News & Communications
Overview
We have amazing students, staff and alumni! It is the job of the Communications department to tell their stories and to help our community shine. On this page you will find recent news stories, branding and marketing resources, realtor information and more. If you have a great story idea that you want to share, send it to us at rps-pr@rpsmn.org or contact the Director of Marketing & Communication.
Communication Resources
- Family Communication
- Community Newsletter
- Flyer Distribution
- Mobile Apps
- Social Media
- Media Inquiries
- Requests for Public Data
Family Communication
We use Blackboard as our school communication system. It allows us to send phone calls, emails, text messages and alerts to the District app. The system uses contact information that you enter into ParentVUE. We use Blackboard to communicate emergency information quickly as well as important information and alerts. Schools and programs also use this system to send important information and reminders. Therefore, it is important that you keep your contact information up to date so that you receive all of the alerts and notices from your child's school and from the District.
Update: As of March 1, 2023, we are transitioning away from Blackboard and starting to use ParentSquare. If you need to update your contact information, please continue to do that using ParentVUE.
Community Newsletter
Your Schools is a community newsletter is geared towards Richfield residents as well as RPS families. It consists of a quarterly postcard with District highlights that is emailed to all District residents four times per year and a monthly e-newsletter.
If you are interested in keeping up with RPS news, community events (like student plays, concerts and athletic events), alumni profiles, and Richfield Community Education activities, you can subscribe online.
Flyer Distribution
We want families to know about valuable programs and resources in our community. To share this information, community organizations can send approved flyers home to RPS families digitally through Peachjar. To request flyer approval, follow the steps below. Paper flyers from outside organizations will no longer be distributed.
- Visit www.peachjar.com
- Register as a Program Provider (account type)
- Upload your flyer for approval
Your flyer will be automatically submitted to the District for approval. Once approved, your flyer will be emailed to families and posted on each school’s website for your selected duration of time. Peachjar charges a fee for this service that is typically much less than the cost to copy and deliver paper flyers to each school—and it's environmentally friendly!
Flyer Approval Criteria
- All materials for distribution must be fully translated into Spanish. You can include Spanish and English text on the same flyer, or you can upload a 2-page flyer with each page in a different language. Somali language flyers are also encouraged.
- Materials for distribution to students must be from a non-profit organization in Richfield or from a non-profit organization that provides services to Richfield students.
- There must be no commercial advertising on materials for distribution. However, the superintendent may make an exception when the advertising is for an organization that is sponsoring a program or event that will benefit Richfield students.
- Materials for distribution may be denied if they do not adhere to the values outlined in the Richfield Public School District mission statement or school board policies, including Board Policy 109: Distribution of Materials on School Premises.
- We do not provide blanket permission for any organization. Each flyer must be uploaded and reviewed independently. Please allow a week between the time the flyer is submitted for approval and when you want it sent to families.
Mobile Apps
Apps Used in RPS
We use a variety of mobile apps in the District. Here are the top apps you should consider downloading.
- MealViewer: Use the MealViewer app to check out the daily breakfast and lunch menus. You can also view nutrition information and set alerts for menu items with ingredients your child is allergic to. (App Store) (Google Play)
- ParentSquare and StudentSquare: Use these apps to stay connected to all communication from teachers, coaches, schools and the District. The ParentSquare app is for families and staff, the StudentSquare app is for students in grades 6-12. Create an account to manage your language and delivery preferences. (ParentSquare: App Store or Google Play) (StudentSquare: App Store or Google Play)
- ParentVUE: Stay informed and connected to your child’s academic experience by accessing midterm and end-of-term grades, daily attendance and demographic information. You can also make payments for student fees through this app. (App Store) (Google Play)
- SchoolPay: Pay for school meals, athletics/activity registration fees and more. (Website).
- Seesaw: Used primarily in our elementary schools, the Seesaw app connects you with your child's teacher and allows you to see what students are working on during the day. (App Store) (Google Play)
- Schoology: Used primarily in our secondary schools, the Schoology app lists student assignments and grades. Starting in the fall of 2023, only midterm and end-of-term grades will be recorded in ParentVUE. All daily grades will be in Schoology and we ask that you use this tool to access and track grades. (App Store) (Google Play)
- Traversa Ride 360: Provides real-time mapping for your child’s school bus location and easy access to information like their bus number, bus stop location and bus stop time. (App Store | Google Play)
Social Media
Media Inquiries
Requests for Public Data
Pursuant to the Minnesota Government Data Practices Act, members of the community may submit requests for public data by contacting our office. Upon receiving a data request, we will confirm receipt and provide a tentative timeline for fulfillment.
Prior to fulfilling a request, we may contact you if we need clarification or to arrange other details related to the request.
In order to complete a request, we will do one of the following:
- If we do not have the data, we will notify you in writing as soon as reasonably possible.
- If we have the data but it is not public data, we will notify you as soon as reasonably possible and specify in writing the reason for the decision to withhold the data.
- If we have the data and it is public data, we will respond to the request appropriately and promptly, within a reasonable amount of time by doing one of the following:
- Arrange a date, time and place to inspect data if the request is to look at the data.
- Provide copies of the data as soon as reasonably possible if copies are requested. You can choose to pick up the copies, of have the information mailed or faxed to you. Electronic copies will be provided upon request if the data is currently kept in an electronic format.
The Minnesota Government Data Practices Act does not require the creation or collection of new data in response to a data request, nor is the District required to provide data in a specific form or arrangement if not kept in that form or arrangement.
The Minnesota Government Data Practices Act does not require the district to answer questions that are not requests for data.
Be advised that there may be costs associated with certain data requests. If your request is one that would incur a fee, we will communicate that with you up front, along with an explanation for the fee(s).
Data Requests
Marketing Resources
Brand & Style Guide
Logos
By downloading and using any logo from the Richfield Public School District, you are agreeing to adhere to the Brand & Style Guide. If you require an eps file, please contact our office and we will email it to you.
Additional logos are also available upon request, including athletics logos, mascots and Spartans text.
Didn't find the logo you were looking for?
Contact the Director of Marketing & Communication and ask about additional logos and logo file formats available.
Realtor Information
Thank you for helping new Richfield families learn about Richfield Public Schools!
District Information
- Why Choose Richfield? (English) (Spanish)
- Things to Know About RPS
School Flyers
Surveys
- Overview
- Annual Survey
- Communication Survey
- Connect & Assess Survey
- Minnesota Student Survey
- Safe Routes to School
- School Climate Survey
Overview
Beginning in spring 2022, we transitioned away from one (very long) annual survey to periodic smaller surveys throughout the year. All surveys are listed here, along with any additional information about the survey results and how they are used. Some surveys only take place once every 2 or 3 years. Below are the surveys planned for the 2023-24 school year.
Winter 2024:
- Safe Routes to School Survey
- School Climate Survey
Spring 2024:
- Communication Survey
- Annual Survey
Annual Survey
Survey Focus: To evaluate how we are doing in our mission to “inspire and empower each individual to learn, grow and excel.”
Audience: Parents/guardians and staff
How Results are Used: Results are used to evaluate our work and provide feedback for reflection and improvement.
Frequency of Survey: This survey is completed once every year.
2022-23 Survey Results:
- Results of the survey were shared with the Richfield School Board at the May 15, 2023, board meeting. You can view the meeting on our YouTube channel and download the slide deck here.
- Board members have been given access to all survey results, including school-level data and all comments.
- Data from the family survey and the staff survey are part of the superintendent’s annual evaluation, along with upcoming data on superintendent goals and feedback from board members and staff members who report directly to the superintendent.
- Survey results are also shared with school leadership to support ongoing program evaluation and improvement.
Survey Questions
Communication Survey
Survey Focus : Questions ask families about their preferences when it comes to communication with the schools or district.
Audience: Current families, students in grades 6-12 and RPS staff.
How Results are Used: The information gathered helped us to plan communication for the 2022-23 school year: frequency, format, etc. at both the school and district level.
Frequency of Survey: This survey has only been completed once, but the plan is to complete it once every two years. The next survey will be administered during the 2023-24 school year.
2021-22 Survey Highlights:
- We received surveys from 837 parents/guardians, 209 students in grades 6-12 and 208 staff members.
- Relationships matter! The first place families go when they have a question is directly to the teacher, principal or office staff (51%) followed by the website (36.1%). The last place they look is the handbook (1%).
- Families want consistency. It is confusing when different teachers or schools use different platforms to communicate. With one teacher they get trained to look in a certain place, then it changes the next year or is different for each child.
- Many families feel left out because they are not on social media or don’t check it frequently enough to get information in time. Only 60% of secondary families and 65% of elementary families indicated that they follow the school or district on social media.
- Preferred communication platforms:
- 6-12 students - email (92%), in class (41%), Schoology (37%), text message (30%)
- 6-12 families - email (89%), text message (67%), phone (36%), ParentVUE (22%)
- PreK-5 families - email (88%), text message (71%), phone (31%), Seesaw (31%)
Next Steps:
To help support teachers and schools in their communication, a series of communication guides were shared with staff. The goal is to help ensure students and families are receiving content relevant to them on a consistent schedule and platform. You can view these guides here.
Survey Questions
Connect & Assess Survey
Survey Focus: This survey asks about the Connect & Assess days that took place at the beginning of the 2022-23 school year for elementary families.
Audience: Parents/guardians of elementary students
How Results are Used: Results from the survey were used to determine the success of Connect & Assess days and whether or not they should continue to be included on the calendar for future school years.
Frequency of Survey: This survey was completed only once.
2022-23 Survey Results:
Minnesota Student Survey
Survey Focus: Questions on the survey include a variety of topics relating to young people’s lives. The survey asks about how well school is going, future plans, out-of-school activities, physical and mental health, relationships, substance use and more.
Audience: Students in grades 5, 8, 9 and 11. Surveys are administered during the school day.
How Results are Used: This is a survey from the state of Minnesota (learn more here). The information helps communities and schools develop effective programs and provide better services.
Frequency of Survey: This survey is completed once every three years.
The MN Department of Education has shared the results of the 2021-22 survey here.
Survey Questions or to Opt-Out
Safe Routes to School
Survey Focus: This survey asks questions about students walking and biking to school.
Audience: Current RPS parents and guardians.
How Results are Used: Results from the survey are used to identify and address safety concerns related to walking and bicycling to school. It is also used to support grant writing for our Safe Routes to School program — so far, we have been awarded more than $150,000 in funding to create a safer community for biking and walking!
Frequency of Survey: This survey is completed once every year.
2022-23 Survey Results:
Survey Questions
TIMOTHY BRACKETT
SAFE ROUTE TO SCHOOLS COORD.
School Climate Survey
Survey Focus: Questions on the survey focus on the extent to which our schools provide a safe, welcoming and positive atmosphere for learning.
Audience: Students in fourth grade and up. Students complete the survey during the school day.
How Results are Used: We are committed to ensuring our schools are safe and welcoming to all. The data collected from the survey is used to address any school climate concerns if/when problems are identified by students.
Frequency of Survey: Previously the survey was administered once every three years, but we have now increased the frequency to annually because the survey has been updated to be significantly shorter.
2022-2023 Survey Results:
Survey Questions or to Opt-Out
District News
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