The 2014 summer break is over for the Rochester school district and most others around the state.

Kim David/Townsquare Media
Kim David/Townsquare Media
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 The 2014/2015 school year begins today and the Rochester district is expecting an enrollment total of around 17,000.  Part of that number will include a larger-than-normal number of kindergartners. The School Board decided this year to expand all-day kindergarten to the entire district.    Construction workers spent the short summer adding new classrooms at Folwell, Franklin, Gibbs, Lincoln, Pinewood and Washington schools to handle the expected surge in students.

Governor Dayton and the 2013 state legislature approved spending $134 million to make all day kindergarten available to all districts.

Rochester’s Catholic schools also begin the new year today.

Today is also the first day of classes for students at the University of Minnesota-Rochester.  UMR expects an enrollment total of around 800.  About 150 will be freshmen during the 2014/2015 year.

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