Visit the COVID-19 update section of our website for all COVID-19 information.
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To show appreciation for our staff's devotion throughout a tough year, AOWL's Board of Trustees granted staff one extra day of PTO, which will take place on Monday, May 10.
School will be canceled on May 10, and there will be no Owls' Nest or clubs.
Please mark your calendars!
We are so grateful to our Board for their support, and to you, our families, for making this day possible for our staff.
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High School Information Available Next Week! |
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Information for the 2021-22 High School Course Catalog will be sent in an email next week.
Stay tuned, all families of 2021-22 High School students!
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Adult Education Program Applications due May 1 |
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Families who have a senior at AOWL and are interested in the Adult Education Program for next school year, please submit applications by May 1, 2021! |
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Virtual Minds of All Kinds Fundraiser May 6 |
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Event Box Details
Once you RSVP to attend our virtual event on Thursday, May 6th from 7-8 pm, you are able to receive an Event Box!
What is an Event Box?
An Event Box is a little thank you from our organization to people who are supporting our event. It has treats associated with the speakers and our mission and AOWL branded swag. We have 200 Event Boxes that will be distributed on a first come, first serve basis.
Who can get an Event Box?
Any AOWL family who has RSVP'd for the event. You may take one for your household and you may also pick up boxes to share with any friends/family that have RSVP’d for the event. Please just give our volunteers their names at pick-up so we can make sure they are included! You will be responsible for getting the event boxes to your guests.
When/Where can I pick up the box?
We will be handing out Event Boxes at drop-off (from 8-8:45 am) AND pick-up (from 3-4:15 pm to accommodate clubs) on Friday, April 30th and Monday, May 3rd (note: there are no clubs on Monday). Look for us near the High School entrance! We will have signs and tables set up...you can't miss us!
Still haven’t RSVP’d? You can by clicking here!
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Parent Support Group May 7 |
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The next Parent Support Group will meet Friday, May 7 from 9:00 - 10:00 AM.
Topics of interest: Increasing Social Connections and Summer Preparations.
This will be our last gathering for the school year. Please RSVP by contacting Sunni.
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K-12 Education Subtraction and Credit |
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Minnesota has programs to help families pay for education expenses:
The K-12 Education Subtraction and the K-12 Education Credit can lower the tax families pay or increase their refund when filing their Minnesota income tax return. Families may qualify for the subtraction, credit, or both - if they save their receipts.
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Visit the Resources Page on the AOWL website (scroll down and click the "Resources" button) to view information about events happening outside of school that may be of interest to you and your family!
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Bridge the Gap Summer Camp |
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Registration for Bridge the Gap Summer Camp 2021 is open! Some programs have just a few spots remaining, so apply soon!
View program offerings here.
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We will be offering a week of activity days from May 31st - June 4th.
Details regarding daily themes and outings coming soon.
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Celebrate Every Win
Even though this year has presented a wide variety of challenges, there have been many moments of learning! Typically, we tend to celebrate traditional types of achievements. Celebrations are focused around a high test score or a report card full of As. While it is important to celebrate outcomes, we also need to celebrate the process of learning. This means we recognize a student who finished the year reading one grade level behind after starting the year two grade levels behind. It means the student who shows up to school while facing significant personal challenges is acknowledged. These examples show a commitment to each student’s learning process; at AOWL, we celebrate ALL stages of learning.
This year has brought us so many learning processes to celebrate. We had distance learners who learned from home, students who learned in-person, and those who participated in a combination of distance and in-person learning! Gabe, who has been a distance learner all year, expressed how proud he felt about finishing Lexia levels, doing his school work independently, riding his bike and learning to do the monkey bars! Way to go Gabe! We are so proud of all your accomplishments during a tough year! Edsel, who spent the majority of his year as a distance learner and who has just recently returned to in-person learning also shared his thoughts about what he feels he accomplished. “I am still here. I missed it when I couldn’t be here, and now I’m back. I love this school and am happy to be back.” Edsel, we are so happy to have you back and are proud of how you persevered through the frustrating times! Gray, a student who has been an in-person learner all year was most proud of how they ensured the distance learners continued to be a part of our community. They explained how they put together a distance learner cart by using a computer, a microphone, a speaker, a GoPro as a webcam, and a motorized arm. Gray constructed an arm that would raise when the “raise hand” button was pressed on the Google Meet, allowing distance learners to visibly raise their hand in the classroom. Way to go, Gray! Not only did you achieve in your own learning, but you supported other learners along the way!
AOWL achieves greatness through celebrating everyone’s narrative. Celebrating examples of great learning, in whatever forms they take, reinforces the sense that the process for each learner is valid and valuable. Celebrating different kinds of wins is a way to remind ourselves that there can be joy in the process of learning. Continuing to model this type of mindset sets the platform for a positive learning environment. I am so proud of our students and staff for all of their successes this year. Together, we are achieving and celebrating every win!
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Family Art Night Highlights! |
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Students, alumni, and staff had a "hoot" at our Virtual Family Art Night!
Check out some of their creations below:
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