Pat (Old) Sliter, a 1974 Roseville High School graduate, performs a cheer move from her four years of cheerleading.

Table centerpieces at both schools were decorated with pictures of students who once attended school in the district.

Attendees view a slideshow that depicts the district’s history in Roseville.

The open houses at both schools gave former staff and past students, some who hadn’t seen each other in years, a chance to reconnect.

ROSEVILLE — Alumni and former staff members of Roseville Community Schools went back to class May 10.

The district held open houses at two locations, Roseville High School and Roseville Middle School, to celebrate 100 years of Roseville Community Schools. Roseville High School, located at 17855 Common Road, was once called Carl Brablec High School. Roseville Middle School, located at 16250 Martin Road, used to be Roseville High School. The change was made in 1989 to accommodate the district’s size at the time.

When the high schools combined, students were able to choose their new school colors, black and red, and a new mascot, the Panthers. The first combined RHS Panthers graduating class was in 1990.

Alumni mingled, staff connected with former students, and building tours were offered. Refreshments were on deck, and slide shows told of the district’s history with images of school bands, athletics, past graduation ceremonies, students in class and more.

“It’s just a nice celebration,” Roseville High School Principal Jason Bettin said. “It’s nice to be able to recognize being helpful in the community for 100 years. There are thousands and thousands of students, and hopefully we’ve made a positive impact on them in school.”

Bettin took groups on tours of the high school. He said the main part of the school was built around 1967-68. The building has undergone a couple of additions since.

One stop was at the original gymnasium — with its updated roofing, sound system and bleachers — and the auxiliary gym. The weight room is used by teams, coaches and classes. There’s also a multipurpose room used by cheerleaders and for wrestling practice.

The new career and technical education wing, too, was impressive to guests. Another highlight of Bettin’s tour was viewing the large-sized paintings in the hallways produced by senior art seminar students.

“They get to pick a piece of art, research the artists and re-create it on our walls,” Bettin said. “We have 77 of them.”

Current RHS Athletic Director Keith Marzec made sure to attend the open house. He was a member of the RHS Class of 1995.

“I graduated in ’95 and never left,” he said. “All my family came through Roseville. I’m very proud to say both my daughters and wife graduated from here.”

Marzec’s middle brother graduated in 1990, marking the first graduating class that combined Roseville and Brablec high school students in the newly named Roseville High School on Common Road. Marzec’s oldest brother graduated from RHS, still on Martin Road, in 1986. Marzec credits the district’s longevity to “an outstanding staff, supportive community and the people. I still get together with so many people I went to school with.”

At the open house, Marzec ran into his former home economics middle school teacher, Lori Coppola.

“She was the best home ec teacher,” he said. “Because of you, I can cook.”

“Keith was a fun student,” Coppola said. “He’s one of the ones you remember. Keith could talk to you and he’d do his work.”

At one time, Marzec was Coppola’s boss. It was during a period when he was assistant principal. Coppola, who began working in the district in 1989 and retired in 2020, said that chocolate chip cookies and spaghetti sauce were the popular items kids liked to make the most during her tenure.

Tom Guswiler also made it to the open house.

“Just about everybody coming in today, I’ve had some connection with,” he said.

The 1980 RHS graduate has worked as a school liaison and security officer at the high school over the years. Currently, Guswiler provides security on-site at school board meetings and other events, including band and choir concerts.

“I really enjoyed my time in the halls and formed lifelong relationships with the kids,” he said. “I’ve been around to celebrate many of their accomplishments.”

Siblings and Brablec graduates Alfred “Rick” Zini, Class of ’73; Cindy (Zini) Shermetaro, Class of ’75; and David Zini, Class of ’77, saw all the changes made at the building since they were in school.

Cindy, hoping to catch up with former teachers and students, even brought her 1975 yearbook to the open house. Walking the halls of her high school certainly brought back memories.

“It looks different because of the addition,” she said. “It was newer looking when I came here. They really kept it up.”

Her instructors made an impact. After high school, Cindy went into nursing and became a registered nurse.

“The science teachers I had were great. They influenced our lives,” she said. “The teachers at Carl Brablec High School not only provided us with an education, but with supporting and encouraging role models. We will be forever grateful to them.”

While at Brablec, David played football and immersed himself in drafting classes, which led to his engineering career.

“It was good. I really liked it,” Alfred said of the school. “The teachers were pretty strict. I had wood shop class, drafting, electronics. I did more things with my hands. My son goes here now.”

He also remembered swimming class with Mr. Berry.

“I learned how to swim in 10th grade,” Alfred said. “I remember him getting in his shorts and jumping in the pool.”

Under the direction of Superintendent A.A. Nevereth at the time, Roseville’s first graduating class in 1925 had nine students who completed their educations. While the district wasn’t always called Roseville Community Schools, the general area has been educating students for 100 years.