KAAL-TV Created: May 18, 2021 06:20 PM
(ABC 6 News) - The Rochester Public Schools Board approved the hiring of Will Ruffin II as Executive Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at its board meeting Tuesday.
According to RPS, it is a new position at the cabinet level and will be responsible for supporting the District s focus on equity work across all departments at RPS.
Ruffin has been with Rochester Public Schools since 2003. In 2009, Ruffin was hired as a teacher at Riverside Central Elementary and continued to teach fifth grade at Riverside, and then Lincoln K-8 until most recently serving in the role of Community Schools Facilitator at Gage Elementary this past school year.
Rochester Public Schools announces first executive director of equity, diversity, and inclusion
Will Ruffin will be focused on supporting equity work across all departments at RPS.
Posted: May 18, 2021 6:33 PM
Updated: May 18, 2021 11:13 PM
Posted By: Jenna Richardson
ROCHESTER, Minn. The Rochester Public School Board has appointed Will Ruffin II as the district s first-ever Executive Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.
RPS says Ruffin will be responsible for supporting the district s urgent focus on equity work across all departments starting July 1st.
Ruffin has been an RPS employee since 2006, and is currently the community schools facilitator at Gage Elementary. Right now he s also an executive board member of the Rochester s Education Association (REA) and a co-lead of the District s Employees of Color Resource Group.
(ABC 6 News) - Boundary adjustments within the Rochester School District is heading for a vote soon.
The changes would take effect in the 2022-2023 school year. Board members are expected to vote on the adjustments during its June 1 meeting.
School board members are aiming to give families time to plan ahead. The boundary advisory committee looked at several factors and feedback from community meetings like family proximity to schools and feeder pattern alignments.
The superintendent s recommendation projects 75% of K-12 students reside in the boundary of their closest school. It also projects less utilization among schools compared to current boundaries, some of which are at more than 90% capacity.