Prepared for Life

The Rock Island-Milan School District has an enrollment of 6,300 students. These students are divided into 11 elementary schools, 2 junior high schools, 1 high school, and 1 alternative high school. The school district works on a year-round calendar and the average class size is 24 students. The school district's vision is excellence every day and its mission is to develop high achieiving world citizens. Click here for a fact sheet with more information on the school district.

The school district is currently implementing a Building Excellence Plan to update schools in the district. In February 2008, a $22 million bond referendum was passed to support the plan.

Work to date on the Building Excellence Plan includes:

The Rock Island Center for Math and Science (RICMS) is under construction at the old Villa de Chantal property. This elementary school will focus on math and science, with a carefully designed curriculum that will create opportunities for students to participate in hands-on learning experiences. This year, the students from RICMS are attending two different buildings Horace Mann Choice School (pre-K through second grade) and Audubon Elementary (third through sixth grade). These buildings will close in the 2010 school year, and students will move to the new school.

Renovations are complete on seven schools: Denkmann Elementary, Eugene Field Elementary, Frances Willard Elementary, Longfellow Liberal Arts, Primary Academy, Ridgewood Elementary, and Thomas Jefferson Elementary.

• At Denkmann, 4,400 additional square feet was added to the school and features a new cafeteria, two additional instructional areas, a teacher workroom, and a secure entry and administrative office area.
• At Eugene Field, the additions feature a new media center, cafeteria, six additional classrooms, and a secure entry and administrative office area.
• Frances Willard additions feature a secure front entrance, new parking lot, cafeteria, serving kitchen, 2 additional classrooms, 2 instructional spaces, administrative area, and nurse's office.
• At Longfellow Liberal Arts, the completed project includes a new cafeteria, media center, classroom additions, and a relocated entrance. The new additions will allow Longfellow to increase enrollment to 250 students.
• The Primary Academy (next school year will merge with the Intermediate Academy to create The Academy) added over 20,000 square feet to the existing structure. The additions feature a secure front entrance relocated to 12th Street, new parking lot, cafeteria, kitchen, instructional space, 6 full-size classrooms, 6 administrative offices, media center, grass courtyard, and elevator.
• Ridgewood Elementary additions feature a new cafeteria, media center, 6 additional classrooms, small instructional space, and teacher area with bathrooms.
• At Thomas Jefferson a separate cafeteria and kitchen totaling 1,050 square feet were added to the existing structure.

Construction started at Earl Hanson Elementary in April 2010 and is currently underway.

New partnerships have been fostered at elementary schools to assist with curriculum.

• RIMSC has partnered with Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy based in Aurora, IL.
• Longfellow Liberal Arts has partnered with Augustana College.
• The Academy has partnered with St. Ambrose University.

To learn the latest on the Building Excellence Plan click here.

For maps showing school boundaries for the Rock Island-Milan School District boundaries click here.