To earn a CCPE, scholars must complete an approved two-year sequence of courses, including a minimum of six early college credit hours. Throughout the program, scholars participate in at least two career exploration activities, two team-based challenges, and complete a minimum of 60 hours in a workplace career development experience.
This is an outstanding accomplishment, and we celebrate these scholars for their hard work, dedication, and commitment to their future careers!
Thursday, May 14: 9 AM - 3:30 PM
Friday, May 15: 9 AM - 3:30 PM
Martin Luther King Jr Center
630 9th Street, Rock Island, IL
Proof of Residency will be required for new students and students entering
Kindergarten, 6th, and 9th grade. Please plan on bringing the required documents to verify Proof of Residency.
Returning students, please review your Skyward account to make updates.
Interpreters will be available to assist!
Today, we honor the incredible dedication of our school nurses who care for our scholars every day. Their compassion, expertise, and commitment make a lasting difference in the health and well-being of our school community.
Please join us in celebrating:
Tia Parker and Erin Dempsey, Rock Island High School
Liz Moyer, Washington Jr. High School
Kelly McGuire, Eugene Field Elementary
Heather Peters, Edison Jr. High School
Heather McCarty, Rock Island Academy
April Bowlyou, Thomas Jefferson Elementary
Susanne Zimanek, Denkmann Elementary
Kris Seran, Rock Island Center for Math & Science
Teresa Wessenhove, Frances Willard Elementary
Kari Gamble, Ridgewood Elementary
Chasity Gushulak, Horace Mann Early Learning Center
Qiana Wells, Thurgood Marshall Learning Center
Serena Cervantes, District Float
Karen Baber and Kristin Rowland, Substitute Nurses
Thank you for everything you do to keep our scholars safe, healthy, and ready to learn!
Happy Teacher Appreciation Week!
We are incredibly grateful for our amazing teachers across the Rock Island-Milan School District who inspire, support, and make a difference every single day.
Here’s a special message of appreciation from our district and school leaders! ❤️💛
Here are a few important dates to keep in mind this month.
Rock Island-Milan,
There’s still time to participate in the RIHS Culture Fest and order a t-shirt! The deadline to sign up and complete your purchase is Sunday, May 3.
Visit the 2026 Culture Fest website to learn more!
The meeting will feature a presentation from Principal Melody, followed by a focused discussion on Budget, Planning, Transparency, and Federal Funding.
We hope you can join us!
Families, it’s time to register your child(ren) for the 2026–2027 school year! Online registration is now open.
Proof of residency is required for all new students, as well as those entering Kindergarten, 6th grade, or 9th grade.
Visit rimsd41.org/registration for more information and to get started!
Take a look at how our scholars across the district celebrated and recognized this special day!
A big shoutout to all the incredible administrative professionals across our district! Thank you for keeping everything running smoothly behind the scenes. Your hard work and dedication make a difference every day. ✨
From left to right: Teacher Cassandra Salas-Mikaio, Principal Joey DiIulio, Principal Patrick Versluis, Superintendent Dr. Sharon Williams, Teacher Angie Paprocki, and Instructional Coach Bettina McWilliams.
We are thrilled to announce Dr. Yolanda Grandberry Pugh as the new Dean of Students at Rock Island High School, beginning in the 2026-2027 school year!
Dr. Grandberry-Pugh currently serves as the Interim Dean at RIHS. She is a 20-year veteran of the district and has served as a teacher in the English department at RIHS, principal designee at one of the elementary schools in the district, and is a participant in the newly formed Aspiring Leaders Academy.
Congratulations, Dr. Grandberry Pugh!
This year, Thomas Jefferson scholars set an ambitious goal: 11,000 books checked out from the library. Last week, they didn’t just meet it – they surpassed it weeks ahead of schedule!
This milestone reflects the power of the Reading Revolution – scholars actively engaging with books, building strong literacy habits, and growing as readers every day.
Congratulations, Bulldogs! Keep reading!
We are thrilled to announce Mr. Mario Sherrell as the new principal of Thurgood Marshall Learning Center, beginning in the 2026-2027 school year!
Mr. Sherrell was selected to serve as Interim Principal of Thurgood Marshall Learning Center in January of 2026. During his time as Interim Principal, he has worked to improve daily attendance practices, increase scholar engagement, and implement consistent, trauma-informed approaches to student support.
Additionally, he has prioritized relationship-building with staff, scholars, and families, helping to foster a more positive and structured school climate.
Congratulations, Mr. Sherrell!
Rocky pride was on full display last night as we celebrated our Rocky Special Olympics bowling and basketball teams, as well our Rocky Swim Team at the April 14 Board of Education meeting!
The Special Olympics basketball team earned an incredible 2nd-place finish at the state tournament – an outstanding accomplishment that reflects their hard work, determination, and teamwork. Congratulations to coaches Jeff Martens, Lisa Martens, and Meghan Miers for their leadership in guiding our team to this outstanding achievement!
We couldn’t be prouder to celebrate our two incredible RIHS Special Olympics bowlers, David Pack-Lewis and Izaak McMeans, for placing first and second in state! Special shoutout to their dedicated coach, Stacy Rel.
We are also especially proud of Andrew Oliver and Nathan Anderson for representing Rocky at the state level for diving and the 100-meter butterfly! We extend our appreciation to Head Coach Rebecca Brown and Head Boys Diving Coach Sarah Fueling for their leadership in guiding this team to success!
Well deserved, and congratulations to all involved!
Lillian shared her book A Different Set of Eyes, inspired by her brother, Joe Foran, who has autism. In recognition of Autism Awareness Month, Lillian and her family are proud to raise awareness by sharing their story, promoting understanding and inclusion through the power of storytelling.
Thank you to Lillian and her family for inspiring our scholars!
We’d like to give a huge thank you to our amazing RIMSD librarians:
Edie Crayne, Denkmann
Elizabeth Saunders, Earl Hanson
Amy Jahn, Edison Jr. High
Lori Gregan, Eugene Field
Sarah Freeman, Eugene Field
Donna Manning, Frances Willard
Shannon Fuhrer, Longfellow
Melissa Knoeferl, Rock Island Academy
Dee Anderson, RI Center for Math & Science
Diana Bush, Ridgewood
Mary Mendelin, Rock Island High School
Amy Curtiss, Rock Island High School
Amy Marshall, Thomas Jefferson
Karen Long, Washington Jr. High
Your passion, dedication, and the love you bring to your libraries make a lasting impact on our scholars and school communities. Thank you for all that you do!
