I hope this finds you well after a weekend of both relaxation and contribution. Whether it be serving at a local food bank, helping in your own home, or donating to worthy organizations, ALL of us can give back to others. It is important that we prioritize service to others so that we teach our students the value of giving. At East River High School, we are dedicated to teaching your student solid academics and modeling good citizenship. We will be celebrating almost 800 students who maintained A and A/B honor roll for the second quarter! Students will receive a certificate and a snack- stay tuned for what day. We also recognize our students with positive behaviors with our SOAR points given by teachers. Many students have points, but have not yet redeemed them. Ask your student how many points they have! (see below for more information about SOAR).

Schools will be closed on January 19, 2026. We honor Dr. Martin Luther King Jr and his legacy of service and peace. Please consider participating in community service on this day as a family or group of friends. The theme for this year: “A dream bigger than him, bigger than us."

Join us as we Celebrate Literacy! The goal of Celebrate Literacy Week Florida is to promote literacy strategies and strong reading habits in students in the State of Florida. Join us next week as we have spirit days and fun activities!

1/26- Stars, Stripes & Stories (wear red, white, blue, stars/stripes)

1/27- Living through the Decades (dress in the styles of a favorite decade or historical period)

1/28- Legendary Characters (dress as your favorite historical or literary character)

1/29- Write the Next Chapter (dress as your future self)

1/30 Falcon Freedom (wear anything East River or red)

Mark your calendar now for the 5th Annual School Spirit Run! East River has a team and we would love for you and your family to join us!

Register today and join the East River team, as we run/walk through Sea World. This is a fun time as we get healthy too!

Our team has 23 members and we have a goal of 25! Join us!

Student IDs are required to be displayed while on campus. Please clip your student id to your backpack at all times. If you lost your ID please go to the media center before or after school to get a new one. Replacement IDs are $5. We have had many students now in compliance with this important safety matter. We want to be sure that our students are safe on campus!

As you have noticed, there has been construction at the front entrance to the school to help alleviate some of the traffic congestion. After just a couple more inspections, we will soon have two lanes for cars to enter on campus. The lanes are being marked and the right lane on East River Falcons Way will be for buses to turn right and ALSO for cars to go straight. This traffic pattern will start Tuesday, January 20!

The new guard shack will continue to be installed, so there is still some construction. Use caution when driving in the right lane.

 Continued reminders for parents and students about our parking lot:

Thank you for helping us keep our students and faculty safe by adhering to speed limits of 10 mph and following all traffic cones, barricades, and signs in the parking lot. 

Let's make the most of this abbreviated week by continuing the attitude of service to others!

Please email me with any questions or concerns at rebecca.watson@ocps.net It is my privilege to serve at East River.

 Be safe and kind!

 Becky Watson

 Principal, East River High School