Rockingham Academy

Wishing Our RA Family an Incredible Summer!

With graduation celebrations in the books and the 2025–2026 school year officially wrapped up, it’s time to take a well-deserved breath!

Whether you just crossed the stage, finished up some major credit milestones, or are gearing up for your next big academic step, we want to give a massive shoutout to our entire community for making this past year so unforgettable.

Make the Most of Your Break:
Rest & Recharge: You’ve worked incredibly hard. Take time to relax, unplug, and enjoy the sunshine.
Stay Safe: Look out for one another and make amazing memories.
Keep Growing: Remember, learning never truly stops—read a great book, dive into a hobby, or just explore something new!

Looking Ahead: See You This Fall!
To all of our returning students and the new faces joining the RA family—we are already counting down the days until the Fall 2026 semester! We can't wait to see you back on campus, refreshed, energized, and ready to tackle new goals.

Important Note: Keep an eye on your student email and our social pages later this summer for key dates, and back-to-school updates!

Have a safe, happy, and wonderful summer, everyone!

Celebrating the Remarkable Class of 2026!

What an absolutely phenomenal year it has been at RA! Our students have poured in the hours, overcome obstacles, and shown true dedication to their futures.

Today, we are incredibly proud to share the final milestone numbers for the 2025–2026 school year, alongside the names of our incredible graduates!

356 Class Credits Completed , 20 High School Diploma Graduates, and 14 GED Graduates .

To all of our grads—you earned every single bit of this moment. Go out there and make your mark on the world!

Huge shoutout to this fantastic crew!

This morning, Mr. Eberly, Mr. Myers, Mr. Shifflett, and Mr. Rolfe stepped up to keep our community beautiful. They spent their morning picking up litter along a 1-mile stretch of road right here in Rockingham County.

We love seeing our Rockingham Academy team leading by example and taking care of the place we call home.

Thank you for your hard work and dedication, gentlemen!

‘Trees do all the wonderful things’: Harrisonburg Public Works hosts student tree planting project Harrisonburg Public Works teamed up with agriculture students at Rockingham Academy, after receiving funding through the Virginia Department of Forestry to plant more than a dozen trees in an area lacking adequate coverage.

Our campus is looking brighter, fresher, and more colorful today thanks to our incredible School Beautification Day on May 15!

Students and staff members rolled up their sleeves and worked side-by-side to give our school’s outdoor spaces some major love. From clearing out old weeds to spreading fresh mulch, everyone brought their A-game.

We planted a variety of gorgeous new flowers in our beds and planters to welcome everyone with a pop of color! Be sure to keep an eye out for the beautiful, custom stepping stones handmade by our very own students!

Ms. Meadows and Deputy Neumann took this time to recreate the painting, American Gothic by Grant Wood (or the show Green Acres depending on who you ask!)

A massive THANK YOU to everyone who came out, got their hands dirty, and helped make our school a more beautiful place to learn and grow every day.

On May 13, our hard-working students traded their desks for shovels to make a lasting green impact in our community. They spent the afternoon planting trees to help rehabilitate the local landscape and build a more sustainable future.

This amazing hands-on project was provided by the Harrisonburg Urban Forestry Program and proudly sponsored by the Virginia Department of Forestry.

A massive thank you to our incredible teachers, Mr. Rhodes, Mr. Shifflett, and Ms. Trumbo, as well as Jeremy Harold (Harrisonburg City Green Space Manager) and Meredith Evans (Rockingham County Landfill Superintendent) for organizing this effort and guiding our students!

Shovels up for the next generation of environmental leaders!

Our students traded the classroom for the grass ! A group from Rockingham Academy headed out to Heritage Oaks Golf Course for an awesome field trip led by Mr. Rice and Mr. Myers.

It wasn't just about practicing their swing (though there was plenty of that!); it was a great opportunity for our students to:

Learn the fundamentals of the game.

Practice sportsmanship and patience on the course.

Explore the outdoors and see the work that goes into maintaining a professional-grade facility.

A huge thank you to the team at Heritage Oaks for hosting us and to our instructors for leading the way. Whether they were hitting birdies or just hitting the sand, everyone walked away with some new skills!

We are incredibly proud to announce that our student, Rebecca, has won first place in the 9th-12th grade category of the 29th Annual Robert B. and Gladys Hopkins Strickler Honored Teachers Essay Contest!

Since 1997, this prestigious contest hosted by Massanutten Regional Library has invited students across the Valley to write from the heart about an educator who has changed their life. Out of countless entries from Harrisonburg, Rockingham, and Page Counties, Rebecca’s essay about her teacher from East Rockingham High School, Mr. Michael, stood out to the Kiwanis Club of Harrisonburg judges for its sincerity and impact.

The Honored Teachers Essay Contest is a beautiful tradition that celebrates the power of mentorship. By sharing her story, she helped shine a spotlight on the incredible work our teachers do every day.

We are so proud of you!

During lunch the one day, Jacob asked Mr. Rhodes what his next project would be in class. Mr. Rhodes told him they would be sweat soldering using a propane torch and solder!

Needless to say, he’s all in now. There is nothing quite like the pride that comes from working with your own hands and mastering a new skill (even the "intimidating" ones!).

Check out these shots of Jacob in action—great work!