RSU 16 Community Connection

As the leaves begin to change and the autumn breeze fills the air, we are delighted to welcome you to the October edition of our Community Newsletter. October is a month filled with promise and potential, much like our students as they embark on a journey of growth, learning, and discovery.

In our schools, October is a time of transition, where summer memories blend seamlessly into the exciting rhythms of the academic year. With the changing of seasons, we are reminded of the importance of adaptation and resilience, values that we continually nurture within our educational community.

Warm Regards,

Todd and Amy

We will highlight the accomplishments and milestones achieved by our staff and students over the past month. From academic achievements to artistic endeavors and athletic successes, we take immense pride in the diverse talents of our students.

Whittier Middle School's Tri-Town Family 5K will take place on Sunday, November 12th, 2023 and it is open to everyone. Join us for a fun family morning on the Minot trails and fields.

Registration is open...and it's free! Let's get the word out there and make this the biggest and best event so far.

We are seeking local sponsors to help make the big day a special one. Tell your friends. All sponsors of at least $100 by October 13 will get their logo on the back of the event shirt. Interested potential sponsors should contact Shawn Vincent (svincent@rsu16.org or 998-3462). This is a great event for students, families and all members of our communities. Big thanks to our first three sponsors: Gathering Winds Farm, Auburn Lewiston Driver Rider Education, and Goss Berry Farm!

Visit the website to register or get more information.

Our Tip Line represents one approach our schools and communities may use to share the responsibility of school and student safety and well-being. This Tip Line provides students, staff or other members of the public with a safe and confidential way to report a threat or potential threat to student or school safety. Call 911 in cases of immediate emergency. It is located on our website: rsu16.org and scroll down.

In RSU 16, we have regular communication systems we use. Those are:

- Website: www.rsu16.org

- School Newsletters: Each school shares a newsletter with their families

- Social Media Site: The district has a Facebook page and ESS, WMS, Adult Education, PRHS and MCS have official school Facebook pages

- Community Connection: Twice a month the Superintendent and Assistant Superintendent will share a district newsletter

- "Robo Call/Email": This is used for general and emergency communications via email and/or voice message across the district and by each school.

- Individual emails and phone calls: You may hear directly from a staff member via email or phone

- Regular mail: While we still occasionally send physical letters through traditional mail, it's less common in our modern, digital-centric world. This practice is primarily reserved for special education purposes.

Your initial and primary point of contact for any matters concerning your child is the school's office. Our dedicated team is available during school hours to answer your phone calls, address your inquiries, and furnish you with essential information as a parent or guardian. If you ever encounter an urgent situation, initiating contact with the school office is your most effective starting point, and our capable staff will guide you from there. You can locate the school's phone numbers on our website, accessible through the link provided above.

We also strongly encourage families to directly connect with your child's teachers if you have inquiries about the curriculum, your child's progress, or if you wish to share pertinent information regarding your child's education. Both email and phone calls are convenient means of communication. However, please bear in mind that teachers are engaged with students throughout the school day, so they may not have the opportunity to respond immediately. Our objective is to endeavor to respond to communications within 24 hours, but please understand that there might be instances when responses could take longer, depending on the demands of teachers' schedules. Your understanding is greatly appreciated.

If you have any concerns, we strongly encourage families to first share them at the most immediate level. Our experience has shown that the most effective solutions to any issues are often found at these initial stages. For instance, if you have a concern related to your child's math class, we recommend addressing it with your child's math teacher first to explore potential resolutions at that level. Should you find that your concerns were not adequately addressed after communicating with the math teacher, you can then elevate the matter to the assistant principal or dean of students.

If you have already conveyed your concerns to the assistant principal/dean of students and feel that they remain unaddressed, you are welcome to bring the issue to the building principal, and if needed, further up the chain to the Superintendent and ultimately to the School Board. It's worth noting that concerns typically find satisfactory resolutions at the initial levels. However, as a parent or guardian, it is important for you to know that there are multiple channels available should the need arise. We are here to provide you with support.