Spartan School News for Sept. 22, 2021

From the Principal

Greetings Spartan Families,

We are off to a great start at RHS. Students and staff are settling into the routine of in-person learning. We are reconnecting with old friends and former teachers as well as developing those ever-important new relationships. As I think about our first weeks together, I am reminded of the importance of creating pathways that allow our youth to experience multiple opportunities to explore new interests, develop skills, discover new talents and create memories. Along the way they make mistakes, learn, grow and experience success as they progress into adulthood and consider their post-high school options. 

High school is about finding yourself and discovering your contributions to the world. What gifts might our students share with the community? I challenge students to give that new “thing” a shot, make mistakes, learn, grow and succeed. I look forward to celebrating our students, their contributions to our community and their success.

In partnership,

Stacy Theien-Collins, Principal

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Quick Updates

Parking Lot and Dismissal

We pride ourselves on creating a safe environment for all community members. This includes our campus parking lot and bus dismissal. We have observed unsafe practices during afternoon dismissal from both students and families.

Our bus lane is on Harriet Avenue. Please do not pick up on Harriet Avenue until after 3:45 p.m. If you arrive prior to 3:45 p.m. and are unable to enter the parking lot, please proceed around the block so you will not add to the congestion. In the upcoming weeks, our team will be monitoring dismissal to see if additional strategies need to be implemented. Until then, please practice safe driving and remain aware of your surroundings.

Change in Student Meal Process

On Monday, September 27, Richfield High School will resume using cash registers for lunch. Meals are still free for all students but starting Monday, a second entree and milk will be available for purchase at RHS. The student’s PIN is their 6-digit student ID number. Please make sure your child knows it and is ready to enter it at the cashier stand. Additional items can only be purchased if the student has funds in their account to cover the cost of the item. Check your balance on SchoolPay or contact the Nutrition Services office at 612-798-6072.

Homecoming 2021

Homecoming 2021 is here! Kicking off the week of celebration, we have the second annual citywide homecoming parade at 10 a.m. on Saturday, September 25. Participants include the homecoming royal court and their escorts, schools in the District, RHS clubs, and many sports teams. More information about the parade route can be found on the RHS Events web page. Homecoming 2021

The Richfield High School senior class has nominated 12 amazing individuals to be on the homecoming royal court! Two of them will become homecoming crowned royalty on Wednesday, September 29, during homecoming coronation. Coronation this year will be held during our W.I.N. time at 2:15 p.m., in our Spartan Stadium.

Our homecoming football game is on Friday, October 1, against Minneapolis Washburn. Come on out to the Spartan Stadium for the 7 p.m. game, and help cheer our team on to victory!

Talk with Your Teens about What They Are Reading

A central goal of English or Spanish language arts is to maintain a reading habit in the busy lives of teenagers. This year, students will read independently in language arts classes every day. Whenever possible, teachers will encourage students to choose books to read. 

Daily reading:

• Builds vocabulary
• Increases creativity, flexibility, and empathy
• Empowers citizens
• Relieves stress
• Improves writing
• Grows readiness for college and the world of work

Talking about what they are reading is also important for your kids’ literacy growth. We will talk about our reading in school, but you could also ask some of these questions at home.

• What are you reading? How did you choose it?
• Who in the book do you dislike? Why?
• What problems do characters face?
• What is your book about?
• Who is your favorite character? Why?
• What kind of book are you thinking of reading next?
• Do you like your book? What do you like about it?
• How are you and the main character alike?
• How does your book relate to our world today?
• How does your book make you feel?
• Is anything slowing down your reading?
• Would you read another book by this author?

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Staff Spotlights

Jen Behnke, Reading Teacher

Greetings, Richfield Families!

I’m so excited to join the staff at Richfield High School! My son Josh graduated from RHS in 2020, and my daughter Sophie is currently a senior here. They both grew up in the Dual Language Immersion program in Richfield, and I’m grateful to be able to work alongside staff who have taken such good care of my own kids.

I have been teaching literacy for 27 years, most of those years in Hopkins Public Schools. For the past seven years, I served as a teacher on special assignment leading secondary literacy in Hopkins… but I missed working with young people! When the position of reading specialist opened at RHS, I jumped at the chance not only to return to the classroom but to bring my professional experience to my chosen hometown.

I’ve spent the first weeks of school visiting ninth and tenth-grade language arts classrooms to talk about reading and perform some initial, informal reading assessments. We’re all concerned about the potential impact that COVID-19 has had on our young readers, and the RHS team is gathering data so that we can be responsive to the needs of our students. Rather than worry about learning loss, we are busy planning to orchestrate literacy learning leaps. If we have specific concerns about your child’s reading growth, expect to hear from me by the end of September with a plan for how we can work together to make learning leaps happen.

 

Hannak Toedter, ELL Teacher

Hi everyone! My name is Hannah Toedter, and I am one of the new English Language Learning (ELL) teachers at Richfield High School. 

I am originally from Wadena, Minnesota, and moved to St. Paul to attend Hamline University where I studied Sociology and minored in both Spanish and Latin American Studies. While at Hamline, I competed on the cross-country and track & field teams. After graduating, I taught adult ESL and worked in childcare for several years before moving to Luxembourg. Upon returning to the U.S., I enrolled at Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota where I received an MA in ESL and a K-12 teaching license. I also student-taught at RHS in the fall of 2020, and I am excited to be back! 

Outside of teaching, I enjoy baking and cooking, being active (hiking, camping, basketball, broomball, tennis, running, and yoga), studying languages, reading, doing puzzles (jigsaw and crosswords), and have recently started rehabbing furniture.