Riverview Students Delight Nebo School Board of Education - Answer to Wednesday's Challenge

Submitted by lana.hiskey on

Principal Angela Killian thanked the Nebo School Board of Education for this opportunity to present to the board. Principal Killian said, “We are striving at Riverview, ‘To Make Our Mark, Make it Matter’. The Riverview staff wants students to learn that each of us can make our mark. Each of us can make a difference. That it is important to support each other and believe in each other.” 

“I began the year wondering how long it would take me to feel comfortable in my new assignment at Riverview; a student brought me a letter and told me she hoped I have fun at this school, another student quietly slipped me a Thank You note letting me know she is having a really good year and the whole school is having a really good year. Several students brought me pictures letting me know that they are going to ‘Make Their Mark and Make it Matter,’” stated Principal Killian.

Some of Principal Killian’s reflections:
“All principals have those days when we think the cashier's position at Wal-Mart is looking pretty good. But then just when we're about to lose our minds, a student does or says something that causes us to REMEMBER why we went into this profession in the first place.

Principal Killian’s “Remember why we are in education”:
“Last week at the second-grade lunch table: A group of boys sat giggling. That can be dangerous, so I investigated. I asked what's so funny. They told me. ‘Knock, knock. Who's there? Owl. Owl Who. Yep.’ or ‘Why did the oil not cross the road? Because It is stuck in the ground.’

“Monday a first-grade classroom a child with her red ribbon stuck to her shirt, proudly exclaimed: ‘I've never been drug free before!’

“A student came to me in the halls during morning music, gave me a hug and told me to have a good day.

“While I was observing fifth-graders in keyboarding and heard a child sneeze, I said ‘Gesundheit’ and he responded with: ‘My mom speaks Spanish too.’

“In a second-grade classroom students were making haunted houses that are now displayed in the hall. A student was unsure if he should spell witch w-h-i-c-h OR w-i-t-c-h, so he pointed to his paper and asked me: ‘Is this a good witch or a bad witch?’

“A certain third-grader tells me nearly every day that she can't wait for her birthday (it is in February.) And when entering a third-grade classroom to greet them good morning, a boy jumped up from his seat, gave me a hug and told the class we were good buddies.

Principal Killian said, “I personally want to thank the board for allowing me to be a principal. I also thank you for this invitation to give you a glimpse into life at Riverview.”

Mrs. Shannon Bennett, a member of the Riverview school community council shared  how the Trustland money is spent to help students progress.

Mrs. Cindy Porter, Riverview's facilitator, spoke about the school’s peer tutoring program where sixth-grade students tutored first-grade students. She used the Nebo School District’s intervention guided reading lesson plan to train the tutors where they worked two days a week for half hour lessons. Mrs. Porter brought some students to demonstrate a tutoring program. Eric Ramirez, sixth grade, and Krystal Jensen first grade demonstrated the tutoring lesson.

The noble company of the evening was the first-grade students singing "The Dot" song. The crowd was delighted by their enthusiasm and actions.