PRM School Rocker

Greetings PRM Families,

May has arrived, and another action-packed, fulfilling school year will soon come to an end. We have had quite a busy year, as we opened our building addition. We have been fortunate to continue growing our community and meeting new families. We owe our success to the unwavering support of our staff, families, and community members. Your contributions have been instrumental in making this an EXCELLENT 24-25 school year.

This year, we implemented our monthly character traits and leadership assemblies, as well as our intervention WIN block. We are grateful for the impact both have had on our student outcomes. Thank you to our teaching staff and community members who consistently work to support the needs of our students.

Our students have completed this year's state testing, a testament to their growth and development. We are immensely proud of our teachers and students. PRM has taken the time to create a testing environment that promotes success and empowers our students to learn about their academic strengths and areas of need. Our students are learning to be self-guided learners, with an understanding of their achievements and the ability to set and identify goals.

As we wrap up this year's academic journey, we encourage you to take a moment to express your pride in your children's accomplishments. They've formed meaningful relationships with their peers and adults, which have helped them navigate this path. They're now prepared and excited for the next step. While change and fear are natural, we want to reassure you that we're committed to walking through the next steps together as a community, supporting each other every step of the way.

We sincerely thank our parents, community supporters, and teaching staff. We hope that our families enjoy their summer break and take time to rejuvenate for the upcoming year. We are eagerly looking forward to the next academic year and the opportunities it will bring. We look forward to seeing you all again.

Love,

Principal Simpson & Asst. Principals Brown and Gray

Email: simpsoa@cpsboe.k12.oh.us

7:40am-2:10pm

Event updates throughout the month will be available on www.prmrocks.org/calendar

*You can also subscribe to the calendar on your device- find the green “subscribe” button on the top right side of the calendar page.

Friday, May 9 – PR Margs Fundraiser from 6:00-8:00pm at Community Happens Here

Wednesday, May 14 – Transition Day (8:30-9:00am)

Wednesday, May 14– LSDMC Meeting @ 3:00pm at PRM (in the library)

Wednesday, May 14 – PTO/Equity Group Meeting @ 6:30pm at PRM (in the library)

Thursday, May 15 – Strings Concert 6:30pm at PRM (in the gym)

Friday, May 16 – Field Day (rain or shine – cancelled if storming)

Monday, May 19 – Leadership Ceremony and Character Trait Assembly (Sportsmanship)

Monday, May 19 – ILT Meeting @ 2:45 at PRM

Tuesday, May 20 – 6th Grade Recognition @ 5:00pm at PRM (in the gym/cafeteria)

Wednesday, May 21 – Foundation Meeting from 6:30-7:30pm at CHH

Thursday, May 22 – Last day of school for students; end of 4th quarter

We must be consistent in acknowledging and enforcing our school uniform policy. Our uniform policy is liberal enough to include several options for families. All PRM Spirit Wear is considered part of the school uniform.

While we don't like to take time away from instruction to deal with uniforms. We must all be consistent to ensure this doesn't become a major issue as we close out the school year.

Please see the policy below and in the PRM Student Handbook.

What is Transition Day?

Transition Day is a unique opportunity for all PRM students to spend a short time before the school year ends with their classmates who will make up their community for the next school year. Students transitioning to a new level (the rising 1st and 4th graders) have the chance to go into their new classroom and meet and greet their new classmates. For students not transitioning, it is a time to welcome and embrace the new students joining their community.

When is Transition Day?

Transition day will be on the morning of May 14, 2025 (from approximately 8:30-9:00am)

What should my child expect to happen on Transition Day?

Each community does transition day differently, but usually, the students who are welcoming new classmates may write notes or do something to prepare for their new classmates. Those moving up will receive an invite from their new community with their community number and teacher’s name (if known). The students spend about 30 minutes together in their new community.

What if my child misses Transition Day

If a child is absent on transition day, they will still receive the invite or welcome note from the new community.

What if I have questions about my child’s new community?

We understand that there are expectations and anxieties around transition day. When placing children in classrooms, PRM uses a blind selection process to distribute students equitably. Always feel free to share concerns with the administration. We are confident that your child will adjust well to their new community and be supported in that transition.

What if there is a change to staffing during the summer?

While we do our best to retain our staff, staff changes do happen. Often on transition day, the teacher of the community has not yet been hired. In addition, changes can occur throughout the summer. Staff return to work in early August and will often begin communicating with families at that time. A Back-to-School night is also scheduled during the week before classes. Families are invited to come into the building and see their classrooms at that time. Staff are also present at the Back-to-School event.

Parents may submit a concern to the CPS Customer Care Department using this form.

It is May! The 3-6 team looks forward to closing the school year strong with much more learning and fun! We are finished with the modified testing schedule and the kindergarten spring tests. We enjoyed our last kindergarten field trip of the school year when we went to the zoo on the last day of April. On Wednesday, May 14th, in the early morning, kindergarteners will participate in transition day and visit their ages 6-9 community that they will be in next year. On Friday, May 16th, we will all join in some field day activities (more details to come). The last day of school is Thursday, May 22nd. Some teachers will do end-of-the-year celebrations of various types; please consult your student's teacher for any information on this. Thanks for your partnership this year in supporting your student and their education here at PRM!

The 6-9 team is ending this year with activities and adventures! Big events like the zoo field trip, field day, transition day, and our character trait assembly are all happening this month, so check out the master calendar and track those dates!

As communities, we will finish the year strong with continued instruction, review, and classroom community building. Many teachers will use all their learners to help shut down their rooms as we experience the end of the school year. We will celebrate our transitioning 3rd graders, wishing them all the best on their journey!

As always, please contact your classroom teacher if you have any questions.

Team 9-12 is busy finishing up our end-of-the-year testing. We have taken some fun breaks here and there as some of our classes have been constructing Phantom Tollbooth dioramas, shooting rockets at the Cincinnati Observatory, and we have all been "clucky" enough to meet Ms. North's adorable new chicks!

As we celebrated our April leadership trait of self-control, we took on our May trait of sportsmanship just in time for some exciting PRM events. We know our students will show us the meaning of sportsmanship as we play in the staff versus students’ basketball game, and participate in field day on the 16th.

Our Leadership Ceremony will take place on May 19th, where our 6th graders will pass the torch to our 5th graders, and our 6th Grade Recognition Ceremony will be on May 20th. We are excited to share our last few weeks with our 6th graders before sending them off and wishing them well. They will always be a part of the PRM community, and we hope they will take what they have learned here and continue to grow and succeed.

We look forward to transition day when we can welcome our new members of 9-12 into our communities. As we wrap up the school year, we hope all of our students have a safe and fun summer and return ready in full force for next year!

As we wrap up the year, I’m so proud of all the energy, effort, and growth I’ve seen in gym class! Watching students build their skills, stay active, and show great sportsmanship has been amazing! Thank you for bringing your best every day!

Friday, May 16th, is Field Day and is a favorite for our PRM students! Volunteers are needed to make this event successful for all our students. If you’d like to help, please sign up here: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C094EABA62EABF5C07-50344277-prmfield

-Coach Cash

Dear PRM Families,

At the end of this school year, I will transition from my current role as the PRM music teacher to a new CPS Fine Arts Instructional Coach position. This change is an exciting opportunity for me to support and collaborate with all the fine arts teachers across our district, helping to enhance our students' experiences in music, visual arts, and more. While I will deeply miss working directly with your children, I am incredibly grateful for our shared support and memories. Our new music teacher is Mrs. Elena Wahl.

Mrs. Wahl has taught music for nineteen years, most recently at CPS' Oyler School, and she's also served as District Performance Coordinator. She enjoys music, writing, and cooking in her spare time and is very excited to become a part of the PRM community. You can reach her at wahlele@cpsboe.k12.oh.us. I look forward to seeing how the music program will flourish during Mrs. Whal's time here at PRM. Please feel free to continue to keep in touch with me through my CPS email kitsinm@cpsboe.k12.oh.us.

Sincerely,

Ms. Maria Kitsinis

Dear Strings Families,

Please see the detailed information below about the Spring Concert and the 6th Grade Recognition Performance.

Thank you, Ms. Castle

PRM STRINGS SPRING CONCERT

Prepared by Ms. Castle, Strings Instructor; castleg@cpsboe.k12.oh.us

WHERE AND WHEN–REHEARSAL THURSDAY DURING SPECIALS

1. Performance–Thursday, May 15, 2025, PRM gymnasium–enter back gym door of the school

2. Student Required Dress Rehearsal/Report Time 5:45 p.m. (parking is limited, so please drop off your student before you park)

3. Concert Presentation 6:30-7:00 p.m.

CONCERT PIECES

1. Rolling Along #19

2. Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star theme and variations

3. Ode to Joy (sheet music/#86)

4. The Flower Song

MATERIALS NEEDED–please unpack in the cafeteria annex; instruments will be collected after the concert for the summer

1. Instrument/bow

2. Sheet music, music book, folder, and pencils

DRESS

1. Black or navy dress pants/skirt knee length or longer when seated–no shorts

2. White or black dress shirt/blouse/top

3. Black, navy, or brown dressy/casual shoes

PRM STRINGS 6TH RECOGNITION PERFORMANCE

Prepared by Ms. Castle, Strings Instructor; castleg@cpsboe.k12.oh.us

WHERE AND WHEN

1. Tuesday, May 20, 2025, PRM gymnasium–enter back gym door of the school

2. Student Required Report Time 4:15 p.m. (parking is limited, so be prepared to come early or drop off your student before you park)

3. 6th Grade Recognition 5:00 p.m. INSTRUMENTS COLLECTED AFTER FOR UPKEEP

REQUIRED DRESS REHEARSAL–TUESDAY MORNING 7:40-8:10 A.M. ON STAGE

PIECES

1. Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star & Variations

2. Ode to Joy

MATERIALS NEEDED

1. Instrument/bow

2. Sheet music, music book, folder, and pencils

DRESS

1. Nice dress clothes for the graduation ceremony–no athletic wear

Hello Families,

Be prepared for a lot of artwork to make its way home over the next few weeks. 9-12 students are working on drawing from observation and adding value to their work using a monochromatic color scheme. 6-9 students are painting their textured clay slabs and finishing their mixed media community memory inspired by the work of Columbus-based artist Aminah Robinson. Kindergarten students are bringing home Koinobori kites in celebration of Children's Day. Children's Day is a Japanese holiday that brings children good luck, health, and success. Kindergarteners will be finishing out the year by creating insect sculptures and habitats.

If your child is interested in visual arts programming over the summer, this link includes some local places that offer kids' camps and classes: Art Enrichment.

Have a wonderful summer!

See you next school year, Ms. Kate McGreevy

Hello PRM Community,

Wow, this year has gone by fast! I am happy to have had your students in my Technology class this year. The students have learned about digital citizenship, computer functions, typing, coding, research, creating presentations, presenting to others, science, design, engineering, and more. In this last unit, we are focusing on STEM. We have explored NASA online and studied the Earth, Sun, Solar System, and Universe. Students are currently working on the design. They are designing cities for Fidgets with Design Squad. Students are given a budget and must build their city with the materials they "purchase." As engineers, students must best design their city to prevent flooding.

Additionally, I have accepted the librarian position at Sands Montessori for the next school year. I have cherished my time here at PRM and am so proud of all the students have accomplished this year. Ms. Michaela Smith will be the new technology teacher at PRM next school year. I am sure you will hear more from her soon. Have a wonderful summer!

Gifted Numbers at PRM: In grades 2-6 at PRM, we have 131 students identified as gifted in at least one area of giftedness. That puts us above 25%, which is pretty impressive! The national average is 6% in public schools, and in Ohio, the average is about 16%.

Here is a look at how the numbers break down:

Superior Cognitive Ability (SCA) = 55

Creative Thinking Ability (CTA) = 29

Reading = 94

Math = 67

Science = 12

Social Studies = 6

Performing Arts 4

This year, we formally accelerated 16 math students and are very pleased with how this works.

I want to thank the administration, teachers, and teacher teams who were willing to accommodate the needs of these students because this was not a simple task. Teachers had to be flexible with their already busy and complex schedules and be willing to trust that what they were doing was truly in the best interest of each accelerated student. This was a learning year for us with these accelerations, and I look forward to building our program and offering more opportunities to meet the needs of our advanced learners.

If you are interested in learning more about math acceleration, our gifted & enrichment program, or gifted education in general, please reach out.

Regards,

Jackie Bonfield

bonfiej@cpsboe.k12.oh.us

Library is winding down for the year. 9-12 will finish their journey through the genres of literature by focusing on Adventure, which is perfect for the upcoming summer!

6-9 will wrap up their prefix work.

Kindergarten will begin learning how to browse, select, and check out books; all in preparation for 1st grade!

Parents, if your child has ANY library materials currently checked out, please make sure they turn them in. If your child has damaged or lost a book, please replace it before the end of the school year.

At the end of each year, when I do an inventory, any books not returned are marked as lost, a fee is added to the student's account, and they are restricted from accessing library materials the next year until that issue is resolved. This also follows the student if they transfer to any other CPS school. For 6th graders, I submit those fees to the office. They then determine whether to transfer these fees to “student fees”.

Thanks for a wonderful year!

Mr. David

We have had loads of fun and have done lots of learning in the garden this spring. The 6-9 students started the season by learning about ecosystems' interconnectedness. In the following unit, students learned about the function of roots, stems, and leaves. The highlight of this unit was a scavenger hunt where students searched for the elements of photosynthesis. We are ending the season off with our 3-week sustainability unit and a week of celebrations. Kindergarteners spent the spring learning about birds, pollination, seeds, and all the nature in the garden. If you are interested in helping care for the garden this summer, you can join us every Tuesday night from 6-8pm for family work nights. We hope to see you there!

May is the homestretch of the school year and can be quite bittersweet. Students and staff members have worked hard these past nine months to build relationships, learn, and grow toward many common goals. As leaders, we are thankful to have been a small part of strengthening relationships, building community, and raising funds for our great school.

May is also when lots of our amazing volunteers need to move on – perhaps because their youngest is a 6th grader, because they are term-limited in their role, or simply because their time in charge has passed. We NEED NEW VOLUNTEERS to step up and fill the void. If you are newer to PRM and ready to volunteer, PLEASE STRONGLY CONSIDER if this could be your time. Our school ROCKS because people like you always say yes to one hour, one event, or one year of volunteering.

The three most important roles that need to be filled are PTO Vice President, ILT Parent Representative, and LSDMC Parent Representative. These three roles need to be voted on at the May PTO meeting – if one is calling your name, now is the time! Reach out via prmpto@gmail.com, and we will connect you to those who can help and support you.

The last PTO meeting of the year will be held on Wednesday, May 14, at 6:30pm in the library. Childcare is available; everyone is asked to enter through the back playground doors. The PTO still needs a Vice President (or two!) for next school year, an ILT, and an LSDMC parent rep. At the meeting, we will vote on next school year’s parent leadership positions and approve the budget. Questions should be directed to prmpto@gmail.com.

Our PRM Equity group is excited that we will focus on Family Engagement activities for the 2025-26 school year. Look for monthly announcements, and if you have a passion for helping families engage with PRM, please reach out to Amanda (amandaabennett@gmail.com)

Thank you sincerely for a great year, Allie Goodman and Erin Spears (out-going PTO Co-Presidents) and Kate Grise (incoming PTO President), and Amanda Bennett (Equity Group Champion)

PR Margs is Friday, May 9th! This fun PRM tradition is a great way for parents/friends/neighbors to unwind, connect, and celebrate the end of the school year. Grab your tickets now on PRM Rocks!

Want to get ahead of the back-to-school stress of buying school supplies? Order your supplies through 1st Day School Supplies, and you can ignore all those school supply ads during the summer! PRM gets a portion of the sales. It's a win-win!

Join us for our last regular Foundation meeting of the year on Wednesday, May 21st, at 6:30pm at Community Happens Here. All are welcome!

Questions? Contact prsfpres@gmail.com

Most of our spring sports will wrap up this month! Track and Field will participate in the Championships on May 16 and 17. Our volleyball teams will have their end-of-season tournaments on May 16, 17, and 1,8, and soccer will finish their regular season that same weekend, May 18. The three baseball teams will continue their season into June. Good luck to all our Roadrunners for the remainder of their seasons! Our two in-house programs for our youngest athletes have been a success this spring. Boosters were able to provide first introductions in both soccer and volleyball to almost 60 kids!

Boosters will also celebrate all our spring athletes at an end-of-season party on Monday, May 19, at 6:00pm at Drake Park with pizza!

Fall sports registration will open on May 16th @ noon and close on June 15th @ midnight. Fall sports offerings will include soccer, volleyball, tennis, and Little Roadrunners soccer. You can find all registration links at www.prmrocks.org/athletics. Please email any questions to prmathletics@gmail.com.

And as we head into summer, don't forget you can use code RoadRunners as part of the Reds Kids Glove program. PRM will receive $9 from each ticket purchased to be put back into our Boosters program: www.mlb.com/reds/community/rdf/kids-glove

Enjoy summer vacation and see everyone on the field or in the gym in the fall!

The Instructional Leadership Team meets on most first and third Mondays at 2:45pm at PRM. The final ILT meeting of the year will take place on May 19. Remember to celebrate PRM for its wonderful community and achievements this year. Especially share your experiences with neighbors and the greater community. Next year, the 6-9 team will again collect field trip money at the beginning of school. Academic Olympiad will be held on May 8th from 6:00-7:30pm.

The Local School Decision Making Committee will meet on Wednesday, May 14, at 3:00pm in the school library – meetings are always open to all members of the PRM community.

LSDMC had a productive April meeting, discussing the amazing growth we saw in our school this year pertaining to the One Plan. We also shared information about public school funding cuts, discussed how our community can help, and contemplated how our school will be affected by the proposed elimination of funding for specialists, teachers, maintenance, meals, and more. We encourage everyone to contact their state representatives to voice their support for fair funding for public schools.

We have two openings on the LSDMC committee for Parent Reps for next year. It’s a two-year term with a one-time renewal option. Please volunteer if you are passionate about PRM! If you would like to fulfill this role, please reach out to algoodman3@aol.com to be added to the May PTO ballot – these are voted-on parent leadership positions.

French Park Day camp (July 14–18) is looking for adult volunteers!
When you volunteer for 3 or more days, you receive:
- a patch and a camp t-shirt to tie-dye

- FREE camp for your boy(s) and/or preschoolers

-discounted camp rate for your Girl Scout (A week of camp for registered Girl Scouts at French Park is $75, but the discounted rate if a parent volunteers is $40!)

-Priority registration (no waitlist) for your Girl Scout
If you have questions or would like copies of the registration form, please email frenchparkdaycamp@gmail.com (You do not need to have a Girl Scout to volunteer at camp.)

Hello everyone, The CLC Center is here to provide you with various services that you may need. Feel free to contact our Resource Coordinator- Ms. Monique Johnson at johnmon@cpsboe.k12.oh.us

• We want to give a HUGE round of applause to our PTO! Our amazing and fantastic PTO has blown things out of the water this year with even more events coming for the month of May. Thank you to each one of you for playing a role in making sure that our students and teachers have an amazing time and enjoy the entire school year. You all ROCKED IT out this year! We can't wait to see what is in store for us next school year.

• Staff Appreciation Week- I know the staff felt the love of PRM through the hands of our PTO, volunteers, community partnerships, and so many others who provided items this week. Thank you all from the bottom of our hearts.

• Family Academic Olympiad- Families come on out to our PRM Family Field Day on Thursday, May 8th from 6-7:30pm. This will be a fun filled event that everyone can enjoy. We hope to see you all there.

• 6th Grade Recognition Ceremony- Our 6th-grade students are preparing to say goodbye to PRM and Hello to their new High Schools, but before they leave we want to make sure that they are celebrated for all they have done and brought to PRM. The ceremony will take place on Tuesday, May 20, 2025, at 5 pm in the gym.

• Webby Dance- What an incredible ride these students have embarked on in this program. They are gearing up for their end-of-the-year showcase. The spring recital is scheduled for Tuesday, May 13th at 2:30 pm in the cafetorium. Come on out and see them dance their way home.

• Field Day- What an exciting time to be a student! PRM is ready for Field Day which will be on Friday, May 17th from 8:30 am-1:30 pm at 1000 Hands Park. We are currently looking for volunteers who are able to assist in making this the BEST Day of school! If you are interested in volunteering, please contact Monique Crosby through email at johnmon@cpsboe.k12.oh.us or look for the volunteer sign up sheets on the PRM website- www.prmrocks.com.

• Summer Camps- There is so much to do around Cincinnati for all ages of students. Check out the websites, they have a host of camps/programs and activities to get involved in.

• All Summer Camp/Program List:

• https://mailchi.mp/fc79430e3a9f/summer-is-here-lets-get-involved-15539001?e=e01d7c65ab

• Special Needs Summer Camps in Ohio: https://www.veryspecialcamps.com/Ohio/Special-Needs-Summer-Camps.shtml

• The Cincinnati Summer Camps Guide 2025:

https://365cincinnati.com/cincinnati-summer-camps/

• Camps on College Campuses 2025:

https://www.awlclci.org/summer-camps

• Cincinnati Summer Camps:

https://cincinnatisummercamps.org/

• Su Casa Spanish Summer Camps:

https://www.ccstudents.org/youth-education/

• Stepping Stones Summer Camp (People with Disabilities):

https://steppingstonesohio.org/stepping-stones-summer/

• The Children's Theater Summer Camp 2025:

https://thechildrenstheatre.com/tct-academy/?dm_i=6UOF,70OG,3JSBR8,ZIYP,1

• YMCA Blue Ash Summer Camp:

https://myy.org/programs/camp/day-camp/

• Kennedy Heights Art Center:

https://kennedyarts.org/learn/#tab2

• CRC Summer Camp and Scholarship Information:

https://www.cincinnati-oh.gov/recreation/programs/camp-crc1/summer-day-camps/

• Financial Assistance Needed- United Way and the Freestore Food Bank are geared up to help assist any family in need during the winter months. Feel free to reach out to our Resource Coordinator for more information.

• Cincinnati Reds- There are so many games that you and your family can catch. Check out the schedule below and set up a day at the ballpark. Every Friday night during home games there is a firework show.

• FC Cincinnati- Go check out some of the FC games. Make sure you abd your family experience the walk in from Washington Park. It is truly a sight to see. The excoitement of the game will keep you entertained from top to button.

• Free Laundry Services- Laundry Love is offering free laundry services at select locations on the 2nd and 4th Wednesday of the month and every 3rd Saturday of the month. Check out the flyer below for more information.

• Looking for something to do- These locations have in-store and online free classes for the entire family. Click on the links below and see what you can get into.

• Michaels- https://www.michaels.com/classes

• Lowes- https://www.lowes.com/diy-projects-and-ideas/workshops

Home Depot- https://www.homedepot.com/workshops/#change_store

Please keep the electronic link to the Code of Conduct handy for your records. There will not be paper copies printed this school year.

Cincinnati Public Schools:

513-363-0123

Child Mental Health Crisis

Cincinnati Children's Hospital PIRC intake line:

513-636-4124

Suspected Child Abuse or Neglect:

513-241-KIDS

Suicide Prevention Hotline:

1-800-273-TALK (8255)

Crisis Textline:

Text 4HOPE to 741741

Disaster Distress Helpline:

1-800-985-5990

Domestic Violence Hotline via Women Helping Women:

513-381-5610

Our Character Program centers around:

Respect, Ownership, Compassion, Kindness and Safety, Safety, Safety!

Below are the three school-wide expectations that we expect students to follow throughout all parts of our learning community. Please support us by reinforcing these at home.

• Be Respectful
• Be Responsible
• Be a Problem Solver

Email: simpsoa@cpsboe.k12.oh.us
Website: www.prmrocks.org
Location: 5945 Montgomery Road
Phone: 513-363-4400