Congratulations to Brian Ihrke, John Marshall High School's Activities Director, on being voted the Region 1AA Activities Director of the Year by his peers. A well-deserved honor for his leadership and dedication to the Rockets!
Yesterday, we gathered to celebrate our urban Native community, enjoying delicious food, cultural dances, and meaningful conversations that honor the resilience, culture, and history of Indigenous people. This event offered our community the opportunity to highlight our American Indian Education program, which provides cultural and academic support to students with Indigenous heritage specifically with state and federally recognized tribes. Minnesota is home to 11 sovereign nations, and Rochester Public Schools are situated on ancestral lands of the Dakota people. We acknowledge and honor the Dakota Nations and the sacred land of all Indigenous peoples.
RPS families: This is a reminder that there is no school on Thursday, October 16 and Friday, October 17, for MEA weekend. Enjoy the long weekend, and we'll see you on Monday, October 20!
The RPS School Board will meet tomorrow at 5:30 p.m. in the Edison Board Room (615 7th St SW). On the agenda for tomorrow’s study session is: Religious Holidays and 2027-28 RPS Calendar Design and World Languages Plan.
If you cannot attend in person, you can livestream the meeting at https://www.youtube.com/isd535.
You can view all full meeting agendas at https://rochesterschools.org/simbli.
If you cannot attend in person, you can livestream the meeting at https://www.youtube.com/isd535.
You can view all full meeting agendas at https://rochesterschools.org/simbli.
Happy Apple Crunch Day! RPS students were treated to fresh apples from Howling Moon Orchard, which are grown right here in southeastern Minnesota. Washington Elementary students found them delicious (and nutritious)!
It's HOMECOMING WEEK, and our high schoolers brought the homecoming celebration to Lincoln K-8! Drums, Kickline, and Touchdowns made Lincoln's lunchtime celebration even sweeter.
The stage is set, so save the date! Century, John Marshall, and Mayo have three talented casts ready to bring you to the edge of your seats. Come and see the productions!
November 13 through November 15 at 7 p.m.
Century High School's Cinderella
November 15 at 2 p.m.
Century High School's Cinderella
November 20 through November 22 at 7 p.m.
JM's The Lightning Thief and Mayo's A Christmas Carol
November 22
Mayo's A Christmas Carol at 1:30 p.m.
JM's The Lightning Thief at 2 p.m.
Tickets are available on the GoFAN App (https://gofan.co/). Please consider supporting your local high school theater departments!
November 13 through November 15 at 7 p.m.
Century High School's Cinderella
November 15 at 2 p.m.
Century High School's Cinderella
November 20 through November 22 at 7 p.m.
JM's The Lightning Thief and Mayo's A Christmas Carol
November 22
Mayo's A Christmas Carol at 1:30 p.m.
JM's The Lightning Thief at 2 p.m.
Tickets are available on the GoFAN App (https://gofan.co/). Please consider supporting your local high school theater departments!
As part of our Attendance Matters initiative, we are sending all families an attendance update today. This message will provide a current snapshot of your student’s attendance record for the year so far. Our goal is to keep you informed and partner with you to support your student's learning. You can always view up-to-the-minute attendance data in Skyward. Learn more: https://www.rochesterschools.org/attendance-matters
Did you know our early childhood screenings are on the go? This week, our team will be out at SPARK on Thursday, October 9. Appointments are required: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScv0wWUoEAsTkg4KqchvagTln-EucDpsSHdn4-soyujLx6foA/viewform. All children are required to be screened before starting kindergarten, but can be screened as early as three years old to provide you with insight into your child's learning development. Join us at SPARK and make your screening part of the fun!
Join us on Monday, October 13, from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at Dakota Middle School to share, learn, and celebrate with our community. We plan to host a vibrant gathering featuring delicious food, cultural dances, and meaningful conversations that honor the resilience, culture, and history of Indigenous people. We hope to see you there!
The RPS School Board will meet tomorrow at 5:30 p.m. in the Edison Board Room (615 7th St SW). On the agenda for tomorrow’s study session is: Enrollment Update, Newcomers Programming Update, Superintendent Evaluation for 2024-25: Outcomes Component Report, Language Access Plan, Approval of Mission, Vision, and Values, Authorization to Close and Sell Friedell, Mighty Oaks, and Skyline.
If you cannot attend in person, you can livestream the meeting at https://www.youtube.com/isd535.
You can view all full meeting agendas at https://rochesterschools.org/simbli.
If you cannot attend in person, you can livestream the meeting at https://www.youtube.com/isd535.
You can view all full meeting agendas at https://rochesterschools.org/simbli.
Do you need a new mattress? Consider supporting our RPS high school bands by attending our 5th annual mattress fundraiser on October 4 at Century High School from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Try a selection of name-brand mattresses that come fully warrantied and are well below retail prices. Come and take a step toward prioritizing your sleep while also supporting a great cause.
Your student might qualify for extra benefits! Fill out the Application for Educational Benefits to find out! Bonus: filling out the application will benefit the entire school district. Fill the form at rochesterschools.org/page/application-for-benefits
Mighty Oaks Early Learning School officially celebrated its new location, bringing new energy to the former Pinewood Elementary building. This new location brings our early childhood programming to a more centralized location. It features an extra special addition—a brand-new traffic garden where kids can ride scooters and bikes while also learning about pedestrian safety.
Thank you to all who joined us for the ribbon-cutting ceremony! Congratulations to our Mighty Oaks Early Learning students, staff, and families!
It was a perfect morning for Walk to School Day! Pinewood Elementary students hopped off the bus at Bear Creek Park, then walked the rest of the way along Marion Road—practicing safe walking skills with friends and crossing guards. Mayor Norton, the Rochester Police Department, the School Board, Superintendent Dr. Kent Pekel, and even Slider from the Rochester Honkers joined in as well!
This school year is off to a great start with higher-than-expected student enrollment numbers! Superintendent Kent Pekel shared the preliminary data during his monthly radio appearance with KROC. For more details on what this means for our district, listen here: https://krocnews.com/rochester-public-schools-higher-enrollment/
75 years and counting! Jefferson hosted its 75th anniversary celebration on Saturday with all the festivities to be expected! Congratulations on the historic milestone Jaguars, and here's to all the years to come.
Need help understanding the financial aid options for college? Free college planning and financial aid events are available to Minnesota students and families via Zoom. The series, running on Tuesday evenings this fall, is intended for current high school students and will cover general information about the college application and financial aid process, details on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), the Minnesota Dream Act for undocumented students, and other ways to pay for college. All sessions will have interpretation in Spanish, Somali, and Hmong. Attendees can ask questions in the chat and have them answered by higher education experts during the event. Students who attend any of the sessions will be entered into a drawing to win a $1,000 scholarship (one entry per session attended). Space is limited, so register soon! These sessions are offered by the Minnesota Office of Higher Education, Minnesota Department of Education, ECMC The College Place and Minnesota Goes to College. For session dates, topics and to register: bit.ly/CollegePlanningSeries. Contact myang@ecmc.org with any questions.
The RPS School Board will meet tomorrow at 5:30 p.m. in the Edison Board Room (615 7th St SW). On the agenda for tomorrow’s study session is: MCA Data Review & Initiative Update, Elementary Science Curriculum Implementation Update, Approval of Vision, Mission, Values, Authorization to close and sell Friedell, Mighty Oaks, and Skyline, Certification of Proposed District Property Tax Levy Payable 2026, Board Meeting Schedule for 2026, and Approval of the 2025-2027 REA Collective Bargaining Agreement.
If you cannot attend in person, you can livestream the meeting at https://www.youtube.com/isd535.
You can view all full meeting agendas at https://rochesterschools.org/simbli.
If you cannot attend in person, you can livestream the meeting at https://www.youtube.com/isd535.
You can view all full meeting agendas at https://rochesterschools.org/simbli.
Overland Elementary School is intentionally building community every school day! By adjusting their schedule, Overland created a 20-minute routine at the beginning of the day to provide time for community-building circles in all classrooms. These community-building circles help students, teachers, and Education Support Professional (ESP) staff get to know each other and strengthen relationships between students and staff. Way to go, Overland Owls!
