Hello RJR Family!
Please join us in sharing our Demon Pride as we say CONGRATULATIONS and WAY TO GO! to these outstanding Reynolds athletes:
- Men’s Cross Country won the Conference Championship! Not the first time in history, but it is the first time since Mt.Tabor joined the conference. They are off to regionals on October 26th!
- The doubles team of Jana Klages-Miller and Christina Woodard won the 4A Regional Tennis Championship! It’s the sixth year in a row that an RJR tennis player and/or doubles team have been regional champs!
- The RJR Field Hockey team finished UNDEFEATED in the conference to become the regular season conference champion! They will now compete in the play-offs starting October 28th – 30th!
We’d also like to congratulate and thank our Legacy Campaign donors thus far. We are off to an AMAZING start, but we need more donors to reach our goal! We often assume that everyone knows all about the Legacy Campaign, but here’s a little education, just in case you don’t.
The Legacy Campaign is the primary source of funding for both the PTSA and Booster Club, supporting academics, athletics and the arts across our school. Legacy donations fund our Homecoming Tailgate, buildings and ground beautification, Open House, Reynolds Revue, teacher appreciation and scholarships. In addition, 87% of our Legacy Campaign goal is budgeted in gifts to the school and Booster Club to meet needs not addressed by school system funding.
The Booster Club considers funding requests and athletic needs submitted by our coaches and athletic director. Legacy dollars help fund uniforms, practice field rental and maintenance, equipment and the All-Sports Celebration.
The gift to the school supports school-wide professional performances as part of our arts magnet program and media center purchases, while 80% of the gift is earmarked for instructional support and special projects. This pool of money is managed by the School Improvement Team (SIT) comprised of teachers, administrators, support staff and parents and funds items such as classroom supplies, cameras, software, calculators and much, much more. You can see a summary of our most recent SIT distributions in the Legacy Campaign update later in this newsletter.
As Legacy chairmen two years ago, we witnessed your gifts in action and can wholeheartedly say that your gift makes a difference and every gift counts, so please consider a Legacy contribution today!
Lisa and Greg Carter
On Thursday, October 17th, Fleet Feet Sports sponsored a community “Doughnut Fun Run” to promote the upcoming Matt Gfeller Doughnut Run. Despite rainy skies, 155 runners participated in the race, and more than 30 RJR student and family volunteers pitched in to help make the evening a success. Our students’ involvement in community events is a great source of pride; these young people reflect the best RJR has to offer! Thanks to the following service clubs and individuals for helping out: Katherine Kaplan and Christina Woodard (Girl’s Council), William Morgan (Key Club), Mimi Borrick, Jane Cleland, Caitlin Moffatt, Lydia Odom and Hannah Rowe (RGC), Claire Beeson, Sophie Elliot, Hannah Hall, Taylor Kearney, Kylie Ogburn, Aubrey Patti, Charlotte Ririe, Anne Satterwhite, Erin Scanlon, Kaitie Shuping and Carson Tuttle (SGSC).
The fifth annual Matt Gfeller Memorial Doughnut Run will take place on Saturday, November 16th, and we encourage everyone to participate in this meaningful and fun event. Register to run or join the crowd of cheering onlookers! It’s sure to be an unforgettable experience.
We’d also like to thank the handful of volunteers who served as proctors during the PSAT and PLAN testing days. Caroline Cochrane, Shunda Gamble, Ashby Hopkins, Mickey Kangur and Margaret Wray answered this call to help. Their presence was absolutely critical and much appreciated!
Serving as a proctor is a low-pressure and very easy way to get involved at RJR. The need is great and faculty gratitude is immediate and heartfelt! Please consider offering assistance during future testing. Simply email Jeanne Brooker at and add your name to her list of potential proctors.
The School Improvement Team met on Wednesday, October 16th and thanks to YOUR generous donations, we were able to fulfill the many requests ofteachers and administrators for instructional and classroom supplies. Please see what we were able to purchase:
IXL Computer Resource - EC / Cymbals - Arts / Chemicals & Supplies - ScienceCalculators and 240fps camera for Science classes / Fetal Pigs and EKG Sensors for Science classes / External DVD drive and DVD’s for History classes
25 Calculators – CTE / Finale & Microphone - Arts / Moodle Server – various classes
Ballet Barre - Arts / Whiteboard Materials - Math / Backpack Leaf Blowers – Admin.
Portable Sink Rm. 602 - Arts / Document Camera / Novels/Book Sets –English class
Projector, 2 Doc Cams, 2 Speakers – PE classes / Magazines & Drawing Boards for CTE classroom / AP French Books Class Set for Foreign Language classes
Wireless Head Set for Phone –Student Services/Guidance / Student of the Week Gift Cards - Qdoba / Subscription to WS Journal –English classes
We are thrilled to report that Legacy donationsnow total$86,053.02from211donors!!
If youhaven’t contributedto the Legacy Campaign, it’s not
too late! We need your help to reach our goal of $110,000.00!
Please go to anddonatethrough PayPal.We are confident we can reach our goal but we need your help!
Please contact us atwith any Legacy questions.
Thank you so much for all your support!
Megan and Rick Erickson
Legacy Chairs
THANK YOU CORPORATE LEGACY GAME SPONSORS!
10/28Alabama11:30 a.m.
Photographs taken at the Homecoming pep rally, football game, as well as formals of our Homecoming Court are now available online at These images are available for purchase online at reasonable prices starting at only $1!
This is a fundraiser forour Photography class. Photos will be mailed directly to your home. If this is supported by our community, the site will capture future events such as Prom, drama productions and others.
Hospitality needs your Halloween candy! Drop off your extra/leftover candy anytime through November 3 at 833 Oaklawn Ave. Place it in the bucket on the porch.
Thanks!!
RJR Orchestra – Parent Volunteers Needed!
If you are able to volunteer a little time to help with RJR orchestra needs including trip fundraising, publicity and music organization, please contact Deborah Casstevens at or 723-3814. Thank you!
One of the great strengths of R.J.ReynoldsHigh School is its diversity. Among our 1,700+ students are over100 students from more than 30 different countries, from Albania to Egypt to South Africa to Vietnam.
Many of these students would benefit from just 45 to 60 minutes a week of one-on-one tutoring. To be an ESL tutor, you do not need to speak Spanish or Korean or Tagalog. You just need to speak English and have a little time to give.
Tutoring slots are available each day throughout the day. Students will arrive at their tutoring sessions with specific assignments to complete or review. No planning by the tutor is required.
If you are interested in being an ESL tutor or simply want to learn more about theprogram, please contact Deborah Casstevens () or Kathy McLean ().
Ruth Sartin- Oct. 31
Andreian Pitts- Nov. 3
Debbie Smitherman- Nov. 3
Get started on your holiday shopping!! RJR alumni T-shirts are $10; cookbooks are $8; sweatshirts and RJR blankets are $25. Preorder your Letterman Jacket for $200 now! We are open on Wednesdays and Fridays from 12-2p.m. in the RJR cafeteria. If you are interested in volunteering, please contact Melissa Workman at .
For the second year, RJR Women's Soccer will offer a night of babysitting just before the winter holiday break! Whether parents need a night without kids or time for some last-minute shopping, keep the evening of December 19th in mind! Time and location are TBA, but check the PTSA newsletter for updates throughout the fall!
Buy chicken pies andsupport the Dancing Boots!
The R.J. Reynolds Dancing Boots will be traveling to theUniversal Dance Association National Dance Team Championships, January 30 - February 3, 2014. The Boots will be selling Mrs. Pumpkin’s chicken pies through Monday, November 4th to raise money for the trip. If you are interested in buying some pies, please contact a Dancing Boot or Coach Catie Reece. You can email Coach Reece . The pies cost $12 each or three pies for $33. Pies will be delivered on Tuesday, November 12th. Stock up for thewinter and support the Dancing Boots!!
Run (and eat doughnuts) for a Great Cause and
For a Great RJR Community-Building Opportunity!
No one in our current student body attended RJR at the time, but many remember or know about Matthew Gfeller who died after suffering a traumatic brain injury in his first RJR football game five years ago. The following year, three of Matt’s friends honored Matt’s memory and his spirit with the first annual Matt Gfeller Memorial Doughnut Run.
The fifth annual run will be November 16, 2013 at 9:00 a.m. on our own R.J. Reynolds campus!
Proceeds from the run already fully endowed the Matt Gfeller Scholarship awarded to a RJR senior each year. Now proceeds benefit the Childress Institute for Pediatric Trauma and the MatthewGfellerSport-RelatedTBIResearchCenter.
Use this link to register today!
There is a new system that EVERYONE needs to log into and either renew your volunteer status or complete the application. On the WSFCS website, under the “Parent” tab,” Volunteers” should be chosen. The website is self-explanatory about how to proceed. Any questions, contact Amy Colona .
Graduation will be on Saturday,June 14, 2014 at 5:45 p.m. in Lawrence Joel Memorial Coliseum. Please make a note of the graduation date!
Are you interested in travelling to Spain this summer with Mrs. Morris and Ms. Bussolati where you will live with a family, have Spanish language class, and fully experience the arts and culture of Northern Spain? Come to an informational session at 6:00 p.m. on October 28th in Room 203 and learn about the Chispa Immersion program. See the flyer at the end of the newsletter
Paris, Provence, Barcelona and Madrid . . .
Are you interested in our travel opportunity in 2015? Spots are filling up fast! Please contact Mrs. Matisko () and visit our trip website at
The deadline to sign up on the website and ensure your spot is October 31!
The Parent Advisory Council met on Tuesday, October 15th and minutes from that meeting are on the WSFCS website at One topic of discussion was the 2012-2013 End-of-Grade (EOG) and End-of-Course (EOC) tests, the results of which will be released on November 7th. The school system is holding three public presentations previewing the test results prior to the November 7th release date. The meetings will be held in the auditorium of the WSFCSEducationBuilding at 4801 Bethania Station Rd. All interested parties are invited to attendone of these meetings:
- 6 p.m., Tuesday, Oct. 29
- 7:30 a.m., Thursday, Oct. 31
- 12 p.m., Thursday, Oct. 31
The PTSA committee that works with juniors and seniors one-on-one with their college search process will have informational sessions November 5 at noon and November 7 at 9 AM in room 208 (computer lab on second floor). If you would like to learn about the process and are interested in helping Reynolds students learn what steps should be done, how to find colleges that fit their needs/interests, and how to learn about scholarships, please email Karen Morris at . This committee is great for parents of any age student—no experience is necessary. The only requirements are a willingness to learn and a desire to help students with the process. (A great bonus is that you will learn ways to help your own student in their transition from RJR to college!)
Oct. 31JV Football at DavieCounty, 6:00
Nov. 1V Football vs. DavieCounty, 7:30
Nov. 2Cross Country State Championships at BeesonPark, 9:00
Boys Basketball Scrimmage at WS Prep, 12:00
Field Hockey Playoffs dates and times, TBD. Be sure to check the website
Would you like a text update if there is a cancellation of a Reynolds athletic event? Send a text with @RJRA to (657) 214-5866 to be added.
Boys Basketball: Oct. 30, 4:00, Bryson Gym
Girls Basketball: Oct. 30, 6:00, Bryson Gym
Wrestling:Oct. 30, 4:00, Wrestling Room
Swimming:Nov. 4, 5:45 a.m., Gateway YWCA
Winter Track:Nov. 18, 4:00, HanesPark
All students planning to try out for a winter sport must have an up-to-date physical on file with the school.
RJ Reynolds Home Field Advantage
RJ Reynolds Arts
Pine Whispers
RJR Women’s Soccer
@RJRAthletics- The Official Twitter of the Athletic Department
@RJRdemonsxc—Cross Country
@RJRvolleyball—Volleyball team communication and updates
@RJRwsoccer—Girls Soccer
@RJRDemonsSoccer- Boys Soccer
@RJRBaseball- the Demon Baseball Program
@RJR_Lacrosse- Boys Lacrosse Team
@RJRtennis- Boys Tennis Team
@ReynoldsRowdies- The Student Fan Club
@RJRCollege- The Student Services Office
@RJRArts—Schoolwide maintained by Mrs. Morris
@MadameMatisko—updates on French homework
@RJRFrenchClub—updates on French club
@mrswileyrjr—Mrs. Wiley (English teacher)—classroom updates
@RJRbands—Mr. James and band updates
@Sramorrisey—Mrs. Morrisey (Spanish teacher)
@RJRArtSociety—Art Society as well as info on contests and events open to all students
@RJRpinewhispers—student newspaper
@RJRyearbook –yearbook
@RJR_GC- Girls Council