Dear RPS community,
Earlier this week, at the August 4th school board meeting, the school board voted unanimously to approve the Facilities Strategy Recommendation and Financing Plan. Since July 2025, our district has been working on a thoughtful strategy to address enrollment changes, upgrade our facilities, and ensure our spaces best support our educational programs.
Over the past year, we have carefully evaluated many options to make the best use of our district resources. Based on this work, we can expect the following positive developments to occur in our school district over the next three years:
More students in our comprehensive high schools will be able to prepare for jobs in the trades and other fields as we relocate the CTECH career and technical education classes into our three comprehensive high schools.
Students at the Rochester Academy for Independent Living (RAIL), Phoenix Academy, and Middle School ALC will learn in facilities that truly meet their educational, physical, and developmental needs.
Early childhood students will begin their educational journey at Gage Elementary and have the opportunity to continue learning in that wonderful school, helping to more fully utilize the building. In addition, our high-quality early learning programs will be available in another part of our community.
Students at Churchill-Hoover Elementary School will be able to start their educational journeys in kindergarten and continue to learn and grow in the same building with the same wonderful staff through 5th grade.
RPS will be able to continue offering girls' gymnastics, avoiding the need to eliminate the sport, as districts around us have recently been forced to do.
The Friedell building will not become a physical and financial bottleneck in the coming years, as systems and structures age and need costly replacements and upgrades.
Importantly, we will be able to make all of these changes without increasing taxes and redrawing attendance boundaries and forcing students to change schools.
While we know that change brings adjustments, we are confident these steps will create a brighter, more efficient, and more welcoming future for all our students, staff, and families. We are eager and committed to partner with you in a transparent design process as we bring this vision to life.
Sincerely,
Kent Pekel, Ed.D.
Superintendent