What's New for the 2025-2026 School Year?

We are excited to welcome back staff, students and families for the 2025-2026 school year on Monday, Aug. 18! 

There are a number of things that are new or updated for the new school year that we want to make sure that you are aware of:

‘Forward Together’ Strategic Plan

The Rockwood Board of Education voted unanimously to adopt the district’s new five-year strategic plan, Forward Together, on June 5. The plan is the culmination of a yearlong process that involved student, staff, parent and community input to develop a visionary roadmap that will guide the work district staff engages in to educate and support students. It includes the Rockwood Promise, which embodies who we are and who we want to be for our students and serves as a foundation for our work. The Promise is based on four tenets: We Cultivate Belonging; We Empower All; We Honor Dignity; and We Embrace Innovation.

New Theme

Our theme for the 2025-2026 school year in Rockwood is “Rooted in the Promise, Forward Together.” As we embark on a new school year with a new strategic plan, we want everyone to embrace the Rockwood Promise and understand that Rockwood is a district that nurtures learning, values fiscal responsibility, recruits and retains highly qualified staff and maintains safe and caring school environments.

New Start Times

Revisions to the 2025-2026 school calendar approved this past November provide for 173 student attendance days during the year, as well as four professional learning days for staff members. With three fewer student attendance days than the previously approved calendar, the school day will now start seven minutes earlier for Rockwood elementary, middle and high school students. Dismissal times remain the same. New start and end times will be:

• Middle school: 7:40 a.m.-2:39 p.m.
• High school: 8:21 a.m.-3:17 p.m.
• Elementary school (early start): 8:26 a.m.-3:23 p.m.
• Elementary school (late start): 9:02 a.m.-3:59 p.m.

New Faces

This year, we are welcoming a total of 23 new district coordinators, principals, assistant principals, administrative interns and activities directors, as well as current administrators taking on new roles. Rockwood is also welcoming more than 110 new teachers across our elementary, middle and high schools. We also have a new school safety officer, Kelly Murray, who joins our existing three school safety officers and school resource officers (SROs) that help keep our schools and campuses safe.

Prop 3 Projects

Nearly $23 million in safety, technology and facilities priority projects were completed around the Rockwood School District this summer, using funds from Prop 3, which was approved by district voters in November 2023. Major projects included a parking lot replacement at Lafayette High, a new playground at Green Pines Elementary, HVAC system replacements at Ellisville, Kehrs Mill and Uthoff Valley elementary schools and classroom technology upgrades and door access control updates around the district. Visit rsdmo.org/prop3 for more information about Prop 3, as well as current and upcoming priority projects.

Cell Phone/Personal Device Policy

While Rockwood had already successfully piloted and had a practice in place that phones should not be seen or heard during instructional time, a new state law, Missouri Senate Bill 68, expands these regulations in all Missouri schools. At its July 17 meeting, the Board of Education voted to approve a new policy (2613) that aligns with this state law. This means that personal devices will not be seen or heard from the start to the end of the school day. As a result, outside of a school-designated emergency, student personal devices must remain off and out of sight during the entire school day. This updated policy will help minimize distractions and foster an even more focused learning environment for all our students. Read more about the personal device policy here.