October 2, 2023 | Stories from St. Louis Park Public Schools

The SLP Communicator, published monthly, centers the stories and voices of students, staff, and our community. District-level news and information will be shared in school newsletters.

St. Louis Park Public Schools to welcome Dr. Kate Maguire as interim superintendent

Dr. Maguire has a wealth of experience in leadership development, advancing racial equity, centering student outcomes, and leading school districts through times of change. She is a third generation teacher with over 20 years of educational leadership experience in public schools. Dr. Maguire retired from Osseo Area Schools in 2018 and recently served as an interim superintendent for Anoka-Hennepin Schools. 

“I am particularly excited to serve in this role because of the district’s commitment to equity, which is aligned to my experience and passion as a public education leader,” Dr. Maguire shared. “I am unaware of any other school district in the state that has developed and implemented a racial equity transformation plan to the depths of St. Louis Park Public Schools. I look forward to advancing the 2023-24 strategic priorities, supporting daily operations and being in service to students, staff and schools this year.”

On Sept. 27 the St. Louis Park Public Schools School Board unanimously voted to enter into contract negotiations with Dr. Kate Maguire as interim superintendent for the 2023-24 school year. The school board is expected to finalize the contract at the Oct. 10 school board meeting.

This winter, the school board will begin planning a comprehensive search for a permanent superintendent. This process will include extensive community engagement with students, families and staff. We will keep you informed throughout the school year as more plans and decisions are made.

Hometown in the City

Watch the premiere of the student-driven marketing campaign

During the 2022-23 school year, recent graduate Meshach Mandel and senior Alicia Margalli became the brainchildren of a student-driven multimedia marketing campaign, Hometown in the City.

Meshach and Alicia started as finance committee interns reviewing financial data and enrollment trends, but conversations about marketing quickly surfaced, leading them to getting their minds and hands to work developing a marketing plan.

As part of the project, Meshach and Alicia reviewed responses of hundreds of St. Louis Park Public Schools families about what they love about their schools and what keeps them in the school district. The students then carefully crafted interview questions around the most common themes and invited parents, students, and staff to talk on-camera about their experiences in our schools.

The students participated in video storytelling and video production training with Captive Media, a video production partner of the school district, and provided their vision, guidance and feedback on the Hometown in the City official logo and post-production videos. They also presented their campaign strategy to the School Board last winter and in August, the first two Hometown in the City videos, a highlights reel and a behind-the-scenes video featuring the interns, were premiered at the all-staff rally event.

"This marking research is way to really show people that St. Louis Park is a good school [district] for your children. These interviews were a great opportunity to talk with people in the community," shared Alicia.

"It's been my way to leave my mark on St. Louis Park. I have something that can help St Louis Park and outlive me as a student," shared Meshach.

Each month in the SLP Communicator, we'll release a new Hometown in the City video featuring an SLP family, student, or staff member talking about what they appreciate about our schools and district. St. Louis Park Public Schools marketing and storytelling efforts are focused on sharing the voices and experiences of current families with the goal of retaining St. Louis Park Public Schools families. Our community and expect to see excepts from each Hometown in the City episode in newsletters and on social media.

High School Transformation is Underway

The transformation of St. Louis Park High School is well underway since construction commenced on June 12, 2023. This ambitious project is divided into 10 smaller schedules and phases, each contributing to a comprehensive overhaul of the school campus. With a focus on modernization, expansion, and safety, this construction initiative is set to revitalize the educational experience for students and the entire community.

Cafeteria Expansion

One of the project's highlights is the extensive expansion of the school's cafeteria. The existing cafeteria was removed to make way for a more spacious area, extending toward West 33rd Street. This expansion ensures ample room for all students and introduces a new outdoor patio space, offering a refreshing environment for students to enjoy the outdoors.  

Link

At the heart of St. Louis Park High School lies an abandoned courtyard, soon to be reborn as a dynamic three-story learning environment known as the Link. This undertaking will seamlessly integrate with existing structures, offering multiple access points and providing students with learning spaces, breakout rooms, and an open environment conducive to collaboration.  

Classroom Renovations 

The classroom spaces at St. Louis High School are undergoing a comprehensive makeover. Phase 1, encompassing High School 3rd Floor Unit B and C classrooms and corridors, was recently completed. The rejuvenation process included new paint, carpet, wall tile, ceiling tile, markerboards, furniture, and various other improvements to create a more conducive learning environment for students. Phase 2 is slated for completion over the 2024 summer break, promising similar enhancements. 

Media Center 

The Media Center is also in the spotlight, undergoing upgrades to provide students with a modern and technology-rich space for research, study, and creative exploration. This includes sliding glass walls to allow for open environment collaboration, as well as breakout rooms to allow for individual or group work.  

Storm Shelter

To accommodate building additions and student population, the basement is being transformed into a storm shelter. This critical project involves the installation of precast concrete wall and ceiling panels to fortify the basement, creating a secure shelter.  

Parking Lots and Eco-conscious Planting

In a commitment to both safety and sustainability, new parking lots and a bus carrels lot are being constructed to alleviate congestion on nearby streets, ensuring the safety of students and drivers. The school is taking an eco-conscious approach by planting 183 new trees, 341 shrubs, and 1,010 perennials, transforming the campus into a greener and more environmentally friendly space.  

Track & Field Renovations 

Student athletes and staff will delight in the rejuvenation of the track and field facilities. The existing track was reclaimed using advanced methods, with soil excavation and the installation of an underground infiltration liner to manage rainwater effectively. The installation of new turf and track is well underway, with an expected completion date of November 30th. 

As we transition into October, construction activities are in full swing. CMU (Concrete Masonry Unit) wall installation for the new cafeteria has commenced. The turf field is already installed, promising an exciting space for sports and outdoor activities. Additionally, basement wall demolition is complete, marking another milestone in this transformative journey. 

The St. Louis Park High School construction project is making great progress. With meticulous planning and execution across these 10 schedules and phases, the school is on track to welcome students to a modern, safe, and vibrant learning environment in the 2024 school year. Keep an eye on our monthly newsletter for more updates on this transformation, as well as other construction projects across the district. 

Building a Safety-Conscious Community: Empowering all for School Safety

Republished from May, 2023

A safety-minded school culture is the foundation for ensuring the well-being, safety, and security of students, staff and the community. This approach to school safety means that we must double down on the foundational practices we know keep our schools safe, like trusting relationships between adults and students, mental health supports, strong community partnerships, professional development, safety-awareness of staff and students, and engaging curriculum. It also means that we all must be diligent in our safety practices, such as wearing staff badges and visitor stickers, escorting visitors without identification to the office, checking that doors remain secure, actively partaking in drills, speaking up when something doesn’t feel safe, and so much more. A safety-minded school culture means that everyone is empowered to actively contribute to the safety and protection of our school communities. 

In St. Louis Park Public Schools, we follow a Unified Command Structure in cooperation with local law enforcement. The Unified Command establishes a common set of incident practices that schools and local partners follow. We continually review and strengthen our safety practices in alignment with best practices outlined by the National Incident Management System (NIMS), which guides all levels of government to prevent, protect against, mitigate, respond to and recover from safety incidents.  

We understand the prevailing atmosphere of fear and worry concerning safety incidents, in particular school shootings, that has enveloped our nation, and we acknowledge the distress it can cause. Your worries are valid, and we share your commitment to ensuring a safe and secure learning environment for all. Students and staff safety remains our highest priority. 

St. Louis Park Public Schools has many layers of safety in place, but not everyone is aware of all the moving parts. The physical security of buildings is just one layer of safety, and we need many layers of safety working in tandem to optimize our safety efforts. We invite you to learn more about our District and site safety practices.

What’s new with safety in St. Louis Park Public Schools?

Safety & Security Items in the Bond Issue: Nearly 20% of the August 9, 2022 bond issue will fund items related to safety and security. Totaling $23.5 million, these items include security cameras, door card readers, improved emergency frequency access (800 MHz), exterior door security, secure data center including back-up power supply, technology infrastructure and redundant electronics, severe weather shelter at the High School stadium, and emergency storm shelter at the High School.

School Drills: Schools participate in a plethora of drills to prepare for severe weather, fire evacuations, and lockdowns. We recognize that practicing for emergencies can cause unintentional stress, fear, and worry for students. In the coming school year, we will review our approach to drills and find ways to minimize the negative impact of drills on student mental health, while also ensuring that students know what to do in an emergency. 

Secure main offices: All buildings were recently updated to have secure front offices. This ensures that visitors must enter a building from a single entrance. 

Text Messaging: In addition to phone and email, SLP will now send text messages to staff and families for weather closures and emergency situations that require evacuation or reunification. Text Y to 67587 to receive text messages in English, Spanish, or Somali.

Emergency Preparedness Committee: New during the 2022-2023 school year, we launched the emergency preparedness committee. The committee’s purpose is to continuously improve the district’s emergency response plan in order to ensure robust and racially conscious execution of the plan. The committee includes District and school staff members as well as local law enforcement. 

Partner Drills: City emergency responders conduct drills and training at SLP schools to become more familiar with our schools and layout in the case of an emergency. ​

St. Louis Park Public Schools is committed to maintaining a safe and secure learning environment for all students and staff. By prioritizing a safety-minded school culture, implementing multiple layers of safety, and continuously reviewing and enhancing safety practices, the district ensures that everyone can thrive in an atmosphere that promotes learning and well-being.

SLP Text Messaging

If you haven't already, please opt in to receive text messages from St. Louis Park Public Schools. 

• Verify your cell number: If you already receive voice recordings from St. Louis Park Public Schools on a cell phone, your number is updated! If not, contact the main office of your student’s school to update your cell phone in PowerSchool. 
• Send us an opt-in text message: Text Y to 67587 to opt in to receive text messages.

October Dates

6300 Walker St. | St. Louis Park, MN 55416

Phone: 952-928-6000 | Fax: 952-928-6020