Trustees voted 5-2 to postpone consideration of the district's former administration building until May 2026 to allow community groups time to develop repurposing plans and to align with the district's strategic planning calendar.
Rochester Community Schools staff and municipal advisor PFM recommended refinancing 2016 bonds, estimating $5.5M to $6.6M in interest savings; trustees questioned market timing, sale method (competitive vs negotiated) and asked for more detail on staffing and enrollment variances.
The Rochester Community Schools Board of Education voted 5-2 to censure Trustee Lacui, removing her from committee assignments for one year after trustees said she disclosed information the board considered confidential; supporters called the move retaliation and argued the material was already public.
District presenters recommended adding four new high-school courses, including two tuition-free dual-enrollment classes through a Lawrence Technological University partnership; staff said the district is negotiating a rate of about $300 per semester course and the instruction would be provided on an RCS campus to avoid out-of-pocket costs for families.
Public commenters urged the board to provide written guidance on how the new state health education framework will be taught, and a trustee moved to add a resolution on parental rights and local control in health education to the agenda.
At a second reading of a board handbook and bylaw update, Trustee Lacoui argued that a change to section 1.5 would limit individual trustees' ability to request documents and could force minority trustees to use FOIA; trustees disputed counts of prior requests and the item remained under debate at the Dec. 8 meeting.
The board moved the October consent agenda, including bills payable of $6,028,590.8; Trustee Lacouille questioned roughly $40,000 in legal spending and asked for clarification about scope and cost.
Public commenters at a Rochester Community School District board meeting argued that proposed handbook and bylaw edits would consolidate information requests through the board president, restrict individual trustees’ ability to obtain documents, repeat legal vulnerabilities from past litigation, and erode public trust.
The Rochester Community Schools Board of Education on Dec. 8 approved a general fund budget amendment and several facilities and contracting items, including drainage easements for the Delta Kelly drain, phase 2 of a water-filter project, an energy-study agreement with Trane, HVAC work at two schools and science-room ventilation. The budget amendment passed 6–0.
A district audit recommended tuition adjustments and vendor renegotiations across enrichment, preschool and school-aged care to reduce general-fund subsidies; specific rate changes and program financials were presented and questions remain about enrollment and staffing.