August: Rochester ALC Newsletter

ALC Students, Families, & Community Partners - Please scan this newsletter for important back-to-school information. The staff are looking forward to the first week of school!

Monday, August 26 - First day of school for 9th graders ONLY

Tuesday, August 27 - First day of school for ALL students and Night School

Friday, August 30 and September 2 - No School

Attendance is important to your student's success. If your student will be absent, late, or will need to leave school early, please save this absence line in your contacts: 507-328-3958 (24/7 voicemail system to report absences in advance).

Transportation:

• Register your student for bussing - Registered Rider Form (Families using Transportation can download the First View app to see where their student's buses are. The district code for the app is M6QE.)

Meals:

• Complete the Free and Reduced Lunch Form
  
• All students will receive FREE breakfast and lunch this school year. See the Menus.
  
• Add $ to your student's lunch account, if needed
  

Skyward:

• Check that you can log in to Skyward to see your student's schedule, grades, attendance, and more. If you can't, email the ALC Office Manager, Caryn Lewison.

Calendars, Phone #s, Bell Times

• 2024-2025 Student Calendar
  
• 2024-2025 School Directory and Bell Times
• Rochester Police Department's Safe City Nights - Tuesday, August 27 (last one!)
  

#CelebrateRPS

You can now give a shout out to a student, staff member, or community partner who has gone above and beyond. These will be shared through Rochester Public Schools' website, newsletters, and social media. Click HERE to share your positive story.

"People won't change the way they talk about us until we change the way we talk about us."

Students are encouraged not to bring cell phones or other electronic devices including smart watches and earbuds/air pods to school. If students choose to bring a cell phone/device to school, the device(s) will be collected and stored during the full school day. Smart watches may be worn for telling time only. This applies to both day school and night school.

Click the picture or this link to learn about Food Assistance, Housing Assistance, Energy Assistance, Children's Health & Mental Health, Substance Use & Addiction, Legal Resources, Employment Resources, and more.

As part of the general election on November 5, Rochester Public School District voters will

consider a proposal to increase the school operating levy by $1,133 per pupil annually.

What the 2024 Referendum Would Support - If it passes, the referendum will provide 10 years of funding for:

1. Positions that support students who are behind academically.

2. Programs that challenge academically advanced students.

3. Services for students who struggle with mental health and wellbeing.

4. Classes that prepare students for vocational and technical jobs.

If the referendum fails, RPS will need to make major cuts in all four of these areas and will need to close schools and raise class sizes across the district in order to close the projected $19.4 million deficit.

ELECTION DAY IS TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 5. ABSENTEE/EARLY VOTING BEGINS ON FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 20.

To help keep our Resource Rooms and Food Pantry shelves filled, we're reaching out to community partners to adopt our school for one month of the school year. A donation drive would involve asking your employees/members if they'd be willing to donate a supply item or two for our Resource Room and Food Pantry during that one month. Click on the blue flier for a list of our ongoing needs. If this interests you, please contact Sweta Patel for more information. Currently, all months September-May are open for a donation drive. Please help if you can!

Note: Individuals can drop off needed items any time school is in session, 8:30am-4pm.

We have a box in the main office to collect Hy Vee receipts. Please continue to add your receipts to the box. Hy-Vee will give a portion of the total amount back to the RALC.

To learn more about United Way's campaign to support Community Schools, click HERE!

I'm entering my 17th school year at the ALC! My hope is to build, sustain, and help coordinate partnerships between the Rochester ALC and the community. If you have ideas for how we can partner with an individual, business, or organization, please feel free to reach out.

Visit and "like" our ALC Facebook page to follow what our students are up to! 🍎

College & Career Readiness Partners:

• RCTC & FYEX College Success Class (on-site post-secondary advisor)
• Workforce Development (Youth Build: a construction class)
• Rotary Club (STRIVE mentoring programs for seniors)
• Altra Federal Credit Union (personal finance lessons)
• Rochester Public Library (access to books for classroom libraries)
  

Enrichment & Real-World Learning Partners:

• United Way and Bridge Collaborative (community partnerships support)
• RideAbility (equine therapy)
• Rochester Public Library
• Ben Franklin Elementary (mentoring program)
• Public Health / Nature Rx (experiencing local/state parks)
• University of Minnesota-Rochester (collaborative art project)
• Head Start / Bright Futures / Early Childhood Family Education (Parenting Group)
  
• Olmsted County 4H (STEM units)
• Corey Kline (boxing)
  
• Ryan Stock Martial Arts

Health & Wellness Community Partners:

• Mayo Clinic (on-site health clinic, on-site blood drive)
• Public Health
• Zumbro Valley Mental Health (on-site therapists & wellness series / Tobacco Treatment)
• Winona State University (health/vision screenings)
• Families First (on-site daycare)
• Community Garden (Natalie, Master Gardener)
• Rochester Police Department
• Channel One
• Planned Parenthood
• Children's Dental Health Services
• Three Rivers Restorative Justice (9th grade circles, APEX Recovery School - trained students)