The celebrations have begun! We officially kicked off our graduation week yesterday with a fantastic Launching Emerging Adults Program (LEAP) ceremony. A huge congratulations to all our LEAP graduates – we're incredibly proud of you! Get ready for a fantastic week celebrating all our amazing students.
The RPS class of 2025 graduates tell RPS Superintendent Dr. Kent Pekel where they're going after RPS and their greatest fears about the future in the latest episode of Supt in the Halls: 2025 Graduation Edition.
Watch the episode in the link below: https://youtu.be/ZOWcjJQ_9TI
The Lincoln 50th celebration was amazing! Thank you to everyone who submitted photos, volunteered, and came out to celebrate 50 years of Lincoln K-8 education!
Friendly reminder: No school on Monday, May 26 (Memorial Day)! RPS offices will also be closed. We'll resume regular hours on Tuesday, May 27.
Future RPS kindergarten students and families, are you ready? Enrollment for kindergarten at Rochester Public Schools for the 2025-2026 school year is open!
We had a fantastic time at our spring Kick-Off to Kindergarten at Century High School, where families from across Rochester connected with our amazing teams in Transportation, Student Nutrition, SACC, and more. Plus, our incredible community partners were there, and who could forget seeing Strawberry and Pineapple spreading smiles!
Feeling inspired? Learn more about Kindergarten at RPS: https://www.rochesterschools.org/page/incoming-kindergarten-students
We are thrilled to invite you to honor our incredible graduating seniors next week as they embark on their next exciting chapter. Mark your calendars for a week filled with joy, pride, and memorable moments as we celebrate their outstanding achievements and check out this article for all of the details: https://www.rochesterschools.org/article/2225943
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 regular meeting is: The Deeper Learning Pilot Project Wrap-Up and The Mayo Clinic Project SEARCH program.
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.
The rain didn't stop these students! Our 5th-grade students from all over the district came together to show their track and field skills and cheer each other on every step of the way. What happens when you bring together 18 schools and hundreds of students? One amazing day!
After growing their own plants by the window for the past few months, the work program students at Edison got to move their sprouts outside! The work program provides students with disabilities the opportunity to work in an office setting at the Edison administration building. Heather and MinhLein do an awesome job helping students learn employability skills that they'll carry through to their next opportunity.
Our Rochester Academy for Independent Living (RAIL) students had their sports day last Friday. Wow! There were so many activities for students to participate in. What a great way to build teamwork and enjoy the sunshine. Thanks for the amazing day, RAIL staff!
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 Projection and Student Demographics Summary
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.
Last week, we celebrated our high school seniors who will be pursuing a teaching license in the fall with a Future Teacher Signing Day. All these students have completed the Intro to Teaching course taught by Anne Eldredge at CTECH. By completing both Intro to Teaching 1 & 2, students can earn up to five college credits from the University of Minnesota. In addition, they far exceed their required observation hours by participating in this course, as they spend time in classrooms twice a week to "student teach" and observe. The students' college choices include RCTC, Winona, Saint Mary’s, Augsburg, Gustavus Adolphus, and the College of Saint Benedict.
This event is meant to celebrate these students' decision to pursue a career in education and their dedication to improving the lives of future generations. Congratulations, students and all the best as you graduate!
Rochester Public Schools (RPS) today announced that the four-year graduation rate for the Class of 2024 reached 86%, according to data released by the Minnesota Department of Education (MDE). This marks a 2.0 percentage point increase from the Class of 2023 (84%) and represents the highest graduation rate the district has achieved in the past six years. Read more: https://www.rochesterschools.org/article/2196956
And so begins our graduation celebrations! This past Saturday, we celebrated our American Indian seniors at the annual Celebration Powwow! 🎓🎉 It was genuinely moving to witness their journey and celebrate this significant milestone with them, their families, and the entire community. We're incredibly proud and excited to see all the wonderful things they will achieve. Congratulations, graduates!
Lincoln K-8 Elementary will be celebrating 50 years of education! If you're a Lynx alumni, you are welcome to join the festivities at Lincoln K-8 Elementary School on May 22 at 5:00.
Additionally, if you have any photos, articles, stories, and anything that we could include in our photo archive display, please submit material to Amy Krahn at amkrahn@rochesterschools.org.
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 regular session is: FY26 Budget Development Process Update, Approval of the 2026-2027 District Calendar, Mindsets, Behaviors and Experiences for Student Success, SRO Contract, Performance Measures & SCIP 2.0 Process, and Approval of Start Times for 2025-2026.
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
"Heidi at Early Childhood and Special Education goes above and beyond in her role, always stepping up when needed and never hesitating to lend a hand to colleagues and children. Heidi is so positive and always has a smile on her face and a kind word to say. Thank you, Heidi, for being such a valuable part of our team. Your work ethic and attitude inspire those around you, and we’re grateful to have you with us." Submitted by Jamie, Malissa, Sarah and Cassidy.
Read this month's #CelebrateRPS: https://rochesterpsmn.edurooms.com/engage/celebraterps/newsletters/celebraterps-may-5-2025
Do you know someone like, Heidi? Submit them to be featured, and help us #CelebrateRPS staff, students, and community members!
https://www.rochesterschools.org/o/rps/page/celebrate
Wow, April really flew by! Between catching up with amazing friends, celebrating some special moments, diving into all things Earth Month 🌎, and tackling some seriously rewarding physical and academic challenges 💪📚, it was a month packed to the brim! But you know what? We're buzzing with excitement for May and all the adventures it holds!
You're invited to our 2025 Celebration Powwow at Mayo High School this Saturday, May 3. Enjoy captivating dancing, drumming, delicious food, and beautiful Native American artistry. It's an excellent opportunity to support our students and learn more about our community's heritage. All are welcome! #RochesterMN #Classof2025
Learning about budgeting, saving, understanding credit, and investing isn't just for adults. Starting early gives students a head start in building a secure future. That's exactly what our students experience as they played the game of life through our personal finance course. At Rochester Public Schools, personal finance is a requirement for all graduating students. Thanks to our partners at Think Bank, Altra Federal Credit Union, First Alliance Credit Union, McDonald's, and the Rochester Public School Board for volunteering your time and making this event a memorable learning experience for our students.
