Information & Policies
At the beginning of each school year, families will receive the updated version of the student handbook. Here you will find information new families frequently request when making their decision to enroll at RASA.
Enrollment Policy
RASA gives enrollment preference to current RASA families. A record of immunization history is required at enrollment. RASA asks that admitted students release all necessary records from any previous school(s) if requested.
RASA admits all students, including those of any race, color, and national or ethnic origin, to all the same rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school. It does not discriminate on the basis of any characteristic protected under U.S. or Minnesota law, including on the basis of race, color, and national or ethnic origin, in the administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, financial aid programs, and other school-administered programs.
Effective January 1, 2020, for enrollment of students for 2020–21 school year and beyond.
For all Preschool, Junior Kindergarten, and elementary grade levels
All students must be toilet trained.
Enrollment preference will be given to RASA students and their siblings.
Preschool Enrollment
Preschool children must be three years old (36 months) by October 1.
Preschool will be full-day only for families/students new to RASA, unless the class does not fill by the start of school in August.
A limited number of half-day enrollment spots may be available at the discretion of school administration. Requests to convert a half-day student to full-day must be made in writing to the school administration.
Junior Kindergarten (JK) Enrollment
JK students must be four years old by October 1.
JK is full-day only. Rare exceptions may be made at the sole discretion of school administration.
Kindergarten Enrollment
Kindergarten students must be five years old by October 1.
Kindergarten is full-day only.
Children who have passed the public school testing process, which would be required to enter kindergarten early in the public system, will also be considered on a case-by-case basis. RASA reserves the right to advance children in RASA's Junior Kindergarten program who have demonstrated kindergarten readiness as determined solely by RASA.
Upper Grade (1–6) Enrollment
Inquiries regarding enrollment into Grades 1–6 are welcome and will be considered/approved at the discretion of school administration.
Any exceptions to these policies requires approval of the RASA Board of Directors.
Lunch and Food Allergies
RASA provides a hot lunch program for students in Grades K–5 with sign-up at the beginning of each term. Students may choose to either participate in the hot lunch program or bring their own lunch each day.
Please click here to see the current lunch menu. All students (Preschool–6th Grade) can sign up to purchase milk also. RASA does not provide hot lunch for students enrolled in Preschool and Junior Kindergarten. Families are expected to pack a healthy lunch for their child that adheres to the Policy on Food Allergies.
When you pack a sack lunch for your child, be sure to provide food that is non-refrigerated, portable, and easy for your child to manage. The school refrigerator is for the purpose of refrigerating milk and other items purchased by the school, and is not available for storing students’ sack lunches. A microwave is available for heating. Parents or grandparents are welcome to join their child for lunch.
Policy on Food Allergies
**This policy will only be in effect when a student with a potentially life-threatening peanut or tree nut allergy is attending RASA and has an emergency medical plan on file with the school.
The Rochester Arts & Sciences Academy is committed to providing a safe environment for all students. Documentation of food allergies, regardless of severity, will be recorded by the school at the time of enrollment or at the time the allergy is discovered in an already enrolled student. Necessary documentation includes severity of the allergy (e.g., anaphylaxis), description of signs or symptoms that may indicate a reaction, and a list of foods or products that may contain the food in order to avoid them. A letter to the school from the student’s physician is required for those with a life-threatening allergy (and optional for those with less severe reactions) to help develop an emergency medical plan.
In order to protect all students, the following practices will be observed:
Parents, staff, and students are asked not to bring peanut- or tree nut-containing products to school.
Products with packaging that states “may contain tree nuts or peanuts” will not be allowed; however, if the packaging states “this product was produced in a facility or with equipment that also processes nuts” (or similar wording), the product will be allowed.
All food items brought into the classroom for students to share (e.g., birthday celebrations, holiday activities) must be prepackaged with the ingredient label intact.
Students are not allowed to share snacks or lunches.
Students and staff will wash hands with soap and water after eating.
RASA will not purchase or distribute snacks or lunches containing peanuts or tree nuts.
No peanut or tree nut products will be used in classroom activities.
During field trips, supervising staff will inquire about the possibility of encountering allergens and make appropriate accommodations.
Students bringing a peanut or tree nut product to school will be moved to a different supervised location (e.g., staff break room, principal’s office) until the item has been consumed. The student and parents will be reminded to avoid bringing peanut and tree nut products to school.
There is no guarantee that RASA will be 100 percent nut-free. We will continue to do our best to keep all of our students safe.
Inclement Weather Policy
RASA is committed to remaining open for child-care purposes under most weather circumstances. RASA’s policy is to remain open from 8:00 AM–3:25 PM when Rochester Public Schools (RPS) cancel school due to inclement weather.**
Whether RASA operates with normal classroom activities versus modified activities is a decision made on each occurrence based on a variety of factors.
On RPS-designated inclement weather days, RASA families can expect the following:
RASA respects the rights of families to make individual decisions regarding the advisability and safety of bringing students to school.
Based on school attendance and staffing, classroom activities may be modified (e.g., combined classes or modified content).
When a classroom’s attendance is full or nearly full, we expect the classroom to operate normally. If classroom attendance is low, our teachers will not introduce new concepts. This decision will be made at the discretion of the principal/teaching staff on the day in question. We suggest you make the best decision for your family regarding your child’s attendance and contact the school if you have concerns about missing academics.
Please check RASA's home page and look for emails from the school for the most updated information regarding RASA’s plans and any modifications to regular operations.
If severe weather develops during the school day, RASA will remain open until all children are picked up. Please make every effort to pick up your child by 3:25 to allow yourself and your child(ren), as well as the staff, time to make it home safely during daylight hours.
On RPS inclement weather days, RASA’s ability to remain open for IQ Club or other scheduled after-school clubs will be made on a case-by-case basis based upon forecasted weather conditions. IQ Club status will be communicated via mass email to parents by no later than 10:00 AM of the day in question. The open/closed status will also be posted on the school website.
If IQ Club is cancelled, parents must pick up their children no later than 3:35. If a child remains on school premises after school closing, an incremental fee will be assessed. Please refer to IQ Club charges for more details.
**Exceptions to this policy may occur
Uniforms
The purpose of RASA’s uniform policy is to instill a sense of school pride and balance providing a distraction free learning environment while enabling student self-expression.
All students are required to wear a uniform unless otherwise communicated (spirit weeks, field day, etc). Fridays are typically spirit wear days when students can wear spirit wear sold during our fundraisers. Our policy is intended as guidance with guardrails that supports student self-expression.
All students must wear a white or navy top (shirt, dress, or jumper) affixed with the RASA crest. Pre-made shirts can be purchased through Lands’ End, the RASA school code is 900121211, or our regular uniform sales that utilize local screen print companies. We also sell crests that you can affix to a solid white or navy top of your choice; we always have these on hand. There is an annual second hand uniform sale at Meet the Teacher night at the beginning of the school year.
Students should wear bottoms (pants, shirts, shorts) that reflect our school colors (navy or gold). Subtle patterns or side stripes are acceptable. Any material your child prefers is acceptable. Blue jeans are not permitted, navy denim is allowed. Shorts or leggings should be worn under skirts to allow for maximum play.
Students are welcome to accessorize their uniforms in ways that reflect their personal style. Leggings under skirts, long sleeve shirts under uniforms, sweatshirts and sweaters can be of any color; we encourage you to find these layering items in our school colors of navy and gold to show school spirit!
Please make sure your child has comfortable footwear with closed toes. Flip flops are not acceptable. An extra pair of footwear for outdoor play may be required.
If you have questions regarding our uniform policy please contact our principal.
IB Policies
Click the links below to review our policies regarding our IB Primary Years Programme:
The RASA Crest