Dear Rush-Henrietta Families and Employees,

People often ask during the summer: “Do you get to take time off and relax?” For many R-H employees, the answer is no. There is so much preparing during July and August in anticipation of students and staff returning to school. The first day of class is Tuesday, September 2, and we will be ready!

Our school hallways are full of tables and chairs as each classroom is cleaned and prepared for the new year. Once those classrooms are put back together, the hallways are ready to receive a few coats of new wax. Outside, the athletics fields and grounds are being maintained, too. Our facilities team does a terrific job of making sure our district is ready for the first day of school.

 

There is so much that goes on behind the scenes in many areas that no one has an opportunity to see. At Rush-Henrietta Senior High School, our custodial staff cleaned, repaired, and reset the combinations for more than 1,200 lockers this summer. Although school lockers aren’t as popular as they once were, we really  encourage students to consider how using one might make their daily school life  more convenient.

There are many other examples of important work being this summer, too. Our clerical staff manages mountains of information and paperwork in the lead up to September. Our head bus drivers are creating busing routes and mechanics are inspecting our buses so students can get to and from school safely. The Office of Human Resources continues to seek and hire employees to ensure we are well-staffed in September. Please see a special invitation about this below.

Our directors, principals, and cabinet leaders are focused on ways to ensure this is a successful school year for all students. Technology Services oversees our computer network and is preparing to issue new Chromebooks. In addition, our Information Services staff is overseeing an immense amount of data and making sure it is available to the people who need to see it to support student success. R-H’s Community Relations team is busy putting the finishing touches on a new district website that we plan to unveil in mid-August. And I’m just scratching the surface. As your superintendent and district “CEO,” my job is to ensure every employee has what they need to be ready for day one, but also finds some time to enjoy these fleeting sweet summer months! 

 

Advocating for Education With Elected Officials
It was my pleasure to meet again with state Sen. Pamela Helming at her office in Canandaigua last week. We discussed the state of K-12 education and ways we can work together to create a better learning environment - and brighter futures - for all students. We talked about additional funding to support mental health efforts, ensuring our facilities are climate ready, and advocating for more funding for innovative capital improvement projects. Board of Education President Scott Adair, who also is this year's president of the Monroe County School Boards Association, joined us for these discussions. It is important that K-12 leaders meet with elected officials to make our voices heard. We will continue to meet with local, regional, and state leaders to help shape policies that positively influence our school district and better the lives of our students. 

Welcoming Our Newest Royal Comets
I want to welcome all of our new employees! As you will soon learn, we mean it when we say You Belong Here. I especially want to make sure our community is aware Anthony Montoro III succeeded Andy Whitmore as Rush-Henrietta’s new Assistant Superintendent for School Finance and Operations. Mr. Montoro joined our team this month and we are excited to have him with us.

Join the Rush-Henrietta Team!
Are you interested in working for R-H? Click here to see our job openings! Rush-Henrietta is a great place to work and we would love to have you join us.

Special Invite for Older Adults: Rush-Henrietta is pleased to partner with the Monroe County Aging Alliance on a pilot program to welcome experienced older adults of all backgrounds to work or volunteer in our schools. Whether you are looking to stay active or simply miss the joy of curious minds, we would love to have you join our team! 

We offer flexible scheduling for both paid and volunteer positions, and no formal training or prior teaching experience is required. Paid positions include part-time and per diem opportunities - including substitute teacher, paraprofessional, and clerical positions. To learn more, attend a special open house from 9 to 11 a.m. Wednesday, August 13, at Winslow Elementary School, 755 Pinnacle Road, Henrietta. Opportunities are available at all grade levels in the classroom, library, cafeteria, and more!

Your experience matters - join us and make a difference, again!

State Restricting Internet-Enabled Devices in School
Governor Hochul signed into law an amendment to NY Education Law § 2803 restricting the use of personal internet-enabled devices during the school day for all K-12 schools in New York. This means our students will no longer be able to use their cell phones during school beginning in September.

We thank those who have submitted questions regarding the policy, and have updated our Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) page to help provide additional information. We also have provided a link for families who still wish to submit clarifying questions. Questions can be submitted through Friday, August 1, and will be added to the FAQ as needed.

R-H will host a virtual informational meeting for families from 6 to 7 p.m.  Wednesday, August 13, to review the policy and address additional questions or concerns. A link for the meeting will be shared closer to the date along with directions for those requesting interpreter services.

I’ll be back with additional updates about all things school-related as we get closer to the start of the new school year. Thank you for your continued support.

Sincerely,

Dr. Barbara A. Mullen
Superintendent