"If you want a child’s mind to grow, you must first plant a seed."
Last night, students and families came together to help Riverside Elementary "bloom" within Rochester. To prepare for this celebration, students, families, and staff have been expanding Riverside's outdoor classroom with new benches and hammock stands, which have helped to prepare Riverside's garden. Our community partners, Master Gardeners of Rochester, WSU, and Mike Arturi of The Lovin Spoonful, helped our families experience the outdoors through integrated, hands-on learning experiences within Riverside's DNR-certified School Forest and garden. These Deeper Learning experiences allowed families to enrich their lives, unite as one community, and plant ideas for future learning experiences for Riverside students.
In honor of its 50th Anniversary this year, RPS Community Education is seeking submissions of artwork by our community members about our community to reinforce the lifelong learning mission of Community Education through our publications, event wear, items for sale, and other ways. Submissions are due April 30. Learn more: https://www.rochesterschools.org/article/1544243
Today, April 26, is Arbor Day! Celebrate today by:
• Hiking through the woods on a nearby trail. (Information on Rochester area trails can be found at rochestermn.gov/government/departments/parks-recreation/parks-trails-recreation-facilities/park-trail-system-maps)
• Planting or donating a tree.
• Reading a book about trees
• Making a plan to reduce, reuse and recycle.
Student Leadership comes in many forms: athletic teams, students of academic excellence, student councils, clubs, music, plays, and so much more. At Rochester Public Schools, we also offer our secondary students a unique opportunity to participate in our Student School Board program.
Read More: https://www.rochesterschools.org/article/1568759
The beat was strong, and the energy was high at Dakota Middle School's first drumline performance today, where students showed their peers what they have been working on behind the band room walls!
They're often the first faces you see when you walk into a building, and they're always ready and willing to help. Our schools and buildings wouldn't be the way they are without them. Thank you to all of our administrative professionals!
Are you interested in running for the RPS School Board this fall or learning more about how our school board runs? School Board Academy is an important opportunity to learn about the responsibilities, requirements, resources, policies, and practices related to being a member of the Rochester ISD #535 School Board. This event will take place at the Edison Board Room (615 7th St SW). It will be very informative to individuals considering running for the Rochester School Board or community members looking for a deeper understanding of the work of the school board. Chair Cathy Nathan and Vice Chair Julie Workman will teach the classes.
Please sign up for one of the two dates - the content will be identical on both days. Sign up here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSczs9EoouSVpCvzS-6ePsBIF9pSzAs_C8ffRW-KxPjOWebt1g/viewform
Hey future RPS kindergarten families, you've had a chance to tour your school and meet your principal, now join us for an information fair! Meet with RPS departments like transportation, Student Nutrition Services, School Age Child Care, and more, and our partner community organizations like United Way of Olmsted County, Mayo Clinic, Olmsted Medical Center, Cradle2Career. The Kindergarten Information Fair is on Thursday, May 2, from 4:30- 7 p.m. at Mayo High School.
Happy Earth Day! We can't wait to hear about all the earth day activities throughout our schools.
Looking for ideas? Try one of the fun earth-friendly activities 🌎 below:
• Bring a trash bag on your family walk and fill it with any trash you find.
• Try "earth painting" by using mud as paint on sidewalks or paper or use non-toxic watercolors to paint river rocks.
• Create a Recycle, Reuse, Reduce collage: Use "trash" (paper scraps, labels, junk mail, and other found items) and glue to create a multimedia masterpiece.
• Learn more about what you can recycle as a family with a tour by Olmsted County Environmental Resources this Saturday, April 27, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at their Waste-to-Energy Facility. More information: https://bit.ly/49Hd5VO
Let's grow together!
Wishing a happy Passover to those who celebrate.
Happy Mahavir Jayanti to those who celebrate.
Happy First Day of Ridván to those who celebrate.
In our efforts to bridge the communication gap and further engage families in their student's education, RPS partners with TalkingPoints to introduce two-way communication into our school communities. Currently, our families are utilizing TalkingPoints in over 40 languages, helping families remove language barriers.
This school year, our staff and families have exchanged over two million messages through TalkingPoints. We hope to continue the conversation with you!
Franklin Elementary School has enriched and engaged students and families throughout the school year. Catch up on some of the fantastic opportunities our students have had and are currently experiencing:
• Free after-school enrichment program
• Collaborative Community Mural
• Youth bench building project
• Strategies for Success Parent Education Series
• Swimming Program
Learn more about these experiences: https://www.rochesterschools.org/article/1557797
Hey RPS students, as the weather warms, we wanted to remind you of the importance of safety, especially as you walk or ride your bike or scooter to school. We made a video with the Rochester Police Department with a few reminders: https://youtu.be/x1kYWW081ng?si=K7MJQdDL3Jz_ybxv
April is National Bilingual/Multilingual Learner Advocacy Month and a time to celebrate the linguistic diversity that bilingual and multilingual students and families bring to our school community. As a school district, we support our multilingual families with the help of multilingual and bilingual specialists who help break language barriers and strengthen communication between our staff, students, and school communities.
Meet our Bilingual Specialists :
Wishing a happy Rama Navami to those who celebrate.
Set your clocks! School Age Child Care (SACC) registration opens tomorrow for Summer SACC at 6:00 a.m. Brush up on some of our registration tips and visit Eleyo to make sure you're ready to register: https://sso.reg.eleyo.com/authorize?client_id=TCE&redirect_uri=https://rochester.ce.eleyo.com/account/login/via/sb&district=rochester
In this month's incoming kindergarten newsletter, we are focusing on Student Health Services. We aim to provide safe and healthy learning environments for all students and want to be prepared to support every child upon entering our buildings. Read more: https://www.rochesterschools.org/article/1555220
As your student begins their education experience at Rochester Public Schools (RPS), you might wonder how to navigate the school system, especially managing school schedules around your work hours.
RPS offers an opportunity to ensure your student is in the best care where they can learn, grow, and have fun through School Age Child Care Program (SACC) at all RPS elementary schools. SACC provides a safe, nurturing environment for before and after-school care where students can feel valued and have a sense of belonging.
Learn more about SACC: https://www.rochesterschools.org/article/1555003
