What an incredible week at Rock Creek! Our classrooms and hallways have been buzzing with energy, growth, and Rocket pride. We have so many wonderful moments to celebrate—take a look below to see our Rockets shining bright! We have lots to share and read this week, but we hope you will review all this as I hope you will see the hard work that is being invested in all kids. We want our Rock Creek Families to be PARTNERS with us in this journey.

Our 5th Grade Leaders blasted off into a week full of adventure during the annual Rock Creek 5th Grade Camp... held right here on campus! The weather was beautiful, the activities were meaningful, and the memories will last a lifetime. From the reptile show and bird presentation by the World Bird Sanctuary to archery, geocaching, camp songs, team challenges, and more... it was nonstop learning and laughter.

A huge thank-you to Mrs. Flynn for her incredible leadership, the entire 5th-grade team, and all the staff and parent volunteers who helped make this experience such a success for our students.

This month’s Leader in Me Assembly was extra special—our AMAZING Media Club Leaders took the stage and led the entire show! We love seeing our Rockets front and center, using their voices and talents to inspire others. At Rock Creek, we know learning goes far beyond textbooks—we’re dedicated to EQUIPPING our students with the skills for lifelong success. This month’s focus was Habit 2: Begin With the End in Mind, and our Media Club did an outstanding job teaching this important lesson to the whole school!

As we launch into our third year of Leader in Me, our amazing staff has been working hard to strengthen the sense of belonging that makes Rock Creek such a special place. This year, we introduced something brand new—Rock Creek Families!

Right after our assembly, students learned which school family they’ll belong to for the rest of their time at RCE—and the excitement, energy, and JOY were contagious! Each family includes students from all grade levels (K–5) and is led by one or more of our incredible staff members—every adult in the building is part of this effort. That means every teacher, clerk, specialist, and support staff member is helping to lead and build these powerful connections across our school.

The goal of Rock Creek Families is to create lasting relationships between students and adults beyond the classroom. Families will meet monthly to explore Leader in Me habits, strengthen community, and lift each other up. We can’t wait to see how these bonds grow and shine throughout the year!

A huge shout-out to Mrs. McCoy (Assistant Principal) and our Lighthouse Coordinators, Mrs. Kulp (Librarian) and Mrs. Cumbie (3rd Grade Teacher), for organizing and guiding this exciting new initiative—along with a heartfelt THANK YOU to every staff member for leading the way and making Rock Creek feel like home for every child.

Early Release Days are anything but short on purpose at Rock Creek! While our students focus on Leader in Me habits, our staff works hard behind the scenes to help every child grow.

This year, we’ve set a Wildly Important Goal (WIG)—that 100% of Rock Creek students will reach their individual reading goal! Every student will have a personalized goal designed to target their unique needs, and our teachers are currently finalizing those goals with care and intention.

During our MTSS (Multi-Tiered System of Supports) time—a daily block focused on meeting students right where they are—each child will receive specific support multiple times a week to help them make steady progress. In simple terms, MTSS is how we make sure every student gets exactly what they need to grow as a reader, whether they need extra practice, a challenge, or something in between. This goes beyond reading and also supports math and social emotional development.

Students will track their progress using Lead Measures—the small, consistent actions they can take each day (like reading for 20 minutes, practicing sight words, or setting a focus goal) that move them closer to success.

You can support this work at home by encouraging those same daily habits and celebrating progress along the way! Kindergarten will join this goal-setting process gradually as they develop their early literacy skills.

Our teachers have been working tirelessly—collaborating, reflecting, and refining their approach—to make sure every child at Rock Creek gets exactly what they need to succeed. As part of this effort, our staff has also revisited our mission, vision, and collective commitments to ensure we stay united in our purpose.

Huge kudos to our incredible staff for their passion, dedication, and teamwork—it’s what makes Rock Creek truly out of this world!

Last week, we had the joy of celebrating our incredible custodial team—Devin, Tara, Ainsley, Isaiah, and Rachell! These five rockstars keep Rock Creek shining every single day, and their hard work, pride, and care are felt in every hallway, classroom, and corner of our school.

They’re the quiet heroes who make sure our students have clean, safe spaces to learn and play—and they do it all with smiles, laughter, and genuine love for our school family. Whether it’s setting up for special events, tackling muddy shoe prints after recess, or helping in a pinch with a last-minute classroom need, they always go above and beyond.

Please join us in giving a heartfelt thank you to our custodial crew for everything they do to make Rock Creek a beautiful place to learn and lead. We truly couldn’t do it without them!

DATES:  October 29th (Evening) & October 30th (Daytime & Evening)

We are excited to welcome ALL of our families in person for our Fall 2025 conferences.  Please review the available slots below and click on the button to sign up. Please sign up for one twenty minute time slot and mark it on your calendar at home. In the event that you are not available for an in person conference, please contact the teacher directly regarding other options.

Click Here to Sign-Up For A Conference

If you have any problems, the office staff would be glad to support!

• Sign-Up for Parent and Teacher Conferences

• Bring in CANDY to FEED the Candy Monsters! Information below...

• Submit Payment to attend the Monster Mash Bash... Details Below...

• Recognize Rock Creek Staff: Complete a BLUE NOTE!

• Complete District Facilities Survey - We Want to Hear You - SURVEY

Let’s show our Rock Creek staff some love! Blue Notes are a simple way to share appreciation, celebration, or thanks with any FZSD staff member.

It’s easy to send one—just use the banner on any of our websites or click below:
Send a Blue Note Now

Let’s make some noise and brighten our staff’s day! 💙

We want to hear from YOU! The district has $32M left from the Prop 4 bond, and your input will help decide how it’s used.

Take a quick survey and make your voice count: Click Here to Share Your Thoughts

Let’s shape the future of our schools together!

Supporting Your Leader at Home: The Power of Affirmations

As part of our Leader in Me program, we want to share a simple way you can empower your child at home: affirmations—positive statements that build confidence, resilience, and a sense of belonging. The words we use matter, and integrating affirmations into daily life can reinforce your child’s potential and value.

Affirmations to Try:

• Build Confidence: “I believe in you” | “You are capable of great things”

• Encourage Contribution: “Your voice matters” | “You bring something special to our family”

• Develop Resilience: “Mistakes are part of learning” | “I see your effort, and it matters”

• Foster Teamwork: “It’s okay to ask for help” | “Together, we can find a way through any challenge” | “You are an important part of our family”

Tips for Using Affirmations at Home 💡

• Make it Personal: Include your child’s name or reference something they did.

• Be Consistent: Use them in routines like morning greetings, dinner, or bedtime.

• Use Visuals: Sticky notes on mirrors, doors, or lunchboxes can be daily reminders.

• Encourage Family Affirmations: Try sharing positives about each other, like during a “Shout-Out Saturday.”

By weaving affirmations into everyday moments, you help your child grow into a confident, resilient, and caring leader. Thank you for partnering with us!

Fort Zumwalt's district, school and activities websites connect you to Student Nutrition Menus, events and celebrations across the district.

Download our app, which is free for Apple and for Android.This app connects you with your school and the district. Click Menu, then Dining to see options for this week, next week or all that are entered. Use the Events feature to download items to your personal calendar. Enable notifications so you are connected to inclement weather notifications. Keep up with your school’s achievements, celebrations and important deadlines for everything from yearbook purchases to finals schedules or community events. Take a quick tour in this video.

FZ App video transcript

Rock Creek Menu

🎃 October

16: RCE Fall Festival 🎉
17: No School (Records Day) 📝
20–30: Scholastic Book Fair 📚
24: Picture Retake Day 📸
29–30: Parent-Teacher Conferences 👩‍🏫👨‍🏫
30: No School for Students (PT Conferences) 🛑
31: No School 🎃

🍂 November

3: No School (Fall Break) 🛑
4: No School (Election Day / PD Day) 🗳️
26–28: No School (Thanksgiving Break) 🦃

🎄 December

6: Santa Breakfast 🎅 | 8:00–11:00 AM
22–Jan 5: No School (Winter Break) ❄️

⏰ Early Release Days (Wednesdays)

1:10 PM Dismissal ✂️

• September 10

• October 1

• November 12

• December 3

• January 14

• February 4

• March 4

• April 1

• May 6

May 21: Tentative Last Day 🎓

Find the cafeteria menu on our website or in the free FZ app, along with our calendars for information on Letter Days and Events. You can sync them to your calendar!

Rock Creek Elementary - Office Hours 7:30 a.m. - 4:15 p.m. Phone - 636-980-1800

Email Dr. Wayne Dierker, Principal

Email Bridget McCoy, Assistant Principal

• go.FZSD.us/QuickCalendar (or the Quick Calendar button on any of our websites) connects you with the school year at a glance.

• go.FZSD.us/SyncMyCalendar allows visitors to sync our website, Elementary Letter Days and Middle School Letter Days calendars to their own.

• go.FZSD.us/AMIDays is updated annually with information on inclement weather schedules and procedures.

• go.FZSD.us/Kindergarten connects families with information for Kindergarten Enrollment.

• go.FZSD.us/CSIP provides updates on and access to our Continuous School Improvement Plan.