District Information

Welcome to the Rowan Salisbury Schools! Our goal is to provide extraordinary learning experiences for our students. We are recognized nationally for our innovative approaches to teaching and learning AND we are ranked in the 'Top 10' nationally for pioneering uses of technology in our classrooms for student success.

We build on a strong foundation focused on Literacy, that leads our students into discovering and achieving their personal life goals. Our students are guided through a CCRP learning model where instruction is Connected, Collaborative, Relevant, and Personal.

Each student in our district has a personal iPad or laptop. Students in grades 3-12 can take their devices home. We lead our students into becoming critical thinkers so they can solve real-world challenges. This is accomplished through problem-based learning in an inspiring collaborative learning environment.

The Rowan-Salisbury School System provides extraordinary education every day for more than 19,500 students in 35 schools.

Led by Superintendent Dr. Tony Watlington Sr., the district emphasizes technology-driven instruction with a strong focus on literacy and problem-based learning, as well as meaningful professional development for all staff members. These methods have resulted in a dramatic increase in student engagement and performance.

As of the 2015-16 school year, 91.4 percent of Rowan-Salisbury schools increased their performance composite, and 96 percent of the district’s K-8 schools met or exceeded growth in reading.

Home to Lazy 5 Ranch, the NC Transportation Museum, important historical sites, classic wineries and the shores of High Rock Lake, there’s an adventure for everyone in Rowan County, North Carolina. The City of Salisbury boasts of a thriving, historic downtown filled with locally-owned restaurants, breweries, shops and theaters. Family-friendly events, such as Autumn Jubilee, Holiday Caravan and the Rowan County Fair, contribute to the area’s rich culture and tight-knit community. For those looking for a big city experience, Rowan County is perfectly situated between three of the state’s largest cities – Charlotte, Greensboro and Winston-Salem.

Each student in grades K-12 has a personal iPad or laptop device. At Rowan-Salisbury, we are excited to be leaders in innovative learning, and we believe it is our responsibility to inspire an engaging and personalized educational experience for each student. In 2014, Rowan-Salisbury moved to a one-to-one digital conversion - where every student has their very own personal device!

Student in grades 3-12 may take their devices home. Each high school student has a MacBook Air laptop, while each student in grades 3-8 has an iPad. Every student in grades K-2 also have personal devices; however, these devices remain at the child’s school. These teaching and learning tools are changing the culture of our community as well as our schools. Students are engaged with their technology devices at home and as well at school.

We realized that the needs of the future are different from the needs of the past, and this requires us to be leaders in transforming how we teach. It also allows students to access instruction with the flexibility to learn anytime and anywhere.

Our students must be prepared for the work environment of the future. Our mobile technology devices allow students the ability to explore, research, and create solutions to real world challenges with the most current information at their fingertips.

AWARD

Rowan-Salisbury Schools is nationally ranked in the "Top !0" for pioneering uses for technology in the classroom.

RSS REPORTING RESULTS FOR STUDENT SUCCESS

AWARDS

• National Ranking in the ‘Top 10” for Pioneering Uses of Technology
• National Digital Curriculum Strategy Award / Learning Counsel
• National Digital Content & Curriculum Achievement Award / Center for Digital Education
• National ‘Top 20 To Watch’ / CoSn (Consortium for School Networking)
• National ‘Innovation in Education” / Discovery Education
• State Excellence in Educational Programs / NC School Boards Association
• State Excellence in Communications, Public Relations & Marketing / NC School Public Relations Association Blue Ribbon Awards
• State “Team to Watch’ / NCMLE (NC Assoc. for Middle Level Education)
• State ‘Medal for Educational Innovation’ / Friday Center & NCSSA

NATIONAL MEDIA PUBLICATIONS & ARTICLES

• The Learning Counsel Column
• Education Talk Radio
• Discovery Education - Technology “Myths Vs. Truths’ / NRMS Students
• Future Ready Summit Panel
• NSPRA, ISTE, NCASA, ASU-GSV, NCTIES
• Schlechty Center
• Digital Promise
• Literacy Today
• THE Journal
• TED Talks

STUDENTS ACHIEVING SUCCESS

• Park Scholar
• NC Governors School
• West Point Academy
• Presidential Inauguration Leadership Summit
• National Achieve3000 Summer Contest Winner
• National Achieve3000 Spring To Success
• State FFA Winners
• State FBLA Winners
• National Honors Chorus & Band
• US Army All-American Marching Band
• CTE Skills USA
• Superior Ratings in Band
• US Presidential Scholar
• RC ‘Swimmers of the Year’
• ‘2017 Dare to Imagine’
• Signing with Colleges to play Tennis, Baseball, Golf

GRADUATION SCHOLARSHIPS

• $26 million offered to 2017 RSS Graduates

TEACHERS - PRINCIPALS

• Teacher Getting Results
• ADE – Apple Distinguished Educators
• Regional Teacher of the Year
• State Outstanding Math Teacher
• TED-ED Innovative Educator
• State Outstanding Environmental Educator
• National Board Certified Nurses
• National Board Certified Teachers & Renewals
• National Music Honor
• National Army All-American Band Director
• Grown Your Own Leaders Program
• Stanback Scholarship for Masters Program
• US Army ROTC National Hall of Fame
• PBS LearningMedia Digital Innovators
• RC ‘Swimming Coaches of the Year’
• NC Young Educator of the Year
• Philip Morris Educational Doctoral Leadership Fellowship
• NC Girls Tennis Coach of the Year

Inspiring, Innovative and Engaging – this describes the new Community Schools concept that is being implementing across our community.

By now you have most likely participated in or heard about our 6 Community School areas and the events they have sponsored; such as back to school rallies, tail gates, family engagement events, movie nights to name a few examples. There have also been high school students dressed out in their school colors, welcoming elementary students to school.

Within RSS we have 6 community areas: North, South, East, West, Salisbury, and Southeast. We are personalizing the learning experience for children and families through our Community Schools by following your child from Kindergarten through high school. We may all fall under the larger umbrella of Rowan-Salisbury, but we have smaller Community Schools focusing on providing a family-centered environment for giving children the best education possible.

This spring each of the six Community Schools will be hosting a Exhibition to our communities. These events will showcase the inspiring work by our students. Click here to view the 2018 Student Showcase Event Schedule.

Motto: E3
~EXTRAORDINARY

~EDUCATION

~EVERY DAY

RPE

Years ago, a group of dedicated business professionals and community leaders formed the Rowan-Salisbury Education Foundation to provide support and funding for programs that went above and beyond the normal curriculum in the Rowan Salisbury Schools. The name was later changed to Rowan Partners for Education (RPE) to better represent the mission of the organization.

IMPACT

A few years ago, another group of dedicated business and community leaders came together and formed the Rowan-Salisbury Schools IMPACT Fund. This group of hard- working individuals achieved many accomplishments that benefited the students and staff of our district to which we are very grateful.

RPE

Moving forward, the name is again Rowan-Partners for Education and dedicated to:

• Provide funding for innovative teaching methods
• Ignite stronger and more positive results
• Recognize the achievements of our teachers & students
• Encourage students to reach higher academic success
• Provide support to push through innovative projects

RPE continues to build on what the original founders saw as such an incredible resource in our community. While RPE will work closely with RSS to help achieve common goals, the mission is to add to and not replace any existing programs.

Jon and Susan Steele co-chair RPE.

Welcome to Rowan-Salisbury Schools! We look forward to partnering with you to guide your child to academic and career success. School attendance zones are based on the property address of where you and your child live.

FIND MY SCHOOL BASED ON MY ADDRESS

Please be prepared to provide the following items when enrolling your child:

• Student's birth certificate
• Approved ID of parent/guardian
• Proof of domicile
• Immunization record
• Health Assessment in accordance with North Carolina law