Rochester School District

The District Office is closed from December 22 to January 2. Happy Holidays

Welcome to Our New School Board Members! Please join us in welcoming our two newly elected Rochester School District Board members: Heather Harris – District 5 and Francisco Villanueva – District 1.

Both Heather and Francisco are vested in our community, and we are excited to have their leadership and commitment on our school board. We look forward to the valuable perspectives and dedication they will bring as we continue working together to support our students, staff, and families.

Welcome to the team!

Nothing says “we appreciate you” like coffee, cocoa, and treats served rain or shine! A huge thank-you to Mr. Theonnes and Ms. Lincoln for delivering goodies to staff on this last Monday before Winter Break. The weather didn’t cooperate, but the spirit absolutely did.

Tonight is the FINAL Performance! You won’t want to miss it! After a fantastic weekend of performances, RHS Drama is wrapping up their latest production This Murder Was Staged TONIGHT, December 15 at 7:00 PM. This fast-paced murder mystery turned comedy had audiences laughing all night on Saturday. When the body of a demanding director is discovered on stage during opening night, everyone becomes a suspect—and the chaos that follows is pure fun! Ticket Prices: $12 Adults, $10 Students, RSD Staff, ASB, Seniors, First Responders & Military, $8 Children (10 & under). Bring your friends, bring your family, and be ready to laugh—this is one wild ride you don’t want to miss!

Winter Break is Almost Here! A reminder to our Rochester families that Winter Break begins Friday, December 19 and continues through January 2. School will resume on Monday, January 5. Please note that Thursday, December 18 is a half day for all students. The District Office will be closed to the public throughout the break. Parents and guardians can find early release schedules here: https://www.rochester.wednet.edu/page/school-hours-and-phone-numbers. We hope all of our Warrior families enjoy a safe, restful, and joyful winter break!

Huge congratulations to Ethan Rodriguez for signing his National Letter of Intent to play football for the University of Idaho - Home of the Vandals! We are so proud of all the hard work and dedication Ethan has put in on and off the field. Vandal Nation is gaining a great one!

Holiday Halftime Performance Registration Now Open! RHS Basketball Cheerleaders are inviting students in Kinder–5th grade to join the Holiday Halftime Performance on December 16. Practice will take place at GMES on December 15 from 3:45–5:15 PM. The cost is $40 and includes the clinic, performance, t-shirt, and antlers. For questions, please contact dbaird@rochester.wednet.edu or tvillanueva@rochester.wednet.edu.
.

Rochester School District Gives Back! We are proud of our Rochester students for collecting over 900 pounds of food for our community! Thanks to the hard work and generosity from our schools, a total of 938 pounds of food was donated to support the ROOF Food Bank.

ROOF shared that this donation made a tremendous impact during their busiest time of year. In November alone, they distributed 20,000+ pounds of food to 480 households, supporting 1,247 individuals. They also provided Thanksgiving meals to 241 families in need.

A HUGE thank you to our students, families, and staff for helping support our community.

Thank You, Board President Thomas Trott!

We want to express our sincere appreciation to Thomas Trott for his dedicated service on the School Board for the past four years, including his crucial role as this year's School Board President!

Thomas brought a spirit of collaboration and deep community understanding to his work. His dedication to our students goes hand-in-hand with his vital role serving the community through West Thurston Fire.

We are immensely grateful for his four years of service, thoughtful leadership, and his commitment to building strong connections between our schools and the community. We wish him the best in his future endeavors!

This evening the RHS bands and choirs presented an uplifting winter concert!

A Legacy of Service: Recognizing Michael Langer

Please join us in expressing our deepest gratitude to School Board Director Michael Langer for his 12 years of dedicated service (2013–2025).

Director Langer’s commitment to our district has been foundational. He leaves a lasting legacy built on thoughtful leadership, steady collaboration, and a commitment to inclusion for all students.

He was instrumental in shaping our strategic direction, expanding mental health supports, and ensuring every student has access to academic and extracurricular opportunities.

Thank you, Director Langer, for being a caring and approachable advocate and for your tireless commitment to building strong schools and a strong community. We appreciate you!

Thank you, West Thurston Fire for stepping up for our kids! Yesterday, they donated a supply of warm coats for teens in our community. These coats will be distributed directly to students who need them, ensuring they can stay warm and focused during these cold months.

We are grateful for partners like West Thurston Fire who look out for our Rochester students and families.

Get ready for a night of mystery and drama! RHS Drama is proud to present their Winter 2025 production, "This Murder Was Staged," by Patrick Greene and Jason Pizzarella, and directed by Victoria Osborne!

Join us to figure out the mystery behind the stage lights! Showtimes: Sat. 12/13 @ 2 PM and 7 PM, Mon, 12/15 @ 7 PM
Ticket Prices: $12 Adults, $10 Students, ASB, First Responders, Military, Senior Citizens, RHS Teachers & Staf, $8 Children 10 and under

Support our talented students and enjoy a fantastic show! We can't wait to see you there!

This month, our schools have been recognizing and celebrating National Native American Heritage month. This is an important time dedicated to celebrating the rich cultures, traditions, and histories of Native peoples, and to acknowledge the significant contributions of Native Americans to our nation and communities.

As the holiday season begins, our school district wants to extend the deepest gratitude to our students, dedicated staff, supportive families, and engaged community members. You are the reason our schools thrive. We wish everyone a very Happy Thanksgiving. We are truly thankful for you all.

Yesterday, Rochester Middle School students had the opportunity to learn from Elaine McCloud, an Elder from the Chehalis Tribe. She shared stories, knowledge, and experiences that brought rich cultural learning into Ms. Parsons's classroom.

Thank you, Ms. McCloud, for spending time with our students. We look forward to having you back!

We are proud to announce that one of our exceptional seniors, Brian Herrera Cisneros, has been named the Pre-Electrical Technician Student of the Quarter at New Market Skills Center!

This well-deserved award recognizes Brian's hard work, dedication, and exceptional contributions to the Pre-Electrical Technician program. He was presented with his Student of the Quarter certificate by Chris Bradshaw, Director of Student Services, during the New Market Student Recognition Ceremony.

Congratulations, Brian! We are so proud of your accomplishments and can't wait to see what you achieve next!

#StudentOfTheQuarter #NewMarketSkills #StudentSuccess #FutureElectrician #ProudDistrict

Some of our freshman and sophomore students had a great day touring Pacific Lutheran University thanks to our dedicated Gear-Up Team! They explored the campus, learned about college life, and took an important step toward their future. Would you like your high school student to take a college tour? Encourage them to reach out to the Gear-Up Team - gearup@rochester.wednet.edu.