September 2024

Engagement Fuels Student Success

September's crisp mornings bring a renewed energy to our campuses—marked by the excitement of first dances, the sweet sounds of marching bands, and the much-anticipated return of Friday Night Lights! All across our district, students are diving into extracurricular activities with friends and teammates while kicking their academic year off with enthusiasm. Fall sports and clubs, such as girls’ flag football, volleyball, cross-country, cheer and student leadership have been bringing school spirit back to campuses, and are creating lifelong memories!

Take the Woodcreek Sportsman’s Club for example: they put in the work all summer, and it all paid off at the US Open Nationals in Las Vegas. Despite battling extreme heat and high winds, our Varsity Squad showed incredible skill and determination, competing in all three shooting sports: Sporting Clays, Skeet, and Trap. Their team—Jacob Maisano '24, Landon Juneau '25, Olivia Allen '24, Logan Allen '26, and Anthony Marchitelli '24—took home the 2024 US OPEN NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP in Trap with a stunning score of 952 out of 1000! They finished 20 clays ahead of the nearest competitor. Special shout out to Logan Allen '25, who tied for 1st in the individual high score in Trap and secured a remarkable 2nd place after a nail-biting shootout. Talk about pressure! We couldn’t be more proud of our athletes and their incredible achievements.

While making memories is the name of the game, safety always remains paramount to our routines at RJUHSD and at each of our schools. To enhance safety for students and staff, RJUHSD uses the Raptor Visitor Management System across all campuses. Raptor screens visitors by checking their driver's license against a national database of registered sex offenders. Once cleared, visitors receive a badge with their name, visit date, and purpose. This new system, alongside our other safety measures, reinforces our commitment to keeping RJUHSD campuses secure for everyone.

This year, we're placing a strong emphasis on attendance because of the impact consistent attendance has on the success of each of our students. Data shows that absenteeism in the first full month can set the tone for the entire school year—students who miss just 2-4 days in September often end up missing nearly a month by year’s end. This can seriously affect their ability to meet grade-level expectations and stay on track for graduation. Attendance improves when schools, parents, and students work together, so we’re here to support you! Let’s make sure every student gets the most out of their school days.

As we cozy into fall and gather together under those stadium Lights, I hope to get to meet and high five each of you. If you see me on campus or at a game, come up and say hello! Now, go get ‘em, RJUHSD!

C: Woodcreek Sportsman’s Club Team Members