October 22, 2020 | Volume 1 • Issue 9
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A Message from Superintendent Osei |
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Dear Parents and Guardians:
Over the past couple of weeks I have hosted several listening sessions where I have been able to get feedback from parents/guardians, students and staff regarding their experience with distance learning and needs as we continue to explore strategies to give students greater access to safe in-person learning opportunities.
Below I have shared themes from the Listening Sessions I hosted.
Elementary - Themes I heard from parents/guardians and students were:
- appreciation for teachers and staff;
- distance learning has improved from last school year;
- desire for full day instructional days;
- desire for a Distance Learning Academy model; and
- desire for increased number of in-person instructional days per week.
Secondary - Themes I heard from parents/guardians and students were:
- appreciation for teachers and staff;
- distance learning has improved from last school year;
- desire for consistency in the use of Schoology for assignment delivery;
- desire for more in-person learning opportunities for students;
- desire to have greater access to clubs and groups for students during distance learning; and
- need for greater mental health and social emotional support for students.
Staff - Themes I heard were:
- desire for secondary staff to learn from the experience of elementary staff with the transition to hybrid;
- desire to create additional support for teachers to support the facilitation of MAP testing for students who are testing at home;
- desire to continue to explore effective tech tools to support in the facilitation of hybrid instruction; and
- need for additional resources (i.e. manipulatives, technology, materials, etc.) as students are transitioning back into buildings in the hybrid model.
Upcoming Superintendent Listening Session Dates/Times
November 2 | 3:30-4:30 p.m. | Students | Zoom Link | Meeting ID: 918 6822 7793 | Passcode: 965140
November 2 | 4:30-5:30 p.m. | Staff | Zoom Link | Meeting ID: 989 7710 1566 | Passcode: 409260
November 17 | 5:00-6:00 p.m. | Parents/Guardians - English | Zoom Link | Meeting ID: 934 2061 5183 | Passcode: 520346
November 17 | 5:00-6:00 p.m. | Parents/Guardians - Spanish | Zoom Link | Meeting ID: 967 9287 9471 | Passcode: 029610
Members of our planning team, that is comprised of school leaders, district office leaders, health and safety staff, teacher leaders, classroom teachers and Board members, are aware of these themes and have been working to revise our educational delivery model to meet the needs that have been identified. In doing so the planning team continues to be mindful of the considerations that we have been examining as we prepare to move in and out of educational delivery models.
Educational Delivery Model Considerations (Click to enlarge)
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Our ability to transition to the hybrid model in grades 6-12 and Distance Learning Academy and full-day hybrid in grades K-5 is based on a thorough examination of these considerations. Please note, should any of these factors change predominantly, we may need to reconsider moving to a less restrictive model.
As we continue to navigate through the experience of facilitating learning for students during this pandemic, we are learning from our experiences, your feedback, and neighboring districts regarding strategies that work to keep students and staff safe and engaged in learning.
Thank you for your continued support of St. Louis Park Public Schools.
In community,
Astein K. Osei
Superintendent
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District Unveils New COVID-19 Dashboard |
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St. Louis Park Public Schools is unveiling a new COVID-19 Dashboard today that will inform families on important data points including active positive cases, number of individuals who are currently quarantining, and the number of individuals who have recovered from COVID-19 and have returned to school. Data will be shared for both students and staff. To protect the health privacy and personal data of St. Louis Park Public Schools students and staff, no further details regarding positive cases will be made publicly available.
The COVID-19 Dashboard will be updated every Wednesday and can be found on the District's COVID-19 News & Updates page at www.slpschools.org/covid19.
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Preparing for 9-12 Hybrid Learning Guide Now Available |
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Beginning October 26, St. Louis Park High School will implement a phased approach to bringing students back to school in the hybrid model.
As the High School reopens, we will continue to prioritize a safe learning environment for students, teachers, staff, families, and the greater community.
Click here to download the District's "Preparing for 9-12 Hybrid Learning Guide". This 36-page publication is full of details about what the Hybrid model will look like for students and families.
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Elementary Parents/Guardians: Register Your Student(s) for Full-Day Hybrid or Distance Learning Academy |
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Beginning Monday, November 16, students in Grades K-5 attending St. Louis Park Public Schools will transition to either the full-day hybrid learning model or the Distance Learning Academy.
After reviewing the information and considering your child’s and family’s experiences with distance and hybrid learning so far this school year, we are asking you to register your K-5 student(s) in full-day hybrid or the Distance Learning Academy. One response (registration) is required per student. Parents/guardians are asked to register their student(s) for one of the two options no later than Noon on Monday, October 26.
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Bus Routes for 6-12 Students Available in PowerSchool Public Portal by Thursday, October 22 |
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Beginning Thursday, October 22, families will be able to login to the PowerSchool Public Portal and find bus routes for students in grades 6-12. Click here to login or to create a PowerSchool account. Click here to watch a short instructional video on how to use PowerSchool.
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Childcare Available for Essential Workers Only |
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According to the Minnesota Department of Education (MDE), essential childcare is intended for extreme circumstances in which no parent or guardian is at home, due to their employment as a critical worker. This free childcare is to be made available when the only parent or both parents in the household are employed as Tier 1 critical workers.
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All K-5 Students Invited to Attend PSI Virtual Author Night on October 22 |
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All K-5 St. Louis Park Public Schools students are invited to join the Park Spanish Immersion Elementary School Virtual Author Night event at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, October 22. The event will feature author and illustrator Zara Gonzalez Hoang, who grew up in South Minneapolis and spent her childhood doodling and listening to the colorful stories her dad told about growing up in Puerto Rico and New York. Earlier this year, Gonzalez Hoang published A New Kind of Wild, which celebrates imagination, the magic of friendship, and all the different ways we make a new place feel like home.
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Family Technology Help Resources and Contact Information |
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The St. Louis Park Schools Family Tech Help site is located at https://slpfamilytechhelp.blogspot.com/. Please look here for solutions to common technical problems that you may have with a student device. If you are in need of additional, specific assistance, you can email a technician at familytechhelp@slpschools.org or leave a message at 952-928-6056.
In both cases please state the student name, school, grade, and provide device info, and contact phone or email. Both of these methods are checked on a regular basis during the school day from 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Any calls or emails made after 4:00 p.m. will be received and returned the next school day after 7:30 a.m.
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October 19-23 is National School Bus Safety Week |
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October 19-23 is National School Bus Safety Week. This year's theme is "Red Lights Mean STOP!" based on the winner of the national poster contest from 2019.
Held during the third full week of October each year, National School Bus Safety Week is an active and evolving public education program and an excellent way for parents, students, teachers, motorists, school bus operators, school administrators, and other interested parties - to join forces and address the importance of school bus safety.
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