Rocky River High School
Rocky River High School, also known as The Rock, is a public high school within the Charlotte Mecklenburg School System that services the central-eastern area of Mecklenburg County. Located at 1050 Clear Creek Commerce Drive, Mint Hill, NC 28227, the school is fed by the surrounding neighborhoods of Rocky River, Bradfield Farms, and small parts of Mint Hill. Established in 2010, it is home to 1,549 students and 81 faculty. The school’s mascot is the Ravens.
Location
Rocky River directly services the neighborhoods of Rocky River, Bradfield Farms, and small portions of Mint Hill. These submarkets are in the central-eastern region of Mecklenburg County and border school district lines with Garinger, Independence, and Julius Chambers. This area is mostly rural and is home to many small farms and forested areas. Most larger subdivisions are located in the western portion of the school district near I-485 and Albemarle Rd. As of 2023, the median household income for the area’s ZIP of 28227 was $69,667. The median sales price for the area was $342,667 in September 2023. The only major shopping center located within the borders of Rocky River is Brookdale. Otherwise, shopping is mostly centered around various pop-up shops and strip malls along Albemarle Rd. and Rocky River Rd. This area is accessed via I-485, Rocky River Rd, U.S. 601, and Albemarle Rd.
Academics
Rocky River services grades 9-12 and is considered a slightly below-average school for academics in the Charlotte area. According to the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction (NC DPI), 83.7% of all 2023 graduates finished school within 4 years. This is just behind the NC State average of 86%. Greatschools found that 87% of graduates also went on to attend public university for at least 2 years. This puts Rocky River in a decent spot regarding college readiness, as most of those who graduated on time continued to excel in higher education programs. The school offers 12 AP courses, 0 STEM programs, 1 art course, and 1 world language course. Test scores for Math, English, and Biology were all behind state averages, the largest of which was in Biology. Here the average Rocky River student performed 25% lower than their state counterparts. As of 2023, there are 81 teachers at Rocky River, resulting in a Student / Teacher Ratio of 19-1.
Test Scores
Average SAT Test Scores: 2022-2023
Rocky River High School students were unprepared for the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) in 2023. According to the NC DPI, students were outperformed by their CMS, State, and National counterparts in all areas of the exam. The largest deficit held by the school was in Math, where students were outscored 27.8% on average by their CMS counterparts. This information points to the school being below average on a National, State, and Local stage when preparing students for admission to higher education. The SAT participation rate for the school was 7.80%.
Average ACT Test Scores: 2022-2023
Rocky River prepared its students poorly for the Aptitude and Critical Thinking test (ACT). Average 2023 scores for English, Math, Reading, and Science were all below those of their CMS, State, and National counterparts. The largest disadvantage was in English, where Rocky River students were outscored by their CMS counterparts by 47.0% on average.
4-Graduation Rate
Graduation Rate: 2018-2023
The 4-Year Graduation Rate at Providence High School has exceeded the CMS and State average since 2018. There have been minimal fluctuations even as the school trudged through the COVID-19 pandemic. The school saw a low point of 94.9% in 2021. This trend is an outlier in the CMS system, as most schools saw a dip in their 4-year graduation rates. Providence handled COVID and its aftermath with success.
Food Assistance Programs
Rocky River High School, as well as all CMS schools, provides meals for underprivileged students via the CMS School Nutrition Services system. This service provides both breakfast and lunch options to students across Mecklenburg County. According to Mecklenburg County Public Health, approximately 15% of households are food insecure, so this program is a welcome addition to The Rock’s cafeteria.
How to Enroll
If you are interested in enrolling at Rocky River High School, there are a few things you need:
Use the CMS Geoportal to confirm your place of residence is within the appropriate school district here.
Compile documents necessary for enrollment. These requirements can be found here.
Download and complete the enrollment packet. Can be found on the far right side of the page here.
Submit your application to the school. This is required to be done in person and typically by appointment.
