Dakota Middle School

The RPS School Board will meet today at 5:30 p.m. in the Edison Board Room (615 7th St SW). On the agenda for tonight's study session is the SCIP 2.0 Success Measures and Process Recommendation. If you cannot attend in person, you can livestream the meeting at https://www.youtube.com/isd535. You can view tonight's and other meeting's full agendas at https://rochesterschools.org/simbli.

Rochester Public Schools wouldn't be the same without the dedicated, compassionate, and hardworking individuals who make a difference every day, whether they're teaching in classrooms, supporting students, or keeping our schools running smoothly behind the scenes. As a small gesture of gratitude, we invite you to share a few words of encouragement with a staff member who has made a positive impact on you or your student(s). Your message can go a long way in brightening someone's day and reminding them just how appreciated they are. Send a thank you card: https://www.rochesterschools.org/article/2149885

There is no school from Monday, March 31, to Friday, April 4. Students, enjoy your spring break vacation. See you back on Monday, April 7!

Registration for Spring Activities is Open! Go to www.rochesterce.org/afterschool to find before and after school activities, scholarship information, and late bus routes.

Looking for a way to get involved with RPS? Join our CCIAC group. We need a diverse group of parents, community members, business leaders, and students to share their voices about the education of all Rochester Public Schools learners. The role of the CCIAC is to provide input and feedback on curriculum, instruction, and learning across RPS schools. The next meeting is Thursday, April 17, at the Edison Building, 615 7th ST SW. The group will meet for 90 minutes and dinner will be provided. Please RSVP at: https://bit.ly/cciac-rsvp

RPS is canceling school tomorrow, Wednesday, March 19, 2025, in anticipation of the blizzard warning issued by the National Weather Service. Here’s what this means: ➡️ This is a complete District building closure due to the anticipated severity of the storm. We will not be clearing parking lots until the storm has passed. ➡️ High school MCA testing is rescheduled for next week. Families will receive further communication from their respective schools about the rescheduled date. ➡️ School Age Child Care (SACC) will be closed. ➡️ 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. ➡️ All after-school activities and athletics are canceled.

Join us for our hiring event on Friday, March 28 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.! Open positions include: Licensed School Counselors Speech Language Pathologist Assistants Education Support Professionals Special Education Teachers Math Teachers Science Teachers Maintenance workers Occupational Therapists Health Office Nurses/Licensed School Nurses Student Nutrition Services and more! Join us at the Edison Board Room, 615 7th St SW. Walk-ins are welcome, and virtual interviews are available! Sign up for a virtual interview at https://bit.ly/march29hiringevent. Join the RPS team and make a direct impact on your community!

Students will not report to school on Wednesday, March 12. Staff will be participating in a curriculum adjustment day. We will see students back on Thursday, March 13.

Parents and caregivers, did you know your child's school supplies could mean more money back in your pocket next tax season? 📚✨ Save those receipts and discover how the K-12 Education Credit and Subtraction can boost your refund: https://www.revenue.state.mn.us/k-12-education-subtraction-and-credit

Students will not report to school on Monday, February 17, in observance of Presidents Day. Staff will participate in a districtwide professional development day. Students will return to school on Tuesday, February 18.

All schools except Longfellow Elementary will be closed on Friday, January 24. Students, enjoy your day off. RPS staff will be participating in a PD/grading day. We'll see you back on Monday, January 27!

RPS will be closed tomorrow, Tuesday, January 21, due to forecasted extreme cold weather conditions. ➡️ School Age Child Care (SACC) will be open 8:30 a.m. - 4 p.m. at Northrop Education Center (201 8th St. NW). ➡️ 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 reservations are canceled. ➡️ All Professional Growth Academy classes are canceled. ➡️ No supper meals will be provided. ➡️ After-school activities will continue as normal for high schools. No after-school buses will be running from the middle schools to high schools today. Middle school students, please plan accordingly.

There will be no school on Monday, January 20, and RPS offices will be closed in observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day. We will resume normal business hours on Tuesday, January 21.

Dakota Families, Please see this week's newsletter which contains a lot of new information about upcoming events. These events include PTSA fundraisers, the Dakota Dental Clinic, Century boys basketball youth night, Middle School Career Academy summer programming, and more. https://secure.smore.com/n/03ex6

Community Newsletter https://secure.smore.com/n/pr4vj

Winter Community Ed Registration is now open! Registration deadline is January 30th.

Welcome back, students! We hope you had a restful break. We're excited to see all the growth and learning that will happen in the remainder of the school year!

RPS offices will be closed on Wednesday, January 1, in observance of New Year's Day. We will resume normal business hours on Thursday, January 2.

RPS offices will be closed from Monday, December 23, through Wednesday, December 25, in observance of the Christmas holiday. We will resume normal business hours on Thursday, December 26.

Winter break is here! There is no school from December 23 through January 3 (Longfellow students, your break is through January 10). We hope you have a great winter break and we will see you students in the New Year!