Rochester Public Schools -

If you need to go outside and touch grass—erm—I mean snow, join us in celebrating Minnesota Winter Walk Day on February 4. Will the air hurt your face? Maybe. But we promise you absolutely zero mosquitoes! RPS's Winter Walk Celebration highlights the importance of active routes to school and promotes physical activity that supports student health and well-being. So grab your warmest gloves and join us for a winter walk!

Due to anticipated extreme cold weather, RPS will be closed on Friday, January 23 (not Thursday, January 22).

Here’s what this means:

• Longfellow Elementary students will not report to school.

• The Non-School Day School Aged Child Care (SACC) at Bamber and Jefferson is canceled.

• Inclement Weather SACC will be open 8:30 a.m. - 4 p.m. at Northrop Education Center (201 8th St. NW).

  • To attend, families must be registered as a SACC participant, but do not need to have been previously signed up for the planned non-school day.

• All PAIIR, Preschool Age Child Care (PACC), Preschool, and Community Education daytime and evening classes, for early childhood, youth, adults, and adults with exceptional abilities, are canceled.

• Hawthorne Education Center is closed.

• All community building rentals are canceled.

• All Professional Growth Academy classes are canceled.

• Students enrolled in Post-Secondary Enrollment Options (PSEO) should check with the higher education institution for inclement weather information.

• All high school, after-school athletic and activities practices, performances, and games are canceled.

Looking for a way to help your middle schooler succeed? Dig deeper into your student's experience by joining our caregiver and parent empowerment sessions. This virtual mini-series is tailored for the middle school experience, where you'll learn about middle school academics, social growth, and relationships while also preparing your student for high school. Sessions start next week, from January 20 to February 24, from 12 to 1 p.m. Drop in for one session or attend them all; we can't wait to start the conversation!

Register today: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1_GfuYOUxMpuXgUQYhR6LeSGGEaS3NIZlS_FuoWjyfCE/

RPS families: This is a reminder that there is no school on Monday, January 19, 2026, and RPS offices will be closed in observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

Real-world learning takes shape in our schools. Our Kellogg students traded their normal physical education gear for firefighter training equipment thanks to the Rochester Fire Department. Working together to roll tires, lift a training dummy, and handle real tools, students dug deep—pushing their physical limits while gaining a deeper understanding of the strength, teamwork, and preparation required in this vital career.

Join us for a night of discovery at our upcoming preschool open houses at Hoover and Mighty Oaks Early Learning Schools on January 14 from 4 to 7 p.m. Discover our schools, classrooms, and spaces that foster curiosity in your child. All families that participate will be entered to win a preschool swag basket.

As 2025 comes to a close, we want to end this series with a celebration of our schools. In 2025, we celebrated 50 years of Lincoln Elementary School at the Mann building, our only K-8 school in the District. We also celebrated 75 years of Jefferson Elementary School, a pillar in the community serving K-5 students in northeast Rochester. These milestones reaffirm our dedication to serving the Rochester community, and we look forward to the many years to come!

To the Rochester Public Schools’ Class of 2025, we couldn’t close out the year without one more celebration for you! You’re now on your next steps toward your future, and we wish you success in whatever path you choose. We hope you’ll continue to exemplify our District’s values in all that you do!

Sometimes, the first step is just showing up. This year, we started year 2 of our attendance matters initiative and saw an 11.4% increase in students who show up consistently to school. Attendance is a key skill that sets up students for success all school year long and for a successful future.

This year, Franklin Elementary’s school playground got a glow-up through grant funding, transforming the school playground into a pollinator garden for our buzzing friends, a nature play area to fuel discovery, recreation spaces for our classes and community, and a new outdoor classroom to bring learning to new heights. Even in the snow, what a way to celebrate 2025!

One of our greatest strengths is the vast opportunities that we offer to support our students' learning and our ability to meet them where they are. From Project Search, RAIL, and Middle School ALC, to our American Indian Education and Deaf and Hard of Hearing programs, we are proud of all our students and the growth and accomplishments they’ve achieved this year.