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Principal's Message - December 13, 2018

Updated Wed, Dec 12th

Principal's Message - December 13, 2018

Updated Wed, Dec 12th

Prior to a condensed week of learning, we want to take a moment to wish you a happy upcoming vacation. We thank each of you for such support of our students, all 1050 of them, as well as our greater community. We see evidence of this support in the high rate of participation in this year’s Parent Conferences, and volunteerism at Math Club and Project Cornerstone. Donations made to our CIA Turkey Trot and Community Toy Program have been tremendous. That you track your child’s progress on Power School, communicate with teachers, provide a safe place for your child at home, and interact with your child do not go unnoticed. The support here is immense, and for that we are thankful. We wish you a gratifying conclusion to 2018 and a joyful 2019.

Professional Development Day

As a reminder, our students’ last day of the calendar year is next Wednesday, December 19^th. On the 20^th, teachers will be at RHMS planning ways to implement the district’s Profiles of a Graduate and our site’s focus upon engagement, all linked to essential standards and providing students the very best instruction.

Student Academic Achievement

Comprised of multiple teachers across several grade levels, our RHMS Leadership Team has re-imaged the manner in which our students are recognized for their academic achievement as measured by the district report card. After asking groups of students for their opinions, considering our district’s goal of leveraging Profiles of a Graduate, and speaking with administration at neighboring schools including those in Union and Los Gatos, our RHMS Leadership Team feels the previous manner in which students were recognized has grown obsolete.

Traditionally, an entire grade level has lost a period or two of instruction to hear the names of recipients read aloud. The names of students earning 3.00 and above were often mispronounced, participants’ attention waned, and there was a feeling of unease if a perfect GPA was not achieved or an academic award was not received. When parents were unable to attend, and the quantity of students prohibited personalization, additional students were affected.

Taking all of this into consideration, students with above a 3.00 GPA will still receive a Certificate of Achievement from their sixth period teacher in the coming days. (The certificate itself has changed from last year, printed with additional text and the administration’s signatures to name two ways.) Additionally, names of students who achieved a 3.00 or above will scroll on the monitor in our front office. When our Tech Department upgrades the software on our marquee off Pollard Avenue, the same list of names will run outside. Students will be able to see their names “in lights” as they are displayed alphabetically and with only the last initial.

As our second trimester concludes in March, we will look to keep the recognition fresh so that our students experience something new. While we will continue with our Certificate of Achievement, we will look to work with our Leadership Class to update the associated “plus” by updating the punch card from previous years and considering additional alternatives.

Our RHMS Leadership Team feels that a report card is a traditional way of marking achievement, and that the traditional Awards Assembly has become less relevant than it once was. With the Certificate of Achievement, families are still able to celebrate a job well done.

Student Safety

We have recently received reports about concerns at off campus locations, including the Safeway parking lot and the footbridge adjacent to RHMS. Should you or our child see circumstances that are of concern, please notify the school or law enforcement if there is an immediate need. We have a close working relationship with Campbell Police Department, whose officers are here to help support our community. Additionally, please be cognizant of traffic patterns, as our students are vulnerable to the elements during the winter months. We always encourage students to travel in groups or carpool with parents and guardians.

In the Spirit of Giving

Updated Wed, Dec 12th

Rolling Hills students are participating in the

2018 Campbell Community Toy Program

Students and families are encouraged to bring in a new, unwrapped gifts for children and leave them in the box in the school office
by this Friday, December 14

The Toy Program benefits families attending schools in our district.

We appreciate your support!

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Eagles Athletes

Updated Wed, Dec 12th

Congratulations to our 7th Girls Basketball Team!
The team finished their season undefeated against Price. This has earned them the right to be called CHAMPIONS of the 2018 season!

Wrestling season is in the finals with RHMS wrestlers placing at the Varsity Tournament, then at Sectionals, and two wrestlers headed to Counties!

Congratulations to our RHMS Athletes!

We Know You're Busy

Updated Mon, Dec 17th

Save time by joining the conversation about our schools and district online.

As we look ahead at budgets and plans for the coming year, we really want to know the topics and ideas that are most important to our community. We know that coming to meetings can be a challenge for busy families, so we enlisted the help of an online tool called ThoughtExchange.

JOIN THE CONVERSATION. Help us focus plans and resources for the year ahead.

Share your Thoughts by 10 p.m. December 19th!
Please join in the conversation about your child's school and district.
Por favor únase a la conversación sobre la escuela y el distrito de su hijo.

share-star-discover It is an easy 3-step process:
  1.  Share – answer open-ended questions about education in our schools
  2.  Star – review and ideas from other stakeholders
3.  Discover – learn what is important to the community as a whole

_{(Learn more about ThoughtExchange.com)}

Clearing Out the Clutter?

Updated Thu, Dec 13th

Bring your E-waste & unwanted household items to the RHMS drop-off lot on Sunday, January 27! If we fill the truck, Goodwill will donate $1800 to RHMS/PTA for programs and activities here at school.

Measuring Progress: New School Dashboards Available

Updated Tue, Dec 11th

State’s updated accountability charts offer simpler view of complex data.

This month, the California Department of Education released the second edition of the state’s School Dashboard, the two-year-old accountability tool for measuring local schools and districts across a number of indicators. This 2018 version contains two new data points and improved graphics for easier viewing.

"The color-based charts provide an easier way to see students progress through multiple measures, such as academics, school climate, and parent engagement," said Shelly Viramontez, Superintendent of Campbell Union School District (CUSD). "We’re committed to preparing our TK-8 students for their 21st century workplace and, as it evolves, this tool will offer a way to gauge progress and measure effectiveness."

Before viewing dashboards for CUSD schools, please note:

The Local Indicator Data on each school’s dashboard is not specific to that school but represents the entire district.
There is no district-wide dashboard. The district-level dashboard is represented by CUSD’s one non-charter school in 2018 report: Campbell Middle School. For the 2019 report, Rosemary Elementary school will represent the district as the district’s non-charter school.

Visit Your School’s Dashboard https://www.caschooldashboard.org/#/Home

Board Reorganizes for 2019

Updated Fri, Dec 7th

Three trustees begin new terms. Board sets schedule for next year.

Each December, the Campbell Union School District Governing Board holds an Organizational Meeting at which they welcome incoming trustees, elect officers, assign subcommittees, and set the meeting schedule for the coming calendar year. Pictured above are (l to r) Chris Miller; Danielle M.S. Cohen; Pablo A. Beltran (Clerk); Richard H. Nguyen (Vice President); Michael L. Snyder (President).

3adults swear oath At left, Superintendent Viramontez administered the Oath of Office to three trustees who began new terms: returning trustees (l to r) Richard H. Nguyen and Danielle M.S. Cohen, and newly elected member Chris Miller.

The Board and staff also recognized retiring board member Thomas M. Gemetti for his six years of service, which included serving as Clerk, Vice President and President.

Campbell Union School District is governed by five elected trustees who serve four-year terms. Governing Board members ensure that the policies, funding priorities and personnel are in place to provide an education beyond the expected to our more than 7500 preschool-through-eighth-grade students. More information about the Governing Board is online.

Principal's Message - December 6, 2018

Updated Wed, Dec 12th

Our second trimester is up and running. Eighth graders are deeper into their Exhibition projects. Those on “the wheel” are in new exploratory classes experiencing art, STEAM, technology, Spanish, AVID, and chorus. Additional students are demonstrating proficiency in English and are being exited from ELD coursework. The Dodgeball Tournament is well underway, as is our Holiday Toy Drive, and a December Spirit Week is being coordinated by our ASB. The CIA Turkey Trot raised over $1200 in anonymous gift cards for families in need. The school musical was a success, and the bands are gearing up for their Winter Concert. While wrestling and girls’ basketball wind down, boys’ basketball will have tryouts. Our Math Club participated in its first nationwide exam, and our site Spelling Bee has its finalists prepared. There is a lot of hustle and bustle all around learning and providing students a well-rounded experience. I am thankful for so much support of our students from the RHMS staff and community.

Professional Development Day

While students’ last day of the calendar year is Wednesday, December 19^th, teachers will be at Rolling Hills working hard… discussing essential standards, engagement strategies, and lesson design on December 20th. Much like a classroom setting, we will gather as a whole teaching staff to discuss the initial three months of school, and then break into departments to discuss our next steps that are unique to each department. This valuable time will help solidify instruction for our 1050 students as we enter 2019.

Thought Exchange

Please look for an email from our district office that leads you to Thought Exchange. The email should have arrived after 5:00pm on Wednesday, December 5^th and will also have a link on our RHMS website. Thought Exchange is an online forum that allows students, parents, and staff the opportunity to share thoughts:

What are some important things that we could improve at our school or district?
What are some important things that you appreciate about our school or district?
What do CUSD graduates need to be successful in life, learning and work?

Once enough thoughts are generated, we ask that you return to the site in a few days and assess what others have shared. By adding value (stars) to thoughts, the district and RHMS can help determine direction, benefit, and funding aimed at meeting student needs.

Student Safety

As a reminder, we encourage you to be cognizant of traffic patterns around school. With inclement weather here, there is greater likelihood of accidents caused by rain and fog. Additionally, we highly encourage our students to travel in pairs or groups as they walk and bike to and from school. With it becoming darker earlier, we want to make certain our students and greater community are physically safe.

CLMS Teacher of the Year

We are proud to announce that Rolling Hills’ own Mrs. Jennifer Bell was chosen from a group of stellar educators to be the California League of Middle School Region 5 Educator of the Year. The CLMS Award is bestowed upon California middle school teachers who exemplify educational excellence and who have made significant efforts to implement elements of educational reform. Mrs. Bell was recognized for her dedicated and innovative work with our students at Rolling Hills and for her leadership when working at the district level. She has worked to implement proven instructional techniques, including learning targets and writing strategies that benefit all learners. Mrs. Bell will now move on to the state level where she and ten other regional winners will compete for CLMS State Educator of the Year. Congratulations, Mrs. Bell! Your colleagues and students are proud.

Join the Conversation About Schools

Updated Wed, Dec 5th

Annual Thought Exchange Aids School Planning

We are committed to making sure our students receive an education beyond the expected, and we rely on your feedback and input to help guide that direction. As part of our annual planning, we want to understand what is important to you for your school and the District. One way we do that is through Thoughtexchange—an online tool that allows us to learn the thoughts and priorities of the people affected by our decisions.

Share your Thoughts!
Please join in the conversation about your child's school and district.
Por favor únase a la conversación sobre la escuela y el distrito de su hijo.

It is an easy 3-step process:
  1.  Share – answer open-ended questions about education in our schools
  2.  Star – review and ideas from other stakeholders
3.  Discover – learn what is important to the community as a whole
_{(Learn more about ThoughtExchange.com)}