📣 Farewell & Best Wishes! 🌟
As the school year comes to a close, we say goodbye to four incredible members of our RA family who are moving on to new adventures:
Ashley Cromer has been with us since 2021 as our dedicated FCS teacher. She’ll be continuing her passion for Family and Consumer Sciences at Broadway High School.
Grant Disharoon, our talented math teacher since fall 2022, is stepping into an exciting leadership role as Assistant Principal at Shelburne Middle School.
Joey Capuano, who joined us in 2024 as our EL teacher, will be heading to Wilson Memorial High School to teach Spanish.
Laura Lucas, our much-loved Attendance Clerk since 2020, came out of retirement to support our students. Now, she’s “retiring” once again to serve her community through her church.
Thank you all for your hard work, care, and commitment to our school community. We wish you all the best!!
We did it!!
As the school year comes to a close, we're proud to share what our amazing students have accomplished:
374 class credits earned
13 high school diplomas awarded
8 GEDs completed
Behind these numbers are stories of perseverance, hard work, and determination. We couldn't be more proud of our students and staff for their dedication and heart this year.
Have a wonderful and safe summer. To our returning students, we will see you in August! To our graduates-good luck with all you set out to do and we are SO proud of each of you!
Field Day Fun!
Last Friday was a perfect day to celebrate the end of year:
Grilled burgers & hotdogs, Ice cream sundae bar, football, cornhole, frisbee, painting rocks to decorate the flowerbeds (just to name a few activities), and the RA yearbooks were handed out. Each year students receive a yearbook FREE of charge with the help of donations from faculty, staff, and community organizations!
Laughter, creativity, and community were everywhere you looked. A huge thank you to everyone who helped make the day so special — it was the perfect send-off to an amazing year!
Congratulations, Class of 2025!
This week we celebrate your achievements, your resilience, and your incredible journey. You've worked hard, grown so much, and now you're ready to take on the next chapter — whether it's college, a career, or new adventures!
We’re so proud of everything you’ve accomplished and can’t wait to see how you’ll change the world.
Wishing all of our graduating seniors the best of luck in everything that lies ahead.
Our amazing middle school students rolled up their sleeves and cooked up something special! On Wednesday, they prepared a full Italian meal from scratch with the help of Ms. Crissell, Ms. Trumbo, and Mr. Dish—fresh pasta, homemade meatballs, garlic bread, and even dessert—for the entire school!
Not only did they show off their culinary skills, but they also demonstrated teamwork, responsibility, and pride in serving their school community.
Way to go, future chefs!
All graduation ceremonies for the 2024-2025 school year will be held at the Atlantic Union Bank Center at JMU, and will be live streamed on the RCPS YouTube channel. Recordings will be available within 48 hours after each ceremony.
Massanutten Technical Center: Wednesday, June 4, 2025 @ 7:00 pm
East Rockingham High School: Thursday, June 5, 2025 @ 7:00 pm
Spotswood High School: Friday, June 6, 2025 @ 7:00 pm
Broadway High School: Saturday, June 7, 2025 @ 12:30 pm
Turner Ashby High School: Saturday, June 7, 2025 @ 4:00 pm
Previous Graduation Ceremonies (2021, 2022, 2023 & 2024) are also on the RCPS YouTube channel
There is no school for students and staff on Monday, May 26 for Memorial Day. Tuesday, May 27 will be an EVEN day.
🎉 Congratulations to Noah Caldwell! 🎉
Rockingham Academy student Noah Caldwell has been named Massanutten Technical Center’s Student of the Year!
Noah is currently excelling as a second year student in the Aviation program. He has also been in the Culinary Arts programs at MTC — a true example of dedication, talent, and hard work.
We’re proud to celebrate Noah’s achievement and can’t wait to see where his future takes him!
Happy Teacher Appreciation Week to the AMAZING staff of Rockingham Academy!
Happy Nurse Appreciation Day (May 7) to our AMAZING nurse, Cathy Pence!
We have celebrated with an appreciation breakfast, a trail mix bar, a nice pen, a succulent, and tomorrow will round out the week with a staff luncheon and ice cream outing.
“Great teachers empathize with kids, respect them, and believe that each one has something special that can be built upon.” – Ann Lieberman
Our students have been hard at work this spring! 🌸
They’ve been building cutting boards, servicing and repairing lawn mowers to get ready for summer, and crafting picnic tables for everyone to enjoy during outdoor lunches and classes. Great job to all involved! 👏🔧🪵☀️
Today, we proudly honor the heart of our school — our outstanding principal, Ms. Lea Dean! Your dedication, vision, and unwavering support for our students, staff, and families inspire us every day. Your leadership not only guides our school forward but also nurtures the spirit and unity that make our community so special.
To show our appreciation (and have a little fun), students searched the school for hidden photos of Ms. Dean, then came together to create a heartfelt collage. Over the past week, students have also been working hard to beautify our school grounds — pulling weeds, spreading mulch, and planting flowers generously donated by staff in Ms. Dean’s honor.
Thank you, Ms. Dean, for all you do — today and every day! 💐📚
No school for students or staff on Friday, April 18 for holiday.
No school for students on Monday, April 21 for a teacher workday.
Tuesday, April 22 will be an EVEN day for students.
Shoutout to Mr. Rhodes' agriculture class for their incredible craftsmanship and hard work this semester!
Students built two beautiful Adirondack chairs and two cutting boards, which were auctioned off last Thursday at the Rockingham Heritage FFA Foundation Dinner & Auction. The four handcrafted items raised an impressive $850 during the live auction!
All proceeds will help sponsor Rockingham County FFA members as they travel to state and national conventions—investing in the future of agriculture, one project at a time! 🌟💙💛 #RockinghamFFA #HandsOnLearning #FutureFarmers #StudentSuccess
Friday marked the end of the third grading period, and we’re celebrating some fantastic achievements! This term, our students completed 72 class credits, with three earning their diplomas and another three achieving their GEDs—congratulations to all!
Beyond the classroom, Ms. Evans took a group of students to Valley Creative Reuse, where they explored the art of creating with found objects. They also gathered materials for an exciting upcoming mural project.
Meanwhile, Mr. Rhodes and Ms. Cromer’s Farm-to-Table class took a field trip to Hillview Dairy Farm, just outside Bridgewater, to gain hands-on insight into the dairy industry.
Great work, everyone—let’s keep the momentum going!
Spring Break is Monday, March 31-Friday, April 4.
Students return to school on Monday, April 7 to an ODD Day. We hope you have a fun, safe, and restful break!
Due to the number of inclement weather days, Monday, February 17, and Tuesday, February 18, will now be regular school days for students. These two days were originally scheduled as a division in-service and parent-teacher conference day.
Thank you so much, Ms. May and Ms. Lewis-Crosby, for your dedication, support, and care for our students at RA! From providing a listening ear and offering guidance for career and continuing education beyond high school, you positively impact our school community!
Every month, Ms. Dean will recognize two members of our incredible staff as Phoenixes of the Month. Staff members will receive a goody bag and some other fun treats.
Our February Phoenixes of the Month are Ms. Susan Meadows and Mr. Travis Myers.
Ms. Susan Meadows has been teaching in Rockingham County Public Schools for 36 years, most of which have been in the alternative education program. She was recently recognized as the 2026 Lucy F. Simms Educator of the Year! Her advice to students is, "Don't be fooled by shiny things. Learn to love yourself and stop hating on others."
Mr. Travis Myers is our Special Education teacher and has been teaching for 19 years and coaches football at Turner Ashby. He and his wife have been married for 24 years and have 3 children and 3 dogs. His advice to students is, "Don't be afraid to fail. Failing is learning."
THANK YOU both for all of your hard work and dedication to our students and school community!
Yesterday marked the last day of the second grading term for RCPS.
At Rockingham Academy, students completed 47 class credits and 3 earned diplomas during the second term.
Congratulations to our students on their accomplishments and all of their hard work!
No school for students-Friday, January 17. It is the end of the first semester and a teacher workday.
No school for students or faculty on Monday, January 20.
Tuesday, January 21 will be an ODD day
