The Golden Apple

Welcome back, RLAS-116 families!

A new school year means a fresh start, new friendships, and exciting opportunities for learning. We can’t wait to see our halls filled with the energy of our students and the support of our families as we make this year one to remember!

We can't wait to see our students and families at the following events set for the month of August!

Elementary Meet and Greets/Supply Drop Off/Bus Tag Pick Up

• Wednesday, August 13, 3:30 - 5 p.m., Grades Preschool-5
• It is especially important that families with children riding the bus attend this event to ensure they have their bus tag for the first day of school.

6th Grade Student Orientation

• Wednesday, August 13, 8 a.m. - 12 p.m., Magee & RLMS

Freshman Student Orientation

• Wednesday, August 13, 9 a.m. - 3:15 p.m., RLHS

Secondary Open Houses

• Wednesday, August 13, 6-7:30 p.m. at Magee, RLMS, RLHS & Transition Center

First Day of School

• Thursday, August 14

District-wide Back to School Bash

• Friday, August 22, 4-9 p.m., RLHS

As we prepare for the new school year, key information for your student can be found in the Infinite Campus Parent Portal:

• Transportation: Bus routes and stop details are now available under the Transportation tab.

• Elementary Teacher Assignments & Middle/High School Schedules: These will be available beginning Friday, August 8 under the Schedule tab.

Please log in to the Infinite Campus Parent Portal to review this information and ensure your contact details are up to date before the first day of school.

Any questions related to the above information should be directed to your child's school office. While this is a busy time of year, our goal is to return all phone calls within 24 hours.

We are excited to share that our district is launching a new bus routing system this school year - complete with a convenient parent app!

With this app, families will be able to:

• See when their child gets on and off the bus

• Receive notifications if there are any pick-up or drop-off delays

As part of this system, all student bus riders will use their school ID card to swipe on and off the bus. This week, we’ll send detailed instructions on how the boarding process works for students and how parents can download and use the My Ride K-12 app.

We look forward to making transportation safer and more connected for our families!

With the launch of our new system, student IDs have been upgraded to provide improved features and security. As a result, the replacement cost for lost IDs is now $3. This means that each time an ID is lost, $3 will be assessed to the child's account. These fees can add up quickly so we highly encourage families to remind students to keep their IDs in a safe place to help avoid any unnecessary replacement fees.

This school year, we will use two primary communication tools to help families stay informed and engaged:

• ClassDojo (PK–5): Our elementary families will receive important classroom and school updates through ClassDojo. Families will learn more about the tool during the Meet & Greet events on August 13.

• ParentSquare (Grades 6–12): Secondary families will use ParentSquare for school announcements, messages, and reminders. Families will receive an email with additional instructions to help them get started.

Both tools support two-way communication and allow families to connect with teachers and staff through text, email, or the app, making it easier than ever to stay involved in your child’s education.

We’re excited to help your student start the year prepared!

K-5 school supply lists are available on our district website and linked below. Middle and high school students will learn more about their supply needs during the first week of school.

• 2025-2026 School Hours - by school
• The 2025-2026 School Calendar is linked on the district's website at www.rlas-116.org. Please note that there are different school calendars separated by three levels (1. Preschool 2. Elementary 3. Middle/High/RLTC). All holidays, breaks, remote learning days, and parent-teacher conferences are highlighted. You may wish to print and post these calendars for your family.