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User:Kbane2/Rochester High School (Illinois)

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Rochester High School
Address
3 Rocket Drive

Rochester
,
Illinois
62563

United States
Information
School typePublic Secondary
School districtRochester CUSD 3A
SuperintendentDr. Thomas Bertrand
PrincipalDennis Canny
Grades9–12
Gendercoed
Enrollment699 (2008)
Campus typeSuburban
Color(s)  Navy
  Orange
Athletics conferenceSangamo, Cornbelt
Team nameRockets
Websiterochester3a.sangamon.k12.il.us/rocket1/index.html

Rochester High School of Rochester, IL is a public high school located five miles east of Springfield, IL. As the only high school serving District 3A, Rochester High School accommodates students from Rochester, Buckhart, portions of eastern Springfield, and other surrounding areas. Rochester has grown rapidly over the past few years. In 2008, the enrollment was 699 students, which was up from 589 in 2004.[1]

Building and Campus

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The campus of Rochester High School is located on the north side of Route 29 in Rochester. The high school shares the campus and a building with Rochester Junior High School. The campus contains not only the school building and parking, but also a track and field/football stadium, two baseball fields, six tennis courts, and outdoor basketball courts. The high school soccer fields are on the campus of Rochester Middle School, and the softball team plays at Rochester Community Park.

Recent Construction

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Construction of the new fieldhouse as of October 2009

Rochester is adding a field house and athletic complex on their campus. The new field house will be approximately 45,000 square feet and be able to seat 2,500 people. The complex will contain a main competition gym floor, retractable bleachers, two side courts, a three-lane track, a wrestling area, weight and locker rooms, and a team meeting room. Also, the complex will have a geothermal heating and cooling system for maximum energy efficiency. Construction began in March of 2009, and is expected to be complete within 18 months. District residents approved a $26 million bond referendum in 2007 to pay for this complex, and also a new intermediate school in the district.[2]

History

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Rochester schools have existed since 1823. There have been many changes throughout the years to get to what the school is today. The following is a historical time line of the Rochester school system:[3]

  • 1823-The First log school house in the territory that would later become Rochester was built.
  • 1826-The log house burned down.
  • 1831-A new 18x30 feet log school house was built.
  • 1837-An improved building replaced the 1831 log house.
  • 18??-A new stone school was built 2 miles west of Rochester near the present South Fork Bridge.
  • 1865-The stone building was replaced with a new two story school house at a cost of $3,600. This new building measured 26x40 feet.
  • 1880-The 1865 building burned down.
  • 1881-A new brick building was constructed on Main Street where the Masonic Temple is today. The new building was 32x50 feet and cost $5,000 to construct. Due to increased enrollment, the 5th and 6th grade classes were held in the town hall next door.
  • 1920-A new brick building was constructed on North Walnut. At the time, the building held 11 grades, and any student wishing to attend a 4th year of high school had to go to Springfield. This building was recently demolished and at the time of demolition was used as the junior high.
  • 1937-The Rochester Community HS District #182 was formed and a new two-story building was constructed on the same campus as the 1920 building. The new building faced Route 29, and cost $76,153 to construct. It contained 8 rooms and was the first building used only for the high school. This building was recently demolished and at the time of demolition it was used as administrative offices.
  • 1939-An Ag Shop and storage room were added to the high school building.
  • 1951-A three-story south wing containing 10 classrooms and a cafeteria was added to the grade school on North Walnut. The new addition cost $125,000.
  • 1959-A new high school building was opened on the same campus as the 1920 and 1937 buildings. This building is what is now known as the J-wing on the current high school building.
  • 1967-An Ag Shop and Industrial Arts facility, 15 more classrooms, a gym, and a cafeteria were added to the Route 29 campus.
    Fine Arts Auditorium constructed in 2008
  • 1976-The main wing and library of the existing high school were added to the high school. The high school moved into the new addition and the junior high moved into the old high school(J-wing). Also, an addition was added to the North Walnut building.
  • 1991-A new elementary school was opened on a new campus on West Main.
  • 1998-A transportation facility was built on the West Main campus.
  • 1999-Science labs were added to the existing high school.
  • 2000-A new middle school was completed on the West Main campus.
  • 2005-An eight room addition to the Elementary school was completed.
  • 2008-The high school and junior high combined into the high school building. Fourteen new classrooms, a fine arts auditorium, and a cafeteria were added to the existing high school. Also, a bond referendum was passed to build a new middle school and fieldhouse.

Academic Status

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Rochester High School ranked as the 43rd best high school out of 650 ranked in Illinois based on 11th grade Prairie State Achievement Examination(PSAE) reading and math scores in 2008.[4] All students in Illinois are required to take the ACT examination during their junior year of high school. The SAT examination is optional, and few students elect to take this test. 2008 academic averages are:[5]

ACT

  • Composite: 22.0
  • English: 22.1
  • Math: 21.5
  • Reading: 22.3
  • Science: 21.4

PSAE Meets/Exceeds

  • Reading: 74.5%
  • Math: 70.2%
  • Science: 69.6%

Rochester High School had a 100% graduation rate in 2007.[1]

Student Life

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Grade Point Averages (GPA) at Rochester High School are based on a 4.0 scale. However, students have the option to take weighted classes, so it is possible for them to have a GPA higher than a 4.0. Also, students have the option to take dual credit classes through Lincoln Land Community College(LLCC) and earn college credit for select classes they are taking at Rochester. Classes available to take for dual credit are Calculus, English, Spanish, Statistics, Cisco, and Physics. Rochester uses a block schedule so students spend about an hour and a half in each class.

Athletics

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All of Rochester High School's sports teams currently competes in the Central State Eight Conference (CS8).[6] Rochester High School is also a member of the Illinois High School Association(IHSA), which governs most interscholastic athletics and competitions in Illinois.

Rochester athletic teams are known as the Rockets, and their colors are Navy and Orange. Rochester has athletic teams for both boys and girls in basketball, track and field, golf, soccer, tennis, and cross country. There are also boys teams for baseball, football, and wrestling, while there are girls teams for volleyball, softball, swimming, and cheerleading. [7]

The following teams have placed in the top five of their respective IHSA sponsored state championship tournaments or meets:

  • Football: state champion (Class 4A) 2010, 2011, 2012
  • Boys Golf: 5th place (1980-1982); 4th place (1994-1995); 3rd place (1998-1999); 2nd place (1980-1981); State Champion (1999-2000)
  • Boys Soccer: 4th place (2008-2009); 3rd place (2006-2007, 2007-2008)
  • Boys Track and Field: 4th place (2002-2003); 3rd place (1978-1979, 1989-1990); 2nd place (1981-1982)
  • Girls Basketball: 2nd place (2006-2007, 2007-2008)
  • Girls Cross Country: 4th place (2005-2006)
  • Girls Soccer: 3rd place (2006-2007); State Champions (2008-2009)
  • Girls Track and Field: 5th place (1992-1993); 3rd place (1991-1992); 2nd place (1994-1995); State Champions (1993-1994)


Rochester also has a scholastic bowl team who placed 4th in state in the 2007-2008 school year.[8]

Fine Arts

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Rochester has a choir, a jazz choir, and madrigals, as well as a concert band, jazz band, and a marching band. The marching band performs at the home football games, local parades, and other competitions. Rochester also puts on a school musical each year.

Demographics

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Racial/Ethnic Background:[5]

  • White: 98%
  • Black: 0.1%
  • Hispanic: 0.7%
  • Asian: 1.1%
  • Native American: 0.0%
  • Multi-Racial/Ethnic: 0.0%

Other Data:

  • Low-Income Rate: 5.2%
  • Limited English-Proficient Rate: 0.0%
  • Dropout Rate: 0.3%
  • Chronic Truancy Rate: 0.0%
  • Mobility Rate: 11.8%
  • Attendance Rate: 95.1%

Administrators

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Notable Alumni

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  • Cal Thomas (Class of 1999) is a soccer player who went on to play for Southern Illinois University Edwardsville (SIUE). He played midfield and forward. At Rochester he was a captain and two-time most valuable player, and a four-time all-conference selection. In 2003 at SIUE, he started all 21 games and was a first team All-American selection.[9]
  • Chris Katzmark (Class of 2003) was a football player who went on to play for Millikin University and play professionally in Europe for the Kouvola Finland Indians and the Oslo Norway Vikings. In high school and professionally he played wide receiver and free safety. In college he played wide receiver. His senior year He was named an all-state receiver by the Chicago Sun Times, all-state defensive back by the Champaign News Gazette, and all-state receiver and defensive back by the Illinois High School Football Coaches Association. His senior year he led the state of Illinois with 15 interceptions, the second highest single season total in state history. As a HS receiver his career totals were 124 receptions for 2100 yards. In college his career totals included 54 receptions for over 1100 yards. Professionally he helped lead the Oslo Vikings to the 2011 National Championship while leading the team in receiving and touchdowns scored
  • Kurt Long (Class of 2005) was a football player who went on to Southern Illinois University Carbondale (SIUC). He played quarterback in high school and became a wide receiver in college. He was an All-State selection his senior year at Rochester, and an All-conference selection three straight years. He passed for 3,265 yards and 36 touchdowns in his career, and led Rochester to three straight playoff berths.[10]
  • Daniel Vehovic (Class of 2006) was a football player who went on to play for Eastern Illinois University (EIU). He was a first-team All-State selection, and helped lead the Rockets to back to back playoff appearances.[11]
  • Wil Lunt (Class of 2008) is a football player who went on to play quarterback for Western Illinois University. Lunt holds the ISHA record for most passing yards in a career with 8,308 yards.[12] In his senior season at Rochester, Lunt passed for 3,351 yards and 32 touchdowns.[13]
  • Sean Robinson (Class of 2010) Rochester quarterback who went to play for Purdue University, eventually changing positions to become a linebacker.
  • Wes Lunt (Class of 2012) led the Rockets to two Class 4A football titles as the quarterback, went to Oklahoma State University to play QB for the Cowboys. Transferred to the University of Illinois, where he will sit out the 2013 season (due to transfer eligibility rules) and try to earn the nod as the team's starting quarterback in 2014.
  • Austin Green (Class of 2013) filled in for Wes Lunt at the beginning of the 2011 season, turned wide receiver upon Lunt's return. As a senior, led Rochester to a third straight Class 4A title as the quarterback and became the fifth straight Rockets' QB to earn a D-I scholarship when he accepted an offer from Eastern Illinois University.

References

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  1. ^ a b Rochester High School in Illinois, accessed October 21, 2009
  2. ^ Rochester school, field house construction could begin this month, sj-r.com, Debra Landis, March 2, 2009, accessed October 21, 2009
  3. ^ Old School and New School: 2008 Rochester High School Rocket, Volume 51
  4. ^ Top Ten Illinois High Schools, schooldigger.com, accessed October 21, 2009
  5. ^ a b 2008 Rochester High School Illinois School Report Card, accessed October 21, 2009
  6. ^ Growing Rochester comfortable as host of small-school events, sj-r.com, Dave Kane, April 24, 2009, accessed October 28, 2009
  7. ^ a b IHSA Rochester, ihsa.org, last updated October 20, 2009, accessed October 21, 2009
  8. ^ IHSA Season Summaries - Rochester, ihsa.org, October 6, 2009, accessed October 21, 2009
  9. ^ SIUE Men's Soccer, siuecougars.com, accessed October 21, 2009
  10. ^ 2006 SIUC Football Media Guide,athletics.siuc.edu, accessed October 21, 2009
  11. ^ 2009 EIU Football Roster, eiupanthers.com, accessed October 21, 2009
  12. ^ IHSA Boys Football All-Time Individual Records (Passing & Receiving), ihsa.org, last updated August 17, 2009, accessed October 21, 2009
  13. ^ Rockets High School Football Fall 07-08, maxpreps.com, accessed October 21, 2009
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Panoramic View of Rochester Campus

Rochester High School Website


Category:Sangamon County, Illinois Category:High schools in Illinois

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