Jefferson High School

It's Principal Appreciation Day! This state-endorsed recognition was first approved by the Governor of Illinois in 1990. Thank you to our amazing principals, assistant principals & deans for your leadership and dedication to RPS 205 students and staff!

History has been made — the Jefferson J-Hawks are playoff eligible!
Celebrate this unforgettable season with official Playoff T-shirts and Hoodies.

🟥 T-Shirts: $15
🟨 Hoodies: $25

Orders are due by Monday to guarantee your size.
A limited number of extras will be available, but pre-ordering is the only way to secure yours!

RPS offers a scholarship program for juniors & seniors who are interested in pursuing a career in the education field. Earn a college degree at a 75% tuition reduction rate & a FREE Master's degree from Rockford University! To learn more, join us at the informational meeting.

🏈 HOMECOMING NIGHT AT SWANSON STADIUM! 🟥🟨

It’s Homecoming Friday under the lights! Jefferson Football hosts Freeport tonight at Swanson Stadium (Guilford HS Campus).

🎟 Gates open: 6:00 PM
🎉 Homecoming celebration: 6:20 PM
🏈 Varsity kickoff: 7:00 PM (No JV game tonight)

📋 Important Entry Info:

All students must present a physical school ID for entry.

Only Jefferson and Freeport students will be admitted.

Middle school students may attend with a guardian (ID required).

RPS 205 students with unexcused absences, discipline referrals, or social exclusion restrictions may not enter, with or without an adult present. Please make sure to report any absences to the office.

Let’s represent Jefferson with pride and pack the stands in red and gold!
See you tonight, J-Hawks!

#FlyWithUs #VuelaConNosotros

RPS hosted the 14th annual Academy Expo. 2,000 freshmen connected with over 100 local businesses to explore future careers. With support from 500+ volunteers, students gained real-world insight to help guide their academy selections for the rest of their high school journey.

The deadline to submit is today! Help us celebrate our teachers with a Golden Apple Award nomination. Go to https://goldenappleofrockford.com/golden-apple-teacher-awards/nominate/ and tell them which 6th through 12th grade teachers deserve this special recognition.

It's National School Lunch Week and today is Lucky Tray Day at all RPS 205 K-12 schools! Look for the lucky stamp under your lunch tray to win a prize. If you have a winning tray, bring your tray to the kitchen team to claim your prize. Good luck!

Enjoy the day off! We will see you all back at school tomorrow.

Flinn MS hosted the 4th annual Youth Story Ledger yesterday. Students from Flinn, Marshall, West, Jefferson & Auburn shared personal stories celebrating identity, diversity & storytelling. Families, friends & community leaders came to listen to these powerful storytellers.

Former RPS student & published author Devin Paladino visited Jefferson, Auburn, & Flinn schools today to inspire students with his personal story of resilience. He talked about the importance of students sharing their own stories. Devin reminded students that no dream is too big.

It’s back! RPS 205’s Chicken Sandwich Contest returns! Create the most creative chicken sandwich for a chance to win a Nintendo Switch OLED & have your sandwich featured on the menu this spring! Turn in entries to your kitchen staff Oct. 14–17. Winners will be announced Nov. 17!

As our high school freshmen get ready to attend our Academy Expo next week, here's an overview of our academies and what they have to offer to our students. https://youtu.be/eRrZRW4LBMA

RPS high schools are serving up regional flavor this month! Through our partnership with The Common Market, students at Auburn, East, Guilford & Jefferson are enjoying fresh Honeycrisp apples from Hildebrand Farms in Michigan—supporting area farmers & healthy school meals! 🍎

Flinn Middle School hosts the annual Youth Story Ledger on Thurs, Oct. 9, 4:30–6 PM! Students from Flinn, Marshall, West, Jefferson & Auburn will share powerful stories in a celebration of identity, diversity & storytelling. All are welcome to hear our next gen of storytellers!

Enjoy the three day weekend! See you back at school on Monday, October 6!

This past weekend, East, Guilford, & Jefferson High School bands joined schools from across Illinois for NIU Band Day in DeKalb. Students performed at halftime of the Huskies football game alongside hundreds of fellow musicians! Way to represent! Photos courtesy of: Eric Pearson

The Rockford Promise Scholarship application is open Oct. 1–Feb. 5 at 5 p.m. High school students can apply now for the chance to attend college tuition free. Don’t miss this life-changing opportunity! Apply today at https://rockfordpromise.org/

Help us celebrate our teachers with a Golden Apple Award nomination! Go to https://goldenappleofrockford.com/golden-apple-teacher-awards/nominate/ and tell them which 6th through 12th grade teachers deserve this special recognition. The deadline to submit is October 16!

Last night, the Rockford school board recognized Cohort 4 graduates of the NIU Principal Residency Program. Zach Larson (Jefferson HS), Whitney Reed (Welsh ES), and Andrew Wimberly (Ellis ES) are all now certified administrators with their master's degrees. Congratulations!

📸 Picture Day is coming up on Tuesday, September 23rd and Wednesday, September 24th! Order forms will be available in all academy offices for students and families. Please note: students will not dress for gym on their assigned picture day.