It's so hard to believe that the 2022-2023 school year is upon us! I truly hope you've all had an enjoyable summer and are looking forward to starting the new school year off on the right foot!

Teachers have been working hard to prepare for the upcoming year as have our custodial and clerical staff in making sure that our building/grounds are in great shape for the return of our students. It is my hope that everyone comes to school rejuvenated and excited to learn! There are so many academic and extra-curricular opportunities available to each student in Rutland and we want to encourage everyone to come back with a sense of purpose and drive to always give 100% in and out of the classroom.

We would like to invite everyone to "Back-to-School Night" which is being held on Thursday, August 18th from 4:00 - 7:00PM. School pictures will be taken this day and students/parents can turn in yearly paperwork as well as stop by their classroom to meet teachers and drop off supplies for the first day. The cheerleaders will be having a fundraising meal at open house. They will be offering a meal consisting of a hot dog, chips, and a drink for $5. Any extras/additional items can be purchased for just $1. We hope to see you all there!

Lunch information - As a reminder, school lunches will again be the responsibility of parents/families for the 2022-2023 school year. The free-lunch program that has been in place over the past couple of years has ended. Lunch prices for the 2022-2023 school year are: Student K-5 breakfast - $1.20, K-5 lunch - $2.85, 6-12 breakfast - $1.20, 6-12 lunch - $3.35. Adult lunch - $4.85. Please note that these prices are set by the State of South Dakota and the Rutland School District's Board of Education approves these set prices. We are asking for everyone's assistance in filling out the Federal Free-and-Reduced Lunch form. Many families may not feel as though it's necessary to fill one of these forms out, yet we are still asking your help in doing so!!! It is very very important that all families fill out this form! The information is completely confidential and helps the Rutland School District in receiving Federal funds (primarily Title I funding which is vital for different staffing and interventions, particularly in the areas of math and reading) important to student learning, interventions and overall achievement.

Additionally, the lunch room will no longer be serving peanut butter with any school breakfast or lunch, and the Rutland School will be a "Nut-Aware" due to an allergy within the student body population. Peanut butter and nuts are still allowed if you are sending a lunch with your child, but our lunch program will no longer be serving it as an offering on the menu, and classrooms having students with a nut allergy will be nut-free (you would have already been notified if your child's classroom is part of this). We will also be placing a strong emphasis on hand washing before and after meals (or snacks) and are asking for assistance from you. If you chose to send peanut butter with your child for lunch we please ask for you to to have a discussion with them about not sharing with any other students...I sincerely thank you for your help with this!

New Staff - We have a few new staff members joining our team at the Rutland School District. Cassandra Geraets will be our new first grade teacher, Danielle Eppe will serve as our 6-12 science educator, Mindy Olinger will serve as a paraprofessional in the elementary, and Bill Heldt will drive a morning bus route for us. I would personally like to thank each of these individuals for their interest in being part of the Rutland family and hope that everyone has a chance to welcome them to the community/school if and when the opportunity presents itself. The school still also has an afternoon route driving position as well as a part-time custodial position open. Please contact Mr. Brosnahan for more information or to apply.

If you don't already use the Infinite Campus Parent Portal, we highly encourage you to do so. This can be done either on a computer or by searching "Infinite Campus Parent Portal" on the Android or iPhone App Store. The "Campus Parent" app is a great tool that can be set up to notify you of grade and attendance updates for your child(ren).

Another great way to stay up to date is through the Rutland School District phone app! If you search "Rutland School District" in the App Store it is available to be downloaded at no cost...Check it out!

Rutland's school day officially begins at 8:30am in the classroom (students are tardy if they arrive after this time). If your child is late, we request that a parent sign them in at the office or call Janet/the school. Each school day officially ends at 3:21pm. Studies continually show that student attendance is vital to their overall academic success. While we understand that there may be times when a student may need to be absent, we want to encourage their attendance to be as close to 100% as possible.

IN THE EVENT OF SCHOOL CANCELLATIONS OR EARLY RELEASES:

In the case of inclement weather, or other reasons, parents and community will be contacted through our messenger program which is hosted by Apptegy. Please make sure we have your current contact information updated in Infinite Campus, or, if you do not have a student that attends the Rutland School and would like to be added to the call-list, please call Janet in the main office!

BUS RULES AND REGULATIONS

Students must:

● Abide by the rules of the bus driver

● Remain seated at all times

● Remain in their seats until the bus has stopped

● Keep arms/head in the bus

● Do not throw objects

● Do not eat sunflower seeds on the bus

● Place all litter in the wastebasket

● No foul language

● Use an appropriate voice level at all times

The bus driver is an official representative of the school and has full authority to discipline students on the bus. The following progressive discipline policy will be followed for any infraction of the rules, or serious misbehavior. Violation of school bus rules could mean cancellation of bus privileges on all buses.

● First bus offense will be handled by the driver (which could include a bus suspension) - Parent will be notified.

● Second bus offense will be handled by school administration (which could include a bus suspension or schooldisciplinary action depending on behavior). The parents will be notified.

● Third bus offense student may suffer suspension of bus privileges for up to one week.

● Fourth bus offense student suffers a longer-term suspension of bus privileges up to or possibly for the remainderof the semester or school year.

● If a student commits an extremely serious infraction, he or she could lose bus privileges for the entire year based on a first offense.

CHANGES IN TRANSPORTATION OR GETTING MESSAGES TO STUDENTS:

Please contact Janet via phone or email by 2:45PM for changes in student transportation. This is for the safety of our students. If you need to contact your child throughout the day we encourage you to call Janet at 605-586-4352 and she will relay your message.

VISITORS:

Parents are encouraged to attend awards assemblies, other special events during the school year, and are always welcome to come eat lunch with their child(ren). Please be sure to check in at the main office with Janet to let us know you're in the building and to attain a "visitor pass."

CLASS PARTIES:

At their discretion, teachers may ask parents or caregiver volunteers to assist during parties or special activities. Because of food allergies students have, treats brought to the school must be approved by the classroom teacher or administration.

REPORT CARDS

We send academic report cards to parents/guardians at the end of each semester. All other student progress and achievement can be found 24 hours a day on the DDN/Infinite Campus Parent Portal. Please download the app on your mobile device to receive up to the minute notifications pertaining to attendance or posted grades.

TUTORING:

If you feel at any time that your child(ren) need(s) additional support in catching up on reading, language, or math skills, please contact your child's teacher or building principal to request assistance. We will work to provide this assistance and set a workable schedule with the parent.

CELL PHONES: NOT ALLOWED TO BE USED DURING THE SCHOOL DAY (EXCEPT DURING LUNCH FOR GRADES 6-12) - NEED TO BE KEPT IN STUDENT LOCKERS.

Guidelines:

• A student must have a signed cell phone contract on file in the office in order to bring a cell phone to school. (SEE STUDENT HANDBOOK OR PACKET SENT OUT FROM JANET FOR THIS CONTRACT)

• Even with a signed contract on file, students may NOT have cell phones or other devices during the school day outside of lunch. Seniors have the opportunity to earn cell phone senior privileges. Those privileges (and timelines) will be worked out with Mr. Brosnahan during the first week of school.

• All students should turn devices off and put devices away before starting the school day.

• If violation occurs the phone will be confiscated.

• If a student needs to make a call during the day, he or she may do so from the office phones or by obtaining permission from a teacher/administration.

• If a parent needs to get in touch with a student, the parent may do so by contacting the office.

• Lost or stolen cell phones or electronic devices are not the responsibility of the Rutland School District.

Violations:

If a student has a phone or electronic device that is visible, it will be confiscated and kept in the office. Any student who is in violation of this policy and refuses to surrender the phone/device will be insubordinate and may have additional consequences for their decision.

Please see the updated Student Handbook for more information.

Parent Responsibilities: As parents we would like to ask for your support in your child’s learning by:

• Make sure they are in school every day possible
• Check that homework is completed
• Monitor the amount of television/screen time that is allowed
• Support and encourage child(ren) to participate in new activities and attend their activities as much as possible.
  
• Stay informed about my child’s education by reading/listening to communication from the school and responding appropriately.
• Monitor grades, attendance, and academic progress via the DDN/Infinite Campus Portal (online or phone application).
• Encourage your child(ren) to have a positive attitude about school and to always be kind and respectful!

Homecoming Week (Dress up days TBD) - September 12 - 16th

Coronation - Monday September 12, time TBD

Homecoming Game - September 16th, Rutland