In recent months, we’ve celebrated numerous significant accomplishments from both students and staff. On March 8th, the Chamber of Commerce will honor several exceptional teachers with the Educator of the Year award at their recognition banquet. This event will also highlight our students’ successes. I’m grateful to the Chamber and our community for organizing these occasions. They not only showcase achievements but also provide a platform to acknowledge hard work, allowing us to share in the joy and satisfaction of these remarkable achievements.
ACADEMICS:
While reflecting on achievements, it’s a great time to have an open and honest conversation with your children about their progress in the classroom. Discuss their interests, what drives them, how they are actively contributing to their own success, and how they’re addressing any challenges they may encounter. Our teachers and staff are dedicated to fostering growth and providing the skills necessary to overcome obstacles in their learning journey. Encourage your children to share any concerns directly with their teachers, as this ensures they receive the support needed for further success. Parental involvement plays a vital role in both academic and life success, which is why we emphasize maintaining strong communication between home and school throughout the year. Our website, Student-Parent Portal, social media platforms (Twitter/Facebook), and other communication tools offer valuable resources to help parents stay informed about their child’s academic progress and stay connected with the school community.
PHONES / TABLETS / SOCIAL MEDIA / GOOD DIGITAL CITIZENSHIP – RECOMMENDATION TO PARENTS:
The last couple of years I have shared this small quick guide on Good Digital Citizenship. At the request of parents, I am including this section again. As the digital frontier expands, many parenting experts suggest developing parent-child agreements to set boundaries for online and smart phone use. The conversations we are having at school with your children about digital citizenship center around safety, bullying, being a good friend online and ensuring that their digital image (which never goes away) helps them be successful as they pursue friendships, jobs and opportunities. Listed below are some very short sentences we are hoping parents can use to have good conversations at home.
• Being a good friend in the digital age means so much more than just hitting ‘like’ or ‘love’.
• Don’t post pictures of your friends or other people doing things they shouldn’t be doing.
• Does reporting bullying make me a ‘snitch’? Could reporting something be looked at as helping another person get over their struggles? Or saving a life?
We believe as students show responsibility with their online postings and digital citizenship, they should receive more freedom. It is our intent to share information and give opportunities for parents to have more ideas to be successful at home. As parents raise their children in this digital age, the following recommendations have been made:
• Electronic devices should remain only in common areas such as the kitchen, living room, porches, etc. When children take their devices to their rooms, they become vulnerable and have a difficult time staying off them, which affects their sleep.
• Depending on the age, children should leave their phone or iPad at a designated location or charging for next day use when it is time to go to bed.
• A list of all their social media login and passwords should be written out and placed behind a cupboard door in the kitchen for easy access by parents. Parents should monitor these accounts and electronic devices with their children.
As parents and guardians, you are the 1st digital role model for your children. Please be mindful of what you are posting, sharing and searching.
BUDGET:
During the Board of Education meeting on February 25th, 2025, the proposed budgets for Athletics, General Support, Debt Service, and the Board of Education were presented to both the board and the public. Cuba-Rushford is fortunate to have preserved the strength and quality of our academic, extracurricular, and athletic programs. As we move through the budgeting process, we meticulously review each area to ensure we create a stable and thoughtful budget that not only maintains but also, in some cases, enhances our programs. However, the district faces some financial challenges, including rising costs due to high inflation, as well as increases in minimum wage and health insurance expenses. As we navigate these challenges, I invite you to attend our upcoming board meetings as we work on finalizing the first draft of our budget.
Sincerely,
Carlos Gildemeister
Superintendent of School