St. Louis Park Middle School's Weekly News

Please note: For the most up to date information please click on the Middle School website. (Language Translations available)

November 2, 2023

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Principal's Message

Dear Middle School Families,

We are officially a quarter through the school year! In preparation for the end of the quarter grades, the Parent Portal in PowerSchool will be turned off today for teachers to enter final grades and will be turned on again in a week on Friday, November 10th at 3:30pm. Final grades for classes will be available at that time.

Your student is working hard in their advisory class to prepare their slideshow and learning evidence for student-led conferences coming up Nov. 15-17. Like Family Connect Day this past August, families should sign-up for a 25 minutes slot with your student’s advisory teacher. Links to each advisor’s sign-up genius can be found on this document. We look forward to seeing you here during one of those three days!

Please join the administration team at 9:15am on Friday, November 10th for Coffee with the Principals. We’ll be sharing what a day in the life of a middle school student is like.

Thank you for your continued support of your student here at SLPMS!

In partnership,

Melissa Kalinowski

Upcoming Dates

Nov. 2nd	End of Quarter
Nov. 3rd	No School - Grading Day
Nov. 10th	Coffee with the Principal 9:00 am
Nov. 15th	Student-Led Conferences 5-8 pm
Nov. 16th	Student-Led Conferences 5-8 pm
Nov. 17th	Student-Led Conferences 9-12 pm and 1-4 pm
Nov. 17th	Asynchronous Learning Day

Interdisciplinary Team Websites

Check these websites to see updates on what your student is learning in each course and important calendar events like tests and project due dates.

Middle School FAQ's

Dear MS Caregivers,

If you are new(ish) to the Middle School or have general questions, please be aware that we have a Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) page on the MS website. Click here to access this informational page. Please give us a call, too, if you have questions that are beyond the scope of this page. Thank you!

After School Spectators for MS Sporting Events

Due to limited space/capacity in our field house and for health/safety, we will need to limit the amount of spectators attending Middle School after school events. Spectators will be limited to parents/guardians of players playing in the current game. Staff, other family members, friends and students will not be allowed to attend games due to the limited space available.

Click HERE if you are interested in learning more about Quiz Bowl.

Join the Enviromental Green Team!

Does your student care about our environment and want to make a difference through action? Then the Environmental Club is for them! Student-driven action, guest speakers, field trips and partnerships with community members are all goals of the club! Let's amplify the student voices in our community!

When: We will meet after school on Wednesdays during the school year from 4p-5:15p. (*Note that the first few weeks students will need their own transportation, but can get a bus pass if needed) If your student also plays a sport/theatre/music, they can always come for the first part of the meetings and leave for practice.

Cost: FREE

Where: We will meet in Room 205 - Mrs. Setten's Room

Please reach out to Ms. Swenson or Ms. Setten if you have any questions.

Email:

swenson.ellyn@slpschools.org

setten.mehgan@slpschools.org

We hope to see you there!

Every Meal Weekend Food Program

Please click here for more information to sign up. If you have questions, please contact Kristen in Student Services: engen.kristen@slpschools.org or 952-928-6389

Cold Weather is Here

As the weather has turned, it is important that students dress warmly in order to go outside for Phy Ed class, and coming into school as this is often the coolest part of the day. Students who use a blanket as a jacket will be required to put their blanket into their locker. Blankets cannot be worn in Phy Ed class for warmth for safety reasons. It is recommended that students consider leaving a sweatshirt in their lockers as different parts of the building are often differing temperatures throughout the day.

Red Cross Babysitters' Training (Ages 11+)

Youth Enrichment Programs (YEP) is excited to once again start offering Red Cross Babysitters Traning classes for students aged 11-15! Below is the information about the upcoming class.

Created by industry-leading experts, the American Red Cross's Babysitting Basics class covers a wide range of information that can help new babysitters gain the skills and confidence needed to care for infants and children. The course includes information on:

How to care for infants and children
What to do in an emergency and how to stay safe
Choosing activities that are age-appropriate
Recognizing, understanding, and handling certain behaviors
Starting your babysitting business

The Babysitting Basics course culminates with a final exam. Upon successful completion, participants will receive a printable certificate that they can share with potential employers.

Dates: Saturdays, November 4 & 11

Time: 9 am-Noon

Location: St. Louis Park Middle School LMC Classroom

Price: $119

Click here to register now!

Yearbook News

Classes are kicking off! Sports and Clubs are getting back into gear. Before you get too busy, it's a perfect time to order your yearbook. Use the link to order your book today while the price is low.

https://jostensyearbooks.com/?REF=A04145660

Washington DC Trip for 7th Graders

Attention all current 7th graders! You have an opportunity to go to Washington, D.C. this spring with your classmates.

Trip Dates: June 14-17, 2024

Price: $2274

Family members and dependents of current educators, the military, and first responders receive a 5% discount off the base trip price.

Deposit: $99 to secure your spot!

Our Registration Deadline is: March 1, 2024

Registration link: WorldStrides

Trip ID: 207712

Trip website : 2024 D.C. Trip

We have a lot planned for this trip and I hope you can join us.

Samantha Wyffels- I&S teacher

wyffels.samantha@slpschools.org

Site Council

I want to say thank you to this entire community for the generosity and giving spirit portrayed during our annual fundraiser in October. If you didn't have a chance, there is no deadline. The easiest way is via Venmo - @SLPMS-SiteCouncil.

Our next Site Council call will be on Wednesday, November 8th. 630 pm, Via Zoom. If you are interested and have not yet signed up for this year, you are still welcome!

Contact me directly and I will make sure you get all the information you need.

Keith Richardson

krichardson58@hotmail.com

(612) 462-9862

District Communications

As we journey through this academic year, we'd like to remind everyone of the core principles that guide our endeavors at St. Louis Park Public Schools.

St. Louis Park Public Schools sees, inspires, and empowers each learner to live their brilliance in an environment that centers student voice and experience to create racially equitable learning that energizes and enhances the spirit of our community.

We believe in:

The brilliance of ourselves and others. Everyone has the capacity and responsibility to foster the growth and brilliance of others.
Authentic community engagement. Engaging and supporting our employees, families, and communities will enhance the healthy development of each learner.
High expectations. Instilling and upholding high expectations empowers students and staff to higher levels of achievement.
Collective responsibility. Embodying the collective and urgent responsibility of anti-racist practices enriches a work and learning environment and community.
Persistent effort. Through persistent effort we will create anti-racist schools and academically successful learners.
Racial consciousness and cultural competence. Racial consciousness and cultural competence are essential to each person’s ability to be a catalyst for change.
Advocacy for equity. Everyone has equal intrinsic worth and we will advocate for the historically marginalized.

November is Native American Heritage Month

St. Louis Park Public Schools exist on the land of the Dakota and Ojibwe peoples. We acknowledge the Dakota and Ojibwe community, their elders both past and present, as well as future generations. We acknowledge that our school district was founded upon exclusions and erasures of many Indigenous Peoples, including those on whose land our school district is located. We commit to dismantling the ongoing legacies of colonial power and the district’s desire to support the ongoing work of local Indigenous communities to thrive in our schools. Especially this month, we celebrate Native American Heritage Month and honor the Indigenous students and families we serve in St. Louis Park Public Schools.

Home Athletic Events Expectations for SLP Schools

For all home High School athletic events where admission is charged:

Any child in 8th grade or below must be accompanied by a paying adult who is responsible for them, their behavior and their whereabouts at the event. The student must be in the bleachers unless with the accompanying adult.
No bags, backpacks or outside food/drink will be allowed in at home football games and there will be no reentry.
All tickets must be purchased electronically, either in advance, or at the event. There will be no cash options available. No refunds.
For football, admission will stop at the end of the third quarter.

Please purchase your tickets here: https://gopark.hometownticketing.com/embed/all

If you have questions, please reach out to Andy Ewald, Athletic Director, ewald.andrew@slpschools.org 952-928-6118

St. Louis Park Fall Craft Sale on Nov. 4

The second annual Fall Craft Sale, sponsored by the St. Louis Park Senior Program is scheduled from 10 a.m. -3 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 4 at the Lenox Community Center, 6715 Minnetonka Blvd. The event will feature handmade local crafts, including wood-work, needlework, and more!

Kindergarten Welcome

Join us for Kindergarten Welcome on Nov. 4 from 10 a.m. - 12 p.m. Principals will share about each school, and find out more about departments and services that will be a part of your educational journey.

Find out more at slpschools.org/kindergarten

Eat Donuts and Learn More About Park Public Schools & Community Foundation

On Thursday, Nov.16, 2023, between 7 - 9:30 a.m., at Angel Food Bakery, learn more about the Park Public Schools & Community Foundation (PPS&CF) and the amazing work being done in our community and schools with grants made possible by the Foundation and our generous donors.

Every year, the PPS&CF raises funds and makes grants to teachers in our district in grades pre k-12 for projects that inspire and enhance our students’ education. In the 2022-23 school year alone, the Foundation was able to make grants totaling over $55,000! Examples include paying for new play equipment for preschoolers; a potter’s wheel and slab at the Middle School; exciting field trips to bring classroom learning to life; a mobile makerspace; a kindness rocks garden project; innovative instruments combining engineering and music; and cutting edge technology bridging the physical education and science curriculums at the High School.

Learn more