Elementary Education at RCS
Below parents of Kindergarten, First, and Second Grade students can locate information regarding the standards-based reporting system. K-3 parents can also access information on Read to Achieve implementation.
We hope that this information will be helpful to you and that you will use it as a reference throughout the year. If you have questions, talk with your child's teacher or principal.
Kindergarten Registration
2024-2025 Registration Opens on April 8th, 2024!
Kindergarten 101 Presentation - Welcome Class of 2037!
Rockingham County Schools kindergarten registration for children who turn 5 on or before August 31st begins on April 8th. You may register at any elementary school office during regular office hours (8:15-4:30), Monday through Friday on or after April 8th. If you have special circumstances, please contact the school office.
Parent information needed for Registration:
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Certified Birth Certificate
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Immunization Record
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Proof of residence (street address) - examples: utility bill, lease/mortgage paperwork, notarized letter of residency
Kindergarten Registration Information
Kindergarten Registration Information_Spanish
Children must be age 5 on or before August 31 (of the current school year) to be eligible to attend kindergarten.
For more information, call your neighborhood school or June Nealy, Director of Elementary Programs, at 627.2680 or by email jnealy@rock.k12.nc.us.
Immunization Requirements (Kindergarten, 7th Grade)
All students entering public school in North Carolina are required to submit a current and up to date certificate of immunization within 30 days of school attendance. Students who have NOT provided the immunization record to the school within 30 days will NOT be allowed to attend school until the immunization certificate is received. Neither a transcript nor school data management immunization record is the official immunization certificate. Parents are responsible for obtaining the immunization certificate and providing it to the school. Records from previous schools will be requested as a courtesy to parents; however, the 30 day rule will still apply if records are not received within 30 days of the first day of school attendance.
Kindergarten Immunization Requirements (effective 7/1/2015)
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5 DTP/DTaP doses: 5th dose on or after 4th birthday. If 4th dose is after the 4th birthday, 5th dose is not required.
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4 Polio vaccine doses: 4th dose on or after 4th birthday. If 3rd dose is after 4th birthday, 4th dose is not required.
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1-4 Hib doses: Series is complete if 2nd, 3rd, or 4th doses are given on or after 12 months of age.
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If 1st dose is given at 12-15 months of age, two doses are required.
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If 1st dose is given on or after 15 months of age, only one dose is required.
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3 Hepatitis B vaccine doses: 3rd dose must be given on or after 24 weeks of age.
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2 Measles vaccine doses: 1st dose on/after 12 months of age and 2nd dose before entering school.
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2 Mumps vaccine doses: 1st dose on/after 12 months of age and 2nd dose before entering school.
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1 Rubella vaccine dose: On or after 12 months of age.
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2 Varicella vaccine doses: 1st dose on or after 12 months of age, and 2nd dose is required before entering school.
Children must be age 5 on or before August 31, to be eligible to attend kindergarten.
Parents may still register their child prior to the first day of school on a walk-in basis.
Parent information needed for Kindergarten Registration:
▪ Certified Birth Certificate ▪ Immunization Record ▪ Proof of residence (street address)
Students should register at their home school regardless of whether they plan to apply for a transfer out-of-district.
For more information, call your child’s school or June Nealy, Director of Elementary Programs, at 627.2680 or by email jnealy@rock.k12.nc.us.
Click here for the school locator tool.
Health Assessment Form:
Student Information Form:
Standard Based Report Cards (K-3)
What are Standards Based Report Cards?
Welcome to the report card site for parents and families of Kindergarten, First and Second Grade students in Rockingham County Schools. This site is designed to support families in understanding the Standards Based Reporting system that began in 2013-2014. The links on this page also provide a sample of the report card and interim report that will provided to support the standards based reporting system. Please contact your child's teacher or principal if you have any questions regarding our Standards Based System.
Overview of Standards Based Reporting - English PowerPoint
Frequently Asked Questions - This document addresses frequently asked questions about traditional and standards
Report Card Documents
NOTE to Parents: Elementary schools will distribute report cards four times during the school year. See the school calendar for end dates of the quarters.
Interim Report Template - Teachers will use this template for interim reports if students are not meeting expectations in one or more standards that will be reported that quarter
Kindergarten Report Card - Kindergarten teachers will record student's progress through a standards based report card in powerschool. Parents keep these materials, sign the report card envelope and return the envelope to the teacher. Report cards are sent home 4 times each school year.
First Grade Report Card- First grade teachers will record student's progress through a standards based report in powerschool. Parents keep these materials, sign the report card envelope and return the envelope to the teacher. Report cards are sent home 4 times each school year.
Second Grade Report Card-Second grade teachers will record student's progress using a standards based report in powerschool. Parents keep these materials, sign the report card envelope and return the envelope to the teacher.Report cards are sent home 4 times each school year.
NC Read to Achieve
What is Read to Achieve?
Read To Achieve is a part of the Excellent Schools Act passed into NC law in July 2012 and applies to all schools beginning 2013-2014 school year. Read To Achieve focuses on preparing students to be proficient readers by the end of 3rd grade. North Carolina state law now requires that first, second, and third graders who are not reading at a proficient level on the end-of-grade test be given extra attention. The law has changed from the original version adopted in July 2012. Changes to the Read to Achieve Law were signed by the Governor on June 10, 2014. The best resource for parents in understanding the law is to visit the NC Department of Public Instruction Read to Achieve Repository. The link for this resource can be found below.
Read to Achieve Resources
Istation is the current assessment tool for reading in North Carolina. Istation has created a video for parents explaining the Student Summary Handout that parents receive three times per year at benchmark periods. Click on the link below and scroll down to access the student summary video.
2013-2014, 2014-2015, 2015-2016, 2016-2017, 2017-2018, 2018-2019, 2020-2021, 2021-2022 Read to Achieve Results
Read to Achieve legislation requires “each local board of education to publish annually on a Web site maintained by that local school administrative unit and to report in writing to the State Board of Education (SBE) by September 1 of each year the following information on the prior school year:”
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The results for Rockingham County Schools' 2013-2014 implementation of the Read to Achieve law can be found here
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The results for Rockingham County Schools' 2014-2015 implementation of the Read to Achieve law can be found here
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The results for Rockingham County Schools' 2015-2016 implementation of the Read to Achieve law can be found here
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The results for Rockingham County Schools' 2016-2017 implementation of the Read to Achieve law can be found here
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The results for Rockingham County Schools' 2017-2018 implementation of the Read to Achieve law can be found here
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The results for Rockingham County Schools' 2018-2019 implementation of the Read to Achieve law can be found here
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The results for Rockingham County Schools' 2020-2021 implementation of the Read to Achieve law can be found here
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The results for Rockingham County Schools' 2021-2022 implementation of the Read to Achieve law can be found here
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The results for Rockingham County Schools' 2022-2023 implementation of the Read to Achieve law can be found here.
2015-2016 Read to Achieve First and Second Grade Information
Find statistics regarding first and second grade reading proficiency here
2016-2017 Read to Achieve First and Second Grade Information
Find statistics regarding first and second grade reading proficiency here
2017-2018 Read to Achieve First and Second Grade Information
Find statistics regarding first and second grade reading proficiency here
2018-2019 Read to Achieve First and Second Grade Information
Find statistics regarding first and second grade reading proficiency here
2020-2021 Read to Achieve First and Second Grade Information
Find statistics regarding first and second grade reading proficiency here
2021-2022 Read to Achieve First and Second Grade Information
Find statistics regarding first and second grade reading proficiency here
2022-2023 Read to Achieve First and Second Grade Information
Find statistics regarding first and second grade reading proficiency here
Third Grade Portfolio
Overview
The purpose of the portfolio is to:
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Provide formative assessment information to teachers
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Opportunity for students to demonstrate 3rd grade reading standards other than one-day test
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Equitable and uniform process within the district and across the state
The Read to Achieve Legislation went into effect in 2013-2014. Developing student portfolios is one of the strategies outlined in Read to Achieve. All 3rd grade students in Rockingham County Schools eligible to take the End of Grade Test for Reading may participate in the portfolio process. However, it is not appropriate for all students. The portfolio consists of the 3 parts. Parts 1 and 2 are determined by the teacher. Students must must complete Part 3 for a student to be eligible for a Good Cause Exemption.
Part 1
Teachers will implement iStation assessments and print benchmarking and progress monitoring data from iStation to be included in the portfolio.
Part 2
Teachers will create, implement, and print the Personal Education Plan (PEP) for students who met the school district's requirements for a PEP to be included in the portfolio.
Part 3
All eligible students must take the 3rd grade End of Grade test. However, if students do not pass the End of Grade test for 3rd Grade Reading, they may be considered for a Good Cause Exemption to retention if they have a completed portfolio or other approved alternative assessment. Reading passages are the main component of Part 3 of the portfolio option. Third grade students may be asked to complete reading passages and questions to see if they are able to apply the 3rd grade English Language Arts standards. Part 3 of a completed portfolio will include 3 reading passages for 12 English Language Arts 3rd grade standards and answer at least 70% proficiency across the school year. This is a total of 36 completed passages. Students must complete these passages in their classroom without help from an adult. Students will have as much time as they need to complete the passage when it is assigned. Teachers will use this data to address student needs.
Parent Digital Learning Sources
Rockingham County Schools is pleased to offer our eBook program on Overdrive. Our digital collection contains over 5700 titles available for checkout. The web address for RCS’ digital library is rock.lib.overdrive.com.
Please see your school’s Media Specialist for login information.
Rockingham County Schools is pleased to announce that parent observer access is available for Canvas, our district Learning Management System. Students in grades 6 – 12 receive daily announcements, assignments, class resources, and grades through this online tool.
To register for a parent account and become an observer in your child’s courses, please contact your school.
If you or your child are experiencing issues with your district-issued Chromebook, you may refer to these Chromebook Troubleshooting Tips or contact the Media Coordinator at your child's school.
Rockingham County Schools is committed to providing a safe learning environment for your child. In effort to ensure that all students and parents understand the risks and safety precautions related to working in an online environment, we suggest using the resources provided by Common Sense Media to guide discussions with your child.
For more information regarding how your child is using technology at school, please visit Technology In the Classroom.
You may also want to review the RCS Technology Policy.
Elementary Teacher Sources
Curriculum and Instruction Resources
English Language Learners and Reading
RCS Recommended K-5 Field Trip List
Assessment and Reporting Resources
Questions and Answers about Formative Assessment
LEARN NC Formative Assessment Resources
NC Diagnostic Assessment for Reading (Amplify mClass Reading 3D)
K/2 Standards Based Report Cards