Join Superintendent Dr. Kent Pekel on Monday, August 12, from 7 to 7:45 p.m. in the Rochester Public Library Auditorium to hear more about Rochester Public Schools' 2024 referendum.
Doors open at 6:30 p.m., and parking is free after 4. p.m. The event will also be livestreamed and recorded by the Rochester Public Library on the library’s YouTube channel. That link will be available on the LWV Rochester website lwvrochester.org.
In-person audience questions will be taken. Questions can also be submitted up to 24 hours in advance by emailing them to LWVRochester@lwvmn.org, or by leaving a voice or text message at 507.722.0615.
Join us tomorrow, August 9, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Edison Board Room (615 7th St SW) for our Hiring Event!
Open positions include:
- Special Education Teachers
- Education Support Professionals
- Health Office Staff (Nurses)
- Substitute Teachers & Staff
- Secondary Math Teachers
- Secondary Science Teachers
- Speech Language Pathologists
- Occupational Therapists
and more!
Walk-ins are welcome! Join us at the Edison Board Room, 615 7th St SW, Rochester, MN.
Are you ready for the school year? Mark your calendars with important dates, breaks, and more. Print your school calendar and special calendars online: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1OjDjRZSj_Ywx1dCr809H6_pH4tTaIH7W?usp=drive_link
Bussing for students is only guaranteed for students within the boundary of their school. In Rochester, students in grades K-5 living more than 1.25 miles, grades 6-8 living more than 1.5 miles, and grades 9-12 living more than 2 miles are provided transportation; to view the school's boundaries, visit the Find Your School map (https://www.infofinderi.com/ifi/?cid=RPS25TZQPEOIT).
Bus route information will be delivered in the mail in mid-August; please verify that you have completed a registered rider form(https://rochesterpsd.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_6WfdaSRQfEOGrGu) to ensure your student is on the correct route.
If you have questions about your transportation route, please email our transportation department or call 507.328.4260.
School Meals: Here's what you need to know - For the 2024-2025 school year, all in-person students can receive one free breakfast and one free lunch each school day due to the MN Free School Meals Program. Each meal must contain a fruit or vegetable serving to qualify as free, and a student must take three of the five meal components (fruit, vegetable, grain, protein, and milk).
• Students still need meal pins.
• Families still need a PayPams account or cash to cover a la carte items.
• Families are still encouraged to complete an application for education benefits.
#CelebrateRPS: Did you know that Riverside Elementary has a Department of Natural Resources-certified School Forest and garden? Students, families, and community members came together to explore Deeper Learning experiences to enrich their lives, unite as one community, and plant ideas for future learning experiences for Riverside students. This post alone reached over 23,400 community members, sharing about these amazing events!
The countdown is here; we are less than one month away from the start of school! Fill your student's backpack with supplies that will set your student up for success. Find your school's list: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1azTzTLLURXs6Pq7R2kurK83gXfQMB99E?usp=drive_link
Mark your calendars and save the date for our inaugural State of the District on Monday, September 16. Superintendent Pekel will be joined by voices and performances from RPS students. Stay tuned, more information to come!
Our Spanish immersion second graders have the opportunity to learn traditional dance. To celebrate our time at Gage, our students were asked to perform multiple times this year. They took it on with pride and knocked it out of the park every time. None of this would be possible without Maestra Martinez’ passion and dedication to teaching our students not only language but culture.
Thank you to Amber H. from Gage Elementary for this #CelebrateRPS submission.
Submit your #CelebrateRPS moments at www.rochesterschools.org/celebraterps
We're hosting a hiring event next Wednesday, July 31, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Open positions include:
- Special Education Teachers
- Education Support Professionals
- Student Nutrition Services
- Health Office Staff (Nurses)
- Substitute Teachers & Staff
- Secondary Math Teachers
- Secondary Science Teachers
- Speech Language Pathologists
- Occupational Therapists
and more!
First Student and Kids on the Go will also be in attendance.
Walk-ins are welcome and virtual interviews are available at bit.ly/july-31-virtual-interview. Join us at the Edison Board Room, 615 7th St SW, Rochester, MN.
Did you see an RPS student overcome a challenge? Has an RPS staff person gone above and beyond to help you? Do you want to acknowledge an RPS colleague for their work? We're kicking off an initiative to #CelebrateRPS! Share your stories with us so we can share them with the RPS community. Share your positive stories at https://www.rochesterschools.org/celebraterps and we'll highlight them!
We know our students are still enjoying summer, but for those who like to plan ahead, we have our back-to-school information ready for you! A big change this school year is the school bell times! Check out https://www.rochesterschools.org/back-to-school for more info.
We're in the heat of summer, but stores are already starting to roll out their back-to-school supplies sales. Consider getting an early start on your school supplies while the sales are heating up!
Find your school's list: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1azTzTLLURXs6Pq7R2kurK83gXfQMB99E?usp=drive_link
Like many school districts, RPS has had to make difficult budget cuts in recent years that have impacted student services, reduced staff, and prompted potential school closures. On Nov. 5, voters will consider an operating levy increase to address these challenges. Learn more: www.RochesterSchools.org/referendum
Due to the upcoming federal holiday, the Overland, Riverside, Sunset Terrace, and Mayo summer meal locations will be closed July 4-5.
• RAIL, Gage, Elton Hills, Jefferson Lincoln K-8, and John Adams will be closed July 1-5.
• All meal locations will reopen on Monday, July 8.
RPS offices and buildings will be closed on Thursday, July 4, in observance of Independence Day. All summer meal locations and SACC sites will be closed on July 4 and 5.
Offices will resume normal operating hours on Friday, July 5, and all meal locations will reopen on Monday, July 8.
RPS offices and buildings will be closed on Thursday, July 4, in observance of Independence Day. All summer meal locations will be closed on July 4 and 5.
Offices will resume normal operating hours on Friday, July 5. All meal locations will reopen on Monday, July 8.
Students will not report to school on Monday, February 17 in observance of Presidents Day. Staff will participate in a districtwide professional development day. Students will return to school on Tuesday, February 18.
As part of the general election on Nov. 5, RPS will ask voters to consider a plan to help stabilize the district’s finances, protect class sizes, and strengthen academic and career programs.
Explore www.RochesterSchools.org/referendum to learn more about the referendum and our plan to "Ignite Student Learning."
According to the National Museum of African American History and Culture, it wasn't until two years after President Lincoln emancipated ensalved Africans in America that Union troops arrived in Galveston Bay, TX on June 19, 1865, with the news of freedom. More than 250,000 enslaved Black people in the state learned of their freedom that day. This day became known as #Juneteenth, a federal, and now Minnesota state holiday. Learn more at: https://nmaahc.si.edu/juneteenth
