

RUSD Family & Community eNews
April 2025

Message from Acting Assistant Superintendent of Human Resources Lisa Bruich
The Human Resources (HR) department is Redlands Unified School District's go-to resource for any questions or support related to employment and employment opportunities. ๐ช
One of the highlights of our department is our Teacher Induction Program. ๐ We are committed to working with our new teachers in ensuring they are well supported and prepared for the classroom. The Teacher Induction Program is a two year program in which new teachers are connected with a veteran teacher as a mentor to help support and guide them through their teaching experience and assist them in clearing their teaching credential. ๐ค
We are also very proud of our Redlands Instructional Coaching program which allows for veteran teachers to work with an instructional coach to learn new and inventive strategies for the classroom. ๐งโ๐ซ ๐ฃ This coaching/co-teaching model allows for teachers to continue to build their craft of teaching. While this program is fairly new, we have had over sixty teachers participate. This has been a great opportunity for teachers to come together and support each other. ๐
Another highlight is our partnership with our surrounding universities. ๐ซ We have supported hundreds of student teachers over the years. With the support of our supervisory teachers, many of our student teachers have been able to find employment immediately following their student teaching. ๐ผ We value our partnership with the universities and appreciate their work with their students.
The HR department is committed to creating a positive and inclusive work environment where every employee and visitor feels valued and supported. ๐
Our HR team is here to assist with a wide range of services, including but not limited to:
๐ฉโโ๏ธ District policies and procedures
๐ Contract management
๐ฃ Recruitment
๐ผ Application and hiring process
๐ฑ Professional growth
๐ Teacher Induction Program
๐ข Redlands Instructional Coaching
โฒ๏ธ Substitute positions (Certificated and Classified)
๐๏ธ Athletic Coaching
๐ Student Teaching
๐คฒ Volunteers
๐ University outreach and agreements
โ Credentials
๐ We are thankful for the opportunity to serve our students, parents, employees, and our community. If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to HR.
Respectfully,
Lisa Bruich
Acting Assistant Superintendent, Human Resources
What's Happening in Redlands USD
Represent Your School in the School Duel ๐ฒ
The Redlands Bicycle Classic School Duel is back on Saturday, April 12 and is open to all students across Redlands Unified School District! This free and fun community event invites riders of all experience levels to race on a closed course through Downtown Redlands. ๐ From tiny tricycles to speedy two-wheelers, every participant rides in an age-based heat and earns a medal at the finish lineโbecause showing up and being part of something bigger is the win. ๐
In the spirit of the Redlands Bicycle Classic, professional riders from participating bike teams are visiting each of our school sites April 7th & 8th! ๐ดโโ๏ธ๐ดโโ๏ธ These athletes are taking time to connect with students, share their experiences, and inspire the next generation of cyclists. It's an exciting opportunity for students to meet real competitors and feel the energy of this iconic community event up close! ๐คฉ
๐ While Judson & Brown holds an impressive eight-year winning streak, the competition is heating up! Could this be the year Arroyo Verde or Kingsbury takes the title? ๐
As for the secondary division, the trophy is wide open for the taking and weโd love to see even more middle and high school students get in the race. Come out and represent your school with pride!
ONLINE REGISTRATION CLOSES ON APRIL 8TH AT MIDNIGHT.
To participate, just follow these simple steps:
- Take the Bike Safety Quiz for your Free Registration Code: https://redlandsclassic.com/bike-safety-quiz/
- Register for School Duel: https://redlandsclassic.com/official-public-races-entry-form/
- Print and complete the Public Races Release Form (included below).
- Show up on April 12th with your bike, approved helmet, & your race release form!
REMEMBER: EVERY RIDER COUNTS!
Read Across America
Redlands Council of PTAs
On March 13th, the Redlands Council of Parent Teacher Association (RCPTA) hosted their Spring Association Meeting and annual election. ๐ธ
Congratulations to the new board members! โจ
(pictured left to right)
- ๐ 1st VP of Membership: Misty Harnden
- ๐ฐ Treasurer: Marie McCully
- ๐ซก President: Iwona-Maria Contreras
- โ๏ธ Recording Secretary: Regina Frazer
- ๐ Financial Reviewer: Jennifer Moore
Become a PTA member!
Follow these steps:
- ๐ Go to https://jointotem.com/ca/pta/fifth-district-pta/redlands-council
- ๐ Search and click on your student's school on the list
- โ Click "Join Now" and follow the steps on the next screen!
PTA supports their school sites through fantastic initiatives for families and students! ๐
๐ท District Event Photos Are In! ๐ธ
๐ 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. ๐พ
On Friday, March 14th, RUSD students competed in the San Bernardino, Inyo, Mono Science & Engineering Fair (SIMSEF). ๐ฌ
RUSD collected 4 Gold awards ๐ฅ, 4 Silver awards๐ฅ, and 8 Bronze awards๐ฅ! A few highlights include:
- Troy Sun was recognized in the PECG- Elementary Division for his project "How does osmosis cause color change?" ๐ค
- Anthony He won several recognitions for his project "How Does Changing the Mass of a Wooden Ball affect the Wooden Ballโs Bounce Height?" including the Thermo Fisher Scientific Junior Innovators Challenge and the California Science and Engineering Fair.
- Finally, the trio of Tyler Kalanjian, Zackary Lewis, and Michael Stodelle accumulated several recognitions for their project on Thermoelectric Battery, including Regeneron ISEF Finalist, The Energy Coalition Energy Internship, the California Science and Engineering Fair, and the UCLA Mentorship Award. ๐
Several RUSD Educators attended the 6th Annual C-STEM Symposium. In conjunction with UC Davis, RUSD teachers have led the industry in using Coding and Robotics to help improve mathematics. RUSD was the first school district in the country to pilot this educational practice. ๐ค
Lastly, our judges are busy scoring the entries for the 3rd annual RUSD Filmfest. ๐ฅ This year, we have received the highest number of entries EVER! The top 10 scoring films in each category will be shown on the big screen at the Harkins Theater on April 30th! ๐ฟ Congratulations to all who participated and the time to share their creativity and innovation using multimedia to tell a story. ๐๏ธ
Awards and Recognition
Superintendent Awards โจ
Save the date for our next Superintendent Awards Night at Redlands East Valley High School!
- ๐ April 15, 2025 at 5:30 PM
CalSPRA 2025 Awards
Certificated and Classified Spotlights!
Certificated Spotlight: Heather Fuentes
๐๏ธ She describes her day as full of student engagement from the time she arrives on campus to the time she leaves. โฐ She keeps busy and has worn many additional hats throughout the years, such as textbook adoption committees, scope and sequence writing committees, and teaching AVID. Sometimes she stays late into the evening attending sports or ASB events! ๐
After nearly 3 decades of teaching, she is now working on another master's degree in School Counseling and completing her Pupil Personnel Services credential. ๐ช
๐งฉ Heather said her favorite moments with students are when they have a great class discussion or have time to play games and connect with one another. "They crack me up!" ๐
๐ She said representing RUSD has given her the honor of teaching multiple children from the same family, and she has even been able to work with students of past students! ๐ถ "It means a lot to me that I get to teach siblings and continue the tradition with our families over the years."
โณ A fun fact about Heather: One fun fact is that I have been teaching at Cope for over half my life!
๐ฃ๏ธ Advice for students & families: "We are on the same team and want what's best for students. The more we work together, the better team we make." ๐ค
Classified Spotlight: Jamey Simpson
๐ Meet Jamey Simpson, a 1:1 paraprofessional at Redlands High School for the past 5 years. ๐พ
She has had the "privilege" of working with her current student from her very first day. ๐ "Over the years, we've built a strong bond, and watching their growth and progress has been incredibly rewarding."
๐ She says working as a paraprofessional feels like reliving high school all over again โ just from a different perspective! She says she loves her job because while she supports her student through all 7 classes each day, she also gets to interact with hundreds more. ๐ฏ
๐งฎ Jamey said there are too many favorite moments to count, but that joy from the students โ their smiles and laughter โ is contagious. And a simple good morning and smile from staff members really gives her a boost for the day. ๐
๐ She said representing RUSD is an incredible experience. "Knowing that I can make even a small difference in someone's life is truly fulfilling!" ๐ค
๐ฐ ๐ญ A fun fact about Jamey: She was part of the Disneyland live entertainment team and made โจ magic โจ in parades and shows! She said performing and singing are her biggest passions! ๐ค๐ถ
๐ฃ๏ธ Advice for students & families: "Stay focused, stay involved, and always, always follow your heart." โค๏ธ
School Communications
Parent Communication: What to Expect ๐๐
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.
๐ข 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). ๐ฒ
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 ๐
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! ๐ฑ
๐ซ 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!
๐ฒ 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.
SAVE THE DATE!
We are Hiring!
Join Our Team!
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.
Stay Connected!
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