RFC Newsletter September 15

Parent VOLUNTEER Opportunities

We have enjoyed having the Class of 2030 in the building this year. They have great smiles, warm greetings, and positive attitudes! This week, our students learned many of the building expectations. We will continue to share and reinforce information as there are many things to digest, but the students have done a great job thus far and we are excited for a great year!

Parents who may be interested in volunteering for or donating toward various school activities may use the link below to share your interest areas. As the year unfolds and planning for various activities begins, we will reach out to those groups/individuals. Thank you!

Parent Interest Form

HoCO guest

Students are encouraged to attend homecoming with another RFC freshman if possible. Students who really wish to bring a guest from another school may obtain a guest pass form in the main office or you may print the form linked below. The form requires some effort, so students are encouraged to do this early. The guest must:

Be enrolled in a high school in grades 9-12.
Able to present their school ID.
Follow all RFC expectations.

RFC Guest Pass Form

RFC Homecoming Dance!

Saturday, September 26, 2026 at RFC

We are thrilled to welcome the Class of 2026 to the RFC Homecoming Dance on Sept. 26 from 7-10 p.m. at Rockford Freshman Center. Here are a few key points for parents to know. Please reach out with questions!

Students must wear shoes for the event and are encouraged to choose comfortable shoes for the actual dance. Most will choose sneakers or sandals for the event.
The building is locked until 7 p.m. while staff, the DJ, and volunteers set up. Students are not permitted to enter the building prior to 7, so please do not drop them off early.
The dance ends at 10. Students may leave prior to 10 with your permission but please make sure your student has a ride at/before 10 p.m. Once a student leaves the dance, he/she may not re-enter.
Student Council provides light snacks and water. Students may not bring any food or drinks to the event.
Purses, bags, backpacks and coats are not permitted in the dance. Students who bring these items will leave them in the "coat check" in our cafeteria and may retrieve them at the end of the evening.

This is a first-class evening and will encourage students about great behavior in the week leading up to the dance. For safety, it's very important that students do not push/shove, sit on shoulders, hoist up a classmate (or get hoisted), or run. A student will be required to leave if their behavior is unsafe to themselves or their classmates. We appreciate your support in reinforcing these behaviors through conversations at home as well.

Daily Schedule M/W/F

1st Period: 7:40-8:51 a.m.

2nd Period: 8:57-10:08 a.m.

3rd Period + Lunch: 10:14-11:56 a.m.

4th Period: 12:02-1:13 p.m.

5th Period: 1:19-2:30 p.m.

Flex Schedule T/Th

1st Period: 7:40-8:44 a.m.

2nd Period: 8:50-9:54 a.m.

3rd Period + Lunch: 10:00-11:34 a.m.

Flex Time: 11:40 a.m.-12:10 p.m.

4th Period: 12:16-1:20 p.m.

5th Period: 1:26-2:30 p.m.

Early Release Schedule

9/16, 9/30, 10/14, 10/28, 11/11, 12/9, 2/3, 2/24, 3/24, 4/21, 5/5

1st Period: 7:40-8:28 a.m.

2nd Period: 8:34-9:21 a.m.

3rd Period: 9:27-10:14 a.m.

4th Period + Lunch: 10:20-11:37 a.m.

5th Period: 11:43 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.

Counseling Newsletter

In an effort to continue building a strong, supportive school community, RFC will be sending out a monthly school counseling newsletter that brings you important updates, helpful resources, and insights to empower our students’ academic and emotional growth.

Welcome to RFC! The transition to high school is an exciting time filled with new opportunities, challenges, and experiences. As your student begins 9th grade, families play an important role in helping establish habits that support success.

Build Strong Homework Routines

A consistent homework routine can make a big difference. Encourage your student to set aside a regular time and quiet space for completing assignments, checking their planner or Schoology, and preparing for the next day. Developing these habits early helps students become more organized, independent, and confident learners.

Make Attendance a Priority

Regular attendance is one of the most important foundations for academic success. Each day provides opportunities to learn new material, participate in class, build relationships, and stay connected to school. Please help your student arrive on time each day and make school attendance a priority. If an absence is unavoidable, be sure to contact RFC attendance at 616-863-6348 and help your student make up missed work. This is especially important at the high school level when students are earning graduation credits.

September is National Suicide Prevention Month

In an effort to raise awareness about supporting teen mental health, RFC will be hosting a Wellness Week the week of September 21st. Students will learn about the importance of their physical and mental wellness, who to contact if they need support, and tools to support their own well being as well as their peers’. To learn more about Suicide Prevention, please visit NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) or 988 Lifeline.

Together, we can help our 9th graders start the year strong and develop the habits they need to thrive in high school. Thank you for partnering with us, and welcome back!

Want to connect with your teen?

Try asking one of these questions the next time you’re in the car, at the dinner table or on a walk!

“What class are you enjoying the most so far?”
“What’s one thing that feels different about high school?”
“Is there anything about this year that feels a little overwhelming?”
“Who have you enjoyed talking to at school?”
“What’s something you wish I understood about your school day?”

We hope your freshman has had a wonderful back to school experience!

RFC Counselors Jen Lutz (Last names A-K)

Riley Legge (Last names L-Z)

Hand 2 Hand

Hand 2 Hand is a local non-profit organization that partners with local schools to ensure that students have access to food on weekends or extended breaks. Volunteers collect and assemble bags of food items and those items are distributed to students at school. If you would like your child to participate in this program or have questions about Hand 2 Hand, please email permissionslip@h2hkids.org or call 616-209-2779.

Parent Advisory Council

Rockford Freshman Center and Rockford High School welcome parents to attend and participate in Parent Advisory Council. PAC meetings are held several times each year and provide an opportunity for parents/guardians to receive updates about high school activities. Meetings are held virtually in Google Meet and are recorded for those who cannot attend on scheduled date(s) and/or time. Please plan to join us our first meeting on October 6 at 9:00 a.m. The link for the Google Meet will be provided in advance. Thanks!

Yearbook

Rockford High School creates a fantastic yearbook each year, and students have the opportunity to place an order for the 2026-2027 yearbook now. Please note - high school yearbooks include photographs from prom and graduation, and therefore, arrive in the fall of the following school year. This is different than middle school, so we try to point it out before you order.

If you're interested, please visit Yearbook Forever Website . In the school name field, enter Rockford High School (not Freshman Center) and be sure to choose Rockford High School in Michigan. As with school portraits, families with multiple high school students might consider purchasing them together to save on the service fee - speaking from experience.

picture retakes

School photos may be ordered online at Lifetouch Photography Website. Lifetouch provides a make-up/re-take opportunity on September 30 during 1st and 2nd periods. Any student not photographed at orientation will have their school photo taken on this date.

RHS Athletic Office

Consider purchasing a student pass for your student by visiting: Go Fans Ticket Website . Student passes are a great deal for any student who enjoys attending the games.

lockers and locks

All students are assigned a locker with combination lock to ensure that they have a safe place to leave belongings and also, that no one else could leave an elicit item in another student's locker. Several students are leaving their locker ajar this year, meaning their locker is not secure.

Students taking PE are issued a lock. Sadly, many students do not use the provided lock, and instead, leave their belongings out in the locker room. Our students assume the best from others, which is wonderful, but items taken from a locker room are very difficult to recover.

Please encourage your student to secure belongings in hallway lockers and PE/athletic locker rooms. Thank you so much!

Reporting Attendance

Consistent daily attendance is so important in high school. Consider the following way to help your student:

Schedule vacations/trips during planned school breaks.
Secure after-school appointments when possible.
Encourage a solid bedtime routine. Limiting/prohibiting use of electronics at bedtime is helpful.

RFC and RHS require a parent/guardian phone call for absence reporting. Please do not send your student with a note. This process helps staff verify the authenticity of the report. Please call 616-863-6352 to report an absence, late arrival or early departure.

High school students in grades 9-12 may sign themselves in and out once a parent has called. Parents/guardians are not required to enter the building to sign the student out. This is also different than the process used in RPS middle schools.