RPS offices will be closed on Thursday, November 28, and Friday, November 29, in observance of the Thanksgiving holiday. We will resume normal business hours on Monday, December 2.
RPS offices will be closed, and there will be no school on Thursday, November 28, and Friday, November 29, in observance of the Thanksgiving holiday. We will resume normal business hours on Monday, December 2.
Reminder: there is no school from Wednesday, November 27 through Friday, November 29. Enjoy your fall break! We will see students back on Monday, December 2.
Hyvee and Salvation Army teamed up to provide over 350 Thanksgiving Meal Bags to Rochester Public Schools, including the ALC. Each bag can feed 4-6 people: They include a coupon for the price of a turkey or other food item, canned soup and veggies, a bag of potatoes, cookies, and Jello. We appreciate this extra help for our families during the holidays. Thank you!
ALC students have been exploring opportunities for after high school! They recently attended a College Fair (at RCTC), a STEAM Fair (at Century), and a MN State Southeast Winona tour! In between, students can request specific job shadows for a one-on-one look at a career. One student toured Carpet Booth Studios, and another sat down with Marie, photographer and owner of https://dm-create.com/. Students and families can reach Amy Petersilie, our Senior Transition Coordinator, at ampetersilie@rochesterschools.org.
The ALC values our parents'/caregivers' voices. Please join us for our first-ever ALC Parent/Caregiver Advisory Council meeting. Come learn about our school goals, their status, and we'll spend time listening to your ALC experience to help direct our work.
Details: Tuesday, December 10, 5:30-6:30pm, Cafe Connect (ALC). If you can make it, please complete this form so we can have the right amount of materials and light refreshments: https://tinyurl.com/alcparent1
The Rochester ALC is so lucky to have Mayo Clinic right here on-site. Meet the Clinic team! Clinic Hours are: Mon/Wed, 1-4:30pm AND Tues/Thurs, 8-11:30am. See the list of symptoms students can be seen for. A huge shoutout to our Clinic Coordinator, Alina Bachman, who welcomes students to the clinic and helps support the ALC/Mayo Clinic partnership.
Ms. Conley coordinates our wonderful Before/After School Program for our students. So many new experiences! Students can drop-in and transportation help is offered too.
Our ALC art students enjoyed a collaboration with University of Minnesota-Rochester professors and students. They explored the connection between music and mental health and constructed a music box to represent an aspect of themselves. The collaboration ended with a tour of UMR and a gallery showcase of the completed music boxes. A beautiful partnership!
Winter will be here soon, and we want to share our procedures with you should we have an unexpected school closing. Because these closures are unexpected, all families should have a contingency plan for their children in the event of school closings. Read more on what to expect: https://www.rochesterschools.org/article/1859223
One of our school goals this year is increased family engagement. We're grateful to partner with University of Minnesota-Extension SNAP/Health & Wellness Coordinators in leading a 4-week FAMILY COOKING CLASS! ALC families learn about healthy eating, cook and eat a recipe together, and receive a bag of groceries to take home to make the same meal again for their families.
Honoring all who served. Thank you, Veterans.
Once a quarter, our Night School students engage in a Student-Centered Learning Day, where they can sign up for an enrichment class. It's an opportunity to explore strengths and passions and learn new skills. Here are our students in action - a boxing class with Coach Corey, a Dutch pour art class with local artist Kay Fox, organized football at Rush World, and learning all about snakes with Ms. Milliken!
Our STUDENT ART SHOW is currently on display and the work is INCREDIBLE! ALC Families & Community Partners - If you get a chance to come to the ALC to check it out, there's a hanging notepad to leave students notes about their art.
Under the guidance of our wonderful Art Teacher, Mrs. Zaccariello, students were able to choose the type of art they wanted to create. This produced such a variety of mediums! Here are just a few pieces.
“The community’s approval of the Ignite Student Learning Referendum will enable Rochester Public Schools (RPS) to avoid closing schools, raising class sizes, and making major cuts to positions and programs that serve our students. It will provide RPS with the financial stability we need to continue implementing our ambitious strategic plan and to remain focused on our academic mission. Most importantly, it is an investment in our students that will pay off in the skilled workforce that Rochester needs to thrive in the decades ahead. We look forward to providing regular updates to the community on how the referendum funds are being used, and we will work hard to continue earning and strengthening the trust that the community has placed in us through its approval of the referendum on November 5, 2024.”
As the polls close and we await results, we want to thank everyone who participated in this important community decision about Rochester Public Schools.
It’s Election Day! Eligible voters have until 8 p.m. to vote on the Ignite Student Learning referendum seeking a levy increase for RPS to avoid school closures, protect class sizes, and continue helping every student succeed.
Visit RochesterSchools.org/Referendum to learn more.
What's at stake for RPS in this referendum?
If the Ignite Student Learning referendum is approved, additional funding will support academic programs and student services, maintain class sizes and vocational training, and protect faculty and staff positions.
If rejected, major budget cuts will lead to the closure of three schools, increased class sizes, reduced staffing, and diminished programs for academic growth and vocational training.
Learn more at https://referendum.rochesterschools.org/the-plan.
A reminder that there is no school on Tuesday, November 5. Teachers and administrators will participate in a Curriculum Planning Day, planning instruction and participating in professional development. We will see students back in school on Wednesday, November 6.
Tomorrow is Election Day! Today is the last day for early voting. You can vote today from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at 2122 Campus Drive SE, Suite 300, Rochester, MN, or 201 4th St. SE in Rochester, (Conference Room 104), Rochester, MN.
Don't forget to vote on the Ignite Student Learning referendum to increase the operating levy and allow RPS to continue helping every student reach their full potential.
Learn how to make your voice heard: https://referendum.rochesterschools.org/voting-information
