The Red Mill Reader

Colorful graphic with the text "Hello May"

April was a busy and energizing month at Red Mill Elementary! We kicked things off by cheering on our student athletes at the Special Olympics at West Shore Stadium, a joyful event that highlighted inclusion, perseverance, and school pride. As we moved forward, excitement continued to build with our PSSA Kick-Off Assembly, helping our students feel confident and ready to shine. Our third- and fourth-grade students then worked hard during PSSA testing in English Language Arts and Math, demonstrating their focus and determination.

As we head into the final stretch of the school year, we’re proud of all that our Red Mill students and staff have accomplished so far. There’s still plenty to look forward to as we move into May and June. Be sure to read on for what’s coming next...

As a reminder to families, student drop‑off supervision begins at 8:35am each morning. Students should not arrive or be left unattended outside the school building prior to this time, as staff members are not available to supervise before doors open. As the weather improves, we have noticed increased student activity in the parking lot area, including running and playing, which presents a safety concern with vehicles entering and exiting. We appreciate your cooperation in helping us maintain a safe arrival process for all students by ensuring they are dropped off at the appropriate time.

Monday, May 4 - Friday, May 8

Teacher Appreciation Week - Thank you RM staff for all that you do!

Tuesday, May 5

PTO Meeting 5:15

Wednesday, May 6

Walking Trail Grand Opening Ceremony 5:30pm
Red Mill Open House 6:00pm-7:00pm
IU Math 24 Competition

National School Nurse's Day - Thank you, Mrs. Derr and Mrs. Huggins for all that you do!

Wednesday, May 13

McTeacher Night 4:00pm-7:00pm (more information below)

Thursday, May 14

Volunteer Breakfast 8:00am

Friday, May 15

Red Mill Pride Day

Monday, May 18

Appell Center Stage the Page In-School Visits (Grade 1)

Wednesday, May 20

Hands-on-House Presentations (Kindergarten)

Thursday, May 21

Field Day

Friday, May 22

Remote Learning Day

Monday, May 25

No School - Memorial Day

Wednesday, May 27

PBIS Assembly 9:15am

Thursday, May 28

Second-Grade Field Trip - Oakes Museum
Fourth-Grade Move Up Day to Old Trail 9:15am
Kindergarten Celebrations

AM - 9:45am
PM - 2:45pm

Friday, May 29

Field Day Rain Date

Tuesday, June 2

Fourth-Grade TEAM celebration

Friday, June 5

Last Day of School! (12:00pm dismissal)

At our April meeting, the Principal’s Panel decided that we wanted to focus our efforts on showing appreciation to some of the amazing people that work in our district. On April 28th, we celebrated School Bus Driver Appreciation Day by presenting our drivers with a bag of sweet treats to show our appreciation for all that they do. We know that their job is not easy, and we can’t thank them enough for getting our students to school and home safely each day.

students with bus driver in front of the bus

students with bus driver next to the bus

student with bus driver inside of the bus

Our panel members also had the opportunity to interview some of their peers in preparation for Teacher Appreciation Week that runs from May 4th to May 8th, 2026. We appreciate all the extra time our teachers spend making sure our students succeed. The Red Mill staff is truly second to none! Our panel members asked some of their peers who was a teacher they were grateful for and why? Here are a few of the responses:

I am grateful for Mrs. Miller. She is always so positive and fun. I will never forget when she dressed up as Mrs. Pearl for the 100th day of school. I’ll also never forget when she pretended that there was a frog jumping from lily pad to lilypad so we knew what day of school we were on. Mrs. Miller was the best! ~ Third Grader, Giavanna Goodrich
I am grateful for Mrs. Rambeau because she is so kind. She always let us make crafts and this made me smile. I also will never forget when we did the Flat Stanley project. She made first grade fun! ~Third Grader, Oliver Leidy
I am grateful for Mrs. Dense because she is always willing to give us second chances. She is so nice and she never gives us homework. She is also very patient. ~ Fourth Grader, Elan Davis
I am grateful for Mr. Markle because he always knew how to make me smile. I loved going to his science class and learning so many new things. The way that he taught always made learning fun! ~ Third Grader, Reagan Hardy
I am so grateful for Mrs. Gallup. She does fun science experiments with us and loves to do crafts with our homeroom. I am always excited for her class and love being there! ~ Fourth Grader, Asher McCord
I am grateful for Mrs. Toohey because she always has my back. One example is when I was in charge of the prize cart and some students were being loud, and she came out to help me and made sure I was okay. I will never forget how she made me feel not alone. ~ Fourth Grader, Jayce Enders

On May 6, 2026, we will proudly celebrate the opening of our new Red Mill Walking Trails with a ribbon-cutting ceremony, marking an exciting milestone for our campus. The ribbon cutting will occur at 5:30pm prior to Open House. First proposed on May 21, 2024, and completed in March of 2026, this project reflects our commitment to enhancing wellness and connection for our students, staff, and the broader community. These scenic trails provide a welcoming space for exercise, relaxation, and daily enjoyment, encouraging everyone to take full advantage of our beautiful campus surroundings. If you cannot attend the ceremony, please download the maps to your phone by using the code located on each sign or by visiting the West Shore School District website.

Colorful school health poster titled ‘School Nurse Tip: Helping Kids Handle Seasonal Allergies.’ The poster shows five illustrated tips: a child washing hands with soap and water to remove pollen; a child drinking water to stay hydrated; a child resting with a cool washcloth over the eyes to soothe itching; a child wearing a hat and sunglasses outside to keep pollen away; and a child showering at night to wash pollen off before bed. Decorative flowers and pollen dots appear around the border.

Kindergarten registration has begun for the 2026-2027 school year. If you have a child who will be joining us in August 2026 for kindergarten, please visit the District’s registration page for directions on how to complete the enrollment process. By enrolling early, parents help us with staffing and class sizes to ensure a smooth start to the school year.

Fourth graders will soon be moving to Old Trail! Along with their general music classes, they will be able to participate the following music ensembles: orchestra, band, and chorus. Orchestra and band will have sign-ups in September, but students can sign up for chorus now! Fill out the form at this link or QR code.

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSedj74mVlobFTi5lCyzyZgURP0nlNc0B-QliYJVT3ysvnb6PA/viewform

Our PTO is proud to welcome a new group of officers for the year ahead. Please take a moment to read the attached bios linked below to get to know the dedicated parents and caregivers who have stepped up to support our school community. We’re thankful for their commitment to Red Mill and our students.

This May, our students will be tested with the end of the year Acadience Reading Benchmark Assessments. Please look for your child’s Acadience Parent Report to be sent home later this month. This summary will highlight their end-of-year scores and overall growth. We are so proud of the hard work our students have put into their reading!

If you have any questions once the reports arrive, please feel free to reach out to your child's teacher or the Reading Specialists.

First grade has a busy month in May. We look forward to seeing everyone for the open house. Our students have worked hard on their animal reports and hallway displays. We also are receiving our flat Stanleys back from their travels and can’t wait to see where their adventures took them. In the middle of May, we have our end of the year reading benchmark tests. Please continue to read with or to your children at home to promote a love for reading.

May Character Trait: Creativity

We are looking forward to focusing on Creativity this coming month! For additional information regarding CharacterStrong, please visit our CharacterStrong & Social Emotional Learning website.