Prior to 1949, there were several small school districts within the current district's boundaries. Each district had a single school that did not include high school grades, whereas the school district in Rochester itself included a high school. Because of Avon Township's rising population and the need for students to be guaranteed a high school education, the small districts consolidated with the Rochester district in April 1949.[5] The new district was called Rochester Community Schools and it consolidated the following districts: Rochester, Avon, Brewster, Hamlin, and Ross.[6]
The district population was expanding rapidly by 1952, and the district needed to plan more buildings. However, there were still eight other small school districts in the township whose consolidation would affect the district's long-range planning. Pending the agreement of the districts, the RCS school board voted on October 15, 1952 to annex the following districts: Baldwin, Stoney Creek, Brooklands, Kline, Snell, and Brush. Bigler and Mount Vernon school districts, who did not have schools of their own but sent both funds and students to Rochester Schools, were also on the list.[7] On December 15, 1952, the districts voted to be annexed, with Kline school district (in the area of Rochester Road and Stoney Creek Road) the only holdout.[8] The Kline district was ultimately annexed,[a] and the district boundaries became roughly what they are today.[9]
Budget crisis
Like nearby school districts such as Avondale, RCS faced a budget crisis in the early 1980s. The district projected a $1.9 million deficit for the 1983-84 school year ($6.1 million in 2024 dollars).[10] The crisis, as well as changing housing patterns, led to the closure of two historic elementary schools in June 1983, Woodward (1926) and Hamlin (1929). Woodward Elementary, at 312 Woodward Ave in Rochester, housed the Older Person's Commission until being demolished in 2003.[11] Hamlin Elementary reopened in 1984[12] and has since been renovated.[13]
Controversy
In 2022, a civil rights lawsuit was filed against then-Superintendent Robert Shaner and the school district accusing him of spying on parents through social media and challenging their right to free speech.[14] The school district settled after it was revealed that Shaner and the district had indeed spied on citizens.[15] Shaner resigned from the district in 2023.[16]
Board of Education
As of January 2025, the Board of Education consists of Michelle Bueltel, Barbara Anness, Julie Alspach, Jessica Gupta, Carol Beth Litkouhi, Jayson Blake, and Shelley Lauzon.[17]
Schools
Enrollment Comparison by School (1977 vs. 2023-2024)
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