Frequently Asked Questions about RHS from Parents

• Chromebooks: Students must bring their fully charged Chromebook to school every day.

• Bus Tracking: Use the FirstView 1.0 app. You’ll need the District Code and your child’s student number (found in PowerSchool via browser, not the PS app).

• Cell Phones: Students will not have access to their cell phones during academic time. Any important messages for your child should be routed through the main office if you need to reach your child immediately.

• Visitors: All visitors must schedule an appointment in advance to step on campus during school hours. Security at the Rte 116 Welcome Booth will confirm with the main security desk before allowing entry. Remember to bring your ID. 

• Handbook: See the Student Handbook for detailed policies and resources.

• PTSA Updates: Sign up for the PTSA TigerLink eblast for weekly news and events.

   

Each day starts with a Flex period from 7:25 am - 7:50 am.  This period will allow for weekly Advisory lessons, intervention, remediation, enrichment, and extension.  The addition of a Flex period continues the RHS commitment as a school community to provide all students the ability to form strong relationships with our faculty, provide equitable access to resources for all learners, and be immediately responsive to our students’ needs.  

The first day of each week begins with a Flex Advisory meeting. Faculty advisors will administer structured Advisory lessons as well as connect individually with students to reflect on their academics and help schedule the remainder of the Flex periods for the week.  Students can schedule themselves into Flex sessions that best meet their needs. Students also can alter the sessions they scheduled themselves into, however, they are asked to contact the instructor if making changes. Teachers also can schedule students into flex sessions; these cannot be changed by the student. Once scheduled, parents and students can view the FLEX schedule in the "Adaptive Scheduler" link in the PowerSchool Portal. All RHS attendance policies apply to Advisory and scheduled Flex sessions. 

Failure to regularly attend FLEX may result in consequences aligned with the RHS attendance procedures.Students that accrue more than ten “NS” (not scheduled) records during a single quarter:

•  Will be required to meet with their grade level dean, administrator, and counselor to plan for effective use of the FLEX period and discuss potential consequences.
•  May lose privileges, for example, Open Campus, Parking, eligibility for National Honor Society.
  
  Updated Flex Presentation

RPS uses MySchoolBucks, which you can find in PowerSchool. You can not only add money to your child's account, but you can also see all the transactions. You may also send in a check (made to Ridgefield School Lunch) or cash to be given to the cafeteria staff, which will be added to the account. 

Applications for FRL, menus, prices can  be found on: Food Service. 

Cell phone use is strictly prohibited in the classroom without explicit teacher permission. Teachers have added cell phone guidelines to their respective course syllabi, and teachers require students to place cell phones in holders or out of sight for the duration of a class. Cell phone infractions are reported to the Deans for appropriate consequences. 

Privately-owned technical device* use is strictly prohibited during instructional periods unless the teacher gives explicit permission for such use. Students who bring privately owned technological devices to school must ensure that such devices are turned off and kept out of sight during instructional periods. Students will be separated from their privately owned technological devices during instructional time unless otherwise directed by the teacher.

Exceptions

If a student has needs that require the use of a privately owned technological device during instructional time, the principal or designee may accommodate those needs as outlined in an Individualized Education Plan or 504 Accommodation Plan. Exceptions to this policy may also be made for emergency circumstances.

Additionally, a student's privately owned technological device may be searched if the device is on Board property or in a student's possession at a school-sponsored activity, in accordance with the applicable Board policy for search and seizure.

*privately owned desktop computers, personal computing devices, cellular phones, smartphones, smartwatches, network access devices, tablets, laptops, personal gaming systems, Bluetooth speakers, e-readers, and other electronic signaling devices

Every day extra help in Math and Science is offered by Mr. Arcieri (Senior) and RHS teachers in A327. Mr. Arcieri is available during free blocks or study halls. Drop-in support for English and History is also available in C207 during lunch waves with Mr. Munson.  

National Honor Society students are available for peer tutoring in many subjects. More information regarding availability and sign-up procedures is available in the RHS LLC.

Students may also receive tutoring by appointment during free periods subject to teacher availability. They can schedule time during the Flex period in the mornings for extra assistance from their classroom teachers.

In an effort to run an efficient transportation system, for students who drive or whose parents drive them to/from school, you will now be able to opt-out of bus transportation. You will be able to opt back in if circumstances change. 

You can find the opt-out selection in the Handbook section of Power School. 

FirstView 1.0 is the new app from FirstStudent, available on the app stores, which will allow parents and students to track their bus in real-time. It can be set up to notify when the bus is a chosen distance away. It can be set up for multiple students.   

https://firststudentinc.com/innovation/firstview/

The District Code can be found on the Transportation page in PowerSchool. 
And your child's Student ID can be found on the Demographic Info page in PowerSchool.

Late buses leave from the RHS Community Entrance at 4:30 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. Monday – Friday. There are 2 buses each at 4:30 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. One bus will go to the north end of town, and one will go to the south end. Please be sure to ask the driver which direction the bus is headed. On early dismissal days, there is one "late bus" at 2:00 p.m.

The routes and stops are not fixed - they vary each day depending on the number of students on the bus and where they live. Students should go to the Community Entrance (see below) before departure time if they want to ride one of the buses.

To go into town at RHS dismissal for work or play, your child can hop on Shuttle #29. No pass or advanced notice is required.  It stops along Danbury Road and Main Street, Ridgefield.  This is a separate bus without regular student stops.

Bookmark the SLO Page for information on many school programs including:

• daily announcements
• yearbook information
  student parking
• senior year events

Call the attendance office (203-894-5750) in the morning and let them know what time you will be picking up your child and whether/when you will be bringing them back. Your child will stop by the attendance office window and sign out and collect the pass. Your child must bring back a note from the doctor’s office in order for the absence to be excused. Pick up your child at the Flagpole Entrance (see below) - you do not need to come into the building. Your child’s pass will also be shown to the security guard at the RHS/SRMS entrance on 116 as you depart.

RHS has added an online attendance reporting tool to PowerSchool. If you use the online attendance tool, you do not need to call the attendance line. 

• From the parent portal, select Attendance Monitor from the left navigation menu.
• Then click the Report New Attendance button.
• Enter the Absence Date (leaving the second date blank to report for one day only).
• Select from the What is the reason for the absence drop-down.

For Full-Day Absences ONLY:

• Select Yes in the Is this absence for the whole day drop-down.

For Early Dismissal, Late Arrival, or Partial Day Absences:

• You will be prompted to enter the Time Range of the absence.

• Select No in the Is this absence for the whole day drop-down.

• Enter an explanation in the Explanation text box. Note: This explanation is viewable to teachers as well as the attendance office. 
• Click Submit.

RHS uses digital tickets for all sporting events. Students and parents can purchase single game tickets on the Athletics Web Site or directly from the Ridgefield High GoFan page and can show their digital ticket at the entry gate.

The Fall Season RHS Sports Pass is only available to students. This pass gives them access to all regular season competitions held at Tiger Hollow this fall without the need to pay the entrance fee. Ordinarily, RHS students would pay $6 to attend each football, boys/girls soccer, or field hockey game during the fall, so the pass has a value of over $175. So if your child attends a few events, the $30 Fall Student Sports Pass is worth it. Children aged 10 and under or who wear their youth club jersey are free at football and basketball games on designated Youth Night games held at RHS.

RHS charges gate fees for the following home games:


Fall – Football, Boys/Girls Soccer, Field Hockey

Winter – Boys/Girls Basketball, Boys/Girls Ice Hockey (rink charges admission)

Spring – Boys/Girls Lacrosse 


Fall Season Passes cannot be used for any FCIAC/CIAC tournament games. RHS is not planning on offering a pass for adults at this time.

The 2024-25 yearbook is now on sale, and can be purchased through https://prod.yboc.varsity.com/. Our school code is 14197. Yearbooks are $100 each ($95 plus a $4.99 Varsity Yearbooks processing fee) until November 15, and then $110 from November 16th through April or when they sell out, whichever comes first.

Additionally, senior parents can buy ad space on this website if desired. Ads come in various sizes and price points, and space is limited.

All LLC student obligations (books and Chromebooks) are paid through the MySchoolBucks, which can be found in the PowerSchool Parent Portal. The library does not take cash for fines. All fines must be paid to buy tickets for dances, proms, and most Senior Year events. Email reminders will be sent periodically to the student and the primary parent (as identified in PowerSchool).

RPS provides a Chromebook for all students in grades 9-12. High school students have the option to bring their own device (BYOD) for use during open time. However, all high school students are required to bring their fully charged, district-issued, Chromebook to school every day.

The district devices will be used for in class assignments and assessments. Students are allowed one free Chromebook replacement a year if they should accidentally damage it. If it is found that the student intentionally damaged their device they will incur a fee for a full replacement.

Loaner Chromebooks: The LLC has a limited emergency supply of Loaner Chromebooks that students can check out if they forget to bring their assigned Chromebook. In order to check out any Chromebook, per district policy, students MUST present their ID (or a clear photo of their ID on their phone) to scan.

Damaged Chromebooks: If a Chromebook is not working properly, please bring it to the LLC to swap. Fees may apply; see Handbook. 

The LLC is open Monday – Friday from 7am - 3pm. Databases and many other resources are available 24x7 on the LLC website. Students must scan their IDs when entering the LLC. Additionally, student IDs are required for checking out resources (books, Chromebooks, etc.).

• Snow/Storm Day - The letter day is skipped. Whenever students return to school, it will be the originally-assigned letter day for that date. For example, Monday is an A Day. It snows overnight, and school is cancelled on Tuesday (B Day). When school resumes on Wednesday, it will be an A Day.
• Delayed Opening (2 hour or 3 hour) - The previously-assigned letter day remains, and all classes for that day are held in the usual rotation for a shortened period. Lunch is served.
• Emergency Early Dismissal (announced prior to the start of school but not on calendar)/Professional Development Planned Early Dismissal - The previously-assigned letter day remains, and all classes for that day are held in the usual rotation for a shortened period. Lunch is not served.
• Holiday Planned Early Dismissal (such as day before Thanksgiving day) - No letter is assigned to this day on the calendar. Every section meets for a shortened period. Lunch is not served.
• Emergency Dismissal (power outage, water main breaks, etc.) - The previously-assigned letter day remains. The number and length of periods will depend on the nature and timing of the emergency necessitating the dismissal. In some instances, a limited number of full-length classes may be held; in some instances, shortened classes may be held; in other instances, the students may be required to remain in whatever class they are in at the time the dismissal is called. RHS usually sends an email and phone announcement of the plan.

Dropping off in the morning? Use the Main Entrance (aka - "Flagpole Entrance").

Picking up at the end of the day? Make your life easy and pick up after buses at 2:30pm or use the Promenade Entrance before 2:30pm:

The Gym Entrance is also known as the "Community Entrance" or the “Tiger Entrance”: