Happy Summer Rocky River!
For many of our students and families, summer is less than a week old. As soon as we wrapped up the school year with students and the majority of our staff late last week, our schools shifted into summer mode.
While many instructional programs pause during the summer months, the work of preparing for a successful school year never stops. Across Rocky River City Schools, our teams are already hard at work preparing for the 2026-2027 school year and positioning our district for the future.
This summer is no exception. Here are three important areas of focus you’ll hear more about in the coming months.
Transition to PowerSchool
Our transition from ProgressBook to PowerSchool is well underway.
Student information systems play a critical role in how schools communicate grades, attendance, schedules, progress monitoring, and other important information with students, families, and staff. As we prepare for the start of the 2026-2027 school year, families can expect regular updates throughout the summer.
While transitions of this size are rarely seamless, we are committed to communicating early and often to ensure a smooth experience for everyone involved. Over time, PowerSchool will provide enhanced functionality and improved service across our district. Please watch for additional communications from both the district and your child’s school throughout the summer.
Investing in Our Facilities
Summer also provides an opportunity to complete important facility improvement projects across the district.
The most visible projects this year will be the replacement of the high school’s stadium turf and the installation of new stadium lighting. Both projects were approved by the Board of Education earlier this year and are scheduled to begin later this month. We anticipate completion before the start of the fall athletic season.
In addition, we will complete several other capital improvement projects, including HVAC upgrades, roofing improvements, parking lot maintenance, and numerous smaller projects throughout our learning spaces. These investments help us maintain safe, welcoming, and high-quality environments for students and staff while continuing to be responsible stewards of community resources.
Leadership Transitions
Summer also brings important leadership transitions. We are excited to welcome new leaders to Rocky River City Schools while supporting current leaders as they move into new roles.
Most visibly, we are pleased to welcome Mrs. Carrie Knapp as the next principal of Rocky River High School. Mrs. Knapp joins us from Highland High School, where she served as principal for the past nine years and helped lead significant academic, co-curricular, and extracurricular success. Throughout the selection process, her passion for education and commitment to building strong relationships with students, staff, and families stood out. She has already begun her transition into the district and will continue that work throughout the summer. We encourage our community to take advantage of opportunities to connect with her in the coming months. We are thrilled to welcome Mrs. Knapp to River and excited that she will soon be a Pirate.
We are also excited that Mr. Patrick Coleman, our current Director of Educational Technology, will transition into the role of Executive Director of Human Resources and Operations. Patrick’s experience as a principal and district leader, combined with his deep connection to Rocky River and commitment to our schools, uniquely position him to continue the important work taking place within our Human Resources and Operations departments. We are excited to support him in this new role.
We also have several additional positions currently being filled and will continue to update our community as those processes progress throughout the summer. Welcoming new staff into the River community is very exciting and we will work together to support our school community members.
Looking Ahead to 2026-2027
We hope your summer is safe, enjoyable, and filled with opportunities to relax and recharge.
While our buildings may appear quieter than they do during the school year, a tremendous amount of work is happening behind the scenes. From preparing for PowerSchool and completing facility improvements to welcoming new leaders, our team is hard at work laying the foundation for a successful 2026-2027 school year.
We will continue to provide updates on these initiatives and other district developments throughout the summer. Thank you for your continued partnership and support of Rocky River City Schools. We look forward to welcoming everyone back in August and building on the momentum of another great year at River.
With Pirate Pride,
Adham
With Pirate Pride 