Principal's Message
February 14th, 2025
RCHS Students & Parents,
Greetings from The Rock!
No School Monday , February 17
There is no school on Monday, February 17th for President’s Day.
Senior Cap & Gown Information
Graduation is quickly approaching and many Seniors do not have cap & gowns ordered. Cap & gowns are $44.95 but Friday, February 21st is the very last day to get those at that price. Make sure your senior student is ready for graduation!
NTI Day Classroom Assignments
Rockcastle Co. Schools has the option to use “Non-Traditional Instruction” Days in the event of inclement weather. All RCHS teachers will be available during regular class times to assist students with assignments. All students will receive an assignment in each of their classes in Google Classroom. The assignments are due 1 week from the date the assignment is posted and they will all count as a grade. For a detailed explanation you click on the link SY25 RCHS NTI Day Student Expectations.
RCHS SBDM Council
The RCHS SBDM Council will have their regularly scheduled meeting on Wednesday, February 19th at 3:30 pm in the RCHS conference room.
After School Tutoring
ESS tutoring will continue in March and be each Thursday until the end of the school year. There will be no tutoring during February.
Infinite Campus Parent Portal
I encourage all parents to check your child’s grades on IC Parent Portal regularly. Because we have been unable to physically send home report cards, it is imperative that parents check grades online. You can go the link: https://kyede11.infinitecampus.org/campus/portal/rockcastle.jsp and if you have issues logging on, email Ms. Sherri McKinney: sherri.mckinney@rockcastle.kyschools.us or call RCHS for login information.
Student Attendance “No Pass / No Drive”
The "No Pass/No Drive" statute (KRS 159.051) became law on June 25, 2007 with implementation beginning August 1, 2007. This statute involves every public and private school (including homeschools) in Kentucky.
The "No Pass/No Drive" statute results in the denial of the school compliance verification form or the revocation of a student's driver’s license for (1) academic deficiency (2) dropping out of school (3) missing 9 or more unexcused absences in one semester.
At RCHS, academic deficiency is defined as a student who does not have passing grades in at least five of 7 courses, or the equivalent the preceding semester. A sixteen or seventeen year old student is deemed to have dropped out of school when he/she has voluntarily withdrawn or has nine or more unexcused absences in the preceding semester. Any absences due to suspension shall be unexcused absences. An eighteen year old student may not have KY state driver’s license revoked but they will be ineligible to park on RCHS campus.
For further details, please visit: No Pass No Drive Explanation
Have a great weekend!
J.D. Bussell
Principal
Guidance Counselors' Corner
Guidance Counselors: Mrs. Amy Lewis & Mrs. Casey Harper
Email: Amy.lewis@rockcastle.kyschools.us / casey.harper@rockcastle.kyschools.us
2024-25 Senior Website Linked HERE!
Notes from the Book Cart - RCHS Library Updates
Library Media Specialist: Mrs. Joanie Lake
Email: Joanie.lake@rockcastle.kyschools.us
RCHS Library Website
Click HERE to access!
The RCHS Library Media Center is open from 7:45-3:06PM each day! Stop in to checkout materials, visit Red, White, & Brew, receive help from the Writing Center, & more!
RCHS Writing Center
The RCHS Library Writing Center aims to help students find their writing voice and tackle various writing and interview challenges. The writing center is able to help with revisions/editing, job applications and interviews, resumes, and college applications and essays. To schedule an appointment, click HERE!
Monthly Programming and Class Visits
Throughout the month of February, students participated in library visits through their English classes to return and check out new materials. Monthly programming will resume in March with coding + Ozobots!
RCHS Students Selected for Bluegrass All-Regional Honor Bands
Among band students from 18 schools, Haylee Miller and Hannah Atkinson were selected to participate in the Bluegrass All-Regional Honor Bands after submitting audition music at the collegiate level. They will participate in a two day rehearsal with a performance on Friday evening at Danville, KY.
RCHS Student Council
Penny Wars - Deodorant Drive
Student Council, in conjunction with Launchpad Volunteers, will be hosting a penny war among grade levels to fund deodorant for the RCHS Hygiene Center. The penny war will be a competition among grade levels with a goal of 100% student participation for the initiative! The penny war will begin on Monday Feb. 24th and conclude on Friday, Feb. 28th. The grade level with the most participation will receive an ice cream.
February Student Spotlight
StuCo is currently seeking students to be recognized for February Student Spotlight. Each month, one upperclassman and one underclassman, are recognized for outstanding behavior. Any teacher or staff member at RCHS can nominate!
FCCLA Star Event
Addy King and Kendal Rader done their FCCLA Star Event with a project titled “Christmas at the Nursing Home.” They collected donations of supplies from fellow students and the local community to create a free holiday gift shop at the Rockcastle County Health and Rehabilitation Center. The initiative allowed residents to select gifts for their loved ones, spreading holiday cheer and fostering a sense of joy during the season.
TSA Competition Success
On Friday, January 24, Technology Student Association (TSA) students attended their first competition for the school year at the University of the Cumberlands. The following students competed:
CO2 Dragster: Luke Willis and Braydon Rose. Luke Willis won 1st place in the High School Division.
PVC Kayak Team: Jackson Stallsworth, Matthew Owens, Will Miller, Heath Barnes, Kaity Carter, Wesley Shurr
Technology Bowl Team: Kaity Carter, Luke Willis, Wyatt Rigsby Tech Bowl Team placed 2nd out of 12 teams.
Technology Problem Solving: Team 1 (Will Miller, Matthew Owens), Team 2 (Dalton Long-Chumley, Savannah Davis) Will and Matthew took 3rd place.
Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV, Drones): Team 1 (Will Miller, Michael Hargis, Wesley Shurr), Team 2 (Alexis Ballinger, Hunter Payne) The teams working together barely missed placing in the top 3.
Our next competition will be on Friday, February 21 at EKU.
Yearbook Information
This year's yearbook is now on sale! All sales are online and you must order through the link below. Yearbooks will be on sale until the end of May.
Senior Ads (in the back of the RCHS Yearbook) are also still available, but limited. If you are a senior, please see the information below.
About Us
Assistant Principal & Athletic Director: Mr. Mike McNabb
Assistant Principal: Mrs. Brandy Smith
Guidance Counselors: Mrs. Amy Lewis & Mrs. Casey Harper
Email: james.bussell@rockcastle.kyschools.us
Website: http://rockcastle.kyschools.us/rchs/
Location: 1545 Lake Cumberland Road P.O. Box 1410 Mt. Vernon, Kentucky 40456
Phone: (606) 256-4816