Rochester, MN - At last night’s School Board meeting, RPS Online Principal Brandon Macrafic announced that RPS Online will be changing its name to MNSync Online.
“The goal of the name change is to engage in a more comprehensive and statewide marketing effort to raise awareness of and enrollment in our unique, synchronous-first, K-12 online learning community,” said MNSync Online Principal Brandon Macrafic. “‘RPS Online,’ while meaningful in and around Rochester, does not carry the same weight or meaning statewide. We know more now about who we are as a learning community. We want to build a lasting profile that appeals to students and families searching for the best online learning community in Minnesota. We believe this starts with a new name!”
Initial discussions with Superintendent Pekel about the potential of changing names began in December of 2023. The following month, Principal Macrafic convened an eight-person steering committee, which established a list of preliminary school names and descriptors for consideration. The committee consisted of an elementary and secondary teacher, an Education Support Professional (ESP), the school PTA president and secretary, two students on the student council, and a member from the RPS Communications department. The committee gathered stakeholder feedback from the school community on the preliminary names, including rankings and opinions, both positive and constructive. By March 2024, a consensus was reached on a final school name recommendation, and MNSync Online was the favorite.
Some stakeholder feedback includes:
I like the idea of using “MN” in the name.
This encompasses both the format and location. But it’s also trendy!
I think that it gives a clear representation of what the school is.
I prefer this one the most. It's state-specific and sounds like you're synching or bringing the students around the state together.
This name ties in with every aspect of the school. This is the best option by far. It’s concise, and it has clarity. The “sync” aspect also underscores inclusion and cohesion.
Love it; it is a more straightforward explanation of what the school is (synchronous first learning).
MNSync Online’s new school name will go into effect today, Wednesday, April 10, 2024.