Our School

Roosevelt’s high school program is chosen by students who would benefit from a more personalized learning environment. Roosevelt courses are aligned to RPS205 curriculum and standards. Students enjoy class sizes of approximately 15, providing multiple opportunities for a more personalized educational experience. Credits are earned through a proficiency-based learning model. Once students are able to demonstrate proficiency in the content and skills for a given course, through attaining a final grade of C or higher, students earn their course credit. As such, motivated and hardworking students are able to earn credits at an accelerated rate. Special education services are available to Roosevelt HSCR students. Students in good standing are eligible to participate in athletics and social events at their home high schools. All students that successfully complete the Roosevelt HSCR program graduate from Roosevelt with a traditional high school diploma.

Students interested in attending Roosevelt’s high school program need a referral from their home high school counselor and must attend one of Roosevelt’s monthly informational meetings in order to apply. All applicants must be aged seventeen years or older. Students are ranked for open seats based upon the number of credits they have earned. Once all open seats are occupied, students are either placed on a waitlist or, if they are older and have fewer credits, are recommended for Roosevelt’s GED program. Students requiring day care services have priority ranking.

At Roosevelt we are committed to providing Adult Education students with more than a GED. Our goal is to provide students with the necessary skills and knowledge to gain employment with growth potential. As such, we offer remedial services for students that desire additional support. We also connect students with workshops and experiences in their selected career pathways and offer certifications relevant to students’ chosen pathways. Daycare services are available to Adult Education students at no cost.

Adult Education students receive blended instruction in the content areas of English language arts, mathematics, science, and social studies. Students are able to progress independently on the i-Pathways online curriculum while teachers use formative assessment data from i-Pathways to provide targeted one-on-one and small group supports based upon identified skill deficits and weaknesses.

The mission of Roosevelt’s Early Childhood Program is to empower all young children to become effective, enthusiastic, and socially competent learners by creating a bond among children, their families, the school, and the community.

The Roosevelt Early Childhood Program implements the HighScope Preschool Curriculum, which is aligned to the Illinois Early Learning and Development Standards. The HighScope Preschool Curriculum is based on the principles of active learning and support of a child's positive interactions with adults and peers. ​It is a comprehensive model that addresses all areas of development through eight content areas: Approaches to Learning; Social and Emotional Development; Physical Development and Health; Language, Literacy and Communication; Mathematics; Creative Arts; Science and Technology; and Social Studies.

Students deemed at a higher risk of failure in high school are initially identified by their middle school principals during eighth grade and recommended for the summer Step Up High School Bridge Program. Students who do not participate or are unsuccessful in Step Up enter high school in the Roosevelt Freshman Transition Program. Eighth grade students receiving special education services are enrolled in their home high schools in order to receive appropriate services and do not attend summer school Step Up or the Freshman Transition Program. Through this early identification process, at-risk students are provided with intensive academic and personal social supports in a smaller classroom setting. Counseling support services including weekly group counseling, weekly classroom guidance lessons, individual counseling, as well as, daily crisis and behavior intervention support services.  

Students are enrolled in the core freshmen courses to help them gain the necessary academic skills to stay on track. In each course students are engaged through Project Based Learning activities and differentiated instruction. 

Students that have failed English/language arts and math in their eighth grade year must attend Roosevelt’s Step Up summer program in order to ensure that these students are prepared for high school. Step Up students receive remedial instruction in a small class setting in English/language arts, math, and skills required for a successful high school career.

Rockford Public Schools offers two semesters of an evening high school program as well as a summertime high school program at Roosevelt Community Education Center where students may retake failed courses required for graduation. Students may enroll in one or two courses each semester and during the summer. School principal approval is required for registration. Night school and summer school are tuition-based programs. Course availability is subject to enrollment. Students with more than one absence in these programs must be dropped without a refund.

Students at Roosevelt may begin and/or finish any class on any day of the regular school year. Each class is designed to take 60 school days (that's less than a 90 day semester). Class work is designed to be done in class – not at home as homework. Students follow a curriculum guide instead of a calendar. Grades are determined by how well a student performs skills in the curriculum. Students are provided with learning guides that contain the curriculum skills to be demonstrated for each course as well as a pacing guide that suggests how long students might spend on each skill. One of the best indicators for how your child is doing is whether or not he/she is on track and moving at an appropriate pace. One of the best questions you can ask your child's teachers is whether or not your child is on track and moving at an appropriate pace.

There are many reasons why a student may not be moving at an appropriate pace, and Roosevelt teachers have a variety strategies and resources to help students get back on track. Accommodations for skill building might be made including one-on-one teacher instruction, resource instruction, tutoring, and more. Accommodations for attendance issues (medical, court, etc.) might be made including allowing students to take certain work home, tutoring, ROP, and more.

One way to monitor whether a student is making progress or not is by tracking the number of credits they earn. It is expected that students should earn three credits per quarter. If a student is not making progress for any reason, a number of interventions might be employed to ensure student success.

If a student is not making progress despite classroom interventions, teachers would next look to our team for guidance. Our most important team members are our parents! Next, we look to all of the student's teachers, our resource teachers, counselors, social worker, and administrators for guidance in helping our students meet their goals of earning their credits and graduating.

Many of our students are on track and making progress, and we want to recognize and honor that. Once a month, PBIS assemblies are held, recognizing the efforts of students making progress, earning credits, and attending at 90-100%. Additionally, teachers nominate students who have a good attitude, good attendance, and are making good progress in their classes. Nominees and monthly winners are rewarded during the monthly assembly