August has arrived, and with it comes the joy of a brand-new school year! At Ridgedale, we are thrilled to welcome new students and staff while also celebrating the return of familiar faces. We are glad each and every one of you is here!
Many people wonder what goes on in a school district over the summer, and the answer is…a lot! I want to take a moment to spotlight a few important projects and initiatives we have been working on behind the scenes.
First, we have some facilities updates that are investments in our future. At the junior/senior high school, we have made significant progress on our long-anticipated HVAC project. This upgrade replaces the original heating system and brings air conditioning to the building, something we are especially excited about as it will be ready in the spring of this school year. Construction in a school is a careful dance around our busy, year-round activities such as athletics, summer Power Hours, and Kindergarten Kick-Off. You may still notice work on the upper level, but the bulk of the project will shift to the lower level. Heat will be operational before the cold weather arrives. In the meantime, thank you for your patience as we work toward a more comfortable learning environment for our students and staff.
As part of this HVAC project, all ceiling tiles throughout the building are being replaced, and we are looking ahead to winter break, when the lockers at the junior/senior high will be refreshed to brighten the hallways.
At the elementary school, fresh paint on the ceilings, hallways, and lockers is being completed and promises to make a big impact! Throughout the school year, we will continue repainting interior doors to keep the building looking its best. You will also notice a new book vending machine in the elementary office thanks to a generous donation from our PTO. What a fun way to reward and motivate our students!
While maintaining fiscal responsibility with our facility investments, we have remained laser-focused on our mission of empowering students to reach their full potential. That mission comes to life through rigorous academics, career pathways, and strong community partnerships as we continue to prepare students for what comes next.
Mr. Neutzling has worked to build a strategic partnership with Nucor. We have a new CLEP testing center allowing us to offer more college-level courses to our students ON our campus for FREE. We have also expanded Ag into our 7th grade.
We are also proud to introduce a new healthcare pathway led by our school nurse, Kayla Pierson, BSN. This hands-on CTE program joins our existing pathways in education, engineering, agriculture, interactive media, and information technology, which are all offered right here at Ridgedale. These programs help prepare students for in-demand, high-skill careers and give them a head start on their futures.
Finally, our leadership and culture are continuing to grow stronger. Last year, we welcomed Mr. Neutzling and Ms. Yaksic to the junior/senior high school. This year, we are delighted to welcome Mrs. Courtright as our new treasurer and Mrs. Bricely as the new principal at Ridgedale Elementary. You can read about these new staff members inside, but know that Mrs. Bricely will continue building on the great work already happening, including the behavioral leadership framework we introduced last school year. Behavioral leadership focuses on creating a positive and calm environment fostering positive behaviors through strategic guidance and relationship building. It emphasizes teaching communication, integrity, responsibility, leadership, critical thinking, and empathy, which are all of the competencies outlined in our Portrait of a Rocket.
I hope you feel as inspired as I do by the big things happening in our small district. Ridgedale Pride runs deep, and we are so proud of our students, staff, and community. Thank you for your continued support! And, as always, Go, Rockets!
Sincerely,
Dr. Erika Bower, Superintendent