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RCPS Parent Newsletter


To receive a copy of the RCPS Parent Newsletter, make sure to update your email address in your Infinite Campus account.


January 11, 2019

 

Newsletter header, says "Rockdale County Public Schools, Newsletter. News, Events, Important Information for RCPS Families"

 

VISION

The Vision of RCPS is to be a world-class learning community
where all students
graduate college or career ready in a
progressive and interconnected society.

 

MISSION

The Mission of RCPS is to ensure student success for all through a
world-class education with advanced opportunities and personalized
support. 

 

Learn about the RCPS STRATEGIC PLAN

 

 

image of newly elected rockdale county board of education member sandra jackson-lett is sworn in by probate court judge clarence cuthpert, jr. with her family at her side, and re-elected member katrina young is sworn in by judge cuthpert for her fourth te

Board of Education members Jackson-Lett and Young sworn in
Young named Board Chair, North named Vice-Chair

Congratulations to our new Rockdale County Board of Education! The school board meeting
room was filled with family and friends as Sandra Jackson-Lett was sworn into office for her
first term and Katrina Young was sworn into office for her fourth term at the January 10, 2019
meeting. Rockdale County Probate Court Judge Clarence Cuthpert, Jr. administered the oath
of office for both Jackson-Lett and Young. School board members selected Katrina Young as
Chair and Mandy North as Vice-Chair. For more photos, visit the RCPS Facebook page at
www.facebook.com/rockdaleschools

For more information on the Rockdale County Board of Education, visit www.rockdaleschools.org/board

Image says "Parent Survey"

Georgia Parent Survey 2018-2019

Please make sure to visit http://gshs.gadoe.org/parents BEFORE February 28, 2019 to
participate in the 2018-2019 Georgia Parent Survey. This important survey will take just a
moment of your time but can powerfully impact your school and district. This survey is part
of the School Climate Star Rating, released by the Georgia Department of Education. Survey
responses are anonymous and are submitted directly to the Georgia Department of Education.
The Georgia Parent Survey is also available in Spanish. Parents may select the Spanish
version within the survey. 

 

Image says "Voters approve E-SPLOST V. Thank you for your continued support!"

Voters Approve E-SPLOST

Voters overwhelmingly chose to continue the 20-year tradition of collecting pennies for public
education in Rockdale County by approving the Education Special Purpose Local Sales Tax
(E-SPLOST) ballot initiative on November 6, 2018 by a more than 2-to-1 margin. About 69.61
percent of voters approved E-SPLOST V with 30.39 percent against, with a turnout of about
62.62 percent of registered voters in Rockdale County. E-SPLOST is a one penny, five-year
sales tax that allows for shared contribution to education, including visitors to the county who
spend money on gas, food, hotels, and retail items. E-SPLOST can be used for capital
expenditures or debt retirement; however, Rockdale County Public Schools (RCPS) is a debt-free
school system. 

“We are grateful to the voters of Rockdale County for their unprecedented level of support for
our E-SPLOST ballot initiative,” says RCPS Superintendent Dr. Terry Oatts. “We do not take
such support for granted. We also thank those district and community stakeholders who
organized to support our efforts to inform our public about the benefits of E-SPLOST. As a
result of the voters' support, we will be able to enhance safety and security measures across
the district and complete the proposed projects as presented.”

More information on E-SPLOST is available at www.rockdaleschools.org/esplost

image of green post-it note says "don't forget"

Update your contact information in Infinite Campus

Make sure to update your contact information in Infinite Campus
(www.rockdaleschools.org/infinitecampus) in order to receive
emergency communication, information about grades, attendance
and more. Ask your school's DLS (Digital Learning Specialist) if you
need help with your Infinite Campus account.

To opt-in to receive Text / SMS messages for emergency communications,
information about grades, attendance, and more, text the word "Yes" to 67587

 

 

 



UPCOMING EVENTS

 

5th Grade Social Studies Fair

1/12/2019

Saturday, January 12, 2019, 8 a.m. - noon at
Memorial Middle School, 3205 Underwood Road,
Conyers, GA.  RCPS families are invited to view
the RCPS 5th Grade Social Studies Fair, as fifth
grade teams present projects examining society,
economy, ecology, cultures, histories, and more.
www.rockdaleschools.org/
academiccompetitions

 

 

Dual Enrollment Informational Session
and Accuplacer assessment

1/16/2019

Wednesday, January 16, 2019; sessions start
at 5 p.m., 5:30 p.m., 6 p.m., 6:30 p.m., 
at Rockdale Career Academy, 1064 Culpepper
Dr., Conyers, GA.  GPTC will also offer the
Accuplacer assessment (recommended for
students interested in taking Dual Enrollment) 
at 4 p.m. on Jan. 16; to sign up for Accuplacer,
contact [email protected] by
Jan. 14 noon.  Families interested in having
their high school student take a Dual Enrollment
class in 2019-2020 to earn free college credit
in high school must attend an informational
session. (Families who already attended a
session in October or November 2018 can
come by to confirm their application has been
received.)  Counselors and representatives
from GPTC and Point University will be
available to answer questions. More
information at ​www.rockdaleschools.org/de 

 

 

HHS musical ‘How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying’

1/17/2019

January 17-19, 2019 at 7:30 p.m. and January 20, 2019 Sunday matinee at 2:30 p.m., at Heritage High School, 2400 Granade Rd., Conyers, GA; HHS Patriot Players presents the musical comedy, “How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying;” tickets $10 adults, $8 senior citizens, $5 students;
[email protected] 

 

 

MLK Holiday

1/21/2019

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday, Monday, January 21, 2019. RCPS schools and district offices (including Student Registration) are closed in observance; www.rockdaleschools.org/calendars

 

 

Rockdale Career Academy Open House

1/24/2019

Thursday, January 24, 2019, 5-8 p.m. at RCA, 1064 Culpepper Drive, Conyers, GA 30094. Open House for Rockdale Career Academy 2019-20 for high school students; Career-focused pathways and industry certifications. 70-388-5677, rca.rockdaleschools.org 

 

 

East Atlanta Tech Fair & Helen Ruffin Reading Bowl 

1/26/2019

Saturday, January 26, 2019, 8 a.m. - 1 p.m.  Both events are held at Rockdale Career Academy, 1064 Culpepper Dr., Conyers, GA.  The community is invited to view the RCPS Technology and Media Showcase as students compete in the East Atlanta Technology Fair.  More information about the East Atlanta Technology Fair (for grades 3-12) is at www.rockdaleschools.org/techfair. Or contact Gena Jeselnik at [email protected] . More information about the county-level competition for the Helen Ruffin Reading Bowl is at www.rockdaleschools.org/academiccompetitions. Or contact Beth Clark at [email protected] or Kimberly Wisnewski at [email protected]

 

 



STUDENT SPOTLIGHT

 

RCA construction students with rca ceo ben mccumber and rca instructor brett creel

Some of the RCA Construction students in RCA Instructor Brett Creel's Carpentry class who helped build a structure for a Habitat for Humanity Conyers/Rockdale family. 

RCA students build for Habitat for Humanity

RCA Construction students recently donated their time and skills to help a Conyers family in
need by building a shed to accompany the family’s new Habitat for Humanity home! About 30
students in RCA Construction Instructor Brett Creel’s Carpentry class designed, built, and
painted the 8-foot by 8-foot shed as part of their continuing focus on service and project-based
learning. The structure will provide storage space for the Habitat home, which is the sixth
home constructed in Habitat for Humanity Conyers/Rockdale's Olde Town Village community.
For more information on volunteering, donating, or helping with Habitat for Humanity Conyers/
Rockdale’s projects or Restore store, contact Jack Arvin at [email protected] or visit
habitatrockdale.org. For more information about Rockdale Career Academy, stop by the RCA
Open House night on January 24, 2019, 5-8 p.m. for high school students interested in one of
the dozens of career pathways and industry certifications offered by RCA, or contact
[email protected] or visit rca.rockdaleschools.org 

 

 

image of first place winners for the 2018 clerk of courts middle school oratorical competition, pictured with emcee al wiseman and founder clerk of court ruth a. wilson

Pictured (left to right): Seventh grade first place winner Joshua Jamison (MMS), Emcee and Toastmasters Division C Director for District 14 Al Wiseman, sixth grade first place winner Barkley Dowdy (DMS), Clerk of Courts Ruth A. Wilson, eighth grade first place winner Laila Wood (EMS), with the $500 prize for each first place winner.

Clerk of Courts Awards Middle School Oratorical Winners

Rockdale County Public Schools middle school students competed in the art of intelligent,
articulate, persuasive speech in the annual Middle School Oratorical Competition, founded
by the Rockdale County Clerk of Superior and State Courts Ruth A. Wilson and hosted at
Conyers Middle School on November 10, 2018. Oratorical subjects were: sixth grade -
"Should Americans be required to vote?"; seventh grade - "Democracy depends upon good
citizenship"; eighth grade - "A big problem in local government is...". First place winners
($500 prize) were: Eighth Grade - Laila Wood (Edwards Middle School), Seventh Grade -
Joshua Jamison (Memorial Middle School), Sixth Grade - Barkley Dowdy (Davis Middle
School). Second place winners ($350 prize) were: Eighth Grade - JR Insular (DMS), Seventh
Grade - Bonnie Roberts (DMS), Sixth Grade - Romayne Martin (Conyers Middle School).
Third place winners ($150 prize) were: Eighth Grade - Elizabeth Combs (MMS), Seventh
Grade - Alyssa Garnett (EMS), Sixth Grade - Elizabeth Rodriguez (EMS).  Sponsors included
the Clerk of Courts Office, Lexicon Technologies, Evans Tool and Die, Snapping Shoals EMC,
Rotary Club of Conyers, with assistance from the Toast of Rockdale Toastmasters Club and Rockin
Rockdale Toastmasters Club. Event emcee and mentor was Toastmasters Al Wiseman. Invited
Judges were Pastor Dr. Antoinette Alvarado, Rockdale County Probate Court Judge Clarence
Cuthpert, Jr., journalist Jay Jones, Rockdale County Superior Court Judge Robert Mumford,
Rockdale County Commissioner Dr. Doreen Williams and Georgia Piedmont Technical College
spokesperson Cory Thompson and Rockdale County Magistrate Court and Conyers Municipal
Court Judge Garland Moore. For more information, visit www.rockdaleschools.org/academiccompetitions .

 

                                            rmsst senior tykera moore at the nshss science fair

Rockdale Magnet School student places in Top 10 at National Society of
High School Scholars Science Fair

Rockdale Magnet School for Science and Technology senior Tykera Moore placed in the
Top 10 of the National Society of High School Scholars (NSHSS) Science Fair and won a
scholarship to continue her research. 

 

 



ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT

 

screenshot of rcps alumni spotlight video of brigadier general joseph rank, hhs class of 1983

 

RCPS Alumni Spotlight: Brigadier General Joseph Rank 

This month's Alumni Spotlight features Brigadier General Joseph Rank, Heritage High School
Class of 1983, who returned as a special guest of the Marine Corps JROTC Mess Night for
Heritage High, Salem High, Rockdale County High, and Newton High. Video at
https://youtu.be/-DcYjpH9S3E

To nominate an alum or former student for the RCPS Alumni Spotlight, email
[email protected]


 


RCPS SNAPSHOTS

Ribboncutting for HTE Media Center redecorated partly with funds from GUCU School Crashers grant

Thank you to Georgia United Credit Union and the GUCU School Crashers program, which
donated $20,000 towards Hightower Trail Elementary's renovated media center! HTE students
and staff celebrated with a ribbon cutting December 20, 2018 attended by RCPS Superintendent
Dr. Terry Oatts, RCPS Board of Education Chairman Jim McBrayer, GUCU officials, HTE
Principal Dr. Penny Mosley, HTE staff and students.

DMS students with food bags for children facing hunger in Rockdale

DMS students, faculty and community donated and assembled more than 200 "Go" bags of
food for families facing hunger over the Thanksgiving holiday.

cionne gates, one of the speakers at the 2018 teen leadership summit

RMSST senior Cionne Gates was one of the student  speakers and workshop leaders at the 2018 Teen Leadership Summit held at RCA November 10, 2018.  Summit held November 10, 2018 at RCA.

 

 



GET INVOLVED

rcps partner.com logo

RCPSpartner.com - Quality Education is Everybody's Business!

Did you know you can directly support RCPS classroom projects that enrich student learning?
From science competitions to rocking out on guitars or learning languages through the arts - 
you choose how you want to support students from a wide variety of projects.
Check it out at www.rcpspartner.com

 

Make an Impact - Become a Mentor!

Mentoring is an opportunity of a lifetime. Your efforts now will contribute to the
well-being of students as they develop into responsible adults. Mentors can serve
elementary, middle, or high school students. To become a mentor for a RCPS
student, go to www.rockdaleschools.org/mentoring or contact Deborah Neason,
Division of Support Services, at [email protected] or 770-761-1449.  

 

​ 
 

click here for the rcps strategic plan website. image shows summary of rcps vision, mission, standards for quality, performance objectives, and initiatives/action plans.

Visit www.rockdaleschools.org/strategicplan

 
 

 

For more information about the RCPS Parent Newsletter, email [email protected] 

 

rockdale county public schools logo

954 N. Main Street, Conyers, GA 30012
(770) 483-4713,  [email protected]