Letter to Families and Staff
Letter To Families & Staff
Friday, April 26, 2024
Tentative End-of-Year Events Schedule
It's hard to believe, but it's time to start planning the end-of-year activities! Our buildings and parent groups have been working hard to organize these events for May and June. We've compiled a list of all the tentative end-of-year activities in one convenient place, which you can find here. Please note: this document will be updated on our website as more information becomes available.
Go digital! Add to your digital calendar all the important District dates by clicking on the RCS School District Calendar and then “copy to my calendar.”
2024-25 School Budget
On Tuesday, May 21, Ravena-Coeymans-Selkirk Central School District residents will vote on a proposed $54,578,339 budget for the 2024-25 school year. The RCS Board of Education adopted the proposed budget after dedicating the last few months to review programs, consider future opportunities, and finalize priorities for the coming school year. The proposed plan includes a spending increase of $1,032,433 or 1.92% and would result in an estimated tax rate increase of 4.26%. This estimated tax increase is below the district’s tax cap of 4.45% and requires only a simple majority for the budget to be approved (50% plus one vote).
Upcoming Dates:
Wednesday, May 8 - The Annual Budget Hearing and Meet the Candidates will be held at 6:00 p.m. at the RCS High School.
Tuesday, May 21 - The Annual School District Vote will be held from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. at the RCS High School.
Updates To Safety Protocols at RCS Buildings
We want our community to be aware of our continued commitment to staff and student safety which includes multiple, proactive approaches to fortifying security throughout our buildings. We follow state guidelines and local and state police recommendations for these protocols and continue to enhance and upgrade the safety features of our facilities.
Recently, we have significantly improved the coverage and quality of the camera systems in both of our elementary schools. The installation of these systems is not yet fully complete, but portions of the equipment are now functioning. This camera system can both record and be monitored in live time and will be used by our building leaders and school resource officers (SROs) to monitor school activity both inside and outside of our buildings. We expect to extend improvements to other existing camera systems by updating the equipment at our Middle School and High School in the coming years. Note: No cameras are located in areas where a person would normally have an expectation of privacy.
Read more about our security measures at our RCS buildings here.
Mark Your Calendars
These are a few upcoming events to put on your calendars.
4th Grade Instrument Night
On Thursday, May 2, the RCS Music Department will be hosting a Meet the Instruments Night! The event will take place in the Middle School Cafeteria and LGR beginning at 6:00 pm. Read more here.
Registration reminder for Kindergarten enrollment for the 2024-2025 school year
There is no deadline for kindergarten enrollment at RCS; we encourage families to enroll their students by Friday, May 3, to participate in kindergarten screening. To enroll your child in kindergarten for the 2024-2025 school year, visit our New Student Registration page here.
The screening dates will be held:
- Thursday, May 16, and Friday, May 17
- Monday, May 20, and Wednesday, May 22
Specific information regarding screening appointment dates and times will be shared with families from the respective elementary schools.
MS Production of Annie
The RCS Middle School Drama Club returns to the stage this spring with the hit musical Annie Junior! The cast and crew have been working overtime to put together this show. They can’t wait to share their production with the RCS Community! The show will run on May 9, 10, and 11. All performances are open to the public. Click here for ticket information and show details.
RCS Highlights
We would like to take a moment to share some District highlights from April. Follow us on Facebook to see more RCS Highlights, photos, and more!
Bus Drivers Appreciation Day
Sophomores and Juniors attended the College Caravan
On Monday, April 22, the High School Counseling Center invited Sophomores and Juniors to their Spring Capital District Counseling Association's (CDCA) College Caravan. Students met with representatives from colleges from New York, Massachusetts, and Vermont to gather information about their next steps after graduation.
RCS High School Drama Club
Bravo! The RCS High School Drama Club received two nominations for this year's High School Musical Theatre Awards for their production of Mary Poppins! Congratulations on being nominated for Best Set Construction and Best Supporting Actress - Sonia Snyder for the role of Michael Banks! The winners will be announced on May 4 at 7 p.m. on the Main Stage of Proctors. You can find more information about the awards and nominees by visiting https://bit.ly/3W3hwXU.
Elementary Art Shows
RCS Boys Varsity Tennis Team
The RCS Boys Varsity Tennis Team took a moment on Earth Day to work on a team service project. The athletes started with a collection of 235 worn-out tennis balls, and each player chose five other schools to contact to see if they could collect a goal of 1,000! The collected tennis balls were sent to a nonprofit organization that recycles them into sustainable products.