RUSD Family & Community eNews

👋 As President of the Board of Education, I am filled with immense pride for the accomplishments and unwavering dedication demonstrated by our entire RUSD community. 🍊

🥇 Our students have excelled in academics, sports, the arts, and more, showcasing their talents and hard work. 🤩 I have had the privilege of attending many events this year, such as the new Superintendent Awards, where we celebrated outstanding student achievements all year long. 🏆 The district was recently named one of the best communities in the nation for music education 🎶 and received the esteemed Golden Bell Award for C-STEM. 🦾 🔔 These honors underscore our district's commitment to providing a well-rounded education, embracing both the creative and academic disciplines. Yet, even among these accolades, it was the profound insights and impassioned voices of our student trustees that resonated most deeply with me this year. 🗣️ Their input has been invaluable, and I sincerely thank them for their service on the board. 🧑‍⚖️

🎓 As we look forward to graduation week, I want to extend my heartfelt congratulations to all our graduates. 🥳 Your perseverance and determination have brought you to this significant milestone. 🧠 As you embark on the next stage of your lives, remember that the skills and knowledge you've gained here will serve as a strong foundation for whatever path you choose to pursue. 🛣️ You are the leaders, innovators, and change-makers of tomorrow, and we are all incredibly proud of you. 🌅

To our families, thank you for your unwavering support and partnership in your student’s education. Your involvement and encouragement have been crucial to their success and the betterment of the district. 🙌

⌛️ As we close this chapter and look forward to the new opportunities and challenges that lie ahead, let us remember the lessons we’ve learned, focus on creating safer schools, and continue strengthening our community. Together, we can cultivate an environment where every student thrives. 🤝

🙏 Thank you for an unforgettable year and enjoy your hard-earned summer break! 😎

With deep appreciation and best wishes for the future,

Alex Vara, President of the Board of Education

🦅 Click here for eAcademy, June 3 at 9 AM

🐲 Click here for Orangewood High School, June 3 at 6 PM

🐶 Click here for Redlands High School, June 4 at 6:45 PM

🦅 Click here for Citrus Valley High School, June 5 at 6:30 PM

🐱 Click here for Redlands East Valley High School, June 6 at 7 PM

🦉 Click here for Redlands Adult School, June 7 at 6 PM

📸 Candid graduation photos will be available for download here by June 17th
and highlight videos will be posted to our YouTube Channel. 🎥

🎧 Listen to the advice on what to do after graduation our current kindergartners have for our graduates! They also had kind words to share - you won't want to miss this video, seniors! 🥰

Our annual Multicultural Fair hosted by our Family and Community Engagement Department was an astounding success! ✨ This year's theme was "Cultural Kaleidoscope" honoring the diverse cultural traditions of students and families. Our district united with community members to celebrate through presentations, dances, giveaways, and an innovation showcase. 🤖

Child Nutrition Services also provided pantry boxes to families and pizza to students. 🍕 The event was a true collaborative effort, with participation from various local organizations. We look forward to next year’s fair and another opportunity to celebrate our vibrant community. ❤️🧡💛💚

The 13th Annual Inland Empire High School Black Graduate Recognition Ceremony, aka IE Black Grad, celebrated scholarship earners, trail-blazing educators, and of course, our Black grads! "This is not just a ceremony," said Keynasia Buffong, "it is a celebration of resilience, a tribute to perseverance, and a testament to the infinite potential that resides in every single one [of our Black grads]." 👏🏾

National Black Grad aims to connect, strengthen, and empower students of color to not just succeed, but set a new standard of excellence, in school and beyond. This annual event brings the community together, reminds students to be proud of who they are, & inspires them to finish the year strong. 💪🏾

🎼 💖 The Inspire Choir Spring Showcase filled our ears with beautiful music & our hearts with joy! 🎤 The students brought smiles to everyone's faces with their fun and heartfelt performances ranging from country classics to modern pop songs. 🎶

🏆 Congratulations to Maura, who won Most Outstanding Performer, and Donovan, who earned the Most Improved Singer award! 👏

🤩 Our first commencement of the year is already behind us! The 2024 RUSD Adult Transition Completion Ceremony brought together students, friends, families, and staff members to celebrate the Exiting Class of 2024! 🥳

😆 🥹 Through laughter and tears, we celebrated our ten amazing special education students as they complete their RUSD journey and start a new chapter in their lives. 🙌 Congratulations to Alec, Brandon, Donovan, Elijah, Gemma, Hannah, Katie, Loren, Maura, and Mayumi! 👏

🤝 The Redlands School Connections League (RSCL) held its three basketball championship games on May 30th in the Blackhawk Gym at Citrus Valley High School and each was a fantastic display of athleticism and sportsmanship.

1️⃣ In the first game of the night, the co-ed 6th grade teams from Beattie Middle School and Clement Middle School went head to head, with Clement taking the first W of the night. 🥇

2️⃣ Next, combined teams of 7th and 8th grade girls from Beattie and Clement battled it out, with the Clement Vikings pulling ahead of the Bobcats before the final buzzer. 🏅

3️⃣ Just when it looked like Clement might sweep 🧹 the league, the underdog challengers of the 7th and 8th grade boys game, the mighty Cope Middle School Eagles, proved too much for the Vikings in the end. In a down-to-the-buzzer, edge-of-your-seat close game, Cope pulled out ahead and held tight to their narrow lead. This historic moment marks the first time Cope has won a RSCL championship! 🦅 🏆

📢 Student governing board members from 🐲 Orangewood, 🐱 Redlands East Valley, 🦅 Citrus Valley, and 🐶 Redlands High Schools participated in leadership training led by Envolve Schools! 👏 They spent the day alternating between competing and collaborating, all while learning ways to make their school communities more inclusive. They brainstormed ways to engage every student to bring them into their campus culture. We can't wait to see what they have in store for our schools next year!

📣 Over 50 attendees walked out of our Paraprofessional Job Fair with conditional substitute and contract paraprofessional job offers! 🤩 It was an all-hands-on-deck event, with site administrators, safety officers, district staff, and more all pitching in to help HR make this event such a success! We welcome all of our new hires onto Team RUSD and can't wait to meet you at your new sites! 👋

🔎 Looking for more photos from district events? Check out the new District photo gallery! Families can view and download photos from all events the Communications Department covers. 💾

Visit https://redlandsusd.smugmug.com/.

We are thrilled to announce that Redlands Unified has been named among the Best Communities in the nation for music education by The National Association of Music Merchants (NAMM) Foundation. This prestigious award recognizes and celebrates the outstanding efforts of our teachers, administrators, parents, students, and community leaders who have made music education an integral part of a well-rounded education. The Best Communities for Music Education designation, now in its 25th year, honors districts and schools that demonstrate an exceptionally high commitment to providing access to music education for all students. This recognition is a testament to our district's dedication to fostering a vibrant and inclusive music program, and we are incredibly proud of the collective efforts that have made this achievement possible.

📣 This month, students from Orangewood High School, Redlands High School, Citrus Valley High School, and Redlands East Valley High School collectively received hundreds of thousands of dollars in scholarships during their respective Senior Awards Ceremonies. 💰 We extend our deepest gratitude to the Redlands Community Scholarship Foundation, as well as all the donors and organizations that make these scholarships possible. 🙏 In addition to scholarships, many students were also recognized with academic awards, highlighting their exceptional achievements and dedication. Congratulations to all our outstanding students and we can't wait to see you again at graduation! 🎓

👏 "Proud" is an understatement when it comes to our seniors here at Redlands Unified School District! Check out a few facts from our high school AVID programs:

😼 REV:

• 100% college acceptance rate- 14 years in a row!
• 430 acceptances to four-year colleges
• 95% earning scholarships and grants totaling more than 4.16 million dollars!

🐲 OHS:

• 10 AVID Seniors who are graduating
• Total amount of scholarships is $9,800
• 7 plan to attend a local community college in the fall
• 1 plans to attend a university in Georgia
• 2 plan to attend universities in Mexico

🐶 RHS:

• 48 seniors graduating from AVID at RHS
• 163 College Acceptances
• $1,144,201 offered in grants and scholarships

🦅 CVHS:

• Data coming soon!

The Seal of Biliteracy Recognition Night honored students who have mastered fluency in a second language next to English. Whether it’s Spanish, Vietnamese, French, or Arabic (and many more!), we are extremely proud to have such a diverse group of multilingual students. ✨ Over 160 students received the Seal of Biliteracy this year and will wear their medals to graduation honoring their great success! 🏅

📣 Congratulations to our Outstanding Spring Athletes, recognized at the May 21st board meeting! 👏

Brailyn McNeal - Orangewood High School

Angel Perez - Citrus Valley High School

Liam Hartling - Redlands High School

Tait Whittemore - Redlands East Valley High School

🍊 Additionally, we want to congratulate all the student-athletes who helped their teams dominate in the Citrus Belt League (CBL)! ⚾️ CVHS Baseball, 🏸 REV Badminton, 🏊‍♂️ RHS Boys Swimming, 🏊‍♀️ RHS Girls Swimming, and 🎾 RHS Boys Tennis are all CBL champs! 🥳

🙏 We would like to extend our heartfelt gratitude to our student trustees for their dedication and service to the Board of Education. 💖 Their insightful contributions have provided invaluable perspectives, ensuring that student voices from their respective sites are heard and represented. ⚖️ Your hard work and passion for making a difference in your school community have not gone unnoticed. Thank you for your exemplary leadership and for helping to shape a brighter future for all students in our district. ✨

Our partnership with CRY-ROP exemplifies the power of collaborative communities, as highlighted by their Evening of Excellence. 💫 At this event, many of our secondary students received the 2023-2024 Outstanding Student Award. 🏅 Additionally, four of our students were awarded scholarships to pursue various fields in the future such as auto and certified nursing assistant. 💰 Congratulations to all our students for their outstanding achievements in the different programs! 👏

REP’s Evening of Appreciation honored the 2023-2024 Outstanding Teacher and Classified Employee Nominees, recognizing those selected by their colleagues for this special distinction. ✨ Student winners of the 2024 Arts Alive! were also recognized from Cope Middle School and Redlands High School. 🎨 The event concluded with a video presentation highlighting a day in the life of this year’s nominees, showcasing the impactful work they do at their sites. 🎥 We are proud to have such empowering teachers and classified staff members who make a lasting difference every day. 🫶

🏆 The Association of California School Administrators Region 12 Board of Directors announced their 2024 Administrators of the Year, and our very own purchasing director, Amy Drummond, was awarded Business Services Administrator of the Year! 🙌 You may remember Amy from the opening message of the eNews May Edition, where she humbly put the focus on her team. This month, we are shining the spotlight directly on her! Amy, thank you for your tireless efforts all year long. 🙏 You are an essential part of our district and the award is well-deserved! 👏

Our Retirement Ceremony was a special moment for us as we celebrated our retirees as they bid farewell to Redlands Unified School District. 🍊 We are proud of our retirees and wish them a fulfilling retirement. ✨ Their lasting dedication and years of service have contributed to our goal of providing an exceptional educational experience to all our students. 🤝

Fun fact: We have over 170 retirees this year with over 4100 years of service combined. 👏

📢 We are currently accepting nominations for both our classified and certificated employees who have consistently gone above and beyond in their roles. Whether it's a dedicated teacher 🧑‍🏫 who inspires their 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 take a moment to 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. 🙌

Curious about becoming a PTA member? Check in with your school to join and support their fantastic initiatives! 🍎 Together, let's pave the way for a brighter future for our children and community! ✨ 🙌 🎓

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. By reading through the communication, you are helping your student(s) stay on top of any pressing issues, updates and information. 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.