20 May 2021
Coming Up
COVID-19 Update
Minnesota’s Safe Learning Plan remains in effect until the end of this school year. This means that AOWL will continue to require face coverings until this guidance has been updated. AOWL will continue to inform our community as these updates occur.

Visit the COVID-19 update section of our website for all COVID-19 information.
Family Corner
Thank You, PTO!!!
We are so grateful for the appreciation that was showered on our staff! Thank you, parents, for the Wednesday breakfast, the Thursday chalk art, and the customized Kind Bars delivered on Friday!
Click to enlarge photos.
Spring Book Fair May 17 - 21
Don't Miss AOWL's Spring Book Fair May 17 - 21!
  • 50% of all profits turn into Scholastic Dollars for AOWL!
  • The Book Fair will be open for purchases:
  • Thursday afternoon from 2:30 - 4:30 pm
  • Friday morning from 8:00 - 9:00 am
  • Friday afternoon from 2:30 - 4:30 pm
  • See our email communication from earlier this week for more details.
Many thanks to parent volunteer Sarah Beaven for running this year's Book Fair!
PTO Meeting May 20
The next PTO Meeting date is Thursday, May 20 from 4:30 - 5:30 pm.
Check out the Parent Calendar for the link to join.
A text will also be sent the day of the meeting with the meeting link.
All AOWL parents are welcome!
Summer Group Therapy Registration Due May 26
AOWL Therapy Services offers Summer Group Therapy, covered by most major insurance carriers! Beginning the week of June 14th, our 8-session groups provide a wide range of support for children, teens, and young adults that focus on social skills, health and wellness, and living with ASD.
Please visit www.aowl.org/groupservices/ or call 952-737-6933 for detailed course descriptions and
secure your spot by registering by May 26th.
Ceremony of Completion May 27
Join us online Thursday, May 27 from 7:00 - 8:00 pm for a special year-in-review featuring all of our students, speeches from AOWL graduates, and more!
Please click here to register for the event. We can't wait to "see" you there!

If you would like to invite family/friends to register, you can share the link below:
Last Day of School Activities - May 28
11:00 - Distance Learners Drive-Through Parade!
  • In-Person Learners will cheer on our Distance Learners as they drive through the parade.

11:15 - All-School Picnic -- Families Invited!
  • Join us outside for an all-school picnic! Please pack a lunch for your student and bring a blanket and/or lawn chairs to enjoy your picnic outdoors. Families are welcome to attend!

11:30 - Dismissal Begins.
  • All students must be picked up before noon. Owls' Nest will not be provided after school.
Summer Communications
WIPPS, Report Cards, and Transcripts, OH MY!
  • All WIPPS and reports will be sent out by Friday, June 4. Report Cards will be ready for access on Gradelink on June 4. Transcripts will be available at the end of June.

Quick Parent Communications Survey
  • We will be sending a brief survey to each AOWL parent requesting feedback regarding your satisfaction this year. This anonymous survey will be sent from Survey Monkey and should take no more than 5 minutes to complete. Your feedback is important to us in our quest to continually improve our school and offerings. Thanks in advance for your participation!

The Bridge Newsletter Summer Publications
  • For the months of June, July and August we will send out the Bridge Newsletter once a month to give updates for events related to the summer and the upcoming school year.
MOAK Thank You!
Thank you to all who were a part of Virtual Minds of All Kinds! We raised a total of $102,970.93, plus the $75,000 matching grant! We are filled with so much gratitude for your incredible support and the outpouring of generosity. Your donations are allowing us to continue providing transformative services to each one of our students and clients.

It isn't too late to donate! All donations over our goal will go toward scholarships.

Did you miss the event? You can watch the entire program by clicking here!
Resources
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! 
Beyond the Bell
Staffing Change
After 5 years at Academy of Whole Learning, Kaitlin Walsh is departing AOWL effective May 28th. She is starting a career with Best Buddies International as the Deputy Director of Programs and Operations for the state of Minnesota. She hopes to stay in touch with staff, students, and families and will miss our community greatly. As of June 1st, please direct all summer related communication and inquiries to Louis Bakalars who will act as interim Director or Enrichment Programming until we are able to secure a permanent replacement.
Bridge the Gap Summer Camp
Registration for Bridge the Gap Summer Camp 2021 is open! Some programs are full or have just a few spots remaining, so apply soon!
View program offerings here.
Upcoming Activity Days
We will be offering in-school Activity Days from June 1st - June 4th. 8:00 AM to 3:00 PM. Cost: $90/day. Sign up via Smart Tuition.
HEADlines with Brenda
March 13, 2020 will be a date that most will always remember. We have now passed the one-year anniversary of the announcement regarding the Coronavirus pandemic. It’s not an anniversary to celebrate, for sure, but it’s hard not to see this as a moment for gratitude here at AOWL. First and foremost, I would like to thank you, the parents, for your grace, efforts, and collaboration this past year. While this pandemic was upheaving the world as we knew it, our parents were adjusting their work schedules and balancing work while assisting their children in their learning. As a parent myself, I know the exhaustion and toll that created. Alongside your efforts, inside the AOWL school and at the teachers’ homes connected by technology, staff continued making an impact with our students through engagement and connectedness. These joint efforts between parents and staff allowed our students to still experience positive memories and highlights this 2020-2021 school year. A student survey asked, “What was your biggest highlight of the school year?” As I read through their answers, common themes emerged. Our students: 
  • Value their time being with friends and their class
  • Love their teachers
  • Look forward to their time outside 
  • Enjoy games and sharing interests with others
  • Learn and engage in the special events/activities

Take a minute to read through our students’ responses. Because of you and our staff’s efforts, AOWL students still found joy in their learning during a year of unknowns, high anxiety, and changes. For this, I am grateful. Thank You!
Click to enlarge the photos below.
View from the Nest
Congratulations, AOWL Class of 2021!
Contacts
2020-21 Board-Parent Liaison

PTO Co-chairs

Head of School