Sunshine Elementary

10/16/2026

FUTURE FOCUSED FRIDAY | Investing in Students. Building Brighter Futures! 💙💚

The future of Rutherford County starts with the students we support today! Through the Rutherford County Schools Education Foundation, our community is helping create opportunities and brighter futures for students across our district.

Parents, local businesses, and community members: we invite YOU to invest in the future of Rutherford County!

Your support helps make a difference through programs like:

* RCS Backpack Program – Fighting childhood hunger.

* Helping Hands for Homeless Students – Providing hope and assistance to students and families in need.

* Teacher Mini Grants – Bringing innovative classroom ideas to life.

* Project STEAM – Inspiring tomorrow's innovators, creators, and problem-solvers.

By becoming an annual member of the RCS Education Foundation, you're joining a community committed to ensuring our students have the resources, opportunities, and support they need to succeed.

The future is ours to shape, and together, we can make it brighter!

Become a community member today: Visit rcsedfoundation.org/membership to learn more and join!

10/15/2026

10/15/2026

10/15/2026

Testimonial Thursday | RCS Education Matters

October is National Principals Month, and this week, we're continuing our celebration of the incredible leaders who make a difference in Rutherford County Schools every day!

For this week's , we hear from Dr. Tammie Ash, Executive Director of Human Resources, who brings a unique perspective as a former school principal herself.

Dr. Ash reminds us that while much of a principal's work happens behind the scenes, the impact of their leadership is felt in every classroom, throughout every school, and across our communities.

To all of our RCS principals, thank you for leading with compassion, dedication, and an unwavering commitment to our students and staff. Your leadership matters, and we appreciate you!

10/14/2026

🍂🛶 A beautiful fall day filled with learning at Lake James State Park!

Our 4th and 5th graders enjoyed canoeing and nature exploration while connecting classroom learning to the world around them. 🐾🌳

🔎 4TH GRADE explored how animals adapt to different environments.
🌎 5TH GRADE investigated how people change the land and the positive or negative effects those changes can have on wildlife and habitats.

Thank you to Mrs. Amanda Padgett, whose participation in the Schools in Parks Collaborative provided grant funding to help make this experience possible, and to Lake James State Park staff for supporting our students’ outdoor learning! 💛☀️

Rutherford County Schools, NC

10/14/2026

😎 Our future is so bright, even Cadmus needs shades!

Break out the neon, fluorescent colors, and brightest outfits for Our Future Is Bright Day during our district-wide Homecoming spirit week!

We’re celebrating the students who will carry our community and its traditions into the future. Wear your brightest colors and let your Cavalier pride shine!

10/14/2026

Cadmus is taking it back to his favorite year—1962, the year our school opened! ❤️🖤

For Protect the Tradition day during our district-wide Homecoming spirit week, pick a decade and bring it back! Cadmus has his ’60s look ready—signature hat included. What decade will you represent?

Our styles may change, but our Cavalier pride carries on through generations!

10/13/2026

TRANSPARENCY TUESDAY | Personnel represents the second major component of expenditures from the Local Current Expense Fund. As part of the 2026–2027 Initial Budget Resolution, $8,285,859.36 is budgeted for personnel expenditures from this fund.

As the accompanying graphic illustrates, the largest single component is employee benefits at $2,622,141.03, or 31.6%. Other major expenditures include teachers at $1,171,126.94 (14.1%); local supplements at $1,118,032.98 (13.5%); maintenance personnel at $1,019,094.98 (12.3%); and short-term disability and annual leave payouts at $905,723.85 (10.9%).

The remaining personnel expenditures include office support at $508,480.50 (6.1%); central office administration at $493,954.01 (6.0%); assistant principals at $307,585.30 (3.7%); teacher assistants and instructional support at $111,479.23 (1.3%); principals at $21,030.54 (0.3%); and custodians at $7,210.00 (0.1%).

These figures also illustrate an important feature of public school finance: personnel costs extend beyond salaries. Employee benefits and local salary supplements alone account for approximately $3.74 million, or 45.1%, of personnel expenditures from the Local Current Expense Fund. Local funding therefore supports not only locally funded positions and portions of positions, but also compensation and employer costs associated with maintaining the district’s workforce.

10/09/2026

🍂🌿 Fall adventures are growing curious minds in third grade!

Our students explored the school grounds to collect green leaves and leaves beginning to change color. Then, they created chlorophyll rubbings using the green pigment found in leaves! 🎨🍃

This hands-on investigation connects to third-grade science standards as students explore plant structures and how they help plants survive—including how chlorophyll helps leaves capture sunlight so plants can make food. ☀️🌱

Keep the adventure going at home! Collect a few green and changing leaves together and discuss what you notice. 💛🔎

Rutherford County Schools, NC