March 10, 2021 | Volume 1 • Issue 26
Safe Learning Plan Update: MS and HS Students Return to In-Person Learning on April 12
The School Board for St. Louis Park Public Schools approved changes to the school district’s Safe Learning Plan at their Monday, March 8 meeting that will send students in Grades 6-12 attending St. Louis Park Middle School and High School back to school for in-person learning on April 12. 

Middle and High School students will attend school four days per week (Monday, Tuesday and Thursday, Friday). Wednesdays will continue to be student support/feedback days. Students who have selected distance learning will see no changes to their learning model.

Students who are enrolled in the hybrid learning model currently and wish to change to distance learning can do so in advance of the change by contacting their school. Students currently enrolled in distance learning will not be able to return to school in-person.

District Administration will continue to monitor COVID-19 case counts in Hennepin County and locally in St. Louis Park, all safe learning model considerations, as well as guidance from state officials, and will consider updates to the District’s Safe Learning Plan when appropriate.

Additional information about the transition to in-person learning will be provided to students and families in the coming weeks from each school. The school district will publish the “Secondary Return to In-Person Learning Guide” on March 26 with detailed information about schedules, social distancing, health and safety practices, etc.
Updated COVID-19 Dashboard
The dashboard will be updated every Wednesday and can be found on the District's COVID-19 News & Updates page at www.slpschools.org/covid19.
School Board Approves 2020-2025 Strategic Plan for Racial Equity Transformation
The School Board unanimously approved the 2020-2025 Strategic Plan for Racial Equity Transformation at its Monday, March 8 meeting. Click here for more information.
High School Senior Talia Lissauer Named 2021 Minnesota Journalist of the Year
The Journalism Educators of Minnesota have named St. Louis Park High School Senior and Editor-in-Chief of Echo Talia Lissauer the 2021 Minnesota Journalist of the Year. This is the second straight year that a St. Louis Park High School student and Echo staffer has won the award as 2020 graduate Marta Hill was named the 2020 Minnesota Journalist of the Year. 

In naming Lissauer this year’s Minnesota Journalist of the Year, one judge said "The pandemic changed many things about journalism, and Lissauer eloquently details the layers added to the news publication, Echo. Notably, the transition to a newsmagazine and the creation of video shorts was clever and indicative of the change needed to battle new norms. These, along with detailed organization allowed Lissauer and her team to be successful." 

Lissauer also recently had a letter to the editor published by the Star Tribune on February 26 titled “My school doesn’t censor student reporting. Others shouldn’t either.” 

Lissauer will now move on to compete in the National Journalist of the Year competition, sponsored by the Journalism Education Association. 
MDH Recommends Testing for Kids & Families Every Two Weeks
Now that students have returned to in person learning at our elementary schools and hybrid learning at our secondary schools, the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) encourages every family to get tested for COVID-19. Current recommendations from MDH say that any student who spends time near people outside their immediate household should get tested every two weeks, through the end of the school year.

Testing has never been easier – you can visit a community testing site, order an at-home test kit, or get tested through your health care provider. All options are quick and free to you.

You can sign your entire family up to get tested at the same time at a community testing site. If someone in your family prefers to speak in another language besides English, in-person or language line assistance is available. Test sites are doing everything they can to make sure sites are clean, safe, and comfortable for everyone.

Teachers, school staff, and coaches are already getting tested regularly. We owe it to them to do the same. By wearing a mask and getting tested regularly, we can help limit the spread of COVID-19 and keep our schools and sports open.

Visit Getting Tested for COVID-19 or contact your health care provider to schedule an appointment.
Upcoming Listening Sessions with Superintendent Osei
As a part of the process to hear stakeholder perspectives, Superintendent Osei will be hosting Listening Sessions over the course of this school year for students, parents/guardians, and staff to better understand the impact of the implementation of the District's educational delivery models. 

March 16 | Parents/Guardians - English | 5:00-6:00 p.m. | Zoom Link
 
March 16 | Parents/Guardians - Spanish | 6:00-7:00 p.m. | Zoom Link
 
April 5 | Students | 3:30-4:30 p.m. | Zoom Link
 
April 5 | Staff | 4:30-5:30 p.m. | Zoom Link