Watching you, watching me. Recently on R2TV! Week of December 14, 2015

Watch the latest R2TV videos anytime on the R2 YouTube channel! Recent videos include our 2015 winter giving programs, Interpreter program translated into Spanish and Peace Poster Contest Winners. Choice season starts January 4, so be sure to check out several new Magnet commercials!

Have you seen the animated R2i2 fly through video, yet? It is very cool!

So much to see, so much to do! This weekend (Dec. 4-6, 2015) in our community.

Arbor Day Celebration at the Carolina Children's Garden, Winter Fine Arts Camp at Westwood High School, Ridge View High School Fine Arts Festival, Lights before Christmas at Riverbanks Zoo, Snowville and more!  Follow our Community Events Pinterest board for a constantly changing list of what's happening in our community.

Watching you, watching me: Recently on R2TV: Week of Nov. 30

Watch the latest R2TV videos anytime on YouTube! Recent videos include breakouts from the Nov. 19 State of the District breakfast and Summit Parkway Middle School Principal Andrew Barbone spends the night on the roof of the school after staff increased United Way giving 300 percent! Choice season starts in January, so be sure to check out several new Magnet commercials!

Have you seen the animated R2i2 fly through video, yet? It is very cool!

The Choice Fair is tomorrow!

Richland School District Two will hold its annual Choice Fair featuring Magnet programs on Tuesday, Dec. 1 at Spring Valley High School.  Families are invited to come learn about the many Magnet programs and schools in the district. Representatives from each program will be on-hand to chat with parents as well as provide program descriptions, orientation schedules and important dates.

The Fair will be open to parents and students according to grade levels of interest as follows: 

• Elementary School: 5:45 – 6:30 p.m.

• Middle School: 6:15 – 7 p.m.

• High School: 7 – 8 p.m.

Modifications have been made to Magnet programs at two high schools. Scholars Academy at Ridge View High School is now The Scholars Academy for Business and Law. Scholars Academy is an energetic learning community of highly-motivated students committed to achieving the goals of a challenging academic curriculum.  It is the only high school magnet with a focus on business and law issues and concepts. At Richland Northeast High School, the iMedia Magnet is being renamed Cav-Plex – Convergence Media. The focus is communication and technology, including scholastic journalism. 

Richland Two offers 36 Magnet programs. Available slots for Magnet programs vary based on each program. Informational sessions on all Magnet programs will be held in January.  A schedule of the meetings, information about each school and Magnet program and a link to district’s YouTube page where visitors can watch commercials about each program are available on the district’s website at www.richland2.org.

Expanded Choice:

The Richland Two Choice Program also includes Expanded Choice. Students are traditionally assigned to schools based on their residential address. Expanded Choice offers parents and students residing in Richland Two the opportunity to apply to attend a school other than their residentially assigned school. Choice is only available to Richland Two residents.  The following four schools are closed to Expanded Choice: Bethel-Hanberry Elementary, Conder Elementary, Summit Parkway Middle and Blythewood High.

Each school open for Expanded Choice is allowed 20 transfer slots through the process.

The 20 slots may increase based on the number of students leaving that school through the Choice Program. Parents must provide transportation for students who choose programs that are not at their residentially assigned school.

To apply for Choice programs parents must complete an online application. Applications will be available on the district’s website beginning Jan. 4, and the deadline to apply is

January 22. Beginning in March, parents and students will be able to log back into their application account to see whether students have been accepted into the Choice Program.

For additional information on Magnet programs, contact Dawne Whitley at 738.3248 or on

Expanded Choice, contact Roger Wiley at 738.3265.

Schools will host information meetings throughout the month of January. See the schedule below. See a printable version here. 

Happy Thanksgiving

So much to see, so much to do! This weekend in our community.

Snowville at EdVenture,  Military Family Fun Fair & more. Follow our Community Events Pinterest board for a constantly changing list of what's going on in our community!

Looking for after school activities for your students?

Follow After School Activities, our newest Pinterest board! 

Watching you, watching me: Recently on R2TV

Watch the latest R2TV videos anytime on YouTube! Recent videos include the Nov. 10 School Board meeting, Food Truck Roadeo, holiday season tips for parents from Kay Barlow of the Midlands Eduation and Business Alliance MEBA, a fly thru animation of R2I2, student interpreter program, district employees pitching in at the Harvest Hope Foodbank and the 2015 United Way campaign recognition.

So much to see, so much to do! This weekend in our community.

Follow our Community Events Pinterest Board for a constantly changing list of what's going on in our community!

Culture of Excellence Award: Kendrick Chiles

L-R Dent Middle School Assistant Principal Tamala Ashford, R2 Superintendent Debbie Hamm, Kendrick Chiles and Marianne Preudhomme 

On the first day the 2015-2016 school year District Technology Support Technician Kendrick Chiles came to rescue of parent Marianne Preudhomme. As she was picking up her child at Blythewood Middle School, bystanders alerted Marianne that her car was rolling backwards in the carpool lane. Without hesitation, Kendrick asked her to throw him the keys, and he sprinted off after the car. He chased it down for nearly two blocks and was able to hop in and stop it as it approached a a curb and a post. His quick actions prevented a car accident and potential injury.

A Day in the Life of a Student Interpreter Recap

Denis Heidi Amanda Maria

By the middle of the first week of October, student interpreter Denis has given several tours to new students in Spanish, translated a parent letter and interpreted a phone conversation. Denis is one of 13 student interpreter who work at Richland Northeast and Spring Valley high schools, helping to bridge the language barrier between English and non-English-speakers. Nearly 8 percent of Richland Two's more than 27,000 students are Hispanic.

Denis didn't have access to an interpreter when she learned English in early elementary school in another state but wishes she had. She says the students and families she helps appreciate the effort.

"They feel more comfortable having someone who speaks their language, and it makes them open up to us more," she says.

Denis begins first period on Thursday, October 1, making runs for the Richland Northeast High Counseling Department. When she returns, Iris another interpreter, is on the phone with a parent. She lists the documents she will need to bring to the office to withdraw her son.

During the next period, senior, Heidi, spends some time interpreting for a student in class. The sophomore speaks very little English. Her teacher, Ms. Doyle says Heidi has been "an invaluable asset," to the student's improvement.

The English II class breaks into teams of two for a project. Following a list of questions on the whiteboard, students interview each other and then introduce their partner. Heidi kneels down next to the student's desk and speaks clearly into the student's ear. When it's time to present, the student gives her report in Spanish, and then Heidi translates. When she returns to the office, she immediately begins making phone calls scheduling appointments for families to pick up their Kajeet hotspot.

Later, she says she remembers what it was like to be surrounded by people speaking a language she didn't understand and is glad to be able to help students in that position now.

During lunch at Spring Valley High, district Hispanic Family Liaison Ron Huff conducts a training for the student interpreters. He encourages the group to practice shadowing, repeating speech verbatim in their target language, at least once every other day for 15 minutes. It's preparation for simultaneous interpretation, a highly specialized area of translations, which requires accurate and complete translation, orally and at the same rate of speech as the speaker, with only a few seconds of lag time. This is the goal for each of the interpreters. An upcoming assignment requires students to read and translate an article about shadowing.

The group runs through a scenario with various students playing the role of student, interpreter and non-English speaking school official. "You can look directly at her," Mr. Huff tells a student and then turns to the rest of the group. "Remember that you as the interpreter make the other person present in the conversation." Mr. Huff then demonstrates simultaneous interpretation. After, students note that it seemed to take less time and felt more like a real conversation.

During fifth period in the School Counseling Department, junior Maria starts to work on Mr. Huff's assignment. She grew up speaking both English and Spanish at home and dreaming of becoming an interpreter.

"Being bilingual, to me, is a gift. It doesn’t matter what language you may know. Wherever you go someone may not know English and may need an interpreter," she says. "I am glad to be a part of this program, and I hope to help many families this school year."

She and senior Amanda spend a portion of sixth period scheduling appointments for families to pick up their Kajeet hotspot. Amanda steps out to take a phone call on the Counseling line from parent looking for details about an upcoming event.

"I've been waiting for a program like this to start," Maria says. "When Ms. Ham told me about this, I was really excited because I knew I was going to be a part of it."

The girls discuss the test interpreters take to get certified. Amanda proudly shows off her certificate from LanguageLine Solutions, noting that she was just a few points from the professional level (5). To be eligible for the district student interpreters program, students must earn at least a 3 on the test. Five is the highest score. Amanda too has realized the benefit of being bilingual and hopes to use it to travel the world and learn about other cultures.

"I would also like to get my medical interpretation certificate next year with the goal of later obtaining the legal interpretation certification," says Amanda. She also studies French and plans to take up Mandarin in college.

Back in the Spring Valley Guidance conference room, the girls try simultaneous interpreting for the first time with Mr. Huff's guidance. After, he commends Maria for not getting flustered when she couldn't remember the translation of a particular word. "That's good. Because the other person is going to continue speaking, and you don't want to get stuck."

The student interpreters are one of six initiatives of Si Se Puede, an R2Innovates project whose mission is to extend efforts to equip staff and empower families, ensuring Latino student success. The name Si Se Puede translates to "Yes you can!" or "You can do it!​"

The other initiatives are:

• Welcome Wagon - training front office staff in creating an inclusive environment 
• Spanish for Educators - beginner and intermediate courses for teachers 
• Fiesta Conexiones! - fall party to connect parents with school, district and local resources 
• Latino Recruitment - seeking to hire a professional and support work staff that mirrors our community 
• Spanish R2 App 

Below is the translators' day in photos. Visit our A Day in the Life album on Flickr to see more!

Schools on two-hour delay beginning October 12

Beginning, Monday, Oct. 12, school will start on a two-hour delay. This delay will last at least

through the week. Three-year old half-day classes are canceled during this two-hour delay.


A two-hour delay means:
If your school normally starts at 8, it will now start at 10 a.m. Dismissal times remain the same.

Bus pick-up times are delayed at least by two hours. Due to the numerous road closures, multiple bus routes have been adjusted. Click here to access information on changes to bus routes.


There will be bus delays. Please be patient and safe. There will be congestion on roads due to multiple road closures. Remember, do not drive around or move any barricades. Families of car riders and student drivers, check your route to school by clicking on the links below to maps that show road closures.


Breakfast will be available and lunch will be served. For schools impacted by the boil-water advisory, bottled water will be provided.

If the two-hour delay creates a hardship for families, limited staff will be available so that schools can open their doors at the normal time.

Returning to a familiar routine after a natural disaster is important for our students. As always safety is our number one priority. Thank you for working with us as we strive to get our students back in school safely.

Frequently Asked Questions



Useful Info Resources



Time and location changes for bus routes
https://www.richland2.org/Departments/transportation/Pages/Routes.aspx



Richland County Road Status
https://mapsengine.google.com/09777640683063138757-06188793550136435775-4/mapview/?authuser=0



SCDOT Road Closures with Columbia Area Detours
http://scdot.maps.arcgis.com/apps/MapTools/index.html?appid=28f919f95d974bfd8f91cfed6102385a



SCDOT Storm Resources
http://www.scdot.org/getting/StormResources.aspx



Two-Hour Delay Start Times for Schools

Update on facilities, property, transportation routes and other issues in Richland School District Two as of Wednesday, Oct. 7, 2015

Since Monday, Richland Two Operations Department and school custodial staff have been checking buildings and campuses to assess damage from what is being reported as a 1,000-year rain storm. Overall, district building facilities fared very well. While there has been erosion on some athletic fields and water damage around facilities, only minor leaks have been found in a few rooms in a few buildings. Some cleanup was required where rain had blown in under doors.

Damage to district property includes:

Athletic facilities at Ridge View High School: Three washouts have occurred. The first two were discovered on Sunday. One encompasses a substantial area between an upper and lower practice field. The other is located in an area leading from the upper practice field down to the softball field. On Monday staff found a washout at the track on the upper competition field and beneath the visitor stands. This washout is located along the fence above the baseball field.

Both of these erosion sites are located between the upper and lower athletic fields. They are not near the school building and pose no threat to the structural integrity of the building.

Students and school staff will be kept away from the areas, which have been clearly marked off.

Operations staff met with a civil engineer and a contractor on Tuesday to assess the erosion damage. 

The civil engineer is now putting together the necessary plans and drawings in order for the contractor to make the required repairs.

Athletic facilities at Spring Valley High School: A sinkhole has developed on the service road leading down to the football field and water damage has occurred on a practice field.

Parking lot at Support Services: A sinkhole has developed in the parking lot at the Special Services Transportation Hub.

Transportation

There are many damaged roads in our district. Sinkholes and washouts continue to develop and the list of road closures changes frequently. Road closures will require substantial changes to bus routes as well as the routes used by our employees and parents who drive their children to school. District transportation staff members are checking routes to determine viable options for re-routing. Information will be communicated to parents if changes require adjustments to locations of bus stops.

Water and Power

At this time, all of our schools have power and running water, but the water is not drinkable as we are still under a boil-water advisory. Therefore, the district is securing bottle water for drinking if needed when we return to school.

Meals Provided Oct. 8 and Oct. 9

Richland School District Two Food Services, operated by Sodexo, will open sites to provide meals to Richland Two students while schools are closed because of the flooding in the Midlands area. This service is similar to the district’s summer feeding program.

Meals will be served from 8-9 a.m. and 11 a.m.-1 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 8, and Friday, Oct. 9, in the cafeterias at Bethel-Hanberry Elementary, Bridge Creek Elementary, Conder Elementary, Dent Middle, Forest Lake Elementary, Keels Elementary, Killian Elementary, Sandlapper Elementary, Summit Parkway Middle and Windsor Elementary. The sites were selected based on locations that students and their families could travel to safely either by walking or driving a short distance.

Families impacted by the flood will also be able to talk with district staff from Learning Support Services at these sites.

Make-up Days

The three inclement weather make-up days built in the school calendar include: Feb. 15; March 25; and April 29. At this point, we have not finalized plans for how those days will be used and how to make up additional days. We will be sure to keep students, parents and employees informed.

Questions

You can send questions to the district via our website at: https://www.richland2.org/Pages/contact.aspx

Richland Two offers free meals to students

Richland School District Two Food Services, operated by Sodexo, will open sites to

provide meals to Richland Two students while schools are closed because of the flooding in the Midlands area. This service is similar to the district’s summer feeding program.

Meals will be served from 8–9 a.m. and 11 a.m.–1 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 8, and Friday, Oct. 9, in the cafeterias at Bethel-Hanberry Elementary, Bridge Creek Elementary, Conder Elementary, Dent Middle, Forest Lake Elementary, Keels Elementary, Killian Elementary, Sandlapper Elementary, Summit Parkway Middle and Windsor Elementary. The sites were selected based on locations that students and their families could travel to safely either by walking or driving a short distance. As always, safety is our number one priority.

Families impacted by the flood will also be able to talk with district staff from Learning Support Services at these sites.

September 2015 Culture of Excellence Award winner Kendrick Chiles

L-R Dent Middle School Assistant Principal Tamala Ashford, R2 Superintendent Debbie Hamm, Kendrick Chiles and Marianne Preudhomme 

District Technology Support Technician Kendrick Chiles is the September 2015 Culture of Excellence Award winner.

On the first day of school (August 19, 2015) Chiles came to rescue of parent Marianne Preudhomme. As she was picking up her child at Blythewood Middle School, bystanders alerted Marianne that her car was rolling backwards in the carpool lane. Without hesitation, Kendrick asked her to throw him the keys, and he sprinted off after the car. He chased it down for nearly two blocks and was able to hop in and stop it as it approached a a curb and a post. His quick actions prevented a car accident and potential injury.

Winners receive a letter from the Superintendent, a plaque and are treated to a dinner for two at a restaurant of their choosing.

Do you know a Richland Two employee (required) who should receive this award? Download the form here!

A Day in the Life of 2015-2016 Richland Two Teacher of the Year Linda Whitcomb Recap

Richland Two 2015-2016 Teacher of the Year Linda Whitcomb loves a challenge. Four years ago and 16 years into her career in education, she was looking for something different. Then she saw a job opening at Muller Road Middle School.

"I had never come close to a paperless, iPad school," she said.

Four years later, Muller students now have Chromebooks and is no longer paperless, and Ms. Whitcomb is still finding new ways to engage her students. She uses Google Classroom to help students manage their assignments.

She begins Thursday, Sept. 3 with morning duty in the school's collaboration space. After the area clears out at the bell, she heads to her classroom to prepare for the day. As Muller Road's Spanish and World Cultures teacher Ms. Whitcomb switches between English, beginner and intermediate Spanish several times during the day.

Intro to Spanish, her first two classes of the day, is comprised of seventh graders. The students file in and begin working on the assignment shown on the tv. After practicing answering questions in Spanish like ¿Como te llames? they make flash cards to help learn simple phrases.

Ms. Whitcomb speaks very little English in her next class Spanish I. These eighth graders take heed to the sign on the door. Hable Inglés Aquí A Su Proprio Riesgo (translation: Speak English here at your own risk).

She spends the brief advisory period helping students get familiar with their Chromebooks and organized. This is also a time to check that students are properly using their agendas.

As she reviews the scores for the first test her sixth grade world cultures class took, she quickly makes some adjustments to her lesson plans. The grades suggest the students didn't grasp the content as well as she would have liked, and she provides more opportunities to improve their grades as well as practice their skills.

Ms. Whitcomb fell in love with Spanish as a student at Spring Valley High School. She quickly discovered she had a knack for it and enjoyed the challenge of reading in a different language. She attended Furman University on a softball scholarship. There, she discovered a love for Spanish literature, including poetry. She lived in Spain for a year as an AuP. When she returned to the U.S., she enrolled at Winthrop University to pursue her Masters of Arts and Teaching degree from Winthrop University. After years of experience coaching softball teams, Ms. Whitcomb had an epiphany.

"I realized coaching is teaching. I'm just managing a classroom and not a team."

Being selected as District Teacher of the Year came as a surprise to Ms. Whitcomb who said she is honored. Twenty years in and she's just as passionate about sharing her love of language with her students.

"What other class is there where the means by which you learn is also the information you're learning?"she asks

Each year she looks forward to giving students their first exposure to a new language. "I love inspiring them, working on the fundamentals and setting the stage for the rest of their Spanish careers in high school."

Below is Ms. Whitcomb's day in photos. Visit our A Day in the Life album on Flickr to see more!

School Day Success Starts the Night Before

Parents, put your students on the path to success during the school day, the night before! #SchoolEveryDay #AttendanceMatters

This week (9/14/15) on Flickr

Click the image to visit the Richland Two photostream on Flickr and see photos from Sodexo donation, Muller Road Middle school students get library cards, A Day in the Life of 2015-2016 R2 Teacher of the Year Linda Whitcomb, Richland Library partnership kickoff, Nerma meeting and more!

This Weekend in Our Community

So much to do, so much to see this weekend in our community. Are you following our Community Events Pinterest board? You should!

Click the image to visit our Community Events board.

Hispanic Heritage Month is September 15 - October 15

National Hispanic Heritage Month, September 15–October 15, honors the culture, traditions and extraordinary contributions of Americans who trace their roots to Spain, Mexico and the Spanish-speaking nations of Central America, South America and the Caribbean.

Hispanics are the largest minority group in the U.S. — 54 million strong today and a projected 128.8 million by 2060 — a figure that would represent nearly 1 in 3 Americans. Over two-thirds of today’s Hispanic Americans are of Mexican background. Puerto Rican, Salvadoran, Cuban and Dominican backgrounds also are well-represented. In Richland Two, 7.9 percent of our more than 27,000 students are Hispanic.

This month, consider taking some time to appreciate the rich heritage, culture and contributions of our Hispanic community.


Source: Read more about Hispanic Heritage Month at Share.America.gov

Ready, Set, Apply!

Throughout September-October, Richland Two high schools will host College Application Day events to assist students with the college application process. The goal of College Application Month is to provide a forum for all South Carolina seniors to complete and file college applications.

Parents make sure your students know the dates of events at their schools:

Richland Northeast - Sept. 29
Blythewood - Oct. 1
Spring Valley - Oct. 1
Ridge View - Oct. 5
Westwood - Oct. 6

The College Application Month Initiative comes at a critical time in our state’s history. Overwhelming evidence reveals that higher levels of education lead to greater prosperity and competitiveness in the knowledge economy. However, South Carolina is well short of the national average and behind the national leaders in the proportion of adults who hold graduate/professional and baccalaureate degrees. College Application Month is designed to expand statewide college access and awareness.

Source: Learn more at SCCANGO.ORG

Build the Habit of Good Attendance!

Your child’s attendance is critical to his or her success. Good attendance is a habit that children need to learn early. Attendance is related to a child’s ability to be successful in all areas of school: academics, behavioral and social. Any time a child misses a day of school, it is a missed opportunity to learn. Regardless of the reason a child is out of school, they are missing instruction.

Research has shown chronic absenteeism can have a negative impact on a student’s ability to be successful. Chronic absenteeism is defined as missing 10 percent of school days.

Take a few moments to get familiar with Richland Two's Attendance Policy (Política de Asistencia de Distrito Escolar Richland Dos)? Do you know what time your student will be marked tardy? Here's a list of start and stop times for all schools.

Poor attendance can have a serious impact on your child.

• Students who miss more preschool end the year with lower skills; this relationship is strongest for students with low incoming skills. Read more about this and other tips for preschool parents.

• Did you know that attending school regularly helps children feel better about school—and themselves? Read more about this and other tips for elementary school parents.
• By sixth grade, absenteeism is one of the big three signs that student may drop out of high school? Read more about this and other tips for middle school parents.
• Stay on top of your child’s social contacts. Peer pressure can lead to skipping school, while students without many friends can feel isolated. Read more about this and other tips for high school parents.

Step-Up-To-Sixth, Fresh Start to Help Students Transition to Middle, High School

Sixth-graders and high school freshman will get a sneak peak at their campuses on August 18. From 9 a.m. to noon, all seven Richland School District Two middle schools will hold a Step-Up-to-Sixth, to help smooth the transition from elementary to middle school for incoming sixth graders. This is the second year of Step-Up to Sixth, which allows time for students to acclimate to the middle school environment, meet the staff, tour the campus, and learn about clubs and programs offered.

On the same day, the district’s five high schools will again host Fresh Start a similar program for incoming freshmen from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.


Contact your child's school for more details.

The first day of school is around the corner!

The first day of school in Richland Two is Wednesday, August 19.

New Community Events pins!

We're adding new pins to our Community Events Pinterest board weekly!

Click the image or the link to see more!

New posts on the Back to School Pinterest board

Have you visited our Back to School Pinterest board recently? Get the dates and times of B2S events, get school supply lists, tips for transitioning back into the school year flow and more!

We just added new pins. #TeamTwoGameOn

Click the link or the board to visit!

Step-Up-To-Sixth, Fresh Start to Help Students Transition to Middle, High School

Sixth-graders and high school freshman will get a sneak peak at their campuses on August 18. From 9 a.m. to noon, all seven Richland School District Two middle schools will hold a Step-Up-to-Sixth, to help smooth the transition from elementary to middle school for incoming sixth graders. This is the second year of Step-Up to Sixth, which allows time for students to acclimate to the middle school environment, meet the staff, tour the campus, and learn about clubs and programs offered.

On the same day, the district’s five high schools will again host Fresh Start a similar program for incoming freshmen from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.


Contact your child's school for more details.

Supply Drives Saturday and Sunday to Benefit Richland Two

While you're out taking advantage of South Carolina's Tax Free Weekend, pick up an extra pack of pencils and paper and drop it at one of the events this weekend. The drives will help equip Richland Two students for the 2015-16 school year. The first day of school is Wednesday, August 19. 

See more Back to School events happening this weekend on our B2S Pinterest board!

The 2015-2016 Back to School Handbook

Parents, students please take a few minutes and review the 2015-2016 Richland Two Student Handbook. In it you will find helpful information including district policies for student technology usage, dress code, attendance, meal information, student safety and much more. Click the image of the handbook above to read it now or download for later!  

Step-Up-to-Sixth and Fresh Start help students get jump start on middle, high school

Sixth-graders and high school freshman will get a sneak peak at their campuses on August 18. From 9 a.m. to noon, all seven Richland School District Two middle schools will hold a Step-Up-to-Sixth, to help smooth the transition from elementary to middle school for incoming sixth graders. This is the second year of Step-Up to Sixth, which allows time for students to acclimate to the middle school environment, meet the staff, tour the campus, and learn about clubs and programs offered.

On the same day, the district’s five high schools will again host Fresh Start a similar program for incoming freshmen from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Contact your child's school for more details.

Meet Teachers, Tour Schools and Pick Up Schedules at Back to School Events!

School Supply Drives Saturday and Sunday to Benefit Richland Two

While you're out taking advantage of South Carolina's Tax Free Weekend, pick up an extra pack of pencils and paper and drop it at one of the events this weekend. The drives will help equip Richland Two students for the 2015-16 school year. The first day of school is Wednesday, August 19. 

See more Back to School events happening this weekend on our B2S Pinterest board!

Back to School Countdown!

The first day of school in Richland Two is Wednesday, August 19.

Visit our Back to School Pinterest Board for everything you need to get off to great start to the 2015-2016 school year. New pins added regularly. 

New Pinterest Board

Check out our new Back to School Pinterest board for supply lists, Alive @ 25 class info, back to school events, calendars and more!

Back to School Countdown!

The first day of school in Richland Two is Wednesday, August 19.

Visit our Back to School Pinterest Board for everything you need to get off to great start to the 2015-2016 school year. New pins added regularly. 

Happy Fourth of July!

Last day to Accept/Decline Choice 2 offers!

The Choice Application is open for families to accept or decline offers through Wednesday. Please log back into the system using the email address and password you used during the registration process. If you do not remember your password, please use the Retrieve Password option located on the menu. If you still cannot gain access to the system, please contact the Academics or Registrars Planning office for assistance.

Remember you must log back into your account between 9 a.m. on Monday, June 22 and 5 p.m. on Wednesday, June 24  to check the status of your application and accept or decline any programs which accepted you. Students will not be considered as attending the program without acceptance. Your status will be visible next to the list of applications that you selected for consideration. This status will reflect what programs, if any, have accepted you.

Students must acknowledge their acceptance no later than 5 p.m. TODAY!

Accept or Decline Choice 2 Offers through Wednesday

The Choice application is open for families to accept or decline offers through Wednesday. Please log back into the system using the email address and password you used during the registration process. If you do not remember your password, please use the Retrieve Password option located on the menu. If you still cannot gain access to the system, please contact the Academics or Registrars Planning office for assistance.

Remember you must log back into your account between 9 a.m. on Monday, June 22 and 5 p.m. on Wednesday, June 24  to check the status of your application and accept or decline any programs which accepted you. Students will not be considered as attending the program without acceptance. Your status will be visible next to the list of applications that you selected for consideration. This status will reflect what programs, if any, have accepted you.

Students must acknowledge their acceptance no later than 5 p.m. on Wednesday, June 24, 2015.

Accept or Decline Choice 2 Offers today through Wednesday

The Choice application will re-open again at TODAY at 9 a.m. Please log back into the system using the email address and password you used during the registration process. If you do not remember your password, please use the Retrieve Password option located on the menu. If you still cannot gain access to the system, please contact the Academics or Registrars Planning office for assistance.

Remember you must log back into your account between 9 a.m. on Monday, June 22 and 5 p.m. on Wednesday, June 24  to check the status of your application and accept or decline any programs which accepted you. Students will not be considered as attending the program without acceptance. Your status will be visible next to the list of applications that you selected for consideration. This status will reflect what programs, if any, have accepted you.

Students must acknowledge their acceptance no later than 5 p.m. on Wednesday, June 24.

Looking for Father's Day gift ideas?

Father's Day is Sunday! Visit our Fun Times with the Kiddos Pinterest board for DIY gift ideas!

"Fathers are the most ordinary men who are turned by love into the biggest hero, adventurer, story teller and singer of songs."

Choice 2 Accept/Decline period begins Monday

The Choice Application will re-open again at 9 a.m. on Monday, June 22, 2015. Please log back into the system using the email address and password you used during the registration process. If you do not remember your password, please use the Retrieve Password option located on the menu. If you still cannot gain access to the system, please contact the Academics or Registrars Planning office for assistance.

Remember you must log back into your account between 9 a.m. on Monday, June 22 and 5 p.m. on Wednesday, June 24  to check the status of your application and accept or decline any programs which accepted you. Students will not be considered as attending the program without acceptance. Your status will be visible next to the list of applications that you selected for consideration. This status will reflect what programs, if any, have accepted you.

Students must acknowledge their acceptance no later than 5 p.m. on  Wednesday, June 24, 2015.

Reminder: District Summer Hours

Richland Two schools, centers and administrative offices are again operating on a four‐day work week this summer.

During this period, schools, centers and administrative offices will be open to the public from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Thursday. 

The district will also close on July 2, in observance of the July 4 holiday. We will return to a five-day schedule on Monday, August 3, 2015.

Looking for Summer Camps?

Summer (and its famous heat) is officially here! It's not too late to find the perfect summer camp for your child. Check out our Summer Camps Pinterest board. New pins added weekly!

Summer Mission: have fun and stay cool!

Browse our Fun Times with the Kiddos Pinterest board for ideas. New pins added weekly!

High school graduation photos are on Flickr!

Richland Two seniors graduated June 2-3, 2015 at the Colonial Life Arena. Photos from all five high school graduations are in the district's Flickr album 2015 High School Graduation as well as the school albums. Click the photo above to see photos and video. We may have even snapped one of you!

Watch high school graduations on demand!

Whether you missed graduation or just want to relive the magic again, click on the photo to visit our livestream page!

Summer has officially started for R2 students! Looking for summer camps?

New camps are added daily to our Summer Camps Pinterest board. Click the blue text or photo above to check it out!

Transportation Job Fair June 9 noon - 4 p.m.

This week (5/25/15) on YouTube!

Click the photo above to visit our YouTube page and watch the following videos: Round Top Elementary State Archive and Attorney General Visit, Coloring Out Cancer, Ridge View High School 20 Time, Board of Trustees Meeting Held on May 26, 2015 at Polo Road Elementary and Ridge View High School Blazerfest.