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The Ridge Wood Rockets blasted off August 24, 2003 with the dedication of Northville’s newest elementary school. The building opened its doors August 25 to 467 kindergarten through fifth grade students. The mission of Ridge Wood is to “create a dynamic environment where everyone respects the unique personalities, beliefs, and needs of others, and students become confident, active participants in their learning. Through our collaborative efforts all students will acquire and use the knowledge, skills and behaviors necessary to meet the challenges of today and tomorrow.”
Ridge Wood’s vision, which guides the school improvement process, centers on the development of a Professional Learning Community in which staff:
• Unite to achieve a common purpose and clear goals
• Work together in collaborative teams
• Research and implement “best practice” teaching strategies for improving student achievement on a continuing basis
• Utilize student assessments to inform instruction
• Demonstrate a personal commitment to the development of life long learners.
In its inaugural year, Ridge Wood celebrated many “firsts” from the first day of school where all students gathered in the gym for an opening ceremony (many wore their school colors of red, white and blue) to the last day of school where a time capsule was sealed containing items from each grade level. The contents included children’s books, a Ridge Wood fifth grade T-shirt, a yearbook, a Michigan quarter, a cell phone and much more.
The time capsule, a box created by The Sawmill of Northville, is on display in the school’s media center. It will be opened when last year’s kindergartners are seniors in high school.
Much effort was made prior to the opening of Ridge Wood to help students transition to the new school. Principal Nancy Raynes scheduled several “meet and greets” with students and parents, organized a school assembly at Northville High School where students had an opportunity to select school colors and a mascot, and planned a school picnic in August which brought together the Ridge Wood community prior to the dedication and opening of school.
Fifth graders helped set the tone of the school by writing a school pledge. It reads:
As a Ridge Wood rocket,
I promise to do my best,
Show compassion,
Keep a positive attitude,
Be respectful and responsible
In every way.
Go Rockets!
Parents were invaluable partners during the school’s first year of operation. A new PTA was chartered to provide an integral link between home and school. The PTA’s efforts included organizing an indoor winter recess program, helping classrooms build literacy collections through moneys raised from the Box Tops and Market Day programs, providing programs through the Junior Enrichment Series, and organizing a sock hop, field day and the Ridge Wood Rocket Rumba.
Some 45 parent volunteers also helped with Motor Moms and Dads, a program which helps lower elementary students hone their gross motor skills. Attendance at parent-teacher conferences was 100 percent.
Ridge Wood’s enrollment increased to 492 kindergarten through fifth grade students by the end of the 2003-2004 school year. Enrollment is expected to exceed 600 in the fall of 2004. A six-classroom addition is currently under construction to help accommodate future enrollment growth. Ridge Wood’s 53 staff members include classroom teachers, special area teachers for media, art, foreign language and physical education, professional support staff including a learning consultant, resource room and instructional support teacher, speech and language teacher and support personnel for students with special needs.
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