Dear Families and Students

June 2017

Dear Families and Students,

What a year it’s been! We came together to cheer on our Buccaneers, were lifted by brilliant performances, and we came together on multiple occasions as a school to serve our community. RBR’s academic programs and students continued to be recognized at the local, state, and national level for excellence. As the school-year comes to a close, I wanted to update you on in District Goals for 2016-17. The goals are aligned with the five-year strategic plan that was adopted by the Board of Education in October 2016. The work reflects the dedication and excellence of our staff, the support of our communities, and the leadership of our Board of Education. For more information, check out the District Goals tab on the RBR website. Here is a rundown on what was achieved this year: Goal #1: Expand the use of educational technology, including Google School platforms, to increase student engagement and technology integration into the instructional program. RBR teachers and students are utilizing Google Applications for Education--including Google Classroom--to collaborate, discover, and investigate real-world problems. Here are a few highlights:  Over 20 “RBR Google Coaches” were trained and led professional development programs in January and April.  The Instructional Technology Committee monitored professional development programs and implemented strategies to augment the use of technology in our instructional program.  Teachers were surveyed to assist with planning further programs, including online options. Goal #2: Consistent with the direction provided in the Strategic Plan, develop and implement plans to establish new and strengthen existing, academy programs. At present the four-year academies at RBR are in Engineering, Finance, Informational Technology, and Visual and Performing Arts. Over 600 students enrolled in these exceptional programs, all meeting the rigorous Career and Technical Education (CTE) standards established by New Jersey. Two new 4-year academies in Allied Health and Education will be ready for DOE review in January 2018. Goal #3: Expand access to and enrollment in programs that link students to real world career options and college readiness experiences. These programs include dual enrollment courses, AP and IB programs, as well as programs that serve the needs of both college-bound and non- college bound students. Enrollment in AP, IB, and Dual Enrollment courses continues to be strong, as is reflected in the table below:

AP (students taking one or more course) IB (students taking one or more course) Dual Enrollment

2015-16 248 (20%) 241 (20%) 165 (13%)

2016-17 329 (27%) 223 (18%) 175 (14%)

2017-18 305 (24%) est. 249 (20%) est. 243 (19%) est.

Existing partnerships with Syracuse University, Georgia Court University, and Fairleigh Dickinson University were strengthened. In addition, new programs with Brookdale Community College in Music Tech and Culinary Arts were added. We will continue to inform students and families about these opportunities and encourage all students to consider participating in these programs. Goal #4: Increase communication and collaboration between the district, our communities and families with the objective of increasing awareness, involvement, and engagement. Teachers and administrators from the high school and K-8 districts met to align curriculum, identify student needs, and discuss educational technology in all core academic areas. Ties were also strengthened with the Little Silver, Red Bank, and Shrewsbury Borough Councils. A series of “weekend coffees with the superintendent” for parents and community members were held. In addition, a monthly guidance update was established and new features were added to our website track progress in reaching district goals. A Student Advisory Board was also formed involving students, the superintendent, and school administration. Goal #5: Explore facility needs and options to address enrollment increases and instructional needs. The architectural firm Di Cara and Rubino met with subject supervisors and administrators to plan for possible physical upgrades in support of the instructional program. In addition, the district’s long-range facility plan will be updated. Finally, a demographic study was completed and the results reported to the Board of Education in June. As this summary shows, it has been a very productive year for our district. Best wishes to everyone for a wonderful summer. If you have any questions, suggestions, or concerns, please contact me at [email protected] or at 732-842-8000, ext. 1247. Sincerely, Louis B. Moore Superintendent