A website for families in Rochester, MN

Schoolage Kids

Rochester offers a variety of resources designed just for parents of school-age children. Below you’ll find information on everything from kindergarten enrollment to tutoring to family volunteer opportunities to homeschooling resources.
Rochester School District Information
• Need to see a district map? Want to know what your home school is? Want an application for a district-wide school (these used to be called choice schools)? Maybe because of daycare you’re looking for an exception to attend form? Hoping to open enroll in the district? Click on the Rochester Public School District’s Enrollment, Registration & Records webpage.

• Questions about bussing to and from school? Will your child be a walker or a busser? Where’s the nearest school bus stop? Can you pay for your walker to be picked up by a bus? Does your child need to take the bus to or from daycare? Find answers on the Rochester Public School District’s Transportation Services webpage.

• New to the school district and want to find out which school your child is districted to attend? Moving within Rochester and need to submit a change of address form? Will your little one be starting kindergarten this fall and need to make sure all of their forms are completed? Call the Registration & Records Office (328-4200) or click here.

• Is your little one a preschooler (ages 3-5)? Then it’s time for their Early Childhood Check-In/Screening. The free screening of your child’s growth and development is required by the State of Minnesota and is provided by the Rochester School District. The best time to schedule your child’s check-in is when he or she turns 3 years old. The tasks you child will be asked to complete are age appropriate so just as your child grows and changes with age, so will the tasks he or she will complete at check-in. The check-in will not be easier because your child is older. Early Childhood Check-In gives parents an opportunity to see how their child is developing and connects families with community resources and services. To schedule a screening call 328-4004.

SCHOOLS
Rochester Public Schools has 16 public elementary schools (17 if you count Hoover and Churchill as separate schools). All Rochester public elementary schools are K through 5 with the exception of Lincoln which is K through 8.

  • Bamber Valley, 328-6187
  • Bishop, 328-6332
  • Churchill, 328-9654

PRIVATE ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS

PUBLIC MIDDLE SCHOOLS (6th – 8th grades)

  • Friedell (District-Wide School. Also houses the District’s only Highly Gifted (HG) middle school program. Families need to call to apply. Students selected through lottery.), 328-5650, 1200 South Broadway
  • John Adams, 328-5700 1525 31st St, NW
  • Kellogg, 328-5800, 503 17th St, NE
  • Lincoln (K-8 District-Wide School – families need to call to apply, students selected through lottery), 328-3550, 1122 8th Ave, SE
  • Willow Creek, 328-5900, 2425 11th Ave SE

PRIVATE MIDDLE SCHOOLS

PUBLIC HIGH SCHOOLS (9th – 12th grades)

PRIVATE HIGH SCHOOLS

  • Seeds of Wisdom (Christian Daycare ~ Preschool ~ Academy; Infants-Grade 12), 4925 HWY 52 N., 206-6633
  • Lourdes High School (Catholic, grades 9 – 12), 289-3991, 621 West Center Street
  • Schaeffer Academy (Classical education, Christian world view – K-12), 2700 Schaeffer Ln, NE, 286-1050
  • TransformED Academy (college and career academy, non-denominational Christian), 206-6754

ALL DAY NONPUBLIC KINDERGARTEN

  • All Day Kindergarten at Primrose, 424-2660. Nothing prepares your child for success in elementary school like a strong kindergarten experience. A balance of individual attention with a strong emphasis on reading and math skills provides each child with a solid foundation for elementary school success. Primrose also believes in a well-rounded education offering music, Spanish, physical education, art and character development on a daily basis. As an added convenience, your child is able to take part in our before and after school program all as a part of your weekly tuition cost.
  • Schaeffer Academy, 286-1050, is a classical Christian school that serves K-12 grades. We focus on phonics/reading, math and handwriting, but the students also participate in art, music, Latin, Bible, science, history and PE each week. Schaeffer Academy offers 3 options for kindergarten: Full-day kindergarten (M-F 7:45 am to 2:50 pm); Half-day academic morning kindergarten with Tues/Thur enrichment (MWF 7:45 am – 10:45 am; TR 7:45 am – 2:50 pm); Half-day academic morning kindergarten (M-F 7:45 am – 10:45 am).
  • The Ambassador Academy kindergarten program, 559 20th St. SW, is designed to be full-time only, 9 a.m. to 3:20 p.m. The focus is reading through phonics, spelling, handwriting (including cursive) and math but each student’s program is individualized to meet their needs. P.E., free-play recess and character-driven Bible stories are offered daily. Life-skills such as tying shoes, organizing, measuring, kitchen safety, reasoning skills and etiquette are emphasized to build confidence and independence. Personalized attention is provided so that each student has a positive experience in their first year of school. Class size not to exceed 10 students.

MINNESOTA ONLINE PUBILC SCHOOLS

  • To find out which online school best suits your student’s needs, families are encouraged to contact www.K12.com, K¹² education consultant, at 866-360-0159.
  • Minnesota Virtual Academy is an online public school associated with Houston, MN Public Schools. MVA is the largest online K-12 school in Minnesota and has delivered more than 75,000 courses since its inception in 2002.
  • Insight School of Minnesota offers students an alternative to “traditional” high school. At Insight—an accredited, online public high school chartered through the Brooklyn Center School District —students in grades 9-12 are able to complete their studies at their own pace through the school’s unique blocked quarter schedule.
  • iQ Academy Minnesota is an accredited, online public school program of Independent School District 544. iQ Academy Minnesota offers Minnesota students in grades K–12 an innovative, high-quality online learning experience which allows for flexibility and outstanding student support.

OTHER ROCHESTER SCHOOL DISTRICT INFORMATION

  • The Rochester Public School Foundation (RPSF), 285-8951, is a nonprofit organization dedicated to enhancing educational excellence for all. Established in 1988, the foundation works with the public school district to support innovative and creative projects through a grant process. Funding for RPSF comes from area businesses and individual donors. A contribution to RPSF is a great way to honor a teacher, staff person or graduate. Volunteering with RPSF is also a fun way to make an impact on students.
  • Rochester Public Schools Home School Coordinator, Edison Building (615 7th Street SW), 285-8551. Home School families living within the area of the Rochester Public Schools have a Home School Coordinator in the Edison Administration Building. This website is maintained by the Home School Coordinator, and features the state’s enrollment form, frequently-asked questions about home schooling in Minnesota, and even includes links to used book websites, field trip possibilities and community events for home schoolers, and curriculum suggestions recommended by other home-school families.
  • GATEway, 289-3899, the Rochester chapter of the Minnesota Council for the Gifted and Talented (MCGT), is a non-profit advocacy group comprised of parents, educators, and interested community members. GATEway collaborates with I.S.D. #535 to support academic challenge, rigor, and depth for all students in the Rochester Public Schools. We are committed to improving education for bright and gifted students as well as the entire student population. GATEway also sponsors educational events for students and families, informs parents and the community about the unique needs of gifted and talented students, and provides opportunities for families of gifted students to connect with each other. We welcome private school and homeschooling families as well. Please check our website for programs and meeting times.
  • The Parent/Family Involvement Committee‘s purpose is to educate parents, educators and the community about the value of parent and family involvement and to provide communication and strategies that support parent and family involvement throughout the district. The Parent/Family Involvement Committee meets once a month throughout the school year to provide support and resources for the implementation of this policy and has developed these resources for parents/guardians and educators: • The Parent and Family Involvement website • Tip sheets for elementary and secondary levels • Parent/Family Involvement notebooks at each school, which contain the policy, contacts, and resources for parents and educators, support materials, and parent involvement assessment tools.

CHILD CARE

  • Family Child Care, Inc., 535-7493, is a local non-profit organization that supports in-home family child care providers in Olmsted County. Family Child Care also offers a child care provider directory and classified ads section for providers to post their child care openings. Providers should also check out the website’s business articles, trainings, and legislative updates. If your family is looking for in-home family child care check out Family Child Care, Inc.
  • With nearly 20 years of experience, AuPairCare, 316-4856, has successfully placed more than 30,000 au pairs with American families throughout the United States. An au pair is a young adult from another country who lives with your family and provides quality care for your children. Au pairs works up to 45 flexible hours per week in exchange for a weekly stipend and the opportunity to live with an American family. All of our au pairs speak English and have been carefully screened and trained by AuPairCare.
  • If you are looking for a babysitter (either long-term or one-time), consider contacting the Child Development teachers at RCTC, 280-3148. They may be able to help you post a babysitting job that will be viewed by all of the Child Development students at RCTC.
  • School Age Child Care (SACC), 287-2179, provides quality enrichment opportunities in a nurturing and safe environment for students in Kindergarten through 5th grade. SACC is located at several Rochester public elementary school buildings. This includes before and after school care, non-school enrichment days, inclement weather days, and summer care.

PARENT GROUPS/RESOURCES

  • Check out our Parent Groups webpage.

EXTRACURRICULAR

  • The Community Education Youth Enrichment Program registration newsletter comes out each fall, winter, spring and summer. Registration newsletters are mailed directly to homes in the Rochester School District area and are also available online. The Community Education Youth Enrichment Program offers seasonal activities in: Recreation & Sports, Crafts & Cooking, Hobbies & Collectibles, Back to Nature, Health & Safety, Art & Theater, Master the Challenge, Trips & Tours.

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES

  • The United Way of Olmsted County’s Volunteer Center, 287-7877, provides easy access to a wide range of volunteer opportunities at nonprofit agencies and local government and educational agencies serving Southeastern Minnesota. Their searchable online database features hundreds of local volunteer opportunities in Dodge, Fillmore, Freeborn, Goodhue, Mower, Olmsted, Rice, Steele, and Wabasha counties. They link people (including families and groups) who want to help with places or issues where their time, talent, and interests can be utilized. You can search for volunteer opportunities by agency name, group size, issue area, zip code, ongoing or one-time opportunities, calendar of events, summer youth opportunities or holiday opportunities. Families can also search for volunteer opportunities based on the age of their younger family members.
  • Looking for a GREAT summer opportunity? Join SOS, 328-4000, for two weeks of FUN! Summer Of Service is a program for youth school-age youth. During each two-week session, youth will work on a team of ten helping our community with different service-learning projects. Registration forms available late winter/early spring through Rochester Community Education.

JOB OPPORTUNITIES

HOMESCHOOL

  • Rochester Public Schools Home School (click on “Home School Information”) • Edison Building (615 7th Street SW) • 328-3000 (see information above)
  • Rochester Area Association of Christian Home Educators. RAACHE members are a group of 200 home educating families working together to provide educational support, training, help and encouragement for home educators and students based upon Biblical principles, to facilitate excellence in academics, character, and citizenship.
  • MÂCHÉ. Minnesota Association of Christian Home Educators (MÂCHÉ) is a statewide organization for parents who have chosen to home educate.

TUTORING

  • TransformED is an independent non-profit organization providing the next generation of targeted skills training, going beyond what can be achieved through single-focus programs. By utilizing a holistic approach, TransformED integrates the cognitive, academic/vocational, and relational development of individuals to produce genuine transformation that lasts a lifetime and positively affects all areas of life. Cognitive skill development will improve a person’s ability to think, learn, remember, and pay attention, paving the way for increased capacity and performance in all things. Academic/vocational development helps the person apply the increased cognitive skills toward achieving meaningful short-term and long-term goals. Relational development enables the individual to utilize the increased cognitive and academic/vocational abilities in relation to others, the key to lifelong success. When the skills in these three areas are improved and integrated, learning becomes easier and efficient, school/work becomes fun and even rewarding, and relationships become healthy and substantial. By customizing the participant’s training based on a holistic trajectory analysis, TransformED can benefit individuals at their specific point of need at whatever place they are in life. Autism, Aspergers, ADD/ADHD, PDD/NOS, TBI, Dyslexia or other learning/working/relating challenges can be successfully overcome through proper integration and development of skills.
  • Write/Right Tutoring, 286-7888, is a private tutoring service for preschool through elementary school age children struggling with pre-writing, printing and cursive handwriting. Patricia Nyberg MS., OTR/L owner of Write/Right tutoring is a pediatric occupational therapist who is a Handwriting Without Tears (HWT) certified specialist. Patricia provides individual and group customized instruction utilizing HWT curriculum, materials and HWT printing evaluation tool, the “Print Tool.” In addition her instruction emphasizes postural control, hand strengthening and mature pencil grip. Patricia works closely with parents to implement home activities. Lessons are offered before school, after school, evenings and some weekends.
  • The Dyslexia Institute of Minnesota/Rochester Reading Center, 288-5271, is a non-profit organization that unites with individuals, families, and our community to overcome the challenges of unexpected difficulties learning to read, writes, and spell, which are associated with dyslexia. Through expertly trained educational therapists and a scientifically proven, time-tested approach, we build confidence, inspire hope, and enhance success. For more than 55 years, the Reading Center has offered educational evaluations (testing) and educational therapy (tutoring) to those who struggle. We also provide specialized training to individuals from all around the country so they too can effectively teach students how to read, write, and spell.
  • The Rochester Public Library offers the Homework Assistance Study Table. Help with homework provided by volunteers. Visit the library’s website for days, times.

THERAPY/COUNSELING

  • Stanley Jones and Associates, 288-0064, is a Medicare certified home care and rehabilitation outpatient provider specializing in physical therapy, occupational therapy, and speech therapy services. Since 1986, our licensed and compassionate staff has been providing services to individuals of all ages in their homes in Rochester and the surrounding communities. Home health aides are provided to clients who require personal cares and qualify for services; nursing may also be provided on a limited basis through our home care agency. Therapists treat children with challenges such as autism spectrum disorder, fine and gross motor delays, speech language delays, and physical disabilities in our outpatient clinic. Adults with speech language disorders are also welcome at our clinic.
  • Achievement Therapy Services, 226-8844, is a therapist-owned speech-language pathology clinic dedicated to meeting the needs of clients and their families, and to making a difference by improving the quality of their lives. We provide consultations, evaluations, and individual and group therapy for all ages for disorders and delays of speech, language, cognition, social-cognition, and swallowing–free communication screenings are also offered. We feature social language programs for children and teens with social-cognitive needs often related to Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD), ADD/ADHD, and Nonverbal Learning Disorder. We work with children of all ages–preschool, elementary, adolescents, teenagers, and through the transition/young adult years. We work closely with parents, caregivers, and other professionals to provide education, advocacy, and additional resources to help your child generalize skills into everyday life. We also provide contract services for public schools, home care, and long term care settings.
  • Loquella, 281-3213, is a private practice Speech Therapy and Social Behavior provider. At Loquella we take care to determine each individual’s strengths and areas of challenge in order to provide the best course of action for intervention. We aim to help individuals reach their next level of social and/or communicative competencies. We provide individual and group therapy for children who may need the following: speech and/or language delays or disorders, social-cognitive difficulties, self-regulation (including emotional regulation), language processing and comprehension, expressive language (including narrative skill), speech clarity, fluency (including stuttering).

AUTISM

  • Rochester Center for Autism is an ABA (Applied Behavior Analysis) program that provides one-on-one therapy for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder. ABA is a scientific approach to understanding behavior and how it is affected by the environment. RCA’s program uses B. F. Skinner’s analysis of Verbal Behavior to teach and reinforce speech and verbal communication. Our program is dedicated to improving the lives of the children we serve, offering both center-based and home-based services. RCA also offers parent and sibling support groups. Visit our website for more information.
events-newsletter
events-newsletter
events-newsletter
events-newsletter

ROCHESTERfamilies.com's Family Of Sponsors

                    

© 2024 www.rochesterfamilies.com. All rights reserved.