🎓 TODAY'S THE DAY! The 2027-28 FAFSA is OPEN!

If you're planning to attend college, technical college or another eligible postsecondary program, now is the time to take the first step toward accessing financial aid.

Apply today at studentaid.gov

If you experience a slow website or a delay today, don't panic. Make a calendar reminder to come back and complete it later.

Need help? Reach out to your school, college financial aid office or a FAFSA support partner in your community.

Your postsecondary future starts with this step!

about 18 hours ago, Racine Unified School District
FAFSA Countdown, Apply Today

The FAFSA opens in one week!

Let's bust a FAFSA myth:

❌ MYTH: "I probably won't qualify for financial aid, so I don't need to complete the FAFSA."
✅ FACT: You won't know what financial aid you may be eligible for until you complete the FAFSA.

The FAFSA can help determine eligibility for federal financial aid, and FAFSA information is also used by colleges and states when determining aid. Don't count yourself out before you apply.

As with everything, beware of scams and fraud! StudentAid.gov is the ONLY official website to complete the FAFSA.

The 2027-28 FAFSA opens October 1.
Learn what you need to get ready.

7 days ago, Racine Unified School District
FAFSA Countdown, 1 week away

🎓 2 WEEKS UNTIL THE FAFSA OPENS!

So, what exactly is the FAFSA?

FAFSA stands for the Free Application for Federal Student Aid. It is the form students complete to apply for federal financial aid to help pay for college, technical college and other eligible postsecondary education and training.

Completing the FAFSA can help determine your eligibility for federal grants, work-study and student loans. Colleges and universities may also use FAFSA information when determining eligibility for their own financial aid.

And here's the important part: You won't know what financial aid you may be eligible for until you complete the FAFSA.

The 2027-28 FAFSA opens October 1 for students planning to attend school during the 2027-28 academic year.

Start learning about the FAFSA now so you're ready when it opens.

Visit studentaid.gov or learn more here.

14 days ago, Racine Unified School District
FAFSA Countdown, 2 weeks away
National Hispanic Heritage Month begins today! Over the next four weeks, we’ll be highlighting students and staff within our schools and what this month means to them. How are you celebrating?

¡Hoy comienza el mes de la Herencia Hispana! Durante las siguientes 4 semanas estaremos presentando a estudiantes y a miembros del personal de nuestras escuelas para saber lo que este mes significa para ellos. ¿Cómo lo celebrarás tú?
17 days ago, Racine Unified School District
Hispanic Heritage Month
During the summer, we printed new sticker sheets featuring the winning entries from last school year's design contest. Superintendent Gajewski visited Simrita at Walden III and Ezekiel at SC Johnson Elementary this week to congratulate them with movie passes and sticker sheets. CONGRATULATIONS again!
21 days ago, Racine Unified School District
Winning sticker sheet entries
Superintendent Gajewski with Simrita at Walden.
Superintendent Gajewski with Ezekiel at SC Johnson
🕊️Please join us for our annual International Day of Peace celebration on Friday, Sept. 18th, at Starbuck International 4K-8. Details are in the attached letter. A flyer will also be sent home with your child.☮️
27 days ago, COLLEEN STRAIN
This is an invitation to join us at our Peace Day celebration on Sept. 18th.
This is the same invitation in Spanish.

We are proud to announce that 6th-graders Aubrey and Isabella of The Academies of Racine at Gifford School have each won a $5,000 prize to be deposited into a college savings plan of their choice from EVERFI's MassMutual Foundation FutureSmart Contest!

Mrs. Hendrix's class submitted essays to the contest last school year, and winners were selected in July.

Congratulations, Aubrey and Isabella!

about 1 month ago, Racine Unified School District
One of the scholarship winners posing with Mrs. Hendrix.
One of Gifford School's scholarship winners posing in front of the Academies logo

School starts September 1 - make sure you're ready! Check out this important Back-to-School information.

about 2 months ago, Racine Unified School District
back-to-school

Starting school doesn't have to be scary. From A to Z and everything in between, we have everything you need to know about sending your child to kindergarten all in one place!

2 months ago, Racine Unified School District
A kindergarten boy giving a thumbs up with a smile.

Starbuck's International Baccalaureate (IB) students made an impact this year with their capstone projects!

For the IB Primary Years Programme Exhibition, students showcased what they learned through inquiry, explored real-world issues that mattered to them, took meaningful action, and shared their learning with the community.

Through the IB Middle Years Programme Community Project, students identified a need in our community, planned and completed a meaningful project, worked independently, and reflected on the impact they made along the way.

Students, we're proud of the work you did to make our world a better place! 🌎🕊️ #YouBelongHere

4 months ago, Racine Unified School District
A student poses for a photo in front of their project about composting.
Two students giving a presentation in front of their project on Gender Stereotyping.
Three students pose for a photo in front of their project on Jamaica.
Two students pose for a photo in front of their project on the Philippines.
Two students sitting at a table with a Starbuck International K-8 School logo, handing out programs.s
Several students looking at another student's project.
Two students give a presentation to a community member about their project.
Two students give a classroom presentation on Drug Abuse and Dangers.
Three students give a classroom presentation on Children's Literacy.
Two students standing in front of their project.
We are excited to announce that RTC Services has hired Jace Johnson of The REAL School and Matteo Molini of Case High School as Youth Apprentices!

Jace and Matteo connected with RTC Services at April's RUSD/Racine Area Manufacturers and Commerce Youth Apprenticeship hiring event.

RTC Services is owned by Ryan Chadek, a Case graduate. As a first-time YA partner, Ryan and his team will provide employment and mentorship to Jace and Matteo as they utilize the training they have acquired through The Academies of Racine for home remodeling projects.

For more information on how to get involved in Youth Apprenticeship, contact regional coordinator Jen Muffick at jmuffick@racinechamber.com.
4 months ago, Racine Unified School District
Ryan Chadek, Jace Johnson and Matteo Molini standing in front of an RTC Services van.
The Academies of Racine at Horlick junior Juan Rojas is our latest youth apprentice to sign on with a company! He will be doing carpentry work for JH Findorff, with his first job being at Walden III!

In addition to carpentry, Juan will work alongside electricians and plumbers with an opportunity to shadow other trades.

At his signing ceremony, Juan received a full set of tools from Findorff, gas cards from AGC to help him get to and from work and more. Congratulations! #YouBelongHere
4 months ago, Racine Unified School District
Juan and representatives from Findorff at his signing ceremony.
Juan signing on with Findorff Construction
Juan posing for a photo at his signing ceremony.
The bag of tools Juan received at his signing ceremony.
It was a beautiful day to celebrate the completion of a great project! The Academies of Racine at Park's Construction and Horticulture students cut the ribbon on a new shed they built for the community garden at the Tyler Domer Community Center.

Not only will tools and supplies be kept dry, but water runoff from the roof will be collected in rain barrels for use in the garden.

This project was made possible with a grant from United Way of Racine County's Community Workforce Fund. #YouBelongHere
4 months ago, Racine Unified School District
A commemorative plaque being installed above the door to the storage shed.
Principal O'Malley speaks to a group of several dozen students at the ceremony.
A student who worked on the project speaks in front of the storage shed.
Two members of the community garden pose for a photo in front of the new shed.
An instructor speaks in front of the new storage shed.
The inside of the storage shed. To the left are shelves for supplies.
The inside of the storage shed. To the right is a tiller and a window.
Mitchell's STEM Girls recently visited Park High School's automotive classroom to learn essential vehicle maintenance, including changing oil and rotating tires. 🚗🚙 #YouBelongHere
4 months ago, Racine Unified School District
Students in Mitchell's STEM Girls class listinging to Park's automotive instructor.
Park's automotive instructor demonstrating how to remove engine oil.
A student pulls a handle that lowers a vehicle on a lift.
Park's automotive instructor points to a car's engine cover.
A Mitchell student checks the oil level on a dip stick.
A Mitchell student removes a car tire.
A Mitchell student walks with a car tire.
A Mitchell student places lug nuts back onto a car.
A Mitchell student tightens lugs nuts with a drill, with the assistance of Park's automotive instructor.
Three Mitchell students watch a car lift lower a car.
This year's group of United Way of Racine County VITA income tax filers at The Academies of Racine at Case has A LOT to celebrate! This tax season, they were responsible for:

Filing 240 returns for community members
Finding more than $580K in refunds
Saving nearly $50K in tax prep fees

Well done, VITA volunteers! #YouBelongHere
4 months ago, Racine Unified School District
Fourteen students who were part of the 2026 VITA program pose for a photo with their certificates.
A male student receiving his VITA certificate.
A female student and instructor pose for a photo at the VITA certificate ceremony.
A make student posing for a photo with his VITA certificate.
This week, hundreds of students at Mitchell, Olympia Brown, Gifford, Schulte and Jerstad-Agerholm celebrated the completion of Everfi's Financial Literacy courses with Educators Credit Union!

Students showed off their financial knowledge with a series of games that highlighted their ability to make smart money decisions. To make things better, 82% of these students completed BOTH Everfi courses. 🎉

THANK YOU to Everfi, Educators Credit Union and the volunteers who made this program possible for our students. #YouBelongHere
4 months ago, Racine Unified School District
A teacher handing fake money to a student who just completed a ring toss game.
A male student playing a bucket toss game.
A male student playing a ring toss game.
A male student throwing a small red football.
A group of student standing in a circle playing hot potato with a football.
A male student playing a ring toss game while other students wait for their turn.
A female student playing a ring toss game
A teacher handing fake money to a student who just completed a ring toss game.
A male student playing a ring toss game.
A volunteer watching a student play a bucket toss game.

As reading scores in Wisconsin continue to decline, we have made noticeable gains at Racine Unified!

A renewed focus on early literacy has put our change in Reading Achievement on an upward trajectory for 3rd-8th-grade students since 2023. During that same time, the average of similar districts has fallen and leveled off.

Read more in this Wisconsin Public Radio article.

5 months ago, Racine Unified School District
A graph displaying the change in Reading Achievement sind 2019 for 3-8 grade students. A notable takeaway is starting at 2023, test scores for RUSD began to climb while the average of the scores for Madison, Kenosha, Waukesha, Neenah and Green Bay's school districts continued to fall.

Registration closes tomorrow! Unlock a summer of possibilities! RUSD Summer School helps kids explore their talents and passions. Enroll today at rusd.org.

¡La registración cierra mañana! ¡Descubre un verano lleno de posibilidades! La Escuela de Verano de RUSD ayuda a que los niños exploren sus talentos y pasiones. Registrese hoy, en rusd.org.

5 months ago, Racine Unified School District
Summer School English
Summer School Spanish

We have several camp options this summer through the RUSD Extended Learning Program. Find more information and register.

Camp options include:
Art
Baseball Skills
Basketball/Life Skills
Cheer
Chess
Dance
Golf
Line Dancing
Girls in Manufacturing
Podcasting and Video Production
Soccer Skills
STEAM
Volleyball

5 months ago, Racine Unified School District
RUSD Extened Learning Summer Camps English flyer (information is in the body of this post)
RUSD Extened Learning Summer Camps Spanish flyer (information is in the body of this post)

For National Police Week, we want to thank our School Resource Officers (SROs) who go above and beyond to ensure our schools are safe, supportive, and welcoming environments. From building trust with students to responding quickly in emergencies, you make a lasting impact every day. Your presence brings peace of mind, and your dedication to protecting and mentoring our students is truly invaluable.
We appreciate you and all you do to keep our school communities safe.
#NationalPoliceWeek #ThankYouSROs #SchoolResourceOfficers

5 months ago, Racine Unified School District
National School Police week