Summary
Rockford East High School (sometimes referred to as East) is a comprehensive four year high school of Rockford Public School District 205 in Rockford, Illinois. Opened in 1940 to replace Rockford High School, East opened simultaneous to Rockford West to serve the quickly expanding population.
| East High School | |
|---|---|
| Address | |
 | |
2929 Charles Street , 61108 United States | |
| Coordinates | 42°15′25″N 89°03′00″W / 42.256925°N 89.050072°W |
| Information | |
| School type | Public Secondary |
| Established | 1940[6] |
| School district | Rockford Public School District 205 |
| Superintendent | Ehren Robert Jarrett[1][2] |
| Principal | Jim Parker[2] |
| Teaching staff | 102.68 (FTE)[3] |
| Grades | 9–12[5] |
| Gender | Coed[4] |
| Enrollment | 1,646 (2020-21)[3] |
| Student to teacher ratio | 16.03[3] |
| Campus type | Mid-size City[5] |
| Color(s) | Red Black[4] |
| Athletics conference | Northern Illinois Conference (NIC-10)[4] |
| Nickname | E-Rabs[4] |
| Yearbook | Argus |
| Website | Official School Website |
History edit
By 1935, the attendance in Rockford's single high school grew too large. The board of education decided it would be best to establish two new high schools on the East and West sides of the Rock River. In 1938, the school board approved $3 million in funding to build two new high schools to replace Rockford High School, with 45% of the budget funded by Works Progress Administration. Rockford High School was renamed as Central High School and the two new schools were opened as East High School and West High School. Rockford West, located on North Rockton Avenue on the Northwest side of the city, remained open for 48 years as a high school, it now serves as West Middle School. Rockford East, located on Charles Street, is still a functioning high school and maintains the traditions of Rockford High School.[7]
Athletics edit
East takes part in the Northern Illinois Conference (NIC-10) and is a member of the Illinois High School Association.[4]
Notably, during the 1940s, East's Boys Golf Team placed first in half of the IHSA championships played during the decade, with one additional first place in the late 1950s. 4 of these first place winnings were in a row from the school years 1940-41 to 1944-45 with the 5th being disconnected by placing second in 1945-46, losing by 6 strokes to Hinsdale Central High School.[8]
Notable alumni edit
- Bill Erickson (Class of 1946), consensus Second Team All-American basketball player at Illinois.[9]
- John E. Erickson, basketball head coach at Wisconsin, general manager of NBA's Milwaukee Bucks and politician[10]
- Robert Jones, NFL player[11]
- Natasha Leggero, comedian[12]
- Ira Matthews (Class of 1975), football player with the Oakland Raiders[13]
- Rodney Myers, MLB pitcher (Chicago Cubs, San Diego Padres, Los Angeles Dodgers).[14]
- Jerry Stalcup, NFL player with the Los Angeles Rams and the Denver Broncos[15]
- Ed Viesturs - Mountain Climber[16]
References edit
- ^ "Rockford Public Schools District 205 Administration". RPS205. 29 July 2013. Archived from the original on 29 July 2012. Retrieved August 5, 2013.
- ^ a b "Rockford East High School | School Snapshot". Illinois State Board of Education. 2021. Retrieved 7 June 2021.
- ^ a b c "Rockford East High School". National Center for Education Statistics. Retrieved 7 June 2021.
- ^ a b c d e f "Rockford (East)". Illinois High School Association. 28 May 2021. Retrieved 12 June 2021.
- ^ a b "Rockford East High School Overview". U.S. News & World Report LP. 2013. Retrieved 8 August 2013.
- ^ "Rockford High School, 1940". Rockford Public Library. 9 May 2017. Retrieved 7 June 2021.
- ^ "Rockford West High School, Rockford, Illinois – Alumni Apparel and Yearbooks". classicschools.com. Retrieved March 14, 2019.
- ^ "Boys Golf Champions & Runners-Up". Illinois High School Association. 14 January 2021. Retrieved 12 June 2021.
- ^ Gary, Alex (April 7, 2010). "College Stars: Bill Erickson goes from East to Illinois, Final Four". Rockford Register Star. Gatehouse Media, Inc. Archived from the original on September 17, 2012. Retrieved September 19, 2010.
- ^ "John Erickson Obituary - Lenexa, KS | Rockford Register Star". legacy.com. 20 March 2020. Retrieved 15 June 2021.
- ^ "East grad Robert Jones ready for NFL Draft". WIFR. 27 April 2021. Archived from the original on 29 January 2022. Retrieved 29 January 2022.
- ^ "Kevin Haas: Rockford East grad Natasha Leggero revives 9-year-old Taco Bell vote in comedy special". rrstar.com. August 25, 2015. Retrieved October 3, 2015.
- ^ Gary, Alex (4 August 2020). "Rockford's greatest football players No. 6: Ira Matthews". Rockford Register Star. Retrieved 12 June 2021.
East High School was undefeated on the freshman and sophomore levels with Mathews playing defensive back and running back.
- ^ Cohen, Gary. "Rodney Myers Statistics". The Baseball Cube.
- ^ Gary, Alex (July 25, 2020). "Rockford's greatest football players No. 14: Jerry Stalcup's football impact felt by many". Rockford Register Star. Retrieved June 17, 2023.
- ^ O'Neil, Riley (24 May 2016). "Meet Rockford's Connection to Mount Everest". 1440 WROK. Retrieved 29 January 2022.