RALC
I hope this newsletter provides valuable information you need as you work your way through the last year of high school, toward your BIG day… graduation, and next steps into your future.
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Find all the dates and events leading up to graduation all in one spot…
Google Classroom- ogdx5rg2
Amy Petersilie
Senior Transition Coordinator
I am in my 18th year at RALC and 2nd year helping students with after high school plans.
Email: amy.petersilie@rochesterschools.org
Phone: 507-328-4373
Tonya Peterson
Workforce Development, Inc. Youth Career Planner
This is my 1st year at the RALC helping students navigate their future plans and enter the workforce.
Email: tonya.peterson@rochesterschool.org
Phone: 507-816-9221
Chanda Xiong
Academic and Transitions Advisor for Rochester Community and Technical College
I am in my 4th year at RALC and RCTC, supporting students in the transition to Hawthorne Adult Learning Center and RCTC.
Email: chanda.xiong@rctc.edu
Phone: 507-601-0708
Sep 19, 2025 Mayo Homecoming game
Sep 20, 2025 Mayo Homecoming dance
Sep 23, 2025 Minnesota State Southeast Winona Campus tour 9-12
Oct 1, 2025- FAFSA opens
Oct 2, 2025 Riverland Austin Campus tour 9-12
Oct 6, 2025 RALC senior meeting, Day School 1:15-2, Night School 3:30-4:12, OR 4:12-4:54 Success lab students can join any session
Oct 9, 2025 RCTC tour Heinz campus 9:30-11:30
Oct 9, 2025 ALC Fall Family Check in Night 5-7
Oct 10, 2025 Century Homecoming game
Oct 10, 2025 JM Homecoming
Oct 11, 2025 Century Homecoming dance
Oct 11, 2025 JM Homecoming dance
Oct 14, 2025 College Fair at Century High School 10-12
Oct 21, 2025 RCTC Main Campus tour 12:30-2:30
Oct 22, 2025 Mayo Clinic Healthcare Event 9-12
Oct 27, 2025 NOVA tour 1:30-4:30
Oct 28, 2025 Construct Tomorrow 9-12
Nov 6, 2025 Rochester Area Job Fair 10-12
Nov 13, 2025 RALC FAFSA night 5:30-6:30
Nov 18, 2025 STEAM summit 9:15-11:30
Nov 25, 2025 JM High School yearbook photos due- follow @JMrocketyearkoob to upload photo
Dec 1, 2025 Mayo High School yearbook photos due send to dan.parker@rochesterschools.org
Dec 15, 2025 RALC senior meeting, Day School 1:15-2, Night School 3:30-4:12, OR 4:12-4:54 Success lab students can join any session
January 6 2026 Century Yearbook photos due send to amy.petersilie@rochesterschools.org
Jan 22, 2026 Semester Graduation 5-6 pm
Jan 29, 2026 RALC Scholarship information night 5:30-6:30
Feb 9, 2026 RALC senior meeting, Day School 1:15-2, Night School 3:30-4:12, OR 4:12-4:54 Success lab students can join any session
Apr 9, 2026 ACT and Accuplacer testing
Apr 20, 2026 RALC senior meeting, Day School 1:15-2, Night School 3:30-4:12, OR 4:12-4:54 Success lab students can join any session
May 2, 2026 Century Prom
May 2, 2026 JM Prom
May 9, 2026 Mayo Prom
Last day for seniors is roughly a week before the end of the school year as long as all credits are earned AND passing all classes
May 28, 2026 RALC Graduation: Day School and Success Lab 4-5, Night School 6-7
Jun 6, 2026 RPS graduation ceremonies
To be eligible for graduation, a student must earn a total of 24 credits in grades 9-12. If students are unsure where they stand, check your google drive, type in your last name, first name credit guide. Reach out to your Counselor or Amy if you have any questions or concerns.
Seniors can walk in BOTH graduation ceremonies, RALC and their home school
Seniors wanting to participate in the graduate ceremony from their home school must complete all 24 required credits needed for graduation by the last day of school for seniors and must be a first year senior
Seniors will sign up for the home school graduation ceremony through RALC. Please watch your school district email.
Second-year seniors are eligible to participate only in the RALC graduation ceremony
Cap and Gown
You will get an email after January 2026 about ordering your cap and gown. This is free to ALC students
Graduates' school email and google drive will be disabled after graduation. Graduates are encouraged to start transferring any important documents to a personal account and use a personal email for any post high school planning (job applications, college applications, etc.)
Also add your personal email address to Xello by following the instructions on this link. Students will lose access to Xello as well after high school graduation unless a personal email address is added.
The College Application Process
Most colleges opened applications for the 2026-2027 school year August 1st 2025. Application deadlines vary from school to school, but are important to adhere to. Most deadlines fall between January and April. My recommendation is for students to apply as soon as they have ideas where they want to attend. Just because you apply does not mean you have to go. The sooner you apply the better chance of getting accepted, earning scholarships and housing opportunities.
Steps to Completing a College Application
The college application process takes place almost exclusively online. Materials are sent electronically from different sources and even at different times. They all meet and come together at the college’s admissions office for review.
Colleges and universities often charge an application fee to apply for admission. If this fee presents a financial hardship for your family, please reach out to Amy. I can help navigate the process to have this fee waived. For some colleges, the application fee waiver request is built into the application itself. For others, there is a separate request form to complete.
How to ask for a letter of recommendation
Complete the LOR form
Make copies for your teachers, staff or community members
Kindly ask 1-2 weeks before the recommendation is due
Scholarships
Some companies will offer a scholarship search service or help to find the best college to fit your child. These outfits are often scams and you should NEVER pay for any services to help find a college or scholarship. There are several free services we will review at the Scholarship night on January 29th 2026.
Places to look for scholarships
Colleges/universities
Parent/student employer
Community Organizations
Scholarship databases
RALC Senior Transition Coordinator
The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is the form you need to fill out for the opportunity to receive any financial aid from the federal government to help pay for college. Aid may include federal or state student loans, grants, or work student opportunities. Eligibility is based on family income.
RALC will host a FAFSA information night on November 13th 5:30-6:30
Reciprocity
Minnesota has reciprocity agreements with Wisconsin, North Dakota and a limited agreement with the Canadian province of Manitoba and Iowa Lake Community College in NW Iowa. These agreements offer lower tuition for residents of one state to attend public colleges in the other. Check this link around February to apply for reciprocity.
https://ohe.mn.gov/paying-college/other-ways-pay/tuition-reciprocity
Requesting Official Transcripts
After you complete a college application, you must request your transcript through Xello. Use this link to walk through the process.
ACT Testing
If you have not done your ACT test and you would like to or need to for college (college requires it or you could get scholarships depending on your scores), you can take the exam at RALC on April 9th 2026. Please reach out to Amy to get added to the list.
If you have already taken the ACT yet you would like to retake it to try to do better, check out this link for dates in our area.
*** Note: Students are able to automatically send their ACT scores to up to four colleges as part of the test registration process- if this was indicated upon registration. Log into your ACT account to see if you did this, as these colleges already have your test score.
Bridges to College and Careers
Welcome to the Hawthorne Adult Education Center's Bridges to Careers program. Through this pathway program, students will receive career training and gain academic skills for a successful future for employment and/or college.
Apprenticeships are partnerships between business, industry, labor and government that enable students to receive training in skilled trades through classroom training and work on-the-job. Most apprenticeships are paid positions.
Apprenticeship/Labor Union Opportunities
Trade workers are at an all-time high demand career. Trade schools offer practical training and education to prepare students for specific skilled careers. Get more information about what trade schools offer.
A GAP year is a semester or year of experiential learning, typically taken after high school and prior to career or post-secondary education, in order to deepen one's practical, professional, and personal awareness. Gap year programs are available for a wide range of interests, including:
National and global volunteer and enrichment
Internships and work experiences
Language immersion
Conservation and sustainability
Academic learning
Fine arts and media
Adventure travel
Joining the workforce is a good opportunity for recent high school graduates to transition into adulthood by learning the responsibilities of holding down a full-time job and personal financial management. It’s also important to focus the job search on positions that allow for career growth, as opposed to typical jobs that hire teen workers.
The military is an all-volunteer force that serves to protect our security and way of life, but service members are more than a fighting force. They are leaders, humanitarians and your fellow Americans. Get to know more about the men and women who serve — who they are, what they do and why they do it.
Contact Us
Email: amy.petersilie@rochesterschools.org
Location: 37 Woodlake Dr, Rochester, MN 55904
