RUSD Family & Community eNews

📣 With great excitement and gratitude, I introduce myself as the new Assistant Superintendent of Educational Services for Redlands Unified. 👋 I am honored to serve in this capacity, and I look forward to continuing to work alongside dedicated educators, staff, students, and families to further our shared mission of fostering a supportive and innovative learning environment. 🙌

⏳ As an educator with over 35 years of experience, I have had the privilege of working in various roles within the educational system. I began my career in Garden Grove Unified as a classroom teacher, later serving as a Teacher on Assignment and Program Coordinator. 👩‍🏫 I have also worked in leadership roles in Yucaipa-Calimesa Joint Unified and Banning Unified, before proudly serving as the principal of Crafton Elementary for 8 years. 😸 I transitioned to the district office to lead Distance Learning and then served as the Executive Director of Special Services for the past four years. 💖 Throughout my career, I have remained passionate about student success and firmly believe that every student has the potential to thrive when given the right opportunities, support, and resources. 💪

One of my primary goals as Assistant Superintendent is to ensure that every student graduates with a clear and actionable plan for their future. 🎓 This means providing all students with not only the academic foundation they need, but also the guidance and resources to help them discover their passions and set meaningful goals for their next steps after graduation—whether that be in higher education, technical careers, or directly entering the workforce. 💼 We must continue to expand and strengthen rigorous, inclusive educational options for students so they are equipped with the skills and knowledge to succeed in an ever-evolving world. 🌎

🏫 In addition to academic rigor, I want to focus on empowering both our students and staff. By fostering an environment where individuals feel supported, valued, and encouraged to grow, we can ensure that both students and staff are confident in their abilities to achieve their goals. 📈 Together, we can build a community that thrives on collaboration, inclusion, innovation, and mutual respect, preparing students for life beyond graduation. 🤝

Please feel free to reach out to me at any time with your ideas, questions, or suggestions. 📥 My door is always open, and I am here to support you in any way that I can. I look forward to the journey ahead and to making a positive impact on the educational experiences and future success of our students. 👏

Sincerely,
Patti Buchmiller
Assistant Superintendent of Educational Services

To continue highlighting the importance of attendance, our Communications team has been visiting different sites and student groups to ask, "Why is School Cool?" 🤔 Last month, we celebrated the New Year and also asked, "What is your New Years Resolution?" ✨ Hear what they have to say:

Want to hear more from our students about "School is Cool?" Check out what our students shared with us previously:

• Crafton ES: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N2LVTPqonVA
• Highland Grove ES: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5kHTdZzn1uA
• McKinley ES & REV AVID: https://youtube.com/shorts/qqkmJJ7USsc?feature=share
• Kimberly ES & Redlands HS Chamber Singers: https://youtube.com/shorts/-buXycrnaSw?feature=share

Do you have friends or family with a child who will be turning 4 or 5 years old before September 1, 2025? 🤔 If so, they can enroll in Transitional Kindergarten or Kindergarten! 🤩 Visit https://bit.ly/Enroll2RUSD to learn more! 🖥️

Want a heads up? This is what you’ll need:

📄 Proof of Age (Birth Certificate, Baptism Certificate, Passport)

🏠 Proof of Address (Utility Bill such as Electricity, Gas, Water, Phone)

🩺 Immunization Records (Click HERE for a list of required vaccinations)

💻 Submit the Online Enrollment Application

If your student is already enrolled at RUSD, you’re all set! Questions? Contact our Enrollment Center: (909) 307-2470. 📞

Ever wonder what our TKers and Kinders love about school? Hear them out! ⬇️

The Great Kindness Challenge was an astounding success at many of our schools! A few highlights include:

• Bryn Mawr Elementary and McKinley Elementary students wrote kind messages to friends, staff, and family members! ❤️
• Staff at Mission Elementary joined in spreading kindness by giving a shoutout to each other on their Great Kindness tree in the staff lounge! ✍️
• At Mentone Elementary, counselors helped students spread their wings of kindness through student-made wings! 🪽
• The East Valley Therapy Dogs also made special visits to our sites including Smiley Elementary where students stopped by to pet Elliot, Bentley, and Violet Rose! 🐶
• Victoria Elementary wrapped up their Kindness Week by providing a pancake breakfast to students and inviting families to have breakfast with them. Talk about stacking pancakes, serving kindness! 🥞

We are grateful for all the time and hard work our staff and community members put in to make it memorable for our students! 💙

🦁 Moore Middle School recently hosted a thrilling Super Smash Bros competition, bringing together students from all four Redlands Unified middle schools—Beattie, Clement, Cope, and Moore—for an exciting day of competition and connection. 🎮 Players faced off in two divisions, testing their skills while building camaraderie with students from different grades and schools. 👏 Students cheered each other on, coached each other, and celebrated victories–and every game was ended in a handshake. 🤝

What made this tournament special was the incredible support from families. 🙌 Parents lined the room, enthusiastically cheering for their kids and sharing in their excitement. 🗣️ The competition proved to be more than just gaming—it was a testament to the power of esports in fostering community, strategic thinking, and sportsmanship. 💪

Congratulations to the champions (pictured), and a shoutout to all the students who participated in this fantastic event!

🔎 Looking for more photos from recent events? Check out our District Photo Gallery! Families can view and download photos from all events the Communications Department covers. 💾

Visit https://redlandsusd.smugmug.com/

The RUSD Science Fair was a hit! Many students showcased their projects to peers, families, and staff and did a phenomenal job! 👏 "The hard work is really rewarding and the perseverance is worth it," shared Kedarigauri Thirunavukkarasu, 8th grader at Clement. ✨

Science project topics included:

💧 What is the most effective way to purify water?

🦠 What soap decreases e coli bacteria growth the best?

💥 Making sound visible, and more!

"One thing I learned is working together is most important in a group project. If you have conflicting ideas is it important to resolve the conflict and have a compromise to make the project a

success," shared Jayden Liu, 8th grader at Cope. 🤝

Congratulations to all the Science Fair participants and students moving on to SIMSEF (county)! 🏅

Is your student interested in making videos, telling stories, or operating a camera? Well, they just might have a chance to see their creation on the big screen at Harkins Theater this April! 🎥

To participate:

1. Fill out the interest form bit.ly/Redlandsfilm2025 ✍️
2. Join the Google Classroom using code JGCERFC 💻
3. Email any questions to edtech@redlands.k12.ca.us 📧

A few details to keep in mind:

🎭 Categories: Short Film (Fiction/Acting) and Short Film (Non-Fiction)

⏲️ Length: 2-8 minutes

⏰ Submission Deadline: March 21

📅 Filmfest Date: April 30

Congratulations to all students and staff who were recognized at our January Superintendent Awards! ✨ In the words of our superintendent, "You are the best of the best at your school!" 👏

For photos of the January Superintendent Awards please go to:

📲 https://www.smugmug.com/gallery/n-9kgn4S

RUSD was honored with a Golden Bell Award for our K-12 Computer Pathway Program at the SBCSBA Annual Meeting earlier this month! 💻✨ We are proud to be one of only eight districts recognized for innovation in education! 👏

During this Black History Month, the city of Redlands invited our high school Black Student Unions to attend the February 4th City Council Meeting and receive copies of a proclamation declaring February as Black History Month. ✍️

Thank you to all our BSU students, advisors, and administrators who came out and supported this important evening! 👏

📢 We are currently accepting nominations for both classified and certificated employees who have consistently gone above and beyond in their roles. Whether it's a dedicated teacher 🧑‍🏫 who inspires students daily, a compassionate paraprofessional 🤲 who provides invaluable support, or a dependable bus driver 🚌 who ensures the safe transportation of our students, we want to hear about these exceptional individuals! If you know someone who deserves recognition for their outstanding contributions, please click the link and submit your nominations. 🗳️ Let’s come together to celebrate the remarkable individuals who continue to shine and make a positive impact throughout our district. 🙌

Staying informed is key to a smooth school year (for everyone!). Outlined below are ways the district as well as school sites will communicate with you.

🏢 District Communication

The District will send monthly newsletters, letters from the Superintendent, and updates through ParentSquare containing important information and various action items. ParentSquare is also an app you can download on your phone and set up your personal communication preferences. Seeing too many emails? You can adjust your notification preferences to digest mode and only receive one email from both your child(ren)'s school and the district in one readers digest format (click here to see how!). You can also enable text and push notifications (which we recommend in case of emergency). 📲

In an effort to effectively and efficiently communicate with our staff, families, and community members, the Redlands Unified School District has adopted an electronic flyer communication tool, Peachjar. If you have any questions regarding this new digital flyer service, please email peachjar@redlands.k12.ca.us 🍑

The District also uses social media to share positive stories and happenings throughout the district, in addition to important dates and reminders. You can follow us on Facebook, Instagram, X (Formerly Twitter), YouTube, and LinkedIn! 📱

🏫 School Site Communication

School site communication varies depending on site and grade level. However, all sites will send out either weekly or monthly newsletter-style communication through ParentSquare. For questions related to school site communication, please reach out to the site directly!

📲 ParentSquare Resources

Here is a link to more information and resources related to ParentSquare. See the contact information below for assistance with your ParentSquare account.

We post new positions regularly! Join our school community by applying here, or share this link with someone who may wish to apply. Call Human Resources at (909) 307-5300 with any questions.

Website: www.redlandsusd.net

Location: 20 West Lugonia Avenue Redlands, CA 92374

Phone: (909) 307-5300

Facebook: facebook.com/RedlandsUSD

Instagram: instagram.com/redlandsusd

X (Formerly Twitter): https://x.com/RedlandsUSD

YouTube: youtube.com/RedlandsUSD Media

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/redlandsusd

Photo Gallery: redlandsusd.smugmug.com

Redlands Unified School District, as a unifying agent of several unique communities rich in local history, culture, and tradition, is committed to preparing students to become productive participants in a diverse, multi-cultural, democratic society through quality education, high expectations, flexible programs and innovative partnerships. Our students will be empowered with the knowledge and commitment necessary to confront the challenges of our changing world, as they become the leaders of the 21st century.