Dear Students, Families, and Staff, 
As we return from winter break, we are excited to share our latest newsletter highlighting the final week of school before the break. This edition captures the moments, activities, and accomplishments that made our last week together so special.
Thank you for your continued support and partnership. We hope you enjoy revisiting these highlights and celebrating the great work happening across our schools.
Page: Rim’s Edge of Excellence Newsletter. Rim’s Edge of Excellence Newsletter. January 2026- Next Board Meeting: Date of School Board Meeting: Thursday,  January 22nd, 2026, Time: 5:30 p.m.  Place: Rim of the World Unified School District Office. 24740 San Moritz Way, Crestline, CA 92325. If you are unable to attend in Person, 
You can watch the meeting live on YouTube:  https://youtube.com/@rowusdschools/streams
Page: From ROWUSD Superintendent Dr. Paul Sevillano.: Artificial Intelligence (AI)  is here to stay, and it is actively transforming our everyday lives across the country and around the world. From smartphones we carry in our pockets to advanced technologies that assist surgeons in complex surgeries, AI is reshaping how we live, learn, and work. At ROWUSD, we recognize the opportunity and responsibility that come with AI advancements. 
On November 12th, parents were invited to our LCAP Parent Committee meeting, where they, along with teachers, staff, district leadership, and community members, engaged in thoughtful discussions about integrating AI into learning. They formed the TRAIL (Technology, Research, Artificial Intelligence, and Learning) Committee and developed the  Parent AI survey to ensure the voices of all parents are heard as we define guidelines and establish a clear roadmap for the use of AI in our classrooms.  Parents, please take a few moments to complete the AI Parent survey. Your feedback will help guide planning that aligns with our educational goals and supports transparent policies related to academic integrity, data privacy, ethical considerations, and digital safety infrastructure.  We are committed to continuing meaningful engagement with students, parents, staff, and community partners to build trust and gather ongoing feedback. 
Artificial Intelligence is not intended to replace teaching or human connection. Instead, when used responsibly, AI can enhance efficiency and increase opportunities for student interaction, allowing teachers' lessons to focus more intentionally on essential human skills such as creativity, emotional intelligence, critical thinking, and ethical reasoning. ROWUSD is committed to embracing a balanced approach that thoughtfully harnesses the power of AI to create a more creative, adaptive, engaging, and accessible learning environment for ALL students. 
Page: Exciting News from Rim HS Marching Band! The new Marching Band uniforms have officially arrived! The wait is over, and they look absolutely fantastic! Thank you to our incredible Mountain Community for your generosity and dedication to Rim High School’s Fundraising. This would not have been possible without your continued support. A huge shout-out to Devina Horvath, Valerie Watson, Christina Evans, and Cathy Porter, along with the rest of our amazing Rim Band parents.
 Your hard work, time, and commitment made this happen! Rim High School Marching Band.
Page: Valley of Enchantment Preschool. Learning From Our Community Helpers! Burrtec visited our preschool students & shared all about the BIG trash trucks that help keep our neighborhoods clean! Our youngest learners loved watching the truck in action, learning about community helpers, & seeing how important this job is with wide eyes and BIG smiles! Snow Plow Painting Fun! VOE’s preschool students got messy and creative while painting snow plows!  With bright colors and lots of play, Little hands explored paint, had fun, and enjoyed making art together. Growing Little Gardeners! Ms. Jennifer spent time with VOE’s youngest students teaching them how to make chia plants! Little hands were busy planting, watering, and learning as students discovered how caring for something small can help it grow—just like them.
Page: Valley of Enchantment Preschool. From Practice to Performance! VOE’s preschoolers were busy practicing their songs in preparation for their holiday recital.
 With lots of singing, movement, and giggles along the way, they worked hard getting ready for their special day. The final photos capture their beautiful performance with bright smiles, joyful voices, & proud moments shared with family and friends!
Page: Charles Hoffman ELOP. Little Artists, Big Imaginations!! CHE ELOP students have been diving into a variety of fun and colorful art projects, letting their creativity run WILD! From bold ideas to creative masterpieces, CHE ELOP’s students are exploring, expressing, and creating with joy!
Page: Charles Hoffman ELOP. Click, Clack, Typing Is Back!! CHE ELOP’s 4th- and 5th-grade students traded paintbrushes for keyboards as they practiced important typing skills. Through engaging typing lessons, students are building confidence, coordination, & digital skills! One keystroke at a time! Typing Lessons may seem old-school, but they’re making a big comeback!  Our CHE ELOP students are learning that strong typing skills are helpful in their tech-filled classroom.
Page: Valley of Enchantment ELOP. Don’t Get Blown Away by This Fun! VOE ELOP Students were windswept with excitement as they learned about wind power in a hands-on, creative activity! They designed their own wind socks. This is a great way for spotting which way the wind blows!.
Page: Valley of Enchantment ELOP. Don’t Get Blown Away by This Fun! This engaging and interactive lesson was led by ELOP Site Lead Victoria Wulfman, 
who made learning both fun and meaningful. The Best part of all, students got to take their wind socks home to keep the learning going! WOW!!! What a fantastic way to make learning soar!!!!
Page: Valley of Enchantment ELOP. Creative Cheer Before Winter Break! Before heading off for winter break, VOE ELOP students rolled up their sleeves and let their creativity shine by designing beautiful holiday tree ornaments. From colorful designs, thoughtful details & lots of imagination, students transformed simple materials into special keepsakes full of personality and flair.
Page: Valley of Enchantment ELOP. Each ornament tells a story & reflects the creativity, effort, and joy our students brought to the activity. These happy little masterpieces are sure to brighten any tree and warm hearts all season long. What a wonderful way to wrap up the semester and head into winter break with smiles and holiday cheer!
Page: CHE’s Saturday Academy Holiday Fun! What better way to wrap up the last Saturday before Winter Break than with a little holiday magic at CHE’s Saturday Academy!  CHE’s students were creative as they designed cheerful greetingcards to spread kindness, explored stamp art, and enjoyed a Reindeer Toast! This was a perfect blend of creativity, hands-on learning, fun, and smiles! State Shape Superstars! Sharp eyes, quick thinking, and lots of excitement filled the room as students raced to match states to their shapes—learning and laughing every step of the way. Mrs. Wakis’s 5th graders are putting their geography skills to the test with a fast-paced “Locate the State Shape” game! Who knew geography could be this FUN?
Page: A Night Full of Cheer, Cocoa, and Community! Running Springs Fire Department Annual Community Christmas Party. Running Springs Families gather at Charles Hoffman Elementary for their Annual Community Dinner to enjoy good food, cozy cups of cocoa, & a special visitor from the North Pole-Santa Claus himself!, with help from his friends at the Running Springs Fire Department! Even Rocky the Raccoon joined in on the fun, sharing the night with Santa Claus and spreading smiles all around! This was a night to remember!  Thank you for helping make our school feel even more like home! Gingerbread on the Go! Mrs. Guzman’s Kinder class does a “Walk and Write the Room” all about Gingerbreadmen. Extra steps & lots of smiles make this lesson extra sweet!
Page: Winter Bingo Fun—No Snow Required! Students had a cool time playing  Winter Bingo with Ms. Jessica in the library! Who needs snow outside? The laughs, smiles, and enthusiastic “BINGO!” calls brought all the winter cheer they needed. It’s Almost Showtime! Excitement filled the halls as CHE’s 3rd-grade and Kinder students lined up, ready to make their BIG entrance into the multipurpose room for their Holiday performance!
Page: A Holiday Hit—Encore, Please! CHE packed the house on December 19 with a record-breaking crowd of Family & Friends for their Holiday performance! 
This shows that festive cheer & Amazing students draw a full audience! Making the magic extra special, Mr. Lawless returned once again...
just as he has for over the last three decades. And of course, no holiday show would be complete without the fan-favorite classic, “Hoffman Elementary Christmas,” his original song written back in the early ’90s and still the most requested hit in town. Some traditions never go out of style!
Page: Gingerbread Giggles & Sweet Competition! Our 2nd graders turned the Library into a full-on gingerbread neighborhood, proudly displaying their creative gingerbread houses during Winter PJ Day. From simple designs to imaginative creations, each house showed off student effort, creativity, and holiday spirit!
Pajamas, proud smiles & friendly voting made this a sweet celebration with no candy required!
LAE: Lake Arrowhead Elementary. Library Fun with Our 3rd Grade & TK Buddies! Big kids and little learners teamed up for a fun-filled library visit filled with smiles, games, crafts, ABC’s,  learning stories, and friendship. Learning together is always better!
Page: Lake Arrowhead Elementary. Paws, Smiles, and a Whole Lot of Joy! LAE’s Students recently enjoyed a SPECIAL visit from the wonderful therapy dogs from the Inland Empire Therapy! Smiles lit up faces, laughter filled the room, and students felt the comfort, love, and calm that only dogs can bring. From gentle cuddles to 
wagging tails, the love these dogs shared created a meaningful and uplifting experience for everyone! It was truly a great day! How powerful a dog’s love of connection & kindness can be in supporting student well-being. Thank you to our therapy dog partners for spreading happiness & making our students feel 
seen, supported, and loved.
Page: Lake Arrowhead Elementary. LAE’s 3rd-grade students went on a silly trip to Whoville, & laughter filled the room from start to finish! 
With big smiles & lots of enthusiasm, the students acted out Who’s from Whoville? They brought each character to life in the most fun & magical way. It was clear these students weren’t having a blast! Bravo to our amazing 3rd graders for reminding us that learning is even better when it’s filled with FUN, IMAGINATION, & a little “Whoville” magic! Tiny Voices, Big Holiday Cheer! LAE’ TK & Kinder students warmed hearts filled the room with families & friends with holiday magic during their festive performance! With bright smiles, sweet voices, & plenty of excitement, their youngest learners shared seasonal songs that brought joy to everyone !!!!
From proudly singing their very best, each child shone BRIGHT in their own special way! Their enthusiasm, courage, and holiday spirit reminded us that sometimes the simplest moments—little voices singing big songs—are the most magical of all.
Page: Learning About Clean Water at VOE. Dr. Alford and her team from  CSUSB visited VOE as part of the Environmental Science Watershed Project. Dr. Alford & Team taught students about the importance of water, & why clean water matters for drinking and everyday life.
Page: Valley of Enchantment Elementary. A Mini Skate Park Surprise at VOE! Principal Negersmith shared photos from the VOE PTA of an exciting new discovery on 
VOE’s school campus. Mr. Schultz installed the concrete ramps & guardrails, & students brought their Tech Decks & accessories from home to enjoy this creative, hands-on activity! Smiles, imagination, and lots of tiny skate tricks made this a truly memorable experience!
Page: Growing Together Through Co-Teaching. MPH staff came together for a co-teaching Professional Development led by MPH teachers. This collaborative learning experience sparked new ideas, shared strategies, and strengthened teamwork, all focused on growing together to better support our students. Math Minds at Work! MPH math students were hard at work solving problems, thinking critically, and building confidence one step at a time. Each equation and strategy shared is part of their growing math journey! Student Voice = Student Growth. MPH students participated in an LCAP student focus group, sharing their thoughts, experiences, andideas. Their voices play an important role in shaping our schools and help guide growth for our entire school community. Student Voices Matter!
Page: RHS Shout Out to Mrs Phillips!!! Mrs. Phillips recently took 7 students down the mountain to participate in the Pathways 2 Medicine (P2M) first session of a five-part series designed for students interested in pursuing careers in medicine. This opportunity is one of the ways Mrs. Phillips engages and supports our RHS students!  Her dedication to creating meaningful experiences exemplifies what makes RIM a caring and connected community!  Thank you, Mrs. Phillips, for continuing to be the heart of RHS for three decades strong!
Page: Rim High School. ROWUSD is incredibly proud of our High School Basketball Teams. Their hard work, dedication, and commitment to the game are evident every time they step out on the court. These athletes represent RHS with Talent, Teamwork, & Sportsmanship, putting in countless hours of practice and giving their best efforts for their teammates, school, and district. Go RHS!
Page: 1st MHS 2025-2026 Graduate!!!  Angeline is MHS’s 1st graduate for the 25-26 school year, and an early graduate too. We are very proud of her accomplishments! Her classmate described her as a true pleasure to work with, someone who helped everyone stay on track and demonstrated natural leadership. Angeline enjoyed cofacilitating groups, especially serving as an assistant during group counseling sessions, where her support and dedication truly shone. Angeline plans to attend Crafton Hills College and pursue in Health Sciences with the goal of becoming an EMT. She will be missed in class, but we know she will bring so much to the field of medicine and to those she serves through her passion for helping others!
Page: Mountain High School. MHS Eagles embraced the spirit of giving ahead of winter break by participating in a Pet Donation event to support a Pet Toy Drive Social. These High School students donated pet supplies while enjoying a positive experience filled with good food and opportunities to connect & socialize. 
What made it even more special was that the students were greeted by a licensed therapy dog, which added an element of comfort and joy to the event.
Page: RVA Students Lead With Heart Through Pet Toy Drive & Community Service. At RVA, students demonstrated their spirit of service during a Pet Toy Drive. Students created pet toys, built gingerbread houses together, and enjoyed hot chocolate and cookies while donating pet supplies for local animal shelters. The excitement was evident as students proudly shared their enthusiasm for helping pets in need, all while being welcomed by an adorable licensed therapy dog.