ROCKLAND HIGH WEEKLY NEWSLETTER
September 18, 2026
UPDATES
We made it through our first full week of school! Students are settling into their new schedules and getting into their new routines. You can definitely feel the back-to-school energy throughout the building.
We were glad to welcome so many families to Back to School Night on Wednesday. This evening is an important opportunity for families to meet their students’ teachers, learn more about their classes and expectations for the year, and get a better sense of the learning experiences ahead. Most importantly, it helps strengthen the partnership between home and school that is so important to student success. Thank you to everyone who joined us! The slideshow from the administration portion of the evening is attached for families who would like to review it or were unable to attend.
MIAA SPORTSMANSHIP ESSAY CONTEST
CLASS SHIRTS
Class shirts are now on sale! Students need to be logged in to their school email to open the google form. Students may wish to purchase class shirts to wear on Homecoming Rally Day, October 23.
Freshman Class Shirt Order Form
PSATs - OCTOBER 7
On Wednesday, October 7, 2026, at 8:10 a.m., all 11th-grade students and registered 10th-grade students will take the PSAT/NMSQT exam.
Students not taking the exam - including freshmen, seniors (who are not taking the School Day SAT), and non-registered sophomores - do not need to report to school until 11:30 AM. Buses will run on their regular morning schedule. Any student arriving early may report to the cafeteria between 8:10 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. for quiet study. There is no fee for the PSAT/NMSQT exam.
Co-sponsored by the College Board and National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC), the PSAT/NMSQT offers valuable practice for the SAT taken in 11th or 12th grade. Participating also gives students access to college and career planning resources, as well as opportunities to qualify for national scholarships.
The exam measures key skills essential for college and career readiness. Key benefits of taking the exam include:
Connecting with colleges, universities, and scholarship programs by opting into Student Search Service.
Preparing for the SAT with personalized practice recommendations through Khan Academy.
Identifying AP courses tailored to students' academic strengths, which can strengthen college applications and earn college credit.
Additional information and practice materials are available here. Because this is a computer-based exam, students must bring a fully charged Chromebook and power cord on test day. A video tutorial is available here. During the last week of September, students will complete a digital readiness check at school to ensure their devices are configured properly.
We are excited to offer this testing opportunity to our sophomores and juniors and look forward to supporting them in their academic preparation.
If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to me or contact our PSAT Coordinator, Margie Black, at mblack@rocklandschools.org.
UPCOMING DATES
SEPTEMBER
September 24 - Dog Block, 10:42-11:28 AM
September 29 - Site Council Meeting, 2:45 PM
OCTOBER
October 1 - Early Release PD Day, 11:25 AM dismissal
October 5 - Department Head Meeting, 2:50 PM
October 6 - Term 1 Progress Reports posted
October 7 - PSATs for juniors and School-Day SATs for seniors, special schedule will be shared
October 7 - Financial Aid Night, 6:00 PM
October 12 - No School, Columbus/Indigenous Peoples Day
October 14 - Crisis Team Meeting, 9:20 AM
October 14 - College Essay Night, 6:00 - 8:00 PM
October 16 - Ask Faculty About College Day
October 20 - Senate Leadership Council meeting, 7:30 AM, Lecture Hall
October 21 - 8th Grade Open House, 6:00 PM
October 22 - Early Release PD Day, 11:25 AM dismissal
October 23 - Homecoming Rally and Homecoming Game
October 24 (Sat) - Homecoming Dance 7:00 - 9:00 PM
October 27 - Site Council Meeting, 2:45 PM
October 28 - Picture Retake Day
ACADEMICS
CLUBS AND ACTIVITIES
PEP BAND
Our Pep Band had a fantastic time at our opening game and first performance of the year! The students brought great energy, enthusiasm, and Bulldog spirit to the stands. It was a terrific way to begin the season, and a great day to be a dog!
WRPS
We are excited to share a recent piece produced by WRPS highlighting one of our school events! WRPS’s own Seth Rosczewski covered the event, and RHS intern Ryan Norceide edited the piece. Great work by our students showcasing what’s happening in our school community!
Watch the video here: https://youtu.be/leYYk_DofMU.
CLUB/ACTIVITIES SCHEDULE
Please see the attached schedule for club meeting times. Students - pick a club that interests you and get involved!
BULLDOG BUDDIES
See the attached information about an upcoming meet-and-greet pizza party.
TRAVEL CLUB
The Travel Club has exciting European tours planned for April 2027 and April 2028.
If you'd like information about the trips, please plan on attending the Informational meeting for students and families on September 30. You must RSVP at the link below for the meeting, or to receive info about the trips if you cannot attend.
COMMUNITY SERVICE OPPORTUNITIES
FROM THE GUIDANCE OFFICE
SENIORS
We know that senior year is a busy, exciting time. Counselors are here to help and will be scheduling individual meetings with seniors to discuss their post-high school plans and next steps.
This presentation is an overview of information we hope will be helpful for students and families.
This is an overview of the college application process.
We also wanted to share this specific information for college-bound students with a documented disability who are on a 504 plan or an IEP, as well as this helpful blog article. Curry College hosts an annual event, “Navigating the College Search process for Neurodivergent students”; details are not available yet, but you can check their website.
Upcoming events for Seniors:
Fall NEACAC College Fair Schedule
College Affordable - Learn more about College Affordable here, then visit our page and complete the family registration form: https://collegeaffordable.org/rocklandhs/ . Students should register with a personal email address as services (including help filing the FAFSA) can extend after high school. Be sure to sign up for their webinar series for the Class of 2027 - the first webinar is on Thursday, 9-17.
They will be hosting a Financial Aid Night at RHS on Wednesday, October 7th - Financial aid night for students and families - details can be found here.
Wednesday, October 14th - Essay Review Night - details will be shared soon; (this event is for students).
Instant Decision Day with Bridgewater State University at RHS - Wednesday, November 18th; details/sign up information will be shared in October.
Please see the attached information for the upcoming School Day SAT.
FROM THE HEALTH OFFICE
WHEN TO KEEP YOUR STUDENT HOME
School has just begun and already we are seeing sniffles and sore throats. Here is some guidance on when you should keep your student home for illness:
Fever: A fever of 100.4 F or higher. Children may return to school when fever free for 24 hours (WITHOUT use of fever reducing medications).
Vomiting/diarrhea: Any unexplained vomiting episode. May return 24 hours after the last episode. Diarrhea which is three or more unexplained episodes of watery or loose stools in 24 hours. May return 24 hours after the last episode.
Cough: Serious, sustained coughing, shortness of breath, or difficulty breathing.
Rash: Any new rash accompanied by fever. May return after the rash goes away or clearance given by a health care provider.
Skin Lesions: Drainage from a sore that cannot be contained within a bandage or sore that is increasing in size or new sores are developing day-to-day.
Infections: Strep infections of any kind, ringworm, conjunctivitis, or impetigo. These are all contagious infections and must be treated with medication for at least 24 hours before returning to school.
Rockland Public Schools are following Massachusetts state guidance on precautions for respiratory viruses (Covid, Flu, RSV, etc). Please see the full details here. Covid absences will be treated as all other absences. They will be excused only with a note from a doctor.
For all respiratory illnesses, students may return to school when they have been fever-free for 24 hours without medication AND symptoms are improving.
Please don’t hesitate to reach out with any questions or concerns.
Fleur Davis MBA, RN, BSN, NCSN
781-871-8411
QUICK LINKS
FINAL THOUGHTS
Looking ahead to next week, we will have our first Dog Block on Thursday, September 24. Dog Block provides dedicated time during the school day for academic support, enrichment, advisory activities, and grade-specific programming.
For our first Dog Block:
- Freshmen: Students may choose from a variety of activities or report to their assigned advisory room.
- Sophomores: Students taking the PSAT will participate in PSAT preparation. All other sophomores may choose an activity or use the time for academic work/study.
- Juniors: Students will participate in PSAT preparation in their assigned advisory rooms.
- Seniors: Students will have the opportunity to work with our guidance counselors on college applications and the college application process.
We are looking forward to using Dog Block throughout the year to provide students with additional opportunities for support, connection, and enrichment. Sign-up information will be shared with students on Monday.
Have a wonderful weekend!
Sincerely,
Cheryl Schipper
Principal
