UPCOMING EVENTS

 

Del Mar PTA Meeting

Thursday, January 12, 2023

8:30 AM - 9:30 AM 

Reed School Parent Talks with Dr. Van Putten

8:30am in Room 0 (adults only)

PreK: Tuesday, January 17 

Kindergarten: Wednesday, January 18

1st Grade:  Tuesday, January 24

2nd Grade: Wednesday, January 25

District PTA Meeting

Wednesday, January 18, 2023

8:30 AM - 9:30 AM 

1st Grade Music Performance

Tuesday, January 31, 2023 

8:30 AM - 9:30 AM

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day/No School

Monday, January 16, 2023

 

Online 2023-2024

PreK & Kindergarten Registration 
Wednesday, January 18 - Friday, 20, 2023

(New Families Only)

 

 

 

Foundation for Reed Schools Meeting

Thursday, January 19, 2023

8:30 AM - 9:30 AM 

Follow Us on Instagram!

 

RUSD Community, 

 

Welcome back to school! We are excited to embrace 2023 with you. RUSD values the health and wellness of our community. We strive to provide continued support of mental and emotional wellness and physical health. We also recognize that healthy students attend school regularly and we need to work collectively to focus on consistent attendance. Happy New Year!

  • CA State Dashboard Data - The state’s test results have been published. The students of Reed Union scored within the top 3% in the entire state and the highest in Marin County in both English Language Arts and Mathematics. So much to celebrate! Huge congratulations to everyone!
  • Bel Aire Elementary Named California Distinguished School - Big congratulations to Bel Aire!
  • $1 million donation from the Foundation for Reed Schools - Thank you so much to the Foundation for Reed Schools, and to all of you that give in order to support an incredible educational environment for our children!
  • Territory Transfer Petition Follow-Up - The lead petitions have requested to withdraw the territory transfer petition. The RUSD Board supports this withdrawal. The county committee will meet on January 30th to consider the request from the Chief Petitioners. We value you, ECM! 
  • Bus Passes - Half-year passes are available at this page.
  • PK and Kinder Registration - PreK/Kindergarten online registration opens Wednesday, January 18 for incoming students new to Reed School. If you have an incoming age-eligible PreK or Kindergarten child, please register as early as possible beginning January 18. Current students do not need to re-register.
  • Interim Superintendent - Please welcome Dr. Kevin Skelly! Dr. Skelly is a Harvard graduate that just retired from serving 15 years as Superintendent of districts like Palo Alto and San Mateo. I know RUSD will be in great hands during my absence. I hope to see you back in April after I recover from my surgery.
• Interim Superintendent - Please welcome Dr. Kevin Skelly! Dr. Skelly is a Harvard graduate that just retired from serving 15 years as Superintendent of districts like Palo Alto and San Mateo. I know Reed will be in great hands during my absence. I hope to see you back in April after I recover from my surgery.

If you are interested in more detailed information, please see below:

 
Territory Transfer Petition 

During the last public hearing, the lead petitioners of the territory transfer petition requested to withdraw the petition from the county’s consideration. A special meeting of the Marin County Committee on School District Organization will take place on January 30, 2023.  The meeting will be held at the Marin County Office of Education and the purpose of the meeting will be for the County Committee to consider the request from the Chief Petitioners to withdraw the East Corte Madera Territory Transfer Petition. 

 

As part of this meeting, the County Committee is collecting feedback from those who signed the East Corte Madera Territory Transfer Petition.  The feedback form can be found here.  Public comment from others will be welcome during the public comment portion of the meeting.

 

Reed School PreK & Kindergarten Registration:  January 18-20

PreK/Kindergarten online registration opens Wednesday, January 18 for incoming students new to Reed School. If you have an incoming age-eligible PreK or Kindergarten child, please register as early as possible beginning January 18.  Early registration is important so we can plan and secure staff and classrooms. The official link will be activated the morning of January 18.  Current PreK & Kindergarten students do not need to re-register. Current students will remain automatically enrolled. 

 

Half Year Bus Passes Available Now!

The Yellow Bus Challenge is now offering half year passes at a reduced rate of $157.50 per one way pass ($315 round trip). If your child does not yet have a bus pass and would like one, please visit this page (click the link for your school(s)) to view the routes and purchase passes. Passes will be purchased at full price ($315 one way/$630 round trip) and immediately be refunded 50% of the purchase price.

Please note: students must be at least five years old to ride, and seats are limited (Magenta PM from Bel Aire is sold out). Questions about the bus program should be directed to info@buschallenge.org  

 

Dr. Kevin Skelly - Interim Superintendent

As I mentioned previously, I am scheduled for a surgery on January 20th and doctors have recommended that I recover during February and March. In my absence, the School Board approved Dr. Kevin Skelly to serve as the Interim Superintendent. After reaching out to multiple candidates, Dr. Skelly seemed to be the perfect candidate and match for RUSD. Dr. Kevin Skelly, Ph.D. retired in June of 2022. His most recent work was as  superintendent of the San Mateo Union High School District (SMUHSD) from 2015-2022. The District has approximately 9,000 students from the communities of San Mateo, Foster City, Burlingame, Hillsborough, Millbrae, and San Bruno. 

Dr. Skelly began his educational career working for a program serving talented students from disadvantaged backgrounds in grades 4-9 in Washington, D.C. Skelly was also a Math and Spanish teacher and a basketball coach. In 1993, he began an eleven year stint as principal at Saratoga High School in Santa Clara County. From 2004-2007, he was Associate Superintendent of the Poway Unified School District followed by seven years as the Superintendent of the Palo Alto Unified School District.

Dr. Skelly graduated from Harvard University with honors and a bachelor’s degree in Economics. He earned a Ph.D. in Education Policy and Administration at the University of California, Berkeley. Dr. Skelly lives in San Mateo with his wife. They have four grown children and three grandchildren.

Health & Consistent Attendance

Welcome back to school! We are excited to embrace 2023 with you. RUSD values the health and wellness of our community. We strive to provide continued support of mental and emotional wellness and physical health. We also recognize that healthy students attend school regularly and we need to keep a focus on consistent attendance.


We all can benefit from simple acts that can have a lasting impact on wellness and physical health. As you/your student returns to school, here are some healthy habits for home and school for your consideration and information on our school supports.

  • Nourishment and hydration fuel our brain and body to help us to be our best selves. Experts recommend a balanced breakfast to start your day and states that hydration maintains energy and provides protection from illness. RUSD has filtered water bottle filling stations to support student’s health and the environment. We encourage students to bring their water bottle and drink water throughout the day.  Additionally, RUSD provides each student access to free breakfast and lunch as part of California’s Universal Meals Program. Whether or not your student opts to participate in the program, RUSD believes eating is often an important community activity that builds social connection at school providing time for students to spend time together with a shared activity outside of the classroom.
  • Movement supports memory, coordination, and boosts serotonin, dopamine and norepinephrine in our brains. In addition to our robust physical education programs across our campus, involvement in RUSD clubs and school activities brings students together to build connections between students while promoting brain activity, and many times movement, that supports mental health. Child development experts state that play supports brain development and develops social skills used to navigate the world. When students are in school, play and interaction are readily available to them due to the developmentally-designed environment and access to their peers that is facilitated by our highly-trained teachers. Social connectivity has been strongly linked to students' academic success and a sense of belonging in school. We encourage your student(s) to join an enrichment opportunity on campus and/or in our community.
  • Sleep supports us with our alertness and helps our immune systems stay well. Students benefit from sleep to optimize their access to instruction and their social world through behavioral and emotional regulation, retention of information, and physical and mental well-being. When students are well rested, they are able to fully engage in the stimulation of their learning environment. RUSD strives to balance student academics with time at home for relaxation and family bonding. At school, students connect with their peers socially, engage in learning and participate in enriched activities designed by educational experts, providing a foundation for quality rest. Families can support students’ sleep by keeping a predictable bedtime routine, reducing bedroom light, doing a quiet bedtime activity before bed, and stopping electronics/screens an hour before bedtime.
  • Gratitude can be a practiced strategy that helps train our minds to find positivity. Beginning the day by identifying positives in our lives allows us to improve our outlook and see the world from different points of view. Conscious gratitude supports mental health and wellness. When adults model this strategy for children, as well as facilitate it with children, there are additional opportunities for positive conversations and acknowledgments that improve mental health for all involved. RUSD provides various services to support students with their mental health. Should you feel that mental health support is needed for your student, please contact your child’s school so that RUSD may assist your family.

Thank you for being a part of RUSD. We are here to support our community in continued wellness and health. We look forward to growing with you in 2023.

 

Best regards,

 

Dr. Kimberly McGrath

Superintendent
Reed Union School District
"We are even stronger together!"
 

At the RUSD Board Meeting on Tuesday, 1/10, the following topics were reviewed:

 

Superintendent Update - Dr. McGrath updated the board on multiple topics including a zoom introduction with the Interim Superintendent, Dr. Kevin Skelly, who will reside during her upcoming leave, a kick-off for the new strategic plan, and ongoing safety considerations and upcoming drills.  She also highlighted that Bel Aire was recently recognized as a CA Distinguished School.

 

Trustee Updates - Trustees reported on their activities over last month including attendance at the annual board workshop, the meeting for county committee on school board organization for the petition for territory transfer. All trustees mentioned their sincere appreciation for the incredible amount of extra work provided by staff including operations, bus drivers and many others to keep our schools open and ready for students during this recent wave of storms.

 

Facilities Master Plan - Ms. Cathy Dominico of Capitol PFG presented the work to date on the Facilities Master Plan started by the district in March of 2022.  She discussed the formation and activities of the committee, described the needs assessments of each of the three campuses, and provided an overview of the next steps in the process.

 

CA Dashboard & Chronic Absenteeism – Ms. Ashley Williams, TOSA, reported that RUSD is in the top 3.7% in ELA and top 2.7% in math of schools in the state in CAASP performance.  Her presentation can be found here. The dashboard can be found here.  Additionally,  Mr. Brian Lynch, Director of Student Services, further reviewed and emphasized the impact that chronic absenteeism can have on student learning and steps that the district is taking to proactively address poor attendance.

 

Math Task Force – Dr. McGrath presented an update on the work to date conducted by the Math Task Force that commenced in the Spring of 2022.  The presentation included a detailed Action Plan to support curriculum, instruction, in-class support, out-of-class support and professional learning. The presentation can be found here.

 

Board Resolution Opposing Territory Transfer – The Board unanimously voted to support the withdrawal of the Larkspur Corte Madera boundary change petition.  The next county committee meeting on this topic will be on January 30, 2023.


The next board meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, February 7, 2023.

 
The Foundation was proud to present the first of two payments at the RUSD Board meeting last night.  $1M down, $1M to go!  
THANK YOU PARENTS!  
Your donations ensure our specialist teachers and programs are fully funded.  
Haven't had the chance to donate yet this year?  Our 2022-23 goal is $2M. Please help us fill our second $1M check which we hope to give in June - DONATE HERE.
 
 

Seeking 2023 PTA Nominating Committee Candidates!  

The RUSD PTA is seeking PTA members to serve on the 2023 Nominating Committee for the PTA Executive Board.  The committee will be composed of five members and one alternate with knowledge of all three school sites and their volunteer communities. (To determine which five candidates will serve on the committee and who will serve as an alternate, the names of those expressing an interest in serving on the committee will be voted upon by the PTA membership through a confidential online survey.) To be considered, you must be in good standing and be current with your PTA dues.

 

Meetings of the Nominating Committee will be held in February and March with the goal of delivering a final slate by late March.  

 

Open board positions to be filled:

  • District President
  • District Secretary
  • Bel Aire Site Chair
  • Bel Aire Site Treasurer  
  • Del Mar Site Treasurer

If you are interested, please contact Mickey Hubbell at mickeybruce7@gmail.com or text her at 415-420-7655 by January 20th. 

 

RUSD Mission & Vision: Each student will be challenged and inspired to reach their fullest intellectual, social-emotional and creative potential to positively impact the world.

 

Dr. Kimberly McGrath, Superintendent