Welcome

Good afternoon,

This email has two important parts.

First, school starts this coming Monday – August 25.

As a staff we have spent time preparing for this important day. Throughout the summer our staff has moved furniture, cleaned rooms, finished some and started other construction projects, enrolled students, and connected new technology like network switches and student devices.

Just this week, our staff has thought deeply about continuing to create a positive school culture, reviewed safety protocols, focused on how to ensure our students learn, reviewed bus routes, continued our exploration of artificial intelligence and its application in schools, and ensured that our school breakfast and lunch menus are ready.

As you look forward to the first day of school on Monday, August 25, be sure to review school day routines with your children.

• What time will we be getting up? What time will we be going to bed?
• When do we leave for school?
• Am I walking, taking the bus, or being driven to school?
• Where do we pick up the bus?
• What time does the bus come?
• Am I packing a lunch or getting lunch at school?
• When will I do homework?
• Where will I do homework?
• Where do we go after school?

Talking through the school schedule and the school day with your children will be very helpful as the first day of school arrives. 

Most students will have some level of anxiety. That is normal. Listen to your children. Reassure your children. Everyone at school wants your child to have a great experience on their first day. If they have questions they can ask the adults in the school.

Together we will get through the first day, and the first few days, of school successfully.

We are excited to welcome your children back to a great school environment.

I also wanted to update you on an important issue in Lansing that could impact our students, staff, and programs in the coming months. 

State law mandates that lawmakers approve a K-12 school funding budget by July 1 each year so districts like ours can plan and operate with certainty. That deadline has passed, and no agreement has been reached. And it appears that no agreement is near.

We are moving forward trying to anticipate what will come, and that is challenging and uncertain. We have even heard talk that this may drag on until the end of September. If no agreement is reached by September 30th, there is a possibility of a state government shutdown. That could possibly delay our state aid payment scheduled for October.

At the heart of the deadlock is a proposal to redirect dollars from the School Aid Fund – the fund voters were promised would be dedicated to K-12 education – to other priorities, including road repairs. While there are many important priorities in our state, education is certainly one of them. The School Aid Fund, approved by voters in 1994, was established to provide fair and equitable statewide funding for public schools.

Our last 2024-2025 school aid payment was sent to us on August 20th. We receive no additional state aid until October 20th. We cannot operate indefinitely without resources. The solution seems simple: lawmakers should approve a K-12 budget that safeguards School Aid Fund dollars for their original purpose – educating Michigan’s children.

I have reached out to our elected representatives to urge them to pass a school aid budget. But, it would be very helpful if our parents would reach out as well and I encourage you to do so. 

The message is simple:

• Strong public schools should be a priority.
• School aid needs to be a priority.
  • Public schools received no additional state aid in the 2024-2025 school year.
  • Public schools need a boost to make up for the lack of a cost-of-living increase in 2024-25 and the rising costs in 2025-26.
• School aid needs to support K-12 education as much as possible.
  • Higher education is important but they can raise tuition or expand enrollment to generate revenue.
  • K-12 public school districts do not have those options.
• School aid needs to be funded with continuing funds – not one-time budget gimmicks.
• Critical funds for transportation, school meals, and school safety and mental health needs to be part of the school funding package.

Our State Representative is Bryan Posthumus, BryanPosthumus@house.mi.gov Office: 517-373-0830

Our State Senator for Rockford and Plainfield Township is Mark Huizenga SenMHuizenga@senate.michigan.gov Office: 517-373-0797 and for Algoma, Cannon, Courtland, Grattan, and Oakfield Townships is Rick Outman SenROutman@senate.michigan.gov Office: 517-373-3760.

A simple email from you highlighting these key points would be helpful.

Thank you for any time you could give to this important matter.

All of us look forward to seeing your children at school on Monday, August 25. 

Steve

Dr. Steve Matthews
Superintendent
Rockford Public Schools