Feb. 6, 2025

Personnel

>> At last night’s meeting, the Board of Education approved the hiring of Kristen Miller as a new assistant principal at Rockwood Summit High, effective July 1. Kristen replaces Josten Oglesby, who is retiring at the end of the school year. Read more about Ms. Miller.

>> The Board approved the resignation of Dr. Paul Husch, administrative intern at the Center for Creative Learning, effective June 30. Dr. Husch has worked for Rockwood for three years.

>> The Board approved the retirement of two administrators, effective June 30:

Dr. Kimberly Dickens, principal at Kellison Elementary, will retire after 22 years in Rockwood.
Dr. Andrea Lockwood, principal at Babler Elementary, will retire after 25 years in Rockwood.

>> The Board approved, by a unanimous 6-0 vote, to extend Superintendent Dr. Curtis Cain's contract through the 2027-2028 school year.

"The Rockwood School District continues to benefit from Dr. Cain's direction and leadership," said Board of Education President Lynne Midyett. "We appreciate his commitment to excellence and vision for the future of Rockwood's students, staff, families and community members, and we are confident he will continue to make a positive impact in his role as superintendent."

Dr. Cain has worked for Rockwood since July 1, 2022.

Superintendent Comments

In his Superintendent Comments at the Feb. 6, 2025, Board of Education meeting, Dr. Curtis Cain shared the following updates:

I would like to address the changing climate with regards to immigration enforcement procedures and how that may affect us here in the Rockwood School District. Our primary focus remains the safety and well-being of all Rockwood students and staff members. We work in partnership with our local law enforcement agencies to ensure our schools are safe and where every child feels as though they belong, are treated with dignity and respect and are supported on their educational journey. I want to assure everyone that we have protocols in place that we will follow if such an event were to occur in one of our schools, governed by Rockwood Policy 2160 and Regulation 2150. We can and will both provide support for our students and families and work respectfully with law enforcement officials and comply with federal and state laws. We have and will continue to monitor developments in federal immigration enforcement and consult with legal counsel as needed to ensure our policies and practices remain in compliance and continue to prioritize the safety and well-being of our students and staff.
Nearly 230 nominations were submitted for this year’s ROSE Awards, with stories highlighting excellence of character, leadership, performance and extraordinary service to Rockwood. The ROSE Award honors the best of Rockwood. Later this month, the ROSE committee chairs will set out with balloons and roses to surprise 15 individuals with one of the district's greatest honors. ROSE recipients will be recognized at a special ceremony and dinner on Sunday, April 27, along with Cornerstone recipients, Teachers of the Year, Service Award honorees and retirees. Congratulations to our ROSE Award nominees.
Rockwood is proud to share our 2024-2025 annual report with our community. Our nearly 3,400 teachers and staff members go above and beyond to ensure a quality learning experience each day for nearly 19,000 learners. These collective efforts uphold a reputation founded on high student achievement, outstanding teachers and staff, strong financial stewardship, safe and caring schools and great community support. Visit our award-winning website – annualreport.rsdmo.org – to see an online version of our Annual Report to the Community and see what makes Rockwood such a special place to learn and grow.
Friday, Jan. 31, marked the 100th day of the 2024-2025 school year in Rockwood, and elementary students and staff members celebrated in style. Students and staff celebrated with 100-themed clothing, art projects, fun 100-themed learning activities in reading, writing and math, a parade through the hallways and more. First-graders at Uthoff Valley Elementary also received a visit from some spotted friends from the Dalmatian Club of Greater St. Louis to celebrate the 101st day of the school year. The students learned about dalmatians and had the opportunity to meet and interact with the dogs. Let’s watch.

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

Problem/Issue/Need (PIN) - Policy 1220 School Calendar and School Day - The Board approved the review of Policy 1220 School Calendar and School Day to ensure the district’s policy aligns with the new state requirement, which requires 169 instructional days beginning with the 2026-2027 school year. Read the policy.

Advocacy Update - The Board approved a resolution opposing legislation regarding open enrollment of non-resident students that is directly in line with Rockwood’s legislative platform approved at the Jan. 16, 2025 Board of Education meeting. View the webpage stating the district’s legislative position.

Board Discussion

Annual Review of Electioneering Guidelines - Policy and Regulation 0380 - Board members reviewed electioneering guidelines regarding Board governance. View the presentation that details Policy and Regulation 0380.

Rockwood Parents as Teachers - The Board heard an informational update regarding the Rockwood Parents as Teachers (PAT) program. They reviewed the goals and services of PAT. View the presentation.

Annual Report to the Community - Each year, the Rockwood school community receives an annual report that shares information on our students' achievement, highly qualified staff, district financial facts and community involvement opportunities. The Board received an overview of the annual report, including an update as part of the district's assessment plan. View the report.

Review of Feb. 20, 2025 Board of Education Meeting Date - Board members and Cabinet members reviewed the Feb. 20, 2025 Board of Education meeting date. View the planning calendar.

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