Sunday, December 22, 2024

 

Seasons Greetings to Roth Families and Friends,

Sixteen weeks. Winter Break. These are milestones for any school year. An excellent pause for self-reflection, celebration, restoration and goal-setting. This past week presented several opportunities for our school community to come together, or drift apart. At Roth Junior High, we came together. Roth leaders, teachers, counselors, support staff and students had honest conversations about trust and empathy. Needs that were communicated were addressed by our committed staff. Though I acknowledge that we have work to do – especially myself, as principal – I am proud of how we ended this past week together. 

On Friday, I wrote a note to our staff. I shared gratitude and appreciation. I shared my belief that “I stand on the shoulders of giants.” Our supporting faculty and staff. Our Roth Junior High students and families. This journey that we are on takes a village, and a commitment to doing our part to lift up others. Thank you, Roth families and friends, for being a part of Roth’s rise to excellence.

And, here are some reminders and upcoming events.

Student Device & Behavioral Leadership Reminder: Four months into the school year, I ask that we continue to message to our students the value of unplugging to connect. I see students playing UNO, Battleship and Beyblades in lunch. I hear students talking amongst their tables and friend groups so much more than they would if they were all locked into their screens and devices. Every now and then, we have to offer a gentle reminder. But, on the whole, students have done a nice job of following device use expectations. 

Additionally, I am grateful for the partnership of so many families in helping to shape student behavior. Our Behavioral Leadership system is intended to identify patterns of behavior, support through coaching and restorative conversations, and to prevent students from progressing through the disciplinary system. Though we expect and will continue to have students who do not progress/earn out of this behavior-shaping system, I am proud to share that we have 30% fewer disciplinary referrals so far this year than the same period last year. 30%! That is a testament to the diligent work of our team. And when I say “our,” I am including our supportive families. Again, thank you.

Roth JHS Musical: The set work looks fantastic. Our cast and crew are excited as the months countdown to weeks and then days. Please save the date for this year’s production, Shrek the Musical Jr. The dates for our musical are: Friday, January 31, and Saturday, February 1. Showtime for both evenings is at 7 p.m. 

After-School (Athletics, Musical, Etc.) Pickup: I love witnessing so much activity at Roth after dismissal. Students travel from other buildings for athletics. Students stick around to participate in extracurricular clubs. As I have written before, I believe that schools are meant to house, educate, and support students. 

However, I have also noticed a troubling trend that I am hopeful we can work together to correct. When I leave the building around 5:45 - 6:15 p.m., I exit to dozens of vehicles waiting to pick up our students. Please note that our bus loop is not intended to function as a multi-lane roadway. Our bus loop must be single-lane only to ensure student safety. On more than one occasion, I have seen unsafe driving behavior in this loop, and I am asking our families to wait in the parking lot if you notice that there is no additional space in our single-lane bus loop. Additionally, I have observed traffic backed all the way down to East Henrietta Road. As a resident of this community, I worry about the traffic safety that we may be disrupting. If the bus loop single-lane traffic does not have space for additional vehicles, please wait in the parking lot. The goal of this specific request is to ensure student (and family) safety. Thank you in advance for your cooperation as we continue to identify areas to improve at Roth Junior High.

Visiting Campus: Families are welcome to visit Roth JHS for scheduled meetings with our administrators, counselors, or other related staff. When coming into the school, all visitors must enter through the main entrance. A photo ID is required to enter the building. *NOTE: During dismissal, we ask that visitors wait until school buses have loaded and departed. This will help us ensure the safety of and smooth departure for our students. We appreciate your willingness to partner with us to meet your student’s learning, wellness, and safety needs.

Upcoming Events:

• Winter Recess (No School): Saturday, December 21, through Sunday, January 5
• Roth JHS Concert (Grade 7): Monday, January 13, at 7 p.m.
• Roth Parent Group Meeting: Monday, January 27, at 7 p.m.
• Roth Musical (Shrek the Musical Jr.): Friday, January 31 at 7 p.m. and Saturday, February 1 at 7 p.m. 

Click here for previous E-News communications.