RUSD Family & Community eNews

👋 It is my privilege and honor to serve as the Coordinator of Enrollment & Staffing and to lead the work of the Enrollment Center. At the EC, we are proud to be the first stop for families as they begin their journey in the Redlands Unified School District. 🧳 🗺️

Our team is committed to providing world-class customer service, ensuring that families in our community have the support they need to enroll their students in our schools. For the 2024-25 school year, 3,584 students have begun the enrollment process with us—an exciting milestone! 📈

📅 Each February, we prioritize Transitional Kindergarten and Kindergarten enrollment, giving families the opportunity to secure their preferred session for the upcoming school year. 🧒 Looking ahead, we have already received over 300 enrollment requests for TK and Kindergarten!

Additionally, we support families through Intra-District and Inter-District transfer processes—helping students find the best placement within or beyond district boundaries. 📊 We have received 448 transfer requests from families outside the district seeking to join Redlands USD. 🍊 💪

Important Enrollment Dates 🗓️

• Open Enrollment for 2025-26: Begins April 1, 2025
• Intra-District Transfer Requests (Round 2): February 16 – April 15, 2025
• Inter-District Transfer Requests: March 1 – April 15, 2025

One of our greatest achievements has been the implementation of the new Airtable enrollment system. This tool has improved communication and efficiency, allowing us to track enrollments from the moment they enter the EC to the final entry in the Data Center. It has also given us valuable insights into enrollment trends throughout the year. Additionally, we have enhanced the look of the EC by creating a new Schools Wall, highlighting each of our RUSD schools. 🏫

We are grateful for the opportunity to serve our students and families, and we look forward to another great year of enrollment! 🙌

Sincerely,

Matt Russo Ed. D.

The celebration of Black History Month throughout the district was phenomenal! 💫

A few highlights include:

• 🎉 Arroyo Verde's BHM Celebration
• 🎾 Citrus Valley High School's BSU Living Wax Museum
• 📢 Crafton Elementary EEP BHM Celebration featuring guest speaker Mr. Hardy Brown from Footsteps to Freedom
• 👏 and more!

At our inaugural Black History Month Celebration, vendors, community organizations, RUSD alumni, Black Student Unions, and more came together to uplift our community and empower students. 💪 A few key takeaways of the event were:

• 📚 The Protagonist Black Bookstore gave free books to every child, and refreshments were provided by our very own Child Nutrition Services and Ruby Rae’s Down Yonder Catering.

• 🗣️ Guest speakers included poet Naciya Watts and Kelton Alexander, a cousin of the iconic legendary American hero, NASA’s Katherine Johnson.

• 📺 REV’s BSU and SBVC’s Umoja-Tumaini performed a skit, “A Trip Through Time,” highlighting historical black figures from the past and present.

• 👟 REV’s step team, Steppers with Attitude (SWA), also concluded the event with a show-stopping performance.

🎉 It was a night to remember, marking the first of many celebrations. 🎉

Lastly, our Black Student Unions at our high schools also gave their input on the importance of Black History Month. Hear them out:

📹 BHM ft. BSUs Playlist 🖥️

More than 30 students from Citrus Valley High School 🦅, Redlands High School 🦴, Redlands East Valley High School 😼, and Orangewood High School 🐲 participated in the annual Civics Day event, gaining firsthand experience in district operations and the decision-making processes that shape their education. 📄 Hosted by Redlands Unified School District in collaboration with the Optimist Club of Redlands, the event gave students the opportunity to tour district facilities, shadow district leaders, and take part in a mock Board of Education meeting, where they debated real-world policy topics such as a 📱 districtwide cell phone policy, 👔 dress code guidelines, and 🗓️ the possibility of a four-day school week.

Students engaged with the Board of Education, Superintendent Cabral, and executive cabinet members, deepening their understanding of how school governance operates. 👩‍⚖️ They gained insight into the complexities of policy-making, including the need to balance diverse perspectives, community concerns, and financial limitations. ⚖️ The event not only encouraged civic engagement but also highlighted the importance of student voices in shaping their school communities, empowering them to take an active role in the decisions that affect their education. 💪

All smiles as we enter ✨SPRING BREAK!✨

Don't forget: School sites will be closed to the public from March 24th to April 4th. We will be back on April 7th, ready to finish the last stretch of the school year! 🤗

Here's to finishing strong! 💪

February was ⚡️Career and Technical Education (CTE) Month!⚡️

CTE courses provide students with the technical, academic, and employability knowledge and skills they need for success. 🤝 CTE prepares students for post-secondary education, the military, the workforce, and life. 🚀

We visited our high schools to highlight 3 college and career pathways:

• 🎬 Arts, Media, and Entertainment

• ⛑️ Health, Science and Medical Technology, and Public Service

• 🧑‍🍳 Hospitality, Tourism, and Recreation

Check out what our students have to say:

CTE Month Playlist 🦅 😼 🐾 🐉

Want to learn more about our CTE courses? Click HERE. 🍊

🔎 Looking for more photos from recent events? Check out our District Photo Gallery! Families can view and download photos from all events the Communications Department covers. 💾

Visit https://redlandsusd.smugmug.com/

A lot has been happening in our schools' innovation and technology side! 🙌

🐯 On Saturday, February 8th, several 4th and 5th-grade students from Victoria Elementary presented their Garner Holt Animakerspace work to school officials across the state at the California Steam Symposium. 🤖 They practiced their public speaking skills as they presented the wonderful things they were learning about STEAM and Innovation! 🗣️ A huge thank you to Karen Burk for supporting this outstanding experience for students. 👏

📅 On Friday, February 21st, 70 juniors and seniors attended the Second Annual STEM Summit at Crafton Hills College. Students had the opportunity to experience the CHC STEM program through hands-on activities and lessons from college instructors. 🔬 Topics students explored were Anthropology, Engineering, and Microbiology. 🧪 Thank you to our amazing Career Center teachers, Vanessa Fairbanks and Christa Padilla, for helping make this event possible. 🤝

On Tuesday, March 4th, 275 of our 8th-grade girls attended the AAUW Annual STEAM Conference at the University of Redlands. It was a memorable field trip where they had the opportunity to listen to a guest speaker and attend various sessions focused on STEAM careers. 🧬

So far this year, 5 RUSD Schools have become Common Sense Media Certified. This is a concerted effort on behalf of the schools to provide Digital Citizenship and Online Safety training to all students. Congratulations to 🦅 EAcademy, 🐎 Mission Elementary, 🦋 Mariposa Elementary, 🐦 Franklin Elementary, and 🐆 Judson & Brown for their great accomplishments!

The submission deadline is MARCH 21st❗️

Is your student interested in making videos, telling stories, or operating a camera? Well, they just might have a chance to see their creation on the big screen at Harkins Theater this April! 🎥

To participate:

1. Fill out the interest form bit.ly/Redlandsfilm2025 ✍️
2. Join the Google Classroom using code JGCERFC 💻
3. Email any questions to edtech@redlands.k12.ca.us 📧

A few details to keep in mind:

🎭 Categories: Short Film (Fiction/Acting) and Short Film (Non-Fiction)

⏲️ Length: 2-8 minutes

⏰ Submission Deadline: March 21

📅 Filmfest Date: April 30

The top ten videos in each category will be shown on the big screen at Harkins Theater on April 30th. 🍿 We are extremely proud of all young filmmakers who are entering their work and encourage all innovative and creative thinking. 👏

🐎 Mission Elementary School received a $5,000 grant from Burlington Stores, in partnership with AdoptAClassroom.org, to support teachers and classrooms. The donation was presented during the ribbon-cutting ceremony for Burlington’s new Citrus Plaza location. ❤️ Teachers will use the funds to purchase essential classroom supplies, including STEAM and tech materials, to enhance learning opportunities for students. 🧑‍🏫 A big thank you to Burlington Stores for investing in our schools and helping provide students with the tools they need to succeed! 👏

👋 Meet Jennifer Robison, a Program Specialist at Special Services! 💖 She was previously a Special Education Teacher and Department Chair at Beattie Middle School 😸 but has been at the District Office for three years!

🗓️ She describes a day in the life of special services as dynamic and rewarding, with each day bringing new experiences. ☀️ She supports teachers, leads training sessions, and helps ensure student needs are met. Collaboration and problem-solving are key as she works with staff and families to create effective solutions and provide the best possible educational experience. 🔑

Jennifer said there is nothing like witnessing that “light bulb” moment when a student truly grasps a concept. 💡 "With their creativity and passion, teachers are some of the most inspiring and fascinating individuals I’ve ever met. 🧑‍🏫 Being part of the learning process and supporting students and educators is a privilege that makes every day meaningful." 💪

For her, representing RUSD means being part of a dedicated community that values education, inclusion, and student success. She is honored and proud to collaborate with passionate educators, fostering innovation, and ensuring all students receive the support they need to thrive. "Being a part of RUSD is more than just a role; it’s a commitment to making a lasting impact on the lives of students and our community." 🙌

🪨 A fun fact about Jennifer: While most people know her to be out on the pickleball court, her real passion is rock hounding! "There’s something thrilling about exploring caves or digging into the earth to uncover hidden treasures. My husband and I have brought home truckloads of rocks, turning some into beautiful jewelry. 💍 This hobby is significant to me because it all started on a rock-hunting trip with my father, an experience that sparked a lifelong love for the hunt!" 🔎

🗣️ Advice for students & Families: "Slow down and be present." ⏳

📢 We are currently accepting nominations for both classified and certificated employees who have consistently gone above and beyond in their roles. Whether it's a dedicated teacher 🧑‍🏫 who inspires students daily, a compassionate paraprofessional 🤲 who provides invaluable support, or a dependable bus driver 🚌 who ensures the safe transportation of our students, we want to hear about these exceptional individuals! If you know someone who deserves recognition for their outstanding contributions, please click the link and submit your nominations. 🗳️ Let’s come together to celebrate the remarkable individuals who continue to shine and make a positive impact throughout our district. 🙌

Staying informed is key to a smooth school year (for everyone!). Outlined below are ways the district as well as school sites will communicate with you.

🏢 District Communication

The District will send monthly newsletters, letters from the Superintendent, and updates through ParentSquare containing important information and various action items. ParentSquare is also an app you can download on your phone and set up your personal communication preferences. Seeing too many emails? You can adjust your notification preferences to digest mode and only receive one email from both your child(ren)'s school and the district in one readers digest format (click here to see how!). You can also enable text and push notifications (which we recommend in case of emergency). 📲

In an effort to effectively and efficiently communicate with our staff, families, and community members, the Redlands Unified School District has adopted an electronic flyer communication tool, Peachjar. If you have any questions regarding this new digital flyer service, please email peachjar@redlands.k12.ca.us 🍑

The District also uses social media to share positive stories and happenings throughout the district, in addition to important dates and reminders. You can follow us on Facebook, Instagram, X (Formerly Twitter), YouTube, and LinkedIn! 📱

🏫 School Site Communication

School site communication varies depending on site and grade level. However, all sites will send out either weekly or monthly newsletter-style communication through ParentSquare. For questions related to school site communication, please reach out to the site directly!

📲 ParentSquare Resources

Here is a link to more information and resources related to ParentSquare. See the contact information below for assistance with your ParentSquare account.

We post new positions regularly! Join our school community by applying here, or share this link with someone who may wish to apply. Call Human Resources at (909) 307-5300 with any questions.

Website: www.redlandsusd.net

Location: 20 West Lugonia Avenue Redlands, CA 92374

Phone: (909) 307-5300

Facebook: facebook.com/RedlandsUSD

Instagram: instagram.com/redlandsusd

X (Formerly Twitter): https://x.com/RedlandsUSD

YouTube: youtube.com/RedlandsUSD Media

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/redlandsusd

Photo Gallery: redlandsusd.smugmug.com

Redlands Unified School District, as a unifying agent of several unique communities rich in local history, culture, and tradition, is committed to preparing students to become productive participants in a diverse, multi-cultural, democratic society through quality education, high expectations, flexible programs and innovative partnerships. Our students will be empowered with the knowledge and commitment necessary to confront the challenges of our changing world, as they become the leaders of the 21st century.