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September Success
I am happy to report that the first weeks of school have been filled with excitement. The beginning of a school year is a time for students and teachers to establish a focused learning culture, attempt new activities, and recommit to long-term goals.
It’s important to acknowledge the effort put forth by our teachers and support staff over the summer, which contributes to the success of the first weeks of school. Teachers, paraprofessionals, and administrators organized the curriculum, crafted engaging lessons, planned training sessions, and worked to deepen their understanding of students. Human resources and business services coordinated new employee onboarding and finalized budget allocations. Technology and school office staff managed parent communications and ensured that systems were fully prepared for both students and parents. The maintenance and facilities teams completed crucial updates and ensured that our buildings were in excellent condition for the start of the school year. Bus drivers and the transportation department prepared our fleet for regular routes and for the many co-curricular opportunities that would not be possible without transportation. We are truly fortunate to have such dedicated and talented professionals.
Our district is committed to finding ways to inspire and challenge all students in a safe environment. Inspiration can take many forms and as we settle into the 2024-25 school year, our goal is to ensure that all students have the chance to explore new interests, cultivate a passion for learning, and enhance their commitment to personal growth. These enriching opportunities are made possible thanks to the dedication and expertise of our staff and the support of the River Falls community.
My primary responsibility is to lead the development, implementation, and maintenance of outstanding educational programs, services, and opportunities for our students, staff, and residents. Based on valuable feedback from parents, guardians, students, and staff, as well as our analysis of academic and engagement data, we are focusing our efforts on enhancing academic growth for all students, boosting student engagement, and improving employee satisfaction. While these objectives are important, the true measure of our success will be evident in the actions we take. We are committed to sharing our progress regularly with the School Board and the broader community.
One benefit of serving as the Superintendent is that I have the opportunity to be in and around our schools every day. Witnessing our students' academic, social, emotional, and physical development firsthand is energizing. I am continually impressed by their enthusiasm and dedication, and I am excited about the possibilities this year holds for each of them.
Respectfully,
Dave Bell
Superintendent
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School Board Update
Just as learning is well-underway in our schools, the River Falls School Board is diligently focused on achieving key goals for this year:
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Support the superintendent. The School Board is working in partnership with Superintendent David Bell and the administrative team to monitor progress relative to three key goals: increasing student learning and achievement; supporting a collaborative, highly effective teaching culture; and ensuring the district is transparent and communicating effectively with the community.
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Review and revise district policies. While policy review is a continuous process, this year the School Board is systematically reviewing and revising policies to ensure they align to state statutes, best practices in education, and reflect the values of the community and needs of the district.
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Implement the funds from the February 2024 facility referendum. The School Board continues to be grateful to the community for financial resources to make building upgrades to ensure schools are safe and ready for learning. In collaboration with the administrative team, the Board oversees planning, cost projections, bidding, and construction. Please watch for regular communication from the district outlining the implementation of the community’s investment.
Regular School Board and committee meetings are open to the public. Specific meeting times and locations are posted, but typically they are Monday evenings at the district office. Please join us to learn more about issues facing the district and to observe the board’s decision-making process.
Thank you for your ongoing support and pride in our schools.
Stacy Johnson Myers
School Board President
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Important Dates
Sep 30 Board of Education Meeting
Oct 3 HS & Renaissance Academy Parent-Teacher Conferences
Oct 7 No school for grades K-8, Virtual Day for grades 9-12
Oct 21 Board of Education Meeting
Oct 28 Board of Education & City Council Meeting
Nov 4 End of Quarter One (secondary level)
Nov 5 No School (teacher in-service)
Nov 7 MMS & Elementary Parent-Teacher Conferences
The Board of Education meetings are streamed on the district YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/schooldistrictofriverfalls
2024-25 BOARD MEETINGS: Sept 30, Oct 21, Oct 28, Nov 18, Dec 16, Jan 20, Feb 17, Mar 24, Apr 21, May 19, June 16
*School board agendas are available the Friday before each meeting.
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Facilities Projects Update - September 2024 | |
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Since the successful referendum, River Falls has been working through initial planning steps. These steps include verifying the existing conditions of the schools, working through the design and construction schedules, and early engagement with some of the schools' staff.
To ensure proper design, the district has created a "Core Planning Team''. This team is made up of administration members, a school board member, and partners from both Bray Architects and Kraus-Anderson Construction.
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PLANNING & DESIGN UPDATE
The Core Planning Team has been focused on making sure the new Transportation Center, multipurpose room addition, and the security and building system upgrades align with the approved referendum. To assist with this process, we have had meetings with user groups and select staff along with our engineering partners to make sure all the necessary infrastructure upgrades are captured within the scope of work. The design team has been using the latest 3D technology to scan the schools to ensure this information is accurately captured.
| demolition at new transportation center site | River Falls High School - multipurpose room rendering | |  |
new transportation center - training/break room rendering | |
WHAT'S NEXT?
- Continue Core Planning Team meetings
- Engineering coordination
- Work through interior design concepts
- Interior finish/material discussions
- Work with City of River Falls on local approvals
SCHEDULE
- Design completion - November 2024
- Tennis court construction starts - Fall 2024
- Bids due - early 2025
- Construction starts - Spring 2025
Stay up-to-date with our facilities projects by visiting our Facilities Projects page.
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IN CASE YOU MISSED IT
#rfpride
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Last week students at River Falls Public Montessori Elementary (RFPME) gathered for a special "Peace Pole Planting" ceremony. A peace pole, hand-crafted and inscribed with the message "May Peace Prevail on Earth," now stands at the school. The pole features eight languages representing the RFPME community, including English, Spanish, Otjiherero, Portuguese, Greek, Ukrainian, Latvian, and Arabic.
With over 200,000 peace poles worldwide, this marks only the fourth registered peace pole in Wisconsin.
This peace pole was made a reality through the efforts of the student-led No Place for Hate group.
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Congratulations to RFHS Seniors, Graham Rundle and Corbin Wild, for their recognition as National Merit Scholar Semifinalists!
Graham and Corbin earned this honor for their academic achievements and their performance on the PSAT/NMSQT. Over 1.3 million juniors entered the 2025 National Merit Scholarship Program!
As National Merit Scholar Semifinalists, they will continue in the competition for the opportunity to become Finalists and win a National Merit Scholarship.
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A full pallet of books was delivered to the Books For Africa warehouse in St. Paul this summer! A mix of gently used books from River Falls High School and the Montessori, as well as eclipse glasses are on their way across the world! | |
Scenes from last week's Fun Run at Greenwood Elementary | |
It has been wonderful to see our hallways and classrooms filled with students and staff. Here are a handful of photos from our first day! | | |
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🍁Fantastic fall offerings with River Falls Community Education!
View the Fall 2024 catalog and register for some exciting learning opportunities at rflearns.org.
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In partnership with families and the community, the School District of River Falls is an innovative PK-12 grade educational leader committed to the academic, social, emotional, and physical well-being of every student. | |
Our district e-newsletter is one way we hope to increase connections and communication between the School District of River Falls and our community. We'll periodically share our "good news" and other important information about our district in this publication. You are receiving this district communication because you are a School District of River Falls parent/guardian, staff, or Community Education participant. Individuals who do not currently have students in our district can still receive this communication by subscribing to it. | | | | |
