The top reported proficiency rate is 60% in Science. The lowest is 52% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Rock Creek Middle School
Rock Creek Middle School serves fifth through eighth grade in one building, part of the Rock Creek district in Pottawatomie County. The middle school sits outside the downtown of St. George, a small town that functions largely as a bedroom community for Manhattan, roughly a short drive west. St. George has seen steady residential growth, with newer subdivisions like Twin Oaks and Powercat Ridge, and the town’s elementary school relocated to a new campus in recent years. The middle school itself draws from this expanding, community-oriented area.
The student body is predominantly white, with a modest share of Hispanic students and very small numbers of Black, Asian, and multiracial students. Around a quarter of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, a share that sits near the lower end of economic need for the region. The school is not a Title I school, and it is neither a charter nor a magnet. It is a regular public middle school serving a single, consolidated attendance area.
Academically, the school's performance on the Kansas Assessment Program (KAP) shows a mixed picture that varies by grade and subject, with some bright spots and some areas where a parent may want to look into this further with the school. In English language arts, fifth graders posted a strong proficiency rate, with a majority meeting the state’s proficient-or-above bar. Sixth and seventh graders were closer to the midpoint, with roughly half of students scoring proficient or better. Eighth graders climbed back up, with about three in five reaching that threshold. This pattern of a dip in the middle grades and recovery in eighth is a common one in middle schools, but the overall ELA results place the school above the midpoint.
Math results are more uneven. Fifth and sixth graders both posted proficiency rates that were solid and above the state midpoint. Seventh grade dropped noticeably, with fewer than half of students scoring proficient or above. Eighth grade was lower still, with roughly two in five students meeting the bar. This steep decline in the upper grades is a soft spot, and families moving into the district with students entering seventh or eighth grade may want to ask about math support and intervention. Science is tested in only two grades: fifth graders performed well, with a clear majority proficient, while eighth graders were closer to the halfway mark.
The school’s overall academic index, which combines proficiency across tested subjects and grades, places it in the top quartile among the districts in Pottawatomie County. This is a positive signal, though it is worth noting that the comparison is against a small set of five districts, so the range of performance is narrow. The school sits near the top of that range.
Data on chronic absenteeism and discipline were not provided. The school does not serve high school grades, so there is no graduation rate to report. The district’s high school, Rock Creek High School, is located on a separate campus about halfway between St. George and Westmoreland, and families planning beyond eighth grade will want to look into that school’s offerings separately.
The district itself did not have any recent bond elections, curriculum changes, or property-tax shifts flagged in available sources. It appears to be on a stable footing, without major disruptions or new initiatives to note. For a family considering this school, the key takeaway is a generally solid academic profile with a notable slide in math in the later middle grades. The community is small and growing, the district is consolidated but compact, and the school serves a largely white, moderately low-need population. A parent whose child is strong in math may find the upper grades less challenging, while a parent whose child needs math support in seventh or eighth grade will want to ask what interventions are in place.
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