Wikipedia

Rome Free Academy

Rome Free Academy (commonly abbreviated as RFA) is a public high school in Rome, New York, United States. It is a part of the Rome City School District.

Rome Free Academy
Coat of arms
Address
Map
95 Dart Circle

Rome
,
New York
13441

United States
Coordinates43°12′40″N 75°24′55″W / 43.21111°N 75.41528°W / 43.21111; -75.41528
Information
Other nameRFA
TypePublic, High school
Established1869; 156 years ago (1869) [1]
School boardBoard of Education
School districtRome City School District
PrincipalBrian LeBaron [8]
Teaching staff105 (2018-2019)[6]
Grades9–12
Enrollment1,482 (2018-2019)
Color(s)Orange and black   
SongRFA Alma Mater [2][3]
MascotKnight with orange plume
NewspaperThe Knight Times [4]
YearbookDe-O-Wain-Sta[5]
Budget$27,605,638 (2019-2020)[7]
Feeder schoolsLyndon H. Strough
Websitewww.romecsd.org/o/rfa

As it is the sole comprehensive high school in its school district, it serves as the high school for the majority of the City of Rome as well as the census-designated places of Lake Delta and Westernville.

History

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There was an institution called "Rome Academy" established in 1848. It was a school which took both day and boarding students which required tuition fees. Over time it evolved into RFA. The Rome Daily Sentinel stated that "the R.F.A. surely reaches back to 1848 for its roots."[9] By 1989 the Justice Building had occupied the original Rome Academy site.[10]

The initial portion of the previous campus was built in 1926.[11] Subsequent additions were built.[12]

The school moved to the former site of Griffiss Air Force Base in September 2002,[13] having previously been located at 500 Turin St. Classes no longer used the 1926 onward building.[12] This former site is the current location of Rome Free Academy's athletic facilities.

The 2002 campus had a cost of $45,400,000. The main school sign uses Arial bold, differing from the previous school sign.[14]

There was a movement to preserve the original 1926 portion of the previous RFA building.[11] A member of the board of trustees, Leonard H. Cross, proposed conducting a poll of district residents on whether the former building should be preserved.[15]

During the 2018–2019 academic year the school enrolled 1,482 students in grades nine through twelve.[16]

Curriculum

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Rome Free Academy offers a general high school education through a regular curriculum of mathematics, social studies, English, science, art, music, health, and a selected foreign language. Rome Free Academy also includes a multiple business classes.[17]

Extracurricular activities

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A black history club was first created by John Cavness (died circa 1999).[18]

Athletics

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Rome Free Academy's sports teams are called the Black Knights. The school colors are black and orange.[19] Notable in history in the 2010s is the addition of a comprehensive Positive Behavior Initiatives and Support (PBIS) initiative, which includes a range of measures to help solve student behavioral problems.[20][21]

The original facility for home athletic games was the ex-Oneida County Fairgrounds, beginning in 1892. RFA began using Wright Field for home games instead in 1933, then Colonel's Park in 1940, Wright Field again in 1941, and then Colonel's Park again due to vandalism of Wright Field. In 1944 the school community began the process of trying to have a permanent stadium. In 1946 the process to turn Colonel's Park into housing meant that the school could no longer use it for athletic games, and it did not have a home facility. A permanent stadium facility opened in 1950.[22] In 1990, Mark Mende of The Rome Daily Sentinel wrote that the stadium "is in need of some upgrading and repair."[23]

Attendance boundary

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The district (which is the high school attendance boundary) includes the majority of the City of Rome. It also includes portions of the following towns: Annsville, Lee, Verona, and Western. The Rome school district includes the census-designated places of Lake Delta and Westernville.[24]

Notable alumni

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References

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  1. ^ Gymburch, Dave (June 29, 2019). "Rome Free Academy commemorates 150th senior class with time capsule". Rome Sentinel. Retrieved September 19, 2020.
  2. ^ De-O-Wain-Sta, 1946. 1946. p. 38.
  3. ^ RFA ALMA MATER Graduation 2010 (Video recording). June 26, 2010. Retrieved September 20, 2020.
  4. ^ "Knight Times". Retrieved September 20, 2020.
  5. ^ "De-O-Wain-Sta". Retrieved September 20, 2020.
  6. ^ "Rome Free Academy public school data 2018-2019". Retrieved September 19, 2020.
  7. ^ "2019-20 NYS Transparency Report" (PDF). Retrieved September 20, 2020.
  8. ^ "Principal's Message". Retrieved September 20, 2020.
  9. ^ "When Was Hamilton 'Founded'?". The Rome Daily Sentinel. November 7, 1949. p. 6 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. ^ Updike, Fritz (May 26, 1989). "Purely personal prejudices". The Rome Daily Sentinel. p. 6 – via Newspapers.com.
  11. ^ a b Haley, Chip (October 30, 2002). "Crowd turns out to support effort to save old high school". Rome Daily Sentinel. p. 3 – via Newspapers.com. - Illustration
  12. ^ a b Haley, Chip (June 21, 2002). "Stage set for RFA class of '02". Rome Daily Sentinel. p. 2 – via Newspapers.com.
  13. ^ "Schools". City of Rome. January 21, 2016. Retrieved July 17, 2024.
  14. ^ Haley, Chip (May 4, 2002). "Sign of new times at new RFA". Rome Daily Sentinel. Vol. 121. pp. 1, 7 – via Newspapers.com. - Examples of typefaces and Typface of original building
  15. ^ "Poll voters on saving old RFA?". Rome Daily Sentinel. October 30, 2002. p. 3 – via Newspapers.com.
  16. ^ "Rome Free Academy Enrollment (2018 - 19)". Retrieved September 20, 2020.
  17. ^ http://www.rfa.romecsd.org/UserFiles/Servers/Server_695243/File/Course%20Catalog%202018%20-2019.pdf [bare URL PDF]
  18. ^ "Our view: All must embrace our history". Norwich Bulletin. February 9, 2009. Retrieved December 28, 2024.
  19. ^ http://rome.ny.schoolwebpages.com/education/components/scrapbook/default.php?sectionid=11&url_redirect=1 Schoolwebpages.com
  20. ^ "'K'-Coins Abound".
  21. ^ "From discipline to new look lockers, many changes at RFA". Daily Sentinel.
  22. ^ Mende, Mark (September 13, 1990). "Community effort made stadium dream reality in 1950". Rome Daily Sentinel. pp. 3, 6 – via Newspapers.com.
  23. ^ Mende, Mark (September 13, 1990). "After 40 years of battles, the Stadium needs a facelift". Rome Daily Sentinel. p. 3 – via Newspapers.com.
  24. ^ "2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Oneida County, NY" (PDF). U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved April 9, 2023. - Text list.
  25. ^ "Obituary of Joseph H. Boardman". March 15, 2019. Retrieved February 15, 2023.
  26. ^ "RFA Class Of 1976 Graduate Rob Manfred Voted Next Commissioner Of Baseball". August 14, 2014. Retrieved August 14, 2014.
  27. ^ Herbst, Fred (April 30, 1980). "Ex-Yankee pitcher to join Hall of Fame". Daily Sentinel. p. 23. Retrieved January 2, 2025.
  28. ^ "Rome Arts Hall of Fame 2015 Inductees". Retrieved August 7, 2014.

43°12′41.04″N 75°24′55.85″W / 43.2114000°N 75.4155139°W / 43.2114000; -75.4155139


 

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