About Our School

General Information

A Message from Our Principal

We have a wonderful opportunity to provide an enriched educational experience to our students through exposure and exploration in the Fine Arts. When students learn to express themselves through instruments, song, voice, art, and movement, connections are made with learning that might not otherwise occur. We have a skilled and talented staff of academic and special area teachers that provides meaningful learning to each child. While it is our goal for all students to master the essential Florida Standards of each grade level in English & Language Arts, Math, Science, an Social Studies, and the Fine Arts, the learning doesn't stop there. The Arts support personal development in project-based learning, learning to press on through something new until it is mastered through practice, perseverance, and preparation for performance. The staff of Rochelle School of the Arts thanks our families for choosing RSA, and we are looking forward to a great year!

AWARDS & RECOGNITIONS

The Golden School Award recognizes schools that meet the following criteria:

1. A minimum of 80 percent of the school staff participated in training related to school volunteerism.
2. A school volunteer coordinator is designated for recruitment, placement, training and supervision of school volunteers.
3. The total number of hours of volunteer service equals twice the number of students enrolled in the school.

Rochelle School of the Arts was recently identified as a Silver Model School. The FLPBIS (Florida Positive Behavior Intervention Support) Model School identifies and recognizes schools that:

• Demonstrate highly effective student outcomes as a result of the implementation of PBIS
• Demonstrate high levels of consistent PBIS implementation
• Agree to serve as a demonstration site to others
• Agree to share resources and artifacts that showcase best practices

OUR HISTORY

Before the 24th Amendment was established Rochelle School of the Arts was a segregated black high school known as Rochelle High School,  named for a noted black Polk County educator William A. Rochelle. Mr. 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. Rochelle School of the Arts has 8 periods a day, which gives the students a more well rounded experience in the arts and academics.

What Makes Us Different?

While many schools in Lakeland offer a STEM program (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math), at Rochelle, we deeply believe in the advantages of an arts education and therefore we offer a STEAM program, where we focus on Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math. Our students develop rich skills in communication, collaboration, creativity and critical thinking through many facets of public presentation both academically and artistically and are adept with using state of the art digital equipment in the process.