Dear RPS Elementary School families,

We are so excited for our students to begin the 2025-2026 school year! Below is the information you need to know before the start of the school year. 

Elementary Schools

When is the first day of school?

The first day of Elementary school is Wednesday, August 27. You can view the full school year calendar:

• School Year Calendar

• ABC Elementary Calendar

Step into Learning

Step Into Learning is an opportunity for families to meet with their student’s teacher ahead of the start of the school year. Step Into Learning days are Monday, August 25, and Tuesday, August 26.

In the next few weeks, parents and caregivers will receive an email from their school office with instructions on how to make an individual 20-minute appointment. During this appointment, parents/caregivers and their student can meet their student’s teacher(s), have their student assessed, visit with the school nurse, set up their lunch accounts and pins, explore the school’s PTSA, take school photos, and more. 

What are the bell times?

Starting this school year, all elementary schools start at 7:55 a.m. but have a tiered release schedule. Half of our elementary schools end the day at 2:10 p.m. and the other half at 2:15 p.m. Free breakfast will be served in the cafeteria from 7:40 to 7:50 a.m.; please plan accordingly.

What about transportation information?

Bussing is only guaranteed for elementary school students within the boundary of their school (more than 1.25 miles away); to view the school's boundaries, visit the Find Your School map. 

Bus route information will be delivered via email in mid-August. If you have questions about your transportation route, please email our transportation department or call 507.328.4260.

Download the First View 1.0 App to keep track of your student’s bus location and route. For RPS Families using the app, you’ll need to enter code: K3H9D

Don’t forget that FirstView released a new app over the summer. Please meake sure you have the “FirstView 1.0” app downloaded.

Regional Transportation for Districtwide Option (DWO) Schools

Students who live outside of their elementary school boundary of their DWO will have the opportunity to use regional transportation starting August 27. Bus route information will be delivered in the email in mid-August; please verify that you have completed a registered rider form or Alternative Site Form to ensure your student is on the correct route.

Planning for student meals

For the 2025-2026 school year, all in-person students can receive one free breakfast and one free lunch each school day due to the MN Free School Meals Program. (Minnesota Legislature change from 2025 allows students to purchase a second breakfast or second lunch if the student has already had a “free” breakfast or lunch.) Each meal must contain a fruit or vegetable serving to qualify as free, and a student must take three of the five meal components (fruit, vegetable, grain, protein, and milk). 

• Students still need meal pins. These are used to account for the number of free meals being utilized by students Districtwide. Students can get their meal pins at Step Into Learning meeting.

• Families still need a PayPams account or cash to cover a la carte items or second meals.

• Families are still encouraged to complete an Application for Education Benefits. Families may qualify for other program fee reductions based on their eligibility.

• Stay up-to-date with our lunch menu on the RPS App. Download the App on the Apple store or Android store.

  
  

Where can I find School Supply Lists?

Get all the materials you need to help prepare you and your students for the new year by downloading our school supply lists. Please note that some additional supplies may be needed after starting the school year. More information will come from your student’s teachers.

Update your contact information

Did you move? Get a new phone number? Change your email? The Student Information Verification process in Skyward Family Access. We’d like to verify that we have the most up-to-date and accurate contact information for you, your student, and your emergency contacts.

Please log in to your Skyward Family Access account and complete the Student Information

Verification process for each student attending RPS. Be sure to complete all of the steps.

Once completed, check back before the school year starts to ensure the requested changes were approved. There are times when certain aspects of a request have to be denied, which puts the process back into an uncompleted status until it has been resolved by you.

Please complete the student information verification form in Skyward before the start of the year.