ERMS Newsletter August 8, 2025

ERMS Orientation

September 30, 2026

ERMS October Newsletter

Building: East Rockford MS

let's go rams

Adam Burkholder - Principal

aburkholder@rockfordschools.org

Derek Dillon - Assistant Principal

ddillon@rockfordschools.org

Jennifer Domagalski-Athletic Director/Student Activities

jdomagalski@rockfordschools.org

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

With conferences next week, we encourage all parents and guardians to attend. Everyone is welcome!

If your student currently has a grade of C minus or lower in any class, we especially encourage you to sign up for a conference or connect directly with your child’s teacher.

To help the evening run smoothly and allow every family time with our staff, please be mindful of the scheduled conference times. If you find that you need additional time with a teacher, we are happy to help arrange a separate Google Meet or phone call.

We’re looking forward to seeing our parents and guardians in the building and appreciate the opportunity you give us each day to partner with you in helping your students grow.

Parent Teacher Conferences for East Rockford MS are October 6th & 8th.

To book IN PERSON meetings on Tuesday October 6th click: In person link

To book PHONE/VIRTUAL meetings for Thursday October 8th click: Phone/virtual link

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!

East Rockford Middle School book fair October 1st to October 9th in the library

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

Parent advisory council

All family members are invited to the first P.A.C. meeting of the 26/27 school year.

The meeting will take place at ERMS from 7:15 a.m. to 7:45 a.m. on October 14th.

This year, our primary focus is Student Ownership of Learning, and we will use this meeting to share some of the work happening behind the scenes to strengthen student clarity, responsibility, and engagement in learning.

We also want PAC meetings to be a true two way conversation. In addition to sharing information, we will be asking parents and guardians for feedback about what you can expect from us as a school and what we hope to receive from families in return.

We are trying something a little different with the meeting time. In the past, we have offered PAC meetings during the school day, after school, in the evening, and early in the morning, but attendance has consistently been limited. This time, we are hoping to catch parents and guardians during morning drop off, share some important information, hear your perspective, and still get you on your way for the day.

Our goal is to keep these meetings brief, focused, and meaningful, with time for both information and parent perspective. If you are able to attend, please fill out this brief sign up so we can plan accordingly as space is limited. If you are unable to attend on the 14th, we will be meeting again on 11/16 with a similar format. Thank you and we are looking forward to the 14th.

Adam Burkholder and Derek Dillon

RSVP sign up link