Academic Support

Extra Help

Tracking Assignments and Assessments

  • Parent Access & Student Access - View individual assignment and assessment scores online for each class. Parents can have their own access - call RMS (360-662-2900) and ask for a login. 

  • Ridgetop Planner  – All students are given a free copy. Track assignments, projects, and assessments on a daily basis in each class. All students are asked to use a planner to track their work and identify important dates, such as homework and project due dates.  Read the section in the planner titled, “Study Skills” for some good tips on prioritizing and scheduling schoolwork, studying and preparing for tests. There are also good tips on discovering who you are and who you want to be.

  • Parent Look – If your child is communicating to you that they are completing their work at school, but their grades say otherwise, it is usually because homework is not being done, or being done poorly. 

    We encourage you to use what many parents have found to be a very successful tactic: Require your child to bring home their work each evening and SHOW you what they have accomplished. Require this even for work they claim they are finishing at school. Homework and projects are seldom due the day they are assigned, so work brought home can usually be turned in the next day. 

    Looking over your student’s work for 5–10 minutes each evening, will let you know if they are getting it done and understanding what they are doing. Your in-depth interest in their work will inspire them to do even better!

  • Email Teachers – If needed, on a weekly basis. Teachers will try to respond within 2 school days.

  • Network with Friends – Exchange phone numbers with two other students in class. Call them if you are not sure of your assignment or need help.

Conference

A conference with your student's teachers can provide valuable insights into helping your student be successful. If you only need to contact one teacher, please call the school's main number and ask to speak to him/her directly. You can decide if a phone conference will satisfy your needs or if you need to schedule an in-person meeting. If you need to speak to more than one teacher, please call the school and ask to speak to one of the counselors, who will set up a conference time.

Counselors

Ridgetop's counselors are available to help students and their parents/guardians explore difficulties they are having academically, and to set up a plan to correct them. Students can request to see their counselor by filling in the request form in their Counseling Google Classroom.  Parents can reach a counselor by calling the main school number at 360-662-2900, or by emailing them. The email addresses for the counselors can be found by clicking on Staff Contact at the school’s website. 

Other Online support services offered by other providers

There are a number of sites online that can help your child academically. We have listed several below (RMS does not review these sites for instructional quality)

Study Tips and Test Taking

 

Academic Coaching for Athletes

Athletes not meeting eligibility status for a sport in which they are currently participating will be encouraged by RMS's Athletic Director and his/her Athletic Coach to attend Homework Club for the first hour of practice, to get caught up.

Tutors

Students or parents seeking individual academic support should speak to one of the counselors who will attempt to make arrangements for this. There is often a fee charged by the tutor. Also, see the section below titled, “ Getting Help Online” for additional tutor information.

Online Resources for Parents to Support Their Students in Learning

  • Washington State Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction
    This is our state website and offers many resources that can be helpful for parents. The website is: www.k12.wa.us

  • National PTA Parent's Guide to Success in Sixth Grade (pdf), Seventh Grade (pdf) and Eight Grade (pdf): Includes key skills, activities you can do at home, and tips for talking to your child's teacher (in Spanish)

  • Khan Academy: Includes interactive exercises and videos to help in math, science, economics, computing and arts and humanities

  • Great Kids Milestones: Videos describe literacy and math concepts for middle school

  • Be a Learning Hero: Allows parents to search by state, grade and subject to find homework support resources

  • Raise the Bar Parents: provides  educational 'checkups' they to see if your child is making progress toward meeting the standards. The site also includes resources to help students improve