Our School

The Little Red Brick School

Rockland School is a true neighborhood school and the oldest school building in Libertyville.

Construction of the red brick school building began in 1926 and was completed in 1927 under a price tag of just $73,000. In the original two-story section of the building, Rockland features four spacious classrooms with beautiful wooden windows and door moldings and special cloakrooms that were used before lockers. The classrooms were made to accommodate 48 students each. The front bay window area of the school was originally intended for use as a stage when not used as a classroom. Thus, the kindergarten classroom now housed behind the bay windows features small staircases leading into it on two sides.

Just two years later, in 1929, four more classrooms were added to the building to accommodate a population boom on the south side of the village and allow the school to house kindergartners through eighth-graders. The two-story addition cost about $25,000. Three more classrooms were added in 1952, and a new gym was attached in 1958.  By 1975, a Learning Center was established in the school. 

In 1998, plans were underway to redesign the Learning Center to add a computer lab and two classrooms,  enclose an outside fire escape, add a new office complex overlooking a new front entrance, and redesign the east side parking lot to allow a traffic loop for easier pickup and drop off. In a continued push to keep the school modern and progressive, a new addition was officially opened in 2018 that included new art and music rooms, a renovation of the office, a full-size gymnasium for all students to appreciate, and a new parking lot for staff on the south side of the school. 

By 2024-25, Sixth Day Enrollment at D70's second smallest school reached 296 students with 25 certified staff members reported to ISBE. 

Rockland - A True Neighborhood School

A majority of the 296 Rockland students reside in homes that are within walking and biking distance. Grade levels vary in enrollment and have two to three sections while the class average is 18-23 students per classroom teacher. Rockland's school colors are blue and white. Rocky the Raptor, the school mascot, leads the Halloween Parade and makes other appearances throughout the school year.  

The Rockland Family Association (RFA) is very active and funds many projects and assemblies to help enhance learning for the students. Parents are automatically voting members of the RFA when they enroll a student in the school. Each year the RFA sends the entire school to a professional theatre production and hosts a variety of fundraising or family activities that knits the community closer together. District 70's business partners, Partners for Excellence in Education, provide mini-grant funds for teachers to use to create unique and innovative programs for students. 

Rockland students and staff work with state-of-the-art technology and software. Kindergartners through fifth-graders use one-to-one school-issued electronic devices - iPads for K-1 and Chromebooks for 2-5. Each classroom is equipped with Apple TVs and flat panels to allow easy internet access and use of the panel  for collaborative classroom  work. STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts and math) is important and the school hosts a  Makerspace to encourage exploration and imagination.  

Rockland teachers are creative, innovative, and passionate about meeting the individual needs of each student. They engage in ongoing professional development. A majority of the Rockland staff has or is working on a Master's degree. Rockland School is dedicated to meeting the needs of the whole child. Our focus with students and staff are on the Applications of Learning (Solving Problems, Working on Teams, Communicating, Self Direction, Making Connections, and Using Technology) as well as utilize varying forms of data to drive instruction for each student.

Rockland School has been awarded the prestigious U.S. Department of Education National Blue Ribbon honor twice, most recently in 2014.

With well rounded-students, staff, and supportive parents, Rockland School continues to be a wonderful educational environment for all children.