Dear Rochester Public Schools families, students, staff, and community members,
As we bring the 2025-2026 school year to a close, I want to extend my deepest gratitude to each of you. Together, we have navigated a year defined by strategic focus, hard work, and a shared commitment to building a school district where every student feels challenged to strive and supported to thrive.
When we began this school year, our leadership team set out several critical Systemwide Initiatives to strengthen the foundations of our schools. Our goals were clear: to foster deep belonging, remove systemic barriers, and elevate academic achievement. Today, I am proud to share that we are seeing real, measurable progress.
To celebrate the incredible momentum of our district, I would like to highlight just some of the remarkable milestones from this past year that reflect our values and our vision in action:
New Mission, Vision, and Value Statements: Earlier this school year, the RPS School Board approved a new mission, vision, and values that are now actively guiding the development of our next strategic plan. This foundational framework will shape the direction of Rochester Public Schools through 2030, ensuring these milestones are just the beginning of a long-term trajectory of success. You can view them on the RPS website to see the guiding principles behind our ongoing work.
Sustained Academic Progress: Data from the Minnesota Department of Education shows that our district-wide graduation rate has climbed steadily over the last three years to 86.20%. Most importantly, we have seen significant, closing-the-gap gains for our student subgroups, including a nearly 10% increase for our Hispanic or Latino students and a 7.6% increase for students eligible for free or reduced-price meals. This is proof of what happens when we implement focused efforts like our High School on Track initiative and continue to provide exceptional opportunities for students to succeed.
Innovation on the World Stage: Our joint Mayo, John Marshall, and Century High Schools varsity robotics team, Inconceivable Robotics, put Rochester on the global map. Not only did they have a highly successful trip to the MSHSL State Tournament, but they also qualified for the World Championship and took home the prestigious Dunwoody Award for design innovation.
Honoring Indigenous Culture and Language: Following the launch of our Indigenous Language and Culture course in our high schools this year, we partnered with Re-Root Academy to launch the Indigenizing Pedagogies & Dakota Cohort. This first-of-its-kind program is training and licensing future teachers of Native American Language and Culture right here in our community.
Re-engaging every learner: In alignment with our commitment to building belonging and connection, we launched The Reentry Project. This compassionate outreach is part of our initiative to promote consistent attendance and reduce chronic absenteeism by proactively identifying, re-engaging, and supporting students who have been separated from school due to extended absences. By actively meeting families where they are, we are establishing paths back to enrollment, supporting the whole student, and future academic success.
Removing Barriers through Collaboration: In a wonderful example of investing in our community’s future, Rochester Public Schools partnered with Rochester Public Transit to offer free city bus rides to all high schoolers. This simple, effective collaboration has broken down transportation barriers, helping us tackle chronic absenteeism head-on.
Each of these achievements is a testament to the dedication of our educators, the resilience of our students, and the unwavering support of our families and community partners. Together, you have proven that when we challenge our students to strive, our entire community is supported to thrive.
Looking ahead, we are excited to carry this momentum forward as we finalize our new strategic plan to guide Rochester Public Schools through 2030, ensuring these milestones are just the beginning of a long-term trajectory of success. Thank you for your partnership, your trust, and your commitment to public education.
I wish you all a safe, joyful, and restful summer.
Warmly,
Kent Pekel, Ed.D.
Superintendent