Hillary Rogerson
Dearest RSA Family- many of you may have been hearing rumors of a potential move for the Rogers(on) family and I am writing to confirm that the rumors are in fact true. Nathan and I will be starting our family’s next chapter in the Bay Area where his work in finance and law can thrive and there are exciting and almost endless opportunities in the arts for me and the rest of the crew. This decision was not an easy one and has weighed very heavily on all of us, but we have no doubts this is the right direction for all of us, and we are looking forward to all the wonderful possibilities! 
We love RSA. I wish had the eloquence at this time to really share the love I have for the school but most of all the students…. please know what an incredible impact you have had on my life and the lives of my children. Please know that our kids treasure their teachers, counselors and their peers, and we will all miss “spending our time at R S A!”
It has been my privilege to work alongside you. It has been a blessing to create vision after vision with an incredible production team, hundreds of dedicated parent volunteers, and, together, build a program that helps students become more than they ever dreamed they could be. The arts are vital. I’m grateful to have worked in a place that understood and invested in that. I know there is someone out there who is ready to carry the torch, and take the program into it’s next phase of awesome. Please show that person all the support you have shown me. It’s a difficult job, and colleague and parent support is crucial. 
Special acknowledgement to Tom, Erika, Dawn, and Amberly…. You are more than my team, you are my family. You have been a gift to me beyond what any director could have hoped for. You are truly a dream team and I will forever count myself lucky to have been able to work so closely with you over all these years. 
Nathan and I will be hosting an open house toward the end of July to hopefully get a chance to say goodbye. I’d love to see you all and reminisce in any memories we may have shared, or you may have shared with any of our combined SEVEN kids who have attended RSA. We’ll keep you posted. 
My non-school email is [email protected] and I’d love to keep in touch. 
I will share this little personal moment before I sign off as an RSA colleague and mark the end of an era: 
We wrestled with this decision up until very recently even after we had “made the decision”. Moving kids/schools/jobs, etc. is no small thing and we wanted to exhaust all efforts and scenarios where we could stay in Redding. As I was driving around running errands and praying fervently and constantly for clarity and confirmation I reached into my purse to get something, and out fell a piece of paper. It was handwritten lyrics that had been modified for the Moana song performed at the 8th grade promotion ceremony. It was was what the 8th graders said during the dialogue portion of the song but, when I read it, it was as if I had written for my family: 
“And the time came for them to leave RSA and voyage beyond. But they will always remember those who taught them and showed them the way.” 
I had my answer. It is time. 💞
With all the love and gratitude in my heart, 
Hillary Rogerson