With Pirate Pride

Below is a letter sent earlier today regarding the State Report Card and 2025 Rocky River Quality Profile. Thank you for your continued partnership and support!!

“Dear Rocky River Families,

This morning, the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce released this year’s State Report Card, and I am proud to share that Rocky River City Schools received a 5-Star Rating—the highest rating issued by the state. You can view our report card here:  State Report Card 

There are several specific highlights we should all be proud of, including:

• The highest Performance Index in district history at 111.1. This is the third highest in the state of Ohio
  
• Record scores in ELA 5, ELA 6, Math 6, and ELA 8
  
• A 99.3% graduation rate at Rocky River High School, earning a 5-Star Rating

These results are a reflection of the collective efforts of our students, teachers, principals, and support staff who work tirelessly to meet high expectations and demonstrate growth. Our families are vital partners in this work, setting high standards and supporting their children along the way. Together, we have built an environment that encourages continuous improvement, and I am incredibly proud of every student, teacher, and staff member in River.

At the same time, we recognize that the State Report Card represents only one measure of our success. For example, 80% of our high school students are involved in athletics or activities. Our students thrive in the arts, gain meaningful career experiences, serve as peer mentors, and pursue passions that extend well beyond the classroom. These experiences help ignite imagination, foster leadership, and teach lifelong lessons. Meanwhile, our teachers and staff remain deeply engaged in professional learning to ensure instruction is meaningful and connected to every student.

To share a more complete picture of our district, I am excited to release the 2025 Rocky River Quality Profile, which highlights the accomplishments and opportunities that matter most to our staff, students, families, and community. You can explore the report here: 2025 Quality Profile.

Congratulations to our students, staff, families, and community for achieving outstanding results and continuing to showcase what makes Rocky River such a special place. In the Rocky River City School District, we provide a CARING environment and EXCEPTIONAL opportunities, resulting in SUCCESSFUL students who are globally COMPETITIVE. This mission guides everything we do—and today’s results are a clear reflection of that commitment.

Well done, everyone. Go Pirates!

With Pirate Pride,
Adham”

Jennifer Forshey, Ashley Morris, and Katherine Hamm are three outstanding teachers at our high school. They lead our AP Seminar course, which focuses on college-level research, writing and presentation skills. . Last week, they shared with me an early lesson from this school year that I think captures so much of what makes River special.

AP Seminar challenges students to explore real-world problems and issues from multiple perspectives. To begin the year, students read several different viewpoints on the purpose of school that had been published by The New York Times. Afterward, each student paired up with someone who held a different perspective, reflected on their own beliefs, and decided which value was most important to them. Together, they created posters and presented their ideas to the class.

What stood out to me is how closely our students’ priorities mirror our own. Many of them identified caring as their number one priority, right alongside hope and the development of good citizens. School provides endless opportunities, but it all begins with the environment students walk into each day. When that environment is caring and supportive, students are able to thrive. Deep learning grows out of deep relationships.

Back in August, I had the privilege of welcoming our staff at convocation. As the “new guy,” I wanted to share my values and develop a foundation for how we will work together. At the heart of our work are two simple but powerful expectations: Care about kids. We bookend this phrase in our expectations because it is the most important thing we do. Caring doesn’t mean lowering expectations or excusing poor choices—just the opposite. It means holding students accountable while walking alongside them, helping them grow into the best versions of themselves.

Every day, in every building across River, you can see this care in action. In partnership with families, we are committed to creating environments where young people feel supported, challenged, and inspired. When we put care at the center, both inside and outside the classroom, deep learning and strong outcomes follow.

This is the most important priority we have and our students say it should be.

With Pirate Pride,

Adham

This morning, I had the honor and privilege to speak to our staff to kick off the 2025-2026 school year. Convocation is one of the few times all year we can come together as a school district. Our theme for the year is “OuRr Impact”. I was humbled to share the stage with Megan Rose, Jamey Pfahl, and Allison Paetz. 

Here is the message I shared heading into the start of school: 

“As you’ll learn about me over time, I’m a bit of a nerd when it comes to leadership and coaching. And one of my favorite practices? Themes for the school year. Themes give us alignment, focus, and an anchor to come back to all year long. And I’ll admit — I get way too excited about them.

Over the past several months, as I’ve been learning more about Rocky River — its history, its pride, its deep tradition — I kept trying to land on the right theme. I had a few ideas, but nothing quite stuck.

Then one detail changed everything. I was reading about our district and noticed a number that jumped off the page: 4.9 square miles. That’s it — the size of our entire district. To put it in perspective, my last district covered 133 square miles. Yet within our 4.9 square miles, we have almost 500 employees, 2,650 students, and more than 20,000 residents.

And I thought — what an incredible opportunity. Each of us may only “own” about 1/100th of a square mile, but together we get to make an exponential impact inside these boundaries. That impact is something we share, influence, and can focus on everyday we get to serve together. And that’s how our theme was born: OuRr Impact.

I would like to welcome to the stage Allison Paetz, Megan Rose, and Jamey Pfahl who will help me share our theme – “OuRr Impact”

When I think about impact, I think about my fourth-grade teacher, Mrs. Nealer. Now, before the school year started, I was terrified of her. The older kids had warned us — including Andy Katzenmoyer, who went on to play linebacker for Ohio State and the NFL. Andy told me her class was basically boot camp. When I saw my name on her class list, I thought my life was over. (Turns out, my mom — who worked in the district — had requested Mrs. Nealer. Thanks, Mom.)

Sure enough, Mrs. Nealer took the “no smiling before Christmas” rule very seriously. But something happened early on. She believed in me. She told me what I needed to hear, not just what I wanted to hear. She pushed me with high expectations and walked alongside me as I grew. She connected us with high school pen pals — her former students — so we could see what we were capable of becoming.

To this day, she still checks in on me. In fact, here’s a recent comment she left on my wife’s Facebook page — because, apparently, once you’re her student, you’re always her student.

Mrs. Nealer made an impact on me that I’ll carry for life. And I know each of you can name your own “Mrs. Nealer.” Someone who made a difference not by doing something flashy, but by believing in you and investing in you.

That’s our challenge and our privilege this year. Every bus ride. Every hallway conversation. Every lesson. Every smile. Inside 4.9 square miles, OuRr Impact is powerful — and it’s why we choose to serve in River.” 

It will be a great year in River. Let’s make an Impact together!

With Pirate Pride,

Adham

Last night, I had the privilege of attending the kindergarten photo at the Senior Rock (one of Rocky River’s many meaningful traditions). If you’re not familiar, incoming kindergarten families gather at the Rock to mark the very beginning of their child’s journey through Rocky River Schools. It’s such a powerful way to celebrate a new chapter.

This year, one of the participants was Sam, my cousin’s son. One of the reasons my family was so excited to move to River was to be closer to my cousin’s family. We always imagined how great it would be to live just around the corner from one another, and now that’s exactly the case. Sam and our kids have really hit it off this summer, especially with our oldest daughter, Aizza.

Sam is at the very start of his Pirate adventure. For the next thirteen years, he’ll walk our hallways, grow in our classrooms, and form lifelong friendships. My hope for Sam, and for every one of our newest kindergarten students, is that they discover passions that inspire them and prepare them for whatever comes next once they leave our schools.

Speaking of next steps, Aizza leaves for the University of Cincinnati on Tuesday. While she didn’t attend Rocky River Schools, her experiences in our previous district opened doors and helped her find her passion. As both a dad and a school leader, that’s one of the things I’m most proud of: seeing how a caring, opportunity-filled school environment can shape a young person’s future.

As parents, isn’t that what we all want? A place where our kids are known, cared for, challenged, and inspired. A place where they can discover what lights them up. And if there’s one thing I’m learning, it’s that the time goes by quickly. My cousin and I are standing on opposite ends of the parenting spectrum right now. He’s just beginning the journey with Sam in kindergarten, while I’m helping Aizza pack for college. Yet the feelings are the same: excitement, possibility, and pride.

To all my fellow River parents, embrace the journey. Whether you’re dropping your child off at kindergarten or helping them move into a college dorm, savor every moment because it truly flies.

We’re excited to welcome everyone back to campus in the coming days. It’s going to be an incredible year in River. Go Pirates!

• Adham

Welcome to “With Pirate Pride”!

I’m excited to share the very first post on our new blog, With Pirate Pride. This will be a space for sharing information, stories, and highlights from across Rocky River City Schools. To kick things off, I’d like to tell you why August is one of my favorite months. Many people might not agree, but hear me out.

First, I love school. School is awesome. It’s where traditions are made, friendships begin, challenges are met, and accomplishments are celebrated. From Friday night football to robotics competitions and countless other activities, public schools bring communities together in a way that’s truly unique. And, of course, at the heart of it all is the learning and growth we witness in our students every single day. I can’t wait to experience the traditions here in Rocky River and discover all the qualities that make this community so special.

Second, our students are back. This goes hand in hand with my first point, but it deserves its own spotlight. Since early June, our schools have been relatively quiet. While some students have been here for athletics and our incredible custodial and maintenance teams have been hard at work preparing our buildings, the energy just isn’t the same. That all changes in August. In the coming days, about 80% of our high school students will return for fall activities—band camp, tryouts, scrimmages, and more. That buzz of excitement is contagious. It’s the renewal of hope for everything we will accomplish together in the months ahead.

Third, a new year means new opportunities. The start of school gives us a fresh chance to do meaningful work together. At Rocky River, our focus is, and always will be, student learning inside and outside of the classroom. That mission drives every decision we make. Along with welcoming back our students, families, and staff, we’re also excited to greet many new team members this year. Each brings a strong commitment to serving our district with the highest standards.

As we begin this school year, I am filled with optimism. I know it’s going to be a great year in Rocky River, and I look forward to seeing you around our schools and at our events in the weeks to come.

Welcome to August—and Go Pirates!

With Pirate Pride,

Adham Schirg

Rocky River City Schools

Superintendent