Attendance

Consistent attendance is vital for your child’s success. When a student is in the classroom, they aren't just hearing a lecture; they are participating in collaborative discussions, receiving immediate feedback, and building the social-emotional skills that define the middle school experience.

Among other attendance related issues, we have recently noticed an increasing trend of students missing school for scheduled family vacations. While we understand the value of family time, missing a week of school creates a significant disruption that is difficult to overcome.

For the Student: Middle school moves at a fast pace. Missing several days for a trip often results in "learning gaps." Because our curriculum builds sequentially, a student may return feeling overwhelmed by missed concepts, leading to increased stress and a difficult game of "catch-up" that can last for weeks.

For the Teacher: High absenteeism changes the dynamic for the entire class. Teachers must often pause new instruction or spend their planning periods providing help for students who were away. This reduces the time available for enrichment and deeper exploration for the rest of the group.

Attendance is a team effort. We recognize that illnesses and emergencies happen, but we kindly ask that you consult the school calendar when planning trips and prioritize having your child in the classroom whenever school is in session. Your support ensures that our classrooms remain steady environments where every student has the chance to thrive. Del Mar’s attendance guidelines and procedures can be viewed HERE. Thank you for being such dedicated partners in your child’s education.

Youth Truth Student Survey

We are asking your child to participate in the YouthTruth Student Survey on January 19, 2026. The YouthTruth Student Survey is a nationally recognized survey used in hundreds of schools and districts across the country, surveying hundreds of thousands of students. The survey asks students about their experiences in the school and with their teachers, including how engaged they are at school, the rigor of their coursework, and their preparedness for the future. Our school, other schools, and researchers may use such information for developing plans to help schools and teachers improve. For information about this survey, please visit http://youthtruthsurvey.org, or speak to a school administrator.

We want to hear from all students, but participation in this survey is voluntary. If you would like to opt your student out of this survey, please contact Assistant Principal, Michael Song at msong@reedschools.org

Your child’s ratings will not be identified in any reports because results are shared at the group level. Personally identifiable information will not be released to any third party.

Please be aware that under federal law, you have the right to review a copy of the questions asked of your child. If you would like to do so, you can view a copy of the survey in our school office. The survey does ask students about how they feel on campus based on particular sub-groups, including race, gender, social-economic status and more. Some examples of questions asked are:

I feel like I will be ready for high school classes when I finish middle school.
Adults in my school treat the students with respect.
Students at my school respect students from different… religions, sexual orientations, abilities, genders, incomes, races, countries
I can usually be myself around other students.
When I am feeling upset, stressed, or having problems, there is an adult from school who I can talk to about it.

If you have any questions about the YouthTruth survey, please contact Assistant Principal Michael Song.

Youth Truth Family Survey

We want to hear from you!!!! Your input is valuable to us. Reed Union School District has partnered with the national nonprofit, YouthTruth, to help us hear feedback from you about what we are doing well, and how we can improve.

From now until January 30th, the YouthTruth Family survey will be open and we want to hear from you!

PLEASE TAKE THIS 15 MINUTE ONLINE SURVEY HERE: ytsurvey.org/rusdfamily26

Your response is anonymous and will be combined with responses from other parents/guardians throughout the district. You can complete the survey once per child if you have multiple children in the district, or just once if they have similar experiences.

Thank you for your feedback! It is a gift that helps us continually improve.

Staff Spotlight

Staff Spotlight: Ms. Gaine

By: Leadership Students, Tala S. and Cecilia S.

This week’s Staff Spotlight is none other than our very own Del Mar mathematician and leader, Ms. Gaine! Ms. Gaine was born and raised in Louisville Kentucky till the age of twelve. She has three siblings in total, two brothers and one sister. She states that her family is athletic, her dad being a basketball player, and her brother being a major runner. These qualities are similarly reflected in Ms. Gaine’s time in Louisville. Ms. Gaine was always found outside, either swimming, playing baseball, basketball, softball, or cheerleading for her local team. From these hobbies, Ms. Gaine often looked up to Michael Jordan, who was deeply influential as an athlete.

Once she turned twelve, Ms. Gaine moved to Rockville Maryland, where living in Flower Valley ‘broadened her horizons,’ as she got introduced to many people she still keeps in touch with today. To start her college career, Ms. Gaine attended the University of Delaware where she majored in mass communication. Through this experience she was inspired to intern at Fox Sports where she practiced sports broadcasting. Disappointed, Ms. Gaine felt sports broadcasting did not give her the same thrill as before. From this realization, Ms. Gaine returned back to a passion she has always had when she was younger, teaching. To pursue this dream, she went to Dominican University to receive her teaching credentials.

As an extrovert, Ms. Gaine easily connected to children on a deeper level. Ms. Gaine officially started her teaching career at Bel Aire where she taught 5th grade and specialized in math for fourteen years. Open to change, she moved to Del Mar and became a full time math teacher and carried on our passion for leadership. As a teacher, Ms. Gaine ultimately wants her kids to have fun, but also works hard to achieve their goals. You can often hear Ms. Gaine’s renowned motto chanted in her classroom, “You are smart, you are beautiful, & you have what it takes!” This motto reminds students to know their own self worth and to remember that they can achieve anything they put their minds to.

Something Ms. Gaine would change about Del Mar culture is to have more spirit and participation in school activities. In addition, she would love to see more play, suggesting that we could add a play structure. “I wish people at this age, teachers and students can relax more and play a little more…and not be so worried about what other people think.” Ms. Gaine would like to distract those who are worried about themselves to take a moment and truly live life to the fullest. She wants to help create a community that appreciates differences and builds each other up instead of putting down.

Apart from teaching, she loves to see live music, specifically a band called Phish, from Vermont. Did you know that Ms. Gaine has seen over 150 Phish concerts!? That's a number one fan right there! Not only does she love Phish, but she often listens to other artists like Taylor Swift and Drake. She made a significant basketball achievement, as she traveled to Germany with her All-Star team in 1987. They even beat the German State Champs! She also loves learning new recipes, words of wisdom, and connecting with people and nature.. Ms. Gaine defines success ‘as being happy while working hard to accomplish your goals’.

Ms. Gaine truly leads with her heart and wishes the best for everyone. It does not go unnoticed the amount of love and energy she brings to our school community. To conclude, If you ever see Ms. Gaine do not hesitate to thank her for everything she has done to make Del Mar a brighter, happier, place.

Additional Quotes: “We can all do hard things.” “To me, cool is being kind and working hard because that’s what’s going to pay off in your life.” ”Lead with your heart.”

8th Grade Families: High School Information and

Graduation "Save the Date"!

Important Redwood High School Information:

Redwood Registration is OPEN!!

Linked HERE is a letter from Redwood High School with all the information you need! Mark your calendar: January 29th 5-7:30 pm: Open House at Redwood!

Interested in an InterDistrict Transfer to Archie Williams or Tam High?

Please see THIS LETTER from Redwood High School

8th Grade Graduation:

Ceremony will be: Friday, June 12th at 2 PM. Save the date! Our graduation Chairs are beginning to make plans for an extra special last day celebration at Del Mar. Stay tuned!

Breakfast/Lunch New Vendor,

New Mandated Reporter Document Review/Menu...Plus

Water Bottle, Snack and DelMarket Reminder!

We began our meal service this week with our new vendor, Revolution Foods.

**Volunteers are Now Mandated Reporters-ACTION ITEM!

Due to a recent new law, all volunteers are now designated as Mandated Reporters. To ensure you have the necessary information, we have created a streamlined system. You are required to review the Mandated Reporter document once per school year if you plan to volunteer. Please follow this link to complete the acknowledgment form before you arrive, or you may use an iPad provided at any of the school sites.

More Notes About Food at Del Mar:

Please remind your students to dispose of their trash properly. Breakfasts are served out of the office before school (from 7:45 am-8:05 am) and at the first break only if anything is leftover. Lunch is served out of the gym’s kitchen windows at lunchtime.

If you have questions or concerns about the lunch program, please contact delmar@reedschools.org

Our Leadership Students run the DelMarket most morning breaks. The DelMarket is located next to room 20, near the library, and students can bring single dollars to pay for snacks and drinks at the first break. $5.00 snack packs are also available!

Please remember to send water and snacks, and please remember: NO food delivery services are permitted on campus..

Attached HERE is allergen and nutrition information sent from Revolution Foods for all Revolution Food items.

Del Mar PTA News

A heartfelt thank you to all families who participated in Adopt A Family. We were able to help 10 families celebrate the holidays including holiday cards for each family member. Thank you Mr. Synder for coordinating it all!

RUSD PTA is seeking engaged PTA members to serve on the 2026 Nominating Committee for the PTA Executive Board. The committee will consist of five members and one alternate. Familiarity with all three school sites and their volunteer communities is preferred, but not required.

This is a short yet meaningful commitment, with meetings held in February and March, and the goal of presenting a final slate of candidates by late March. Serving on the Nominating Committee is a great way to support strong leadership and ensure continued success for our PTA.

👉 If you’re interested in participating or would like more information, please reach out to RUSD Parliamentarian Tracey Paull by January 30th.

PTA members interested in serving on the committee will be voted on by the PTA membership through a confidential online survey. To be eligible for consideration—or to cast a vote—members must be in good standing and current with their PTA dues. (It’s not too late, you can pay your PTA dues HERE).

Support Adopt A Family! Check PTA Happenings or your school’s Newsflash for more information and tag @rusdpta when you post photos of your student shopping and/or dropping off presents for Adopt A Family!

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.

Chad Stuart, Principal