Central High School

We were thrilled to host Dr. Joseph Graves, Secretary of the South Dakota Department of Education, and First Lady of South Dakota, Sandy Rhoden, at Rapid City Central High School last Friday!

They met with the Student Council for a thought-provoking discussion on the topics of grit, resilience, and the use of smartphones in schools.

Thank you for your time and for championing our students!

Gourd-geous news, everyone! 🎃

We're so excited to host a booth at The Great Downtown Pumpkin Festival this Saturday! Come find the Rapid City Area Schools booth for free temporary tattoos, cool swag, and a chance to chat with us! We can't wait to see you there!

We had an amazing night at the Board of Education meeting, where we had the opportunity to share some incredible news about our Advanced Placement program. Our students are truly excelling and pushing themselves to new heights.

Looking at the numbers from the May 2025 AP Exams, our students took a total of 807 exams, and a fantastic 649 of those received a passing score of 3, 4, or 5. That's an impressive 80% passing rate!

Enrollment is also soaring for the 2025-26 school year, with a total of 1,609 students enrolled in AP courses across our high schools. This represents a significant 42% increase since last year.

We're so proud of our dedicated students, teachers, and staff who are making all of this happen. We're committed to offering more opportunities for academic success and helping all of our students reach their full potential.

District Opener – Building Closure Notice

On Monday, August 18, all Rapid City Area Schools buildings will be closed from 7:30 a.m. to approximately 10:30 a.m. for our annual District Opener event. This is a special tradition where all RCAS staff gather to celebrate the start of the new school year and align for success. We appreciate your understanding as we take this time to connect, inspire, and ring in the new year together.

Color Change at Central!

A quick update on the Central High School Remodel Project: the blue ductwork has been painted red! This update not only brings a fresh new look to the space—it now matches Central’s school colors!

Goodbye, Green Carpet! Big things are happening at Central High School this summer! The Central High School Remodel Project is underway, with exciting improvements being implemented across the building. Here’s what’s included: ✅ Library Remodel – A full refresh with a new design, updated flooring, and brand-new furniture, furnishings, and equipment. (Furnishings will be added later this fall.) ✅ C & D PODs – Home to Social Studies, Language Arts, and Math classrooms, these areas are getting new flooring (goodbye orange carpet!) and a fresh coat of paint in hallways and classrooms. ✅ Choir Room – Removal of the old acoustic curtains and installation of sleek new acoustic wall panels, plus a fresh paint job to brighten the space. Even better? The project engineer is a proud Central High School alum—bringing this transformation full circle! We’ll be sharing photos and more updates soon. Stay tuned!

Summer School 2025 – Registration Now Open! We are excited to announce that registration for Summer School 2025 is now open! This program is available exclusively for high school students and offers an excellent opportunity to catch up on credits, stay on track for graduation, or explore new academic interests. Registration Dates: 🗓️ May 1st – May 29th, 2025 Please be sure to register during this window, as no late registrations will be accepted. Program Highlights: • Designed for current high school students • Flexible course offerings • Supportive learning environment • Opportunities to earn credit or strengthen understanding in key subjects Here is the Link to register: [https://forms.gle/uiePMmx1azau2z8h8 If you have any questions, please contact Rapid City Alternative Academy (605) 394-4048 Principal Jessica Kanta Jessica.Kanta@k12.sd.us We look forward to supporting your educational journey this summer!

🌸 Spring Break Reminder! 🌸 Rapid City Area Schools will be on Spring Break from April 14–21. There will be no school during that week as students and staff take a well-deserved break! 📅 Classes will resume on Monday, April 22. We hope everyone enjoys a safe, relaxing, and refreshing break! 💐☀️

Our December staff appreciation event! A huge thank you to The Elks Theatre for hosting our staff! 😊

🌟 8th Grade Career Fair! 🌟 A huge thank you to all the businesses and community members who joined us for our 8th-grade Career Fair! Events like these are valuable because they allow students to explore different career paths, ask questions, and start dreaming about their future possibilities. Your willingness to connect with our young learners helps spark their passions. Here's to our student's bright futures and many more successful partnerships with our community. Thank you for investing in our students!

Scarecrow making at Valley View Elementary! Ms. Macziewski's Jr. Kindergarten class teamed up with a fourth-grade class to assemble some great fall scarecrows. The older students helped the younger ones with the project, and everyone worked together to get it done. 🍂

Congratulations to Ms. Moen a kindergarten teacher at Rapid Valley Elementary for winning the 1 Plus 1 Giveaway from NewsCenter1 Media Group! ⭐️🎉