Rochester Public Schools -

Happy Bodhi Day to those who celebrate!

School Board Treasurer, Dr. Jess Garcia, gives a short summary of some of the highlights from the December 5th School Board Study Session. Watch the video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dm-lC9ONCCw

Are you looking for a creative way to honor your student's teacher, principal, or other RPS staff member this holiday season? Make a donation to Rochester Public School Foundation in that staff member's name! Visit http://www.rpsf.org/HonorStaff

We want to end this week by giving a shout out Laura, one of our fantastic educators recently nominated for Education Support Professional of the Year with Education Minnesota. She didn't win the nomination, but we are extremely proud of her work at RPS. Laura works with many of our elementary school teams as a BAMH ESP. She objectively observes students to gain insight into the nuances of their behavior and provides behavioral support for special education teams, training to ESPs, assists in the implementation of BAMH interventions, and collects data on student behavioral outcomes. Thanks for all you do, Laura!

Do you have a degree in general education? Have you ever considered looking into special education but are concerned about the training to enter that field? Did you know you can be a special education teacher on a variance? Join us at our Walk-In Hiring Event tomorrow, December 8, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. For more information, go to www.rochesterschools.org/apply Check out this video to learn more: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oClYbOa2q1U

Did you know that anyone with a four-year degree can become a teacher? Or if they hold an education degree, they can be a special education teacher on a variance? -> Those who have a four-year degree not in education, but are interested in education can receive a Tier 1 License to be able to teach. A Tier 1 licensure candidate must hold a minimum of a bachelor’s degree and have a job offer from a public school. The license is valid for one school year and expires on June 30 of the expiration year. It may be renewed up to three times. -> Those with an education degree can receive a variance to become a special education educator. A variance is a special permission granted for already fully licensed teachers to teach in another licensure area in which they don’t hold licensure. They are granted to the school district for an individual one year at a time, usually for no more than three years. Rochester Public Schools is seeking qualified candidates for our open special education positions: special education teachers for birth through three years old, early childhood, elementary, and secondary school, and special education ESPs. Those hired would receive support including coaching, professional development, and on-the-job training related to the job. We are hosting a walk-in hiring event this Friday, December 8, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the Edison Board Room (615 7th St SW, Rochester) for our special education positions. Virtual interviews are also available.

Wishing a Happy Hanukkah to those who celebrate!

How early do you think students wake up to study? Well, last week, Superintendent Kent Pekel went to Mayo High School to investigate and ran into the students of Mr. Johnson's AP Calculus class. Check it out: https://youtu.be/W3bBRTUDv0M

For those who are in need of food, here are some immediate and long-term food support resources. Thanks to Channel One Regional Food Bank for helping to put together this resource.

Did you know that you can be a teacher if you have a 4-year degree? Or that you can be a teacher even if you don't have a degree in education? Check out this video to learn more about teaching opportunities in Special Education for Rochester Public Schools here: https://youtu.be/oClYbOa2q1U

You can view the Attendance Options Redesign Boundary Locator page on our website to see where the proposed boundaries would be: https://rochesterschools.org/aor-boundary-locator. Please read through the content on the page before using the boundary locator, as it explains how to best utilize the map. Once you’ve viewed the proposed boundary, you can estimate which Transportation Zone you are in by following the instructions on our website. For reference: Walk Zone -> 1.25 miles from elementary school -> 1.5 miles from middle school -> 2 miles from high school RPS Transportation Zone -> Beyond the walk zone listed above to the edge of the school's boundary. Self Transportation Zone -> If you live anywhere outside of the school's boundary. Disclaimer: Once boundaries are confirmed, we will accurately identify walk and transport zones within each attendance area and communicate that with families in the spring. You can tune in to the Study Session live tomorrow at 5 p.m. via our YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/@ISD535.

Today is National Special Education Day. On this day in 1975, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act was signed into law granting access to children with special needs free and quality public education. Our students with special needs are excellent and work hard to succeed and we are proud of the opportunity we have in the district to provide them with all the tools they need to succeed. We are also thankful for our hardworking Special Education staff who work tirelessly to support our students.

This afternoon was the 40th Anniversary of the Mayor’s Medal of Honor award ceremony. Each year since 1984, the mayor of Rochester, MN, recognizes people from the community who have gone above and beyond to make a difference in our city. We are delighted to share that two students and a teacher from RPS were honored with the Mayor’s Medal of Honor: Mr. Michael Olson, teacher from Folwell Elementary - Educational Excellence Award Aaron Ress, student from John Marshall High School - Sustainability Award Isha Kapoor, student from Mayo High School - Youth Serving Community Award Congratulations, Isha, Aaron, and Mr. Olson, for your awards! We are so proud of your achievements, hard work, and dedication.

School Board Director, Jean Marvin, gives a short summary of some of the highlights from the November 28st School Board Meeting. Watch the video here: https://youtu.be/klRgSR2sXYY

Did you know that you can be a teacher if you have a 4-year degree? Or that you can be a teacher even if you don't have a degree in education? Check out this video to learn more about teaching opportunities in Special Education for Rochester Public Schools here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zbyVDNYcZ9o

The Minnesota legislature passed a new statute requiring all schools, on Indigenous People’s Day, to spend time during the school day observing the holiday. Suggested topics include the history of treaties, federal boarding schools, Indigenous languages, Indigenous medicines and cultural or spiritual practices, sovereignty of Tribal nations, contributions of Indigenous people, and issues affecting Indigenous communities. As we wrap up Native American Heritage Month, we want to provide you with resources from the Minnesota Department of Education so you can continue learning about Native American Heritage after the month concludes: American Indian Academic Standards Book List Anton Treuer MPR Everything You Wanted To Know About 'Indians' : NPR NEA Native Education Micro-Credential NIEA Digital Learning Resources Land Acknowledgement Resources MDE American Indian Education Teaching and Learning resources Links to these resources and more can be found on: https://education.mn.gov/MDE/dse/indian/

Multi-award-winning artist Keith Secola visited Rochester Public Schools this week and presented a workshop to students at Harriet Bishop and Jefferson Elementary schools. He talked about his music and Indigenous culture and performed some songs. He also stopped by Dakota Middle School to help with an arrangement he composed for the 8th grade band. Later at Dakota, he gave a performance that was open to the public. Secola was commissioned by Dakota Middle School to write “Kokopelli Blues” which the Dakota Middle School band will perform publicly at John Marshall High School on December 7 at 7 p.m. We are grateful to have had such a wonderful opportunity to host Keith Secola!

Congratulations to RPS' Executive Director of Equity and Engagement Will Ruffin II for being selected as one of two recipients of the Bridge Builder Award! The Bridge Builder Award honors civic, religious, community and academic leaders and individuals who work to establish cooperative relationships and mutual understanding across racial, social, economic and religious groups for the betterment of Rochester and the surrounding communities. Through unique partnerships, these individuals raise awareness, share knowledge, or provide solutions through programs or projects that stand as examples of the great power and possibility when people join together for a common goal.

What are some ways that RPS supports career development? Through our: -Hawthorne Adult Education - we offer career pathways into office and healthcare settings -Community Education at Northrop -CTECH and PTECH programs -PSEO Reach out to your counselor for more programs if you’re a student, adults reach out to community education to learn about ways to continue your education journey! https://www.rochesterce.org

Tonight's Board Meeting is an informational meeting where Superintendent Pekel will present the proposal. The Board will not vote on this proposal until January 23, 2024. There will be several opportunities for analysis, information, and feedback between today and the vote in January. A survey will be available next week. If you have feedback in the meantime, please email redesign@rochesterschools.org. More information about the timeline can be found at www.rochesterschools.org/attendance-options-redesign. If you would like to watch tonight's meeting, it will be livestreamed at https://www.youtube.com/@ISD535. Note: If you would like to speak at a future regular session school board meeting during the Comments to the Board portion of the meeting, you must submit a written request by email to the Assistant School Board Clerk at the following email address: asb@rochesterschools.org before 5:00 p.m. on the day before the School Board meeting. The written request must state: (1) the individual’s name, (2) whether the individual has a child attending school in the School District, (3) whether the individual is employed by the School District, (4) whether the individual is a student in the School District, and (5) whether the individual is a local property taxpayer to Rochester Public Schools. The assistant school board clerk will follow up.