Ross High School Frequently Asked Questions

As you can see from the statement above, the Ross High School staff is committed to seeing every student succeed.  While success for each student may look different based upon his/her unique abilities and career interests, it always includes a Ross High School diploma.  Ross High School has a wide range of programming options ranging from those that allow students to earn college credits while in high school to those that allow students to earn high school credits for work.  Be sure to regularly communicate with your student’s counselor, teachers, and administrators to be sure that your student is getting the most out of his/her high school experience. Every adult at Ross High School is here because they care about the success of your student. 

Two things – credits and expectations.  First, in grades K-8, if a student fails a class, typically, he/she still moves to the next grade level.  For example, if a student fails 7th grade math, he/she still move on to 8th grade math.  That is not true in high school.  If a student fails a class, he/she does not move on until that class is passed.  This is called earning credits. A student must earn 25 credits in specific subjects in order to earn a Ross High School diploma.  Your student’s counselor will be a key person in ensuring that he/she meets both the state of Ohio and the Ross High School graduation requirements.  Please contact the counselor with any questions.

Second, expectations are much higher in high school.  Expectations for behavior, academic performance, and social interactions will be more rigorous.  The Ross High School staff knows that we are preparing students for adulthood, and we work hard to prepare students for the real world by setting high expectations and then helping students reach these expectations.  Our students are capable of great things, and, with support, they are able to grow into outstanding young men and women. We take great pride in partnering with parents to help our students go through this last part of their public education experience with phenomenal success.

The Ross High School staff will do all that is within our power to ensure the academic success of all of our students.  First and foremost, we ask for a partnership with our parents. We firmly believe that there is nothing that we can’t accomplish when we work together.

The teachers of Ross High School are amazing.  They will teach your student using a wide variety of teaching methods that will help your student learn.  They will meet with your student outside of the classroom to provide extra help, and they will communicate with you so that you know what progress your student is making.  In addition, our counselors monitor all students and will contact you if your student is falling behind in a number of classes or is demonstrating a consistent pattern of struggling in one class.  Report cards are distributed to students in RAMBell at the end of each quarter. Progress Book is our online grading program and is the single best way for a parent to stay informed of a student’s progress.  

If you feel that your student is struggling, please make contact with your student’s teacher.  As a parent, you know your student better than anyone else. Please help us learn about your student by coming to conferences each and every time they occur no matter what grades your student has.  Communicate regularly with your student’s teachers, and utilize Progress Book at least three times a week. If you need assistance with any of these items for any reason, please contact Principal Brian Martin at 513-868-4506.

Every student at RHS is assigned to an adult advisor who will meet with them on a daily basis to address a variety of topics and to keep an eye on academic progress.  Students will remain with the same adult advisor through all four years of high school.  

Open House is an excellent opportunity to meet your student's teachers and find out what the expectations are in each class.  Conference nights, held four times throughout the school year, are another opportunity to meet with teachers. Feel free to contact the teachers throughout the school year if you have any questions or concerns.

There are a number of ways you can communicate with the teachers of Ross High School.  You can communicate with all staff members via email by going to rhs.rossrams.com. You can also call the main office at 513-863-1252 and you may be connected with the teacher’s voice mail.  They will probably be instructing students when you call, so please leave a message.

All members of the Ross High School staff are expected to return calls and emails within 24 hours. 

No.  High school teachers are expected to productively use the entire class period every day.  While special programs may interrupt some classes on some days, there will never be a day in which all classes do not meet.  Another way to ask this question could be, "What was the most challenging thing that you studied today?"

As a general rule, students attending Ross High School will be assigned written homework, reading assignments, and/or group projects on a regular basis.  The workload of a high school student is regular and rigorous. Per our Board policy, each student should expect about 2 hours of homework per weeknight. If this is not happening, please contact your student’s teachers immediately.

Selection of specific teachers is not permitted.  If a conflict exists, we believe it is important for the student, parent and teacher to work together to find a solution.  Schedule changes are rare and only made if specific criteria are met. Please talk with your student’s counselor if you have questions about this topic. 

Each RAMBell advisor has counselor appointment forms.  Your student can fill one out during RAMBell or stop in the Student Services office before school, during lunch, or between classes and make an appointment through the guidance secretary, Mrs. Stefanie Snider.  Your student can also contact their counselor via Schoology.

No. Once a student has made an appointment, the student's counselor will make every attempt to see that student as soon as possible.  The most difficult time to see a counselor is during the first two weeks of each semester when counselors are working with new students and schedule conflicts.  Our counselors are very accessible and want to get to know your student. Please don’t hesitate to contact them via email or phone.

Ross High School is on a 4x4 block schedule made up of four quarters.  Quarter grade cards are usually given out one week after the quarter ends.  Report cards will be given to students in RAMBell for first, second, and third quarters, and the fourth quarter grade cards will be mailed home after school is dismissed for summer break. 

Yes.  You are encouraged to stay informed at all times about your student’s academic progress.  Student progress can be monitored online. Go to rhs.rossrams.com and click on the Parents link. In addition, you can always contact your student’s teacher at 513- 863-1252 or via email.  If you have questions, contact Mrs. Stacy Partin at stacy.partin@rossrams.com.  

School begins for students at 7:20 AM and ends at 2:10 PM.

Approximately 90 minutes. 

All transportation questions should be directed to the Transportation Office at 513-738-2900.

Yes.  They will need to purchase a parking permit from the main office.  In order to do so, he/she must have the license plate number, show a valid driver’s license, know the make/model of their car and pay the parking permit fee. 

Absolutely.  However, please note that you will need to drop them off on the northwest (behind building) side of the school if it is before 7:20 AM.  Do NOT use the Event Entrance or the Main Entrance.  After 7:20 AM, all side doors lock, and students will need to enter through the main entrance in front of the school.

Yes.  Lockers are the property of the district, and all students at the Ross High School are assigned a locker.  Sharing of lockers is not permitted. Students may not switch lockers and should not tell other students their combination.  If a student forgets their combination, he/she should check with their RAMBell advisor, or come to Student Services office and speak with Mrs. Snider.  Please remember that the lockers are the property of the district and are subject to search at any time.

The lunchroom serves a variety of foods, including the traditional "plate lunch”, salads, deli sandwiches, and pizza.  Most students can find an appealing and economical lunch option. Students are also allowed to bring bag lunches from home.  Students are not permitted to leave campus, nor are they allowed to have someone drop off items to them. There is financial assistance, both free and reduced pricing, for those who qualify.  Any questions about the free and reduced lunch programs should be directed to the Cafeteria Supervisor at 513-863-1252, ext. 1531.

Schedules will be available to be picked up at Open House.  In addition, RAMBell Advisors will have a copy on the first day of school.

Yes.  A copy of our Attendance policy can be found in the Student Handbook.  This policy is in place to help students learn the value of coming to “work” each day.  We regularly have employers and colleges call to verify attendance records. It is very important to have a good attendance record in high school.  Any questions about this policy should be directed to Mrs. Emily Doblinger, Assistant Principal.

Please contact the high school prior to 9:00 AM at 513-863-1252 on the day that your student is going to be absent. When your student returns to school, he/she will need to have an excuse note, written and signed by a parent or guardian.  This note needs to be turned into the attendance station in the front office before school starts. 

Yes. We encourage you to call and get all assignments if you know your student is going to be absent for more than three days.  You should call the front office and request the assignments. Materials may be picked up after 2:10 PM the day after you request them.  This will allow ample time for the teachers to gather the appropriate materials. Absences of less than three days can be handled by calling or emailing the teacher(s) directly.

Yes.  Parents must let school officials know, in writing, 2 weeks in advance, or this absence will be unexcused.  It is then the student’s responsibility to notify his/her teachers and collect the work that will be missed.

Consequences for inappropriate behavior may include but are not limited to the following: after school detention assigned by a teacher, administrative detention (2:15 PM until 2:45 PM), ACE, Friday School (2:15 PM until 6:15 PM), in-school suspension, and/or suspension/expulsion from school.  The Student Handbook will be reviewed with students during the opening days of school and is also available 24/7/365 in the “Quicklinks” section of the Ross High School web page. Both students and parents should familiarize themselves with the Student Handbook. Any questions can be directed to Mrs. Becky Morgan, Assistant Principal.

With the exception of their school-issued Chromebook, students may not use or display any type of electronic device (including but not limited to cell phones, wearable tech, cameras, earbuds/pods, headphones, etc.) from 7:10 AM to 2:10 PM.  Students will be required to keep the cell phones in their lockers or placed them in a designated spot within each classroom for the duration of the class period. The exceptions to this rule are that students are permitted to use these devices during their designated lunchtime in the cafeteria or between classes.  Staff members who witness a student using an electronic device during class are instructed to confiscate the items. It is considered a reasonable request by a staff member to ask for a student’s phone or listening device. Refusal to adhere to this reasonable request will result in school consequences by administration.  If you need to communicate with your student during the school day, even in the case of an emergency, please call the main office (513-863-1252) and we will convey a message, as well as provide the necessary support.

Yes.  The dress code is thoroughly explained in the Student Handbook.  Students who violate the dress code in any way will be removed from class. Appropriate clothing must be brought to school for the student to change into before they return to class. 

The most common violation of the dress code is revealing clothing.  Students will be asked to change, call home for appropriate clothes, or spend the day in ACE if they come to school dressed inappropriately.

Yes.  The Ross High School Student Activity Handbook outlines all of the sports and clubs that are available to students.  You will find one in your materials for Orientation.

We discourage the use of prescriptive medication and non-prescriptive medication at school.  Usually, medication which needs to be given as much as four times per day can be given at home before school, after school, with the evening meal, and before bedtime.    All medication, prescription, and non-prescription, requires an order form from a physician if it is to be given at school. The medication administration form can be picked up in the main office. Questions about this process should be directed to our district nurse, Mrs. Shelli Turco. 

We have a variety of ways that students, parents, and community members can stay informed about events and activities at RHS.  The most comprehensive way is by visiting the Ross High School web page at rhs.rossrams.com.  In addition, you can follow the RHS Twitter feed @RossRams1 or the District’s Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/RLSDCommunication/.  Finally, you will receive messages via our automated system to your phone and/or email.  

In an effort to be good stewards of taxpayer dollars, we rarely send items home via US mail.  Every time a mailing is sent home costs the district hundreds of dollars.  Please use the options above to remain informed about the happenings at RHS.