Dear RGMS Community Member:

 

Whether you are new to the school or a veteran parent, teacher, or student of RGMS, I want to offer a warm welcome and appreciation for all you do to contribute to our school community. I'm grateful to be a part of the diverse, engaged, and caring community of RGMS where kids are guided to discover their interests, challenged to pursue excellence, and developed to lead with compassion and care for the community. 

 

With all of our busy lives, jobs, and commitments, it can be hard to carve out the time to connect and build relationships. However, I hope you will ask how you can add to RGMS. Each of us has talents, interests and personal gifts we bring - think about how you can help your classroom teacher, offer support to an RGMS event, or sign up for volunteer opportunities. Consider the ways you can personally partner with teachers to support your child's academic growth. The more we do together, the stronger our school, to the benefit of all students. 

 

The RGMS PTSA serves an important support role in amplifying communications and providing timely information, organizing community-building events, and providing a structure for parents and family members to engage with our school. The unique age structure of RGMS means spanning the needs and concerns of many different age groups.  As a school that draws from a large geographic area, it can be harder for us to personally engage and connect. We benefit from having a well-functioning and inclusive PTSA that helps to bridge communication gaps, encourages community building at the classroom, grade, and school-wide scale, and provides formal channels for inquiry and dialogue with school and county administrators. As President, my goals are to 1) Maintain our well-functioning structure and volunteer leadership roles, 2) Recruit and train the next generation of volunteers to sustain continuity, 3) Grow community building and enrichment activities, and 4) Maintain a productive partnership with school leadership. 

I believe we have an extraordinary school and our dedicated team of educators are worthy of our collective care and appreciation. RGMS needs our support, caring, and encouragement. When we encounter challenges, it's good to start from a place of learning. My aim is for the PTSA to help fill information gaps and to facilitate the community connections that help us help each other. When concerns arise, the PTSA can provide a structured mechanism to ask questions and elevate concerns to school or county leadership.

I am mindful that our school is diverse and I believe it is important to recruit parent leaders that represent the diversity of our school. We come from many different experiences, geographies, income levels, family status, racial and religious backgrounds, and more. Our children span a wide range of ages and our concerns and priorities evolve as our kids grow.  I hope you will be encouraged to formally join the PTSA with your paid annual membership, volunteer on a committee or project of the PTSA, and take advantage of opportunities to contribute your time and talent to our school community. Thank you for your partnership. 
 

Sincerely,

Alice Ewen, President