March 11, 2024
Dear Parents and Guardians:
We are to the point of the school year already where we begin planning for the next. This is when Rock Creek begins the class placement process for the 2024-2025 school year. This system is one of the most important practices we have in place for the achievement of our students. Placement decisions require hours of discussion with each team of educators which includes: teachers (classroom, special education, remedial reading, art, music, library and P.E.) along with the counselor and administrators. We take this responsibility very seriously, as we serve as advocates for each and every student. Rock Creek teachers know their students and colleagues well. They are aware of the chemistry required to make a positive learning environment. Because of that, their input is invaluable, and therefore a major consideration in making class lists.
As the parent/caregiver, you know pertinent information about your child that will contribute to the most ideal placement. A link is being sent with our “Parent Input Form” (optional) for you to complete. We will once again be using this structure at Rock Creek to get your feedback about your children. Please do not consider it as a means for requesting a particular teacher for the upcoming school year. Completing the Parent Input Form is certainly not required. It is an instrument for you as parents to share knowledge and information about your children. Your insight is valuable and an important factor during this process. This form will be read mainly by the current classroom teacher, the receiving teacher, Mrs. Reynolds-Sandstrom, and myself.
When creating balanced classes, the professionals of our school take into consideration many specific factors. We work together to create heterogeneous lists by bearing in mind the varying achievement levels of the students, gender ratio, social needs, learning styles, cultural diversity, individual personalities, behavior strengths and growth areas, leadership skills, friends and liked peers, health considerations, Individual Education Plan (IEP) needs, and teaching styles of each teacher. As you can see from this list, creating a classroom of students who will be a supportive community of learners is a formidable task. This process requires a great deal of thought and hours of discussion for our roughly 400 individual students at Rock Creek.
We begin this process early because I believe in being proactive when making decisions as significant as class placement. By doing this we can collect data, create lists, and have time to revisit them throughout the remainder of the school year. Mrs. Reynolds-Sandstrom and I are in the classrooms on a consistent basis, and we are aware of the individual styles and strengths of the teachers. This guides us in our decisions about the assignment of teachers. As you do as parents, we work for the best interest of the children.
If you are interested, please complete the Parent Input Form by Friday, March 22nd. After you submit the form, you will receive a copy of your response. Rest assured that our staff understand the importance of giving their personal best to the development of our class lists for the 2024-2025 school year. Thank you for putting your trust in the professionals of this community. We strive to make decisions that will foster high achievement and create an environment conducive for learning.
Click HERE for a copy of the form.
*Remember to complete a separate form for each of your children in grades K-4th Grade.
*Do not complete for current 5th Graders.
*Do not complete for incoming Kindergarten students. There will be opportunities later to share information.
In the best interest of own children,
Dr. Wayne Dierker
Principal