ROCKLAND — Oct. 26, 2026 — Rockland High School students earned qualifying scores on 80% of 324 Advanced Placement exams across 15 courses, up from just shy of 79% the year before, the School Committee heard last Monday. The school also reported that Quincy College accepted two of its four honors courses for dual enrollment, and that it has applied for a grant to help students afford the credits.
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The Rockland High School update presented by Principal Cheryl Schipper reviewed AP results. Environmental science posted an 88.5% pass rate and European history 92.9%, each above the state, and chemistry reached 90%. Schipper said every course listed was above the state and that the school had not yet received its College Board grade report, due in early November. Superintendent Jane Hackett added that the state exceeds the nation, so Rockland is substantially exceeding national results.
Dual enrollment. Quincy College accepted honors statistics and honors anatomy and physiology; two other courses were not accepted because they did not align with the college’s courses. The classes currently enroll 17 students in statistics and 42 in two sections of anatomy and physiology. Students stay in their Rockland High classroom, need a 73 or better and must pay for the credits at sign-up.
So immediately what concerns me is what if they can’t afford to pay $350 or $450. So I have submitted a grant to the REF to create a scholarship fund for dual enrollment students who can’t afford it.
— Rockland High School Principal Cheryl Schipper 37:33
Career pathways. Two grant-funded innovation career pathways, business marketing and manufacturing engineering, are approved, but no students are enrolled in them yet. A health and science pathway has been applied for, and an environmental pathway will follow. Teachers will present the pathways to ninth and 10th graders in the next month or so, a change the update tied to the seal of biliteracy: after teachers took over promoting it in English and world language classes, 33 students tested and nine earned the seal, up from about nine tested and two passing.
Committee members credited teachers for expanding programs despite budget cuts.
I think that you’re showing that we’re not just for the AP kid, we’re not just for our Bridges program.
— Jill Maroney, School Committee Chair 36:06
