Happy October!
Here are some important dates to keep in mind for this month.
When we return from fall break, we will begin the initial meetings regarding the Wireless Communication Device Policy. Illinois law requires school districts to establish a Wireless Communication Device Policy by the 2027–2028 school year.
Please visit the event pages on our district calendar for meeting dates, times, locations, and virtual meeting information: https://www.rimsd41.org/events
Congratulations to our very own Kathleen Hernandez, Language-Speech Pathologist at Horace Mann Early Learning Center, on her first children’s board book, Bubble Bubble Spring!
Designed to support early communication and language development, the book brings together Ms. Hernandez’s passion for helping young children and her love of storytelling. As she puts it, “My SLP brain made its way into pretty much every part of it!”
Ms. Hernandez is hoping to launch Bubble Bubble Spring very soon, and we can’t wait to celebrate this exciting accomplishment with her!
Congrats, Ms. Hernandez! We are so proud of you!
Designed to support early communication and language development, the book brings together Ms. Hernandez’s passion for helping young children and her love of storytelling. As she puts it, “My SLP brain made its way into pretty much every part of it!”
Ms. Hernandez is hoping to launch Bubble Bubble Spring very soon, and we can’t wait to celebrate this exciting accomplishment with her!
Congrats, Ms. Hernandez! We are so proud of you!
What a day at TJ! 🎨🥁 Thomas Jefferson Elementary School recently hosted its third annual TJ Fine Arts Day, filled with creativity, movement, and plenty of fun!
Made possible through funding from the Rock Island-Milan Education Foundation, this special day gave our scholars the chance to get creative, try something new, and express themselves through the arts.
Scholars had the opportunity to explore the arts and movement through Cardio Drumming with Coach Evan Dupuis and create their own art pieces alongside Edison Jr. High Art Teacher Mrs. Cassandra Salas-Mikaio and her intern, RIHS senior Marley Smith.
A big congratulations to Dr. Giovanna Davila on another successful TJ Fine Arts Day, and thank you for continuing to create memorable experiences for our scholars!
Made possible through funding from the Rock Island-Milan Education Foundation, this special day gave our scholars the chance to get creative, try something new, and express themselves through the arts.
Scholars had the opportunity to explore the arts and movement through Cardio Drumming with Coach Evan Dupuis and create their own art pieces alongside Edison Jr. High Art Teacher Mrs. Cassandra Salas-Mikaio and her intern, RIHS senior Marley Smith.
A big congratulations to Dr. Giovanna Davila on another successful TJ Fine Arts Day, and thank you for continuing to create memorable experiences for our scholars!
Happy Fall Intersession! 🍂🍁
Wishing everyone a safe and restful break! Enjoy the time to relax and recharge. We’ll see everyone back on Monday, October 19.
Happy National School Custodian Appreciation Day!
Today, we’re celebrating and thanking our incredible RIMSD41 custodians who work behind the scenes every day to keep our schools clean, safe, and welcoming for our scholars and staff.
Your hard work makes a difference every single day. Thank you for all that you do!
Today, we’re celebrating and thanking our incredible RIMSD41 custodians who work behind the scenes every day to keep our schools clean, safe, and welcoming for our scholars and staff.
Your hard work makes a difference every single day. Thank you for all that you do!
What an awesome collaboration! Thomas Jefferson Elementary School was joined by the Rock Island High School Choir for TJ’s The Greatest Show, inspired by The Greatest Showman!
Our scholars had the opportunity to showcase their talents through singing, dancing, and playing instruments, making it a memorable celebration of music, creativity, and collaboration.
A special kudos to Dr. Giovanna Davila, TJ Music Teacher; Mr. Scott Voigt, RIHS Choir Director; and Felicia Phillips, RIHS Assistant Choral Director, for helping bring this incredible performance to life!
Our scholars had the opportunity to showcase their talents through singing, dancing, and playing instruments, making it a memorable celebration of music, creativity, and collaboration.
A special kudos to Dr. Giovanna Davila, TJ Music Teacher; Mr. Scott Voigt, RIHS Choir Director; and Felicia Phillips, RIHS Assistant Choral Director, for helping bring this incredible performance to life!
Earl Hanson Elementary School was recently awarded a grant from the Rock Island Art Guild, giving our scholars the opportunity to work alongside local artist Sarah Robb to bring their creativity to life throughout the school.
Over the past couple of weeks, our young scholars have been hard at work, putting their creativity and artistic talents to work as they paint a cafeteria mural and transform ceiling tiles into their own pieces of art.
During lunchtime, scholars are excited to point out their artwork and tell their friends which piece they painted. What started as a grant-funded art project has become an experience filled with creativity, pride, and connection.
These are the kinds of hands-on learning experiences and memories our scholars will carry with them for years to come. We can’t wait for the full reveal of their creativity!
Over the past couple of weeks, our young scholars have been hard at work, putting their creativity and artistic talents to work as they paint a cafeteria mural and transform ceiling tiles into their own pieces of art.
During lunchtime, scholars are excited to point out their artwork and tell their friends which piece they painted. What started as a grant-funded art project has become an experience filled with creativity, pride, and connection.
These are the kinds of hands-on learning experiences and memories our scholars will carry with them for years to come. We can’t wait for the full reveal of their creativity!
We're proud to share our September 2026 Shout-Outs and celebrate the educators, support staff, administrators, and team members who help our district thrive.
Thank you to everyone who took the time to recognize a colleague – your kind words help shine a light on the people who make RIMSD such a special place!
View all of our shout-outs here!
This series supports our 2030 Strategic Plan – Priority 5: We will nurture relationships and connections with all members of our school community.
Learn more about our 2030 Strategic Plan here!
Longfellow Celebrates Dolly Day!
On September 25th, Longfellow Liberal Arts celebrated the legacy of Dolly Parton with a special “Dolly Day,” inspired by her iconic song 9 to 5 and her incredible commitment to literacy and children around the world.
District leaders, community members, and Board members joined our Longfellow classes as guest readers, sharing stories and spending time with our scholars. And the celebration didn’t stop when the stories ended! Each guest reader passed out books to the scholars in their class, giving everyone a special book to take home and enjoy!
Dolly Parton didn’t become a literacy champion because she was a teacher. She became one because she understood something every teacher knows: sometimes the most important thing you can give a child is a book and someone who believes they should have one.
Through her Imagination Library, Dolly has helped put millions of books into the hands of children, inspiring a love of reading and opening the door to new ideas, possibilities, and dreams.
We’re grateful for the Longfellow community that came together on 9/25 to celebrate books, reading, and the joy of sharing a good story. Here’s to big dreams, great books, and a little Dolly magic! 📖✨🎶
School districts can not function without the presence of strong partners! We are incredibly fortunate here at Rock Island Milan School District #41 to have established both long-standing partnerships as well as newly created ones to help meet the needs of our families. Simply put, we can not do the work we do with our community partners! Join us in celebrating Gas & Electric Credit Union as a "Spotlight Partner" for September!
Click here to view the video!
School districts can not function without the presence of strong partners! We are incredibly fortunate here at Rock Island Milan School District #41 to have established both long-standing partnerships as well as newly created ones to help meet the needs of our families. Simply put, we can not do the work we do with our community partners! Join us in celebrating World Relief Quad Cities as a "Spotlight Partner" for September!
Click here to see the video!
Congratulations to Rock Island Center for Math and Science’s Ms. Lauren Begeske on being named an EvaluWise Outstanding Teacher of the Month!
Each month, EvaluWise recognizes two teachers who have earned the highest rating on their most recent summative evaluation. Ms. Begeske will receive a Certificate of Recognition, and RICMS will receive $500 from Vista Learning to support classroom supplies and materials.
Congrats, Ms. Begeske!
Each month, EvaluWise recognizes two teachers who have earned the highest rating on their most recent summative evaluation. Ms. Begeske will receive a Certificate of Recognition, and RICMS will receive $500 from Vista Learning to support classroom supplies and materials.
Congrats, Ms. Begeske!
Eugene Field School held its annual Girls on the Move Fun Run this morning, and it was a blast! Throughout the quarter, the girls met regularly to set running goals, build confidence, and work toward achieving them.
This year’s slogan is “Be a Girl’s Girl,” focusing on lifting each other up, cheering each other on, and learning how to be the kind of friend every girl deserves.
Our Superintendent, Dr. Williams, and Eugene Field Principal, Mr. Campbell, also joined in on the fun and participated in the run!
A big thank you to all of the families and staff who came out to support our girls and make the event so special!
This year’s slogan is “Be a Girl’s Girl,” focusing on lifting each other up, cheering each other on, and learning how to be the kind of friend every girl deserves.
Our Superintendent, Dr. Williams, and Eugene Field Principal, Mr. Campbell, also joined in on the fun and participated in the run!
A big thank you to all of the families and staff who came out to support our girls and make the event so special!
RIMSD41 community members are invited to join us for the Rock Island High School 2026 Homecoming Parade on Friday, September 25!
The parade begins at 3:30 p.m. at Hauberg Park on 24th Street. The parade will travel south on 24th Street to 25th Avenue, then continue to Rock Island High School.
Come out and celebrate with our scholars, staff, and school community!
The parade begins at 3:30 p.m. at Hauberg Park on 24th Street. The parade will travel south on 24th Street to 25th Avenue, then continue to Rock Island High School.
Come out and celebrate with our scholars, staff, and school community!
The 2026 Scholar, Parent, and Staff Satisfaction Survey is now live! We invite our scholars (3rd - 12th Grades), families, and staff to take a few minutes to share their feedback about their experiences with RIMSD41.
The survey is open from September 23 through October 28. Your feedback helps us understand what is working well, identify opportunities for improvement, and continue strengthening our schools and district.
Please take a few minutes to complete the survey and share your voice. Your feedback matters!
Scholar Survey: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScBHL37B0QYw-gyhYmvaltYCVGEvSVJAKhu1HE-mnjqP9JxQw/viewform?usp=dialog&urp=gmail_link
Parent/Guardian Survey: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScITV0yseDCthDvBrawghWzR8y-0_PYmapeJE712Z716leNbw/viewform
Staff Survey: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeRB4dwNLZfm9uPWlsesmuVQ5fBPimWiJ5zRwwW0k1najcKJQ/viewform
Thank you for your time and participation!
🏈 Homecoming Game Ticket Gate Information 🏈
Rock Island High School will be opening an extra gate for the Homecoming Game Friday Night vs. Moline. This gate will be Gate 2, located on 17th Street, and will be cash-only or GoFan Pre-Sale.
Moline fans and students will enter at Gate 4 nearest the Tennis Courts. Gate 4 is a Cashless Gate; no cash will be accepted.
The fastest way to enter the stadium and not wait in lines will be to purchase your tickets before the game through GoFan! Please follow the link to buy tickets!
Buy your tickets early here: https://gofan.co/event/6756005?schoolId=IL16258
View more info on the ticket gate management here: https://aptg.co/B4llqd
🎨🎭🎶 Celebrating National Arts in Education Week! ❤️💛
At Rock Island-Milan School District 41, the arts inspire creativity, build confidence, and give every scholar opportunities to discover their voice and express themselves. Through dance, theater, music, and more, our scholars explore their creativity, develop new skills, and discover new ways to shine.
We are proud of the creativity, passion, and talent our scholars and educators bring to our school communities each day!
As we celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month, the Reading Revolution is highlighting stories by Hispanic and Latino authors that celebrate family, culture, identity, and the diverse experiences that shape our communities.
📖 My Papi Has a Motorcycle by Isabel Quintero: A young girl and her father take a motorcycle ride through their California neighborhood, celebrating family, community, and the places they call home.
📖 Merci Suárez Changes Gears by Meg Medina: Sixth-grader Merci navigates friendship, family changes, and growing up while learning more about herself and the people she loves.
📖 The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo: A Dominican American teenager discovers the power of poetry as she finds her voice and navigates family expectations, faith, and identity.
Through the Reading Revolution, we encourage our Rocky scholars to explore new perspectives, connect with others, and discover the power of storytelling. ❤️💛
What will you read next?
September 18 is National AVID (Advancement Via Individual Determination) Day! AVID is a program that supports scholars in achieving success today while preparing them for college, careers, and life after graduation.
We’re proud to celebrate our AVID scholars, educators, and families today and every day!
Pictured are moments from Earl Hanson Elementary’s recent AVID Weenie Roast, which brought together scholars, families, and staff for an evening of connection and celebration.
We’re proud to celebrate our AVID scholars, educators, and families today and every day!
Pictured are moments from Earl Hanson Elementary’s recent AVID Weenie Roast, which brought together scholars, families, and staff for an evening of connection and celebration.
Please join us for the next Board of Education Committee of the Whole meeting on Tuesday, September 22, at 6 p.m. at Thurgood Marshall Learning Center.
The meeting will feature a presentation from TMLC Principal Timothy Wernentin.
The Committee of the Whole topic will focus on Cell Phone & Technology Use in Schools.
We hope to see you there!
The meeting will feature a presentation from TMLC Principal Timothy Wernentin.
The Committee of the Whole topic will focus on Cell Phone & Technology Use in Schools.
We hope to see you there!
