Congrats to our Rock Island High School early grads! 🎓🎉
This school year, 70 seniors graduated early, and we couldn’t be prouder of each and every one of them. We wish you all the very best and can’t wait to see everything you will accomplish in the future!
Rock Island Academy recently hosted a special schoolwide assembly, during which Superintendent Dr. Williams read All We Need Is Love and A Really Soft Pillow to the scholars. Following the read-aloud, all 520 scholars were surprised with a cozy gift—a pillow, pillowcase, and blanket.
This special surprise was made possible thanks to the generosity of more than 60 individuals, families, and organizations, including United Way Quad Cities, Royal Neighbors of America, and Mississippi Valley Quilters.
🎙️We’re excited to introduce the Mi-Rock Podcast, where we amplify the voices that power RIMSD #41! Mi-Rock celebrates the people who make RIMSD #41 thrive! Each episode shares inspiring stories and behind-the-scenes insights, spotlighting the heart of our schools. Mi-Rock also supports our 2030 Strategic Plan by fostering connections, building relationships, and strengthening communication across the district and our community.
Our inaugural episode kicks things off with an engaging conversation featuring hosts John Hawley of the Rock Island Center for Math and Science and Ian Scott of Thomas Jefferson Elementary, joined by special guest Mike Mertel from Rock Island High School. Together, they dive into the realities of high school teaching, the impact of the Education Internship program, and the incredible work happening every day in classrooms across the district.
🎧 Don’t miss this powerful first episode: listen in, get inspired, and celebrate the people who make RIMSD #41 exceptional!
Congratulations to Mr. Patrick Versluis, principal of Denkmann Elementary School, on being named the 2026 Building Bridges Award Winner for the Blackhawk Region of the Illinois Principals Association! The Horace Mann/IPA Reaching Out & Building Bridges Award is designed to recognize an IPA principal or assistant principal AND an agency, association, or community member displaying an outstanding effort in creating partnerships between schools, principals, associations and organizations for the betterment of all. Well done! 💚
Congrats to Rocky’s newest gold and silver state medalists, David and Izaak! Your Rock Island–Milan family is incredibly proud of you. Way to represent! ❤️💛
The RIHS Counseling department and administration invite you to attend their annual Showcase Night on December 18, 2025, from 5–7 PM in the RIHS Auditorium. This year’s event will feature sessions designed to help our current scholars succeed throughout high school and transition confidently into life after graduation. Staff will be available to assist with financial aid applications, scholarships, college planning, and more.
Please see the flyer for additional details.
We couldn’t be prouder to celebrate our two incredible RIHS Special Olympics bowlers, David Pack-Lewis and Izaak McMeans, during this morning’s Walk of Champions! Thank you to all the Rocky scholars who cheered them on, and to their dedicated coach, Stacy Rel.
David and Izaak will compete at the State Tournament tomorrow, December 6, in Decatur, IL! More details about the competition can be found here: https://www.soill.org/state-bowling-tournament/
Good luck, David and Izaak! 🎳❤️💛
The celebration also included a special Hip Hop dance performed by a talented group of Frances Willard scholars!
Dear RIMSD 41 School Community,
We’re pleased to share that the 2026–2027 and 2027–2028 school calendars are now finalized and available for viewing. These calendars outline key dates for the coming years, including the first and last days of school, breaks, and holidays.
You can access the calendars at: https://www.rimsd41.org/page/school-district-calendars.
Thank you!
Classes will resume on Monday, December 1, 2025.
Congratulations to Mr. Matthew Manweiler, who represented the Rock Island Orchestras last week at the Latin Grammy Awards in Las Vegas, where a project he has been working on was nominated for Instrumental Album of the Year.
The Harlem Quartet’s album, Havana Meets Harlem, was produced by Jesús Florido, a Venezuelan violinist and American String Teachers Association National Board member. This project had its early beginning with Jesús’ residency with the Rock Island Orchestras in February 2020, made possible by the Rock Island-Milan Education Foundation.
During that week, Jesús taught and performed with Rock Island students, establishing the vision with Latin Music Pedagogy that would be taken to schools across the country.
Happy National Substitute Educators Day to our amazing substitutes!
We appreciate each of you for the important role you play in educating our scholars. Thank you for all you do for the RIMSD #41 community.
Congratulations to our very own Kyle Hoffman, who has been named the 2025 State Division Assistant Athletic Director of the Year by the Illinois Athletic Directors Association (IADA)! His leadership, dedication, and passion for supporting student-athletes have made a lasting impact on our programs and school community. We’re incredibly proud of this well-deserved recognition.
Kyle will be honored and presented with a plaque at the IADA State Conference Awards Dinner in March 2026.
Medley Relay: Kateri King, Claire Mills, Sophia Heitz, Eva Kendall — 5th Place
100 Fly: Sophia Heitz — 6th Place
100 Free: Claire Mills — 6th Place
100 Back: Claire Mills — 1st Place, State Qualifier
400 Free Relay: Sophia Heitz, Claire Mills, Kateri King, Vivi Wright — 6th Place
Diving: Lauryn Barker — 4th Place
Congrats once again to all our swimmers, the coaches, and everyone involved for an outstanding performance!
Schools across our district honored and celebrated Veterans Day yesterday, with additional events and activities continuing throughout the week.
Thomas Jefferson Elementary hosted a Veterans Day Assembly to honor and recognize local veterans. Members of the Vietnam Veterans of America Chapter 669 joined scholars and staff for the celebration, sharing the significance behind the 13 folds of the American flag. The assembly featured musical tributes and presentations paying tribute to those who have served our country.
Ridgewood Elementary hosted Donuts with Veterans, bringing together families and the community to celebrate and honor our veterans.
Rocky junior Elliot Batz delivered an outstanding performance at the XC State Meet, becoming the first RIHS athlete to earn All-State honors in boys’ cross country since the 1998–99 school year, and the first ever 3A All-Stater in program history!
Congrats, Elliot, coaches, and everyone involved!
Today, we honor and thank all who have served in the United States Armed Forces. Your courage, dedication, and sacrifice protect the freedoms we cherish every day. From all of us at RIMSD 41 - thank you, veterans!
Along the way, the team captured its first-ever Sectional and Super-Sectional titles, making this season one to remember. The Rocks’ historic journey came to a close with a 5–1 loss to Streamwood, but their effort, heart, and teamwork never wavered.
Congratulations to the players, coaches, and everyone involved in the program! You’ve made the entire Rocky community proud. Way to represent!
