Rocket Educational Trails

Inclement Weather Procedures

2010-12-02T14:08:00.000-06:00

Iowa weather is often quite unpredictable and provides us with some days that make it a challenge to hold classes at the regular time. Sometimes we must start classes late, close our school early, or close for the entire day. If you anticipate inclement weather may alter or impact the school day, the Rock Valley Community School District encourages you to pay close attention to regional media outlets. Specifically, our school district will utilize the following television stations: KTIV, KCAU and KMEG. Additionally, we will notify KSOU (93.9 FM) radio station. Further, we will place dismissals or cancellations on our district phone at 712-476-2701 (option # 7). Finally, we will utilize the School Reach phone messaging system. If there is a late start or school is cancelled, a phone message will be sent out between 6:00 a.m. and 6:20 a.m. If school is dismissed early, a call will be sent to the phone number that you have provided to us as soon as the decision is made. Please make sure the school has your up-to-date contact information.

Our priorities for decision making in inclement weather are and always will be: 1) student and staff member safety, and 2) student achievement. We care very much about our students’ and employees’ safety and do our best to make appropriate decisions based on these priorities.

As you know, our weather is constantly changing. The decision regarding the alteration of the school day due to weather is one that commonly brings out questions and concerns with many people passionate about their perspective of the challenge. Please remember that parents and guardians have the right to make the decision to keep their child home on any day that they feel it is unsafe for their student to be in school because of weather conditions. If you believe the weather provides a sincere reason why you may have to keep your students at home, or take your student home when classes are scheduled to continue, you as a parent or guardian will simply need to contact your child’s school to let them know.

Frequently Asked Questions

If there is an early dismissal or no school due to weather, will there still be evening activities?

No. If school is dismissed early or if school is called off entirely, there will be NO EVENING ACTIVITIES (this includes all practices, performances and games).

Can we call the school about delays, cancellations or dismissals?

Unless you see or hear an announcement or receive a phone call, assume school is running as usual.

New Technology Expands Learning Opportunities

2010-11-21T09:48:00.000-06:00

At the beginning of the current school year the Rock Valley Community School District and Boyden-Hull School District agreed to start a new educational program by sharing classes and instructors. However, this sharing is uniquely different - that is, teachers are shared electronically through a medium called video conferencing. In effect, this shared opportunity is quite similar to a process that many of you might be familiar with - a software product call Skype. Simply put, we are able to share teachers through the Internet via a video camera. While our video camera is of much higher quality than the video cameras you may buy for home use, the principles are the same.

At the present time we are partnering with Boyden-Hull to offer Calculus, Statistics, Accounting and Business Law. The Calculus, Accounting and Business Law are being instructed by the BH School District. The Statistics is being taught by an instructor here in the Rock Valley School District. In the future we hope to offer additional classes - some of which we currently do not offer. This may allow our students to take coursework that currently is not available to them within the RV curricular offerings. Examples might include: webpage development, introductory to nursing, political science and additional foreign language coursework.

While you and I might ask the value of this joint venture with the BH School District, those in the know will tell us that these types of classes:

allow smaller school districts to offer similar curriculum as large urban schools - particularly in the areas of advanced studies
help to provide and promote 21st Century Learning Skills which are vitally important to today's learner
provide for more "student directed" learning
allow school districts to utilize outside resources which may include experts and other instructors who have deeper backgrounds than our own instructors
provide for group collaboration and a sense of teamwork or effort
provide an experience for high school school students similar to what they may experience in college or training schools.

In closing, we want each of you to know that we are planning for the future of each student's education in the Rock Valley Community School District. We cannot wait for the future to come to the student. We must make the changes now to help transform our educational system into a model of excellence and help to develop the skills necessary for the 21st Century. While we may experience a few bumps to offer these initial courses, we are confident that the future is bright, as we will be able to expose our students' learning beyond our local setting.

Looking Toward the Future

2010-10-21T22:15:00.000-05:00

Over the next several months the Rock Valley Community School District will be reviewing our facility needs for the future. This is a routine process that all school districts do in order to adequately plan for anticipated needs. Our review will consist of discussions with school employees, parents, students and board members who serve the public as elected representatives. We hope to have this review complete by mid January or February of 2011 If you have input that you feel is important to our process, please feel free to contact the superintendents office Your opinions do matter to us!

Communication Improvements

2010-08-30T11:55:00.000-05:00

A new, faster way of contacting parents has been implemented within the Rock Valley Community School District. The SchoolReach Program, which already is in use at some other schools, provides a message service that school officials can use to contact hundreds of parents in minutes. The school only has to make one call and the message will go out to parents instantly. The school district simply has to supply SchoolReach with current phone numbers, and the service will send out whatever message is required. If it gets a busy signal, it will call back. The system will be invaluable for inclement weather, school closings, and even events like parent teacher conferences.

Building for the Future of Education in Rock Valley

2010-08-19T11:56:00.000-05:00

For nearly eight years, the Rock Valley Community School district has been engaged in long-term planning to replace aging school structures and facilities. As instructional methods and learning theory have changed and more is known about how our students learn, we have taken a "new" look at the type of facilities that will be required for quality education in the future. Further, we have considered what it takes to attract families and students to our community well into the future. Obviously, primary criteria have centered around age/condition of buildings; location and safety; need for instructional space; number of students impacted; instructional needs and costs. In each case considering renovations of existing buildings rather than replacement have also been taken into account. Up until this date, we have updated and replaced our elementary school, library and middle school. Additionally, we have built a much needed space for storage. Further, we have updated key athletic facilities - sometimes with the help of our booster club.

In continuing the long-term vision, it will be my recommendation to build a new bus facility, including mechanical facility, concession stand, bathrooms and work bay for the buses. This 11,918 sq. ft. building will replace the current "quonset (s)" that we have at our football field - one of the last "eye-sores" that we currently have in our school district. While you might ask "How does this help improve student achievement?" I would argue that "un harbored" buses pose the risk of quicker deterioration and damage than those that are stored in secure facilities thus eliminating the need to spend additional tax dollars on repair and non-routine maintenance. Further, the structural safety of the existing building is a liability perhaps just waiting to happen. Old building and structures of this nature are costly to heat and maintain. And they weren't built to meet today's technology needs, safety and fire codes or handicapped accessibility requirements among other shortcomings. Simply put, we can not trust the integrity of the existing building for many more years of wear and tear.

In an effort to successfully develop our facilities and follow-thru with our long-term vision successfully I will ask our Board of Education to support what is in the best interests of our school district, students, staff and community. Our school district presently has the money saved and will not increase taxation in any way shape or form in regard to this project. I ask for all of your support in doing what is right, at the right time and in the best interests of all!

Good Schools

2010-07-13T09:37:00.000-05:00

Something we all need to think about:

What makes a good school has very little to do with how rich or poor the students are or the type of curriculum that's taught. It has very little to do with special programs, expansive playing fields, huge endowments, snappy uniforms, celebrity alumni, or whether the school is wired to the Internet. What makes a good school, whether it's public or private, religious or nonreligious, is a feeling. A feeling shared by the entire staff that their particular school is special. The feeling that their school really belong to them. (Manna, 1999)

Does our school district have its priorities straight? Let me know your thoughts!

School Perceptions - Are Your Perceptions Reality?

2010-06-25T13:16:00.000-05:00

As each of you probably know there isn't enough time and/or space in this blog to explain the difference between perception and reality. I believe that it is safe to say that the way we perceive things to be is not always accurate. We think we understand clearly what has happened, but oftentimes we may not be able to see the whole picture. The danger in trusting our perceptions is the belief that our perception is reality, that it is absolutely accurate. Conflict with others (teacher, administrator, coach or another student) happens because we look at the same situation and see it from a different perspective. One of the best examples of this is an exercise from a Lou Tice (founder of the Pacific Institute) presentation in the early 1970's. Take a look at the following sentence and count the number of "F's" you see:

FINISHED FILES ARE THE

RESULT OF YEARS OF SCIENTIFIC

STUDY COMBINED WITH THE

EXPERIENCE OF MANY YEARS

How many "F's" did you count? Be honest! Did you see three? Four? Five? Six? If shown to a group of people, most will say three. Some will say four, a few five and a smaller number will see six. In fact, there are six. The "F" in the word "OF" is commonly left out of the count. First of all, it sounds like a "V", not an "F", and secondly, we are taught to read right through the little words, the little things, when we learn to read. So it is easy to understand why most people think there are three "F's" when in reality there are six "F's". Our perception is influenced by our background and the input that we have been given. We sometimes miss the little things!

Could it be our perception may not always be correct and others may see things differently (and maybe even more correctly)? Could it be that we do not have all of the information relative to a situation?

Next time you find yourself making judgement about others or about situations involving your child, student, coach or school, take a second look. You might be correct, but you may also have made one of those judgments based upon your perception of how things are in regard to the situation.

If you need all the information before you form your opinion or perception please work with our school and staff to be certain your have all of the information you need to make a fair judgement.

Rock Valley School Board Sets 2011 Legislative Priorities

2010-06-09T10:23:00.001-05:00

The Rock Valley school board set its legislative priorities for the 2011session of the Iowa Legislature at the June school board meeting.

The Rock Valley school board participated this year in the Iowa Association of School Boards (IASB) legislative policy process by talking about the impact of state policy on the district and voting on legislative resolutions for the next legislative session. Each school board prioritizes up to five resolutions.

The school board determined that the following priorities for 2011 are critical to students and taxpayers in the school district:

Maintain current Chapter 20 and 279 Collective Bargaining as currently written (June 2008)
Support efforts to involve local school districts and Boards of Education in the decision making process of TIF entitlementss
Support initiatives that continue to strengthen "local control" of Iowa's school districts
Roll back unfunded mandates
Support legislation which includes adequate funding for Iowa school districts given the current economic situation

The grassroots IASB legislative process involves all school board members in Iowa. Together, school leaders make a difference. Resolutions submitted by school districts will be reviewed by the IASB Board of Directors before being debated and adopted by the IASB Delegate Assembly at its annual meeting on November 17, 2010, in Des Moines

Continued Budget Cuts a Likely Reality

2010-03-25T10:41:00.003-05:00

As the picture for the state budget crisis becomes clearer, it is becoming more obvious that Iowa schools will probably see an additional round of budget cuts during the upcoming school year. While it may be politically advantageous for the governor or our elected officials to wait until after a November 2011 election, it is not fiscally responsible for our school district to close our eyes in regard to the budget realities that we may face. In addition to the $267,000 that we lost in fiscal year 2010, we may stand to lose an additional amount equal to that in fiscal year 2011. Therefore, the strong possibilities are that our school district has lost over $500,000 in funding in less than two years.

What will this mean in the future? How will it impact our school district and the programs that we offer? Listed below are some of the possibilities that we will be considering and may even have to implement:

Reductions in staff and programs, including academic and extracurricular

Sharing of classes, activities and personnel with other school districts

Increasing class size

Elimination of classroom field trips
Reduction in professional development opportunities for staff

Further reductions in the purchase of technology and support for that technology

While our school district has already trimmed more than $100,000 in spending from our fiscal year 2010 budget, you can expect that we will probably even make more cuts during fiscal year 2011. From my perspective, these cuts will not come without some pain and sacrifice as we will all have to get use to doing more with fewer resources. Further, it is quite likely that we have only experienced the first parts of this financial crisis which is predicted to loom well into fiscal year 2012.

If you have any comments or thoughts in regard to the budget crisis that Iowa School districts face, please feel free to contact me at dmozer@rvcsd.org

Proud of our School District!

2010-02-01T14:41:00.000-06:00

I am extremely proud of the Rock Valley Community School District! While I know that there are things our school district could do differently or better, my goal is to build a future based upon the strengths that the Rock Valley School District has been known for over the years. I appreciate members of our community that have chosen to serve on our school board and on our school committees. Thank you to every family for providing our school district with the opportunity to work with and serve your children. Thank you RVCSD patrons for being supportive of our school and programs so that our staff and students can work in a quality school system. We are truly blessed!

Snowcap

2009-12-21T14:26:00.001-06:00

Do you know that you can get weather related alerts as soon as they are made by me? Register at http://snocaponline.net/ before the bad weather hits! Your alerts come directly to you via e-mail or your cell phone.

While making the call to change, or cancel, the school day can be a difficult decision. I want each of you to know that safety is a very important consideration to me, but I also want you to know that safety may mean allowing more driving time and driving slower, as opposed to not having school. What ever the decision is related to inclement weather, if you don't think your child should be out on the roads, please allow them to stay at home. We will work with you to see that work can be made up.

Who makes the decision to call off school in inclement weather?

2009-12-09T11:27:00.001-06:00

The Superintendent of Schools is responsible in the Rock Valley Community School District for making “weather related” decisions. This decision is generally made by 6:30 a.m., unless the weather is quite unpredictable at that time. The superintendent’s “weather related” decisions are based upon the road conditions in the school district, visibility, and the upcoming forecast. Often times local radar maps are consulted for updated information. Further, there is communication with area school districts in determining the present location of inclement weather. Additionally, the superintendent drives the district routes to see firsthand the conditions of the school districts roads.

Inclement weather decisions are difficult to make because weather may differ significantly in different regions of the school district. Freezing rain may occur in the northwest section of our school district, while absolutely no snow or rain is occurring in the southeast region of the school district. However, rest assured that decisions will be made based upon the over-all safety of all students in our school district.

District patrons and students may obtain information about delayed school starts or the closing of school by contacting the school or accessing information on the internet or radio media outlets.

2009-11-30T15:08:00.004-06:00

Something to think about as we look at tomorrows educational systems:

Suggestions For Budget Reductions

2009-11-20T15:01:00.001-06:00

As each of you may/may not know, the Governor of Iowa recently reduced school districts general budgets by 10%. This reduction amounted to nearly $265,000 and will significantly impact the Rock Valley Community School District. One reason that it really hurts our budget is that it is for the current school year and all contracts have already been issued to our teachers and must be honored under Iowa law. Therefore, we must look at financial reductions in other areas. While we have received some good ideas, I am interested in hearing from our public in regard to their ideas about specific budget reductions. Please feel free to comment by utilizing the "comment" button below or call me at 476-2710. You may also e-mail me at: dmozer@rvcsd.org I appreciate your ideas!

As the Economy Goes - So Goes Our School Budget

2009-09-28T09:32:00.000-05:00

The recent economic downturn in our states economy and that at the federal level may have a significant impact upon our ability to retain personnel and programs in the Rock Valley School System in the future. During the past fiscal year nearly $62,303 (including Phase I) was trimmed by our governor in an across the board cut impacting all Iowa public schools. Further, increased labor costs and general budget costs have increased nearly $165,000 over that same period of time. The Rock Valley Community School District also anticipates that we will receive an additional across the board cut in the current fiscal year – however, this cut could be significantly larger than last years cut in state aid.

While it is true that the federal stimulus dollars have backfilled some of this downturn in economic conditions and across the board cuts, most administrators in the State of Iowa are very concerned about the effect of long-term cuts and FY 11. In particular, they are worried because the federal stimulus dollars will stop being distributed to public school districts in FY 10 and the State of Iowa will be left trying to come up with money to cover promised school revenues increases for FY 09, FY 10 and FY 11. Frankly speaking, not many expect the State of Iowa to be in any position to make up prior fiscal revenue commitments – thus the school districts will be left without their planned increase in revenue which pays for salary increases, general budget increased costs and categorical funding increases.

Historically, public school districts have been resilient institutions. Further we have weathered the storm many times before; however, we are facing unprecedented economic times which may impact our ability to provide the educational product that we have come so used to providing in the Rock Valley Community School District. In the future this might mean that we may need to consider possible cutbacks in course offerings and/or personnel.

Parents Can Learn About the Iowa Core Curriculum

2009-09-02T21:57:00.009-05:00

Recently, the Iowa Department of Education announced the launch of a new Iowa Core Curriculum website at www.corecurriculum.iowa.gov. The purpose of the official Iowa Core Curriculum site is to help Iowa parents and all citizens learn more about the state-wide academic expectations for kindergarten through 12th-grade students. The website offers a look at the skills and concepts all Iowa students must know under the Iowa Core Curriculum, signed into law by Governor Culver in 2008. This includes concepts and skills in literacy, math, science, social studies, and 21st century learning skills (civic literacy, financial literacy, technology literacy, health literacy, and employability skills). Parents will be able to do customized searches by academic area or by grades.

Superintendents, principals, and other education leaders in Iowa are currently receiving training on how to implement the Iowa Core Curriculum, which must be fully put into practice in high schools by 2012-2013 and in kindergarten through eighth grades by 2014-2015. Iowa’s area education agencies and the Iowa Department of Education have collaborated to provide this training. This cooperation will continue as districts begin to provide professional development directly to teachers on the Iowa Core Curriculum and supportive teaching strategies.

For background information on the Iowa Core Curriculum, please visit the Iowa Department of Education’s website at www.iowa.gov/educate and click on “Iowa Core Curriculum” on the left-hand side of the page.

New Teachers Receive Training

2009-08-11T15:30:00.003-05:00

Rock Valley Community School District recently welcomed three new teachers to the school district staff. They are: Christine Blenner - Science, David Vonk - Elementary and Cody Van Sloten - Elementary. Training sessions were held in regard to school district expectations, classroom management and new teaching strategies. Further, the new teachers were treated to a noon luncheon with school board members .

The objectives of the two days of training are to help the new teachers develop successful classroom strategies, improvement instructional efforts, increase student achievement and to be successful as a teacher within the Rock Valley School District.

New teachers will continue to receive additional training during their first year in the school district. Each new teacher is assigned an experienced mentor-teacher to facilitate their personal growth.

Community Provides Input

2009-07-30T15:26:00.002-05:00

One important aspect of having a public school is to seek input from your constituents. With that thought in mind the Rock Valley Community Schools recently held a School Improvement Community Meeting (July 17, 2009). Community members developed a consensus on the following items that they would like to see our school district work on:

At the elementary level, the Rock Valley Community School District will:

continue to work on decreasing the amount of students in the non-proficient areas of math, science and reading
work on developing academic and social home/school connections
make a concentrated effort to provide keyboard instruction
develop writing applications that use real life situations

At the middle school level, the Rock Valley Community School District will:

continue to work on decreasing the amount of students in the non-proficient areas of math, science and reading
keep up with technology improvements and needs
improve building level communication to parents
improve scheduling (regarding 4 year plans)
improve plans to deal with anti-bullying and harassment

At the high school level, the Rock Valley Community School District will:

continue to work on decreasing the amount of students in the non-proficient areas of math, science and reading
improve college preparatory classes
improve plans to deal with anti-bullying and harassment

If you have questions or comments please feel free to contact me - we are always trying to improve!

Iowa Core Curriculum

2009-07-29T13:01:00.007-05:00

It is truly an exciting time in the Rock Valley School District as the Iowa Core Curriculum (ICC) shows incredible promise for our students and other students across the State of Iowa.

The ICC is a guide for teaching and learning that identifies the essential skills and concepts students in kindergarten through 12th grade need to master in order to succeed in today's technology-rich, global economy. High schools must implement the Iowa Core Curriculum by 2012 and K-8 grades must implement this curriculum by 2014.

The Rock Valley Community School District began working on this curriculum during the 08/09 school year and further work will take place over the next several school years. Our school district envisions the development of stronger standards, assessment and accountability policies that lead to greater achievement gains in students. Further, we hope to develop more rigorous curriculum within our academic content areas that lead to high expectations of our students.

The Rock Valley Board of Education has committed significant resources to this project and anticipates that the long-term results will show a marked improvement in student achievement thus preparing our students for tomorrow's jobs.

Rock Valley School Board Recognition Week, May 10-16

2009-05-01T10:23:00.007-05:00

As citizen leaders, school board members face complex and demanding challenges. Yet few people fully understand the scope and far-reaching implications of board members’ responsibilities. All Iowa citizens should recognize the vital contributions of these men and women and focus attention on the crucial role these elected public officials play in the education of our children. Their job is to establish a vision for the education program, design a structure to achieve that vision, ensure schools are accountable to the community and strongly advocate continuous improvement in student learning. That job entails an endless string of meetings and school functions to attend; reams of reports, agendas, proposals and other information to read and study; and a host of difficult decisions to make.

School board members come from all walks of life. They are farmers, travel agents, farm machinery salesman, bankers, and business owners, to name a few.

Athough they wear many hats in the workday world, school board members put on a collective hat when they get down to the business of leading their school districts. Board members must pull together as a team toward a common goal—helping students achieve. Though they may individually disagree on certain issues, their role as a board is to consistently strive toward that goal.

Board members contribute thousands of hours each year leading their districts. Whether it be crafting policies, hiring top-notch administrators, listening to staff and student concerns or recognizing outstanding programs, board members always keep their eyes on the goal of student achievement.

The time spent in board meetings represents just a small fraction of the hours school board members spend leading in their districts. They also work hard at seminars and training sessions to keep abreast of the latest trends in educational leadership, are deeply involved in community activities and spend many hours in the schools and at extracurricular events.

In recognition of the dedicated service of Iowa school board members, May 10-16 has been designated School Board Recognition Week. This is a time to show our appreciation and begin to better understand how school board members work together to provide a better future for our children. Join with others from throughout our district and state to salute the men and women who provide grassroots governance of public schools. Make a special effort to tell each school board member that his or her hard work has been noticed and is truly appreciated.

In the Rock Valley Community School District the following citizens serve as school board members: Al Vermeer, President, Mary Pat Miller, Vice-President, Scott Kooima, Board Member, James Van Veldhuizen, Board Member, and Terry Van Mannen, Board Member. Dennis Mozer, Superintendent of Schools. Randy Taylor is the school board secretary and treasurer. Their efforts and belief in our educational system make a difference in the way the Rock Valley School District educates its students.

Latino Focus Group

2009-04-17T14:16:00.004-05:00

On Monday, February 16, 2009, the Rock Valley Community School District held a Latino Community Focus Meeting. Six people were present at this meeting. The meeting was quite productive in that we started conversations that will be ongoing in regard to the educational opportunities available for our students as well as their parents.

The follow are some of the topics that were discussed:

Mr. Mozer's position and responsibilities as the school superintendent
Mrs. Luevano's ESL position and the ESL program
Latino Parental Involvement: We discussed the level of involvement and we discussed ways in which we can improve this area
Parents must understand that the success that their child will have depends unquestionably on their level of involvement in their children's education
As a school, we need to look for ways to ensure that parents know what we offer so that their students can take 100% advantage of the learning opportunities available to them
There is a need for more information for parents and students regarding post-secondary educational opportunities for minority students

We would like to thank everyone who was able to meet with us. We look forward to more meetings similar to this in the future. Please do you part in spreading the word that we are interested in the parents thoughts and comments concerning the education of their child as well as providing opportunities to be involved in their education both in and out of school. In conclusion, we must work together as a team of parents, teachers and students to provide the best education possible for our students!

Schools Reveal Quality in Subtle Ways

2009-04-12T19:32:00.003-05:00

How can you recognize a quality school? There are no flashing lights, no banners, and no loudspeakers announcing this distinction. There are, however, other more subtle signs.

First, start with your own child. How does he like school? Is she happy and well adjusted? Does he have friends? Do her standardized test scores (Iowa Tests of Basic Skills) indicate progress over previous years? Finally, how are his grades?

Once you have answered these questions, look at your child’s school. Quality schools start with good staffing at all levels. These schools set high academic standards and provide the ongoing staff development to ensure that their teachers maintain that special teaching edge in the classroom, and they evaluate teacher performance based on rigorous guidelines.

Quality schools are proud of student achievement as reflected on the scores of the norm-referenced, standardized tests that are taken annually. Typically a quality school will score ten or more points above the 50th percentile in all subject areas.

Another sign of quality schools is that they rarely use social promotion as a means to move students between grades. Instead, these schools rely on mastery of subject matter to promote students to the next grade. They also provide for early intervention when students falter and offer tutoring, mentoring, remediation, and summer school as alternatives to student retention.

In a quality school, technology is viewed as a valuable educational tool that is used to enrich, remediate and introduce new ideas and concepts. It provides students with a window to the world through which they can soar on the wings of their imaginations. The quality school also believes in the fine arts as an important learning resource. In such a school fine arts are used to teach critical thinking skills, to build self-esteem, to develop self-discipline, and to provide children with different learning styles as alternatives to more traditional approaches.

What is a quality school? It is a school that offers a well-rounded curriculum with a commitment to high academic standards while providing a caring atmosphere that uses a wide variety of instructional approaches to reach and teach every individual student. In such a school, students feel safe and secure and achieve success with a staff that is well trained and dedicated to learning. If you have questions about these important issues or anything else concerning your child’s education, you should call your Rock Valley Building Administrator at 476-2701.

Design of Rock Valley Schools New Facility Earns National Exposure

2009-04-01T08:42:00.003-05:00

The National School Board Association will showcase the design of the new Rock Valley School District library, renovated middle school and elementary at its annual convention in San Diego on April 4-7, 2009. The Association represents the nation’s 95,000 school board members that govern 14,800 local school districts.

A jury of three members selected by the NSBA members and two members of the American Institute of Architects in Alexandria, VA, selected the project in late January. The entries were judged on the following criteria: response to the educational program, organization of instructional areas, flexibility, technological systems, community use, site development, and over-all presentation.

The additions and renovations to the Rock Valley School, which were completed during the fall of 2008, included a 56,364 sq. ft. new elementary and library facility. These additions and renovations replaced the Rock Valley School District’s elementary school and located the district’s pre-K -12 program into one building. The expansion project included new elementary classrooms in a traditional corridor floor plan. Priority was given to day lighting with 12 linear feet of window area in each classroom. Also, translucent clerestory windows provide day lighting to the school’s new commons area. The media center features a barrel roof design with day lighting provided by similar translucent clerestory windows. A limestone band follows the building’s original design to provide a seamless exterior look.

The architect team for the Rock Valley facility was Foss, Englestat and Heil, Sioux City, Iowa. Current board members for the school district are: Al Vermeer, Mary Pat Miller, Scott Kooima, James VanVeldhuizen and Terry VanMaanen. Past school board members who worked on this facility project were: Kevin Boeve and Gary Miller. Dennis Mozer is the Superintendent of Schools.

New Middle and High School Principal Selected

2009-03-26T09:58:00.004-05:00

The Rock Valley Community School District will have a new Middle and High School Principal when the 2009-2010 school year begins next fall. Selection committees consisting of parents and community, students, staff, administrators and the Rock Valley School Board helped select Nicole Salazar to fill the principal position vacated by the retirement of David Meylink.

Nicole is currently a Spanish teacher and coach in the West Central Valley School District in Stuart, Iowa - a district of nearly 1,100 students. She has been teaching high school for eleven years and will have a Master of Arts in Education Degree from Viterbo University, LaCrosse, WI. Her Bachelor of Arts is in Spanish Education and is from the University of Northern Iowa. Nicole’s professional experience, other than classroom instruction includes: using CRISS and differentiated teaching strategies, BEST mentorship, facilitating staff meetings and professional development, implementing attendance codes and senior honors seminars, beginning a Spanish Club and facilitating five student trips abroad. Nicole has indicated that her professional mission will be to “lead, motivate, inspire, and create an educational environment for students to obtain an education that exceeds others.”

Ms. Salazar grew up on a farm in the Hartley area and is familiar with northwest Iowa culture and values. In college, she was involved in sports, choir, band, and student government. Nicole and her family plan to move to Rock Valley sometime during the summer months.

Dennis Mozer, Superintendent of Schools, indicated that Nicole was selected from a very strong pool of nearly thirty-five applicants and was chosen for this position based upon her professional strengths which include: enthusiasm, thoughtful decision making, strong work ethic, organization, positive change agent, bilingual skills, quality and compassionate classroom teacher and resiliency. Mr. Mozer went on to say, that “We are very excited to have a quality applicant such as Nicole on our administrative staff. We look forward to working with Nicole, as we address the changing landscape of public education. We are certain that Nicole can help lead and direct our school district as we educate all students.”

District Revenues Drop

2009-01-15T19:20:00.009-06:00

The Rock Valley Community School District has recently learned that it will be without nearly $130,000 over the course of the next two years. Roughly $85,000 of this revenue is due to a 2008-2009 enrollment decline. $45,000 is due to a recent state budget cut of 1.5% of our school budget for the 2008-2009 school year.

While we may be able to plan for the reduction in revenue related to this years enrollment decline because it impacts next school years (2009-2010) budget, it will be much more difficult to plan for the 1.5% reduction in state aid which is related to this school years (2008-2009) budget. The fact is that our school district has many one-year contracts which commit the school district for the current budget year. Also, many of our supplies and equipment items have already been purchased in anticipation of the current school year.

It is our hope that further budget reductions do not happen during the current school year that might force us to look for ways to reduce our budget. Reductions which are made to our budget could occur in the areas of staff, supplies, equipment, travel, field trips etc.

Please encourage our legislative representatives to resist reducing school budgets further during the 2008-2009 school year. Your efforts may help make a difference!

The Educational Landscape Must Change So That Our Students Are Prepared

2008-12-09T09:36:00.000-06:00

The Rock Valley Community School District’s mission is to provide all students with educational opportunities to achieve their optimum potential as citizens of a global society. To do this, our school district will need to offer student-centered programs that encourage academic competency as well as inspire creativity. We will need to provide learning experiences that impact “right brain” activities and functions and not rely on structured “left brain” thinking. Further, our school district will need to implement technology that is capable of transforming the educational landscape and improving the communication between students, teachers and parents.

While the schools of the future will face many challenges of global proportion, it is clear that our students will need to be collaborative learners who are successful in a multitude of careers. They will need to be flexible, transitional thinkers who can convert their learned knowledge from one job to another. While we may not be able to teach students to handle every job that they encounter (many of which have not been created), we can give students the 21st Century Skills necessary to make positive contributions to their career, communities and society. Those skills include: creativity and innovation, critical thinking and problem solving, and communication and collaboration. Additionally, students will need to be aware of worldwide issues such as the environment and the international economy.

It is clear, that we cannot continue to do business like we have in the past, or we will fail to teach to the benefit of our students. The world is not standing still, neither can the Rock Valley Community School District! We look forward to the challenges of a changing educational landscape that enables our students to compete for the jobs of tomorrow and the societal impacts that they may face. It is our hope that our community is passionate about these same changes.

Lessons Learned at Home Are Critical to Students’ Success at School

2008-11-17T21:29:00.002-06:00

What do children learn at home that contributes to success in school? Every expert has an has an answer, and there is no shortage of ideas. However, there is something else that complements the learning of specific skills, and is often of greater importance. This is the development of habits and attitudes that children learn at home from parents and extended family. What are these lessons?

The first is that learning is important. When a child watches a parent enjoy reading a book, delight in playing the piano, or acknowledge someone else’s skills, the child sees that learning is valuable and valued. They make an important statement by just showing their children that they appreciate the skills of a carpenter, enjoy the stories a neighbor tells about the old country, or value good literature and music.

The second lesson is that turning a dream into reality requires setting goals. Parents can encourage children to dream and then teach them to set goals, but this requires listening rather than preaching, guiding rather than telling, and providing a good dose of appropriate encouragement.

The third lesson is that success depends on effort. If we attribute the success of others to good fortune, connections, or appearances, a child may conclude that he or she does not fit the profile of success. However, once a child learns that effort matters, positive results can happen as the child learns to practice perseverance and self-discipline.

The fourth lesson is that manners are important. Respect everyone. Be polite. Be on time. Help others. Keep your commitments. While it may be old-fashioned advice, it works! For success in friendships, school, and the workplace, we all must learn to get along and work productively with others.

The last lesson is accountability. That is what makes all of us responsible. Hold weekly conferences with your child about school, do daily assignment checks, and review completed assignment or chores before allowing extra activities.

Economy May Impact School Budgets

2008-11-10T19:14:00.002-06:00

Iowa School Districts may be impacted by recent trends in our economy. Most recently, key legislative personnel have indicated that the Iowa economy is growing at a rate of only 1.2 percent for fiscal year 2009. Further, early estimates indicate that fiscal year 2010 may be even worse with an estimated rate increase of .1 percent.

While our school district has positioned itself to absorb some bad economic news, long-term growth in the ranges indicated above will impact the quality of education in the Rock Valley Community School District. Our school district will be studying possible cost saving initiatives over the next several months to assure the long-term quality of education in the school district.

As always, we welcome your ideas and suggestions, and appreciate your support as we deal with the same economic issues that many of you also face.

Enrollment Declines

2008-10-22T18:33:00.003-05:00

Rock Valley Community School District enrollment figures for the 2008-2009 school year will be down approximately 17 students from the previous school year. This downward trend will cost the school district nearly $102,000 in state funding for the 2009-2010 school year. This decrease in funding will cause our school district to exam current fiscal spending and to review district expenditures for the upcoming school year. The reduction in revenue impacts the school districts general budget and applies to purchases such as textbooks, supplies, equipment and salaries. Enrollment figures for the past school year of 2007-2008 had reflected an increase in enrollment of nearly 49 students. Future enrollment estimates indicate a near level growth rate for the school district.

Starkweather Elementary Demolition

2008-10-07T22:50:00.003-05:00

Demolition of Starkweather Elementary is currently taking place and is expected to be completed by November 1, 2008. Boyer Sand and Gravel from Hawarden, Iowa, is the contractor responsible for the demolition. While some dust will be in the air while they work, the contractor is hoping to keep the dust to a minimum. When the building has been removed, our contractor will begin the process of filling in the property and leveling it off for future use.

If you have comments about this process please feel free to contact me at 476-2701. I welcome your calls and comments!

New Football Field Lights for 09/10 Season

2008-09-25T21:10:00.002-05:00

The Rock Valley Board of Education recently approved the purchase of new football field lighting. Cost of the lighting project will be approximately $45,000. Installation of the new lighting will begin in the Spring of 2009. The current football field lighting is 25+ years old and has served our school district well.

In addition to the lighting project, we are considering the update of our football scoreboard, bleachers, fencing and football practice field. While the board is considering all of these updates, it will take several years to see all of these projects through to possible completion.

Excellent Start to 2008-2009 School Year

2008-09-08T18:06:00.003-05:00

This school year marks my 12th year as Superintendent of Schools in the Rock Valley Community School District. It is truly a privilege to be a superintendent in this school district and for this community. There is not a better job!

While we have had an exciting past several years with the facilities project that we have just completed, I anticipate continuing the tradition of excellence as we examine our facilities and seek to improve our student achievement and the evironment that our students learn in on a daily basis.

I look forward to serving this community and our students and hope that each of you share that same committment Please stop in and visit your school district and let us know how we are doing!

District Scores Well Above State Averages on ACT Test

2008-01-30T08:00:00.000-06:00

Aggregate results of the 2006-2007 ACT tests for the 2006-2007 school year were recently released and show significant one-year gains for the Rock Valley Community School District. The ACT consists of curriculum-based tests of educational development in English, mathematics, reading, and science designed to measure the skills needed for success in first year college coursework. The average ACT scores are indicated below:

English, State Ave. Score - 21.6, Rock Valley Ave. Score 24.3
Mathematics, State Ave. Score - 21.9, Rock Valley Ave. Score 23.2
Reading, State Ave. Score - 22.6, Rock Valley Ave. Score 23.4
Science, State Ave. Score - 22.3, Rock Valley Ave. Score 23.1
Composite, State Ave. Score - 22.3, Rock Valley Ave. Score 23.6

Twenty-one students in the Rock Valley School District took the 2006-2007 ACT test as compared to that same amount for the previous school year. The four year composite average for the Rock Valley School District just prior to the 2006-2007 school year was 21.08. This past year’s score was the highest average composite score in the nearly twenty school years and is indicative of the efforts and initiatives that the school district is pursuing to improve student achievement and classroom instruction.

As an added note, ninety-five percent of our students who tested were ready for college work in the area of College English Composition as compared to seventy-eight percent of students in other Iowa school districts. Additionally, seventy-one percent of our students were ready for work in College Algebra as contrasted with fifty percent of the student in other Iowa school district.

While we could probably find many reasons that our students are performing better on these tests, it is apparent that our efforts in the area of content rigor and professional development have had major impacts upon our students. I can assure you that these efforts will continue in the future as we look at new ways to improve student performance and classroom instruction in our school district.

School District Taxation

2008-01-24T10:22:00.000-06:00

When the district built our new facilities, how much of the anticipated Local Option Sales Tax did it use to buy down debt or apply to property tax reduction?

The Rock Valley Community School District will be utilizing ninety percent (90%) of the Local Option Sales Tax revenues for a ten year period to either pay bond debt or lower original bond asking. Ten percent of the Local Option Sales Tax receipts are going to lower property taxes.

During the current fiscal year our school district will receive nearly $300,000 in Local Option Sales Taxes with roughly $270,000 being utilized to pay down bond debt and $30,000 going toward property tax reduction. If our school district did not utilize the Local Option Sales Tax to pay down bond indebtedness, the community’s tax assessment on property would have been considerably higher.

If the school district would need to build additional facilities, what would the impact be on my taxes?

While we are not planning on building additional facilities, the school district would have to pass an additional bond issue. As stated above, our Local Option Sales Tax money is committed to our past facilities project; therefore, any additional facilities would need to be approved by our voters. If a bond issue was approved, there would be an increase in property taxes.

Again, while we are not planning on doing any building, it is always important for the taxpayer to understand the implications of Iowa taxation code and how it may apply to the community school district and each community member.

To Read or Not To Read: A Question of National Consequence

2007-12-30T13:41:00.000-06:00

The holidays always provide plenty of opportunity for students to snuggle up with a good book while they spend time away from school. But as indicated in recent survey, available at www.nea.gov/news/news07/TRNR.html the National Endowment for the Arts found bad news on this front:

Americans are spending less time reading.
Reading comprehension skills are eroding.
These declines have serious civic, social, cultural and economic implications.

According to these writers, while elementary reading performance is on the rise nationally, that rise stops at middle and high school. According to correlative research also discussed in this newly released article, people who read extensively have better lives. " All of the data suggest how powerfully reading transforms the lives of individuals— whatever their social circumstances. Regular reading not only boosts the likelihood of an individual’s academic and economic success—facts that are not especially surprising—but it also seems to awaken a person’s social and civic sense. Reading correlates with almost every measurement of positive personal and social behavior surveyed. It is reassuring, though hardly amazing, that readers attend more concerts and theater than nonreaders, but it is surprising that they exercise more and play more sports - no matter what their educational level. The cold statistics confirm something that most readers know but have mostly been reluctant to declare as fact— books change lives for the better!

Rock Valley School Board Members Always Seeking to Improve

2007-11-23T19:42:00.000-06:00

Over the last several months the Rock Valley Community School District Board of Education has been involved in several regional and state workshops to improve their skills as school board members. In October board members attended a district meeting which was held in Sheldon. At that meeting the Iowa Association of School Boards presented information on the new push for state-wide standards. Additionally, board members heard information relative to the upcoming legislative session and what educational institutions can expect to see during the session. Also in October, new school board member, Terry VanMaanen, attended a training session for newly elected board members. This meeting included information about educational laws, trends, legislative processes, curriculum and how to deal with public concerns.

In concluding the busy fall workshop schedule board members recently spent several days in Des Moines learning about school districts across Iowa. Board members were able to review new curriculum, supplies and transporation vehicles that may be considered in the Rock Valley Community School District.

As you can see, we encourage our schol board members to keep up to date on educational processes and at the same time acquire knowledge that will allow them to be better board members and make better decisions relative to our students. Frankly speaking, over the years, our Board of Education has been very aggressive in attending workshops and maintaining a "cutting edge" understanding of education. Rock Valley School Board members are to be commended for their time and willingness to learn about today's school districts.

Nearing Conclusion of the Faciities Project

2007-08-27T19:06:00.000-05:00

Over the past week I have personally reflected on the conclusion of our facilities project which, believe it or not, started nearly five years ago with a simple thought and concludes now with the realization that a dream has come true. It is my hope that we realize the three goals that the community established in this project, namely 1) address the school district’s elementary school needs, 2) address the school district’s middle school needs, and 3) provide for the long-term viability of the Rock Valley Community Schools. While I know there were times that we all wondered if these goals would ever become reality, I think that each of you will agree that we have accomplished a great deal in reaching each one of these goals. The ultimate goal will be reached and recorded in the next nine months as we implement the programs that we have worked so hard to develop. Success can not be judged by counting bricks, but in the achievement levels of our students.

While we are nearly at the end of the final chapter in this project, it is my feeling that we have other projects that we should finish in the next five years. These projects include, a new bus barn and/or storage building, completion of gravel parking lots, possible renovation of our sports complexes, updates to our middle school/high school commons and auditorium, possible demolition of the Starkweather facility, putting terrazzo flooring in the MS/HS Commons and remodeling/enhancing our band and vocal areas and home economics areas. (just to name a few). It is my position that we will need to remain vigilant on this projects if we expect to retain our tradition of doing what is best for students and student achievement. Further, we need to keep a focus on providing the best facilities we can to continue to attract parents and students to our school district.

Yes, the task at hand will not get any easier! However, I am up to the challenge of putting this school district in the best possible position over the next five years to educate our students and provide outstanding facilities for our community’s growth. I hope each of you is up to that same challenge!

Your Support Is Appreciated

2007-08-22T19:29:00.000-05:00

With the school year starting today students were able to experience the beginning of a school year in new facilities. Elementary students begin the school year in new classrooms, gymnasium, commons and library. Middle school students have an area of the school they can now call their own in the newly remodeled middle school area which was the former library. Additionally, they will share, with the elementary and the high school students, a brand new 5,000 sq. ft library. Truly, there is something for all learners that is new or has been renovated. What a "once in a life-time" opportunity for all of our students!

While our school year will be exciting with the new and renovated facilities, we want each of you to know that these opportunities would not be possible without your support and efforts! Thank you for supporting the Rock Valley Community School District! We could not have completed this project without you! Please stop in and visit your facilities and enjoy the surroundings of our new and renovated facilities! We welcome each one of you and encourage you to get involved in your school district.

You Can't Please Everyone

2007-08-09T18:54:00.000-05:00

Educational leadership is primarily about relationships. The superintendent's role includes budget, policy and contracts. However, if the real work of a superintendent is to be accomplished with the greatest of ease and efficiency, there must be an investment in forming relationships with district and community personnel. Yet, at the same time, while these relationships not only can facilitate desirable results, they also have the potential of undermining the superintendent's effectiveness. Leaders who focus on developing friendly relationships often are ineffective when the data has been analyzed in regard to student achievement, curriculum development and conducting the day-to-day paper requirements needed to meet and exceed state and federal expectations.

One of the most important lessons for any superintendent or school district leader is that no one can please everyone. He/she must also realize that an effective leader understands this concept and must bite the bullet and move forward in some very tough circumstances. Further, it is important to realize that some staff members/community members who may resent authority and refuse to cooperate often try to rally support for their personal agendas from other malcontents. However, if conciliation's become the standard, the word will get out in the school and the community that all one has to do to win a point is to be demanding or difficult.

Making good decisions can be a tough job! However, students, staff and community benefit from those decisions that are well thought out, analyzed and not made over-night. It is my hope that all of our decisions in the Rock Valley Community School District follow this philosophy!

The Reality of Public Education in a Rural Community

2007-06-12T18:00:00.000-05:00

Each school year our district, as well as other rural school districts, struggle with finding qualified competent instructors for our classrooms. This is due to a teacher shortage – particularly in the academic areas of math, science, language arts and special education. Additionally, we have a shortage of guidance councilors. Frankly, this creates the following dynamics: 1) it is difficult to hire certified teachers, and 2) often times the qualified teacher that we do find has a family in another town and they have established roots in that community – therefore, they do not move to our community to fully experience our community and educational system.

While it is easy to say “make it a job requirement that they live in our community”. The reality is that it is illegal to do so. Further, we truly risk the possibility of not acquiring a certified teacher in the shortage area. I believe most of you would probably respond that you want a quailed instructor in our children’s classroom.

In the future, I do not expect it to get any easier to find qualified certified instructors as required by Iowa Law. Frankly speaking, I anticipate that the teacher shortage will only get worse with more academic areas becoming “shortage” areas. If our school district is to compete for quality teachers we will have to become proactive in our approach. That is, we may have to provide hiring bonuses, larger salaries, and actively recruit teachers from other school districts. Our goal, of course, would be to provide the best instruction for our own students and children. The outcome of our proactive approach is that fewer and fewer teachers may live in our community.

How do you feel about this shortage and my suggestions? I am always open to your ideas!

Public Expresses Opinions

2007-04-25T21:00:00.000-05:00

On April 25, 2007, approximately twenty community members attended a special board meeting to hear a variety of community members express their opinions relative to the future of Starkweather Elementary. While opinions obviously varied, concern was expressed that the building not be left to deteriorate. I personally want each of you to know that our school board has that same opinion. Our community is important to us, and we value working together collectively to provide attractive neighborhoods.

In addition to the general opinion expressed above, community members indicated that the school board should consider:

retaining certain sections of the building or grounds for a variety of possibilities (playground, gym usage, business office space, residential space)
the eventual demolition of the building
vacating the property and selling/giving away land for residential development

While board members listened to the community input, no final decision will be made relative to the Starkweather building until late summer. If you have any input that you would like us to consider, please feel free to contact a board member or our school district central office.

The Public Understands!

2007-03-21T20:04:00.000-05:00

The data from the latest Phi Delta Kappa/Gallup Poll of the Public's Attitudes Toward the Public Schools indicates some amazing information relative the public's perception of American Schools. In fact, the poll indicates that most Americans are able to separate myth from reality and arrive at accurate assessments of their public schools. Some of the findings were:

Seven of ten Americans said "reform the existing public school system" rather than "find an alternative system".
Five of ten Americans graded their community schools with an A or B, and these high marks rise even higher the closer respondents are to the schools.
Six of ten Americans say "No Child Left Behind" is either hurting or making no difference in their communities schools.
Eight of ten Americans believe that preschool programs for children from low-income households would help them perform better in school as teenagers. Two of three Americans go even further by indicating their willingness to pay more taxes to fund preschool programs for at-risk programs.

For more information visit www.pdkintl.org to view a complete report of the poll.

Are We Allowing Enough Playtime for Kids

2007-03-01T21:02:00.000-06:00

A recent report from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) says free, unstructured play is healthy and, in fact, essential for helping children reach important social, emotional, and cognitive developmental milestones.

According to the report, allowing some structured academic and extracurricular activities for children is important. But, the loss of free time in combination with a hurried lifestyle can be a source of stress, anxiety, and may even contribute to depression for many children.

Still many parents are afraid to slow down for fear their children will fall behind. Parents have an obligation to slow the pace and free your child from a hurried lifestyle.

Seeking Opinions on Graduation

2007-01-24T22:45:00.000-06:00

Our school district is interested in seeking your opinions in regard to graduation ceremonies. What is your opinion in regard to changing our graduation ceremonies from a Tuesday night to Sunday afternoon? It would be great if you could also give us your rationale.

Sportsman Is Very Important to District!

2007-01-22T19:31:00.000-06:00

It is commonly known in the Siouxland Conference that Rock Valley fans are some of the best behaved fans in the conference. This has been true for many years and has been accentuated by the school district receiving a sportsmanship award at the state basketball tournament. However, our reputation is at stake lately as we have had several parent fans who have decided to take actions into their own hands and verbally state their displeasure to our opponents team members and administration.

While we can understand that people often react in the heat of the moment at an athletic contest, the best way to express your displeasure with the actions of the opponents players or fans is to contact the Rock Valley School District administration. We are here to help improve sportsmanship and competition in the Siouxland Conference.

Let's all remember that it takes many positive actions to improve one negative action! Represent the Rock Valley Community School District in a postive, supportive way. Cheer for your team and not against the other team. Express your displeasure about opponents by contacting our administrators.

Should Graduation Ceremonies Be on a Tuesday Evening?

2007-01-19T16:03:00.000-06:00

Over the last ten school years our school district has always held graduation ceremonies on a Tuesday evening. We often hear that this makes it difficult for families who live a long distance from the Rock Valley Community to travel to those ceremonies. Further, if the graduation ceremonies were held on the weekend, families would be able to attend the ceremony and the recognition activity that most families hold after their son/daughters graduate.

How do you feel? Why? We are looking for input on this issue. Please feel free to respond.

Andrews: Change No Child Left Behind Act (The Philadelphia Inquirer, Jan. 17)

2007-01-17T16:36:00.000-06:00

SEWELL, N.J. -- If he has his way, four major changes will get written into the landmark No Child Left Behind Act when the law is reauthorized later this year, U.S. Rep. Robert Andrews, D-N.J., told a group of South Jersey superintendents yesterday. Andrews, who serves on the House Education and Workforce Committee, said he believed the law relies too narrowly on one test to measure student performance. "If we measure one student's performance on one test for a few hours, then we fail to get an accurate picture," he said. ... Calling test scores "imprecise measuring tools," Andrews said he favored changes so the tests measure how students progress from one year to the next. ... Educators started asking questions: "Why send kids out for supplemental services [tutoring] when those providers don't have to meet 'highly qualified'?" asked Joyce Stumpo, schools chief of the Gateway Regional School District.

What Will Happen To Starkweather Elementary?

2007-01-15T20:01:00.000-06:00

Routinely, I am asked what will happen to Starkweather Elementary when students move into the new facilities? While we have nearly eight months until students will be in our new building, our school board will soon begin to listen to, and consider, input from our public. At least one public input meeting will be held in the Spring. More than likely, this input opportunity will occur during the months of March or April.

At the present time it appears that we have several options or choices. These include:

Selling the property
Developing the property
Demolishing the existing building and selling the land
A combination of the items above

While several entities have inquired about the property, no final decision will be made by the board until our students are in our new facilities and equipment/furnishings have been removed from the Starkweather Building. If you have ideas or questions, please feel free to contact my office. We are open to your ideas!

Update on Construction Project

2007-01-11T13:20:00.000-06:00

Our regular monthly construction meeting was held today and our general contractor informed us of the following information:

Pouring of the terrazzo floors in the hallways etc. will begin by mid-February.
The gymnasium cement floor has been poured.
The radius roof will be installed in the commons area of our building project by mid-February.
The coordination of student locker ordering and installing will begin soon.
The project is scheduled for an August 1, 2007 completion.

Building Project On Time

2007-01-10T22:08:00.000-06:00

The Rock Valley Community School District is pleased to announce that our building project currently is on target for an August 2007 completion. Additionally, we are currently on budget on the proposed project. We enjoy showing our newly designed facilities to the general public. Please feel free to stop in at our central office and request a tour.