parent support
10. Virtual Community Service Opportunities
11. International Women’s Day Panel with the Seattle Seahawks

If you need anything, please call our Main Office line to request support: 425.204.3400, or to submit a question ask for help on our Contact Us page on our RHS Website.

Warmly,

Dr. Giovanna San Martin| Principal
Renton High School | 425.204.3401 | F 425.204.3412 |

 400 S. 2^nd Street | Renton, WA 98057 |

“Diversity is being invited to the party. Inclusion is being asked to dance.” –Vernā Myers

---

General RHS/RSD Updates

1. MEAL SERVICES FOR STUDENTS AND FAMILIES:

Renton School District Nutrition Services is able to provide breakfast and lunch for ALL students for FREE this school year! Students who are returning for in-person learning will be provided meal kits as they leave the school building every Monday and Wednesday.  These kits will include breakfast and lunch meals to be prepared and eaten at home. Adults picking students up from school may also pick-up additional meals for children 1-18 years who are not attending in-person learning at this time.  The community Grab and Go Meals will still be available every Monday and Wednesday.  If you have any questions or concerns, please contact Nutrition Services at (425)204-3545 or email nutrition@rentonschools.us

2. MULTICULTRAL WEEK 2021

Multiweek is going to Social Media! @RHSMulticulturalWeek on Instagram.  Follow us @RentonSpiritSquad and @TheRealRentonHS on Instagram!

Each day, you can post on your Insta or use your Zoom Profile image to join in the spirit week!  This is the theme for each day:

• Monday 3/8: Say “Hello” in a different language.  @RHSMulticulturalWeek  #Multi2021
• Tuesday 3/9: Rep your flag! Change your profile pics, rep the colors.  @RHSMulticulturalWeek  #Multi2021
• Wednesday 3/10: Rep your culture! Post a picture of in traditional dress @RHSMulticulturalWeek  #Multi2021
• Thursday 3/11: Virtual food fair!  Post a recipe or a picture representing your culture.  @RHSMulticulturalWeek  #Multi2021
• Friday 3/12: Virtual Multi Show! Rep RHS!  Post pictures in your Renton Gear.  @RHSMulticulturalWeek  #Multi2021

3.COVID VACCINE IN KING COUNTY

Please visit King County’s COVID vaccine information page to find out when you are eligible to receive the vaccine.  

4. 9^th GRADE CHROMEBOOK SWAP

Attention all current 9^th graders – if you are still using your middle school Chromebook, you can now swap it out for a brand-new High School Chromebook!  Just email Mr. Gochanour to request he get your new Chromebook ready, and come by the main office during business hours to swap.  You will need to bring in your old Chromebook and charger to get the new one.

Brandon.gochanour@rentonschools.us

5. GIRLS WHO CODE SUMMER PROGRAM

Apply to Girls Who Code’s free 2-week Virtual Summer Immersion Program for an unforgettable experience! Current 9th -11th grade girls and non-binary students are eligible to apply. 

We strongly encourage students from underrepresented groups in tech to apply early, including Black, Latinx, and students from low-income backgrounds.

Why should you join Girls Who Code this summer?

• Learn how to use HTML, CSS, and JavaScript coding skills to make an impact on what matters to you. Not a coder yet? No problem!
• Join a sisterhood of supportive peers and make lifelong friendships!
• Meet women in tech from top corporations like Disney, AT&T, Twitter & more. 
• You can join for free! Plus, Girls Who Code will provide need-based tech support for those who qualify.

The application deadline is March 19th.  Join a webinar, check out this flyer and the FAQ page for more information.

NEW SIP Infographic.png (296.4 KB)

---

Post-Secondary Information

Please routinely check the career center page on our RHS website where all information is updated routinely.

6. HIGHLINE COLLEGE’S OUTREACH

Do you have any undecided seniors or seniors that have no post-secondary plans beyond high school? Then, this event would be perfect for them! Discover Your Pathway at Highline College is coming up on Monday, March 23, 2020 (11:00am – 1:00pm). We promise you and your students will find this event an effective tool that benefits them by connecting them to educational opportunities and resources. Activities will include:

• Virtual classroom Visits
• Career Advising
• Career exploration

Students must register individually.

7. SUMMER COLLEGE CREDIT OPPORTUNITY

Washington Business Week (WBW) is a week-long summer program that issues 2 transferable college credit to students who complete a virtual week. This opportunity is available to current 8^th – 11^th graders. Students will work in teams, with industry experts, on a real-world industry specific problem-solving experience. There are camps focusing on Business, Clean Energy, Telehealth, and Advanced Business. Each area will have camps through the summer, but space is limited to 100 students per week. Signup today!

8. FINANCIAL AID FRIDAYS

12^th grade parents, does your student and/or you need support with completing financial aid? Join the Career Center Team during Financial Aid Fridays, 11:30 am -1:30 pm, for any support you need related to financial aid. These workshops are drop-in style, so you and your 12^th grade can join for as long or as little as is needed!

March 12, 11:30am-1:30pm
Registration Required

April 2, 11:30am-1:30pm
Registration Required

April 16, 11:30am-1:30pm
Registration Required

April 30 11:30am-1:30pm
Registration Required

May 14, 11:30am-1:30pm
Registration Required

May 28, 11:30am-1:30pm
Registration Required

---

Community Information and Events

9. GUIDED PARENT SUPPORT

For families who are looking for a Parent Support Group, please join the Parent Support Group sponsored by Guided Pathways Support.  This group meets via Zoom on Thursdays from 4 to 5 pm.  Lead Parent Partner, Melody Parshall, is back to host the Parent Support Group Thursdays at 4 pm.  Join Melody, other parents and community partners to talk about your strength, hope and resilience in the ongoing challenges of parenting in a pandemic.

This is a free event and open to any parent living in King County.

To join via Zoom, click the link below on any Thursday at 4:00 pm:

https://zoom.us/j/5805201454?pwd=Zy85U1RtalBDaFJjKzRwWnVPaHZlQT09

Meeting ID: 580 520 1454

Passcode: 2sDNep

10. VIRTUAL COMMUNITY SERVICE OPPORTUNITIES

Although the Community Service requirement ahs been waived for the class of 2021, all other classes can take advantage of virtual opportunities.  Remember hours are totaled throughout their high school years so 9^th-12^th could earn hours. Below are two programs that are available.

 

11. INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY PANEL WITH THE SEATTLE SEAHAWKS 

Open to all RHS students, teachers, family and community members! Join in on Monday, March 8^th from 3 pm-4 pm PST to hear from five incredible women at the Seahawks organization speak about their careers and how they got here – there will be something for everyone! Please register online.

February 12, 2021

Dear RHS Students and Families,

We want to take a moment to recognize and celebrate both Black History Month and the Lunar New Year.  This is a time of year we celebrate all the many accomplishments and contributions the many Black artists, poets, singers, policymakers, scientists, authors, intellectuals and inventors have given to our nation.  We are thankful for how they have shape and build our society.  If you are unsure of how to celebrate Black History Month, a good start is to shop from Black-Owned businesses, donate to a Black organization or HBCU, or one of the many other ideas from the NAACP.

With this time of year also being the Lunar New Year, we are also celebrating rebirth and hope for prosperity, health, and happiness in this the year of the Ox. We recognize that many of the traditional celebrations aren’t possible while the pandemic still requires us to avoid large crowds and socially distance.  Regardless, we hope all of our families celebrating are able to do so safely.

This is the outline for this update:

1. Registration for the 2021-2022 school year.
2. COVID Vaccine information for King County
3. Athletic update
4. 9^th grade Chromebook Swap
5. Virtual College Visits
6. February virtual events with Youthforce 
7. Highline College’s Outreach
8. Summer college credit opportunity
9. Financial Aid Fridays
10. Guided parent support
11. Black History Month Conversation with EA and the Seattle Seahawks

If you need anything, please call our Main Office line to request support: 425.204.3400, or to submit a question ask for help on our Contact Us page on our RHS Website.

Warmly,

Dr. Giovanna San Martin| Principal
Renton High School | P 425.204.3401 | F 425.204.3412 | 400 S. 2^nd Street | Renton, WA 98057 |

“Diversity is being invited to the party. Inclusion is being asked to dance.” –Vernā Myers

General RHS/RSD Updates

1. REGISTRATION FOR 2021-2022:

The RHS counseling department has set the timeline for registering current 9^th - 11^th graders from the 2021-2022 school year.  The timeline is as follows:

• February 23^rd: Registration videos shown during school day, instructions posted on RHS website
• Student can begin to register on Skyward
• If you have registration questions, please contact your counselor on the link below.  Counselors will be available February 23^rd - March 5^th EVERY BUSINESS DAY 12:00 pm-1:00 pm.

Registration Questions for Ms. Wetzel (Grades 10 -12, Last name A-Ga)

Registration Questions for Mr. White (Grades 10-12, Last name Ge - O)

Registration Questions for Mr. Budech (Grades 10 - 12, Last name P-Z)

• FEBRUARY 25th (Thursday): Evening student/parent information session 6:00 pm

Evening parent registration information

• Zoom meetings for students to meet with IB Coordinator

                                    IB Questions for Mr. Collie Zoom

• March 5: Deadline for students to register for classes via Skyward
• March 8: Schedules made for all students who failed to register

Students should consider the fact that our CTE Program in conjunction with Running Start level classes are now being offered at RHS in the form of Dual Credit CTE Pathways where students can receive high school and college credit (from Community Colleges like RTC, Bellevue College and Green River Colleges), for taking classes in computer science like game programming and cyber security or business and marketing, or in health sciences such as medical terminology and anatomy and physiology and sports medicine. 

All registration information, including the graduation pathways available at RHS, such as the CTE Career Pathways, Dual Credit, IB, and Running Start can be found the RHS website.

2. COVID VACCINE IN KING COUNTY

Please visit King County’s COVID vaccine information page to find out when you are eligible to receive the vaccine.

3. 2020-2021 SCHOOL YEAR SPORTS SEASONS (Updated 2/10/21):

Attention RHS Athletes!  The KingCo Conference recently appealed to the WIAA regarding the order of athletic seasons, when those seasons will start, and the length of the seasons. The WIAA has approved KingCo’s appeal.  With an interest in protecting spring sports due to their lost season last year, KingCo plans to offer the following seasons:

• KingCo Season 1-   March 1 – April 3 (Fall Sports – Boys Golf, Boys Tennis, Cross Country, Football (Feb. 24 start), Girls Soccer, Girls Swim and Dive, and Volleyball.
• KingCo Season 2-   April 5 – May 8 (Winter Sports – Boys Basketball, Boys Swim, Competitive Cheer, Competitive Dance, Girls Basketball, Gymnastics (March 29 start), and Wrestling).
• KingCo Season 3-   May 3 – June 12 (Spring Sports – Badminton, Baseball, Boys Soccer, Fastpitch, Girls Golf, Girls Tennis, and Track & Field).

Renton High School will offer Sports in KingCo Season 1 as listed under the appropriate Health and Safety Guidelines set forth by the Renton School District, the KingCo League, and King County Health Dept. Due to the Health Dept. guidelines we follow, we ask athletes and their families to please be flexible and understanding should guidelines change regarding seasons or specific sports.

Next Steps?  Registration for Season 1 Sports is currently open. See Renton High Family ID Season1 Registration

Check out the Renton High School Athletics Page for more information.

4. 9^th GRADE CHROMEBOOK SWAP

Attention all current 9^th graders – if you are still using your middle school Chromebook, you can now swap it out for a brand-new High School Chromebook!  Just email Mr. Gochanour to request he get your new Chromebook ready, and come by the main office during business hours to swap.  You will need to bring in your old Chromebook and charger to get the new one.

Brandon.gochanour@rentonschools.us

Post-Secondary Information

Please routinely check the career center page on our RHS website where all information is updated routinely.

5. Still Deciding on College? Try a Virtual Campus Visit.  

COVID has complicated the college visit process, but virtual visits are a safe alternative. Online tours and info sessions help bridge the gap when students can’t check out a campus in person.  

• Many colleges are offering virtual tours on their websites. The Washington GEAR UP program has compiled a list of online college tours that will be updated as more sites add these resources.  
• GEAR UP also offers a series of virtual campus visits. These video presentations highlight colleges across the state, including a number of public and private four-year universities and two-year community and technical colleges.  
• For schools with no virtual tours available, consider doing an online scavenger hunt. Use the form to research, compare choices, and find a good fit.  

Most colleges are still accepting applications for fall 2021. It’s not too late to consider your options for education after high school. Learn more and plan your future on the Washington Student Achievement Council website. 

6.FEBRUARY VIRTUAL EVENTS WITH YOUTHFORCE 

Please join via Zoom from 4-5 pm for ages 14-21

REGISTER HERE  Questions? Email cbrandt@positiveplace.org 

Wednesday 2/17: Resume Review Session

Want to get your current resume reviewed? Never made a resume before? Not sure what a resume even is? No matter what stage of the resume process you're in, we are here to help. Work with a resume reviewer to get live edits and helpful resources. A strong resume is key to landing an interview and hopefully...a JOB! 

Thursday 2/18: Job Search Workshop

Are you hoping to get a job or internship but don't know where to find one? Haven't heard back from the companies you applied to? This workshop is for you. We share all the details about how and where to job search as well as "next steps." 

Wednesday 2/24: Finances with Key Bank – Spending & Saving

Learn the basics of financing - starting with how best to spend and save your money. Key Bank professionals join us to answer any and all of your questions. 

7. HIGHLINE COLLEGE’S OUTREACH

Do you have any undecided seniors or seniors that have no post-secondary plans beyond high school? Then, this event would be perfect for them! Discover Your Pathway at Highline College is coming up on Monday, March 23, 2020 (11:00am – 1:00pm). We promise you and your students will find this event an effective tool that benefits them by connecting them to educational opportunities and resources. Activities will include:

• Virtual classroom Visits
• Career Advising
• Career exploration

Students must register individually

8. SUMMER COLLEGE CREDIT OPPORTUNITY

Washington Business Week (WBW) is a week-long summer program that issues 2 transferable college credit to students who complete a virtual week. This opportunity is available to current 8^th – 11^th graders. Students will work in teams, with industry experts, on a real-world industry specific problem-solving experience. There are camps focusing on Business, Clean Energy, Telehealth, and Advanced Business. Each area will have camps through the summer, but space is limited to 100 students per week. Signup today!

9. FINANCIAL AID FRIDAYS

12^th grade parents, does your student and/or you need support with completing financial aid? Join the Career Center Team during Financial Aid Fridays, 11:30 am -1:30 pm, for any support you need related to financial aid. These workshops are drop-in style, so you and your 12^th grade can join for as long or as little as is needed!

February 26, 11:30am-1:30pm
Registration Required

March 5, 11:30am-1:30pm
Registration Required

March 12, 11:30am-1:30pm
Registration Required

April 2, 11:30am-1:30pm
Registration Required

April 16, 11:30am-1:30pm
Registration Required

April 30 11:30am-1:30pm
Registration Required

May 14, 11:30am-1:30pm
Registration Required

May 28, 11:30am-1:30pm
Registration Required

Community Information and Events

10. GUIDED PARENT SUPPORT

For families who are looking for a Parent Support Group, please join the Parent Support Group sponsored by Guided Pathways Support.  This group meets via Zoom on Thursdays from 4 to 5 pm.  Lead Parent Partner, Melody Parshall, is back to host the Parent Support Group Thursdays at 4 pm.  Join Melody, other parents and community partners to talk about your strength, hope and resilience in the ongoing challenges of parenting in a pandemic.

This is a free event and open to any parent living in King County.

To join via Zoom, click the link below on any Thursday at 4:00 pm:

https://zoom.us/j/5805201454?pwd=Zy85U1RtalBDaFJjKzRwWnVPaHZlQT09

Meeting ID: 580 520 1454

Passcode: 2sDNep

11. BLACK HISTORY MONTH CONVERSATION WITH EA AND THE SEATTLE SEAHAWKS

We’re excited to announce a special virtual event opportunity for all our students on Thursday, February 25th at 11:30 am PST. Electronic Arts (EA) and The Seattle Seahawks invite us to a Black History Month conversation focused on diversity in careers and the art of dreaming bigger.

The Seahawks and EA will each bring 2-3 Black employees to share stories about their unique experiences that led them to where they are today. To learn more about the event and the panelists, please visit the Event Page.

The event will take place via Zoom. Please register online and then you'll be provided with a Zoom link to join the live session on the 25th. (Students will not have camera or microphone access during this session)  For questions or more information, please contact Wyjuana Montgomery at wmontgomery@everfi.com or 405-896-0002.

January 27, 2021

Dear RHS Students and Families,

As we wrap up the first month 2021, we want to remind you to please join us for our second Virtual P/T Conferences on 1/28/21 between 5:30 pm and 8:00 pm.  Just as how it was held in October, families will be able to click on a teacher’s Zoom Link  to meet with teachers. Additionally, all teachers are available for families to request an appointment to speak with them outside of this conference date and time, should anyone not be able to attend.  Please email teachers to make this request.

Thank you to all our families who continue to provide us with feedback via our Dean of Student’s Facebook and Instagram posts.  One of the pieces of feedback is for us to provide an outline at the beginning of our updates so readers can preview what is below and can skip to the portions that are most relevant to them. Additionally, titles for each new item will be fully capitalized.

This is the outline for this update:

1. Registration timeline for classes for the 2021-2022 school year.
2. Athletic update
3. Student Wellness survey
4. Yearbook Photo submission
5. CTE Dual Credits Informational meeting
6. Post-secondary and financial aid information
7. Community events/opportunities

If you need anything, please call our Main Office line to request support: 425.204.3400, or to submit a question ask for help on our Contact Us page on our RHS Website.

Warmly,

Dr. Giovanna San Martin| Principal
Renton High School |( 425.204.3401 | F 425.204.3412 |

 400 S. 2^nd Street | Renton, WA 98057 |

“Diversity is being invited to the party. Inclusion is being asked to dance.” –Vernā Myers

---

General RHS/RSD Updates

1. REGISTRATION TIMELINE FOR 2021-2022:

The RHS counseling department has set the timeline for registering current 9^th - 11^th graders from the 2021-2022 school year.  The timeline is as follows:

• Week of Feb 22: Registration videos shown during school day, instructions posted on RHS website, and Zoom meetings set for families and students to meet with counselors.
• Week of March 1: Current 9^th - 11^th grade students register for classes
• Week of March 8: Schedules made for all remaining students

As the specific details regarding all the above get set, the counseling department will be communicating via email with all families and students.  Please be sure to check your school email regularly. If you have questions, please reach out to your counselor.

2. 2020-2021 SCHOOL YEAR SPORTS SEASONS (Updated 1/22/21):

The KingCo Conference has made the determination that while the WIAA has announced Season 1 sports beginning on February 1, KingCo schools will not be starting our sports seasons on that date. The KingCo Athletic Directors, in concert with the KingCo Principals and the KingCo Board of Directors, are in the process of developing a plan for sport participation opportunities to begin on February 24th (Football) and March 1st for other traditional fall sports (Cross Country, Volleyball, Boys Tennis, Girls Swim & Dive, Boys Golf, Girls Soccer), as conditions and regional metrics allow.

The KingCo ADs have voted on a sports season structure for the remaining seasons and this structure has been forwarded to the KingCo Board of Directors and Superintendents for review. Details regarding Season 1 and the remaining seasons will be communicated once they have been formally approved.

We are pleased to announce that we will offer an outdoor only Off-Season Conditioning program starting February 1st which will tentatively run through February 23, 2021. The purpose of this program is to allow coaches to reconnect with athletes, to build relationships, and to provide an opportunity for student athletes to re-engage with coaches/peers and to start getting back into condition. We are taking precautions so that student/athletes can participate safely. 

Registration for the conditioning period is currently open at the following link:  Athletic Registration. Student-athletes will have until Friday, January 29th, at noon to register for the Off-Season Conditioning program in order to participate on the first day of Conditioning.   

These guidelines will be followed:

• All practices will be held outdoors.
• No equipment will be used in the first week or so.
• Masks are required; must properly cover nose and mouth and must be worn at all times.
• Activities will be limited to on campus conditioning in small pods. 
• Conditioning will be led by current coaches. However, not all coaches may choose to participate. If the coach for a chosen sport is not available, athletes will be assigned to condition with another pod. 
• There will be no offsite practices (apart from those held at the Renton Memorial Stadium).
• Locker rooms will not be open. Student-athletes will need to come dressed to participate in outdoor activities. 
• Practice starts with a check in at 3:15PM for temperature check and attestations and will end promptly at 4:45PM.
• Most practices will be scheduled for only 2 or 3 times per week. There will be no building access during practice.
• Students, please make sure your physicals are up to date. (They are good for 2 years.)
• Athletes will be assigned to pods and locations. 
• Athletes must maintain 6-foot social distancing; most importantly when checking in and during conditioning.

Additional Notes

• All dates are tentative as we continue to adjust our school year in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
• We will open registration for the remaining WIAA seasons several weeks prior to the first allowable practice date. Please continue to check back for updated information.
• Due to shortened seasons, practices and contests could be scheduled on Saturdays and during traditional break periods such as Presidents Day and Spring Break.

We ask you that you be flexible and appreciate your patience and understanding as we work through this very challenging situation. We will continue to gather information and to update you on state, regional, and local athletic news and decisions that affect Renton School District student athletes on our District website and social media. If you have questions, email Aleta Konkol, the Renton High Athletic Director, or the District Athletic Office. 

Additional Resources: 

Healthy Washington Road Map to Recovery,

Healthy WA Sport and Activities  

3.  STUDENT WELLNESS SURVEY – FOR TRIMESTER 2:

In the fall trimester, your RHS admin, HealthPoint, and counseling team collaborated to create a Google survey to find out what needs our students were living with that might be barriers to learning.  We are putting it out again to check for Trimester 2, and a mid-way point in our school year.  Please have your student complete this survey.

4. SUBMIT YOUR YEARBOOK PHOTO:

Please share your photos with us so that we can make the BEST yearbook possible! We are accepting:

• Candid photos of you doing anything during quarantine - They not have to be school related, but must be school appropriate.
• Photos of your pets, artwork, hobbies, projects - We will accept it all!
• Your “official” school photo – They can be a portrait or a selfie (No filters, please!)
• REMINDER: Due to privacy, all photos must be of students/staff at RHS. Please, no photos of students from other schools or family members.

Specific Yearbook information:

1. Communication to Families regarding this year’s yearbook: (English, Spanish, and Vietnamese available)
2. How to upload your school portrait and/or candid photos for the yearbook
3. Click here to view portrait guidelines before uploading
4. Click to access the eShare website to upload photos
5. Click here to purchase a yearbook

5. LEARN ABOUT CTE/RENTON TECHNICAL COLLEGE DUAL CREDITS:

Renton Schools’ CTE program partners with Renton Technical College to offer student dual credits.  To learn more, join the information meeting set for Tuesday, February 9^th at 6:00 pm. 

Virtual Zoom:  Dual Credit Info Session

Meeting ID: 829 0701 3745

Meeting Phone: 1 253 215 8782

---

Post-Secondary Information

Please routinely check the career center page on our RHS website where all information is updated routinely.

6. REGISTRATION IS OPEN!  MONEY MAZE ON FEBRUARY 11, 2021:

For families of all grade levels, Money Maze is brought to RSD by two community partners who help you navigate the financial aspects of postsecondary options. Attendees will receive either a hard copy and/or electronic copy of the Money Maze book prior to the event. This book is also available in Spanish and Vietnamese. Every year, families always tell us what they wished more RSD families attended because the information is so helpful!

This link takes you to the informational page.

This link takes you to the registration page.

SUMMER COLLEGE CREDIT OPPORTUNITY

Washington Business Week (WBW) is a week-long summer program that issues 2 transferable college credit to students who complete a virtual week. This opportunity is available to current 8^th – 11^th graders. Students will work in teams, with industry experts, on a real-world industry specific problem solving experience. There are camps focusing on Business, Clean Energy, Telehealth, and Advanced Business. Each area will have camps through the summer, but space is limited to 100 students per week. So signup today!

FINANCIAL AID FRIDAYS

12^th grade parents, does your student and/or you need support with completing financial aid? Join the Career Center Team during Financial Aid Fridays, 11:30 am -1:30 pm, for any support you need related to financial aid. These workshops are drop-in style, so you and your 12^th grade can join for as long or as little as is needed!

February 5, 11:30am-1:30pm
Registration Required

February 26, 11:30am-1:30pm
Registration Required

March 5, 11:30am-1:30pm
Registration Required

March 12, 11:30am-1:30pm
Registration Required

April 2, 11:30am-1:30pm
Registration Required

April 16, 11:30am-1:30pm
Registration Required

April 30 11:30am-1:30pm
Registration Required

May 14, 11:30am-1:30pm
Registration Required

May 28, 11:30am-1:30pm
Registration Required

24/7 FINANCIAL AID SUPPORT IS ONLY A TEXT MESSAGE AWAY:

Otterbot is a free texting service designed to help Washington students navigate financial aid for college and career education! Students can access Otterbot via text message 24 hours a day, seven days a week, by testing "Hi Otter" to 360-928-7281. Help is available in nearly 100 languages. After texting "Hi Otter," you can text "language."

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Community Information and Events

7. COMMUNITIES IN SCHOOLS – HERE TO HELP:

There is a blog hosted by CIS at RHS that will have a list of resources with info/ links, separated by need (Food, Utilities, Community events, Legal, Virtual learning tips, and tools/housing). Our CIS Liaisons will be working to keep this as accurate as possible. Our hope is that this will help us to reach a larger number of students and families with resources as they become available. 

JOB OPPORTUNITY:

Girls on the Run Puget Sound is a program that teaches girl identifying youth in 3^rd -8^th grade how to be joyful, healthy, and confident while creatively integrating running and walking. We are looking for high school girls age 16 to 18 to apply for our Junior Coach program. Our program will provide leadership opportunities, instructional training, service hour credits, and a ton of fun! There are safe, in-person and 100% virtual coaching positions available.

January 15, 2020

Dear RHS Students and Families,

As we approach the commemoration of the birth of Martin Luther King Jr. and the indelible impact his work and the Civil Rights Movement has had on our nation, I want to share with you the words I wrote for our MLK Assembly.

I am very moved by our Leadership students requesting me to open the MLK Assembly by responding to the question, “What comes to mind when you think about Dr. King?” First of all, thank you for the chance to express how MLK’s work impacts me personally, and more importantly, in the context of my work with you.  Martin Luther King’s legacy is precious as it reminds all of us that we can be the catalyst for change and to continue Dr. King’s work to achieve equality and social justice.  Dr. King’s message inspires me, and perhaps all of us, to keep trying. This celebration in memory of Dr. King provides us with an opportunity to reflect on our commitment and actions to ensure that all people are welcome and received with love and acceptance in our school, in our community, and in our homes.  Professionally to me, it means that all people, no matter how different they may be, can be entitled to move above and beyond just having equal opportunities to being entitled to the same results from those opportunities. In other words, one is not just invited to a dance, but is also asked to dance.   Because of leaders like Dr. King, we can impact our surroundings by initiating positive change and growth in our world by our dignified behavior, discipline, and perseverance just as Dr. Martin Luther King did.  WE CAN explore new ways of doing things and work steadily towards equality for all. This is my wish for all of you.  

On October 26, 1967, Dr. King talked to a group of Junior High students in Philadelphia. During that meeting, he asked them to consider two pieces of advice as they develop their foundation, their blueprint. Dr. King advised them to have a deep belief in their dignity and worth by not allowing anyone to make them feel insignificant, and to have the determination to achieve excellence in whatever they choose to do in life. He asked them to be ready to face the doors as they opened, to study hard, and to stay in school despite many economic challenges. I believe his message contains a most beautiful and needed advice because it challenges you to value yourself, your identity, and to move forward to achieve your dreams. If I were to add anything to this message, it would be to extend your hand to others as you reach your goals.

Our ASB director, Ms. Moore, and the dedicated ASB students at RHS are putting forth the following questions for all members of our school community to consider this MLK Day:

• What comes to mind when you think about Dr. King?
• What does Dr. King's legacy mean to you?

During the January 19^th  MLK Assembly, they will be sharing my words, along with a speech by the Association of Washington Student Leader, James Layman. Following that, on January 28^th, ASB will be sharing a collection of student and staff voices as they reflect on the questions posed above.

We wish you all a safe and happy start to 2021.  If you need anything, please call our Main Office line to request support: 425.204.3400, or to submit a question ask for help on our Contact Us page on our RHS Website.

Warmly,

Dr. Giovanna San Martin| Principal
Renton High School |( 425.204.3401 | F 425.204.3412 | 400 S. 2^nd Street | Renton, WA 98057 |

“Diversity is being invited to the party. Inclusion is being asked to dance.” –Vernā Myers

General RHS/RSD Updates

Important Dates in January and February:

The following days there will be no school for students:

• Jan 18 – No School for MLK Jr. Observation
• Jan 19 – MLK Assembly.  Please join your Advisory class on time (8:30 am) It will also be posted on the Weekly Announcements page.
• Jan 28^th – High School Parent/Teacher conferences (more info follows)
• Feb 15-19 – No School for Mid-Winter Break

Parent/Teacher Conferences on January 28^th:

Please join us for our second Virtual P/T Conferences on 1/28/21 between 5:30 pm and 8:00 pm.  Just as how it was held in October, families will be able to click on a teacher’s Zoom link to meet with teachers.  Zoom Conference Links. Additionally, all teachers are available for families to request an appointment to speak with them outside of this conference date and time, should anyone not be able to attend.  Please email teachers to make this request.

RHS is Seeking Submissions for Multicultural 2021!

We are moving our annual Multicultural Week celebration online!  To learn more about how it will work, and to submit an interest survey, go to Google Docs. 

Submit Your Yearbook Photo!:

Please share your photos with us so that we can make the BEST yearbook possible! We are accepting:

• Candid photos of you doing anything during quarantine - They not have to be school related, but must be school appropriate.
• Photos of your pets, artwork, hobbies, projects - We will accept it all!
• Your “official” school photo – They can be a portrait or a selfie (No filters, please!)
• REMINDER: Due to privacy, all photos must be of students/staff at RHS. Please, no photos of students from other schools or family members.

Specific Yearbook information:

1. Communication to Families regarding this year’s yearbook: (English, Spanish, and Vietnamese available)
2. How to upload your school portrait and/or candid photos for the yearbook
3. Click here to view portrait guidelines before uploading
4. Click to access the eShare website to upload photos
5. Click here to purchase a yearbook

Learn about CTE/Renton Technical College Dual Credits:

Renton Schools’ CTE program partners with Renton Technical College to offer student dual credits.  To learn more, join the information meeting set for Tuesday, February 9^th at 6:00 pm. 

Virtual Zoom:  Dual Credit Info Session

Meeting ID: 829 0701 3745

Meeting Phone: 1 253 215 8782

Need Tutoring?:

The AACs and GEAR UP now have Bookings where you can book a tutoring session.  Please click on the below links to set you your tutoring session:

• AACs
• GEAR UP Tutors (currently only open to 9^th graders) 

Update your Contact Information:

We want to make sure we have the most up to date phone and email information for reaching you and your student during the school year. If your information has changed or you want to verify if we have your correct contact information, PLEASE take a moment to use Skyward Family Access and click on the Annual Update Tab on the left-hand side of the screen. Enter your new information and click “save.” You will then receive an email confirming your changes have been updated and saved. The below link will provide more information. THANK YOU in advance! 

Skyward Family Access - Renton School District 403 Home – return to main screen with school or teacher messages and announcements.; 2. Calendar – school and classroom events by month and day.. 3. Attendance – absences and tardies for each school day. 4. Student Info – general information about student such as age, grade, address, student number, and their school photo. 5. Busing – bus route information (when available). www.rentonschools.us

Washington Listens

Washington Listens helps people manage stress and anxiety they may be experiencing because of COVID-19. If you or anyone you know is having difficulties managing stress, call the Washington Listens support line at 1-833-681-0211. Hours are from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. TTY and language access services are available by using 7-1-1 or their preferred method. Resources and self-help tips are available online. 

Post-Secondary Information

Please routinely check the career center page on our RHS website where all information is updated routinely.

 

Registration is open!  Money Maze on February 11, 2021:

For families of all grade levels, Money Maze is brought to RSD by two community partners who help you navigate the financial aspects of postsecondary options. Attendees will receive either a hard copy and/or electronic copy of the Money Maze book prior to the event. This book is also available in Spanish and Vietnamese. Every year, families always tell us what they wished more RSD families attended because the information is so helpful!

Don’t Let COVID-19 Derail Your Plans for After High School:

When planning for life after high school—especially in the face of COVID-19—it’s important to consider all your options, stay on track with preparing and applying, and have a back-up plan.   

Visit the Plan Your Future web page for more on the resources below and a wealth of information about financial aid, college, and career education:  

• Explore Your Options: The College & Career Compass tool will help you identify educational pathways that can lead to promising careers and a brighter future.   
• Seize the Opportunity: More families are now eligible for the Washington College Grant, which can be used for multiple pathways, including four-year degrees, community or technical college, apprenticeships, and other training.   
• Apply for Financial Aid: Washington College Grant is one of many financial aid programs available that can dramatically reduce the cost of an education. The only way to know for sure if you’ll qualify is to apply for financial aid. 
• Reassess Your Status: High schools and colleges continue to be as flexible as possible about everything from graduation and course requirements to test scores and college admissions. Connect with admissions and financial aid offices to understand how they are adapting to better serve prospective students. Even your financial aid may be adjusted if your circumstances have changed.  

Don't let uncertainty about the coming months derail your hopes and dreams for the future. Stay on track and plan your future on the Washington Student Achievement Council website. 

24/7 Financial Aid Support is only a text message away:

Otterbot is a free texting service designed to help Washington students navigate financial aid for college and career education! Students can access Otterbot via text message 24 hours a day, seven days a week, by testing "Hi Otter" to 360-928-7281. Help is available in nearly 100 languages. After texting "Hi Otter," you can text "language."

Community Information and Events

Communities in Schools – Here to help:

There is a blog hosted by CIS at RHS that will have a list of resources with info/ links, separated by need (Food, Utilities, Community events, Legal, Virtual learning tips, and tools/housing). Our CIS Liaisons will be working to keep this as accurate as possible. Our hope is that this will help us to reach a larger number of students and families with resources as they become available.

January 12, 2020

Dear RHS 9^th Grade Students and Families,

This message it to notify you that on January 21^st all current 9^th graders at Renton High School can get their middle school Chromebook and charger swapped out for a new High School Chromebook and charger.  The RSD Department of Technology has completed the distribution of Chromebooks for all lower grade levels, and the purchasing of new Chromebooks for our 9^th grader across the district.  They have arrived to RHS and are now ready for distribution.

The Process:

1. 9^th Grade Chromebook swapping will be available via drive-through from 12:00 pm to 3:30 pm on 1/21/2021.

• Enter the staff parking lot on Tobin Street, back by the tennis courts.
• All occupants of the car/walk ups must wear a mask!
• Bring your middle school Chromebook and charger.  We will not be accepting the fabric cases.
• Wait in line until one of our tech support staff approaches you/your car and hands you a High School Chromebook registration form.

2. If you cannot come to RHS on 1/21/2021 between the hours of 12:00 pm and 3:30 pm, please email RHS’s technology specialist, Mr. Gochanour:

• Brandon.gochanour@rentonschools.us

Additionally, Mr. Gochanour will be making available other dates for ongoing swapping of middle school Chromebooks and chargers for the new High School Chromebooks and chargers.  As he sets those dates and times, we will update our communication to you.

Lastly, You may also purchase Chromebook Protection Plan if you need to do so. 

TO PAY FOR YOUR CHROMEBOOK INSURANCE BY CARD:

• Go online to InTouch
• Login using Student ID # & Last Name
  • Your Username is: Student’s Lunch #
  • (Example: 123456)
  • Your Password: Student’s Last Name – ALL CAPS
  • (Example: LASTNAME)
• Select Items at Students School
• Select the Chromebook Insurance tab
  • Note: There are a few options for Chromebook Insurance, depending on whether your family currently receives Free or Reduced lunch through RSD.
• Select which option applies to you & click BUY.
• Go to your cart & proceed with checkout

TO PAY FOR CHROMEBOOK INSURANCE WITH CASH:

To pay for your Chromebook Insurance with CASH, you will need to make arrangements to come in & see our ASB Bookkeeper, Ms. Carlson.  Ms. Carlson is at RHS on Tuesday’s and is available between 9 am-2 pm.  She can be reached by phone at 425.204.3421 -or- by email @ stephanie.carlson@rentonschools.us.

Warmly,

Susannah Woehr, NBCT

RHS 9/10 Assistant Principal/Activities Coordinator

December 17, 2020

HOLIDAY MESSAGE FROM DR. GIA SAN MARTIN

Dear RHS Students and Families,

This Holiday is most unusual as we know that many of our gatherings and human interactions will need to occur virtually or under restricted numbers with people in our bubble. More than ever, we find ourselves yearning to be with those we love, miss and care about, and our prospects may seem to diminish due to our present circumstances. Not too long ago, during the last All Staff meeting, I found myself in the middle of an emotional reaction to work and life as I wished all my staff Happy Holidays through the camera. I felt the distance more than ever from them, and I left my first set of tears run through my face, which probably was building since the last Spring. Yet, many blessings and joys are still accompanying this season. We, however, need to look a bit deeper. We need to remember to invite hope and peace to enter into our lives and appreciate the beauty of nature available to us. Slowing down and being present with our families is much more comfortable in our current surroundings than ever before if we want to stay home.

The human connection will happen as long as we care for each other and keep our hearts open to create beautiful memories no matter the circumstances. If you find yourself able, please look out for those among us who are most vulnerable and in need of our presence and perhaps even our humor or compassion. If you are struggling, do reach out to others. Nothing is stopping us from making this holiday season about happiness, joy, and togetherness. Holidays, no matter where they take place, are about lighting our spirits. Renton High School is filled with a desire to celebrate all that is cherished throughout this season. Yes, it is happening without the gatherings, the scents, the happy noise, and excitement procured by our senses, but still keeping what is essential, kindness and joy. This pandemic will not stop us from celebrating our students’ outstanding moral fiber and character and reaching out to others in need.

This year marked the 12th Annual RHS Matter of the Heart (MOH) Student and Staff Celebration!  During this time of year, all Renton staff are invited to nominate a student who has stood out for one or more many outstanding reasons, including but not limited to: their participation, perseverance, compassion, empathy, resiliency, empathy and dedication, in being part of an all-around amazing RHS student body. In turn, our students nominate teachers for the Staff MOH award, and explain why they think it is deserved.  The 2020-2021 school year has been difficult, but our MOH awards remind us all that we are all in this together, and that we appreciate each other so much.  We are beyond grateful for our staff and students who continue to warm our hearts!  Please watch the MOH Awards video and help us celebrate our 2020 nominees.

Cherishing as ever, the Renton High School’s 7^th annual Adopt a Family Program coordinated by our Dept. Chair of Counseling, Ms. Crystal Wetzel, took place this week.  The need to buy gifts for needy families this year superseded any year prior. RHS staff, RSD personnel, families, friends, churches, and people in the community all worked together to donate hundreds of gifts for students and families.  In all, 162 donors purchased gifts to help create peace, joy, and hope for 23 families & 57 kids. Some gifts just stood out and tugged at your heart strings. One was a bike for a 6-year-old boy living in a local shelter.  Another was a bed for a 14-year-old girl who has been sleeping on the floor for as long as she can remember. Additionally, a group of teachers pooled their money together to pay the electricity bill for a family that was impacted by COVID. Donors rallied together and generously gave dozens of new coats, boots, gloves, blankets, toys, and many more things that were listed on each child’s needs/wants list. Amid a pandemic, RHS staff and the community worked tirelessly to help these families.  What’s evident is that RHS is a special place, and we holistically care about our students and families during these challenging times. RHS will always ignite their light. That holiday light moves us forward and will eventually help us come out stronger from our present experiences.

As this last academic week of 2020 draws to a close, we recognize that one of the greatest qualities of RHS is its diversity. Because of this, we continually learn so much about the spirituality, cultures, traditions, values, and even foods of our students, our staff, our friends, our colleagues, and our community.  So during this time of year, no matter what your religious affiliation is, whether you celebrate Diwali, Hanukkah, Christmas, Kwanza, Chinese New Year, Winter Solstice, Mother Earth, winter break or are just looking forward to 2021, we want to thank you for your support of our beloved RHS, our mission, and most importantly, our students and staff.  Within my tradition, may you and yours be blessed with happiness and health in the coming new year and always. 

Wishing you health, love, and prosperity during 2021!

Dr. Giovanna San Martin| Principal
Renton High School |( 425.204.3401 | F 425.204.3412 | 400 S. 2^nd Street | Renton, WA 98057 |

“Diversity is being invited to the party. Inclusion is being asked to dance.” –Vernā Myers

Community Information and Events

Resources For Families Over The Holidays

• COVID - Spanish resources 
• COVID - Emergency Food 
• COVID - Support (Counseling) - https://www.kingcounty.gov/depts/health/covid-19/support.aspx
• Skyway Food Distribution

General RHS/RSD Updates

Winter Break

Winter Break runs December 19^th 2020, through January 3^rd, 2021.  See you in classes on January 4^th, 2021!

WA Notify: 

WA Notify.  It’s one more tool to help slow the spread of COVID.  The more people who enroll, the more powerful the tool will be.  Washington Exposure Notifications (also known as WA Notify) is a new tool that works through smartphones, without sharing any personal information, to alert users if they may have been exposed to COVID-19.  It is completely private and doesn’t know or track who you are or where you go.

RSD Highly Capable Program

The Renton School District Highly Capable Program Facilitators will be providing an opportunity this winter for families to learn about the 2020-2021 referral and identification process for the Highly Capable Program.

We will host two daytime and two evening sessions for families. Please use the Google Form here to RSVP for one of the events below by Friday, January 15th. You can select translation needed and your language on the Google Form to receive a translated recording of the event following the dates below. A recording will also be sent to families who could not attend.

Zoom invites will be sent two days prior to the event(s) to those who RSVP.

Daytime Sessions:

• Wednesday, January 20^th, 10:00 AM – 11:00 AM
• Tuesday, January 26^th, 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM 

Evening Sessions:

• Thursday, January 21^st, 6:00 PM - 7:00 PM
• Wednesday, January 27^th, 6:00 PM – 7:00 PM

Email questions to HicapID@rentonschools.us.

Need Tutoring?

The AACs and GEAR UP now have Bookings where you can book a tutoring session.  Please click on the below links to set you your tutoring session:

• AACs
• GEAR UP Tutors (currently only open to 9^th graders) 

King County Public Libraries Offering Online Tutoring!

Study Zone Plus tutors and librarians are available during these times:

Teen sessions, for grades 6-12

• Tuesdays and Wednesdays, 5:30-7:30 pm
• Thursdays and Fridays, 12:30-2:30 pm 

Browse tutors by language skills (PDF).

Browse tutors by specialty (PDF).

Plus, these additional services are available during the after-school sessions (3-5 pm and 5:30-7:30 pm):

• Tech Tutors
• Teen Talk Time (grades 6-12)
• Study Space (grades 6-12)
• Recharge Rooms

Incompletes

If you did not meet standard for any incomplete contracts you had from Tri 3 of 2019-2020 school year, please email your counselor or make an appointment with your counselor through Ms. Pappas-Stallman.  Linda.pappasstallman@rentonschools.us

December 2, 2020

Dear RHS Seniors and Families,

This Friday, December 4^th, RHS seniors have an opportunity to come in person to pay for their Cap and Gown and any other desired graduation materials. This is for anyone who’d prefer to pay in cash or with check.  You can still order and pay online if that is preferable to you. Fill out your Contact Card. Please note that you must do this before anything else to reserve a Cap and Gown, even if you plan on waiting until June of 2021 to pay for and pick it up. Please order Caps and Gowns online.

You must wear your mask at all times while participating in this event. If you are feeling sick, please do not come. If you have any questions about Caps and Gowns email Louis Bremond or Jayshawn Jordan or call National Achiever at (425) 357-1338. 

This is a reminder that Renton High School does not handle, have order information, or take payments for Caps and Gowns. National Achiever is our supplier for Caps and Gowns and is solely responsible for your graduation products.

IN-PERSON ORDER PROCESS:

National Achiever will be in the Student parking lot from 10:00 am to 1:00 pm on 12/4/20.  Enter on South 2^nd Street, drive to the booth to get a copy of the form, and then you’ll park.  In your parked car, you will fill out the form and gather your payment.  You then can walk it back over to the booth to complete your order with representatives from National Achiever.

In case you have a printer at home, and would like to fill it out before arriving, you may do so. The PDF for the order form is attached on this email. Additionally, please check out our Class of 2021 page on our RHS website for more information.

Again, please contact National Achiever if you have any questions.  They will be happy to help you.

Warmly,

Aleta Konkol

11/12 Assistant Principal

November 24, 2020

Dear RHS Families,

We write to you during what might very well be one of the hardest Thanksgivings that most of us will experience in our lifetimes. We have faced hardships that we did not foresee at the start of 2020. Some of us are separated from our extended families and are experiencing isolation and loneliness. We continue to live in a strange world mainly being shared through a computer screen.  Still, despite the challenges this year, it is also a time to consider the many reasons we have to be thankful. We live during a time of immense social change led by our young people who show us what it means to be caring, compassionate, and unwilling to stand for injustice when they see it. As John F. Kennedy said, "As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them."  Living by what we say is one of the noblest achievements we can strive for and model for our students.

In giving thanks this year, the RHS administrative team feel an immense gratitude for our exceptional, resilient students, whom we miss dearly and cannot wait to welcome back to campus when it is safe. We are grateful for our families, who balance work and assisting with their students’ learning. However, last but not least, we express our infinite gratitude to all of the RHS staff, who every day reinvent the art of online teaching and who reach out to our students with an enormous amount of hope and care, or perhaps even more due to the imposed distance. Their creativity and ability to thrive have been inspiring.

During these moments of gratitude, we ask all of our RHS community members to reflect on the lands on which we reside and acknowledge all of the ancestral homelands and traditional territories of Indigenous peoples who have been here since time immemorial.  The RHS staff acknowledges the Coast Salish peoples of this land, the land which touches the shared waters of all tribes and bands within the Duwamish, Puyallup, Suquamish, Tulalip, and Muckleshoot nations.

The idea of giving thanks is central to Native heritage and culture. In this way, Thanksgiving is an opportunity to appreciate life's good things like family, community, and the natural richness of the land. Native American spirituality, both traditionally and today, emphasizes a gratitude for creation, focuses on caring for the environment, and recognizes the human need for communion with nature and others. Thanksgiving, as a holiday, originates from the Native American philosophy of giving without expecting anything in return.

We hope that you can contemplate on what you are grateful for this year. We are thankful to be able to serve you regardless of the challenges. We are grateful for the first responders who have worked tirelessly to maintain our loved ones' health.  With you, we wait anxiously for the wonders of modem science in its delivery of a vaccine which will arrive more quickly than ever before in human history. Finally, we value the sense of community we have as being part of the Renton High School family.

Thank you for your support of our beloved RHS, our mission, and most especially, our students. May you and yours be blessed with love, happiness, and good health in the coming days ahead and always.

Warmly,

Dr. San Martin, Aleta Konkol, and Susannah Woehr

Resources:

• Food
• Mental Health:
  • Resources  
  • RHS Clinic 
• Shelters/Housing:
  • Families: Emergency Family Shelter (all families) line at 206-245-1026. 
  • Mary's Place and other area shelters are open with protocols in place.
  • For unaccompanied youth: call Friends of Youth Shelter (11-17) 206-236-5437 ; (18-24) 425-449-3868.
• COVID Relief Fund for Immigrants.

Hello RHS students and families,

Over the upcoming weekend, RSD will make updates to Zoom logins in order to increase security. This will impact how secondary students access Zoom meetings, beginning Monday 11/23/2020.

One update will be for secondary students:

• Students will now be required to authenticate into meetings where teachers have set “authenticated users only”. Please review the Updated Zoom Instructions for Secondary Students to review how to ensure you are entering Zooms as an authenticated user. This is how students will need to enter meetings requiring authentication beginning on Monday, 11/23/2020.  Teachers have been talking to their student in synchronous meetings this week, and should have notified them if they will be requiring authenticated user moving forward.

If you have questions, please email your teachers.  If you are having problems logging in, please first read over the Updated Zoom Instructions for Secondary Students.  If you still need help, please email our Tech specialist, Mr. Gochanour.  Bandon.gochanour@rentonschools.us

Thank you,

RHS Admin

November 13, 2020

Dear RHS Students and Families,

This week we honored our nation’s veterans on Wednesday November 11^th.  Our ASB put together a virtual Veteran’s Day Assembly, where students and staff share their thoughts and perspectives on the reasons for celebrating Veteran’s Day.  If you haven’t had the opportunity to watch, please click here to view our Weekly Announcements page, where the Veteran’s Day Assembly video is posted: We are very proud of our staff and community members who have served, and honor their dedication and sacrifice for our nation.

As always, if you need anything, please call our Main Office line to request support: 425.204.3400, or submit a question/ ask for help on our Contact Us page on our RHS Website.

Warmly,

Dr. Giovanna San Martin| Principal
Renton High School |( 425.204.3401 | F 425.204.3412 | 400 S. 2^nd Street | Renton, WA 98057 |

“Diversity is being invited to the party. Inclusion is being asked to dance.” –Vernā Myers

General RHS/RSD Updates

New Case of Measles in King County

Public Health – Seattle & King County is investigating a new confirmed measles case in a child, with possible exposures in Sea-Tac Airport.

View full press release.

Additionally, RSD has been working since January 2020 to communicate with all families about mandatory vaccinations for any school-aged students that attend a WA state public school.  If you have any questions about vaccinations. You can make an appointment online.

No School Days in November:

The following days there will be no school for students:

• November 25^th – Half day (early release at 11:30 am)
• November 26-27 – Thanksgiving Holiday

Note – November 20^th will not be a late start Friday.  The schedule will be the same as any Monday-Thursday schedule.

Last Day of Trimester 1

The end of Trimester 1 is December 3^rd.  There will be no school on December 4^th.  Trimester 2 begins on December 7^th.

Important Note- many teachers have a “cutoff day” they will accept late or missing work from this trimester.  The RHS staff agreed to at a minimum take late/missing work up until 2 weeks before the end of the trimester, so it is our suggestion that you get any late or missing work submitted immediately.  Some teachers will accept late work past the final 2 weeks of the trimester. If you are unsure, ask you teacher what that cutoff date is for their class. 

Need Tutoring?

The AACs and GEAR UP now have Bookings where you can book a tutoring session.  Please click on the below links to set you your tutoring session:

• AACs
• GEAR UP Tutors (currently only open to 9^th graders) 

UPDATES FOR SENIORS:

All graduates for the class of 2021, we have a Senior Info Zoom meeting scheduled for November 19^th from 4:00 to 5:00 pm.  At this meeting, Ms. Konkol, along with your counselors, reps from National Achiever, and Ms. Fulmer will be going over very important information for you regarding graduation.  The info will include items such as: grad requirements, High School and Beyond Plan, caps and gowns, financial aid next steps, and more.

We will email the agenda of topics covered and the link to access the Zoom today, so check your email!

Note: We do not know at this time what the actual graduation ceremony, Prom, or senior class photo will look like and will not know until closer to Trimester 3.  We will continue to keep our graduates and their families updated as soon as we ourselves get the information.

Incompletes from 2019-2020 Trimester 3

• If you received an incomplete during third trimester last spring, you should have received a letter from your teacher sent to your school email as to what you need to do to make it up.
• Some students have been assigned credit recovery classes but still haven’t checked in to them.
• Some of you have already made up your incompletes. Great Job!
• Please note that some classes can have a grade backfilled with this trimester’s grade if the class was part of a sequence of classes.  For example, if you received an incomplete in LA 9B but are currently receiving a C in LA10A.  You can backfill the C in for the LA 9B incomplete.  This is why your grades for this trimester 1 are so important. 

If you are still confused about how to make up your incompletes, contact your counselor or email Linda.pappasstallman@rentonschools.us to schedule an appointment with your counselor.

Post-Secondary Information

Please routinely check the career center page on our RHS website where all information is updated routinely.

What is your child’s plan after graduating from RHS?

For students of all grade levels and families, this is an important conversation to begin and continue to have. Dreaming and planning for life after RHS will support not only your child’s next step after RHS, it can help your child maximize their high school experience!

Unsure of where to begin? No worries! The Career and Technical Education: Career Guide 2020-21 is a very helpful resource for exploring different career pathways and can be a valuable tool to use in conversations with your child. The RSD Career and Technical site provides graduation planning guides and information videos. Your students’ High School and Beyond Plan can help with this planning. Students receive support with completing their High School and Beyond Plan in their Advisory Class.

If your student is a 12^th grader, it is essential to have this conversation now. From completing financial aid to creating resumes or enlisting in a military branch, each postsecondary pathway can takes months to complete. It is important to note that some employment opportunities and military branches will perform drug tests on applicants. It is important to know the steps that are required to assist your child transiting out of RHS. All 12^th graders need to have a finalized plan by Spring.

Community and technical colleges have financial aid priority dates by mid-March. 4-year colleges and universities have application and financial aid priority deadlines. This is a list of Washington 4-year public and private universities’ dates.

Renton School District Financial Aid Events for 12^th graders and families

The RSD Career Center Team has financial aid events coming up! Use that link to review the documents you will need to complete financial aid, as well as gain access to the registration links. Students and families are asked to pre-register so you can let us know what kind of questions you have. Questions? Please email Ms. Fulmer.

RSD Financial Aid Workshop Dates

Thursday 11/19 3:00pm-6:00pm
Registration Required

Friday 11/20 12:00pm-1:00pm
Registration Required

Tuesday 12/1 5:00pm-8:00pm
Registration Required

Friday 12/11 11:30am-1:30pm
Registration Required 

Friday 12/18 11:30am-1:30pm
Registration Required

24/7 Financial Aid Support is only a text message away:

Otterbot is a free texting service designed to help Washington students navigate financial aid for college and career education! Students can access Otterbot via text message 24 hours a day, seven days a week, by testing "Hi Otter" to 360-928-7281. Help is available in nearly 100 languages. After texting "Hi Otter," you can text "language."

Save-the-date: Money Maze is coming on February 11, 2021

For families of all grade levels, Money Maze is brought to RSD by two community partners who help you navigate the financial aspects of postsecondary options. Attendees will receive either a hard copy and/or electronic copy of the Money Maze book prior to the event. This book is also available in Spanish and Vietnamese.

Every year, families always tell us what they wished more RSD families attended because the information is so helpful!

Community Information and Events

BIPOC Mental Health Care:

Free mental health support from BIPOC therapists for BIPOC individuals and communities most impacted by the pandemic and racism is available on Saturday 11/14 and Saturday 12/12 from 1:00 -6:00 pm. This is an opportunity to receive one-time support, with the possibility of being directed to additional resources as needed.

Upcoming Food and Needs Events

Please view flyers for upcoming events distributing food and other items of need for families in Renton.  This link will be updated regularly with events being advertised in our community: 

November 13, 2020

Dear RHS Seniors and Families,

Please join us for a Virtual Senior Informational meeting on Thursday, November 19^th at 4:00 pm.  At this meeting, your 12^th grade Assistant Principal, Ms. Konkol, along with your counselors, representatives from National Achiever, and College/Career Access Specialist, Ms. Fulmer, and others will be going over very important information for you regarding graduation.  The info will include items such as: graduation requirements, High School and Beyond Plan, caps and gowns, financial aid, next steps, and more.

While parents/guardians are welcome to join, we have a limit of 300 participants on the Zoom call; please limit yourself to one device per household for logging in so that all students in our Class of 2021 are able to join the virtual meeting.

An important note:  We do not know at this time what the actual graduation ceremony, Prom, or senior class photo will look like and will not know until closer to Trimester 3.  We will continue to keep our graduates and their families updated as soon as we ourselves get the information.

Please save this link for Thursday, November 19^th at 4:00 pm:

To Join the Zoom Meeting:

https://rentonschools.zoom.us/j/89843994808?pwd=OEJqQm12K21QVWRlVVhUckRMT0lEdz09

Meeting ID: 898 4399 4808

Passcode: 885618

Warmly,

Dr. Giovanna San Martin| Principal
Renton High School | (425.204.3401) | F 425.204.3412 | 400 S. 2^nd Street | Renton, WA 98057 |

“Diversity is being invited to the party. Inclusion is being asked to dance.” –Vernā Myers

October 30, 2020

Dear RHS Students and Families,

Today marks the end of October, and the start of the final third of Trimester 1 for this school year.  The end of the trimester is December 3^rd, and with quite a few “No School” days this coming month, the time will fly by.  If you haven’t already, please sit down with your students and together, look at their grades.  Now is the time to make a plan to get missing work turned in and to seek help from their teachers and to take advantage of our AACS and tutors.  Below, you’ll find the information to book a tutoring session.  You can find your student’s teachers listed on Skyward, and you can message them in Skyward.  You can also send an email.  Emails are linked on our faculty directory.

We wish you all a safe and happy end of October.  If you need anything, please call our Main Office line to request support: 425.204.3400, or submit a question/ ask for help on our Contact Us page on our RHS Website.

Warmly,

Dr. Giovanna San Martin| Principal
Renton High School |( 425.204.3401 | F 425.204.3412 | 400 S. 2^nd Street | Renton, WA 98057 |

“Diversity is being invited to the party. Inclusion is being asked to dance.” –Vernā Myers

General RHS/RSD Updates

No School Days in November:

The following days there will be no school for students:

• November 6^th – Teacher Inservice day
• November 11^th – Veteran’s Day
• November 25^th – Half day (early release)
• November 26-27 – Thanksgiving Holiday

Note – November 20^th will not be a late start Friday.  The schedule will be the same as any Monday-Thursday schedule.

Need Tutoring?

The AACs and GEAR UP now have Bookings where you can book a tutoring session.  Please click on the below links to set you your tutoring session:

• AACs 
• GEAR UP Tutors (currently only open to 9^th graders) 

UPDATES FOR SENIORS:

All graduates for the class of 2021, we are in the process of planning a Senior Info Zoom meeting, scheduled for November 19^th from 4:00 to 5:00 pm.  At this meeting, Ms. Konkol, along with your counselors, reps from National Achiever, and Ms. Fulmer will be going over very important information for you regarding graduation.  The info will include items such as: grad requirements, High School and Beyond Plan, caps and gowns, financial aid next steps, and more.

We will email the agenda of topics covered and the link to access the Zoom about a week beforehand, so please mark your calendars now, and make sure your school email address is updated in Skyward!

Note: We do not know at this time what the actual graduation ceremony, Prom, or senior class photo will look like and will not know until closer to Trimester 3.  We will continue to keep our graduates and their families updated as soon as we ourselves get the information.

Incompletes from 2019-2020 Trimester 3

• If you received an incomplete during third trimester last spring, you should have received a letter from your teacher sent to your school email as to what you need to do to make it up.
• Some students have been assigned credit recovery classes but still haven’t checked in to them.
• Some of you have already made up your incompletes. Great Job!

If you are still confused about how to make up your incompletes, contact your counselor or email Linda.pappasstallman@rentonschools.us to schedule an appointment with your counselor.

Update to Attendance

Daily absence robo-calls go out at 5 pm so parents are informed if their child did not engage with school that day.  This means, if your child has not logged into Zoom or Canvas for each class, they will get marked absent and you will receive an attendance phone call.  We suggest that you remind your student to log into Zoom or the Canvas course for each class every day between the hours of 9 am and 3 pm to ensure they get marked present, even if work is completed and submitted after school hours.

Update your Contact Information

We want to make sure we have the most up to date phone and email information for reaching you and your student during the school year. If your information has changed or you want to verify if we have your correct contact information, PLEASE take a moment to use Skyward Family Access and click on the Annual Update Tab on the left-hand side of the screen. Enter your new information and click “save”. You will then receive an email confirming your changes have been updated and saved. The below link will provide more information. THANK YOU in advance! 

Washington Listens

Washington Listens helps people manage stress and anxiety they may be experiencing because of COVID-19. If you or anyone you know is having difficulties managing stress, call the Washington Listens support line at 1-833-681-0211. Hours are from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. TTY and language access services are available by using 7-1-1 or their preferred method. Resources and self-help tips are available on walistens.org.

CONGRATS TO MS. KHELGHATIAN!

Ms. Khelghatian was awarded the Superintendent’s Award for Equity this week.  She was nominated by several families and students for her work in equity for our students at RHS.  We are so proud of her!

Communities in Schools – Here to help:

There is a blog hosted by CIS at RHS that will have a list of resources with info/ links, separated by need (Food, Utilities, Community events, Legal, Virtual learning tips, and tools/housing). Our CIS Liaisons will be working to keep this as accurate as possible. Our hope is that this will help us to reach a larger number of students and families with resources as they become available.

Meet the RHS HealthPoint Clinic Team:

In order to reach as many students as possible, our team has created a series of three videos introducing ourselves, outlining our clinic services, and explaining how and why to get registered for care. These files are too big to email, so you will see Dropbox links below, where you can download the files:

• Brianne Advisory
• Eli Outreach
• Sandra Outreach

Need to see the Nurse?

If you would like to speak with or see the school nurse, Ms. Dillard, you can use her Bookings page to make an appointment: /

2020 Career Guide

The 2020 Career Guide is here! Check outl the Career Technical Education pathways that are out there: 

Counseling Corner Weekly Updates for 10-12^th:

Your counseling department is sending out weekly updates directly to your email.  Please make sure you are receiving them, as they are full of important info about graduation, college and career access, and other supports for success.  If you are not getting these updates, please email your counselor.

Pictures!

Send us pictures of your at-home learning experience!  Renton School District would like to see how students are learning at home.  Email them to: Daniel.villalobos@renonschools.us

Post-Secondary Information

Please routinely check the career center page on our RHS website where all information is updated routinely.

What is your child’s plan after graduating from RHS?

For students of all grade levels and families, this is an important conversation to begin and continue to have. Dreaming and planning for life after RHS will support not only your child’s next step after RHS, it can help your child maximize their high school experience!

Unsure of where to begin? No worries! The Career and Technical Education: Career Guide 2020-21 is a very helpful resource for exploring different career pathways and can be a valuable tool to use in conversations with your child. The RSD Career and Technical site provides graduation planning guides and information videos. Your students’ High School and Beyond Plan can help with this planning. Students receive support with completing their High School and Beyond Plan in their Advisory Class.

If your student is a 12^th grader, it is essential to have this conversation now. From completing financial aid to creating resumes or enlisting in a military branch, each postsecondary pathway can takes months to complete. It is important to note that some employment opportunities and military branches will perform drug tests on applicants. It is important to know the steps that are required to assist your child transiting out of RHS. All 12^th graders need to have a finalized plan by Spring.

Community and technical colleges have financial aid priority dates by mid-March. 4-year colleges and universities have application and financial aid priority deadlines. This is a list of Washington 4-year public and private universities’ dates.

Renton School District Financial Aid Events for 12^th graders and families

The RSD Career Center Team has financial aid events coming up! Use that link to review the documents you will need to complete financial aid, as well as gain access to the registration links. Students and families are asked to pre-register so you can let us know what kind of questions you have. Questions? Please email Ms. Fulmer.

RSD Financial Aid Workshop Dates

Friday 10/30 11:30am-1:30pm 
Registration Required

Thursday 11/5 3:00pm-6:00pm
Registration Required

Friday 11/13 11:30am-1:30pm 
Registration Required

Thursday 11/19 3:00pm-6:00pm
Registration Required

Friday 11/20 12:00pm-1:00pm
Registration Required

Tuesday 12/1 5:00pm-8:00pm
Registration Required

Friday 12/11 11:30am-1:30pm
Registration Required 

Friday 12/18 11:30am-1:30pm
Registration Required

24/7 Financial Aid Support is only a text message away:

Otterbot is a free texting service designed to help Washington students navigate financial aid for college and career education! Students can access Otterbot via text message 24 hours a day, seven days a week, by testing "Hi Otter" to 360-928-7281. Help is available in nearly 100 languages. After texting "Hi Otter," you can text "language."

Save-the-date: Money Maze is coming on February 11, 2021

For families of all grade levels, Money Maze is brought to RSD by two community partners who help you navigate the financial aspects of postsecondary options. Attendees will receive either a hard copy and/or electronic copy of the Money Maze book prior to the event. This book is also available in Spanish and Vietnamese.

Every year, families always tell us what they wished more RSD families attended because the information is so helpful!

Community Information and Events

Medication Safety and Youth Suicide

Our HealthPoint health providers want to share with all parents and guardians this very important information about medication safety.  Many suicide attempts are opportunistic and include taking whatever prescription medications are readily available at home. Safe Drug Disposal Day was Saturday, 10/24, but if you click on the link below, you can search for the DEA organized locations to safely dispose of unused prescription drugs and medications.

Here is a link to resources for professionals to share with the community about medication safety at home from King County.

Lastly, this video is geared for families to better understand this real risk.

11^th Annual Black and Brown Male Summit at Highline College:

Please see below for updated information on Highline College’s annual Black and Brown Male Summit.  This year, it is offered as workshop series each Monday in November. 

Reviving Our Roots Through Courageous Conversations

Each Monday in November 2020, 11:30 a.m. – 3 p.m. via Zoom

• Goal: To empower and motivate our Black and Brown young men to excel in academics and to accept nothing less than excellence from self.
• Objectives: Critique social structures that inhibit Black/Brown young men from being successful in education.  Highlight the achievements in spite of the obstacles/barriers that they face.  Contextualize their self-identity socially, culturally, historically, and politically by giving the young men a sense of self and value of self.

Registration opens October 19^th

VISIT OUR FACEBOOK PAGE       View an enlarged version of this year's poster

We acknowledge that students may be overwhelmed with virtual school and we’re asking them to attend the summit during the school day.  As an incentive for attending the summit series, students will have the opportunity to earn two college credits (College 100: College Success Seminar). Students must attend all five days to be eligible to receive college credit. More details will be sent out after registration opens. We are hopeful that this opportunity will encourage the young men to attend all days of the summit and we’re especially thankful for the schools supporting this event and the students attending.

VIRTUAL SUMMIT THEMES

Nov. 2nd: “Ready for the Good Fight” #goodtrouble

Nov. 9th: “The Awakening”

Nov. 16th: “The Blueprint”

Nov. 23rd: “Greatness on the Rise” #boundless

Nov. 30th: “Healing from Within”

October 16, 2020

Dear RHS Students and Families,

Last night was Virtual Parent/Teacher conferences; it was wonderful to see so many of you through the Zoom meetings!  If you were unable to attend but would like to speak to any of your student’s teachers, please reach out to the teachers to request a meeting.  You can find your student’s teachers listed on Skyward, and you can message them in Skyward.  You an also send an email.  Emails are linked on our faculty directory.

Additionally, if you haven’t yet taken a look at our Virtual Open House page on our website, please do.  We have a specific 9^th grade video and PowerPoint, and a 10-12^th grade PowerPoint for families to view, along with some other helpful documents.

As a final check-in, if you are still experiencing challenges with logging into your computer, getting on Canvas, or accessing Zoom, please reach out to any of your teachers, or call our Main Office line to request support: 425.204.3400.  You can also submit a question, or ask for help on our Contact Us page on our RHS Website.

October 2nd, 2020

Dear RHS Students and Families,

We now have five weeks of school behind us. It's hard to believe we are rapidly approaching the halfway point of our first trimester.   Hopefully, students logging into their computers, getting into Canvas, or accessing Zoom are no longer an issue.  If you still have difficulties, please reach out to any of your teachers, or call our Main Office line to request support: 425.204.3400. You can also submit a question, or ask for help on our Contact Us page on our RHS website.

As you may have noticed, we are now emailing and posting these letters to our News section of the RHS website every two weeks. We also have added categories to organize our information. While not every update is relevant to every family, we hope you can use the categories to skip to the updates you find most useful.

Warmly,

Dr. Giovanna San Martin| Principal
Renton High School |( 425.204.3401 | F 425.204.3412 | 400 S. 2^nd Street | Renton, WA 98057 |

"Diversity is being invited to the party. Inclusion is being asked to dance." –Vernā Myers

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General RHS/RSD Updates:

Attendance UPDATE:

Lisa Roberson, Attendance Specialist

On October 5^th, the state will begin to track daily attendance for all students. We will now be using the "W" code for unexcused absences as absences will be recorded as excused or unexcused.  It is imperative that you contact Lisa Roberson, our Attendance Specialist at lisa.roberson@rentonschools.us, to excuse your student's absences with a valid reason. 

Please make sure that your student is logging in and/or communicating daily with their teachers.

Teachers can update attendance in Skyward for up to eight days if a student participates. Anything after eight days needs to be corrected by our Attendance Specialist.  For students to be marked present in their classes each day, they must do at least one of the following:  

• Daily logins Canvas or ZOOM link.
• Daily interactions with the teacher to acknowledge attendance (including messages, e-mails, phone calls or video chats); or
• Evidence of participation in a task or assignment. 

Attendance will be monitored, and families will be receiving daily notification of absences. Robocalls to families will begin on Monday, October 5th, 2020.   

Ms. Roberson wishes to thank all those parents who contacted her regarding attendance during our first online/remote learning phase.  She offers, "Remember, WE are in this TOGETHER!"

Grades:

As we are almost at the halfway mark for the first trimester, we would like to remind parents and students to keep up with your students' grades by checking Skyward as often as possible. Remember, the grades in Skyward are the most accurate. If you have questions about your grades, please contact your teachers immediately. If you are having a hard time feeling or being successful, do not hesitate to ask for help or take it when offered by teachers and/or other support staff. Take advantage of the Individual Support Time on Monday, Wednesdays, and Fridays to schedule an appointment to talk with your teachers. 

Seniors:  This year, you must have 26 credits to graduate. By taking five classes per trimester for .5 credit, the most credits you can receive for passing all of your classes for three trimesters is 7.5 credits.

Some students received incompletes for the classes they took last spring.  Please know you have until December 3^rd to make up those incompletes. After that, you may have to repeat the class or do credit retrieval.  If you do not know if you are on track to graduate, contact your counselor directly via e-mail. You may also contact linda.pappasstallman@rentonschools.us, our counseling receptionist, to set up a Zoom or telephone appointment with your counselor.   

Parent/Teacher Conferences:

 Parent/Teacher conferences are on October 15^th from 5:30 pm to 8:00 pm.   This year, conferences will be done virtually.  All teachers have a Conference Zoom link that families will use to meet with teachers.  To help prepare families, Advisory teachers are e-mailing their families the class schedule and current grades of their students, and the RHS Admin team is e-mailing home more detailed directions. If you would like to talk with a teacher in greater detail, please send them an e-mail.  Here is the link to our faculty page on the RHS website.     

E-mail and Phone Number Changes:

If you are not receiving e-mails and/or phone numbers from RHS, it may be because you have recently changed your contact information.  Please check to see if what is in Skyward is accurate, if it is not, please contact linda.pappas-stallman@rentonschools.us to update your Skyward information.  

Advisory during Online Learning:

Every Tuesday and Thursday, students should be going to their Advisory Canvas Course at 8:30 am.  We have a full year's worth of activities planned for students.  Vital information will be covered, such as the High School and Beyond Plan (HSBP) graduation requirement, college and career readiness information and opportunities, digital citizenship lessons, and social-emotional lessons.

Supply/Material Distribution:

9^th Grade Welcome Event – if you missed it--

For any 9^th grader who could not come to RHS on October 1^st, please come to the RHS Main Office doors during business hours (9 am to 2 pm) to pick up your swag bag containing supplies.  We will be keeping track, so please be ready to give us your name and T-shirt size. 

9-12^th Grade Supply Distribution--

RHS did a significant supply Distribution on September 22^nd.  If you were unable to come to pick up the supplies your teachers provided for the class, please contact the Main Office @425.204.3400 to arrange for a day and time to come to pick up the supplies. 

IB News:

IB: 21 of the RHS International Baccalaureate (IB) Class of 2020 was awarded the prestigious IB Diploma. This is the largest number we have ever had. Congratulations to all those students and the over 60 students who earned college credit from IB exams in May! Mr. Collie recently received the paper copy diplomas and certificates from IB in Cardiff, Wales. He will be connecting them to their deserving owners. Congratulations to all of the hard-working students, IB teachers, and Mr. Collie!!!!

Current 11th and 12th-grade students and teachers make outstanding efforts to begin and continue their International Baccalaureate studies in our online environment. IB has made several adaptations to requirements for the May 2021 exam session that help teachers focus their content and instruction and give our students the best opportunity for success. Upcoming highlights for many IB seniors in the first trimester include completing the Theory of Knowledge course with assessed presentations and prescribed essays and Diploma students diving into their independent research paper, the Extended Essay. Current, future, and past IB students and families can make an appointment with our IB Coordinator, Malcolm Collie by e-mailing him at malcolm.collie@rentonschools.us

Student Re-engagement Team (SRT):

The SRT will be making phone calls home again this coming week for students who have not been logging in to classes. Attendance to online classes is necessary for success, so the SRT will be working hard to help families and students get logged in.

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College and Career Updates from Nichola Fulmer, RHS College & Career Specialist

Fee Waivers to cover College Application Costs:

Students and families qualifying for Free/Reduced Lunch can request Fee Waivers for the cost of application fees. Proof of qualifying for Free/Reduced Lunch is required to receive a Fee Waiver. You can complete the Free/Reduced Lunch application through the Skyward Family Access account in the Food Service section. Families who fill out the form in Skyward allow for online submission. Or, you can access RSD Free/Reduced Lunch applications here. Completed applications can be e-mailed to RSD.mealform@rentonschools.us or dropped off at RHS. Please note that it can take up to 10 business days to process an application.

The letter received from RSD Nutritional Services or a screenshot of Skyward's status allows 12th graders to access these and must be provided to Ms. Fulmer.

Standardized test scores (SAT/ACT) for Class of 2021:

Many colleges are temporarily, or even permanently, suspending standardized test requirements (SAT/ACT) for Class of 2021 (current 12th graders)! This also applies to student athletics. Please note that some institutional merit-based scholarships may still require test scores. Check the admission requirements specific to each institution if you are unsure and/or reach out to Ms. Fulmer with questions.

WA State Student Loan Education Site:

Provided by the Washington Student Achievement Council, the WA State Student Loan Education Site includes student loan information for not only helping you support your child's education but resources for you too!

Connect with 24/7 Financial Aid Support for Students and Families:

Otterbot is a free texting service designed to help Washington students navigate financial aid for college and career education! Students can access Otterbot via text message 24 hours a day, seven days a week, by testing "Hi Otter" to 360-928-7281. Help is available in nearly 100 languages. After texting "Hi Otter," you can text "language."

Financial Aid: FSA ID:

All 12^th graders will receive financial aid information beginning in October.  If you DO NOT want your 12^th grader to learn about financial aid, and if they are 17 years or older, please complete the survey below.  Financial aid (FAFSA/WASFA) applications open October 1st. This allows your 12^th grader to apply for financial aid and colleges/post-secondary programs simultaneously. Your 12^th grader will still need to apply to the college/post-secondary program to learn how much the cost of attendance will be. This means that applying for financial aid does not commit your 12^th grader or you to ANYTHING! Completing financial aid may allow your 12^th grader to access grants that will pay for tuition, books, and more! It is also usually required to apply for merit scholarship applications. You are encouraged to watch this video from the Washington Student Achievement Council, "Where Does Financial Aid Come From?" It is an informative video about financial aid, where it comes from, and what financial aid comprises. It can also be helpful to read about 9 Myths About FAFSA.

For students completing FAFSA, the student and one parent must complete an FSA ID. If a parent does not qualify for an FSA ID, they do not need to create it. They will use all zeros as their social security number within the application. Questions? Ask Ms. Fulmer.

One-page infographics on financial aid:

All About FAFSA – Information in English

All About FAFSA – Information in Spanish

All About FAFSA – Information in Vietnamese

All About FAFSA – Information in Russian

All About FAFSA – Information in Somali

All About WAFSA - Information in English

All About WAFSA – Information in Spanish

All About WAFSA – Information in Vietnamese

All About WAFSA – Information in Russian

All About WAFSA – Information in Somali

Complete the following Opt-out survey ONLY IF you do NOT wish to receive information on financial aid:  Financial Aid Class of 2021 Opt-out

Please contact Ms. Fulmer, or the Financial Aid Office of the college of interest, for any questions or concerns about financial aid.

Suicide Awareness and Prevention Month

September was Suicide Awareness and Prevention Month.  This information is important to share with all of our families as we recognize the larger stress levels that many of our students face during COVID 19. 

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Don't hesitate to raise the subject with your students.  Talking with young people about suicide won't put the idea into their heads. If you've observed any of the indicators, please empathize and listen in a caring, non-confrontational way.  Attached to this e-mail is information about suicide awareness and prevention provided by UW Forefront.  Additionally, UW has gathered many resources and tools for families.

FAQs

Have Questions?

Our ASB wants to hear from students!  If you have any questions you'd like answered, e-mail rentonasb@gmail.com  Starting in our next family and Student Letter, we'll have the answers to your frequently asked questions. 

Community Events

Flu Vaccination Clinics:  Scheduled October 13-16 in Dimmitt, Renton High, McKnight

ROLL DOWN YOUR WINDOW, ROLL UP YOUR SLEEVE for our DRIVE-THRU FLU

VACCINATION CLINIC. NO CAR? NO PROBLEM! WALK-UPS WITH APPOINTMENTS WELCOME!  EVERYONE is welcome: students, employees, families, and neighbors (over the age of 4 years). NO COST to patients with or without insurance. Please provide insurance info if available. Registration required:  

Tuesday, October 13th, 2020, 9:30 – 5:30 – Dimmitt Middle School

Wednesday, October 14th, 2020, 9:30 – 5:30 – Lindbergh High School

Thursday, October 15th, 2020, 9:30 – 5:30 – Renton High School

Friday, October 16th, 2020, 8:30 – 4:30 – McKnight Middle School

September 18, 2020

Dear RHS Students and Families,

We have made it to the end of the third week of school!  We applaud each and every one of you who continue to persevere and find your groove, even in the face of the hiccups and bumps in the road of online learning.  If you are still experiencing challenges with logging into your computer, getting on Canvas, or accessing Zoom, please reach out to any of your teachers, or call our Main Office line to request support: 425.204.3400.  You can also submit a question, or ask for help on our Contact Us page on our RHS Website.

As we settle into our new routines for the 2020-2021 school year, we want to let you know that we are going to scale back our updates from every week to every other week to ensure that we do not overwhelm your email inbox.  However, we will continue to email and post these letters to our News section of the RHS Website.  Additionally, we have created categories for the information, starting with General RHS/RSD Updates, FAQs, College and Career Updates, and Community Events.  While not every update is relevant to every family, we hope you can use these categories to skip to the updates you find most useful.

Warmly,

Dr. Giovanna San Martin| Principal
Renton High School |( 425.204.3401 | F 425.204.3412 | 400 S. 2^nd Street | Renton, WA 98057 |

“Diversity is being invited to the party. Inclusion is being asked to dance.” –Vernā Myers

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General RHS/RSD  Updates

Excused Absences

During remote learning, attendance is being taken every period every day.  If you are unable to attend class, please contact your teacher via email or have your parent email Ms. Roberson at lisa.roberson@rentonschools.us  or call her at 425.204.3410 to report an absence as excused.  Currently, in Skyward, your student will receive an R if they are absent from class.  Beginning October 5, 2020, student absences will be marked excused or unexcused. 

Update to Daily Attendance on Zoom:

To ensure that individuals not on a teacher’s roster attempt to enter a Zoom meeting and to foster a positive classroom culture, RHS is strongly recommending that students show their video during the first 5-10 minutes of the Zoom call.  This will help with attendance and to allow everyone to learn names and faces.

As a reminder, it is vital to ensure that the username are on student Zoom accounts is their first and last name as it appears in Skyward.  Teachers will not admit anyone to class unless it matches what is on their roster. If you need help, use these instructions to access Zoom correctly.

Family Tech Support Workshops:

We are currently conducting Family Workshops around Tech Support. These workshops were developed to address tech barriers from English Language Learning students and their families as they interface with Canvas, our Learning Management System (LMS) during the pandemic. These workshops are provided in English with interpreters available. Transportation from the district is provided if needed. These workshops are still open to any family that would like assistance or support.  Please review the flyer enclosed to see if your family and student will benefit from the topics demonstrated. Our goal is to have all students and families 100% comfortable with accessing Canvas, so that learning can take place. Communication is a priority for us. Families will learn about the following topics and how to digitally access:

• College and Career Center Information
• ELL Teachers/ Teachers
• CANVAS
• Observe your student on CANVAS
• Changing the language in CANVAS (Non-English Speakers)
• Submitting Assignments
• Logging on to Zoom
• Using Outlook
• Accessing Skyward
• Changing the language on the Renton Schools Website (Non-English Speakers)
• Requesting and using a hotspot
• See our RHS Calendar
• How to ask any questions on our website. This function is an excellent feature as you will get an answer within the day.

We are very thankful to Ms. Hoste, Director of Categorical Programs, Ms. Audita Brockett, District Interpreter Coordinator/Hotline Operator, and Mr. Gregory Dutton, Director of Transportation, who helped us build this endeavor.

Take us up on this offer!  Our technology Specialist, Mr. Brandon Gochanour, and our four Academic Achievement Coordinators, Mr. Salim Rich, Ms. Karolina Szulkowski, Ms. Amrita Heer, and Ms. Brienna Agapov, will refresh your knowledge or teach you from the start. If you would like to sign up for these workshops, please email salim.rich@rentonschools.us for an appointment. We will accommodate our time with yours

Communication via Text:

Families can sign-up to receive text messages from RHS as we communicate using School Messenger. From your cell phone or device, text "Y" to the number 68453. You'll get a confirmation text message. Respond with Y for Yes, and you're signed up for text messages. (Charges may apply depending on your phone/device text message plan.)  NOTE: Families must ensure they've listed their cell phone number in Skyward in the section marked "Phone 2" (this is where School Messenger pulls the phone number to send a text message).

Communication via Text:

Families can sign-up to receive text messages from RHS as we communicate using School Messenger. From your cell phone or device, text "Y" to the number 68453. You'll get a confirmation text message. Respond with Y for Yes, and you're signed up for text messages. (Charges may apply depending on your phone/device text message plan.)  NOTE: Families must ensure they've listed their cell phone number in Skyward in the section marked "Phone 2" (this is where School Messenger pulls the phone number to send a text message).

Schedule Changes:

Please note that student schedules may have potentially changed during the first 10 days of school as classes were being balanced. If a student finds him/herself in a class which they have taken and passed before, he/she must email their counselor immediately. No schedule changes will occur simply due to teacher preferences. 

Grades

This year, unlike last spring, students will be receiving A-F grades in their classes. Remind your student it is important to keep up with class assignments and assessments, so they don’t fall behind. 

Requesting a Hotspot:

Now that initial Chromebook and hotspot distribution is complete, any students/families needing a hotspot will need to complete the Hotspot Request Form, located on the Technology for Student Learning webpage. This application can be completed on a mobile device. If you are unable to complete the form, school staff can complete it on your behalf.  Please call our Main Office line at 425.202.3400.

Please note: These hotspots are available to us through our participation in the 1Million Project and are for families with no form of internet access at home. Currently, the hotspots available through the district are restricted to families with no other form of internet access at home. The district will continue to look for opportunities to assist families who have Wi-Fi but need additional support.  If your coverage isn’t sufficient for in-home learning, we suggest you seek options to increase your broadband coverage which will provide better connectivity than a hotspot. Options are listed on the Students and Families tab of our website, under “free/low cost internet.

Supply/Material Distribution:

RHS has moved it’s main materials distribution to Tuesday, September 22^nd due to concerns about unhealthy air quality.  If you are unable to pick up the supplies your teachers provide for class, please contact the main office to arrange for an alternative day and time to come pick up the supplies.  Moving forward, and for the remainder of online learning, teachers will email families as new materials are needed to be distributed. 

Advisory During Distance Learning:

The High School daily schedule outlines time every day for Advisory or Individual support from teachers and other support staff.  On Mondays through Thursdays, the time is 8:30 to 9:00 am.  On Fridays, there are three 30-minute blocks of time, one on either side of the lunch break, and a final half hour at the end of the day. 

Please note that on Tuesdays and Thursdays, student should go to their Advisory class in Canvas.  Twice a week their advisors will be providing curriculum relevant to college and career access, technology, social and emotional learning, and other important information. The High School and Beyond Plan (HSBP) is a 4-year plan that is required for graduation.  Students work on it in Advisory over the course of their 4 years in high school.

Free Breakfast and Lunch Meal Service:

Some good news as we start the school year: recently we learned we are able to continue to provide free breakfast and lunch meals at all our sites to all students regardless of income. We are providing free meals at most of our schools and several large apartment locations throughout the district. Families and students can pick-up meals at any site. Visit the free meal program to learn more information.

GoGuardian:

In order to protect students while online, the district Chromebooks are filtered and monitored, both at school and off campus. The filtering is consistent with federal regulations (CIPA) and the monitoring, which uses the program GoGuardian, provides information regarding student activity online that may indicate unsafe behaviors. Families may receive alerts from our monitoring software if their student has searched for materials which may indicate a self-harm concern. These alerts are meant to provide a family the resources to begin a conversation to address any potential health/safety concerns.

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FAQs

Have Questions?:

Our ASB wants to hear from students!  If you have any questions you’d like answered, email rentonasb@gmail.com  Starting in our next Family and Student Letter, we’ll have the answers to your frequently asked questions. 

Post-Secondary Information

Please routinely check he career center page on our RHS website where all information is updated routinely.

 

Community Information and Events

Flu Vaccination Clinics: Scheduled October 13-16 in Dimmit, Renton High, McKnight and Lindbergh parking lots, rain, or shine.  Renton School District scheduled drive-through flu vaccination clinics are open to all students, staff, and their families. Everyone aged 4 years and up is welcome (and encouraged) to come.

Seattle Visiting Nurse Association has a long history of providing flu vaccines to students in the school setting and works with numerous large school districts in the area. RSD families and staff will receive information in a few weeks with links to register for a time slot at any site they choose. SVNA can add additional opportunities if more sites are needed to handle the demand.  They can vaccinate about 400 people per day at a site. Together we can keep ourselves and our community healthy. 

Preventing Eviction and Homelessness

King County launched a new program to help families who may be facing eviction and homelessness.  Go online to find out more information.

Dear RHS Families and Students,

I hope my letter for this upcoming week finds you well. We are all pretty excited about seeing your students attending their Zoom classes. It has been a very active last week. However, it allowed us to help over 155 families and counting accessing online courses on CANVAS. I am nothing but filled with appreciation for our family, students, and staff, as many students are attending every period in their schedules.

Despite a few wonderful gains, it is clear to me that we need to do more to reach all families whose students are still experiencing connection problems with our Learning Management System. Therefore, we are going to have our Tech Specialist, Mr. Brandon Gochanuer assist students and families face to face this week (9/8-11) from 9 am to 1 pm, no appointments necessary. We will be running small group workshops for non-English speakers, students, and families concerning to accessing CANVAS. We will be organizing these meetings for the week of September 14-18 and providing information promptly. Interpreters will be provided.

Also, while we hope most families may schedule appointments to discuss academic matters with our counselors, RHS will be facilitating some opportunities to meet our counselors face to face each week as well. Counselors will be communicating with all families whose students are enrolled full-time and part-time in Running Start via RHS. We want to make sure that you know our responsibilities as your student is not attending RHS.

Please do not hesitate to call us as you experience any time of concern/issue and or just have questions. We have two clerical staff members every day at the school, one in the main office, and a second one in the counseling office. Also, all phone calls received are being transferred to our clerical staff emails. Finally, we have the Ask a Question link on our website that will address questions in 24 hours. We want to give you the best customer service available regardless of this pandemic. Please know that within my management, customer service and professionalism are essential to maintain a vibrant community of learners.

Updates for the Week:

Supply/Material Distribution

RHS will have school-provided supplies and learning materials to distribute to students on two afternoons. Teachers are posing on their Canvas Homepage if there are any materials students should plan to come get.  It is going to take place in the student parking lot off S. 2^nd Street.  Please plan to drive slowly to each station, pausing at the ones that your student needs to retrieve an item from.  Please do not exit your car.  Wear a mask and follow all safety guidelines.

• Times - 4:00 -6:30 pm
  • September 15 is for 9^th and 10^th grade students
  • September 16 is for 11^th and 12^th grade students

If any student or family is unable to come on their day, please email your teacher.  RHS will hold monthly material distributions during lunch pickup – 11:00 am to 12:30 pm. Specific dates will be posted on our school’s calendar online, as well as advertised in the family and student letters emailed home weekly.  Additionally, pickups can be arranged by emailing your student’s teachers as needed.

Advisory During Distance Learning

The High School daily schedule outlines time every day for Advisory or Individual support from teachers and other support staff.  On Mondays through Thursdays, the time is 8:30 to 9:00 am.  On Fridays, there are three 30-minute blocks of time, one on either side of the lunch break, and a final half hour at the ed of the day.

Please note that on Tuesdays and Thursdays, student should go to their Advisory class in Canvas.  Twice a week their advisors will be providing curriculum relevant to college and career access, technology, social and emotional learning, and other important information. The High School and Beyond Plan (HSBP) is a 4-year plan that is required for graduation.  Students work on it in Advisory over the course of their 4 years in high school.

Free Breakfast and Lunch Meal Service

Some good news as we start the school year: yesterday we learned we are able to continue to provide free breakfast and lunch meals at all our sites to all students regardless of income. We are providing free meals at most of our schools and several large apartment locations throughout the district. Families and students can pick-up meals at any site. Visit the free meal program to learn more information.

GoGuardian

In order to protect students while online, the district Chromebooks are filtered and monitored, both at school and off campus. The filtering is consistent with federal regulations (CIPA) and the monitoring, which uses the program GoGuardian, provides information regarding student activity online that may indicate unsafe behaviors. Families may receive alerts from our monitoring software if their student has searched for materials which may indicate a self-harm concern. These alerts are meant to provide a family the resources to begin a conversation to address any potential health/safety concerns.

Lastly, please take a moment to watch this video message from Renton School District Superintendent Dr. Damien Pattenaude, welcoming students and families to the 2020-2021 school year.

Warmly,

Dr. Giovanna San Martin| Principal
Renton High School | (425.204.3401) | F 425.204.3412 | 400 S. 2^nd Street | Renton, WA 98057 |

“Diversity is being invited to the party. Inclusion is being asked to dance.” –Vernā Myers

Supply Distribution Map:

August 24, 2020

Dear RHS Families,

I am happy to welcome you to the 2020-21 school year! We are looking forward to a productive partnership with you to ensure our students can attain post-secondary opportunities. As a proud principal since 2013, my philosophy about family engagement has been that in order to be successful in school, our young men and women need support from both the home and school. We know that a strong partnership and communication with you will make a significant difference in your student's education. As new or current partners, we share the responsibility for our students' success.

Over the last months, our District have worked diligently to study guidance from national, state, and local officials, as well as seeking input from parents and stakeholders.  Please find the RHS Reopening Plan, as well as many other items of importance as we begin the new school year   We are asking that you read and become familiar with the plan and ask clarification if needed.  We will be assessing the family and student perspectives often so that we can adjust promptly. Even if you do not agree with every point in our plan, I hope you will know that we care deeply about our students and that we will continue to work hard to do what is best for them. As we start school virtually, we will continue to follow the guidance of the health department concerning to COVID-19. Thank you for your diligence, patience and flexibility.  I am very grateful for the additional role you have taken on to support each of your students academically.

This has been and continues to be a challenging time for all of you.  Our teachers did a tremendous job with distance learning last school year, considering that they did it in a blink of an eye, and we tried to work out challenges along the way.  We also know we have room for growth.  We have learned a lot during this time and worked collaboratively to improve our Learning Management System. As classes start, you will be able to note the difference. Within these atypical times, I cannot emphasize more the following ask : Please guide and support your child's learning by ensuring that he/she: Attends school daily and arrives on time, ready for the day's learning experience; completes all assignments given by teachers; informs you if he/she needs additional support in any area or subject.

On the school side, we respect the needs and wishes of you, the parents I can assure you of a few things:

• The health and safety of our students and staff is our number one priority.
• We will work diligently to provide the best possible education within the Learning Management System.
• We understand that there are unique situations, and we will be sensitive to individual needs.  

During this trying time, a couple of constants have been the fluidity of this situation and the fact that with every answer comes more questions.  I want you to know that the Admin team will do their best to know and communicate ahead when feasible, to use a common-sense approach to challenges, always by keeping our students and staff as safe as possible is our top priority. Please check our website weekly for updates, as well as look at our school calendar, where we are posting upcoming events planned to support all students as we start online learning this fall and welcome our 9^th graders to RHS.  Our responses from the administration to families remain at 48 hours, while counselors and teachers remains at 72 hours at the latest. I care about each of you and this community and want to be responsive.

If you have questions, please do not hesitate to reach out to our team or me, personally.  We are here for you! We will get through this together. 

Most sincerely,

Dr. Giovanna San Martin| Principal
Renton High School | (425.204.3401) | F 425.204.3412 | 400 S. 2^nd Street | Renton, WA 98057 |

Start of School 2020-2021:

Upcoming events to support students’ return to school this fall, and welcome 9^th graders to RHS:

• Aug 15-31:
  • 9th grade advisors calling home for start of school check-ins
• Sept 1:
  • 2019-2020 Yearbook Distribution 9am to 1pm
  • New RSD/RHS students Chromebook Distribution 9am to 1pm
• Sept 2:
  • First day of School!   All students log into Canvas to start.
• Sept 2-3:
  • Counselor: New student registration. By appointment only (Call 425.204. 3475)
• Sept 15:
  • Supply Distribution 9^th and 10^th graders.  4-7pm
  • 9th grade welcome to RHS drive up event
• Sept 16:
  • Supply Distribution 11^th and 12^th graders.  4-7pm