Kent Pekel @KentPekel Twitter profile

Last Seen Profiles

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@BinorRaja

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@lhsmylmqry1

@Raakan223

@stwmaniax

@munophile

@stwmaniax

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@SadaNews_

@tus380

@nuxit

@PTSDAdvocate

@KeanuReeve99162

Kent Pekel

@KentPekel

4 years

A welcome example of how we live on through the lives we touch.

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Kent Pekel

@KentPekel

2 years

Update on the worst snow day ever

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Kent Pekel

@KentPekel

2 years

One of the best student snow day requests yet!!!

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Kent Pekel

@KentPekel

6 years

Want to really get to know a kid? Ask them about their 4 S’s: Sparks (what they love to do), Strengths (what they think is best about themselves), Struggles (what they worry about and fear) and Supports (people, programs & places that help them be their best selves).

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Kent Pekel

@KentPekel

3 years

Kids are getting COVID. We know that now. That’s why we are masking up in Rochester Public Schools. I deeply wanted to avoid recommending that RPS require masks, but if there is any community in the country (actually, the world) where we should follow the science, Rochester is it

Post Bulletin

@PB_News

3 years

COVID-19 striking more Minnesota children, underlining urgency of broad community vaccination

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Kent Pekel

@KentPekel

2 years

Kobe makes the call! Snow day tomorrow too

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Kent Pekel

@KentPekel

2 years

Under a HOT Jamaican sun, kid #1 got married over the weekend to a wonderful young man we are thrilled to welcome to the family.

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Kent Pekel

@KentPekel

2 years

Not the strongest argument I’ve received from a student for a snow day, but you’ve gotta give him points for creativity.

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Kent Pekel

@KentPekel

2 years

This shirt was a gift from one of the principals in our school district. Good advice for the new year!

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Kent Pekel

@KentPekel

1 year

With construction underway at John Marshall HS, an old safe was opened & grade books from Rochester High School in the 1880s were found. Today I got around to looking inside & saw there was a kid named Charles H. Mayo enrolled. He got good grades. Wonder what ever became of him?

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Kent Pekel

@KentPekel

2 years

Here’s one more pic from the weekend wedding of my daughter @OubreLauren . I am so proud of the woman she has become.

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Kent Pekel

@KentPekel

2 years

Hi Joshua: You ARE a special and important student and so I'm going to retweet your message and invite people to LIKE this tweet to show that a lot of other people out there also think you are really really important! - Dr. Pekel

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Kent Pekel

@KentPekel

1 year

Adam Pekel graduated today from the University of Chicago with a major in Economics and a minor in East Asian Languages and Literatures. And he is genuinely wonderful human being.

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Kent Pekel

@KentPekel

2 years

I waited this long to be sure the forecast is unlikely to change and since all reports say that is very unlikely, @RPS535 will be closed tomorrow for all students and staff. Start reading your Shakespeare, everyone.

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Kent Pekel

@KentPekel

1 year

Beyoncé with my daughter in Mpls! Seeing one diva with another.

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Kent Pekel

@KentPekel

6 years

I once interviewed a teacher who kept a notebook of important things going on in her students’ lives. Every time she checked in with the student about that thing, she wrote down the date. Her goal was to check in at least once every 2 months. Reading that notebook was amazing.

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Kent Pekel

@KentPekel

2 years

Great news about the great work that @KatiePekel does, which makes me very proud to be her partner in life: Pekel named Executive Director of Educational Leadership

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Kent Pekel

@KentPekel

2 years

At tonight's School Board meeting we reported that student misbehaviors in @RPS535 were 28% lower during the first 2 months of this school year than they were last year. At Willow Creek Middle School they were 58% lower. Encouraging evidence our strategy is on the right track!

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Kent Pekel

@KentPekel

2 years

The emails from students advising a snow day are already coming in hot and heavy and not a flake has fallen. I love how proactive and persuasive the students of @RPS535 can be.

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Kent Pekel

@KentPekel

3 years

Gotta love the students of Rochester for being proactive and making clear what they think should happen!

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Kent Pekel

@KentPekel

10 months

This is an extraordinary investment in our students, our staff and our academic agenda: Mayo Clinic donates $10 million to Rochester Public Schools, reversing the di... via Post Bulletin

Mayo Clinic donates $10 million to Rochester Public Schools, reversing the district's immediate fate

Amid a tumultuous season for Rochester Public Schools, Mayo Clinic shares its success through monetary donation to the district

www.postbulletin.com

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Kent Pekel

@KentPekel

2 years

A video I posted yesterday making fun of my decision to declare a snow day has gone a bit viral, & some weather experts have tweeted at me that we should consult the National Weather Service. In fact, we do & a week ago I shared how we decide on snow days.

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Kent Pekel

@KentPekel

2 years

Happy birthday to my amazing wife @KatiePekel . You are the heart of our family and the center of my world.

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Kent Pekel

@KentPekel

2 years

Subbing for crossing guard duty today!

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Kent Pekel

@KentPekel

2 years

The students of Rochester are very pragmatic.

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Kent Pekel

@KentPekel

3 years

I assume that kids all across Rochester are looking out their windows right now and thinking: “Where is all the snow? Why did that guy call off school for THIS when I could be at school engaging in rigorous academic instruction at this very moment????!!!”

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Kent Pekel

@KentPekel

2 years

Every administrator & school board member in ⁦ @RPS535 ⁩ is shadowing a student to see school through their eyes. My time with Santiago Diaz at Longfellow was great. Big thanks to Santi for letting me tag along & not laughing at me during the game I didn’t understand in gym!

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Kent Pekel

@KentPekel

2 years

With heavy snow rolling into Rochester as our buses would be hitting the streets I’m calling a snow day for Rochester Public Schools. It’s one of those times where roads will probably be fine by mid-morning, but really bad for moving thousands of students on buses this morning.

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Kent Pekel

@KentPekel

3 years

The Omicron surge is a tough time for young people, and they need connections with caring adults to weather the storm. To help make that happen, each day for the next 30 days I'll tweet a tip for connecting with kids that I have picked up through research, practice, or parenting.

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Kent Pekel

@KentPekel

3 years

I am excited and honored to help Rochester Public Schools re-engage through relationships as interim superintendent during the 2021-22 school year. Moving on from @SearchInstitute after 9 years is hard, but I know that what we will do together in Rochester will be extraordinary.

Cathy Nathan - Rochester School Board

@cathynathansb

3 years

The Board’s unanimous choice. Looking forward to the leadership, knowledge and experience @KentPekel will bring to RPS!

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Kent Pekel

@KentPekel

2 years

Big thanks to Jack in Ms. Oie's graphic arts class at Mayo HS for making me into a superhero for a class project -- even if my only superpower is calling snow days!

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Kent Pekel

@KentPekel

2 years

An update from the land of no snow…yet

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Kent Pekel

@KentPekel

1 year

For those of you with teenagers who are embarrassed to be seen with you, hold on to the twenties because you will get cooler as they get older.

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Kent Pekel

@KentPekel

1 year

I love this picture of Amy Adams, one our of our great principals in @RPS535 , directing traffic on the 1st day of school today at Longfellow Elementary. The picture captures the joy & the care that educators & other staff in this district put into their work with kids every day.

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Kent Pekel

@KentPekel

7 months

They're at it again...

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Kent Pekel

@KentPekel

2 years

Proud that we raised the most $$$ for arts education at Dancing for the Arts tonight. Thank you to everyone who contributed!!!

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Kent Pekel

@KentPekel

1 year

I think it’s a sign we’re doing something right in Rochester Public Schools when the Governor, the U.S. Secretary of Education, and a U.S. Senator all visit in the same week.

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Kent Pekel

@KentPekel

2 years

The tomato soup at Century HS (and every school in @RPS535 ) is so good I brought my wife there for lunch today. Huge thanks to Rose and the rest of the nutrition services team for the great date lunch with @KatiePekel today and the amazing work you do for our students everyday!!!

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Kent Pekel

@KentPekel

3 years

We did everything we could to avoid taking this step, but staff shortages make it impossible to operate schools amidst the surge in this variant. Thank you for standing by our students and our staff as we get through this two week shift in learning together.

Rochester Public Schools

@RPS535

3 years

Rochester Public Schools will be moving temporarily to Distance Learning beginning on Tuesday, January 18 through Friday, January 28. Parents, please check your email for important information or visit us online at .

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Kent Pekel

@KentPekel

2 years

Step-daughter Molly earned an AA degree today from Riverland Community College and will earn a high school diploma in June. I love how common earning both degrees now is in Minnesota. Seemed like a crazy idea not long ago. Despite what some say, education DOES change & improve!!!

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Kent Pekel

@KentPekel

3 years

We tried a little humor with the release of Rochester's Safe and Open Schools Plan for the 2021-2022 School Year. At least I hope it seems like humor.... via @YouTube

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Kent Pekel

@KentPekel

2 years

Date night with a superintendent: high school hockey!!!

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Kent Pekel

@KentPekel

2 years

We welcomed @amyklobuchar to Rochester today to celebrate securing a $2 million grant that will enable us to partner with @winonastateu to help 30 talented & diverse people earn master's degrees in social work and then join @RPS535 to strengthen student wellbeing & mental health!

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Kent Pekel

@KentPekel

2 years

“Public education is important not because it serves the public, but because it creates the public.” – Benjamin Barber

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Kent Pekel

@KentPekel

1 year

Two hometown games in a night means a quick change of clothes in the parking lot!

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Kent Pekel

@KentPekel

2 years

Ummm…..yes….

Sen. Liz Boldon

@LizBoldonMN

2 years

Anyone else having snow anxiety??

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Kent Pekel

@KentPekel

2 years

Talk about teaching without technology!!! It was great to watch Mr. Lake at Willow Creek Middle juggle eggs to illustrate the starting theme of his class this afternoon. Huge thanks to all the educators and students in @RPS535 who have flexed & embraced old school learning today!

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Kent Pekel

@KentPekel

3 years

I was honored to help trick our dynamic Century High School assistant principal @haglund_martine to join me for a fake meeting with @MayorNorton so the mayor could surprise Martine with the Mayor’s Medal of Honor for Educational Excellence. Incredibly well-deserved!!!

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Kent Pekel

@KentPekel

3 years

Getting ready for Rochester!!! @RPS535

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Kent Pekel

@KentPekel

2 years

Here’s our attire for the cocktail hour at Dancing for the Arts. Who knew that when Mayo student Jack Laughlin depicted me as Captain America for declaring snow days that it would become a thing? It’s the closest I will get to superhero status but I’ll take it-especially tonight!

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Kent Pekel

@KentPekel

2 years

I’m only tweeting this 2 credit the great art by Jack Laughlin of Mayo HS from Ms. Oie’s Graphic and Digital Arts Class. Not bad to make the Star Tribune with a high school project, Jack! Keep at it because you’ve got real talent to make me look this good

Rochester superintendent becomes a snow-day superhero

Kent Pekel gaining attention for humorous approach to calling off school.

www.startribune.com

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Kent Pekel

@KentPekel

2 years

My regalia was not the most colorful at the awesome Rochester Area Learning Center graduation tonight.

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Kent Pekel

@KentPekel

2 years

Opening night of Red Cow in Rochester. For those following school district politics, I would like to state that Red Cow is not a communist restaurant.

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Kent Pekel

@KentPekel

2 years

Mayo HS student Connor Morrey took the data on snow days in Rochester that I sent him last week & used artificial intelligence to create the RPS Snow Day Calculator at . Connor's classmates may not like the calculator's prediction for a snow day tomorrow:

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Kent Pekel

@KentPekel

2 years

2022 Pow-wow honoring our Native American graduates now underway at Mayo High School. The positive energy is palpable and inspiring.

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Kent Pekel

@KentPekel

2 years

Hopefully this is the last student email about snow days I share for a while, but this one from Connor at Mayo HS is different and very cool in another way. Our students in @RPS535 are so awesome. Here it is:

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Kent Pekel

@KentPekel

8 months

I am stunned and angry at the senseless loss of 3 heroes in Burnsville, and my heart breaks especially hard for John Marshall graduate Adam Finseth, who lived a life of service as a paramedic, firefighter, and soldier in the U.S. Army. My prayers are with their families tonight.

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Kent Pekel

@KentPekel

3 years

Beyond honored to have been invited by students to ride in the Century High School homecoming parade today. This pic doesn’t show it, but I threw a lot of candy. My apologies to the kid I hit in the face, but he smiled, caught it, and ate it. @RPS535

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Kent Pekel

@KentPekel

1 year

What a nerdy superintendent reads on vacation:

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Kent Pekel

@KentPekel

1 year

Dear Rochester Students: Thank you for the great work you did and the strong spirits you showed during the 2022-23 school year. In your honor, I have declared a snow day for the next three months. See you in Summer of Discovery or September. You are awesome. Sincerely, Dr. Pekel

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Kent Pekel

@KentPekel

1 year

Data out today shows Rochester's graduation rate went up 2.1 percentage points last year, compared to .2 pts for the state as a whole. Black students +8.69 pts, Latino students +2.78 pts, White students +2.22 pts, students w/ disabilities +4.56 pts, low-income students +2.32 pts!

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Kent Pekel

@KentPekel

2 years

A wet but wonderful MLK Day in Rochester.

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Kent Pekel

@KentPekel

1 year

Update on the latest find from the long locked cabinet at John Marshall High School. Apologies for the accent but it somehow seemed appropriate at the time.

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Kent Pekel

@KentPekel

3 years

Since I am going to be around for while, I made a little video to introduce myself to the students of Rochester Public Schools.

Rochester Public Schools

@RPS535

3 years

Congratulations, @KentPekel ! The RPS Board has named Dr. Pekel as the new superintendent through June 2025. Kent joined RPS in July 2021 as our interim superintendent. Learn more about Kent through this video message he shared with all RPS students today.

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Kent Pekel

@KentPekel

2 years

A moment poolside with Mayo HS swimmer Alonso Montori in between his wins tonight. Young people like him give me boundless hope for the future. Btw, great job, mom and dad.

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Kent Pekel

@KentPekel

2 years

Rochester. Glad to be here.

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Kent Pekel

@KentPekel

2 years

An amazing gift from one of our amazing teachers was waiting for me in my office this morning. Calling snow days will be much more accurate using this crystal ball. Thank you Lori Walski!!!

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Kent Pekel

@KentPekel

3 years

Snow day for Rochester Public Schools. I waited to call it until this morning to be sure the storm is coming during school hours and it looks like it is. Stay safe, everyone.

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Kent Pekel

@KentPekel

2 years

A team of educators and I just finished interviewing teachers from @RPS535 for an important position funded by a major grant and honestly my head is spinning at the caliber of teachers we have in Rochester Public Schools. They are extraordinary.

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Kent Pekel

@KentPekel

1 year

I’m looking forward to welcoming US Secretary of Education Cardona to Rochester next week. @SecCardona is coming to learn about & shine a light on our district’s work to support student mental health & community schools. Another sign that there are good things going on in @RPS535

Secretary Miguel Cardona

@SecCardona

1 year

Public education is a core component of the soul of our Nation, and as an educator and a parent, I am doing all I can to defend it. Next week, I’m hitting the road to highlight the importance of the work that we are doing in public schools nationwide. 🚌 #EdBusTour23

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Kent Pekel

@KentPekel

2 years

Among the highlights of the homecoming coronation at Century High today was meeting a member of the junior royalty Quinton Jones, a student at Sunset Terrace and, according to his plans, a future Super Bowl champion.

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Kent Pekel

@KentPekel

3 years

It was great to host NFL Hall of Famer and former MN Supreme Court Justice Alan Page at two schools in Rochester today & join him on a panel facilitated by Mayo High senior Yasmin Ali, who was great. Justice Page said of Gage Elementary: “Every school should be like this school.”

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Kent Pekel

@KentPekel

1 year

It was great to welcome ⁦ @GovTimWalz ⁩ and ⁦ @GwenWalz ⁩ to Rochester today to celebrate free lunches and breakfasts for all students. They visited Franklin Elementary and Century HS, where they said hi to their friend Monde Schwartz, the new principal at Century HS.

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Kent Pekel

@KentPekel

2 years

First time ever voting for Victoria and first time voting in Rochester for Adam!

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Kent Pekel

@KentPekel

2 years

Here's a first: Student asking me NOT to call a snow day: "I am emailing to let you know that my birthday is tomorrow and I must be at school. Please do not call for another snow day. I need people to see me and see how my makeup looks because it's finna eat!" Happy Day, Marisol!

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Kent Pekel

@KentPekel

1 year

Culture Night sponsored by the Black Student Union at Century High School is underway with music, dance, food, and a fashion show to come. It’s energizing to see students show such deep pride in their cultures and traditions.

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Kent Pekel

@KentPekel

3 years

@beth_hawkins @Jmanassa An enthusiastic YES.

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Kent Pekel

@KentPekel

1 year

We are bringing the joy back to education this year in Rochester!

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Kent Pekel

@KentPekel

2 years

To was an awesome honor to congratulate Rochester residents on earning their citizenship tonight!

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Kent Pekel

@KentPekel

3 years

This is why we are taking prudent measures to minimize COVID in Rochester Public Schools. @RPS535

Cleavon MD 💉 💉 💉

@Cleavon_MD

3 years

🚨Arkansas confirms two child deaths from COVID. The first pediatric COVID-19 death happened at the end of last year but took time to confirm. The second death happened THIS MONTH. 12 kids are currently hospitalized and 7 are CRITICALLY ILL.

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Kent Pekel

@KentPekel

2 years

It was great to meet 5th grader Shawn Harper on Walk to School Day this morning on the way to Riverside Elementary. Shawn’s favorite subject is math and he wants to be an entrepreneur when he grows up. We need to be sure Shawn’s spark stays lit and grows! ⁦ @jahlquistPHOTO ⁩

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Kent Pekel

@KentPekel

2 years

I took a pie in the face for a good cause at Franklin Elementary today. @RPS535 . @SamPearson00 - please thank Mohammad for the good late lunch!

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Kent Pekel

@KentPekel

2 years

Amazing Christmas present from our kids: a ride over Saint Paul and dinner in the old air terminal looking out on the runway.

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Kent Pekel

@KentPekel

1 year

Engaged in one of my favorite tasks as superintendent this morning: welcoming new teachers to the school district and to the profession!

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Kent Pekel

@KentPekel

2 years

I am thrilled to welcome Natalia to the Rochester Public Schools leadership team. I got to know her during her tenure as Minnesota Teacher of the Year and a valued educator at Century High, and now I can't wait to work with her to implement the new RPS strategic plan. Welcome!!!!

Natalia Alvarez Benjamin, EdS (she, her, ella)

@NatBenELTeacher

2 years

First day as the Coordinator of Multilingual Learning for Rochester Public Schools. Excited for a new adventure in education. So appreciative of all the staff that helped me out and made me feel welcomed today! 🥰 @RPS535

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Kent Pekel

@KentPekel

2 years

So proud of our students participating in Rochester Pridefest through GSA!

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Kent Pekel

@KentPekel

3 years

Happy Thanksgiving from our family to yours. Glad to have the kids with us in Rochester!

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Kent Pekel

@KentPekel

3 years

Awesome to be facilitating a workshop on developmental relationships this morning for more than 100 energized new teachers in Rochester Public Schools! @rea1mn @RPS535

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Kent Pekel

@KentPekel

2 years

I’m glad the dog is happy we are leaving the apartment for a house. He better be ready to do the shoveling and mow the lawn too!

Katie Pekel

@KatiePekel

2 years

@KentPekel and I bought a house! Kobe the 🐕‍🦺 is happy we are setting down roots in @CityofRochMN … in a 🏡 with a fenced in back yard.

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Kent Pekel

@KentPekel

2 years

When Kobe realizes that his favorite person is going back to college tomorrow.

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Kent Pekel

@KentPekel

3 years

Relationship Builder #3 /30: When you push a young person to do better or reach beyond their comfort zone, also let them know that you believe they can accomplish what you are asking them to do and that you are there to help them.

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Kent Pekel

@KentPekel

3 years

Developmental relationships are built 1 student at a time, but that's hard to do when you have more than 1 student in your class. To help teachers in @RPS535 and beyond meet that challenge, here are tips for connecting with a student a day for the 1st month of the school year:

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Kent Pekel

@KentPekel

5 years

Teachers and youth program staff: not only CAN you build developmental relationships with young people when they aren’t with you in person — it is more powerful and needed than ever. Here are some simple ways to do that based on @SearchInstitute research:

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Kent Pekel

@KentPekel

2 years

Spending the day at the state superintendents conference with great leaders like Dr. @BernadeiaJ ⁩, who I’ve known and admired for decades since we worked across the river from each other in Mpls and St. Paul schools.

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Kent Pekel

@KentPekel

2 years

Yesterday, Mohammad put a pie in my face for charity at Franklin Elementary. Today I met him at the first annual RPS Art Show at the Rochester Art Center and saw he is a young man it many talents.

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Kent Pekel

@KentPekel

4 months

2 years ago, a couple who live in Rochester asked me to help them get approval for their granddaughter to leave Ukraine to finish her education as war broke out. On Saturday, she graduated from Century HS and is headed to the U of M. The work we do in @RPS535 truly changes lives.

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Kent Pekel

@KentPekel

2 years

Big finish.

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Kent Pekel

@KentPekel

2 years

Civic duty done!

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Kent Pekel

@KentPekel

2 years

I wondered what @RPS535 high school students know about Rochester Public Schools and so I went out to ask. Watch the first (and maybe last unless people like it) episode of Supt in the Halls here! via @YouTube

Supt in the Halls: What Do You Know About Rochester Public Schools?

What do Rochester students know about Rochester Public Schools? The superintendent visited our high schools to find out. Some answers might surprise you! See...

www.youtube.com

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