Rochester Public Schools -

#CelebrateRPS: The first day of school is always a favorite for our followers, staff, and students! It’s a time to come together and celebrate the start of a new year, reconnect with old friends and mentors, and encourage belonging and community for all of our schools!

It’s SACC’s limited care week, and we’re making the most of our mini-session of SACC! We’ve packed this week full of fun as we enjoy the final days of summer. We may be sailing into the school year, but we’re here to enjoy every last moment of the summer.

Step Into Learning is an altered start to the traditional start of the school year. All of our elementary schools will use the first two days of school, August 26 and 27, as student conference days. • Parents and guardians will make an individual 30-minute appointment in August (be watching for communication from your individual school soon). • SACC will not be available on August 26 and 27. • The first full day of school for students grades K-5 will be August 28.

Meet Me in the Middle is a program designed to help ensure a calm and supportive orientation experience for all students new to RPS middle schools. • Students new to middle school will meet teachers, learn the lunch and locker routines, and navigate the building and transportation with fewer peers in attendance. • Meet me in the Middle is August 26, 2024. • The first day of school is August 27, 2024.

Beginning in Fall 2024, middle school students across Rochester Public Schools will use Xello, a new online platform, to: - Match Careers with Personal Strengths and Interests - Build Future-Readiness Skills - Take Steps to Achieve Life and Career Goals In our middle schools, this program will be led collaboratively by school counselors and 7th/8th grade Integrated Technology and Careers (ITC) teachers. Caregivers can expect to receive information about Xello Family Account Access in September. To learn more about supporting your student’s Xello experience at home visit https://help.xello.world/en-us/Content/Get-Started/Xello-Families/GS_Families.htm

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.

That's a wrap on Summer SACC! We can't believe what a fun summer it has been, full of learning, laughs, and so much sun! Thanks for sharing your students with us over the summer!

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

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.

We're hosting a hiring event this Friday, August 9, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Edison Board Room (615 7th St SW). 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 and virtual interviews are available at https://forms.gle/rWHj9qmizB2owUm27. Join us at the Edison Board Room, 615 7th St SW, Rochester, MN.

#CelebrateRPS: The cold never bothered us anyway… while walking to school! In fall and winter, we encourage students and families to walk to school as an alternative mode of transportation that helps encourage healthy habits and creates a safer school zone with less traffic for pick-up and drop-off zones. Our schools celebrated (our warmest) winter walk to school day with a huge turn out!

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.

Please note that the School Board meeting on Tuesday, August 6, will start at 4 p.m. instead of 5:30 p.m. to avoid interfering with National Night Out events. You can attend the School Board meeting in person at 615 7th St SW or stream it live at https://www.youtube.com/@ISD535.

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.

MNSync Online teachers are dedicated to providing the best learning experience for our online students. Michelle Haukos teaches High School Business and Work Experience and is happy to have made the switch to teaching online. "I absolutely love teaching at MNSync Online! Making the move to online teaching is one of the best career decisions of my 33 years. The synchronous learning model truly sets us apart from other online programs, allowing for interactions in real-time and genuine engagement with students. Though we are not in a physical classroom, many meaningful relationships have been built with my students. It's incredibly inspiring to see my students thrive in this unique setting!" -Michelle Haukos

Rochester Public Schools offers an online synchronous learning option for Minnesota students through MNSync Online. Our staff are certified Minnesota educators who teach live each day. Paula Winter teaches 1st and 2nd grade and has loved every bit about working at MNSync Online. "As an educator in the online K-2 elementary school setting, I am continually amazed by the strength of the relationships we build with both students and their families. The online format allows me to truly know each student as a person, tailoring my approach to meet their unique needs." Read more at: https://www.rochesterschools.org/article/1692624

#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

Due to planned maintenance and upgrades to District technology, our phones and internet will not be available for a portion of Tuesday, July 30.

Join us tomorrow from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. for our hiring event! We're hiring: - 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 https://lnkd.in/gQnF4tRP. Join us at the Edison Board Room, 615 7th St SW, Rochester, MN.