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Pictured: (top of page) RHS Class of 2019
toss their caps in celebration as a finale at
their commencement ceremony on
Saturday, June 1, 2019.
The Rocket Report is a monthly newsletter
published by Rockford Area Schools for
communities in Wright and
Hennepin Counties.
This Issue...
District Newsletter June 2019
Upcoming Events July 1-5—Galaxy Kids Program Closed
July 4–5—District Offices Closed
July 4-6—Rockford Community Center
Closed
July 15—School Board Meeting, 6:30 pm
RHS
Aug 5—Fall Activities Meeting, 6 pm
RHS
Aug 19—School Board Meeting, 6:30 pm
RHS
Aug 26-30—Galaxy Kids Program Closed
Aug 28—RHS Open House, 4-6 pm
Aug 29—RMS-CES Open House, 4-6 pm
Check out the school website for up-to-
date announcements and sports activities at
www.rockford.k12.mn.us.
Rockford High School proudly held their 102nd Commencement Ceremony on Saturday,
June 1, 2019.
Held in the Rockford Community Center, the ceremony honored 94 graduates. Speakers
included senior class representative, Molly Nooyen, and valedictorian, Jade Ellis. The
RHS A Cappella Choir performed And Wherever Y ou Go, followed by the Senior Choir
with See Y ou Again, under the direction of Miriam Augsburger. After their performance,
Link Leaders, Jerron Cool and Cassie Majeski, presented each of our exchange students
with a U.S. flag.
The RHS Concert Band performed Brave under the direction of Jerald Ferdig, which was
followed by the faculty address given by Language Arts teacher, Julie Merila.
Pictured: (below) Valedictorian Jade Ellis gives her final speech to her classmates.
Rockford High School Holds 102nd Commencement
2
Rocket Proud By Paul Durand,
Superintendent of Schools
Graduation is a time for recognition of, and a
chance to look back at, the many
accomplishments and special moments that
have happened this past year. We all have a lot to be proud of—
in our graduates, at each school building, and in our school
district.
Our elementary school has been an Arts Magnet school for 14
years now. Those young students get the opportunity to
participate in the Young Authors Young Artist Conference, Stock
Market Game, Aviation Art Contest, Visual Arts Troupes,
Celebration of Young Musicians Arts Festival, Battle of the
Books, National Anthem team, Kindness-themed programs, 3rd
and 4th grade piano lessons, and Spotlight Concerts.
In fact, two fourth grade classes participated in the middle school
division in the Stock Market Game, an online stock market
simulation that involves researching and investing in company
stocks, sponsored by Best Prep. I am very proud to say that the
top team earned an 8% return and placed 12th in the statewide
contest.
I am also very proud to mentioned that Sawyer LaFave and
Addison Modrow placed in the Minnesota Aviation Art Contest
for the ages 6-9 category.
Our STEM Magnet program at our middle school marks its
eighth year with a new Makerspace program and a volunteer club
for our students. They also can participate in History Day,
Patriots Pen Writing Contests, the Celebration of Young
Musicians Festival, the District Spelling Bee, Central MN Band
Directors Association Honor Band, District Spelling Bee and the
Battle of the Books.
I am proud to say eighth grader Lauren Rhode took first place at
our annual District Spelling Bee and went on to place second at
the Regional Spelling Bee, qualifying her for state competition.
Four middle school students also placed in the Minnesota
Aviation Art Contest this year. Congratulations to Sophia Sisk,
Elizabeth Sylvester, Katelyn Alholinnia who placed in the 10-13
year old division and Kate Kariniemi, who placed in the 14-17
year old division.
We also have one of the few middle school FFA chapters in the
state. This year, four middle school FFA teams qualified for state
with nine students competing.
At Rockford High School, we held our second annual Curriculum
Fair and introduced the roll out of our International Baccalaureate
programme, starting in ninth grade for the 2019-2020 school
year.
Rockford High School students have won awards in band, choir,
FFA, DECA, and Speech either individually or as a group or
team. In sports, our teams have earned academic all-state awards;
and individuals participated at the state level in Cross Country
and Track and Field.
I am so proud of all these students for their accomplishments—
Seniors Madeline Altmann and Gabriel Zilmer were named
Academics, Arts, and Athletics (Triple A) Award winners.
RHS National Honor Society inducted 22 new members this
year. This year’s NHS has a total of 53 members.
DECA had 29 students who competed at State this year with
three representing RHS at Nationals in Florida—senior Molly
Nooyen and juniors Kailey DeWolfe and Jessica Seymour.
With our Rockford Speech team, sophomores Rayna Bowen, Sophie
Czech, Maddie Haas, and eighth grader Maggie Johnson, all reached
finals in their respective categories at the section tournament in
April. Sophomore Rayna Bowen was also named Conference
Champion at the Wright County Conference meet in March.
The Rockford FFA Chapter received a gold rating for the National
Chapter Award and was recognized at State Convention as the ninth
place FFA Chapter in the State of Minnesota.
Sophomores Maddie Haas, Paige Henrich, Ellie Davis, Nicolle
Johnson, and Brandon Schmidt; and seniors Gigi Grabowski,
Beau Ayers, Bastian St. Aubin, Jackson Hellman, Lindsey
Schirado, and Andrea Schirado were selected to participate in the
Gustavus Adolphus Honor Band with students from Minnesota,
Iowa and Wisconsin.
RHS Concert Band received a superior rating from all three
judges at section large group band contests.
Seniors Andrea Dibble and Armand LaPlume performed in All-
State Band for the 2018-19 school year.
Rockford Band participated in instrumental solo/ensemble
contests with 33 entries (most of any school in our section) with
20 of the entries including the Rockford Jazz Band receiving
superior ratings.
At the MSHSL Large Group Vocal Contest, both Rockford’s A
Cappella Choir and Belle Canto Choir achieved Superior ratings.
Senior Molly Nooyen was named this year’s recipient of the
regional Athena award for outstanding female athlete.
Senior Luke Overton was named Male Athlete of the Year.
Junior Nels Trandahl is the first male Cross Country athlete to
have two consecutive trips to state in nearly 20 years. He placed
27th with a personal best time of 16:41, which is also the fastest
state meet time in school history. Nels also earned a second
consecutive Academic All-State honor.
Rockford Varsity Cheer team was crowned the 2018 MCCA
Class A Champions in Game Situation and School Song and
Overall Second Place in State.
Rockford Track and Field Wright County Conference record
Message from the Superintendent
Rocket Report / June 2019
Continued on next page...
3
Assessment Days at REAMS Sept 3 & 4 Rockford Elementary Arts Magnet School will once again be holding their annual Assessment
Days for students on September 3 and 4. On one of these two days, students and their parents will
be invited to school for approximately two hours.
Scheduling a Time Families will be contacted by their child’s teacher to sign up for a scheduled time at the elementary
school on either Tuesday, September 3 or Wednesday, September 4. Families will be sent a link to
an on-line sign-up schedule, to select the time slot that works best for them. Students will only attend on one of the two days, with
regular classes and buses starting on Thursday, September 5, for REAMS students. There will be no bus transportation for REAMS
students until Thursday, September 5.
Assessment Day Activities Assessment days allow you and your child to have a one-on-one meeting with your teacher, not just a passing “hello” during an open
house. Time is provided to talk to your teacher about your child and what he or she needs to be successful. These days also allow
teachers to assess the current reading skills of each student, without distraction, and to have that data accessible the very first day of
teaching in the classroom. This time also provides staff to take care of many of the things that interrupt instruction at the beginning of
each school year– pictures (remember to have your student dress like they would on picture day), bus safety, health screenings,
Parent Portal sign up, and time to address any other needs for your child. A teacher who understands their students and families will
know how to start teaching them on the first day of instruction, to assist each student in reaching their highest potential and to
prepare students, families and themselves for a successful school year. Parents will receive a checklist upon arrival at school to assist
in completing all of the activities. More information, along with your child’s teacher placement, will be sent to families in August.
If you have any questions regarding starting school this fall, the elementary office, 763-477-5837, will be open on Wednesdays from
7:30 am to 2:30 pm during the summer months.
holders: pole vault—junior Alayna Schloeder, 11’4.5” and senior
Hawkin Petron, 14’8”; 800m—junior Leo Duffy, 1:59.5; 4x400m
relay—junior Molly Schultz, freshmen Aliyah Robran, Natasha
James and Kylee Sauers, 4:10.4.
Sophomore Hunter Ehlers shot the first ever 100 in consecutive
league rounds for Rockford Trapshooting.
As a district, we proudly recognize our distinguished alumni and
honorary diploma recipients in the Tradition of Excellence
program, now in its ninth year. Look further in this issue for
more information on that program.
Thank you also to Rockford Education Foundation, Rocket
Boosters, Music Partners, and District 883 Dollars for Scholars
for their generous donations that support of Rockford Area
School students and their achievements.
At the Rockford Area Schools, we strive to provide an
educational experience for our students that best prepares them
for their life beyond high school. With your help, we can
continue our goal of “Tradition of Excellence, One Student at a
Time.” If you have an idea, question or concern, feel free to stop
in, call (office: 763-477-9165 x4002) or send me an e-mail
Continued from previous page...
Message from the Superintendent
Fifth grader, Francine
Wachholz, showed her
determination and grit in
accomplishing her goals
during the last day of
classes.
All students in fifth grade
who perform all of the
required exercises were invited
to an end of the year pizza party.
Francine was determined to finish
to be part of the pizza party!
Unfortunately, she entered her final band lesson of the year
with a cast on her right hand from a softball injury the day
before. Despite the challenge of playing her alto saxophone
with a cast, she came in well-prepared and played the exercise
note-perfectly. Francine earned her place at the end of the
year pizza party! Way to go!
Determination
at its Best
4 Rocket Report / June 2019
The end of the school year brings a sigh of relief to a few
different populations; however, for one group, it’s the beginning
of a summer of anxiety. For those parents who have a child
going into fifth grade, this is a very big summer. In the fall, their
baby takes the next big educational step, middle school!
For parents, this transition from elementary to middle school
feels much like putting a child on the school bus for their very
first day of school. Moving from single classrooms to a schedule
of seven different classes with four minutes of passing time and a
locker with a combination lock seems like a lot for these young
children. The good news is that Rockford Middle School –
Center for Environmental Studies has many things in place to
help ease this transition.
First, staff from RMS-CES visit Rockford Elementary Arts
Magnet School quite often. The visits begin with Principal Bobbi
Anderson-Hume reading to all of the 4th grade classes during
February’s “I Love to Read Month.” This is a great opportunity
for the middle school principal to become a familiar face to her
soon-to-be middle schoolers. Additionally, Molly Wirth, school
counselor, visits REAMS to register the fourth grade students for
their middle school classes. Finally, Britta Bauer, the middle
school band teacher, spends time at the elementary helping
students make their big choice as they become a fifth grader:
which music class to take! Ms. Bauer teaches them about their
music choices, demonstrates band instruments, and arranges
opportunities for students and their families to get what they need
for band.
Fourth grade students also get to travel to RMS-CES for a tour
each spring. The students start in the Media Center with Dr.
Anderson-Hume, who explains the key ingredients of success at
the middle level: be on time, bring your stuff, do your best, be a
nice kid. Next, current eighth grade student leaders take the
fourth graders around the building on a tour. “This helps students
to gain an understanding of the physical space they will inhabit in
the fall,” said Anderson-Hume, “The afternoon wraps up with a
snack and some time for the newest middle school students to
chat with the newest ninth grade students about how to be
successful in middle school.”
On Tuesday, June 25, Dr. Anderson-Hume will host A Night
with the Principal event in the middle school media center,
beginning at 6:30 pm. This parent/guardian meeting will focus
on an explanation of the essential middle school “need to knows”
for parents to be able to assist their children through this
transition. Parents will also have the opportunity to ask any
questions or share any concerns they may have.
As the beginning of the school year approaches, an open house is
scheduled for Thursday, August 29, 2019 from 4-6 pm. This is
an opportunity for students to find their classrooms and lockers.
Additionally, students and their families can meet all of their
teachers and gain a much better understanding of what the school
year will be like.
Finally, all incoming fifth graders will be assigned an eighth
grade WEB (Where Everyone Belongs) leader and will spend
their first morning of school having some fun, getting another
tour, and getting to know their WEB leader. The RMS-CES staff
are available to their new fifth graders especially during the first
week of school to help with their sizable transition and future
success!
Pictured: (above) Last fall, eighth grade WEB (Where Everybody
Belongs) student leaders helped to welcome the new fifth grade
students. WEB is a middle school orientation program that
provides support for incoming fifth grade students as well as
leadership opportunities for eighth grade students.
5
Rocket Track & Field Places at State Tourney On June 7 and 8, members of the Boys and Girls Rocket Track and Field Team
had an amazing time at the Minnesota State High School League’s State
Tournament at Hamline University in St. Paul.
Congratulations to the Rocket Girls, who walked away from the Minnesota
State Championships with a big prize—being named the Class A Third Place
team!
The Rocket girls 4x200M relay team, consisting of Molly Schultz, Aliyah
Robran, Sara Byers and Cassia Cady, finished third and broke the school
record twice over the tournament weekend. Rocket senior Luke Overton broke
his own school record and finishing fifth at the State championships in Shot
Put.
Other results include—junior Molly Schultz finishing sixth in the Long Jump;
sophomore Sara Byers finishing third in the triple jump with a season best
jump of 37'-6.75"; junior Austin Schloeder placing second and senior Hawkin
Petron placing fifth in the Pole Vault; senior Bryn London finishing eighth in
High Jump; and junior Alayna Schloeder placing second and junior
Molly Schultz tying for fourth in Pole Vault.
Rocket Track and Field coaches are Head Coach Chad Robran,
Distance: Jim Clark and Jeff Dickman; Throws: Brian Johnson and
Lindsay Wurm; Sprints: Mike White, Jake Roh and Jacinta
Roggenbuck; Pole Vault: Paul Herda; Jumps/Hurdles: Melonie
Robran; Jumps: Dave Mottet and Tim Fowler; and High Jump:
Mike Tauber.
Pictured: (top right) The Rocket Girls take home the third place
trophy. (right) Sara Byers, Aliyah Robran, Cassia Cady and Molly
Schultz take their third place spot on the winners stand. (below)
Alaina Schroeder breaking the school record and meet record for
the third time in the same meet, clearing 12'-6" in the Pole Vault.
(below left) Luke Overton proudly shows his medal from the State
Championships in Shot Put.
6 Rocket Report / June 2019
These are very exciting times at Rockford
High School!
Planning is underway to transition Rockford
High School into an International
Baccalaureate magnet school, starting the
2019-2020 school year.
This transition will make the Rockford Area
School District unique in the fact that each school at every level
will be a magnet school. Rockford Elementary School, grades K-
4, became an arts magnet school in 2004. Rockford Middle
School became a STEM (science, technology, engineering, and
math) magnet school in 2011 when it changed its name to the
Rockford Middle School Center for Environmental Studies. It
currently houses grades 5 through 8. Both were made possible
with our partnership with the NorthWest Suburban Integration
School District (NWSISD).
The district has been asked what will change and what will stay
the same for the upcoming school year. IB Programme
Administrator Matthew Scheidler developed the following
information to help answer those questions for families.
Is the daily schedule changing? No. The 2018-19 school year
was our first year with a seven-period semester schedule. Class
sizes were reduced, students had more options in terms of the
variety of courses they could take each semester, and teachers
and students had more time to immerse in a chosen elective as
the length of classes increased from 12 weeks, in our previous
trimester schedule, to 18 weeks in our current semester schedule.
How will student access to technology be impacted by IB? We are striving to maximize our resources from the federal
Magnet School Assistance Program (MSAP) Grant we were
awarded in October 2018 to start an International Baccalaureate
magnet school. This grant will allow us to provide universal
access to current technology with the additional computer carts
for our ninth graders in core classrooms, beginning this fall. As
the grant continues the next four years, we will continue to
enhance our current technology options, including the number of
Chrome devices, as we increase access for our students.
What is Guided Study Hall? Guided Study Hall will provide
structure for students and will be an option for all RHS students.
Weekly grade checks, goal setting, and organization skills will be
emphasized, allowing each student who chooses Guided Study
Hall the opportunity to focus on completing work and studying
for their current courses during the school day.
How will the professional development for RHS teachers
impact students at RHS? The RHS teachers and staff have
had a remarkable year. They have engaged in professional
development in our Wednesday IB Workshops, two-hour late
start time, half-day professional development sessions, on-site
visits, and participated in the RHS IB Advisory Committee. Each
interaction with a student, staff member, administrator or parent
who has experience in an IB learning community, helps in the
quest to create a supportive, inclusive, relevant, rigorous and
relationship-focused learning environment. RHS staff is grateful
for our partners in the Minnesota Association of International
Baccalaureate (MNIB) Schools as well as our fellow attendees at
IB workshops as they continue to build their knowledge of IB
and share best practices with local, national, and international
teachers. In the last few months alone, the staff has collaborated
and learned from teachers and administrators on-site visits to
Fridley High School, Minneapolis Southwest High School,
Minnetonka High School, and South St. Paul High School.
What is happening with the grading system at RHS? The
short answer is that all RHS students will receive a traditional
letter grade (A, B, C, D, or F) during the 2019-20 school year.
Each ninth and tenth grader will have at least eight IB Middle
Years Programme (MYP)-style units, and they will receive both
traditional letter grades AND criterion-based grading feedback
during these particular units. The RHS IB Advisory Committee
will work diligently to analyze the grading practices required for
authorization, engage our stakeholders (students, staff, families,
and community members) in robust dialogue as they analyze
current practices and determine future practices, as well as
collaborate with fellow Minnesota Association of International
Baccalaureate (MNIB) Schools.
Who will my teachers be? There will often be changes in
“who” teaches in a school every year. Each individual teacher has
to make the best decision for themselves, their family, and their
professional aspirations. RHS staff are excited to welcome
several new teachers to their school.
Ben Pennings-MYP U.S. History 9 and Theory of Logic.
Mr. Pennings has already attended an IB training and has
participated in several RHS professional development activities.
When asked why he wanted to make the move to RHS, Pennings
said, “After 18 years of teaching middle school, I am excited for
a new challenge and look forward to helping grow the IB
program here in Rockford. I also look forward to seeing my
previous students in the classroom again, and to continue to be
someone that helps them navigate the tricky waters of being a
high school student.”
Other new staff include Daphne Evans in Mathematics and
Bobby Von Kaenel in English.
In addition, a core team of ninth grade teachers will teach most, if
not all, of the incoming ninth grade students next fall. They
include:
Brandon Nichols-MYP English 9
Alex Vasseei-MYP Non-Linear Algebra
Steve Merila-MYP Physics 9
Calli Zastoupil-MYP Spanish I
What are the MYP Subject Groups? There are eight MYP
Subject Groups:
Ramping Up for 2019-20 School Year Rockford High School Starts Transition to an International Baccalaureate
7
Career Fair Held May 16
Language Acquisition (Spanish is the world language
offered at RHS)
Language and Literature (aka English)
Individuals and Societies (aka Social Studies)
Sciences
Mathematics
Arts
Physical and Health Education
Design (could include Arts, Agriculture, Business, or Tech
Ed courses)
What classes do ninth graders need to take next year? The
ninth grade students will have access to the same type of classes
as in previous years. As a MYP candidate school, RHS needs to
offer all eight subject groups. However, since MYP is only
offered in grades 9 and 10, or years four and five of the MYP
curriculum, our students will only need to take six MYP courses
each semester.
What does MYP, DP, and CP candidacy mean for a RHS
10th, 11th, or 12th grader during the 2019-20 school year? The good news is that students will have access to most of the
same academic opportunities that their recent predecessors
experienced at RHS. There will be opportunities to earn college
credits in numerous classes in 11th and 12th grade (e.g.,
Composition, Literature, Calculus, European History,
Economics, Human Biology, and Physics). Also the Advanced
Placement (AP) Art course will continue to be offered.
One change that will occur is in Mathematics as College
Calculus will not longer be offered as the teacher qualified to
teach the course has retired. Instead, a section of Advanced
Placement (AP) Calculus will be offered with Alex Vasseei as
the teacher in the 2019-20 school year.
RHS is also excited to offer a Theory of Logic course for our
11th and 12th graders. This course seeks to answer the question
of “how do I know what I think I know?” This class was so
popular during our registration process that two sections of
Theory of Logic will be offered next school year.
As a candidate school, we are in the process of increasing our
understanding of the Diploma Programme (DP) and Career-
related Programme (CP) requirements. These programmes will
be available for 11th and 12th graders once RHS achieves the
“authorized” status milestone.
Where can I look to find more information about IB at
RHS? A weblink is available on RHS webpage, https://
www.rockford.k12.mn.us/site/Default.aspx?PageID=2306 or
you may email IB Programme Administrator Matthew Scheidler
at [email protected]. Also, the International
Baccalureate Organization website (https://www.IBO.org) is a
helpful resource full of information, research, video clips, and
posters that describe what the Middle Years Programme (MYP),
Diploma Programme (DP), and Career-related Programme (CP)
have to offer our students, staff, families, and communities.
The seventh annual Rockford Middle School Center for
Environmental Studies Career Fair, held on May 16, 2019,
was another success! There was strong participation and
engaging information to share with eighth grade students in an
expo-style setting. Breakout sessions were also offered in
individual classrooms to highlight careers in the fields of
STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math).
Thank you to the following individuals and organizations for
helping to make this opportunity available to our students as
they prepare to embark on their high school careers and
beyond.
25:2 Solutions, 3M, Anoka Technical College, Climate
Makers, Inc., Common Thread Custom Apparel, Geiger
Brandspiration, Genesis Group Homes, Inc. , Hutchinson
Technology, Infinite Campus, Lake Sarah Dental, Landscape
Structures, Inc., Medtronic, Minnetonka Police Dept. K9 Unit,
MTS Systems Corp., Natural Resource Conservation Service,
Open Access Technology International, RE/MAX Consultants
- LeAnn Sather, Stone Creations Landscape & Design, Inc.,
Sedgwick, Species360, Tennant Company, Three Rivers Parks
District, Twin Cities Orthopedics, Wolfson Sales Group, Inc.,
Wright County Attorney’s Office, Wright Soil and Water
Conservation District.
Pictured: (above) Members of the Rockford Middle School
FFA Chapter welcome participants to the Career Fair.
(below) Eighth grader Anna Sarkinen conducts some tests a
one of the Expo booths.
8 Rocket Report / June 2019
This year, three exchange students participated in the Rockford High School
commencement ceremony alongside the members of the Rockford High School
Class of 2019. They included Martina Attanasio, Carlotta Prelli and Yara Riggiall,
all from Italy.
Exchange students do not earn diplomas from Rockford High School, but rather
certificates of attendance because, in many cases, the students still need to graduate
from school or may have already graduated in their home countries.
The exchange students provide Rockford students with the opportunity to learn
about other cultures and how to interact with other people who have different backgrounds and experiences. The families of the
Rockford Area Schools have been very supportive of the school’s desire to accommodate interested exchange students.
When asked about their plans after attending Rockford High School, Attanasio plans to attend another year of high school in Italy
and then attend a university; Prelli plans to attend college but is yet undecided as to where;and Riggi wants to attend college in the
United States.
If any family is interested in hosting an exchange student for the 2019-2020 school year, they can contact Rockford High School
counselor, Jill Gordee, at 763-477-5846.
Pictured: (above) At commencement, the exchange students are recognized during the flag exchange ceremony.
Meet our Exchange Students
Trap Team Host Crow River Shoot-off Tourney On May 28, the Rockford Trap Team hosted their Inaugural
Crow River Shoot-off Tournament where 36 members of the
Rockford Rockets Trap Shooting Team went head to head with
53 of Delano’s best shooters.
Delano has a team over twice the size as Rockford and are
considered one of the best teams in the league. While the Rockets
did not win in the head to head team shoot-off, the coaches could
not be more proud of the team's performance. With a final score
of 242 vs. 244, the Rockford shooters competed to the very end
coming back from a larger deficit to pull within two clays of the
Delano Tigers.
Individual Highlights:
Senior Chance Palmer, one of the team captains, won tournament
High Gun. After shooting a perfect 50, he went into a shoot-off
with the sole Tiger who also shot a 50 taking the day by one clay
in the second round of the shoot-off from the 23-yard handicap
line.
One of the first year shooters, seventh grader Andrew
Wandersee, shot a 25 and a 22 for a score of 47!
Sophomore Chase Jordet shot a 25 and a 24 for a score of 49.
Senior Brock Desens and sophomore Hunter Ehlers each shot
two 24’s for a score of 48 each.
Sophomore Jonathan Hill and senior
Hawkin Petron each shot a 24 and a 23 for
a 47 each.
Seventh graders Alex Weber and Trenton
Nelson (both first year shooters) each shot a
23 and a 20 for scores of 43 each.
Head Coach Scott Kissner said, “All of our
Rockets put forth an awesome effort with
many of our shooters shooting much higher
than their season averages. Our team never
gave up and we are confident we will beat
them next year!”
Pictured: The 2019 Rockford Rockets
Trapshooting Team
Martinson & Bartholomew Named Honorary Diploma/Distinguished Alumni Recipients The Rockford Area Schools Distinguished Alumni and
Honorary Diploma recipients were announced at the
Rockford High School commencement ceremony on June 1.
Well-known in this community as Rockford Rick, Rick
Martinson and his wife, Sally, have been Rockford residents
for 32 years. They raised three children, Stephanie, David,
and Patrick, all who graduated from Rockford High School
in 2002, 2006 and 2008 respectively. Over these many years,
Rick has volunteered to help with audio and video at high
school games, prom, and graduation ceremonies. He has
always had an interested in audio and video work, dating
back to his own high school days where he lettered in video/
audio. He also supports our school district through the Rockford Education
Foundation. Within the community, Rick supports the Rockford River Days events,
helps at Our Fathers Church, is a Rockford Lions member, as well as a Rockford
City Council member. They say if you do what you love, you will never work a day
in your life. Rockford Area Schools gives deep appreciation to Rick Martinson for
using his passion to help and support his community.
Rockford High School alumni of the Class of 1979, Cory Bartholomew, is a great
example of the motto—live fearlessly. While in high school, Cory participated in
football, wrestling, track, drama, speech, yearbook, student council, and National
Honor Society to name a few, and ended up being valedictorian. Since then, he
earned his bachelor’s degree in English from Brigham Young University and his
master’s degree in public administration from American Public University. Cory
served as an officer and pilot in the U.S. Air Force for over 27 years. He spent over
16 years as an instructor pilot for the U-2 airplane—setting an all-time record for
number of landings in that aircraft by a single pilot—and logged over 6,000 flight
hours across the U-2, B-52, T-37 and T-38 aircraft. His military honors include the
Meritorious Service Medal, Air Medal, Aerial Achievement Medal and Air Force
Commendation Medal. He currently is a research pilot at NASA’s Armstrong Flight
Research Center located on Edwards Air Force Base. His work at Armstrong
includes conducting airborne science as a pilot for the DC-8 Airborne Science
Laboratory and the C-20A Environmental Science Research Aircraft. He also serves
as a chase car driver for the ER-2 high-altitude airborne science aircraft. Rockford
Area School is proud to name Cory Bartholomew as a distinguished alumnus and
look forward to see what he will accomplish next.
Every year since 2011, Rockford Area Schools has recognized the achievements of
outstanding alumni with a Distinguished Alumni award, as well as district residents
with an Honorary Diploma, through a selection process done by the Tradition of
Excellence committee. The recipients of both these awards are honored during the
annual superintendent’s dinner and the commencement ceremony.
Pictured: (top right) Photos of Rick Martinson and Cory Bartholomew are proudly
showed at the recognition dinner. (middle right) Board member Eric Gordee
presents Rick Martinson with an honorary diploma during the 2019 commencement
ceremony. (lower right) Board member Brady Anderson presents Cory Bartholomew
with this year’s Distinguished Alumni award..
9
10 Rocket Report / June 2019
Kelsey Anderson
Univ of WI Lacrosse
Ryan Andrew
Carpenter's
Apprenticeship
Samantha Arens
Univ of MN Twin Cities
Beau Ayers MN State Univ Moorhead
Biology/Chemistry
Alexis Becklund
St. Cloud Tech College
Veterinary Technician
Kallan Berges
Work
Christopher (CS) Cahill
SD State Univ Manufacturing Engineering
Izabelle Cichon
Step Program
Grace Clark
Univ of WI River Falls
Human Biology
Jerron Cool Marines
Ryan DeRoo
MN State Univ Mankato
Accounting
Dylan Dery University of MN Morris
Brock Desens
Work
Katie Deshaw Univ of South Dakota
Kinesiology/Sports Mgmt
Andrea Dibble
Univ of MN Twin Cities
Mathematics
Lauren Allar
Mpls Comm & Tech C
Liberal Arts
Madeline Altmann
Creighton University Physiology/Neuroscience
11
Elise Doboszenski
Univ of WI River Falls
Biology
Braeden Elliott
Work
Jade Ellis Univ of CO Colorado Springs
Political Science
Bennett Enge
Anoka Tech College
Jade Fleming
N Hennepin Comm Coll
Savannah Hall
Kyrsten Hannegrefs
N Hennepin Comm Coll
Derek Hanson
NHCC/NDSU
Civil Engineering
Megan Harkins
Work
Thaddeus Hayden
Hennepin Technical Coll Interior Carpentry/HVAC
Alexa Heidgerken
Univ of MN Twin Cities
Biology
Wyatt Frank
Work
Angela Grabowski
North Dakota State Univ
Engineering
Neely Griffin
Arizona State University
Business & Art
Baylie Gruber
CNA Certification
Krista Haho
St. Cloud Tech College
12
Donald Koepp
Work
Armand LaPlume
Montana State Univ
Computer Science
Andrew Laurent
Ridgewater College
Farming Operations
Erin Hopkins
Univ of MN Duluth
Science/Engineering
Kate Hu
Univ of WI Lacrosse
Business
Nicholas Ingalls
N Hennepin Comm Coll
Christopher Jaramillo
Work
Bianca Jones
Travel/Work
Olivia Keskey
St. Cloud State Univ
Nursing
Eliot King
St. Cloud State Univ
Drew Kissner
Work
Rocket Report / June 2019
Jackson Hellman
Bismarck State College
Digital Audio Prod
Keeley Hertle
University of WI Stout
Caitlyn Hickey
Univ of North Dakota
Thomas Hill
Hennepin Tech College
Carpentry
NoNeNee Homsombath
Work
13
Victoria Nelson
Univ of WI Madison
Ecological Engineering
Molly Nooyen
Univ of WI Madison
Pre Med
Luke Overton
Augustana University
Business Finance
Emily Palm
Woodbury Comm Coll
Vet Technician
Chance Palmer
Work
Skyler Palmer
Winona State University
Nathan Moe
Univ of WI - River Falls
Lillian Morris
Aveda Institute
Renee Mottet
Univ of MN Twin Cities
Psychology
Devin Muckenhirn MN State Univ Moorhead
Alyssa Nelson
Aveda Institute
Esthetician
Bryn London
Univ of MN Duluth
Jennifer Lopez Flores
N Hennepin Comm Coll
Cassandra Majeski
Lake Superior College
Nursing
Nicholas Manthana
Briar Cliff University
John Matveyev
Work
14 Rocket Report / June 2019
Hawkin Petron
Univ of WI Stout
Devin Phetdara
Work
Brendan Pikkarainen
Work
Zachary Roehl
St. Cloud State Univ
Sports Management
Abbey Sanders Mpls Coll of Art & Design
Fine Arts
Marcus Sarkinen
Anoka Tech College
Electrical Technician
Willie Sarkinen
Work
Andrea Schirado
N Dakota State Univ
Biological Science
Lindsey Schirado
Univ of MN Twin Cities Sociology of Criminal Law
Madelyn Schmidt
Ridgewater College
Agriculture Business
Katelin Schroeder
N Hennepin Comm Coll
ECFE
Peter Schulte
Work
Dalton Shereck
Work
James Simon
Work
Ashley Smith
Purdue Global Univ
Criminal Justice
Bastian St Aubin
Work
15
Christopher Woida
Univ of MN Twin Cities
Biomedical Engineering
Mary Yang
Work
Bryce Ziemer
Univ of North Dakota
Gabriel Zilmer
Univ of MN Twin Cities
Agriculture Business
Seth Stewart St. Paul Comm Tech Coll
Samantha Stivers
Ridgewater College
Marketing/Sales Mgmt
Luke Storlie
DePauw University
Political Science
Kyle Strader
Anoka-Henn Tech Coll
Electrician
Savannah Stroud
Work
Emma Swanson
N Hennepin Comm Coll
Erik Thomas
Step Program
Justin Vann
St Cloud State Univ
Jacklyn Waldorf
Ridgewater Comm Coll
Cory Weber
Univ of MN Duluth
Civil Engineering
Independent School District 883 ROCKFORD AREA SCHOOLS 6051 Ash Street Rockford, MN 55373
Postal Patron ECRWSS
PRSTD STD
Non-Profit Org.
US Postage
PAID Madelia MN
Permit No. 4
Rocket Report / June 2019
Pictured: (top) The Senior Choir performs their final song at the
ceremony; (far right) Rockford High School Math Teacher Bruce
Koenen waves as his name is
announced as this year’s
honored retiree; (right) Class
representative, Molly Nooyen,
welcomes the Class of 2019 to
their commencement
ceremony; (below, right) CJ
Woida walks off stage with
diploma cover in hand;
(below, left) Cassie Majeski
gives hugs and American flags
to this year’s exchange
students Martina Attanasio,
Carlotta Prelli and Yara
Riggi, all from Italy.
Continued from front page...
RHS’s 102nd Commencement
