Dear JRMS Families,

As we settle into the school year, our focus is shifting from getting off to a great start to building on that start with purpose and consistency. This week provided several opportunities to do just that through collaboration among our staff, district leadership, and families.

Building Consistency

At our Faculty Meeting this week, we focused on strengthening consistent safety practices and expectations for students across settings.

Middle school students move throughout the building all day—from classrooms to hallways, the cafeteria, recess, FPAs, and other shared spaces. While each environment is different, students benefit when the adults around them provide clear and consistent expectations.

Our conversation focused not only on what we expect from students, but also on our shared responsibility as adults to teach, reinforce, and model those expectations. Consistency helps students know what to expect, supports a safe and positive school environment, and allows us to spend more of our time focused on learning, relationships, and growth. We will continue our focus in these areas as well as approaches to communicate them effectively. 

Learning Together

We also began our Professional Learning Community (PLC) meetings this week. PLCs provide dedicated time for our teachers to collaborate, examine student learning, share ideas and strategies, and identify ways to best meet the needs of our students.

Some of the most important work in a school happens when educators have the opportunity to learn from one another. The meetings this week were focused on communication and engagement. I look forward to seeing these conversations develop throughout the year and, most importantly, translate into meaningful outcomes for our families, students, and staff.

Connecting with Our Board of Education and PTA Leadership

I also had the opportunity to attend the first Redding Board of Education meeting of the school year and share some of the great things happening at JRMS.

It was a chance to reflect on our opening days, recognize the tremendous work of our faculty and staff, and share the positive energy we are seeing throughout the building. I appreciate the opportunity to keep our Board connected to the work, accomplishments, and continued growth of JRMS.

In addition, our administration had an important opportunity to speak with PTA leadership this week. We discussed membership, upcoming events, and potential programming for students and families. Strong schools benefit from strong partnerships, and our PTA contributes a tremendous amount of time, energy, and support to our students and school community.

Looking Ahead: Opportunities to Connect

I am looking forward to meeting many of you at the PTA's Meet the Principal event on Tuesday, September 8, from 6:00–7:00 p.m. in the JRMS Community Room. I appreciate the PTA providing this opportunity for us to spend some time together, and I look forward to answering questions, hearing your thoughts, and getting to know more members of our JRMS community.

We are also excited to welcome families to our upcoming Open House evenings:

• Grades 5 & 6 — Thursday, September 10

• Grades 7 & 8 — Thursday, September 17

Open House will provide families an opportunity to follow their child's schedule, meet teachers, visit classrooms, and learn more about the programs and learning experiences that make up their day at JRMS. Additional information about the schedule and revised format will be shared in advance.

I hope to see many of you at Meet the Principal and Open House over the next two weeks. These opportunities to connect are an important part of building strong relationships between home and school, and I look forward to continuing to learn from and work alongside our families.

Moving Forward Together

When I look back at this week—our Faculty Meeting, the start of PLCs, our Board of Education meeting, and conversations with our PTA—there is a common thread connecting all of them: people coming together to make our school better for students.

As I continue learning more about JRMS, I am grateful for the conversations taking place throughout our school community. We will continue celebrating what works, identifying opportunities to grow, listening to one another, and working toward greater consistency and clarity for our students.

Thank you for your continued partnership and support. We are off to a great start, and I look forward to continuing to build on it together.

Have an enjoyable and safe holiday weekend!

~Chris