RCSD News
Welcome Back!
Dear Rochester City School District Students and Families,
Welcome to the 2022-2023 school year! I hope you had a wonderful summer and are feeling recharged and as excited as I am for the first day of school on Wednesday, September 7.
I love this District, and I am honored to be serving as your Interim Superintendent. A longtime educator, I began my career in education 25 years ago as a classroom teacher in the RCSD and in the Pittsford Central School District. Most recently, I was the District’s Deputy Superintendent of Operations and Administration and also served as a Chief of Schools, where I supervised and supported teaching, learning, operations, and leadership at a network of schools. Prior to that, I was the Principal of Dr. Louis A. Cerulli School No. 34 and served in administrative roles in other districts. When the opportunity arose, I followed my heart home and returned to the RCSD.
My commitment to our District is longstanding. I am here to support students and families and to ensure high-quality learning experiences are provided for every student. Together, we will build a climate and culture in our schools that are conducive to students, families, and staff, with a renewed focus on establishing one community. I want to highlight the great work happening in our District and celebrate the bright spots in all of our schools.
We have an opportunity in front of us to come together as one unified District rather than a District of many schools. I know that it takes a lot of people to accomplish this important work. Each one of us – students, families, and staff – has a role to play in creating a school community that demonstrates our commitment to fostering students’ individual talents and abilities in a nurturing environment of equity. We are committed to ensuring that all students have equitable access to a high-quality education and graduate each student as a productive member of society. That is our District’s mission and vision, not mine…ours! We are One RCSD!
Thank you for your ongoing support, as we work together to ensure everyone has a successful school year. I hope you have a great first day of school!
Sincerely,
Dr. Carmine Peluso
Interim Superintendent of Schools
What is Smore?
We are excited to introduce a new format for family communications using Smore. We are fortunate to have so many different languages and cultures represented in our RCSD community. One benefit to using the Smore platform is the “translate” function, as it allows the newsletters to be translated into more than 100 languages using the Google translate function. Please note that while extremely useful, this feature may not always be 100% accurate. Our goal is to provide equitable and timely communications to all of our families.
This newsletter provides important Districtwide information about the upcoming school year. We ask that you reach out to your individual schools for school-specific questions.
Let's Stay Connected!
Have you moved or changed your phone number recently? It is very important that your child's school has a current email address, mailing address, and phone numbers (home/mobile) on file for your family. We want to make sure you are receiving communications from your child's school, teachers, and the District.
PowerSchool Parent Portal gives real-time access to class schedules, attendance, assignments, grades, and contact information for teachers. High school parents can also monitor their student’s progress toward meeting graduation requirements. Parents will need a unique access code to add each student to their account. For more information on downloading the app and creating an account, including a how-to video, visit https://www.rcsdk12.org/parentportal.
2022-23 Bell Times
The complete list of schools and programs, including bell times, building addresses, email addresses, phone numbers, and administrators, is posted here on the District website.
2022 - 2023 RCSD School Calendars
Chromebooks and Mobile Hotspots
All returning K-12 students will be on a 1:1 model for the 2022-2023 school year. Students are expected to bring their Chromebooks to school each day unless otherwise communicated by their school. Computer bags will be provided to each student.
Students in Kindergarten will be given a Chromebook at the start of school. Those who still have a Pre-K tablet should turn it into their Kindergarten teacher.
New students will have a Chromebook automatically sent to their school. If a returning student has a Chromebook in need of repair, they should contact their school/teacher, and the school will create a ticket for the repair. If a student has a lost/stolen Chromebook, please contact the classroom teacher or main office.
All RCSD students who do not have internet access at home are eligible to receive a T-Mobile hotspot. To request a hotspot, please click here. The hotspot will be shipped to the student’s school, and families will be notified when it arrives to arrange for pickup.
Health Examinations
There is still time to schedule a health examination with your child’s physician. Health exams/physicals are mandated in grades PreK, Kindergarten, 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, and for all new entrants. A dental exam form is also requested but not required at these same times.
The required NYS Health Examination Form is available on the District website if it is needed by your healthcare provider. Completed school health examination and dental exam forms may be faxed to (585) 324-5924, emailed to Erin.Graupman@rcsdk12.org, or submitted to the nurse at your child’s school in September.
Staying Home When Sick
Staying home when sick helps to lower the risk of spreading infectious diseases, including COVID-19. Students who have symptoms of respiratory or gastrointestinal infections, such as cough, fever, sore throat, vomiting, or diarrhea, should stay home. Testing is required for people with symptoms of COVID-19 as soon as possible after symptoms begin. Families can use at-home test kits – please contact the school nurse with positive and negative results.
Students who test positive for COVID-19 must stay out of school for days 0 – 5. Families can use at-home test kits to show a student’s negative result. Upon return to school, they must wear a mask on days 6 – 10. For more information, please contact your school nurse. Test kits are available at every school upon request.
Here are some important health and safety practices you can review at home prior to the start of school:
- Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. Use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer if soap and water are not available.
- Avoid close contact with people who are sick and stay home when you are sick.
- When coughing or sneezing, cover your mouth and nose with a tissue or your sleeve (not your hands), and then throw the tissue in the trash.
Masking on RTS Buses
While many places no longer require masking, New York State mandate still requires masks on all public transportation, which includes RTS buses. Masks are available at all of our schools if you need one.
Posting of COVID Cases
The District will continue to post a weekly summary of positive COVID-19 cases in our schools and buildings on our website. These updates will be provided every Friday afternoon to the greatest extent possible. This is live data, including confirmed and unconfirmed cases, and the numbers may change as cases are confirmed.
NYSDOH and NYSED COVID-19 Guidance
On August 22, the New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH) and New York State Education Department (NYSED) released guidance for K – 12 schools regarding COVID-19, which closely follows the most recent CDC Operational Guidance. This includes an FAQ for schools and an FAQ for parents and caregivers. We hope these links are useful as your families prepare for the start of school on Wednesday, September 7.
Raptor Visitor Management System
The safety of students and staff is a top priority of the District. We want to make visits to school buildings pleasant and welcoming experiences in a safe environment for everyone.
The District uses the Raptor Visitor Management System, which is an online tool that enhances school security by screening and registering every campus visitor. The system works by reading a visitor’s driver’s license (or other approved government-issued ID) and comparing it to a database that contains registered sex offenders in all 50 states. Once cleared through the system, a visitor badge is produced that includes a photo, name of the visitor, date, time, and destination in the building. This system replaces the traditional paper sign in and is especially useful during emergencies to know exactly who is on campus.
Emergency Response Guide
The District partners with local law enforcement and fire/medical agencies to respond effectively and efficiently to any situation. Should a critical or emergency situation arise, the appropriate response will be initiated. Please be advised that students WILL NOT be released during any emergency response. Click here to view a comprehensive guide for specific emergency situations.
Student Opt-Out Form
U.S. military recruiters, colleges, and outside agencies may request directory information on students. Information that the District may share with these groups includes the student’s name, address, phone number, date and place of birth; grade level; enrollment status; major field of study; height and weight of members of athletic teams; dates of attendance; degrees and awards received; photographs; and the name of the previous school the student attended.
The law allows parents/guardians and high school students over 18 to say no to disclosing this information. If you do not want information shared, please make sure you complete a Student Opt-Out Form for the 2022-2023 school year. These are available at each school and on the District website.
Athletic Events
The athletic event schedules for RCSD high schools can be found on the Rochester City Athletic Conference webpage.
Do you know someone who likes working with children in a school community with great benefits and paid time off? Maybe that someone is you!
We have openings in many areas, including positions in our schools (teachers, paraprofessionals, teaching assistants, clerical) and operations (facilities, custodians, food service, transportation, and safety and security).
Please help us spread the word and share this information with people you know who may be job searching. With your help, all of us – students, families, and staff – can experience a successful school year. For a complete list of recruitment events and current job openings, visit www.rcsdk12.org/employment.
Rochester City School District
Email: communications@rcsdk12.org
Website: https://www.rcsdk12.org
Location: 131 West Broad Street, Rochester, NY 14614, USA
Phone: 585-262-8100
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RCSDNYS/
Twitter: @rcsdnys