High School Education at RCS
Our high schools provide students in grades 9-12 with the knowledge and experiences necessary to prepare them for the world of work, for pursuing higher education, or for whatever life choices they choose to pursue after their high school years. Our high schools are committed to providing students with "real-world" experiences in a 21st century classroom environment.
For questions regarding Rockingham County High Schools please contact Jason Hyler, Director of Secondary Schools at 336-342-8574.
High School Registration
Click here for the High School Registration Guide 2024-2025
Dear incoming and current high school students and families:
This high school course handbook contains information needed to register for next school year. Please read carefully. Give serious consideration to your course selections. Registration is a commitment to take the courses you have selected for the upcoming school year. Remember you are requesting a specific course, not a specific teacher, time, and/or place. Every effort will be made to schedule students for the courses selected. Qualified students may enroll in any course regardless of ethnic origin, sex, race or handicapping condition.
All high schools are fully accredited by AdvancEd, formerly known as the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, the regional accreditation agency, and by the State Department of Public Instruction. This accreditation means Rockingham County Schools have met and/or surpassed a strict set of national standards of educational excellence.
Course selections should be taken very seriously. Please make sure you listen to the advice of school officials when selecting courses and alternates. Schedule changes WILL ONLY BE GRANTED if there is an academic misplacement. If you have any questions regarding this process please contact the school.
Additional courses available to Rockingham County High School students include: Rockingham Community College Courses, APEX Learning, RCS Virtual Academy Courses, and North Carolina Virtual Public School. For details, contact your school counselor.
Listed below is information on the RCS High School Academy application process. No parent meetings will be scheduled, due to COVID, but the RCS website has more detailed information and videos about each program. See below:
High School Options Website / Application
Quick Glance Information on each Academy
Rockingham Early College High School applications are due Feb. 27
Rockingham Early College 2023-24 Application (Deadline Feb. 27)
Rockingham Early College 2023-24 Transfer Application Deadline (Deadline Feb. 27)
All other Academy applications are due March 15, 2023.
Application window for RCS Academies January 10-March 15
The application window for Rockingham County Schools’ Academies is January 10th through March 15th. The application process for RCS’s Academies can be found below:
RCS Academies Application Process Link
Contact for each academy:
STEM: Rhonda Holland, CDC Dalton McMichael High School
Creative Design and Arts Academy- Yolanda Stubblefield, CDC Reidsville High School
Public Safety Academy- Sharon Galloway, CDF Rockingham County High School
Health Science Academy- Christy Hensley, CDC Morehead High School
RCS to host Academy Parent Nights in January and February
RCS will be hosting a series of parent nights to allow parents and students to ask questions and gather more information about RCS’s various academies. Dates, times, and locations for the RCS Academy Parent nights are below:
Wednesday, February 8, 2023
Public Safety Academy
Rockingham County High School
6:00-7:00 p.m.
Wednesday, February 15, 2023
Health Science Academy
Morehead High School
6:00-7:00 p.m.
Thursday, February 16, 2023
Creative Design and Arts Academy and International Baccalaureate (IB)
Reidsville High School
6:00-7:00 p.m.
Tuesday, February 28, 2023
All Academies will participate in a Virtual Parent Night on February 28 from 6:00 to 7:00 p.m. via Zoom. A Zoom link will be provided when available.
Parents can contact Jason Hyler at jhyler@rock.k12.nc.us or Nina Walls at nwalls@rock.k12.nc.us for more information.
Graduation Requirements
Future Ready Core
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All students will be expected to meet the requirements outlined under the Future-Ready Core Course of Study.
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The Future-Ready Core was developed to provide students with a strong academic foundation so that they will have as many options as possible upon graduation.
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Updated July 2020
NC High School Diploma Endorsement
Please see the NC High School Diploma Endorsement information. Students are not required to achieve an endorsement for graduation, however endorsements provide opportunities for students to display evidence of their interests and talents.
How to earn NC High School Endorsements- PD
Repeating a Course for Credit
NC State Board of Education policy CCRE-001 (see link for policy)
7.1 The term “repeating a course for credit” will be used to refer to a high school course repeated via any delivery method when the entire Standard Course of Study for that course is being taught to the student for a second time.
7.2 Students are permitted to repeat a course for credit when they have failed a course. Local boards of education may develop policies that define specific circumstances when students other than those who fail a course may repeat a course for credit (see below for RCS procedures).
7.3 Students repeating a course for credit shall receive a grade and take the associated End-of-Course (EOC) assessment. Those students who have already scored at Level 3, 4, or 5 on the associated EOC assessment may elect either to retake the EOC or use the previous passing EOC score as at least 20% of their final grade. If the student retakes the EOC, the higher of the two scores will be used in the calculation of the final grade.
7.4 Beginning in 2015–16, for students who initially fail a high school course and repeat the course for credit, upon completion of the repeated course, the new course grade shall replace the previous grade for the course.
7.5 When a student repeats a course for credit and passes the course, the student only earns credit towards graduation once.
Rockingham County Schools policy 3420 Student Promotion and Accountability (see link for policy)
The NC State Board of Education provides local boards of education the ability to develop policies that define specific circumstances when students other than those who fail a course can repeat a course for credit. Local policy 3420 allows the superintendent or his designee to develop local procedures that allow students to repeat a course for credit to improve their grade. RCS local procedures allow any high school student to repeat a course for credit if the student scored below a 90 (A) on the final course grade. Students interested in repeating a course for credit should contact their school counselor.
Credit Recovery
NC State Board of Education policy CCRE-001 (see link for policy)
6.1 The term “credit recovery” will be used to refer to a block of instruction that is less than the entirety of the Standard Course of Study for that course. Credit recovery delivers a subset of the Standard Course of Study or blueprint of the original course in order to specifically address deficiencies in a student’s mastery of the course and target specific components of a course necessary for completion.
6.2 The length of credit recovery courses shall be dictated by the skills and knowledge the student needs to recover and not be a fixed length of seat time. When credit recovery is exercised, the original record of the course being completed and failed will remain on the transcript.
6.3 The LEA shall allow a grade pass or a fail for each credit recovery course. The mark will not affect the student’s GPA.
6.4 A student wishing to modify his or her GPA shall repeat a course for credit and not seek a credit recovery solution.
6.5 A local school board may not limit the number of credit recovery courses taken by a student prior to graduation.
6.6 The End-of-Course (EOC) exam associated with the credit recovery course may be administered no later than 30 days upon the completion of the credit recovery course.
High School Resources
High School Options
High School Options Frequently Asked Questions
High School Options Promotional Videos
High School Options Applications
Rising 9th-grade students/Current 8th-grade students:
All High School Options applications (with the exception of Early College applications) should be completed on-line. Rockingham County Schools' eighth-grade students may begin applying to the Creative Design and Arts Academy, the Health Science Academy, the IB Program, the Public Safety Academy, and the STEM Academy on February 8th. Click HERE for more information. Click the following link to apply: HIGH SCHOOL OPTIONS APPLICATION. Non-Rockingham County Schools' eighth-grade students will need to submit paper applications. Paper applications can be downloaded HERE.
Early College applications can be either picked up at one of our middle schools or can be printed from the link below. Early College applications should be returned to your middle school guidance office by February 24, 2023, or the applications can be mailed directly to the Early College at Rockingham Early College High School, PO Box 288 Wentworth, NC 27375. The deadline for applying to the Early College for the 2023-2024 school year is February 27, 2023. All other RCS Academy applications should be submitted online by March 15th. You may apply to more than one program.
Rockingham Early College High School 2023-2024 Application (PDF)
Rockingham Early College High School 2023-2024 Transfer Application (PDF)
International Baccalaureate (IB) Program
International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma Programme of Rockingham County
at Reidsville High School
The International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma Programme of Rockingham County at Reidsville High School was approved in May of 1996, by the Board of Education. RHS began offering its first classes in the fall of 1997. At that time, there were only three public high schools and one private high school in NC that were authorized by the IB Organization to offer the program. At the present time, there are twenty-seven schools in North Carolina offering the diploma programme.
The IB programme offers a quality curriculum that encourages critical thinking by the study of traditional disciplines while encouraging a global perspective. It is designed for the academically motivated student who can function independently and has learned to manage time well.
Mission Statement:
The International Baccalaureate aims to develop inquiring, knowledgeable and caring young people who help to create a better and more peaceful world through intercultural understanding and respect.
To this end the organization works with schools, governments and international organizations to develop challenging programmes of international education and rigorous assessment.
These programmes encourage students across the world to become active, compassionate and lifelong learners who understand that other people, with their differences, can also be right.
IB...Why Me?
Click below to watch an informative video on why IB may be the right program for you.
IB Programme Model
The curriculum is modelled by a hexagon with six academic areas surrounding the three core requirements.
Over the course of the two-year programme, students:
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study six subjects chosen from the six subject groups
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complete an extended essay
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follow a theory of knowledge course (TOK)
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participate in creativity, action, service (CAS).
Normally:
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three of the six subjects are studied at higher level (courses representing 240 teaching hours)
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the remaining three subjects are studied at standard level (courses representing 150 teaching hours).
Subjects, other than languages, may be taught and examined in:
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English
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French
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Spanish
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There are pilot projects taking place in German and Chinese.
Career and College Promise (CCP)
Career & College Promise (CCP) is North Carolina’s dual enrollment program for high school students. This program allows eligible NC high school students to enroll in college classes at North Carolina community colleges and universities through their high school. Students who successfully complete college courses earn college credit they can take with them after graduation. In many cases, students can also earn dual credit — meeting high school graduation requirements with college courses. In Rockingham County Schools this program has been available for eligible 11th and 12th graders for several years, and beginning in 2021-2022 this opportunity will be expanded to include eligible 9th and 10th graders.
Career and College Promise- Student Information- NCDPI Document
Career and College Promise Student Enrollment Verification for NC Public Schools Form
CCP Parent Information Night Video- 2/4/2021
Rockingham County Schools College and Transfers Pathways for 9th and 10th Graders Presentation
RCS Virtual Academy
RCS is excited to offer this innovative learning opportunity for our high school students. The RCS Virtual Academy began offering classes in the spring of 2016 and will continue to offer courses for 2023-2024.
The RCS Virtual Academy courses are completely online. The majority of courses are taught by RCS teachers; however, we have also partnered with Rockingham Community College who will be offering several online college courses.
Overview of the RCS Virtual Academy
The RCS Virtual Academy is a program for students to take courses toward graduation and/or college credit. The RCS Virtual Academy is a new innovative delivery method available to all students in grades 9 - 12 who want to experience online courses through 21st century technology. By creating well-developed, student-centered courses that focus on rigorous instruction for independent learners, the RCS Virtual Academy provides flexibility to students and their individual needs.
Through offering online courses that are in high demand for today’s driven independent learners, the RCS Virtual Academy supports core courses and electives that will allow students to explore distance learning at both the high school and college levels. Similarly, by offering Honors, Advanced Placement, and College level courses students can accelerate learning and gain access to educators who will reach student needs through the dynamic media of online coursework. The available online college courses within the RCS Virtual Academy are aligned with the College & Career Promise program through Rockingham Community College.
The Virtual Academy is open to students in grades 9 - 12 at all schools. Each class will be capped at a maximum of 25 students.
Recruitment of Students
We need counselors and teachers to actively promote and recruit students for these courses. Interested students should contact their counselor to discuss options.
Course Structure
These courses are not tied to a block schedule. Students could work on the course at any time of the day or night. RCS courses will use CANVAS. RCS teachers would be responsible for having 2 times each day where they could respond to questions from students. In addition, there are at least 2 required live meetings each semester.
Please contact Elizabeth Covell (ecovell@rock.k12.nc.us) if you have any questions.
Please click here to view our RCS Virtual Handbook and Student Agreement
Advanced Studies Academy
Introduction
Rockingham County Schools has had a long tradition of academic excellence and promotion of students to higher education. As we move further into the 21st century, it is imperative that we prepare our students to be the best they can be so they can compete globally. Furthermore, we must challenge our young people to take more rigorous classes, like Advanced Placement (AP) and College Dual Enrollment Courses, so they can have high level options after high school, With the creation of the Advanced Studies Academy at each high school, the faculty and staff wish to create an environment that helps students reach their goals and pushes each child toward high academic success.
The Advanced Studies Academy’s course sequence enables students to obtain college-level course credit during their high school career through each high school’s collaboration with Rockingham Community College’s Career & College Promise Program and potential college credit through Advanced Placement Coursework and exams. Upon completion of the program, students will have acquired college-level course credits that will place them as potential college/university sophomores or juniors. These classes may be offered on-campus at Rockingham Community College, through online or distance learning courses, or at their high schools depending upon the number of students enrolled in each course.
Attached is a Advanced Studies Academy Commitment form with potential course pathways for students. Additionally, counselors are available to answer any questions you may have along the way.
Thank you for your time and we hope that your child and you will choose the rigorous and high level pathway of the Advanced Studies Academy.
Sincerely,
Jason Hyler
Director of Secondary Schools
Potential Advanced Studies Academy Pathways
Credit by Demonstrated Mastery
Credit by Demonstrated Mastery 2023-2024
If you feel you already know the content of a high school course, you have the opportunity to explore Credit by Demonstrated Mastery. You will need to talk to your counselor, complete an application, score a Level V on the EOC or score 90% correct on an exam, and complete an artifact. You might be able to show mastery and move into more challenging courses!
2023-2024 Testing Windows
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Fall: September 18–29, 2023
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Spring: February 16–29, 2024
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Summer: July 18–31, 2024
What is Credit by Demonstrated Mastery?
Credit by Demonstrated Mastery (CDM) is the process by which a student may earn credit for a high school course by demonstrating a deep understanding of the content; without course enrollment or seat time. CDM was designed to respond to needs of students, families, AIG community, school personnel and leadership.
CDM specifically offers NC students the opportunity to personalize and accelerate their learning, thus allowing for optimal student growth while providing an opportunity to have effective seat time to learn new content.
How does a student earn Credit by Demonstrated Mastery?
Students shall demonstrate mastery through a multi-phase assessment, consisting of:
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Phase 1: A standard examination, which shall be the EOC/EOG where applicable, or a final exam developed locally and
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Phase 2: An artifact which requires the student to apply knowledge and skills relevant to the content standards.
While the CDM process is open to all students, it is not designed for whole groups of students. Likewise, it is not intended to replace the general accelerated pathways local school districts often provide for advanced students.
(NCDPI September 17, 2017)
To learn more about this process, please review the following resources.
For more information, see your school counselor, call Lisa Miller at 336-634-3209, or check out this website - NC DPI: Credit by Demonstrated Mastery
Grant Information
High School Counselors and College Advisers in all four of the traditional Rockingham County High Schools and the Early College are interested in working with all students who desire to attend a community college or a four-year university. However, they are particularly interested in assisting first generation college students in making that dream a reality. Unfortunately, financial aid is a primary concern of the majority of graduating high school seniors preparing for college today. High school seniors, especially first-generation college prospects, typically need a substantial amount of funding to pay for their first year of college and beyond.
Fortunately, there is hope through the form of opportunities and resources for high school seniors. There are many grants that can be made available to students. Much like a scholarship, grants are a form of college financial aid that do not have to be repaid. The one that is the most commonly used is the Pell Grant. This is a federal grant and is awarded to students based on their financial need. In order to qualify for any sort of grant, a student must complete the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid).
If you are a high school student, or the parent or guardian of a high school student who is interested in attending college, please make an appointment to speak to your High School Counselor or your College Adviser. You can also go to the website Grants Guide for High School Students. It provides good information as to how to navigate the world of financial aid and offers support for students to find out more about enrolling in postsecondary colleges or universities and the next step of their journey.
High School Diploma Endorsements
Students enrolled in North Carolina high schools shall have the opportunity to earn Endorsements to their High School Diploma that identify a particular area of focused study, beginning with the graduating class of 2014-2015. The earning of endorsements shall be based on the following criteria:
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Students shall meet all requirements set forth in State Board Policy, “State Graduation Requirements” related to earning a high school diploma.
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Students may earn a Career Endorsement, a College Endorsement, a College/UNC Endorsement, a North Carolina Academic Scholars Endorsement, and/or a Global Languages Endorsement.
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The requirements for earning these endorsements are defined below:
Career Endorsement:
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Except as limited by N.C.G.S. §115C-81(b), the student shall complete the Future-Ready Core mathematics sequence of Algebra I, Geometry, Algebra II, Math I, II, III or Integrated Math I, II, III and a fourth mathematics course aligned with the student’s post-secondary plans. Acceptable fourth math courses for the Career Endorsement include any math course that may be used to meet NC high school graduation requirements, including applied math courses found in the Career and Technical Education (CTE) domain.
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The student shall complete a CTE concentration in one of the approved CTE Cluster areas (http://www.ncpublicschools.org/cte/curriculum/);
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Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources
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Architecture and Construction
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Arts, A/V Technology and Communications
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Business, Management and Administration
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Education and Training
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Finance
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Government and Public Administration
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Health Science
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Hospitality and Tourism
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Human Services
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Information Technology
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Law, Public Safety, Corrections and Security
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Manufacturing
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Marketing, Sales and Service
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Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics
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Transportation, Distribution and Logistics
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The student shall earn an unweighted grade point average of at least 2.6.
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The student shall earn at least one industry-recognized credential. Earned credentials can include Career Readiness Certificates (CRC) at the Silver level or above from WorkKeys assessments or another appropriate industry credential/certification.
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College Endorsement:
- The student shall complete the Future-Ready Core mathematics sequence of Algebra I, Geometry, Algebra II, Math I, II, III or Integrated Math I, II, III; and a fourth mathematics course aligned with the student's post-secondary plans. The fourth math course must meet University of North Carolina system Minimum Admission Requirements or be acceptable for earning placement in a credit-bearing college math class under the North Carolina Community College System’s Multiple Measures Placement policy.
- The student shall earn an unweighted grade point average of at least 2.6.
College/UNC Endorsement
- The student shall complete the Future-Ready Core mathematics sequence of Algebra I, Geometry, Algebra II, Math I, II, III or Integrated Math I, II, III and a fourth mathematics course that meets University of North Carolina system Minimum Admission Requirements that include a mathematics course with either Algebra II, Math III orIntegrated Mathematics III as a pre-requisite;
- The student shall complete three units of science including at least one physical science with a lab, one life science and one additional science course;
- The student shall complete U.S. History or equivalent coursework;
- The student shall complete two units of a world language (other than English);
- Students shall earn a weighted grade point average of at least 2.5.
North Carolina Academic Scholars Endorsement
- The student shall complete the Future-Ready Core mathematics sequence of Math I, II, III; Algebra I, Geometry, Algebra II; or Integrated Math I, II, III and a fourth mathematics course that meets University of North Carolina system Minimum Course Requirements that include a mathematics course with either Math III, Algebra II, or Integrated Mathematics III as a pre-requisite.
- The student shall complete three units of science including an Earth/Environmental science course, Biology, and at least one physical science course that must include either physics or chemistry.
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For students entering ninth grade prior to 2012-13, the student shall complete three units of social studies including U.S. History, World History, and Civics and Economics. For students entering ninth grade in 2012-13 or later, the student shall complete four units of social studies including World History, American History: Founding Principles, Civics and Economics, American History I and American History II.
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The student shall complete two units of a world language (other than English).
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The student shall complete four elective credits in any one subject area, such as Career and Technical Education (CTE), JROTC, Arts Education, World Languages, or in another content area.
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The student shall have completed at least three higher-level courses during junior and/or senior years which carry quality points such as Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate or Dual Enrollment courses; Advanced CTE and CTE credentialing courses; honors level courses, or Project Lead the Way courses.
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The student shall earn an unweighted grade point average of at least 3.50.
Global Languages Endorsement
- The student shall earn a combined unweighted 2.5 GPA or above for the four English Language Arts courses required for graduation.
- The student shall establish proficiency in one or more languages in addition to English, using one of the options outlined below and in accordance with the guidelines developed by the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction.
- Pass an external exam approved by the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction establishing “Intermediate Low” proficiency or higher per the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) proficiency scale.
- Complete a four-course sequence of study in the same world language, earning an overall unweighted GPA of 2.5 or above in those courses.
- Establish “Intermediate Low” proficiency or higher per the ACTFL proficiency scale using the Credit by Demonstrated Mastery SBE policy.
- Limited English Proficiency students shall complete all the requirements of sections 5a and 5b above and reach “Developing” proficiency per the World-Class Instructional Design and Assessment (WIDA) proficiency scale in all four domains on the most recent state identified English language proficiency test.
Additional Notes
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Students may earn more than one Endorsement.
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Students are not required to earn an Endorsement in order to receive a diploma. (IMPORTANT TO KNOW)
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The implementation of this policy is required for all Local Education Agency high schools. This policy is optional for charter school boards of directors.
History Note: Authority G. S. 115C-12(40)
Session Law 2013-1