RCSD Community Update: 1/6/23

Dear RCSD Community,

Happy New Year, and welcome back. I hope you and yours had a wonderful Winter Recess, wherever you roamed. My wife and I headed to sunny San Diego to visit our (newly gainfully employed!) daughter. It seems the California weather followed us back here, making for a slightly strange beginning to January.

The Academy at Rye High School

The Academy at Rye High School is an alternative high school program created three years ago and based on the top floor of the high school building. Students entering 11th grade are eligible to apply. Academy classes are centered on project-based learning and hands-on experiences. Students take two courses through The Academy in 11th grade and three in 12th grade; the remainder of their classes come from the RHS course catalog. As one of their courses, seniors in The Academy complete a year-long, student-designed research project that includes both qualitative and quantitative work.

This coming Tuesday, the Board of Education will hear a presentation about student work in The Academy. I encourage you to come to the meeting or watch the video if you think you have a student who might be interested in The Academy.  To watch a short video about The Academy, click here. The application for the 2023-24 school year is here; the deadline is January 13.

Engineering Pathways Video

Over the break, we completed a video explaining the engineering pathway at the middle and high schools. Engineering classes are a relatively new phenomenon in schools. Back in my day, students would have taken “shop” and learned how to use tools. Now, students learn coding and software basics to design and create a whole host of projects. For many, this is an introduction to a possible career path. And while not everyone is going to grow up to be an engineer, coder, or architect, engineering classes can help students across all academic areas as there are elements of math, art, science, and writing in the program. The classes also help students develop critical thinking, collaboration, and teamwork skills - all vital for success in any career.

In the video, RMS and RHS engineering teachers give an overview of the program and share examples of student projects. Click here to watch.

Winter Weather Reminder

Old Man Winter may well be back at the end of next week. As a reminder, I will send an email and voicemail message at approximately 6:00 a.m. via Blackboard should we have a weather delay or closing. I also tweet any changes due to weather - follow me at @EricByrneRCSD - and we also post updates in the pop-up “bubble” on the homepage of the District website. 

Have a terrific weekend!

Sincerely,

Eric Byrne, Ed.D.

Superintendent of Schools