Feb. 20, 2025

Personnel

At last night’s meeting, the Board of Education approved the hiring of Dr. Michelle Fitzsimmons as the new principal of Babler Elementary, Kristen Forth as the new administrative intern at Stanton Elementary and Dr. Kenneth Peacock as the new administrative intern at Ridge Meadows Elementary, all effective July 1.

Michelle replaces Dr. Andrea Lockwood, who is retiring at the end of the school year; Kristen replaces Dr. Erin Knight, who has taken a position outside of the district; and Ken replaces Nicholle Simmons, who is also retiring at the end of the school year.

Read more about Dr. Fitzsimmons, Ms. Forth and Dr. Peacock.

Open Session

At the request of the Board of Education COPE Committee, there was a presentation around student grade level transitions. View the presentation.

Superintendent Comments

In his Superintendent Comments at the Feb. 20, 2025, Board of Education meeting, Dr. Curtis Cain shared the following updates:

The League of Women Voters of Metro St. Louis will hold a "Meet the Candidates" event scheduled for March 5 at the Administrative Annex in Eureka from 6-8 p.m. The forum is an opportunity for patrons to ask questions of the three candidates running for two open seats on the Rockwood Board of Education. For more information on the Board of Education candidates and how to submit a question for the forum, visit the “Board Elections” section of rsdmo.org/boe.
More than 30 members of the Rockwood community took part in our fourth and final five-year strategic plan community engagement meeting Feb. 11 at Marquette High. The meeting, on the theme of “Safe and Caring Schools,” included information and discussion about topics such as the physical, mental and emotional health and safety measures Rockwood has in place, as well as the multi-tiered systems of support that the district uses to meet the needs of all students. Visit rsdmo.org/StrategicPlan2025 for more information about next steps in the strategic planning process.
On Thursday, Marquette celebrated its status as one of only six schools in Missouri and more than 500 total recognized as a National Banner Unified Champion School by Special Olympics of North America. Unified Champion Schools promote social inclusion by bringing together young people with and without intellectual disabilities on sports teams, through inclusive student clubs, together in school or community initiatives and by fostering youth leadership. The celebration included games and performances by the Marquette dance and cheer teams and pep band, as well as presentations by Special Olympics representatives and Marquette students about what the program means to them.
I would like to thank everyone for your patience and flexibility this week as we maneuvered another winter storm. Thank you once again to our dedicated facilities crew who worked tirelessly to clear lots and sidewalks, our transportation crew for the early hours driving roads and warming buses and to everyone who pitched in to help this week. You know how I like to talk about how critical it is that we work together as a team and this week is another example of how special Rockwood is when everyone pitches in for a greater cause. With the two days closed this week, we have exhausted our seven traditional inclement weather days. That means, if we need to close a school or the district for weather or any other unforeseen circumstance, we will be utilizing our Alternate Method of Instruction (AMI) days. We have shared those details with our teachers and administrators, and we will be communicating with families and students Friday, Feb. 21, as to what those days would look like at the elementary and secondary levels should we need to go that route. We have five AMI days that we could use before needing to extend the school year calendar.
A vital part of our safe and caring school communities is our group of school resource officers and Rockwood safety officers. Saturday, Feb. 15, was National School Resource Officer Appreciation Day and, in Rockwood, we are grateful for the daily work of our nearly 20 SROs and district safety officers to maintain safe, welcoming school communities for our students, staff members and visitors. Let’s hear from some students at Marquette High and Rockwood Summit High about why they appreciate their SROs.

To view Dr. Cain's entire Superintendent Comments from the meeting, click here.

Patron Comments

There were no patron comments at last night's meeting.

Agenda Items

Proclamation: Social Work Month - The Board proclaimed the month of March as Social Work Month and the week of March 2-8, 2025, as Social Work Week in the Rockwood School District. School social workers serve a critical role in supporting our Rockwood students and families. Read the proclamation.

Future Ballot Feasibility - The Board has authorized the superintendent to explore the feasibility of a future ballot measure to increase the district's operating levy and therefore the resources available for staff salaries and benefits.

Board Discussion

Purchasing Program Update - Board members heard an overview of the purchasing program. They learned about expenditure allocation, procurement methods and more. View the presentation.

Communications, Outreach and Public Engagement Committee Update - The Rockwood Board of Education established the Communications, Outreach and Public Engagement (COPE) Committee to improve school board communication. Members of COPE provided an update from the last meeting on Feb. 19, 2025. For more information, visit the COPE Committee website.

Review of March 13, 2025 Board of Education Meeting Date - Board members and Cabinet members reviewed the March 13, 2025 Board of Education meeting date. View the planning calendar.

**For full meeting details, please visit BoardDocs.**