Message From Our Principal

 

Dear RACS High School Families,

It is with great pride that I welcome you to the 2025–26 school year at Rochester Academy Charter High School. As we step into this new year together, one of our biggest challenges—and greatest opportunities—will be improving our overall attendance. Simply put, showing up matters. Attendance is not just about being present; it is the foundation of academic success and the starting point for building skills, confidence, and future opportunities. This year, we will be placing a strong emphasis on making sure our students are in school, on time, and ready to learn.

Last year’s graduating class proved beyond a doubt what is possible when dedication meets opportunity. This class began their freshman year still under mask mandates and strict COVID health guidelines. They moved deliberately through the quarter of a million minutes of high school to achieve their goals—and achieve is exactly they did!

Together, they earned over 1,000 high school credits. Although the New York State Education Department allowed for a special appeal to exempt certain Regents exams due to COVID, our students decided that wasn’t good enough. They took the challenge head-on, and through their determination, 80% of exams that could have been waived were passed outright.

Several students were eligible for a local diploma, which is fully recognized by the State, but opted instead to push for the higher standard of a Regents diploma. And it didn’t stop there—three students: Aneya Clark, San’Yia Scott, and Kristy Williams, earned a Regents diploma with advanced designation. Each received an additional college scholarship, made possible through the generosity of Bryan Hickman from EdCeptional and Joe Klein from Charter Champions.

At RACS, our staff wear many hats—teacher, mentor, caretaker, role model. Whether in the classroom, on the field, in the cafeteria, or behind the scenes, our mission boils down to two things: we teach, and we care.

This year, we will build on our tradition of excellence by focusing on attendance, academic growth, and personal development. We will continue to strengthen our partnerships with parents, community members, and students, ensuring every learner is prepared for the challenges of the future.

As always, I encourage you to reach out with your ideas, suggestions, or concerns so we can work together to support our students. When we combine our efforts, there’s no limit to what we can achieve.

Here’s to a year of showing up, stepping up, and achieving more than we ever thought possible.

Respectfully,

Samuel Martina, Ed.D.
Principal