Washington Elementary School

Congrats to our Dolphins of the Week! Thank you to Texas Roadhouse, Bowlocity, Applebees and Buffalo Wild Wings! Lilia, George, Allie, Ela, Izzy, Titus, Muzan, Sophia, Asher, Jeremy, Jordi, Connor, Karson, and Evan

More from our Washington Science Fair!

Annual Washington Science Fair! Over 146 participants and 106 projects! Well done Washington! Way to represent.

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

Here's your reminder - School Age Child Care (SACC) summer registration opens Tomorrow, April 16, 2025, at 6:00 a.m. for Summer SACC! If you're considering summer care for your K-5 students, consider making it a summer of fun with our educational and enriching summer school age child care! Learn more at www.rochesterschools.org/sacc.

Congratulations to the Dolphins of the Week! Olive, John, Norabella, Chanmonica, William, Emma, Maryama, Charlie, Davina, Jetsyn, Nicholas and Eddy

Beep Beep... coming to Goose Egg Park in May! Come explore the vehicles that ignite your young child's imagination at the 30th Annual Transportation Fair! Save the date for Saturday, May 10 from 10:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and a special concert by Justin Roberts from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. No registration is required for this fun and free family event, sponsored by PAIIR - Parents Are Important in Rochester, School Readiness, and Rochester Public Works!

Washington Elementary Social Worker Bonnie Kessen was honored at a school-wide assembly for National School Social Workers Week. Oh! We also gave her a GOAT Award. Bonnie provides excellent mental health services to students. Bonnie is a consistent leader and role model in our department. She is always willing to volunteer and engage in strengthening services and best practices not only in her practice but also within her school building and the social work department. Bonnie's school social work services are innovative, thoughtful, evidence based, and supportive to students, families, and those she works with. Bonnie has dedicated over 15 years to RPS, making a profound impact at Washington, Gibbs, and Gage elementary schools, as well as supporting older students at Von Wald. With unwavering dedication, she has been a steadfast advocate for students, families, and colleagues, always championing their needs. Her commitment to professional growth and excellence as a school social worker has not only strengthened her own expertise but has also uplifted those around her. As a leader on her team, Bonnie has consistently upheld the highest ethical standards, embraced best practices, and shared her invaluable insight to drive meaningful change. Her dedication has left a lasting mark on the schools and the lives she has touched. We are deeply grateful for all she has done! Bonnie is such a dedicated elementary school social worker, pours her heart into supporting every child who walks through our doors, but she holds a special place for those who tend to have challenges at school. Whether it’s a student who's battle unsettling feelings, facing challenges outside of school, or stumbling to keep up in class, she is their unwavering advocate, offering a listening ear, a reassuring smile, and the tools they need to succeed. She works tirelessly to ensure each child feels seen, valued, and capable, collaborating with teachers, families and community outreach to create a nurturing environment where all students can thrive. Check out her GOAT video on our Facebook! https://www.facebook.com/share/r/1Hxcon4V2x/

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!

Beyond the office, Principal Schroeder is building connections! On Tuesday, he rolled up his sleeves and served lunch to support our amazing Washington Elementary staff and students. Meeting students where they are means stepping in and making a difference, one lunch tray at a time.

Calling all future kindergarten students! Save the date: we're hosting our annual Kick Off 2 Kindergarten Fair on Thursday, May 8, from 4 to 7 p.m. at Century High School (2525 Viola Rd NE, Rochester, MN 55906). Stop by to learn more about Kindergarten at RPS and visit our departments, such as Transportation, Student Nutrition, School Aged Child Care, Registration, and more, as well as community partner organizations. You can also take photos in our photo booth! Tell your friends and join us!

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

Floor hockey championships today! Congrats to Team Curtis! A few fun facts: 87% of our 3rd, 4th, 5th graders participated. 14 captains 50 regular season games

Congratulations to our Dolphins of the Week! Norah, Rynn, Kamari, Jhacari, Arthur, Victoria, Levi, Neo, Claire, Emilia, Nolan, Theo, and Paislee

Our kindergarteners had guest visitors from JM today! Thank you for coming! Please come back!

Set your clocks! School Age Child Care (SACC) summer registration opens April 14, 2025, at 6:00 a.m. for Summer SACC. If you're considering summer care for your K-5 students, consider making it a summer of fun with our educational and enriching summer school age child care! Learn more at www.rochesterschools.org/sacc.

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!

Congratulations to our Dolphins of the Week! Miles, Liv, Aaron , Jack , Layla, Larry, Henry, Gabby, Lily, Thomas, Katherine, Harper, Kaisei and Leo