Dear Rochester City School District Families,
It is starting to feel like spring in Rochester, and that brings more outdoor activities to enjoy with family and friends. While school is almost over, there is still much learning ahead of us, and I encourage all our students to remain focused and end the school year strong.
With the New York State 3 – 8 English Language Arts assessment behind us, I want to thank you for all you do to support your children at home. May is another busy assessment month beginning with students in grades 3 – 8 who will take the NYS exams in mathematics next week and the science 8 performance assessment later in the month. Students in grades K – 8 will take their final i-Ready diagnostic assessment while some high school students will take Advanced Placement exams, and all students classified as English Language Learners will take the NYS English as a Second Language Achievement Test.
I also want to provide you with information about the investments in school safety we are making. I am most concerned that crime and violence have worked their way onto our campuses. I take the safety and well-being of our students and staff very seriously. Since becoming superintendent, I have been working closely with the Mayor, the Rochester Police Department, and my administration to develop strategies that protect students and staff. Earlier this month, this team met to continue our conversations about addressing safety and security in and around our schools. Sadly, the challenges continue, and we are dealing with new situations daily. To address these issues, we have taken some additional steps to help keep everyone on our campuses safe.
- Since January, Rochester police have been present outside several of our schools during arrival and dismissal times, and they are engaging in more strategic patrolling of parking lots based on reported incidents. They are also supporting neighboring schools throughout the day. These patrols will remain in place throughout the end of the school year.
- Police captains and school principals have begun to meet regularly to strengthen their relationship and connection. They share information about the events and issues happening in schools and the community and address situations that may arise in a proactive manner.
- We are continuing to upgrade radios, communication equipment, bag-scanning, X-Ray machines, and metal detectors, including hand wands, and increasing the number of doors requiring badge ID for entry.
- Yesterday evening, the Board passed a resolution that allocates $7 million from the District’s Fund Balance for continued safety and security measures at various facilities.
We are also in the midst of the budget season, with final deliberations taking place on Wednesday, May 3. The special Board of Education meeting to adopt the 2023–2024 budget is Tuesday, May 9, followed by City Council’s vote on Tuesday, June 20. Please visit www.RCSDK12.org/budget for up-to-date information, including key budget dates, presentations, and past budgets.
Sincerely,
Dr. Carmine Peluso
Superintendent of Schools
Important Dates in May
- No school for students on Monday, May 1, and Tuesday, May 16, as these are Superintendent’s Conference Days.
- The last half-day for students is Monday, May 15 (check dismissal times here)
- All facilities are closed for Memorial Day on Monday, May 29.
Reading Support at Home
We are also partnering with Amira Learning, an online digital reading tutor that can read with your child in English and Spanish. Students in grades K – 5 are given reading practice for use at home or in after-school programs. Amira is available to students by logging on to ROConnect using a computer or tablet. Amira helps facilitate meaningful data that teachers can share with parents. We hope you will take advantage of this valuable resource to support your children’s reading! Families can learn more at www.rcsdk12.org/amira.
Credit Earning Opportunity
If you have a student in grades 9 – 12 who is looking for the opportunity to earn an additional elective credit, take a Dual Credit course in preparation for college, or schedule time to complete an Online Credit Recovery (OCR) class, then sign them up for Innovation Academy!
Innovation Academy is a virtual learning program that allows students to complete an Initial, OCR, or Dual Credit course outside of the traditional school day. The program has the flexibility of asynchronous learning while you complete your work at a guided pace with the support of certified RCSD content teachers. Classes are scheduled on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays in an assigned Zoom meeting room. To learn more about the courses being offered this school year, including registration, please connect with your school counselor. If you have any questions not related to registration, reach out to our Innovation Academy Program Director, Katherine Orem, at Katherine.Orem@rcsdk12.org.
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Important Changes with Medicaid, Child Health Plus, and Essential Plan
Families who currently have health insurance through Medicaid, Child Health Plus, and the Essential Plan will need to renew their coverage in the coming year. To prepare for this change, you should take action now by making sure NY State of Health has the correct contact information for every member of your family that is on Medicaid, Child Health Plus, and the Essential Plan. You can update your information by calling 1-855-355-5777. NY State of Health will begin sending renewal notices to enrollees of these programs soon, so please act now!
It is also important to open and respond to all mail from Medicaid, Child Health Plus, and the Essential Plan over the next year to avoid losing your healthcare coverage. We also encourage you to sign up to receive text alerts from NY State of Health by texting “START” to 1-866-988-0327. We want to make sure you have the information you need to protect coverage for your child and other members of your family.
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Rochester City School District
