It's a busy time of year as we wrap up activities, compete in sports finals, complete testing, and say farewell to our high school graduates. We have a lot to be proud of in this district. During this year alone, we had students competing at the state and national levels of track and field, archery, music, French, Junior ROTC and so many other programs. We had students and staff reaching out to help not only the local community but the international community as well. We've received grants to move our students, teachers and curriculum in innovative directions.

But even before this school year comes to a close, we are already preparing for next year - and next year begins July 1. Our administrators, teachers, staff and students are working all summer to make sure the next year is even better than the last one.

Students of all ages have a variety of summer school options, both for credit recovery and for enrichment. We want to make sure students who may have fallen behind during the year use the summer to catch up and remain on track in the fall. We also want to help students who want to get ahead or learn a little bit extra to do that as well.

Many of our teachers are also here during the summer. Some of them are teaching summer school. Others are taking part in professional development courses that will improve their teaching strategies and curriculum planning for the upcoming school year. Professional development is an important part of being an educator, and our teachers take it seriously.

I hope you'll all join us in congratulating this year's RFA graduates and in helping the seniors in all our buildings as they transition to their new schools. Graduation is just the start for many of us in the district. Stop in some time and see just how busy school can be without any classes in session.

Summer is the time of year our Buildings and Grounds crews are maintaining our buildings and taking care of our playgrounds, playing fields and school lawns. This summer, we'll complete the renovation of Bellamy school and begin work on Ridge Mills through the capital project approved in January. We'll also be planning out the rest of the capital project work that will happen over the next few years at Joy, Gansevoort, Denti and Clough. A multi-year renovation project at Strough continues this summer as well.

I hope you'll all join us in congratulating this year's RFA graduates and in helping the seniors in all our buildings as they transition to their new schools. Graduation is just the start for many of us in the district. Stop in some time and see just how busy school can be without any classes in session.

Sincerely,  

Jeff Simons

Superintendent, Rome City School District