Happy April, Rock Island-Milan!
Here are some important dates to keep in mind for this month.

Rock Island-Milan,
There’s still time to participate in the RIHS Culture Fest and order a t-shirt! The deadline to sign up and complete your purchase is Sunday, May 3.
Visit the 2026 Culture Fest website to learn more!

The meeting will feature a presentation from Principal Melody, followed by a focused discussion on Budget, Planning, Transparency, and Federal Funding.
We hope you can join us!

Families, it’s time to register your child(ren) for the 2026–2027 school year! Online registration is now open.
Proof of residency is required for all new students, as well as those entering Kindergarten, 6th grade, or 9th grade.
Visit rimsd41.org/registration for more information and to get started!

Take a look at how our scholars across the district celebrated and recognized this special day!




A big shoutout to all the incredible administrative professionals across our district! Thank you for keeping everything running smoothly behind the scenes. Your hard work and dedication make a difference every day. ✨

From left to right: Teacher Cassandra Salas-Mikaio, Principal Joey DiIulio, Principal Patrick Versluis, Superintendent Dr. Sharon Williams, Teacher Angie Paprocki, and Instructional Coach Bettina McWilliams.

Rocky pride was on full display last night as we celebrated our Rocky Special Olympics bowling and basketball teams, as well our Rocky Swim Team at the April 14 Board of Education meeting!
The Special Olympics basketball team earned an incredible 2nd-place finish at the state tournament – an outstanding accomplishment that reflects their hard work, determination, and teamwork. Congratulations to coaches Jeff Martens, Lisa Martens, and Meghan Miers for their leadership in guiding our team to this outstanding achievement!
We couldn’t be prouder to celebrate our two incredible RIHS Special Olympics bowlers, David Pack-Lewis and Izaak McMeans, for placing first and second in state! Special shoutout to their dedicated coach, Stacy Rel.
We are also especially proud of Andrew Oliver and Nathan Anderson for representing Rocky at the state level for diving and the 100-meter butterfly! We extend our appreciation to Head Coach Rebecca Brown and Head Boys Diving Coach Sarah Fueling for their leadership in guiding this team to success!
Well deserved, and congratulations to all involved!
We’d like to give a huge thank you to our amazing RIMSD librarians:
Edie Crayne, Denkmann
Elizabeth Saunders, Earl Hanson
Amy Jahn, Edison Jr. High
Lori Gregan, Eugene Field
Sarah Freeman, Eugene Field
Donna Manning, Frances Willard
Shannon Fuhrer, Longfellow
Melissa Knoeferl, Rock Island Academy
Dee Anderson, RI Center for Math & Science
Diana Bush, Ridgewood
Mary Mendelin, Rock Island High School
Amy Curtiss, Rock Island High School
Amy Marshall, Thomas Jefferson
Karen Long, Washington Jr. High
Your passion, dedication, and the love you bring to your libraries make a lasting impact on our scholars and school communities. Thank you for all that you do!

During National Assistant Principals Week, we recognize the dedication, leadership, and heart these school leaders bring to their schools every single day.
Take a moment to thank an assistant principal who makes a difference!








Rock Island-Milan,
This is a friendly reminder that all district facilities will be closed on Friday, April 3, in observance of Good Friday!
https://www.rimsd41.org/events

Rocky was proud to host Senator Mike Halpin as he stopped by to personally congratulate Courtney Walls on her IHSA Girls State Wrestling championship, recognizing her outstanding achievement with an official certificate of recognition. Congratulations again, Courtney! 💪




Calling all community members!
Culture Club is gearing up for our 4th Annual Culture Fest! Last year, over 1,000 attendees came together to celebrate the diversity that makes our school and community so special.
This year’s event will take place on Monday, May 18th, from 5–7:30 PM at RIHS. The theme is “Play the Game, Live the Culture,” in anticipation of the World Cup coming to North America this summer. ⚽
Visit the event website to:
🌎View photos and videos from last year’s celebration
🌍Order a t-shirt
🌏Register for a table – open to all district students, staff, families, and community members!
Celebrate, connect, and share your culture with us!

Quick reminders:
🟡Staff returns on Monday, March 30th, for all staff inservice day.
🟡Fourth Quarter begins Tuesday, March 31st.
Enjoy your break! 🔆🌱

Due to the threat of inclement weather, all scheduled activities during our Spring Intersession have been cancelled for Monday, March 16, 2026. Thank you for your understanding, and please stay safe!

We are incredibly proud of our student-athletes and coaching staff for their dedication and teamwork. Way to represent!
Congratulations to our Rock Island Special Olympics Basketball team! We were proud to send them off with a Walk of Champions celebration as they qualified for the state tournament, taking place tomorrow at the Shirk Center at Illinois Wesleyan University in Bloomington, IL.
We kicked off the celebration on the third floor - our athletes and coaches walked through each floor of the school while scholars and staff lined the halls to cheer them on and celebrate their hard work and dedication.
We are proud to have such a phenomenal team represent Rocky at the state level. Congratulations to coaches Jeff Martens, Lisa Martens, and Meghan Miers for their leadership in guiding our team to this outstanding achievement! Good luck tomorrow!
At the March 10 Board of Education meeting, we recognized Rowan Stockwell of Rock Island High School for an outstanding season on the mat! We'd also like to recognize Coach Joel Stockwell for being inducted into the Illinois Wrestling Hall of Fame! Congratulations to the Stockwell family for representing Rocky and the Rock Island community with determination!
