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Cultivating biblically minded students who serve God to their greatest potential and impact the world for Christ
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Dear Rockford Christian Community,
Recently, I have noticed the social media trend “She doesn’t know it yet, but …” that includes a picture or video with a description of a future life change or event, the person in the image is unaware of at the time the photo was captured. I am not sure why I am so enamored with the trend right now. Perhaps it’s the reflective nature created by graduation ceremonies, retirements, or annual end-of-year festivities, or maybe it’s loved ones who are walking through something incredibly challenging. Regardless of the root cause, I find myself using this trend to reflect upon my own story and think about which moments I would use for a post.
Maybe it’s the picture of my acceptance letter to Drake University that says, “She doesn’t know it yet, but she will be leading a school in four years.” Or another photo of our struggle with infertility that says, “She doesn’t know it yet, but God will give her a job that allows her to love and care for generations of children.” Finally, a picture of our home in Illinois that says, “She doesn’t know it yet, but she will walk beside her dad in this house as he journeys Home.”
Long before this was a social media trend, God told the Israelites to mark significant events with stones of remembrance in order to tell their children, grandchildren, and generations to come what the Lord had done (Joshua 4). It is good for us to stop, take notice, and reflect upon the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living (Psalm 27). So, before we get too far into our summer and 2024-25 is a distant memory, let’s follow His directions and take a moment to capture and caption a few images from this year that are part of your story, your child’s story, or the story of RC. P.S. - I would love to hear your “she/he doesn’t know it yet” if you are willing to share.
Having completed this important step of closure, we can officially usher in the dog days of summer to recharge, refuel, and renew our commitment to His calling in our families and at RC. Wishing you a healthy, safe, nurturing summer ahead. “See” you soon.
Blessings,
Dr. Jahna Duda
| | Back-to-School Communications | | We will take a short break from our weekly and/or monthly newsletters while our community enjoys the summer. We will kick off the back-to-school season on July 19 with a Head of School newsletter and July 24 with principal newsletters. Look for those later this summer for “All Things Back-to-School” including class rosters, course schedules, open house information, fall practice schedules, updated handbooks, and much more! | | |
We look forward to ushering in the new school year and welcoming our families at the back-to-school parent and family nights in August.
Please save the date for the following campus events. Our July newsletters will have times once our team finalizes details.
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Rockford Christian 28th Annual Commencement
On May 27th, we proudly celebrated our 28th annual commencement, honoring the Rockford Christian Class of 2025. Together, we applauded our students' outstanding accomplishments and unwavering commitment to pursuing lives of purpose. Garnering millions of dollars in scholarship offerings, our Royal Lion graduates now move on to colleges and universities across the United States and Canada, holding firmly to a legacy of excellence and a future filled with promise. Congratulations, RC graduates!
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RC Retirements & Recognitions
At the conclusion of each school year, we pause to recognize and celebrate the many milestones achieved by our Royal Lion faculty and staff, including retirements and years of service. We are grateful for their dedication to seeing students reach their full potential and their commitment to the legacy of excellence that continues at Rockford Christian.
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| | | Royal Lion Athletic Achievements | | |
"In a state finals packed with intensity and high stakes, the Rockford Christian boys track and field team delivered when it mattered most — not with early leads, but with explosive, late-race heroics. With a trophy on the line and every point at a premium, the Royal Lions unleashed a series of dramatic finishes that became the defining theme of the day.
Those clutch performances powered Rockford Christian to a third place team finish at the IHSA 1A State Finals, securing a spot on the podium and capping off one of the most unforgettable meets in program history. The team totaled 32 points, fueled by six All-State performances out of 11 event entries from prelims — a testament to their precision, grit, and ability to rise in the moment." Read more...
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Fine Arts Excellence On Display
On May 7th, the Rockford Christian community enjoyed our first Fine Arts in the Gardens, featuring our talented jazz musicians and Royal Lion artists. Thank you to our event sponsor Anderson Japanese Gardens for their gracious and generous support, and thank you to our faculty, staff, and families who helped to make this an incredible evening.
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| Three Royal Lion artists, Brianna Haas '25, Emily Meyers '26, and Sam Walsh '26, participated in the Kiwanis Club of Rockford's Budding Artist Gala on May 9th. At this annual event, high school artists from the Rockford region have their art pieces auctioned off to the highest bidder, with half of the proceeds going to the artist and the other half to local charities. Together, these artists raised $1,800! Additionally, Brianna Haas was awarded a $2,000 grant for her future artistic endeavors. | | | RC Alumni Spotlight: Connor Magnuson '24 | | |
Currently attending the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Connor Magnuson '24 is a vital member of the Illini Solar Car project team, which designs, builds, and races electric solar-powered cars. In his role, Connor works on improving and maintaining the telemetry systems, which relay hundreds of messages per second in real-time regarding the car’s sensors, heath, battery charge, solar irradiance, and any errors that occur onboard.
Each year, the team participates in the American Solar Challenge, a 1500-mile cross-country race, as well as the Formula Sun Grand Prix, a lap-based track race. This summer, he will accompany the team to Bowling Green, KY, where they will race one of their vehicles, Calypso, in the Formula Sun Grand Prix from July 3-5. Next year, Connor will serve as one of the leads on the Strategy and Telemetry sub-team. In addition to being responsible for telemetry systems, they analyze car data both in real-time and in retrospect to build simulation models that help determine optimal driving conditions.
To learn more about the Illini Solar Car project, click here.
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THANK YOU
to our 2024-25 Royal Lion Ultimate Corporate Sponsors. Sponsorships are a great way to not only support RC but also promote and support our Royal Lion community! For more information about becoming an RC corporate sponsor, please contact our advancement office or click here.
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Rockford Christian School
1401 N. Bell School Rd.
Rockford, IL 61107
(815) 391-8000
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