The Rochelle Township High School District Board of Education on Tuesday heard a presentation on a potential future solar array project that could take place this year.
District Business Manager Kevin Dale made the presentation, as RTHS and its facilities committee have been recently working with solar power vendors regarding the potential installation of solar panels on district property in the future to lower district power costs.
Dale said RTHS has been considering a solar installation for about 15 years, and previously considered installing it on the school’s roof. That will not take place, due to the school’s roof being close to the end of its life before replacement.
RTHS leadership has worked with Rochelle Municipal Utilities on the project and wants to maximize savings on all nine of its electric meters. The school is considering a 5-acre solar array on farmland on the western side of its property between the softball/baseball fields and North 20th Street. The solar panels would be surrounded by fencing and trees.
Dale said the solar array will aim to produce 100-105% of the power RTHS uses. RTHS used $140,140 in electricity last year.
“We’d see a net savings of $135,000 on power costs in the first year alone,” Dale said.
The construction of the solar array would cost $3.8 million. Dale said the project would result in about $7 million in savings over 25 years, with $3 million in energy savings and $4 million in incentives.
“The district would get a payback on its initial $3.8 million in about 10.5 years between energy credits and savings on electric bills,” Dale said.
The board will consider a vote on moving forward with the solar array at its February meeting. In order to ensure ease of receiving federal and state tax incentives, the project would need to break ground by July 4.
Steps required for the project if it goes forward would include approval by the Rochelle planning and zoning committee and city council, notification of nearby property owners, land parcel consolidation, an intergovernmental agreement with the city, and a request for proposals to find a contractor for construction.
Dual language
The board heard a report on bilingual and dual language programming from District Language Services Director Celeste Canfield, who also serves in that position for the Rochelle Elementary School District.
In the fall, the first class of elementary district dual language program students will start at RTHS after beginning kindergarten in the program in 2017-2018. About 40 students will be included in that group and dual language math and science will be offered, along with freshman students potentially being able to begin further along in RTHS’s foreign language program.
“There’s been a lot of planning,” Canfield said. “I’m really excited for the opportunity that next year will bring. We want to go beyond academic success, and give them that multicultural experience for an ever-changing society and world.”
Close to 16% of current eighth graders in the dual language program have tested at a proficient rate for the Spanish portion of the Seal of Biliteracy. Close to 90% of those students are within range of earning the Seal of Biliteracy in coming years, Canfield said.
RTHS will have different foreign language program tracks for dual language program students based on their varying levels of proficiency. Incoming freshmen have already taken placement tests for where they’ll start in RTHS’s foreign language program.
Finals
RTHS Principal Chris Lewis presented a report on how many students have waived finals through an incentive program during the last three Decembers.
In 2023, 62 students in grades 9-11 waived one final, 80 seniors waived at least one final and 42 seniors waived all finals. In 2024, 67 students in grades 9-11 waived one final, 70 seniors waived at least one final and 61 seniors waived all finals. In 2025, 74 students in grades 9-11 waived one final, 80 seniors waived at least one final and 65 seniors waived all finals.
“One of our goals is to increase attendance since COVID-19,” Lewis said. “One of the things we feel has helped is this incentive program for finals. For seniors, we allow them to waive more finals based on ACT scores. Freshman through juniors we allow to waive one based on attendance and referrals.”
Personnel
The board unanimously approved personnel changes, including the employment of Nelson Baker (part-time wrestling assistant coach, 2025-2026 school year), Jack Patting (part-time wrestling assistant coach, 2025-2026 school year), Finley Callahan (Key Club adviser), Austin Schaefer (substitute teacher) and Ariel Zuercher (substitute teacher).
Meeting
The board’s February meeting will be Tuesday, Feb. 17, due to the Presidents Day holiday on Monday, Feb. 16. The meeting will begin at the 5:30 p.m. regular time in the district office boardroom at RTHS.