Congratulations to RPS' Executive Director of Equity and Engagement Will Ruffin II for being selected as one of two recipients of the Bridge Builder Award!
The Bridge Builder Award honors civic, religious, community and academic leaders and individuals who work to establish cooperative relationships and mutual understanding across racial, social, economic and religious groups for the betterment of Rochester and the surrounding communities.
Through unique partnerships, these individuals raise awareness, share knowledge, or provide solutions through programs or projects that stand as examples of the great power and possibility when people join together for a common goal.
Multi-award-winning artist Keith Secola visited Rochester Public Schools this week and presented a workshop to students at Harriet Bishop and Jefferson Elementary schools. He talked about his music and Indigenous culture and performed some songs. He also stopped by Dakota Middle School to help with an arrangement he composed for the 8th grade band. Later at Dakota, he gave a performance that was open to the public.
Secola was commissioned by Dakota Middle School to write “Kokopelli Blues” which the Dakota Middle School band will perform publicly at John Marshall High School on December 7 at 7 p.m. We are grateful to have had such a wonderful opportunity to host Keith Secola!
What are some ways that RPS supports career development? Through our:
-Hawthorne Adult Education - we offer career pathways into office and healthcare settings
-Community Education at Northrop
-CTECH and PTECH programs
-PSEO
Reach out to your counselor for more programs if you’re a student, adults reach out to community education to learn about ways to continue your education journey!
https://www.rochesterce.org
Tonight's Board Meeting is an informational meeting where Superintendent Pekel will present the proposal. The Board will not vote on this proposal until January 23, 2024.
There will be several opportunities for analysis, information, and feedback between today and the vote in January. A survey will be available next week. If you have feedback in the meantime, please email redesign@rochesterschools.org. More information about the timeline can be found at www.rochesterschools.org/attendance-options-redesign.
If you would like to watch tonight's meeting, it will be livestreamed at https://www.youtube.com/@ISD535.
Note: If you would like to speak at a future regular session school board meeting during the Comments to the Board portion of the meeting, you must submit a written request by email to the Assistant School Board Clerk at the following email address: asb@rochesterschools.org before 5:00 p.m. on the day before the School Board meeting. The written request must state: (1) the individual’s name, (2) whether the individual has a child attending school in the School District, (3) whether the individual is employed by the School District, (4) whether the individual is a student in the School District, and (5) whether the individual is a local property taxpayer to Rochester Public Schools. The assistant school board clerk will follow up.
At tomorrow's School Board meeting, Superintendent Pekel will be speaking in detail on the Attendance Options Redesign proposal, a comprehensive strategy for changing school attendance options, attendance boundaries, and the transportation system in RPS. The proposal includes 10 points:
1. Redesign School Attendance Areas
2. Discontinue Districtwide Transportation for Districtwide Option Schools (DWOs)
3. Expand the School Age Child Care (SACC) Program
4. Expand the Newcomer Program for Multilingual Students
5. Close Schools to Adjust to Declining Enrollment
6. Reconfigure Churchill and Hoover Early Learning and Elementary Schools
7. Move Lincoln K-8 School to a New Location and Expand Enrollment
8. Adopt a Traditional Calendar at Longfellow Elementary and Expand the School to Grades K-8
9. Create a Middle School ALC
10. Maintain Support for Students with Disabilities
You can view more information about each point as well as opportunities for analysis and input on our website: https://www.rochesterschools.org/attendance-options-redesign
Looking for something to do tomorrow evening? Keith Secola will be performing at Dakota Middle School at 7PM on November 28th. Secola is a multi-award winning artist who has been sharing his gifts with our middle and elementary school students through music workshops.
On November 16th, the Indigenous families in the district gathered for a meal and were able to learn from the “Gakaabikaang Drum and Dance Troupe.” They came down from Minneapolis/ St.Paul and shared the different traditional powwow dances and the history of them. Families were then asked to join and partake in an “intertribal” dance; where everyone danced. The night with a round dance or a friendship dance.
Reminder that Screenagers Under The Influence: Addressing Vaping, Drugs, and Alcohol in the Digital Age will show tomorrow, November 27, from 7-8:30 p.m. at John Marshall High School. It will be followed by a facilitated discussion with School Linked Mental Health Practitioner Ashley Johnson. This event is open to everyone ages 10 and up.
Want to learn more about Indigenous cultures? The National Education Association – NEA – suggests several titles to help learn about the diverse and rich history of many Indigenous cultures.
Check out their resources: https://www.nea.org/professional-excellence/student-engagement/tools-tips/native-american-alaska-native-and-first-nations-booklists
School Board Clerk Karen MacLaughlin, gives a short summary of some of the highlights from the November 21st School Board Study Session.
Watch the video here: https://youtu.be/gJdVuwRW3Qs
Happy Thanksgiving to those who celebrate. Wishing you a restful and Joyful Holiday!
Xello... What is it? Read the story here:
https://www.rochesterschools.org/o/rps/article/1350288
Want to learn more about Indigenous cultures? The National Education Association – NEA – suggests several titles to help learn about the diverse and rich history of the many Indigenous cultures.
Check out their resources: https://www.nea.org/professional-excellence/student-engagement/tools-tips/native-american-alaska-native-and-first-nations-booklists
Please watch this Thanksgiving message from Superintendent Dr. Kent Pekel here: https://youtube.com/shorts/gg6cDCojMlo?feature=share
Rochester Public Schools offices will be closed on Thursday, November 23, and Friday, November 24 in observance of Thanksgiving. Regular hours resume Monday, November 27, 2023.
We want to give a shout-out to Debra Las, a science teacher at John Adams Middle School, for receiving the 2023 Minnesota Science Teachers Association (MnSTA) Science Teaching Award for secondary schools. Congratulations, Deb!
Next week, multi award winning artist, Keith Secola will be working with students during the school day to share his story and teach music. He will also be performing publicly at Dakota Middle School at 7PM on the 28th.
Reminder: There is no school Wednesday, November 22, to accommodate a Professional Development day for our Secondary staff and allow for an End of Trimester work day for Elementary staff. Longfellow Elementary students also have no school due to a Flexible Conference Day.
Edison Administration Building and Northrup Education Center will still operate under normal business hours.
The next film, Screenagers Under The Influence: Addressing Vaping, Drugs, and Alcohol in the Digital Age, delves into how the tech revolution has reshaped adolescence and its effects on substance use.
The film will show on Monday, November 27, from 7-8:30 p.m. at John Marshall High School. It will be followed by a facilitated discussion with School Linked Mental Health Practitioner Ashley Johnson.
Open to everyone, ages 10 and up.
Step right up and get ready to get your hands dirty with artist Mary Beth Magyar in her fabulous glazing class! In this class, you'll be able to add your own unique designs to a piece of pottery of your choosing. After the class, Mary Beth will fire up her trusty kiln to cure your creations, and your finished pottery will be available for pickup at Northrop. So what are you waiting for? Sign up now and let's see your creativity!
Register here:
https://rochester.ce.eleyo.com/
