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!
With a week left and 300 more pairs of shoes to go, let’s help our Summer of Service (SOS) students meet their goals! Drop your shoes off at one of our donation boxes at the Friedell Building (1200 Broadway Ave S). The drop-off area by the main entrance is marked with our student-designed signs.
This year, they partnered with @Good in the Hood to collect shoes to “shoe away hunger." Each shoe donated has monetary value as a recycled good and can help restock the shelves of local food pantries. Learn more about SOS and their project with Good in the Hood:
Century families, we are pleased to share that Jennifer Thurston will round out your leadership team as the new assistant principal!
Jen started her career at RPS as a counselor, both at the elementary and secondary levels. She has spent the last five years at John Marshall High School. Jen served as the Lead Counselor this past school year and has also provided administrative support at the elementary level for Summer of Discovery. Jen has been part of the Aspiring Leaders cohort and brings with her to Century endless energy and a strong commitment to supporting the needs of all students.
Jen will join Principal Patrick Breen and Assistant Principals Steve Akin and Peter Dodds.
Kellogg families, we want to introduce you to your newest assistant principal, Marian Holtorf-Jewell!
Marian joins us with 25 years of experience working with underserved youth and youth with disabilities. She has been an educator for 19 years, half of that time as a special education teacher and half as a humanities teacher at the Rochester Alternative Learning Center. She holds a Bachelor's in Special Education, a Master's in English, and an Educational Specialist (Ed.Spec.) in K-12 Organizational Leadership. She has a strong background in Restorative Practices, equity work, and experiential learning design. She is thrilled to join the Kellogg team!
You will have the opportunity to meet her and your new principal, Martine Haglund at Popsicles with the Principal in August. Stay tuned for more details.
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.
Even in the summer, you'll find learning happening across the Rochester Public Schools. Today was the conclusion of our two-month-long RPS Summer of Discovery program. Students invited by their teachers and leadership team came to experience a jam-packed summer of experience-based learning, relationship building, and an embedded academic focus to help improve their skills. We are so proud of our students and loved seeing them showcase their growth and skills today!
“Our family loves MNSync Online because of its unique approach to virtual learning. The synchronous first system at the school is so different from other online programs. My kids really benefit from actively engaging with their teachers and their fellow students throughout the day, just like they would do if they were in person. Unlike many other online schools that are an add-on to an in-person school, MNSync Online is a stand-alone school within a traditional school district that only provides online learning. We have our own dedicated teachers who are excited about virtual education, our own school logo, and our own online school PTA. It's a fully functional education for your kids with the flexibility of being online at home with your family!”
-Miri Levi (MNSync Online Parent)
Are you interested in enrolling your student? Go to https://www.rochesterschools.org/o/mnso to learn more!
On Nov. 5, Rochester voters will consider an operating levy increase that would provide the funds needed to protect students’ access to career programs, which help prepare them for success after graduation. For more details, visit www.RochesterSchools.org/referendum
It was a beautiful morning to kick off the first day of school at Longfellow Elementary.
Welcome back, Longfellow Leopards, and have a wonderful 2024-2025 school year!
#CelebrateRPS
Despite being the 7th largest school district in MN, RPS ranks last in voter-approved funding among its peers. To continue providing the services that help our students thrive, we have proposed an operating levy increase to voters. Learn more: www.RochesterSchools.org/referendum
#CelebrateRPS: Youth Art Month was the perfect time for our littlest learners to create and explore! Paints served as a medium for learning shapes, painting pictures that tell a story, counting, and so much more. Should we mention the cuteness, too? Our students get the opportunity to embrace learning in tradition and deeper learning experiences that give them a chance to connect with our curriculum in a variety of ways.
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!
The "Ignite Student Learning" plan seeks voter approval of an operating levy increase that would stabilize the district's budget, allowing us to retain important mental and emotional support services for students across all grade levels. Find out more: www.RochesterSchools.org/referendum
Come and get your summer meals! Looking for an affordable way to share a meal as a family? Children ages 1-18 can receive a free meal through the and adult meals cost only a small fee.
Check out our summer meals menu and join us for a meal: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1LKdY6RFqNy9Mf4fLmIzKrksSv6eaTLVf/view?pli=1
#CelebrateRPS: Last spring, our Transportation Fair was a big hit! We filled Goose Egg Park with our community partners and over 1,200 attendees. From pretending to pick up the trash in our trash trucks to climbing into a fire truck and turning on the sirens, our community came together to help our youngest members learn about all the vehicles and jobs that make our city go, go, go! When our community partners come together, we help make connections with our students and families, setting up our students for success at an early age!
For 20+ years, state funding has not reflected the rising costs of education. Looking ahead, RPS faces financial challenges that, if not addressed, will force school closures and critical cuts to academic and student support services. Find more at: https://referendum.rochesterschools.org/o/referendum/page/our-challenges
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.
If approved by voters on Nov. 5, the “Ignite Student Learning” plan will protect school staff positions and smaller class sizes, which help provide more personalized attention for each student. Explore www.referendum.rochesterschools.org/the-plan to learn what the plan would mean for our district.
It’s summertime, but we miss seeing all of our students! Join us as we look back at some of our Facebook favorites from the 2023-2024 school year. #CelebrateRPS
Each year, our students take the plunge to raise money for the Minnesota Special Olympics. In March, our students dove deep, raising $11k! It's important that our students understand the value of giving back to our community, and these students showed up!
