Raider Family Weekly: 11/6/26

Raider Families,

I first want to share a few "thank you's". I want to give a HUGE thank you to Commander Nick Abelein and Chief Petty Officer Leo Zhang for their amazing presentations today during our Veteran's Day assembly. If you weren't there, I wish you could have been. Commander Abelein did such a great job of sharing about 11:11:11 and Chief Petty Officer Zhang shared some great stories. Whether it was sharing about how we could honor the "11th hour spirit" in our school, to sharing life lessons about not giving up and encouraging students to tell their parents that they love them, there were so many nuggets of gold for our students in their speeches. I cannot thank both of these men enough for their service and their message to our students today!

Secondly, I would like to thank all of our families and guests that came today. Your presence at this assembly means so much to us and we hope that you enjoyed it.

Lastly, I want to recognize our counseling team, who made this whole day happen. They have been working really hard on this assembly and did such a great job!

I feel so thankful and honored that we get to be "home" to so many military families. We are truly thankful for your service, sacrifice, and dedication you make each and every day for our country and your families. 

Have a great weekend!

Shaun Takenouchi

View the full events calendar 📅

We have been having a lot of students ride their bikes to school this year. That is great to see. We also want to ensure our students are being safe while riding their bike to and from Ridgetop. Please remember the following: 

We are looking for enthusiastic coaches to join our teams who are passionate about working with middle school students, building positive team cultures, and having a positive impact on our student-athletes, school, and community.

Interested or know someone who would be a great fit? Learn more and apply at ckschools.org/athletics-staff. Questions? Contact RMS Athletic Director, Mrs. Kayla Frank, at kaylaf@ckschools.org.

7th and 8th grade students, it is time to renew your chromebooks!!!! You will renew them during the next two weeks when your ELA classes visit the Library. You may also stop by before school and after school. If the Library does not renew them by Dec. 4th, they may be marked lost and you will be locked out. 

Kitsap Regional Library will be visiting 6th Grade ELA classes at RMS on November 13 to share their "To the Library" initiative. "To the Library" supports 6th graders as they embark on the new adventures Ridgetop Middle School has to offer them. The goal of these middle school visits is to introduce resources that support students academically and personally, while reinforcing that the library is a safe, welcoming space with people ready to help.

If you would like your student to get a Kitsap Regional Library card during this visit, you can complete the application for your student here  https://www.krl.org/cards/ . The cards will be delivered to your student on November 13. 

We absolutely love when our students come out to support their fellow Raiders at a sporting event. Here are a few reminders for students to ensure that we all can enjoy cheering on our sports teams. 

Whether your student wants to build robots, master culinary basics, embark on epic tabletop quests, or compete in esports, Ridgetop has something for everyone! Getting involved in an extracurricular activity (whether a sport or a club) is one of the best ways for middle schoolers to build friendships, discover new passions, and feel connected to their school community.

✅ 3 Quick Steps to Register: Registration for all clubs and sports is handled through Final Forms. Here is how to get your student signed up:

Pro-Tip for Families: Selecting a club or sport in Final Forms places you directly on that activity's email list, ensuring you receive pre-season information, schedule updates, meeting reminders, and details straight from our coaches and advisors!

💡 Explore More or Launch a New Club: Want full club descriptions, meeting calendars, or step-by-step instructions on how your student can start a brand-new club of their own? Visit our school website linked here.

📬 Questions & Support: If you have any questions about registration or getting involved, please reach out to our ASB Bookkeeper, Kenzee Lauth, at (360)662-2900, ext. 2923 or kenzeel@ckschools.org .

This week's lesson is all about emotions. For our 6th graders, they will be looking at the impact of emotions. Our 7th graders will be looking at understanding emotions, and our 8th graders will be talking about how emotions work. 

We are excited to be using this curriculum in our Advocacy classes each week. For more information on Character Strong, please feel free to watch this video and/or check out their site for families.

Washington state law requires all students entering 7th grade to have a Tdap booster or an exemption form on file before the first day of school. Tdaps given on or after 10 years of age meet this requirement. If you need an appointment with a provider, schedule it now; wait times can be lengthy. If your student needs a sports physical, your provider may be able to give the Tdap booster at the same time. If you need help finding a provider, contact your school nurse or call the Kitsap Public Health District at 360-728-2235.

Below are links to how to videos on being able to change the language on our Ridgetop website.

Here is a link to our sporting events for the coming week.