This year, Community Education is celebrating 50 years of service in the Rochester community. We are proud of our history and are committed to an even better future.
Join us Saturday, August 3, from 10 AM to 2 PM at Cascade Lake Park (88 23rd Ave SW) to celebrate this exciting milestone. Our 50th Anniversary Celebration will include live music, class demonstrations, and food trucks. We look forward to seeing you and hearing about how Community Education has touched your life.
Community Education encompasses a wide array of programs, from ECFE/PAiiR to Adult Programming for Exceptional Abilities, from Preschool to SACC, from Youth Activities to Adult Education at Hawthorne. We are thrilled to support our community in myriad ways and foster connections for everyone.
Several fundamental components define what Community Education is all about:
Strengthening the fabric of our community and individual well-being through shared lifelong learning experiences.
Involving the community in our schools and our schools in the community.
Making public facilities accessible beyond school hours.
Our goal is to collaborate on opportunities for community learning, development, and connection across all age groups, ultimately enhancing the quality of life for everyone.
RPS Community Education proudly serves our community members in many ways:
21st Century Community Learning Centers: Opportunities for students to build new skills during out-of-school-time hours at district and community locations.
Adult Literacy: GED and college preparation, English learning for adults, citizenship test preparation, basic and computer skills, and navigational support.
Early Childhood Family Education (ECFE) / Parents Are Important in Rochester (PAiiR): Parent education and young child education.
Early Childhood Developmental Screening: Screening at age three and referral for any health or developmental questions or concerns.
Enrichment Opportunities: Programs for preschool, youth, adults, and adults with exceptional abilities, focusing on skill-building and social connections.
Facility Reservations: Coordinating the use of school district facilities by the community.
RPS Preschool: Traditional half-day and full-day opportunities in multiple locations.
School Age Child Care/Preschool Age Child Care: Before/after-school care at preschool and elementary locations.
STEM Fair: Mentoring and preparation of science, technology, engineering, and math projects by students in Grades 6-12 for display and judging at the annual Fair.
Youth Community Service: Summer teams for students in Grades 5-12 to learn about area non-profit organizations and offer community service.
Our diverse portfolio of programs caters to individuals at all stages of life. Whether they are our youngest learners, young parents seeking parenting tips, newcomers to our community learning English, embarking on a new academic or career path, or retired community members looking to stay active and connected, at Rochester Community Education, Everyone Connects!
The important work of Community Education today was shaped by our predecessors.
A pioneer in Community Education is philosopher/psychologist John Dewey, who wrote about the connected relationships between a community, its schools, and society. Dewey believed that all members of a community have a responsibility to continue improving themselves, enhancing society, and the quality of life for everyone.
The modern idea of “Community Education” originated in Flint, Michigan, in the 1950s. College professor Frank Manley and then-Mayor Charles Stewart Mott developed after-school programs to utilize school space after 4 p.m. and throughout the summer. Their vision was to enhance the neighborhoods of Flint by making schools a focal point for health, recreation, and adult education. Michigan may have been the first, but Minnesota, in 1971, was the fourth state to pass legislation with sixteen school districts approving community school programs. Today, all school districts in Minnesota are served by a Community Education program, and the opportunities available have vastly improved based on the needs and wants of their communities.
We are fortunate to have a Community Education department in Rochester beyond comparison. We are led by a team of exceptional professionals committed to helping others experience success.
Let's celebrate our past and look forward to an even brighter future together!