September 25th, 2026: RIM's Edge of Excellence Newsletter

Page: RIM's Edge of Excellence-September 25th, 2026. The ROWUSD School Board Meeting is scheduled for Thursday, October 15th, 2026, at 5:30 p.m., at the District Office. 24740 San Moritz Way, Crestline. If you cannot attend in person, you can watch the meeting live on YouTube or scan the QR Code to view it on your phone. 
We hope to see you there or online!. Public Participation
This meeting will be held at the Rim of the World Unified School District and via YouTube.If you wish to view the meeting, log in to:
https://www.youtube.com/@rowusdschools/streams
Page: Behind Every Great School Day Is a Team Keeping Things Running! When the first bell rings and another school day begins, there is an entire team working behind the scenes to help make it all possible. The ROWUSD Business Department is an important part of the daily operations that keep our schools moving forward.
Behind the classrooms filled with supplies, employees receiving their paychecks and benefits, materials arriving at school sites, programs receiving funding, and facilities being supported is a team carefully managing the many financial and operational details of our District. Every day, the Business Department works with budgets, payroll, benefits, accounting, purchasing, invoices, financial reporting, and the many transactions and processes necessary to support our seven campuses and District operations. Their work requires accuracy, deadlines, careful planning, teamwork, and plenty of problem-solving. While much of it happens quietly behind office doors, spreadsheets, reports, emails, and phone calls, the impact reaches far beyond the Business Office. This week, we are proud to step behind the scenes and introduce some of the dedicated staff in our ROWUSD Business Department who help keep the District running each and every day. Their work and impact is visible throughout ROWUSD. With dedication, accuracy, and a strong commitment to service, this team supports our teachers, staff, and administrators so they can focus on what matters most: our students. To our Business Department team, Thank You!
Page: Behind the District’s  Numbers: Meet Our Chief Business Official: Jenny Haberlin. Behind every budget, purchase, project, and financial decision is thoughtful and strategic planning and oversight. As ROWUSD’s Chief Business Official, Jenny Haberlin plays a vital role in keeping it all together and helping the District move forward.
 Jenny carries an incredible responsibility: ensuring the District’s financial resources are managed carefully so our schools have the support they need to serve students each day. Jenny’s dedication often extends far beyond the regular workday. She devotes countless hours to budget planning, financial oversight, problem-solving, preparing for the District’s future, and navigating the many challenges of managing school district finances. Her commitment, attention to detail, and willingness to put in extra time reflect how deeply she cares about ROWUSD's success. Much of Jenny’s work happens quietly behind the scenes, but its impact is felt throughout every school, department, and program in our District. Beyond leading the District’s financial operations, Jenny is always willing to share her knowledge, guidance, and support with others. Whether answering questions, helping staff navigate a process, or working alongside colleagues to find solutions, she approaches each interaction with patience and a genuine desire to help. Thank you, Jenny, for your leadership, dedication, & all you do behind the scenes to support the students and staff of ROWUSD!
Page: Keeping the Business Office on Track: Meet Rachel Wilbanks. Behind a busy Business Office is someone helping keep the details organized and the work moving forward! Rachel Wilbanks, Administrative Assistant to the Chief Business Official, provides important day-to-day support to the CBO, Jenny Haberlin,  and the Business Department. From coordinating information and keeping important details on track to helping manage the many moving pieces that come through the Business Office, Rachel’s work supports smooth operations across the District. Rachel is an important part of the behind-the-scenes team, and her commitment to helping others shows in how she supports our schools, staff, and students. Thank you, Rachel, for your dedication and willingness to help others. 
From Purchase Orders to Projects, Meet Nicole Hammock! Every day, Nicole Hammock, ROWUSD’s Purchasing & Facilities Specialist, helps make sure our schools have what they need to operate smoothly. From processing purchase orders and coordinating with vendors to helping address facility needs and keeping projects moving, Nicole’s work touches nearly every corner of the District. Nicole’s is known for her willingness to step in, lend a hand, and share her knowledge with others. Whether answering questions, walking staff through a process, or providing training, she helps staff feel confident in their work. Nicole’s behind-the-scenes efforts ensure supplies are ordered, vendors are connected, facility needs are addressed, and projects stay on track, allowing our school teams to focus on what matters most: supporting our students. Thank you, Nicole, for the countless details you manage each day and for helping keep ROWUSD running strong and smoothly!
Page: Making Every Number Count: Meet Scott Whyte. Every school day depends on careful financial management behind the scenes, and Scott Whyte, ROWUSD Senior Accountant, plays an important role in keeping those numbers on track. From monitoring District accounts and expenditures to reviewing financial transactions, reconciling accounts, preparing reports, and helping ensure funds are accounted for accurately. Scott’s attention to detail supports the financial operations that keep our schools running smoothly. Scott brings more than his accounting expertise to the Business Office. Known for his cheerful attitude and helpful nature, Scott is always willing to answer questions, explain processes, or lend a hand when someone needs help. His positive approach makes even the most complicated financial questions feel a little easier to tackle! Thank you, Scott, for bringing accuracy to the numbers and a smile to the workplace.
Behind Every Payday: Meet Debbie Hastings. Every teacher teaching, custodian caring for our campuses, bus driver transporting students, and staff member supporting our schools depends on something very important behind the scenes: payroll! As ROWUSD’s Payroll Specialist II, Debbie Hastings helps ensure District employees are paid accurately and on time. From processing payroll information and reviewing timesheets to managing deductions, adjustments, and other important payroll details, Debbie’s careful work supports employees throughout the District. Beyond her attention to detail, Debbie brings kindness and a welcoming spirit to every interaction. She is always willing to answer questions, offer assistance, and help employees navigate payroll matters with patience and care. Debbie’s friendly approach reminds us that behind every payroll question is a person, and she makes each person feel supported and valued. Thank You, Debbie
Page: Supporting Our Staff & Our Numbers: Meet Christie Earl. Numbers matter, but so do the staff behind them! From balancing the numbers to helping employees navigate their benefits, Christie Earl, Accountant/Benefits Specialist, brings both together every day. Christie plays an important role in keeping ROWUSD running smoothly. Christie manages financial records and accounting details while also helping staff with benefit enrollment, coverage changes, insurance questions, and other benefit needs. Her work helps ensure employees have the information and support they need while keeping important District financial processes stay on track. Benefits can bring questions and important decisions, and Christie takes the time to help employees understand their options, navigate enrollment and coverage changes, and find the information they need. Her patience, responsiveness, and willingness to help make her a trusted resource for ROWUSD staff. Thank you, Christie, for taking the time to help our staff with their questions and options as they choose the right benefits for their families.
From Campus to Campus: Keeping ROWUSD Connected. Brandon, ROWUSD Custodian and Mail Delivery, helps keep things moving behind the scenes every day. From caring for District Office facilities and maintaining a clean, welcoming environment to delivering important mail and materials to schools across the district, Brandon keeps things moving behind the scenes every day. Brandon’s work connects our campuses and supports daily District operations. Whether Brandon is keeping spaces ready for staff and visitors or making sure deliveries get where they need to go, Brandon can be counted on to help keep the day moving.
Brandon is one of those people who makes each day at the District Office a little easier for everyone. From turning on the lights in the morning and getting offices ready for the day to lifting something that may be too heavy for someone else or stepping in when an extra hand is needed, Brandon helps. No task is too small, and Brandon’s willingness to notice what needs doing and lend a hand makes a difference every day. Thank you, Brandon,
Page: Nourishing Students, Supporting Schools. Behind every nutritious breakfast, lunch, and snack served across ROWUSD is thoughtful planning and coordination. Lisa Rhoades, Director of Child Nutrition Services, works closely with the Business Department, school sites, and the ELOP team to help ensure students have access to nutritious food throughout their school day and beyond. She regularly collaborates with the Business Department and vendors to coordinate purchasing, purchase orders, food and supply needs, and the many operational details required to keep Child Nutrition Services running smoothly. Her work supports breakfast and lunch meals, as well as snacks and food for ELOP and Saturday Academy programs. Lisa’s willingness to help others is greatly appreciated throughout the District. She is a valued partner to our departments and school sites, working collaboratively to find solutions and ensure our students have the nutritious foods they need to thrive in school. Through her collaboration, organization, and commitment to serving students, Lisa helps make sure our schools and programs have what they need to provide a variety of healthy options for students. Her work is another great example of how departments across ROWUSD work together behind the scenes to support our students each and every day.
Thank you to our incredible Business Office team!  We appreciate all you do to support our schools, staff, and students!
Page: RIM Educational Foundation Visits ROWUSD Principal Roundtable Meeting. Investing in Students, Enriching Their Potential
The RIM Educational Foundation is a valued partner in supporting students across all seven ROWUSD campuses. Through its School Partnership Awards, the Foundation provides funding based on student enrollment, helping ensure that students throughout the District benefit from enhanced educational opportunities.
Rim educators and parents work collaboratively to request funding for educational programs, technology, field trips, professional development, and other opportunities that enrich student learning. The Foundation’s mission is to raise funds that support high-quality educational programs and enhance student achievement. The Foundation’s vision is to enrich students' potential so they can become successful and productive members of society. At the heart of the Foundation’s purpose is a commitment to helping students succeed by providing resources and opportunities that extend and enhance their educational experience.
Together, the RIM Educational Foundation, educators, parents, and the community are investing in opportunities that help our students learn, grow, and succeed. 
From all of us at ROWUSD, thank you for investing in our students and helping them reach their fullest potential.
Page: Teachers power up with math & robotics. RIM’s 4th- and 5th-grade teachers traded their teacher hats for student hats as they jumped into a fun-filled day of UC Davis C-STEM Math & Robotics Training! Every robot they programmed and every challenge they tackled added another tool to their teaching toolbox! Now they’re bringing that new knowledge back to their classrooms, where students will have opportunities to build, code, calculate, experiment, & learn by doing.
And that’s where the real fun begins! Today’s teacher learning is powering tomorrow’s student discoveries!
Page: VOE Preschool: Up, down, & all around, VOE preschoolers were busy practicing how to keep those little smiles sparkling clean!  Learning to brush their teeth helps VOE’s youngest learners build healthy habits & independence, one tiny tooth at a time. Brush, brush, hooray for healthy smiles! Tiny feet were on the move as  VOE preschoolers took a stroll through the BIG SCHOOL garden! What a special Treat! With sunshine overhead & a beautiful mountain day all around them, VOE’s littlest explorers enjoyed discovering the sights, sounds, & wonders of nature right at school. Make way for VOE’s little scientists!  Preschoolers put on their thinking caps for some hands-on science fun! They explored, discovered, asked questions, & learned that sometimes the best lessons begin with a great big “WOW!”
Someone has eyes on you…or should we say eyes on their hands! This creative VOE preschooler added stick-on googly eyes to their hands, turning five little fingers into a silly “I SEE YOU!” moment.  Who knew hands could be so watchful?
Page: ROAR-ing Into Fall at LAE ELOP! LAE ELOP TK/K little artists had a ROAR-ing good time welcoming fall! Students colored their very own lion faces. They glued beautiful & colorful fall leaves around their lions to create wild, wonderful leafy manes. With a splash of color & a handful of autumn leaves, these young artists turned fall into something ROAR-some!
Page: Tie, Buckle & Go! VOE ELOP students are busy mastering the magical art of tying laces and fastening buckles! Loop it, swoop it, buckle it up! With little fingers working hard & big smiles along the way,  these students are building independence & fine motor skills:  one twist, tug, & click at a time.
Page: A little bit of the ocean made its way to VOE’s ELOP! ELOP students dove into creativity, crafting tide pool wind chimes from seashells. With shells dangling, imaginations swimming, and plenty of seaside inspiration, these young artists created treasures that will bring a gentle clink, clink, chime whenever the breeze blows.
Such sweet, sweet music!l
Tick-Tock! Learning Around the Clock at CHE! Time was flying at CHE ELOP! The students put “time to a test!” When the teacher called out a time, students raced to move the clock hands into just the right position. With a little friendly competition, lots of movement, and smiles, these timekeepers discovered that learning to tell time can be a race against the clock!
Page: Things got a little HOT at VOE ELOP! Watch Out! Quick...—get your feet off the floor! The LAVA is coming!... Students jumped into an ooey-gooey imaginary adventure with their “Floor Is Lava” Challenge! Young engineers put their creative minds to work building structures to save the day & kept their feet safely above the bubbling lava below! “Will it hold?!” Students put their creativity & problem-solving skills to the test during a “Floor Is Lava” building challenge, designing &constructing structures to help them stay safely above the imaginary lava below! With teamwork, engineering, &  creative thinking, VOE ELOP builders proved that when the floor turns to lava, ELOP students know exactly what to do...They BUILD!
Page: Showing up to school sure is SWEET! CHE students who achieved 100% attendance were treated to a celebration that was extra sweet! With ice cream sandwiches, games, giggles, & lots of fun! Because being at school means more chances to learn something new, see your friends,  & make FUN memories!
Way to show up, CHE!  Being here is pretty COOL!
Page: The Principal’s Prize Wheel is BACK at CHE, bringing a little extra excitement to campus! Round and round it goes…where it stops, nobody knows? But this wheel gives students opportunities to step up, take on leadership roles, help others, & show what it means to be a CHE leader. With every spin comes a little suspense, a lot of smiles, & a chance to celebrate students who are making a positive difference at school. Step up, lead the way, & give that wheel a SPIN!
Page: CHE families gathered for a mouse-tastic Movie Night featuring Stuart Little!  There were smiles, giggles, family fun, treats & of course...POPCORN! It was a sweet evening of families & friends spending time together, sharing some laughs, & making long-lasting CHE memories!
Page: Things are getting wheel-y exciting at MPH.  Students are putting learning into high gear as they design & build soapbox cars! There’s measuring, designing, building, problem-solving, & probably a few “Hmm…how are we going to make THAT work?” moments along the way! Students are using math to measure, science to explore motion & movement, engineering to design & build, & teamwork & problem-solving skills to turn their ideas into something real.
Toot, tap, boom, & beat! MPH Band students are tuning up, finding their rhythm, & making music together during band practice! With every note & every beat, these young musicians are building their skills, teamwork, & confidence...One toe-tapping tune at a time!
Page: Mary Putnam Henck Intermediate. 8th grade class photo. Future graduating class of 2031!
Page: Check it off the list, MHS! ✔️Mountain High School students celebrated Credit Check #1, taking a moment to recognize the progress they are making toward their academic goals and graduation! Every credit earned is another step forward, and every step deserves a little celebration! Credit checks give students a chance to see how far they’ve come, stay focused on what’s ahead, and keep that momentum going. Keep collecting those credits, MHS, one class, one goal, and one BIG step closer to graduation!
Page: Who says math has to stay on a worksheet? At Mountain HS, students are putting their math skills into action by playing games called Discount & The Game of Life! They were counting cash, calculating discounts, making choices, and sneaking in some serious math skills while having fun! From calculating costs & percentages to making money decisions & solving real-world problems, students are discovering that math is everywhere—even on the game board!
Page: Lunchtime = Game Time at MHS! MHS students take a break, connect with friends, & bring a little friendly competition to the table! From plotting the perfect move in Battleship to testing their skills on an old-school Atari to seeing just how high they can stack Jenga before it all comes tumbling down. Who says lunchtime is just for lunch? Sometimes the best school memories are made one game, block, & “You sunk my battleship!” at a time!
Page: New uniforms? CHECK! Looking sharp? CHECK! Music sounding smooth? DOUBLE CHECK! The RHS Marching Scots are dressed to impress & sounding fantastic as they get ready to step, strut, & march into their first parade of the season! This Saturday, September 26 at 10:00 a.m., our Marching Scots are headed to Duarte, where they’ll be fourth in the parade lineup! Families who would like to cheer them on can head to the parade route near 1620 E. Huntington Drive, Duarte, CA 91010.
We are SO proud of our Marching Scots and can’t wait to hear how their first parade adventure goes! And with a whole school year of performances still ahead, there will be plenty more opportunities to hear those drums roll and horns sing! March tall, play proud, and make some noise, Scots...Duarte, here they come!
Page: RHS girls’ volleyball team was UNDEFEATED at every level last week! Way to bring the energy, teamwork, & school spirit!  What an incredible week on the court!
Helmets on, game on, & Thursday memories! RHS football team hit the field ready to play & represented RHS school with pride! Way to go, SCOTS! Knock, knock... special delivery!  RHS's wonderful PTSA organized a classroom supply drive, & Admin added a little extra sweetness with coffee, tea, and pastries! Then, they loaded up the goodies & delivered the treats & donated supplies door to door to their staff. What a fun way to spread a little appreciation & brightness to the school day!
Page: The future came to Rim High School today, September 24th. Rim High School students had the chance to look beyond graduation & imagine all the possibilities waiting for them at the College & Career Fair! With more than 44 booths, students explored pathways into colleges, the military, utilities, forestry, fire service, county agencies, & other career and community opportunities.
Page: Students had the chance to peek into careers & pathways they may have dreamed about, or perhaps discovered for the very first time! Students rotated through the fair in groups, giving everyone room to wander, wonder, ask questions, chat with representatives, & imagine where their own journey might take them.
Page: What’s the BEST part of Today’s Fair?... There wasn't just one answer! “What do I want to be?” There were possibilities everywhere!
A college campus? A career in the mountains? Public service? The military? A career they hadn't even thought of yet? Today was all about planting those little seeds of “Maybe someday…” and turning them into “Why not me?”
Page: Dream big, Scots!  There’s a great big world waiting for you, and your next adventure is just getting started! What a wonderful way to remind our students that there isn't just one road after high school; there are so many paths to explore! Whether their future includes college, a career, public service, the military, or something they discovered for the very first time today, the fair gave students an exciting glimpse of what could be ahead.