Also, mark your calendars for October 1st!  This is this year’s date for the Riley Ice Cream Social to be held from 5:00 to 7:00PM.  Be sure to cast your vote for the name of the site!    The inclement weather location will be the new Education and Administration Center.

The Riley Neighborhood Organization is excited to announce a new education program starting June 10th at the Riley/Rohrabaugh park site.  Picnic under the Poplars is a weekly summer event celebrating reading and James Whitcomb Riley on Fridays at 6:ooPM.  Kick off your weekend with a cool treat and summer breeze while enjoying stories and poems read by guest community members!  Each session will include the reading of an early childhood book, a J. W. Riley poem, a Pillars of Character book and a special selection by our featured reader.  Mark your calendars for June 10th and bring a blanket to join us under the poplars!

Sense of Community is one of the core values of RNO.  RNO felt that, if possible, they needed to take an active role in supporting the schools where the children in their neighborhood attended.  It was also discussed that with the networking the Organization has with neighbors and community members that the area of parental and community involvement could be strengthened as well.  In order to strengthen involvement it was determined that there needed to be a reason for parents and community members to go to the school.

The Market Day monthly grocery fund raising program came along as a viable option to increase parental and community involvement.   Each month families and community members can order  grocery products through the company which are picked up at the school.  While providing families and community members with another option for their monthly grocery budget, it also helps the schools to fund projects that might not otherwise be funded.  Ultimately, what the program accomplishes for the school is having parents and community members enter the door of the school.

Research has shown that parent’s involvement is a factor in a child’s success in school.  The community also plays an important role in the school as well.  When the community, schools and families partner together, good things happen.  The community member that picks up an order might see something on a bulletin board or strike up a conversation with a teacher or staff member who is helping and decide they want to be an active part of the school.  The parent who has only been to school once or twice has a positive interaction with a parent who is assisting and decides they want to help too.   The teacher who is helping sees one of her students with his father and strikes up an informal conversation and an important connection is made.  Small steps they might be, but steps none the less that lead to greater involvement in our schools as RNO hopes will be the case.

RNO will providing the volunteers for the program.  RNO volunteers will be staffing the pick-up days, entering in orders and coordinating aspects of the program with each school’s PTA/PTSO or Volunteer Coordinator.   Two pick-ups sites will be available for the city of Frankfort – one at Blue Ridge Elementary and the other at Suncrest Elementary.  The first pick-up benefiting Suncrest Elementary and Frankfort Middle School is scheduled for September 9^th.  Order need to be completed by September 4^th.  Blue Ridge Elementary, Green Meadows Intermediate, and Clinton County Head Start will have their first pick-up day on September 21^st with orders needing to be submitted by September 17^th.  More information along with a link to order can be found at http://rileyneighbors.wordpress.com/.    Order forms can also be found at any of the participating school offices.   Program allows for orders to be sent in and not paid for until pick-up.  This is also true for on-line ordering at www.marketday.com , however; on-line orders can be paid for at the time of the on-line order.   At the pick-up cash, EBT/Hoosier Work cards and checks are accepted.  RNO looks forward to the benefits of collaborating with the schools!

You do not have to be a parent with a child in school!  Anyone is able to order Market Day products!  Mention this blog entry at pick-up and receive $2.00 off a $20.00 order!

Should you have any questions or desire more information, please do not hesitate to contact us at:  rileyneighbors@att.net.

RNO May 2010 Newsletter

That being said, the Town Hall meetings being held by Frankfort’s new Superintendent, Dr. Les Bivens, include you!!  YOU are a stakeholder in our children’s future.  RNO encourages any neighbor or community member to attend one of the Town Hall meetings.  These meeting serve as a chance to hear concerns or praises.  Perhaps though, it is these meetings that tell our new-to-town educator  how important our children are to us and our community.  So, take an hour of your time and attend one of the following meetings:

Green Meadows Intermediate, Monday, February 22, 2010 7-9PM

Blue Ridge Elementary, Tuesday, March 2, 2010

Frankfort Middle School, Wednesday, March 3, 2010

Additional information regarding the next meeting at Green Meadows can be found at the web page of Community Schools of Frankfort under Dr. Biven’s Blog on the home page.

April 14, 2010 – Annual Membership Meeting 7:00PM – Frankfort Library

May 12, 2010 – Board Meeting 7:00PM – Frankfort Library

June 9, 2010 – General Meeting 7:00PM – Frankfort Library

July 14, 2010- Board Meeting 7:00PM – Frankfort Library

July 30 and 31, 2010 – HOT DOG Festival

August 11, 2010 – General Meeting 7:00PM – Frankfort Library

September 8, 2010- Board Meeting 7:00PM – Frankfort Library

September 18, 2010- Riley Neighborhood Ice Cream Social

Mark your calendars!!  Please know that anyone is invited to attend a meeting that is scheduled as a Board Meeting!  Also, if you have a concern or item that you would like to be discussed -  let us know and we will put something in the agenda for discussion.  Our organization has been set up to serve our neighborhood and community – you do have a voice.