Rutherfordton Elementary

10/20/2026

Our Kindergarten and First Grade Rockets had a wonderful time visiting Strawberry Hill back in September! 🍓🚀 What a fun day of learning, exploring, and making memories together! We love seeing our youngest Rockets enjoy learning experiences beyond the classroom! ❤️

10/19/2026

MYTH BUSTER MONDAY | RCS Education Matters

MYTH: A school district’s graduation rate is simply the number of graduating seniors divided by the number of students enrolled in twelfth grade.

❌ BUSTED!

Did you know that North Carolina’s graduation rate actually tells a much bigger story?

The four-year cohort graduation rate follows a group of students from the time they enter ninth grade and measures how many earn a regular high school diploma within four years.

That means graduation rates aren't just about how many seniors walk across the stage in May or June. They reflect what happens throughout a student's entire high school journey, including students who transfer, drop out, or don't graduate on time.

Why does this matter?

At Rutherford County Schools, we believe every student who enters ninth grade deserves the support, opportunities, and encouragement needed to reach graduation day.

And we're proud of our progress! RCS achieved a 95.1% four-year cohort graduation rate for the 2024–2025 school year, placing our district among the top 10 in North Carolina!

That number represents more than diplomas. It reflects the dedication of our teachers, counselors, administrators, support staff, families, and, most importantly, our students.

THE BOTTOM LINE: Graduation rates aren't simply a snapshot of senior year. They tell the story of student persistence, academic support, and success over four years.

That's something worth understanding AND celebrating!

10/16/2026

Testimonial Thursday | RCS Education Matters

October is National Principals Month, and this week, we're continuing our celebration of the incredible leaders who make a difference in Rutherford County Schools every day!

For this week's , we hear from Dr. Tammie Ash, Executive Director of Human Resources, who brings a unique perspective as a former school principal herself.

Dr. Ash reminds us that while much of a principal's work happens behind the scenes, the impact of their leadership is felt in every classroom, throughout every school, and across our communities.

To all of our RCS principals, thank you for leading with compassion, dedication, and an unwavering commitment to our students and staff. Your leadership matters, and we appreciate you!

10/16/2026

FUTURE FOCUSED FRIDAY | Investing in Students. Building Brighter Futures! 💙💚

The future of Rutherford County starts with the students we support today! Through the Rutherford County Schools Education Foundation, our community is helping create opportunities and brighter futures for students across our district.

Parents, local businesses, and community members: we invite YOU to invest in the future of Rutherford County!

Your support helps make a difference through programs like:

* RCS Backpack Program – Fighting childhood hunger.

* Helping Hands for Homeless Students – Providing hope and assistance to students and families in need.

* Teacher Mini Grants – Bringing innovative classroom ideas to life.

* Project STEAM – Inspiring tomorrow's innovators, creators, and problem-solvers.

By becoming an annual member of the RCS Education Foundation, you're joining a community committed to ensuring our students have the resources, opportunities, and support they need to succeed.

The future is ours to shape, and together, we can make it brighter!

Become a community member today: Visit rcsedfoundation.org/membership to learn more and join!

10/14/2026

10/12/2026

Good Evening, Rocket Families!

We are SO excited to welcome you to RES tomorrow evening for our Title I Fall Family Engagement Night from 4:00–6:00 PM!

Tomorrow night is all about our STUDENTS! Our Rockets have been working hard, and we can't wait for them to have the opportunity to show YOU what they are learning! Students will take the lead as they share their learning portfolios, celebrate their progress, and talk about their goals.

You'll also participate in a Title I session and take home a math activity with everything needed to continue learning together!

📚 BONUS! Our Scholastic Book Fair opens tomorrow, so you'll have the opportunity to shop with your Rocket while you're here!

A few other reminders for this week:
📄 Thursday: Digital Report Cards Available in Infinite Campus Parent Portal

🎟️ PTO 50/50 Raffle: We've sold 130 tickets, and our challenge is to reach 300 by FRIDAY! Let's get those tickets turned in and make this year's raffle bigger than last year's!

Please take a few minutes to read this week's Rocket Family Weekly Update for all the details, including tomorrow evening's rotation schedule!

https://bit.ly/RocketFamilyWeeklyUpdate101226

We hope to see ALL of our Rocket Families tomorrow evening! There is nothing better than watching our students take pride in their learning, and we can't wait for them to share it with YOU!

Launching Excellence Together! 🚀

Michelle Clement
Principal

10/12/2026

MYTH BUSTER MONDAY |

MYTH: The Other Specific Revenue Fund is a catch-all for revenues that don’t fit anywhere else.

FACT: The Other Specific Revenue Fund accounts for particular types of revenue specifically identified by state law.

The name can be misleading at first glance. North Carolina law establishes the Other Specific Revenue Fund as an accounting mechanism for designated types of funding, including reimbursements, fees for actual costs, certain sales tax revenues and refunds, restricted gifts and grants, trust funds, federal appropriations made directly to school districts, certain municipal appropriations, and funds received for prekindergarten programs.

For 2026–2027, Rutherford County Schools has budgeted $5,770,161.28 in the Other Specific Revenue Fund. As the accompanying graphic illustrates, those revenues include $2,042,397.95 in local and other revenues (35.4%), $1,987,495.33 in federal revenues (34.4%), and $1,740,268.00 in state revenues (30.2%).

What defines this fund, then, is not simply that its revenues come from sources other than the district’s primary state and local operating funds. Rather, state law specifies the kinds of revenues that may be accounted for here, and those revenues carry particular purposes, restrictions, or conditions governing their use

10/08/2026

WHY RCS? WEDNESDAY | National Principals Month
Great schools start with great leadership.

This National Principals Month, we’re celebrating the incredible principals who lead Rutherford County Schools each day. They set the tone for their schools, support teachers and staff, build relationships with families, celebrate students, solve problems, and keep their schools moving forward.
Their work reaches far beyond the principal’s office, it can be seen in the culture of our schools and in the opportunities and experiences we provide for students.
Why RCS? Because we have dedicated leaders who believe in our students, our staff, our schools, and our community.

10/08/2026

Testimonial Thursday | RCS Education Matters
October is National Principals Month, and today we’re celebrating the leaders who help make our schools places where students and staff can thrive.
Brad Richardson, RCS Chief Academic Officer, shares his appreciation for the tremendous responsibility our principals carry each day, from supporting instruction and teachers to caring for students, connecting with families, and leading their school communities.
To each of our RCS principals: thank you for your leadership, your dedication, and the countless ways you show up for our students and staff every single day.
We are grateful for you!

10/07/2026