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RCSD News
March 2024
Dear Rochester City School District Families,
As we are nearing the halfway point of the third quarter, I want to remind you that parent-teacher conferences are next week. I encourage you to reach out to your child’s teachers at any time, whether you have a specific question or simply want to check in. Home and school connections are essential for supporting students and fostering their success.
I want to update you on naming our four new middle schools, one new high school, and the renaming of two existing elementary schools. I am grateful to the students, families, and staff who submitted names and provided feedback on the naming of these schools. The community input we received reflects our commitment to fostering an environment where everyone feels valued, seen, and heard. I am pleased to share that the Board unanimously approved the following school names. You can learn more about the school names here.
Loretta Johnson Middle School, 200 Genesee Street
Andrew Langston Middle School, 1 Edgerton Park
Thurgood Marshall Middle School, 4115 Lake Avenue
Dr. Freddie Thomas Middle School, 625 Scio Street
Padilla High School at the Franklin Campus, 950 Norton Street
Austin Steward Elementary School, 250 Newcastle Road (formerly Charles Carroll School No. 46)
Ida B. Wells-Barnett Elementary School, 530 Lexington Avenue (formerly Dr. Louis A. Cerulli School No. 34)
Last month, Chief Financial Officer Shawn Farr and I presented the preliminary 2024-25 draft budget to the Board of Education. If you are interested in viewing the proposed budget in its entirety, it will be posted on our website on April 1. The budget public hearing will be held on Wednesday, April 10. You can stay updated on the budget process by visiting www.rcsdk12.org/budget. This website lists key budget dates, presentations, and past budget information.
Sincerely,
Dr. Carmine Peluso
Superintendent of Schools
Spring Recess
REMINDER! Spring Recess begins on Friday, March 29, with students returning to school on Tuesday, April 9.
Join us on Saturday, March 9, from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm, for a Health Awareness Community Resource Fair, at School No. 34, 530 Lexington Avenue. The following resources will be available:
- MVP Health Care Providers
- On-Site Cancer Screening with a University of Rochester Medical Team
- Mobile Mammography Van
- Blood Pressure and Diabetes Screening
Family activities include Rec on the Move, face painting, and a live Zumba class. The first 10 families to register will enter a prize giveaway, so register now here!
Bright Spots
The Rochester Board of Education is hosting a public hearing to discuss proposed changes to the District’s Code of Conduct Policy (Policy 1400) at 5:30 pm on Tuesday, March 19, 2024, at Central Office, 131 West Broad Street, Conference Room 3A/B.
Interested persons may sign up to speak by noon on the day of the public hearing by emailing publichearing@rcsdk12.org or calling 585-262-8525. Speakers who would like to address the Board virtually must state this when they sign up in order to receive this accommodation. Prior to the meeting, an email will be sent with a link to those speakers who signed up to participate virtually. Anyone wishing to sign up to speak on the Code of Conduct must provide the following information: Name, Telephone Number, and Affiliation.
Any interested persons who want to sign up to speak and need an interpreter should sign up by Friday, March 15, 2024.
All materials related to this public hearing will be accessible on the District’s BoardDocs page. Viewers may access a live stream of the public hearing on the District’s YouTube and Facebook accounts and the website at www.rcsdk12.org/rcsdtv. For more information, visit www.rcsdk12.org/publichearings.
Get College Ready!
If you need help preparing your child for college and beyond, then look no further – visit www.rcsdk12.org/collegeready today! This website is a one-stop shop designed to help support students with the whole college process, with information on community events, college applications, scholarships, and more. Check back regularly, as this information is continually updated.
Also, if you haven’t checked out Naviance with your child, ask them about it! There are many great college and career-readiness activities to help prepare students in grades 7-12 for the next step in their educational journey. As always, students should reach out to their school counselor for assistance. For a complete list of school counselors by school, click here.
High School Juniors Take the SAT for Free
Did you know that SAT exams help open up scholarship opportunities for students and prepare them for college? From March 4–28, students in 11th grade will have the opportunity to take the SAT exam, free of charge, during the school day. We encourage students to take advantage of the free personalized practice tests through Khan Academy, which can be found here. Students who have early and frequent exposure to practice exams tend to fare better on the SAT. For more information, please contact your child’s school counselor. Contact information for each school is available at www.rcsdk12.org/schools.
The Rochester Education Foundation offers four annual scholarships for college-bound seniors in the RCSD. One scholarship is dedicated exclusively to students from Edison while the remaining three are available to all RCSD students. Awards range from $500 to $5,000. Click here to learn more about these scholarships, including the online application. Do not miss out on this opportunity – the deadline to apply is March 31!
Rochester Area Community Foundation
The Rochester Area Community Foundation common scholarship application is now open, where students can complete one application and apply for several local scholarships. More than 40 online applications for graduating high school seniors and vocational, undergraduate, and graduate students have been merged into one Consolidated Scholarship Application due on March 4. Completing this one application automatically puts you in the running for any and all scholarships in this group for which you are eligible. Click here for more information.
Last FAFSA Fest Opportunity
It is not too late to get free help from experts to fill out your financial aid forms. The last FAFSA Fest is Thursday, March 7, from 3:30 - 6:30 pm, at School of the Arts, 45 Prince Street. Visit www.rochestercan.org for more information. If you are completing the FAFSA process at home, there is live support available here with SUNY students who have been trained to support the FAFSA process.
RCSD high schools will be taking students to the NACAC National College Fair on Monday, March 18. Families are welcome to check out the fair on March 17.
On Thursday, March 28, the RCSD and Board of Education will recognize high academic women scholars who demonstrate outstanding leadership and community service. Please join us for a reception at 4:30 pm, with the program beginning at 5:00 pm. Congratulations to our scholars on their incredible commitment to their education and academic success!
FREE Summer Programs for High School Students
Start planning summer now! The University of Rochester offers two free summer programs for RCSD high school students. These programs are designed to provide students with opportunities to engage with and explore the history of Rochester and potential career options. Learn more at the links below.
Photon Camp-Institute of Optics
Dates: June 24- 28
Application Deadline: May 15
Experiencing Civic Life
Dates: June 30- July 12
Application Deadline: April 15
It is not too early to be thinking about summer jobs! Applications for the Rochester Summer Youth Employment Program are being accepted now until all positions are filled. Work permits are processed and issued at your child’s school – see www.rcsdk12.org/workpermit for more information.
March Parent Group Meetings
Parent Leadership Advisory Council (PLAC)
- Free family fun at the Indoor Carnival on Thursday, March 14, 5:30 - 7:30 pm
- Enjoy carnival games, free snacks, and prizes
- Franklin Campus, 950 Norton Street
The next leadership team meeting is Tuesday, March 5, at 6:00 pm
Email plac@rcsdk12.org for the Zoom link
Bilingual Education Council (BEC)
- Tuesday, March 12, 5:00 - 7:00 pm
- Trent and Pamela Jackson R-Center, 485 North Clinton Avenue
- Interpretation, dinner, and childcare provided
- Email bec@rcsdk12.org or visit the BEC website for more information
Special Education Parent Advisory Council (SEPAC)
- Monday, March 18, 6:00 - 8:00 pm
- Email rcsdsepac@gmail.com for the Zoom link
- SEPAC website
Support Our Athletes!
Families of students interested in playing a spring sport need to register through FamilyID. Registration is open now, so don't delay!
The athletic schedules for all RCSD schools can be found on the Rochester City Athletic Conference webpage. In order to attend RCSD-hosted games, student spectators from the home and away teams must show a valid school ID. Students from any other schools must be accompanied by an adult who is at least 25 years old with a valid ID. Minors must be accompanied at all times.
PowerSchool Parent Portal gives real-time access to class schedules, attendance, assignments, grades, and contact information for teachers. High school parents can also monitor their child's progress toward meeting graduation requirements. For more information on downloading the app and creating an account, including a how-to video, visit www.rcsdk12.org/parentportal.
Custodial caregivers of RCSD students can opt in to receive text messages from us. All you need is a mobile number on file with your child’s school. Simply text Y to short code 67587 to begin receiving text messages. For more information about text messaging, visit www.rcsdk12.org/text.
2024-25 Bell Times
The bell times for the 2024-25 school year are posted on the website here. Aside from the middle schools, there are no major time changes.
Moving? New Phone Number?
If you move or change your phone number, please notify your child's school. It is very important that we have current email addresses, mailing addresses, and phone numbers (home/mobile) on file for your family to ensure you are receiving communications from your child's school, teachers, and the District.