Today we celebrate our incredible school bus drivers on School Bus Driver Appreciation Day! 🚌💛
Every day, they rise before the sun to make sure our students get to school safely and on time. They manage a bus full of students with patience and care, navigate all kinds of weather and road conditions, and carry the huge responsibility of transporting our kids safely.
But beyond that, they are friendly faces, steady role models, and truly amazing people who make a difference in our students’ lives every single day.
Thank you for your dedication, your kindness, and the care you show our students. We appreciate you more than words can say!
Students in Mrs. Soulek’s and Mrs. Goodro’s classrooms worked incredibly hard to write and publish their very own class book. The Student Publishing Party was a wonderful way to recognize their creativity! 🎉
We are so proud of these hard-working, published authors and their amazing accomplishments. 💙
Join us for Cultural Night at Rapid City Central! ✨🌍
📅 April 20
⏰ 5:30–8:00 PM
📍 Fieldhouse (enter through Activities Entrance)
We’re excited to bring together students, staff, and community members to celebrate the many cultures that make our school and community so special. 🌎
Enjoy food, music, cultural displays, and hands-on activities—and don’t miss a special choir performance at 6:30 PM featuring songs from around the world! 🎶
This is a FREE, family-friendly event. Come learn, share, and celebrate with us!
Today, our staff and students showed up in a BIG way by wearing purple to support our amazing military-connected students! 💪✨
Purple represents all branches of the military, and today was all about honoring the strength, resilience, and sacrifices of military kids and their families.
We’re especially proud to recognize our military-connected students and celebrate the important role they play in our school community. 💜
Thank you to everyone who participated and helped make today so special!
The proposed $107 million bond focuses on improving school safety, addressing aging building systems, supporting responsible growth, and creating long-term cost savings across the district.
The plan prioritizes upgrades to existing schools while also addressing areas of community growth. Key components of the proposal include:
• $32 million in HVAC and building system upgrades to replace aging heating, cooling, and ventilation systems, improve air quality, and reduce long-term energy costs
• $3 million in safety and security improvements across schools, including secure entrances, updated locking systems, and expanded camera coverage
• A $12 million addition and renovation at South Park Elementary to eliminate portable classrooms, improve accessibility, and modernize learning spaces
• Construction of a new $40 million elementary school in South Rapid City to address enrollment shifts and reduce overcrowding
• $20 million in safety and functional improvements at Stevens High School to create a more secure and connected campus
“We’re excited to bring this forward after a thoughtful and thorough community process,” said Superintendent of RCAS, Dr. Jami Jo Thompson. “This proposal reflects the priorities we heard and our shared commitment to supporting students and staff.”
District leaders emphasize that the bond reflects input from the community and focuses on addressing the district’s most urgent facility needs in a fiscally responsible way.
“We took community feedback seriously and made important adjustments—lowering the overall investment while expanding the reach of this plan to more schools,” said Coy Sasse, CFOO of RCAS. “It’s a responsible approach that maximizes impact for our students and taxpayers.”
The district identified several key reasons for acting now, including aging infrastructure nearing the end of its lifespan, evolving school safety expectations, shifting student population patterns, and rising energy costs. Addressing these needs proactively is expected to reduce long-term expenses and avoid more costly emergency repairs.
Community members are encouraged to attend the April 7 meeting, tune in online via the livestream at https://youtube.com/live/HAnm_iV3Uh0, or follow district social media for updates and additional information.
Reminder: Spring Break 🌸
Spring Break will run from March 30th through April 6th. We hope everyone enjoys a safe and relaxing break!
We look forward to welcoming students back on April 7th. See you then! 😊
This is a great opportunity for incoming kindergarten families to explore resources, meet staff, and learn how to support your child’s successful start to school across the RCAS district. We can’t wait to welcome you!
Our College, Career & Life Readiness Manager, Bobbi Jo, joined students to talk about how high school Career & Technical Education classes are helping prepare them for life after RCAS. From hands-on skills to real-world experiences, these classes are giving students a head start on college, careers, and whatever path they choose next.
And honestly… showing up for a morning show the day after daylight saving time might be the most impressive life skill of all.
We’re proud of the students who shared their stories and the programs that help make these opportunities possible. The future is bright! 💡🎓
This month’s edition highlights our Teacher of the Year, Bus Driver of the Year, and important facilities updates, along with other district news and celebrations.
https://rcas.edurooms.com/engage/rapid-city-area-schools/newsletters/february-news
Dear Parents/Guardians,
The personal transfer window for the 2026–2027 school year will open on March 1, 2026, at 7:30 a.m.
If you would like to request a transfer for your student to attend a school outside of your designated attendance area, please follow the instructions below.
How to Submit a Personal Transfer Request On March 1
✔ Use a computer, tablet, or smartphone (Google Chrome is recommended).
✔ Visit the appropriate link based on your student’s grade level for the 2026–2027 school year:
Elementary (K–5): 2026–27 Elementary School Transfer Request
Middle School (6–8): 2026–27 Middle School Transfer Request
High School (9–12): 2026–27 High School Transfer Request
OR
✔ Visit the RCAS website at https://www.rcas.org/page/personal-transfers
Important Information
📩 You will receive a confirmation email after successfully submitting your request. If you do not receive a confirmation message, please resubmit your application.
📅 Transfer decisions will be communicated approximately one week prior to the start of school in the fall.
⏳ Personal transfers are processed on a first-come, first-served basis and are subject to space availability at the requested school.
A personal transfer is required when a student advances to a new grade level that results in a building change (elementary → middle or middle → high school) and the family is requesting attendance at a school other than the one assigned based on the student’s residential address.
If your student is accepted for a personal transfer you only need to apply again if they are changing buildings for middle or high school like stated above.
If you have questions, please contact Educational Services at:
cara.bento@k12.sd.us
sharon.ryan@k12.sd.us
Sincerely,
Bobbi Schaefbauer
Community Relations Manager
Rapid City Area Schools
A Well-Kept Secret, A Well-Deserved Honor!
This morning, staff and students at Robbinsdale School pulled off a top-secret surprise assembly to celebrate Alyssa Downey for an incredible honor!
Alyssa was recognized as the 2026 South Dakota School Nurse of Excellence — a statewide award recognizing the very best school nurse in South Dakota. 🏆
From caring for students to supporting staff and families, Alyssa’s compassion, dedication, and leadership make a difference every single day. In addition to serving students at Robbinsdale, Alyssa is also the school nurse at Grandview Elementary School. We are so proud to celebrate her and this well-deserved recognition.
Congratulations, Alyssa!
Rapid Valley families, students, and community members are invited to a Community Open House to get a first look at the exciting expansion and remodel planned for Rapid Valley School.
This event is your chance to explore architectural mockups, learn how the expansion will enhance learning spaces, and see how the project is shaping the future of our school. District and school staff will be available to review the plans and answer questions.
We’re excited to welcome the entire Rapid Valley community to be part of this important moment. Join us to learn more, share your thoughts, and help shape the next chapter of Rapid Valley School.
The Healthcare Pathway enables students to explore high-demand, high-impact careers while still in high school. Through a sequence of hands-on, career-focused courses, students build foundational knowledge, technical skills, and professional habits needed for success in healthcare fields. We offer courses at both Central & Stevens High Schools.
From patient care to diagnostic services and beyond, students in the Healthcare Pathway are developing the skills and confidence to serve others and make a difference in their communities.
Students have the opportunity to take the Introduction to Health Services, Gateway to Certified Nursing Assistant, Introduction to Pharmacy Technician, and Principles of Biomedical Sciences CTE courses within this Pathway.
Students also have the opportunity to join HOSA (Health Occupations Students of America).
Industry-recognized credential opportunities within this pathway include CPR, First Aid, Stop the Bleed, CNA (Certified Nursing Assistant), and Pharmacy Technician.
#CTEMonth #RCASCTE #HealthcarePathway #CareerReady #CollegeReady #LifeReady #FutureHealthcareProfessionals
February is CTE month! CTE - short for Career & Technical Education is an educational approach focusing on providing secondary students with academic, technical and employability skills for high-demand, specialized careers.
RCAS offers CTE courses in the areas of Agriculture, Food & Natural Resources, Business, Entrepreneurship & Hospitality, Construction & Technical Trades, Engineering, Health Services, Human Services & Education, Information Technology and Visual Arts & Design.
Last week, the Introduction to Health Services students from Central & Stevens attended Scrubs Camp. The camp was held at WDT. Students had the opportunity to engage in hands-on activities and hear from industry professionals in Athletic Training, Dentistry, Nursing, EMT/Paramedic, Surgical Technology, and Wound Care. Students also participated in Healthcare Jeopardy and heard from a panel of post-secondary representatives from WDT, SD Mines, and SDSU about post-secondary options in healthcare at their institutions.
A special thanks to WDTC for providing the space, lunch, and extra support for the sessions. Thanks to Black Hills Surgical Hospital, Delta Dental of SD, the USD School of Nursing, the West River Area Health Education Center, SD Mines, and SDSU for providing additional breakout sessions for students.
Special thanks to SD Mines for sponsoring and hosting this event for our students and for providing lunch and door prizes.
On Thursday, January 22, the intro to construction and technical traits classes from Central and Stevens High Schools participated in a trades experience day. Students participated in hands-on activities with various local businesses that are part of the Black Hills Construction Trades Workforce Connection group here in western South Dakota.
Students were able to learn more about residential plumbing, general contracting, setting up concrete forms, metal fabrication, fire suppression, servicing plumbing and HVAC systems, and electrical and HVAC fabrication.
A special thanks to the Black Hills Construction Trades Workforce Connection for their time and dedication to our students.
Basketball Schedule Change:
The games against Central High School, originally scheduled for Friday, January 30, and Saturday, January 31, have been rescheduled to Saturday, January 24, and will be played at Carold Heier Gym.
Game Times
Sub-Varsity: 3:30 p.m.
Girls Varsity: 6:00 p.m.
Boys Varsity: 7:30 p.m.
We appreciate the flexibility and understanding of our students, families, and staff as we continue to prioritize safety while supporting extracurricular opportunities.