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Rochelle School of the Arts

Rochelle School of the Arts
Address
1501 N. Martin L. King Avenue
Lakeland, Florida, Polk County
USA
Information
School district 12
Principal Mrs. Julie Ward
Assistant Principal Mrs. Carol Griffin
Assistant Principal Mr. Lee Brackman
Grades K–8
Number of students 816
Color(s) Purple and Teal
Athletics Basketball, Volleyball, Soccer
Mascot Panthers
Nickname RSA
FCAT average A–B
Middle School Guidance Counselor Mrs. Denise Willoughby
Elementary Guidance Counselor Ms. Sue Wallace
Guidance Secretary Mrs. Jackie McAllister
Website

Rochelle School of the Arts (RSA) is a K-8 magnet school in Lakeland, Florida that has a specific focus on art-related subjects. It offers a variety of classes, such as Art, Band, Dance, Orchestra, Theatre, and Vocal. Rochelle has many different other classes that students can participate in such as Keyboard, Journalism, Television Production, Robotics, Theatre Tech, Musical Theatre, Art, Women's Choir, Men's Choir, Treble Choir, Show Choir, Physical Education and Spanish. There are many clubs at Rochelle that do not have a class such as, Art Club, Chess Club, Glee Club, Junior Thespians, National Junior Honor Society, Math Counts, Golf Club, Recycling Squad, and Robotics.

Before the 24th Amendment was established Rochelle School of the Arts was a segregated black high school known as Rochelle High School, it was named for a noted black Polk County educator William A. Rochelle. William A. Rochelle migrated to Lakeland and made a mark in the field of education. When segregation ended, Rochelle was closed down and later reopened then turned into an art school.

When Rochelle School of the Arts opened in 1992 as a K-8 Performing Arts school, it was the first of its kind in the State of Florida, and the second of its kind in the country. It has been a model for the various other performing arts elementary and middle schools in the state that have followed.

The school has very diverse students and teachers. The students at Rochelle have high expectations from the teachers and staff. They were an "A" school formerly, but changed when the new principals arrived in the 2012–13 school year. They are now a "B" school. They would have been a "C" school but due to complications with the "FCAT" the grade was raised to "B" their goal is to get it back up to an "A" during the 2013–14 school year.

Rochelle School of the Arts has 8 periods a day and it works very well with their arts classes. If it were to change to blocked schedule (7 periods) the arts program would not work well. Eight periods a day gives the students a more well rounded experience in the arts and academics. If it was a blocked schedule the students would have to stay in the class much longer and have less of a well rounded experience in the arts because they would have only one art for each teacher. The teachers will also get to learn about what the students need to learn with an 8 period per day schedule.

During the 2013-14 year, Rochelle's Administration and Polk County School Board approved renovations and landscaping. They renovated many things such as the office and auditorium.


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