ERMS October Newsletter

October 2026

Dear ERMS Families,

As we move into October, one of our biggest areas of focus at East is helping students better understand their own learning. We want students to know not only what they are doing in class, but what they are learning, what success looks like, and what they need to do next.

That starts with knowing our students well. Our teachers are spending time together looking at student progress, identifying strengths, and deciding where students may need extra help. We are also working to catch smaller gaps early so we can respond before they become bigger challenges.

This reflects an important belief we share at East: every student is our student. Supporting student success is something we take on together.

Over the next several weeks, we will be spending time in classrooms talking directly with students about their learning. One of the simplest questions we will ask is, “What are you learning?”

That is different from asking, “What are you doing?”

A student might tell us they are completing an assignment, reading a chapter, working on a lab, or solving math problems. We want them to be able to explain the bigger picture behind that work. What are they trying to understand? What skill are they building? How will they know when they are successful?

This fall, we will establish a starting point for how many students can clearly answer those questions. We will continue checking throughout the year so we can see whether students are becoming more confident and independent in understanding their own learning.

There is also a bigger lesson in this work. Motivation can help us get started, but real improvement comes from the habits we practice over time. The same is true for students and adults. As our routines become clearer and our work becomes more focused, we believe students will benefit from stronger learning experiences and better results.

We are excited about the work happening across East, proud of the work of our teachers, and grateful for the partnership of our families as we continue helping students become more confident, thoughtful, and independent learners.

Adam Burkholder
Principal
East Rockford Middle School

Support Our ERMS Staff!

We’d love your help providing snacks and drinks for our amazing middle school staff during meetings and special gatherings.

If you’re able, please sign up below to donate an item. Every contribution big or small makes a difference and is so appreciated by our staff.  If you have any questions please email sdurfee@rockfordschools.org

Thank you for helping us take care of the people who take care of our kids!  

Sign up link

Parents: Create your student’s Book Fair eWallet so they can shop cash-free, worry-free, and independently! It’s easy to set up and easy for others to contribute funds! 

Start here:  Scholastic Book Fair Link

THE LAST DAY TO ORDER A YEARBOOK is Tuesday, March 30th, 2027.

No orders will be accepted after this date, no exceptions. 

We must order on time to receive delivery before the end of the year. This is a hard deadline from the publisher.  

Order here: 

Link To Yearbook Order Center

Use the ERMS school order #25248