RFC Fall Newsletter Sept 8, 2025

RFC START UP SURVEY

It is great to have a building filled with staff and students once again. Thank you for all of your efforts at home to help your student(s) navigate the start of school at Rockford Freshman Center. Our students successfully found their classes, rode shuttles between RHS and RFC, opened their lockers and more!

Please help our school continue to grow and improve by taking a few moments to complete the SURVEY LINKED HERE by Wednesday at 5 p.m. Thank you!

PROGRESS REPORTS

Parents/guardians are encouraged to set up automated progress reports through Skyward Family Access. The image above is a screenshot from Family Access.

Login to Family Access
Click "My Account" which appears next to your name.
Beneath your phone number and address, there are options to receive attendance notifications and progress reports.
Check the box next to "Receive Progress Report Emails for my student(s)
Select the frequency you'd like (daily, weekly, monthly)

Display of the screen in Family Access

Daily Schedule

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.

EARLY RELEASE SCHEDULE

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.

Lunch

Students who choose to get lunch at school must bring their Student ID to lunch. Out of respect for other classes in session, students are not permitted in academic halls during lunch and should bring all necessary materials (i.e. lunch, money, phone) to the lunchroom.

Weather permitting, students will have the option to eat outdoors, and they may choose to bring a blanket or towel to sit upon.

Lunches are assigned by 3rd period teacher on a normal day and assigned by 4th period teacher on early release days. Teachers will help students with the timing and transitions. 9th grade students with classes at RHS 10-12 will eat lunch at RFC.

Save the Date Homecoming

9th grade students have the opportunity to attend the Homecoming Dance on Saturday, October 4. This is an incredible evening, and we are so excited that your student will have the opportunity to participate! Tickets are sold at all lunches in the week leading up to the dance. While supplies last, students get a homecoming shirt with their ticket purchase.

Students must wear shoes throughout the dance, so please consider that before making an expensive shoe purchase.
RFC students are encouraged to attend the dance with other RFC students, but guest applications will available in the main office when ticket sales begin. The guest student must be enrolled in high school, be in good standing, and must obtain signatures from their parent and school principal.
The dance begins at 7:00 p.m. Students may arrive later than 7, but may not arrive earlier. Please plan appointments, photos and meals accordingly. Likewise, the dance ends at 10 p.m. Students may leave prior to 10 with their parent/guardian, but may not stay past 10 p.m.
Students may not re-enter the dance once they've left.

Cell Phones at School

Instructional time is for learning. With 1:1 computer access at school, cell phones no longer have a place in the classroom. Students are asked to leave phones (or similar devices) in their locked locker during instructional times. Teachers also offer classroom storage for those who choose to bring a device into the classroom.

Unless explicitly directed by a staff member, students are not permitted to use a phone (or similar device) during the instructional period. This policy extends to our hallways and common areas.

Parents/guardians who need to reach a student during an instructional period may call our main office at 616.863.6348 and we will ensure that the student receives the message. Thank you!

Yearbook

Rockford High School creates a fantastic yearbook each year, and students have the opportunity to place an order for the 2025-26 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 yearbookforever.com. 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 :).

School Portraits

School photos may be ordered online at lifetouch.com. Lifetouch provides a make-up/re-take opportunity on September 17 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 CLICKING THIS LINK. Student passes are only $25 so it's a great deal for any student who enjoys attending the games.

LOCKERS

Rockford Freshman Center students keep backpacks, bags, purses, etc. in their assigned lockers from 7:40-2:30 each day. Passing time between classes is adequate to exchange supplies at their locker. Freshman students with RHS classes are permitted to take their backpack to Rockford High School 10-12 if necessary.

Students may not trade or share lockers with a classmate. If their locker doesn't work, a student should report the problem to the main office and we will work on a repair and/or reassignment as needed.

Reporting Attendance

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 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.

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 7 at 9:00 a.m. The link for the Google Meet will be provided in advance. Thanks!