RHS Sept. Newsletter

Ricky Clark - Principal
rclark1@rockfordschools.org

Address: 4100 Kroes, Rockford, MI 49341
Website: www.rockfordschools.org

Phone: (616) 863-6030

RHS CALENDAR

a note from Mr. Clark

Welcome back to campus! It has been a joy to see our halls filled with energy and enthusiasm once again, and we are incredibly proud of the way our students have started the school year. 

UPCOMING EVENTS:

• We will be running our first Flex Time Schedule on Tuesday (9/1) and Thursday (9/3). Students will report to their 4th period class for both of these days. We will cover building protocols and Flex time information (why/what/how). We will share these presentations with parents next week.

• For more information regarding our daily schedules, conferences and exam info, click here.

• Wood TV8 will be broadcasting LIVE from the football field Thursday, September 3rd from 5AM -  7AM to highlight the football game against Muskegon Friday night and to celebrate other groups in our building. All students are welcomed from 6AM - 7AM as we will have the band, dance, cheer, and many other groups. This will also be our “senior sunrise” where we celebrate the senior’s beginning of the year. There will be free drinks and donuts and a picture taken of our seniors as the sun rises (literally and metaphorically) on the year. 

RHS COURSE INFORMATION:

•  Our teachers have shared some basic information on their courses including contact information and late work policies. That information can be found HERE

CLASSES ARE OFF AND RUNNING:

• Every class at RHS was outfitted with new, student-centered furniture over the summer thanks to money from the 2017 bond. This furniture is designed to be more collaborative and flexible for students’ needs. 

NON-HOMESTEAD PROPOSAL 2026:

• On November 3, 2026 there will be a non-homestead proposal on the ballot. For information on this, please see the district website HERE. 

GET INVOLVED:

• RHS offers a variety of before/after school student-led clubs in order to find community. If you are looking for ways to get your student involved, information on these can be found HERE. 

ATTENDANCE:

• Attendance Office Contact Info:   Phone: 616-863-6332 
• Email: RHSattendance@rockfordschools.org
• Parents or guardians need to call or email the school within 48 hours to report an absence.Excused absence notes need to be created by the place of the visit (college, doctor, dentist, etc.). Weekly Deadline: Due to Kent County regulations, attendance cannot be updated after Friday of each week.
• RHS is a ‘closed campus’. Students sign out/in in the attendance office anytime they leave/arrive during the school day. 

HOMECOMING DANCE:   

• The Homecoming Dance will be on Saturday, September 26th.  RHS hosts 2 dances each year: homecoming and prom. They are both amazing experiences put on by our student council and are really well attended and a great part of a student’s high school experience. In order to attend, students may not miss no more than 2.0 days of school from August 27th until September 17th to attend homecoming. (This includes excused and unexcused, it does not include absences that are waived like school business, college visits, etc.)

       *Appeals: Parents may initiate an appeal by contacting the RHS administration.

LUNCHES:

• Lunches are free and RHS has multiple options available everyday for students. All of these stations qualify for free lunch. 

DID YOU KNOW?

• RHS Peer Listeners work hard to make all students included at RHS. BE NICE presentations, looking out for the daily student experience, lunch meetings for students, and more. Every new student to RHS gets a tour of the building from a Peer Listener. This helps students become connected before they even begin. Shoutout to Peer Listeners for helping new students be more connected to start the year! 

NEW STAFF TO RHS

We are lucky to have some new staff in the building.  Join us in welcoming new team members to RHS.

Anna Ebbit, Spanish    Sarah Ellis, Spanish     Paige Hallock, P.E.      Emma Johnson, Business

               Simone Posey, Art                 Calli VanDorp, Math             Anne Joles, Counseling

                                                    Joel Visser, P.E.                     Taran Tyler, Math 

counselor corner

COLLEGE REP VISITS:

There are colleges visiting RHS during Flex times throughout the year. Here are the upcoming visits scheduled for informational presentations:

University of Michigan: Monday, September 14 at 9:30a

Calvin College: Tuesday, September 15 at 11:40a

Michigan Tech: Friday, September 25 at 12:30p

Notre Dame: Tuesday, October 6 at 11:30a

GRCC: Thursday, October 22 at 11:30a

The counseling office would like to remind you that Rockford High School offers a Care Closet stocked with a variety of free essential items available to any RHS student. Items include, but are not limited to: 

•    Non-perishable food
•    Toiletries
•    Personal hygiene products
•    Clothing
•    Shoes

All students are welcome to access the Care Closet whenever a need arises. If your student or family could benefit from this resource, please contact the Counseling Office. Students may stop by at any time to request a visit to the Care Closet or message their counselor through Schoology. Alternatively, families can send an email to Kara Dixon (kdixon@rockfordschools.org) and she will coordinate with you. Additionally, we offer “grab-and-go” bags containing non-perishable food items for students who prefer a more discreet option. The greater Rockford area also has a variety of food resources - a link with those options is attached here. If you need more consistent help, please use the link here to fill out a form for the Hand2Hand program.  We’re here to help - please don’t hesitate to reach out if we can support you in any way.