Gold Rush Elementary
Principal's Message - September 12, 2025
Students are working hard this fall to set both academic and resiliency goals that support their growth as learners.
In writing, first graders revisited their stories this week to celebrate their progress and identify next steps. Using rubrics, they reflected on their work—focusing on adding details, stretching out sounds in words, and strengthening their writing. This reflection process not only builds confidence but also empowers students to take ownership of their learning.
Across the curriculum, students are also practicing self-advocacy skills. While working with the SRSD writing framework, for example, they are learning strategies to persevere through challenging tasks, such as citing evidence from multiple texts. Students are setting goals around maintaining stamina, breaking larger assignments into manageable steps, and using positive self-talk to keep moving forward.
Goal setting extends to specials as well. In Spanish, students used a participation rubric to reflect on their progress and identify next steps in taking risks and using new language.
We are so proud of the effort our students are putting into both their academic learning and their growth as resilient, independent learners!
Enjoying the benefits of technology also comes with the responsibility of balancing students’ social skills and overall development. Technology provides so many advantages—such as new learning opportunities, global connections, and resources that would otherwise be out of reach. At the same time, new research reminds us that excessive use can have negative effects.
Studies now show that when students consistently exceed two hours of screen time per day, their brain development can be impacted in ways that affect memory, resilience, organization, and problem-solving skills. Excessive screen use has also been linked to challenges with students’ mental health.
At Gold Rush, we are intentional about how we integrate technology. Student devices are used selectively—always in ways that enhance learning and never as a replacement for the curriculum. Just as importantly, our school offers a variety of supports that nurture students’ social and emotional growth.
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Counselors Mrs. Fitch and Mrs. Merkley meet weekly with all students, teaching strategies for building resilience and problem-solving.
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Physical education, movement, and drama specials provide opportunities to practice collaboration, flexibility, and working through challenges with peers.
We are grateful for your continued partnership in helping students build healthy habits at home. Monitoring device use outside of school makes a big difference. For families looking for additional support, Common Sense Media offers excellent resources for navigating screen time and technology use.
Together, we can ensure students benefit from the advantages of technology while also developing the essential skills they need to thrive.
