Foo Fighters Drummer to Jam at Rochester School

Rochester, MN (KROC AM News) - A famous rock musician is scheduled to make a stop in Rochester Thursday for a jam session with students at Riverside Central Elementary School.

Taylor Hawkins is the drummer for the Foo Fighters and is scheduled to drum with, and mentor, students as part of Riverside’s designation as a Turnaround Arts school.

According to the Rochester School District, the Turnaround Arts program “empowers high-need, low-performing schools with arts resources, art, music, theater and/or dance programs, musical instruments, arts integration across subject areas, and a Turnaround Artist mentor, as a strategy to turn around struggling schools.”

Riverside is one of 68 Turnaround Arts schools in the country. There are seven others in Minnesota.

Research indicates the Turnaround Arts program helps increase student engagement and narrow the opportunity gap at the country’s highest-need schools. Pilot program schools saw an average 12.6% improvement in reading proficiency and 22.5% improvement in math proficiency. There was also an increase in attendance and significant decreases in suspensions.

In its first year as a Turnaround Arts school, Riverside will focus on using the arts to increase student achievement and engagement in learning; improving school climate by infusing the physical space of the school with the arts; reducing behavior referrals to the office; and increasing family and community engagement.

The event is scheduled to run from 1:00-2:30 p.m.

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