Ever wish you could glimpse into the future? Middle schoolers from Rochester Public Schools — alongside students from surrounding districts — got that chance at the Middle School Career Academy! During this four-day summer experience, students explore a variety of careers by choosing from eight pathways: Agriculture, Health Scientist Careers, Culinary/Hospitality, Public Safety/Emergency Response, Manufacturing, Construction, Information Technology, and Transportation. Industry partners, including the Rochester Fire Department, Mayo Clinic, and Hormel Institute, team up with classroom teachers to provide hands-on, real-world experiences that help illuminate potential futures.
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: Retiree Recognition, Long-Term Budget Strategy, Policy Committee Recommendations, Math Curriculum Purchase and 2025-2026 Budget Proposal
At the end of the school year, Deeper Learning teams from across the district came together for the RPS Deeper Learning Summit to share stories, reflect on two years of learning and growth, and envision what's next. From classroom innovation to systemwide change, deeper learning is becoming how we do school in RPS.
Join us in congratulating Carrie Mosby, Danielle Lyons, Megan Peterson, and Veronica Holton—four incredible individuals in our RPS SpEd Pipeline Scholarship Program! 👏 Thanks to funding from the Minnesota Department of Education, the Rochester Public Schools (RPS) SpEd Pipeline is helping passionate educators on their journey to becoming licensed Special Education teachers. We commend Carrie, Megan, Veronica, and Danielle for their unwavering commitment to serving and supporting students with diverse learning needs. Your dedication inspires us all!
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: Community Budget Advisory Council Conversation
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.
"By challenge, I mean doing things that aren’t easy. Challenge means being pushed, stretched, and sometimes uncomfortable. By support, I mean having people around you who help you complete tasks and achieve goals. Support means feeling like you matter, that you're not alone, and that someone believes in you." Watch Superintendent Pekel's speech to the graduating classes of 2025 at last week's ceremonies: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dDb5DvfTktg&t=1s
Our pioneering class has completed the Phlebotomy Preparation Program through Rochester Public Schools' partnership with the Mayo Clinic School of Health Sciences. The curriculum includes a blended classroom and online learning schedule, hands-on labs, and clinical experiences completed right on Mayo's campus. Some of these students have already been hired by Mayo Clinic as phlebotomists!
Phlebotomy is the process of inserting a needle into a vein to draw blood. This course will be offered again next year for Rochester Public Schools students. If you're an RPS student and interested in this program, learn about it, along with all our Bridges to Careers programs at www.rochesterce.org/page/bridges-to-college-and-careers.
What a week of celebrations for our youngest graduates! Our preschool students from Hawthorne, Hoover, Northrop, and Mighty Oaks are officially ready for Kindergarten. To all our graduates and their families, congratulations on reaching this wonderful milestone and beginning a brand new journey. We're so proud of every accomplishment and thrilled to have you as part of the RPS Family!
Last week, the sound of the bell echoed with triumph as our Rochester Alternative Learning Center (RALC) Class of 2025 graduated! Each ring marked the end of one journey and the exciting beginning of another. To all our graduates: you worked incredibly hard, and we have no doubt that success awaits you on whatever path you choose. Congratulations!
The Rochester Academy for Independent Living (RAIL) graduated its class of 2025 last week!
RAIL helps young adults with disabilities integrate into the community and career settings. The program's goal is to assist the development of independent living and social skills needed to become active, productive, and integrated members of the community. Congrats to our graduates!
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 Cell Phone Procedure Review, the Year in Review, and the Cradle2Career Partnership Update.
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.
For those unable to attend the Century High School (11 a.m.), Mayo High School (3 p.m.), or John Marshall High School (7 p.m.) graduation ceremonies in person at the Civic Center, we are glad to offer a live stream on our YouTube channel: www.youtube.com/ISD535. Tune in at the scheduled ceremony times to share in the excitement from wherever you are!
The Project Search Class of 2025 students mark the tenth cohort of graduates from the program. We're so proud of these students who got incredible work experience through Mayo Clinic.
It’s time for our 2025 Phoenix grads to soar! Congratulations to our hardworking 2025 graduates. Your perseverance has paid off, and your bright future awaits.
Rochester Phoenix Academy is a supportive K–12 setting that nurtures personal, academic, and emotional growth for students with disabilities and complex needs through high expectations and compassionate, individualized care.
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
