The Other Foot...

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 It's official, the traditional American "holiday season" has begun which brings with it a host of events and moments where people always have the thoughts and needs of others in mind. I often wonder, what would the world be like if everyone had the "holiday spirit" for 365 days a year. Fortunately for all of us, there are millions of people in the world that do, and they are the ones that we always admire and wonder, "How do they do it." You know those folks, the ones that when you talk about them to others you use that popular phrase, "they would give their shirt off their back to a stranger." As the season kicks off, it's always helpful to remember another old phrase, "what if the shoe were on the other foot?" In some cases, we all know that sometimes people in today's world may wonder what it's like to have shoes that fit or shoes at all. Schools historically have taught kids to try to live in a world where you treat others in the same way that you want to be treated. However, this doesn't always work because as we know, the vast majority of kids that exhibit bullying-type behaviors do it because they themselves are being bullied by someone, most often an adult at home. How about those moments when you're having a bad day and just get down on yourself or your situation? We've all sat back and attempted to remind ourselves that there are people out there, oftentimes our students, that would give their every being to switch places with our misfortune. What is the purpose of these reminders you may be asking yourself by this point? It's to keep life in perspective that we all are going through something challenging and differing stages/moments of our lives. We all need someone to think of us when we need them most, and we all need to "put the shoe on the other foot" sometimes when we are attempting to help someone. A classic example of this is the "traditional" holiday season. It's an American thing based largely on American and Christian traditions, but not all families in our community or Christian, and this season may mean different things to different families. Putting the shoe on the other foot doesn't mean you have to do anything different with your personal traditions and festivities, it simply means attempting to see things from someone else's perspective to see how actions may impact them. Finally, and most importantly, it's important to remember that we have thousands of children coming to school daily with more emotional weight on their shoulders than many of us adults can comprehend. Take a moment to speak to your kids and get to know them. Let them KNOW you, flaws included. Our students oftentimes just need that one adult who knows how to get the shoe on the other foot, even if it doesn't fit. 


Clay Ornament Workshop

On Friday, December 2, the RFA Art Club will be holding a Clay Ornament Workshop at Denti Elementary School from 6:15 p.m. to 7:15 p.m. This is a family-based workshop where adults and children alike make custom clay ornaments together. Costs for the event include $5 for a family of 2, $7 for 2 children and one adult, and $10 for families of more than that. For more information, please see our live feed at: https://www.romecsd.org/live-feed#3185399.

RFA Class of 2023 Fundraiser

Please join the Rome Free Academy Class of 2023 for Breakfast with Santa! On Saturday, December 17, the senior class of RFA is hosting a fundraiser from 8:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. at Rome Free Academy. For more information, please see their flyer on our PeachJar at: https://app.peachjar.com/flyers/2374691/districts/32521.

Stuff the Bus Toy Drive

Fidelis Care and the Roser Communications Network, in conjunction with our local Colonial Park Rehabilitation and Nursing Center, is conducting their annual Stuff the Bus Toy Drive for children of the Mohawk Valley. If you are interested in donating a toy to their cause, there will be a drop-off on Friday, December 2, from 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. at Colonial Park. For more information, please see their flyer on our PeachJar at: https://app.peachjar.com/flyers/2375204/districts/32521.

Local Nutcracker Performances

It's that time of year for the annual Nutcracker performance at Rome's Capitol Theatre. As you probably know, many of our Rome City School District students are involved with this traditional holiday event each year. Shows will be held on Friday, December 9th, and Saturday, December 10th. For more information, including ticket information, please visit the John Hayes O'Neill Studio of Dance website at www.jhodance.com.

Student Attendance at School Events/Athletics

As we prepare to begin the winter athletic season, please know that there will be new student attendance requirements for RFA and Strough students who desire to attend home contests. In response to student concerns about student behavior at football games, moving forward, any student who has a referral of any kind, will not be permitted into events for the week that the referral was received. If the referral is a major offense (level C or D in the code of conduct), the student will not be permitted into events for the season. Details on how the procedure will work for students in RFA and Strough, will be available through communications from the buildings directly. We hope that this practice not only improves the viewing experience of our general spectators but also incentivizes some students to exhibit more appropriate conduct while in school and in public.







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