Rockford Public Schools -

September is Suicide Prevention Awareness Month. Read how you can help prevent it, one conversation at a time. https://www.rps205.com/article/1761453

Read in our 205 VIBE how a program is transforming the way our educators teach physics. https://www.rps205.com/article/1746359

Help us celebrate educator’s good work through a Golden Apple award nomination. Click on the link below and tell us in a sentence or two about this outstanding PreK-5th grade educator! Nominate by October 10. https://goldenappleofrockford.com/golden-apple-teacher-awards/nominate/

🌞Our Early Childhood Family Services team braved the summer heat for the third year to help build a Habitat for Humanity home in Rockford! Find out in our 205 VIBE why this year’s project was extra special. 🏠 rps205.com/article/1746290

Absences add up! Missing two days or more per month means a student misses more than 10% of the school year. Build the habit of good attendance early. #ShowingUpMatters #AttendTodayAchieveTomorrow

Student Code of Conduct - Parent-Teacher Advisory Committee: The Parent-Teacher Advisory Committee is a collaborative group who review the Student Code of Conduct annually. The meetings are organized to increase discussion and collaboration regarding disciplinary data and student outcomes. The advisory committee will systematically analyze discipline data and determine where disparities exist, identify overuse of exclusionary discipline, and make recommendations for adjustment to the Student Code of Conduct. The advisory committee convenes annually and works collaboratively on the following tasks: • Develop written policy guidelines and procedures on student discipline, including school searches and bullying prevention. • Annually review and make necessary changes to the district student discipline policy and Student Code of Conduct. • Analyze discipline data to map and provide additional support for students. Services might include mental health, substance abuse, violence intervention, and/or parent support opportunities. • Collaborate to include provisions in the Student Code of Conduct to address the safety and support of students who have demonstrated behaviors that put them at risk for aggressive behavior, including bullying. • Establish and maintain policies and procedures that reflect the district’s commitment to a positive, prevention-oriented discipline philosophy. To become a member of the advisory committee, please contact the Student Services Department at 815-967-8401 or email student.services@rps205.com All meetings occur from 5-7 p.m. at the RPS 205 Administration Building, 501 7th Street, in the 3rd Floor Boardroom: • September 10, 2024 • October 8, 2024 • November 12, 2024 • January 14, 2025 • February 11, 2025 • March 11, 2025 • April 8, 2025 In addition, parents, community members, teachers and school administrators are encouraged to attend the annual listening sessions: • February 5, 2025 - Community Listening Session, 5-7 p.m., Auburn HS Library • February 13, 2025 - Community Listening Session, 5-7 p.m., East HS Library - Multilingual presentation If you have any questions, please contact the Student Services Department at 815-967-8401 or email student.services@rps205.com

Missing school means missing opportunities to learn and connect. #ShowingUpMatters #AttendTodayAchieveTomorrow #ShowUpAndShine #AttendtoAchieve #AttendanceAwareness #RPS205

REMINDER: The State Board of Education has added Middle Eastern & North African (MENA) as a race for state reporting. When you enrolled with the Rockford School District, you were asked to select your race from White, Asian, Black, Hispanic or 2+ races. Families can update their student’s race in the district’s records. This helps us identify supports & services for students. It’s not mandatory, but if you want to update it, please contact your school’s main office by Monday, November 4.

All RPS 205 buildings are closed today in observance of the federal holiday.

East High School wrestling coach, Gene Lee, hosted a reunion of former athletes and had a tremendous turnout! Gene has coached wrestling at East for 35 years. Gary Giardini, a former East teacher, coach, and athletic director, was in attendance. Perry Giardini, East’s former wrestling coach (and Gene’s coach) who also led the E-Rabs to a state title in football, was there too. Gene credits this quote from Coach Giardini with guiding his coaching philosophy: “You’re only as good as the people you’re surrounded by.”

CONGRATULATIONS! Auburn Knights Softball Coach Jessica Palos has been named the 2024 ICA Class 4A Coach of the Year! She coached three NIC-10 All Conference athletes last season and two Illinois Coaches Association (ICA) All State athletes. Auburn softball won their regional for the 2024 season, the first softball regional championship in school history!

Read about SmartPass, our new tool for digital hall passes and digital ids in our middle and high schools. https://www.rps205.com/article/1737642

In celebration of Subaru Loves Learning month, Napleton Subaru Rockford partnered with Adopt a Classroom and Guilford High School to advance equity in education in the community. Todd Tifft, Sales Manager at Napleton Subaru Rockford and his team delivered a donation of six classroom activity kits that include school supplies as well as a certificate of $500 for each teacher. The monies will get dispersed through adoptaclassroom.org in early September to spend on additional school supplies at the teacher’s discretion. The six teachers chosen to receive the donation were: ● Chris Magee- Science teacher ● Kari Morris de Hernandez- Science/horticulture teacher ● Dana Burkhardt- self-contained Special Education teacher ● Adam Lewis- PE teacher ● Lisa Doll- Art teacher ● Tea Johnson- Social Studies teacher and department head The presentation was during Guilford’s Back to School Open House.

It was the first day of school for our early childhood centers today. Look at all of those smiling faces!

Dr. Kelly Monson and 43 Rockford University students in the Education pathway came back to RPS to welcome students and help support 14 schools on the first day of school. This event was coordinated over the summer between RPS and RU to allow education majors a chance to better experience what back to school looks like while also providing additional supports to our schools on a busy and sometimes chaotic morning. The following schools all had additional support provided by Rockford University students: Gregory, Haskell, Johnson, Lewis Lemon, West View, Froberg, Lathrop, Montessori, Constance Lane, Spring Creek, Brookview, Hillman, Conklin, Welsh, Kennedy, and Whitehead.

We hope everyone had a great first day back to school. We sure did! Here are some pictures we captured of the big day.

BACK TO SCHOOL REMINDER: As K-12 students prepare to head to school tomorrow, we want to remind you of the following: -Please double check your student's school's start and dismissal times. -Chronic absenteeism occurs when a student misses more than 10 school days for any reason. This year, we're committed to helping students stay on track and avoid chronic absences. -Download the new RPS 205 app to access calendars, news updates, meals, home access center, and more. Android: https://aptg.co/SdXPgz iPhone: https://aptg.co/ml7g3d -RPS 205 schools provide free breakfast and lunch to all students, though a la carte items and those from the snack bar are not included. We can't wait to see you tomorrow!

SmartPass: We’re excited to introduce the SmartPass app for the 2024-2025 school year. SmartPass is a digital tool to enhance the school experience for middle and high school students. It includes a digital ID and a digital hall pass, aimed at streamlining school operations and maximizing student engagement. Digital Hall Pass The digital hall pass feature will replace traditional hall passes, allowing students to request permission to leave the classroom using their Chromebook or a kiosk. This system makes it easier for teachers and principals to track student movement, enhancing safety. Additionally, it will reduce time spent in hallways and maximize learning time. Student ID We encourage all families to have their students download the SmartPass app to access their digital student ID. While students will still receive a physical ID badge this year, the digital ID offers added convenience. It allows students to access extracurricular activities without needing a physical card, which is especially helpful before the physical IDs are issued and can reduce wait times at event gates. Please see the linked flyer: https://5il.co/2uqsu Download the app today! For more information, please visit https://www.rps205.com/page/smartpass

The SCOC & Student/Parent Handbook are available in English at rps205.com. Families can request printed copies by visiting their school’s main office. Schools can translate the SCOC into a family’s native language using google translate. Administrators will provide presentations to review the SCOC with all students within the first 10 days of school.

🎒 Welcome Back to School! 🎒 We’re so excited to see everyone back and ready to start this amazing new school year! 🌟 Attendance is the foundation for success; every day matters—regardless of the reason. Here’s how you can help your student shine: 📅 Be Consistent: Every school day is a new opportunity! Let’s make attendance a priority for a year full of growth. ⏰ Create a Routine: Help your child start the day on the right foot by setting a regular bedtime and wake-up schedule. 🚶‍♂️ Stay Engaged: It’s not just about showing up, but also being actively engaged in learning. A focused student is a successful student! ✨ Why It Matters: Attending school regularly—no matter the reason for an absence—leads to better grades, stronger relationships, and a bright future. Let’s aim for success together! Let’s make this school year the best yet! 🏫 #BackToSchool #AttendanceMatters #ShowUpAndShine #AttendtoAchieve #AttendanceAwareness #RPS205