About Us
History and Mission
Our Mission
Rosary College Prep, rooted in Gospel Values and Dominican tradition, empowers young women to learn with purpose, to lead with faith, and to serve with heart.
The History of Rosary High School
In the early 1960s, increasing enrollment in local Catholic high schools prompted Bishop Lane of Rockford to ask the Dominican Sisters of Springfield, Illinois, to establish an all girls' high school in Aurora, Illinois. The school was officially chartered on July 31, 1961, and classes started that fall, with a former grade school serving as its temporary location.
Rosary's permanent home was to be constructed on a 20-acre campus on North Edgelawn Drive. Bishop Lane presided at the ground-breaking ceremonies for the new campus on Sunday, July 11, 1962, and just over a year later, on August 8, 1963, he announced the name of the school to be Rosary High School. With the building still under construction, students began learning there in the fall of 1963. The first class of 40 students graduated on May 31, 1966.
Rosary's permanent home was to be constructed on a 20-acre campus on North Edgelawn Drive. Bishop Lane presided at the ground-breaking ceremonies for the new campus on Sunday, July 11, 1962, and just over a year later, on August 8, 1963, he announced the name of the school to be Rosary High School. With the building still under construction, students began learning there in the fall of 1963. The first class of 40 students graduated on May 31, 1966.
Rosary was granted recognition by the Illinois Office of Public Instruction in May 1966, with an enrollment of 217 students, and Rosary became a member of the North Central Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools in April 1967.
The school has evolved over the years, most visibly in its campus and facilities. The old gym was converted into the McEnroe Theater, which was dedicated in 2001. A new academic wing was added and the library renovated in 2003. In 2006, Rosary received the St. Catherine of Siena statue honoring the Dominican Sisters. In 2020, Rosary further expanded its academic facilities with the addition of three new STEM classrooms and a lab prep room, strengthening its focus on science and innovation.
The school has evolved over the years, most visibly in its campus and facilities. The old gym was converted into the McEnroe Theater, which was dedicated in 2001. A new academic wing was added and the library renovated in 2003. In 2006, Rosary received the St. Catherine of Siena statue honoring the Dominican Sisters. In 2020, Rosary further expanded its academic facilities with the addition of three new STEM classrooms and a lab prep room, strengthening its focus on science and innovation.
On July 1, 2025, Rosary High School officially became Rosary College Prep, reflecting its long-standing identity as a faith-based, college preparatory institution for young women.
Rosary College Prep
Rosary College Prep is a Catholic, college-preparatory high school for young women, sponsored by the Dominican Sisters of Springfield, Illinois. Committed to truth, faith, and strength, Rosary fosters a community of academic excellence and empowered sisterhood.
© Rosary College Prep. All Rights Reserved