Rockwood Welcomes 85 New Teachers During New Educator Summit

Rockwood School District welcomed 85 new teachers, including Special School District instructors, during the New Educator Summit at Wildwood Middle from Aug. 11-14.

Our newest educators met with Superintendent Dr. Curtis Cain, members of central office staff and departmental administrators. They participated in icebreakers and team-building activities and received valuable tools and information for supporting students during the four-day opportunity for all new teachers to get acclimated to the Rockwood School District.

Participants discovered Rockwood’s culture of learning and met with curriculum coordinators, instructional technology specialists, data analysts, representatives from Student Services, Human Resources, Communications and more. All of the training tied back to the Rockwood strategic plan, Forward Together, and one of its key tenets, the Rockwood Promise.

Dr. Keri Skeeters, assistant superintendent of teaching and learning, Abby Smith, coordinator of professional learning, and Lori Vollmer, administrative assistant of curriculum and professional learning, organized the three-day event.

“Draw on the knowledge and strengths you bring, stay open to growth, and never underestimate the difference you can make,” Skeeters said. “Lean into opportunities to collaborate with one another and with those of us who are here to support your work. We are better together!”

Smith said she hopes that the new hires will leave with an understanding of the deep commitment that Rockwood has to serving all students and truly doing whatever it takes to meet the needs of everyone.

“Our goal this week has been to help every new educator feel welcomed, connected and excited to be part of Rockwood, while giving them the tools and resources for a successful start to the school year,” Smith said. “It’s been incredible to see the relationships they’ve built and the enthusiasm they’ve brought to learning together. This week has truly brought the Rockwood Promise to life, and we’re so excited to see what this group will bring to our students and schools.”

This year's Summit had a "super hero" theme, and each day had a different emphasis: Unleash Your Teaching Superpower, Our Superpower is Helping Others See Theirs, We Use Our Superpowers to Help Others Fly and Time to Soar! 

Participants discovered Rockwood’s culture of learning and met with curriculum coordinators, instructional technology specialists and data analysts.

“During the New Educator Summit, I gained a deeper understanding of how to utilize technology and district resources to support my teaching,” said Leenie Johns, who will start her first year of teaching at Kehrs Mill Elementary. “It was incredibly helpful to connect with and learn from our curriculum coaches, and I feel more comfortable knowing they are just an email away whenever I need support.”

Johns, like her fellow new educators, is looking forward to meeting her students.

“I’m most excited to form meaningful relationships with my students and spend the year watching them learn and grow,” shared Johns, a Lafayette High graduate. “This is my absolute favorite part of teaching! I had amazing teachers in Rockwood growing up who inspired me to go into education, and I can’t wait to create those same meaningful experiences and memories for my students.”

Our newest educators also received a rousing start to the four-day session thanks to members of the Lafayette band and color guard, which performed outside the school entrance to welcome our new teachers on the first day.

The first day of school for students is Monday, Aug. 24. We're excited to welcome these new educators to the Rockwood family!