6/9/26 Update

Good afternoon,

The last week of the school year is upon us. As you contemplate your summer plans, I would encourage you to make time to read during the summer.

And I would encourage you to remember these words from Kate DiCamillo – a renowned children’s author: Reading should not be presented to children as a chore, a duty. It should be offered as a gift.

Reading is important for all of us - young and old. But it is especially important for students. Students often experience what is called the "summer slide." The summer slide characterizes the learning loss that can occur when students are out of school and not using the skills they learn during the school year. The loss impacts our students when they return to school and have to "catch-up" after their summer vacation.

One way to combat the summer slide is to make plans to read. 

And to help with that here are some suggestions. Suggestions for both our students and for adults.

The Lion's Run by Sara Pennypacker

Lucas lives in an orphanage in Nazi occupied France. He wants to stand up for himself and his country but often lacks courage or insight into how to do that. He rescues a litter of kittens and this forces him to learn to stand up. He takes them to an abandoned stable and meets a stranger that will upend his life. 

This is a great story that late elementary and middle school students (and their parents) would enjoy.

Telephone of the Tree by Allison McGhee

Ayla loves trees. So did her best friend Kiri. An accident took Kiri and Ayla struggles with grief and her longing for her friend. It is a tender story about the power of healing and the lessons to be learned so that we can move on. 

Read it with you late elementary or middle school student.

A Strange Thing Happened in Cherry Hall by Jasmine Warga

A wonderful story about friendship, a ghost, a missing painting, and a turtle named Agatha. The painting is missing inside a museum. Rami and Veda try to solve the mystery. It touches on themes of belonging, fitting in, and knowing who you are.

Bye Forever, I Guess by Jodi Meadows

Ingrid is trying to navigate being thirteen. Middle school friends have proved challenging. This book explores the complicated life of middle school. It touches on friendship, online gaming, and the power of books to touch middle school students.

The Magician’s Elephants by Kate DiCamilla

A magician conjures up an elephant and a young boy’s world suddenly is full of possibilities and adventure. Peter longs to find his sister and wonders if the elephant is the key. It is a book full of longing and hope. It is a great read for students in late elementary.

The Lost Library by Rebecca Stead and Wendy Moss

A mysterious free little library changes the lives of two young friends – Evan and Rafe. It’s a mystery about the town they live in and their quest to find the truth. It explores finding your way and the power of books. Great for late elementary and middle school.

The Trouble with Heroes by Kate Messner

Finn takes on a summer challenge. The challenge is presented to him as an alternative way to make amends for something he did. It is a great story told in verse for middle school students. It is a story about family and friendship and finding your way.

And Then Boom! By Lisa Fipps

Joe’s life is a mess. He can’t depend on his Mom. His grandmother cares for him but then tragedy strikes. He tries to navigate on his own but things don’t go well. It is a story that deals with important themes of finding yourself, friendship, caring for each other, and, ultimately, hope. Great for middle school students.

The Inheritance Game by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

Avery inherits a fortune but it comes with unexpected twists. It is a book filled with intrigue and twists. A great story for high school and above.

How to Stop Time by Matt Haig

Tom Hazard ages so slowly that he spans time. It is his secret and he struggles to find his way. It is a story about finding yourself, identifying what is important in life, and coming to terms with mortality. Great for high school students and adults.

Midnight on the Potomac by Scott Ellsworth

A great book about the last year of the Civil War. It explores in depth the decisions that were made and how conspiracies and spies and secret agents helped bring the war to an end. It is a great book that exposes history in a new way.

The Gales of November: the Untold Story of the Edmund Fitzgerald by John U. Bacon

A book that explores the impact of great lakes shipping on the world and what life was like on a boat that sailed the Great Lakes. The book’s center is the tragedy of the boat the Edmund Fitzgerald but it reveals more about America’s economic boom and how sailors helped fuel it.

The Zorg: A Tale of Greed and Murder That Inspired the Abolition of Slavery by Siddharth Kara

The Zorg was a boat that was part of the slave trade, but it came to be part of a tragic story for dozens of slaves and it fueled the push to end slavery worldwide. An intriguing read.

I hope that you have read great books this year. Continue reading with your children this summer. Modeling reading for your children is a powerful influence to help them continue to develop their skills, but, more importantly, develop a lifetime love of reading.

Steve

Dr. Steve Matthews, Superintendent

Rockford Public Schools

Good afternoon,

Yesterday, May 12th, was the last day for our Rockford High School seniors. This Friday they will return to their elementary schools in caps and gowns to inspire the next generation. And next Monday, May 18, the class of 2026 will graduate.

Board agenda highlights from our Board of Education on Monday, May 11, include:

• Discussed the board vacancy
  • 16 community members applied to fill the vacancy
  • 5 were chosen to interview after the initial screening
    • Jennifer Kempa
    • Jacob Kurth
    • Miguel Quintanilla
    • Brian Vella
    • Lissa Geglio-Weidenfeller
  • Interviews will take place on Thursday, May 14, starting at 6:00 PM
• Bond refunding
• Furniture purchase for River Valley Academy

Information on the board agendas can be found at our district website.

The last day of school is approaching quickly. We have the long Memorial Day weekend coming with no school on May 22 and May 25. 

Hopefully the weather will warm up and we will enjoy good weather for the end of school.

Steve

Dr. Steve Matthews, Superintendent

Rockford Public Schools

Good afternoon,

Happy Earth Day!

In the Rockford Public Schools, we can celebrate because all of our elementary buildings are certified “green” schools. As part of being a Michigan “Green School”, each school has to complete at least 10 or more environmental activities within an academic year. Green schools aim to foster environmental stewardship and reduce their ecological footprint. Our outdoor education program lead, Tara Dzirbowicz, deserves credit and thanks for helping educate our students and lead our staff in this process.

Items of note from our 4/19/26 Board of Education meeting:

• Approved the hire of an art teacher for Rockford High School.
• Passed a staff appreciation resolution to recognize our Rockford Public School staff for their contributions to our school district.
  • Staff appreciation week is the week of May 4th.
  • Staff Appreciation Day is May 5th.
• Approved the purchase of new iPads for grades K-1. 
  • The cost of these were paid from the sinking fund.
  • The devices will support assessment and instruction.
  • The devices replace devices purchased in 2019.
• The Rockford Education Foundation provided the Board with an overview of their support for our district.
• Our Early Childhood leadership provided an update on our early childhood programming.

Tricia Anderson, board trustee since 2022, resigned from the Board this week. Ms. Anderson has been a strong voice for students and the district. We wish her well as she moves forward.

As a result, there will be a board opening. Per policy the board has 30 days to fill the vacancy. More information on what that process will look like will be coming out later this week.

Spring sports started slowly in the wind, rain, and cold, but things are picking up this week.

Frozen Jr., our 8, 9, and 10 grade student play, will run May 7, 8, and 9. I saw the students practicing yesterday. They are working hard. Tickets are available at Ludus - ROCKTIX – rocktix.org.

In addition, our theater students are also directing and starring in one act plays April 29, 30, and May 1. These shows will be in the Blackbox theater at Rockford High School. Tickets also available at Ludus - ROCKTIX – rocktix.org.

Enjoy the nice weather!

Steve

Dr. Steve Matthews, Superintendent

Rockford Public Schools

Good afternoon,

As you are aware our Rockford High School boys’ basketball team beat Northview High School in a thrilling game on Tuesday night. This win catapults the Rams to the Division One semifinals on Friday, March 13, at noon, at the Breslin Center in East Lansing.  

Congratulations to Coach Clough and our Rockford High School boys’ basketball team!

After careful consideration, I wanted to alert you that school will be in session on Friday.

All students will have school on Friday, March 13, including preschool and child care.

If you want to make a different choice for your student and have them attend the game, please be sure to call in their absence and it will be excused.

I understand that there are many families who will want to attend the game. I have been to the Breslin for our girls’ basketball team on a Friday school day each of the last three years, and it is awesome to see the tremendous crowd that Rockford brings to the game.

We have adjusted schedules in the past. The first time the boys made the semifinals in 2012, school was cancelled. Then the girls made the semifinals and school was cancelled. Then the girls made it once more and, again, we pivoted to a half day for secondary. For each of those choices there are complications. 

For 9-12 high school students, we will judge the interest in having a high school student fan bus. This will offer high school students a chance to be safely transported to and from the game. Look for a survey from Mr. Clark.  

While I would like to see as many Rockford Rams in the Breslin Center as possible, we recognize the importance of having school for students and families. Keeping schools in session is positive for student learning. Canceling school inconveniences many of our families.

Therefore, after careful evaluation, I have decided that we will have school as planned on Friday, March 13, 2026.

I made this decision for the following reasons:

• We have no state forgiveness days left.
• The majority of DK-12 students historically have not attended the game.
• Our families depend on the schools every day.

To be clear, we will have a regular school day on Friday, March 13.

If you and your children want to attend the game, please call in their absence and it will be excused.

Go Rams!

Steve

Dr. Steve Matthews

Superintendent

Good afternoon,

This week marks the end of our second trimester. This is more important at the Freshman Center/Rockford High School level as classes often change each trimester. But for all of us, this reinforces that this school year is moving quickly.

I wanted to highlight a couple of things:

First, our mid-year assessment data of K-8 students continues to demonstrate that great things are happening in our classrooms. Our Fall ’25 to Winter ’26 achievement shows high achievement.

It is evident that our teachers are teaching and our students are learning! Well done!

Second, Lifetouch, the school photography provider, has been caught up in some rumors circulating on social media. We have reviewed these rumors and feel confident that they are false. Lifetouch has been a trusted partner and we expect them to continue to be for the district.

The CEO of Lifetouch has responded in this recent post: Public Statement from Ken Murphy, Lifetouch Group CEO, on recent rumors around student privacy. - Lifetouch

I share this because I wanted you to know that we are aware of these rumors and have spent time evaluating them. Student safety will always be a priority for us.

Finally, the high school theater production of Les Misérables is coming March 13 – 15 and March 20 – 22. Tickets are available here: Ludus - ROCKTIX

Our wrestling, bowling, basketball, gymnastics, hockey, boys’ swim and dive, dance, and cheer teams have had a tremendous winter season. We wish them all good luck as they head to postseason and to their end of season tournaments.

Believe it or not, our spring sports seasons will begin in just a few short weeks.

Steve

Dr. Steve Matthews, Superintendent

Rockford Public Schools