Professional Documents
Culture Documents
under the counseling and career center tab. Under that tab, parents can find answers to questions
about college and their students experience at Rocky. They also provide literate that parents
might find useful for their childs schooling. Parents also have the chance to join the School
Accountability Committee (SAC). SAC is made up of parents, community members, and school
members. Their goal is to include parents and community members with the important decisions
about the education of students. Parents are also encouraged to talk to any of the teachers and
faculty at Rocky if they have any questions. Parents are always welcome at Rocky, and in fact,
they are encouraged to get involved.
What are the programs that support and encourage appropriate student behaviors?
The first thing that comes to mind when talking about appropriate student behavior is the
Lobo way. When both the teachers and students are invested in the same view, it makes it
easier to be on the same page. Teachers set up their classrooms so there is mutual respect and
understanding. Since working in a high school means dealing with young adults that means that
setting up a classroom to include respect is not always enough to get appropriate behavior. As a
result of this, Rocky also has a supportive security team. There are a couple of Deans on the
Administrative team that work with students to help them when they are struggling. They can
help teachers and students communicate and develop a plan that is beneficial for both the student
and the teacher. They can also work with students to develop goals to help students stay on track
with their academics. Another member of the security team is the School Resource Officer
(SRO). At Rocky, the SRO isnt out of sight and out of mind. He actually gets involved in some
of the classes and will give presentations about risky behavior he has noticed at Rocky. All the
staff and students know him and know he is there to help. Rocky also has a campus security
officer that helps to keep the campus and the parking lots of Rocky safe.
Rocky tries to hinder all inappropriate behavior before it gets out of control however.
They provide their students with a wide variety of classes that are geared towards different
learning levels. Rocky offers 19 advanced placement classes for students that want to earn
college credit, and a voyager class for incoming students that may need additional help with
learning how to be successful in school. By providing a range of classes, students will be able to
find a level of academics that is appropriate for them and keeps them from getting frustrated and
disconnected. When students disconnect in a class that is when they have an opportunity to get in
trouble. All the different resources that are offered for struggling students can also keep students
on track. Rocky provides clear expectations for their students and teaches them the skills and
gives them the resources to be successful. That is one of the biggest ways Rocky encourages
appropriate student behavior.
What is the overall learning climate?
Rocky was the first school in Fort Collins to adapt the 4x4 block schedule. That means
students have the same four classes every day for 90 minutes. Classes that are usually a semester
long at traditional schools only take a quarter at Rocky. The classes that are usually a yearlong in
other schools are finished in a semester at Rocky. This gives students more of an opportunity to
take classes that interest them and to focus on a smaller amount of classes at a time. Due to the
fact the Rocky is on a block schedule and classes are 90 minutes that means the classroom has to
be interactive. Visiting any class at Rocky will provide the viewer with an example of the variety
of activities that happen during the lessons. It is very rare that a teacher will just be lecturing the
majority of the time. It is more typical that there might be a short lecture and then there is lots of
student involvement. There are discussions, silent research times, student projects, questioning,
and relationship building. Students are encouraged to ask questions and comment when it is
appropriate. Students tend to be very supportive of each other and open minded to other peoples
opinions. Teachers try to guide their students to discover answers on their own. The learning
climate at Rocky is usually very interactive and supportive.
What are the demographics of the school?
Rocky is ranked number 1,693 in the nation and has about a 19:1 student-teacher ratio.
They are made up of 52% male and 48% female students. Their total minority enrollment is
about 22% and their total economically disadvantaged families is about 27%. Based on test
scores theyre about 81% reading proficient, 50% math proficient, and they rate 28.6 on the
college readiness index. The ethnicity of Rocky breaks down as follows:
2% Asian
15% Hispanic
1% Black
79% White
3% two or more races
All the information for the demographics was found on:
http://www.publicschoolreview.com/school_ov/school_id/14408
http://www.usnews.com/education/best-high-schools/colorado/districts/poudre-school-district-r1/rocky-mountain-high-school-4144