The mission of Rockwell Charter High School is to assist students in obtaining the tools which will lead to academic, social, and career success by providing a supportive community that fosters student inquiry and discovery and empowers students to take responsibility for their own education.
**We are pleased to announce the partnerships between Thanksgiving Point, Utah Valley University, Mountainland Applied Technical College (MATC) and Rockwell High educational programs geared to high school students. More information at the informational Open Houses.**
Special Emphasis
Rockwell will place a strong emphasis on academic achievement and goals for higher education. Three essential issues will be addressed with the primary objective of supporting the students.
1. Each student will have a teacher or administrative mentor to meet with on a regular basis. This will allow students to form a relationship where they may express concerns about their plan, their course load, or discuss other possibilities which would enrich their program. Mentors will also discuss tutoring options students may need as well as assisting them in their efforts to avoid problems with their grades. These mentor sessions act as a support for students as they fulfill the requirements of their own Student Education Occupation Plan (SEOP). SEOP’s are essential and will be developed by students with their parents and a teacher/mentor. The plan will be reviewed annually, but will also be evaluated as needed to assure each student is making progress and has appropriate support. SEOP committees meet in early August prior to the start of school and as needed throughout the year.
2. Students will have many options and opportunities to engage in relevant projects and service-learning through activities and clubs that will be co-monitored by teachers and parents. These enrichment opportunities will facilitate each student sensing higher purposes to their daily studies. Service-learning participation is a graded program. While the students are bound to find enjoyment and fun in these activity clubs, they are responsible for committing to the club objectives and outcomes
3. Students may choose to enroll in 9th grade in the RCHS Scholar Program. This program designed and used by Peak to Peak, a successful charter school in Colorado. It is based on admissions criteria from numerous ranked universities in the United States. It was created for motivated students who desire a more a rigorous secondary experience. In order to be accepted to this program, students and their parents must complete an application.
The three scholar diplomas that will be offered are as follows:
The RCHS Scholar Diploma requires the following:
Advanced Placement: Must have a minimum grade of 3 on at least 3 full year AP exams
Academic Achievement: GPA of 3.2 or higher
Community Service: 75 hours of community service over a 4 year period
Leadership, Arts, Athletics, Technology: Essay of achievements in one of these areas or an area approved by a mentor or the Student Education Occupation Plan (SEOP) Committee
The RCHS Scholar with Honors Diploma requires the following:
Advanced Placement: Must have a minimum grade of 3 on at least 4 full year AP exams
Academic Achievement: GPA of 3.6 or higher
Community Service: 100 hours of community service over a 4 year period
Leadership, Arts, Athletics, Technology: Essay of achievements in one of these areas or an area approved by a mentor or the Student Education Occupation Plan (SEOP) Committee
The RCHS Scholar with High Honors Diploma requires the following:
Advanced Placement: Must have a minimum grade of 3 on at least 5 full year AP exams
Academic Achievement: GPA of 3.9 or higher
Community Service: 125 hours of community service over a 4 year period
Leadership, Arts, Athletics, Technology: Essay of achievements in one of these areas or an area approved by a mentor or the Student Education Occupation Plan (SEOP) Committee
The school believes the needs of the student body should drive, coupled with research and data, the programs and activities offered.
Methods of Instruction
Teachers at RCHS will utilize some of the following effective instructional methods in the classroom:
• Socratic Method – this method engages the student and encourages critical thinking by asking a series of questions that leads students to closely examine subject matter.
• Direct Instruction – this method is a highly scripted, fast-paced interaction between student and teachers.
• Service Learning – a teaching and learning strategy that integrates meaningful community service with instruction and reflection to enrich the learning experience, teach civic responsibilities and strengthen communities.
• Community-based Learning – this involves students being able to apply and link what was taught in the classroom in a real-life situation. This method helps enforce not only what is taught in the classroom but also in how and where it is taught.
• Character Development – this method structures the student experience around key concepts such as civility, respect, self-control, responsibility, integrity and citizenship.
RCHS will encourage teachers to utilize other innovative and effective means of teaching subject material as well.
The Director is responsible for monitoring all programs and instruction and ensuring teachers are provided with sufficient training and resources. Data collected through various assessments (NWEA, CRT, DWA, Teacher assessments, Publisher assessments, etc) will be used to determine the effectiveness of all programs and methods of instruction over time.
Curriculum
Rockwell will require students to take a sequence of coursework based on the Utah Core Curriculum in English, Mathematics, Science, History, and World Languages with other academic and elective classes offered to enrich and enhance the education delivered. The school has adopted the following textbooks and materials while reserving the right to make changes based on current research and data at any time (items chosen are current Utah State adoptions and aligned with the Core Curriculum):
Language Arts:
Great Books Foundation Content Area Readers and Classics
Prentice Hall Writing/Grammar series
Leadership:
Seven Habits of Highly Effective Teens by Sean Covey; The Traveler’s Gift by Andy Andrews; other text as determined by the School Council.
Mathematics:
Saxon Math series including Algebra ½, Algebra I, Algebra II, Calculus, and Advanced Mathematics (RCHS reserves the right to supplement as needed.)
Science:
Prentice Hall Earth and Physical Science series, Biology, Chemistry, and Physics
Social Studies:
Prentice Hall American Anthem, Call to Glory, U.S. History, Government and Civics, and World History
World Languages:
Prentice Hall World Language series for Spanish, French, and Latin (Other text to be determined based on student demand for courses)
Health/Physical Education
Prentice Hall Health and Fitness for Life series
Rockwell Charter High School, again, reserves the right to change publishers and programs based on the most current research and data.