New classes are already in the works for the 2025-2026 school year. 

One is a women’s history class, which was approved earlier this school year. It will be offered district-wide, and social studies teacher Jodie Lee is planning on teaching it at LHS.

“The community was really excited about offering a women’s history course,” Lee said.

The district had planned on adding this course as a future option for students, all they needed were teachers who were interested in teaching it. When they reached out over the summer and teachers expressed interest, it was a go.

Although Lee is unsure of how many students will sign up to take the class once it’s offered, she is confident in the content nonetheless.

“Our assumption is that all students would be excited about it because we’re going to look at history from a different perspective. I think it’s going to be really different and interesting,” Lee said.

When it comes to writing the curriculum, Lee said the district has been given some sample curriculums from around St. Louis to work with. From there, all interested teachers will meet April 16 to look at those curriculums and create one for Rockwood from scratch.  

The women’s history course will be an elective class available mainly to juniors and seniors. Lee also thinks that some sophomores may take it if they have the option.

Lee is most looking forward to teaching the class because she’ll be able to look at history from a different perspective. She hopes hearing how women in history have overcome challenges and been successful will inspire her students to do the same.

“When we talk about women in history, we’re talking about their role in different aspects of WWII, being nurses or women’s rights movements. But even before equality was gained, women were still making history and we don’t get to talk about it very often,” she said.

She’s also excited about the representation it will give her female students.

“When you see somebody who looks like you achieving great things then you feel like ‘if she can do it then I can do it too,’ so I think it will be really special for all our students,” Lee said.