Incoming sixth graders across Rockwood School District can learn how to open a locker, read a class schedule, and navigate their digital tools before the first bell rings August 24.

The district is promoting "Middle School Ready," a free, self-paced online course built inside Canvas, the platform Rockwood middle and high school students use daily to access assignments and submit work. The course, created by the district's Innovation and Learning team, launched in spring 2025 and remains available year-round. More than 150 students completed it between its spring 2025 launch and September 2025, according to a district follow-up report.

The district said on its official X account July 13 that middle schoolers "shouldn't also have to struggle with learning or navigating the challenges of everyday middle school life" while adjusting to so many other changes.

The course covers five practical skills: opening a combination locker, reading a bell schedule, checking grades online, using school email, and working within Canvas itself. Students who finish earn a reward from the district.

How to Enroll

Only students can create an account, so the district asks parents to sit with their child during sign-up and then explore the course together. To enroll, students visit bit.ly/ms-ready and log in with their Rockwood Google credentials. The username format is first initial + last name + last three digits of the student number, followed by @rsdmo.org.

With Rockwood's six middle schools serving families in Chesterfield, Wildwood, Ballwin, Clarkson Valley, and Fenton, the course gives every incoming student the same head start regardless of which building they'll walk into on August 24.

There is no enrollment deadline. Families have roughly five weeks before the first day of school to work through the material at their own pace.