64 SECONDS to Learn Up To 25 THINGS about St. Louis Park High School
October 23, 2020
November 20, 2020
Important Websites for High School Families

1: From the Interim Principal
Happy Thanksgiving SLP Families,

It’s hard for me to believe that we are already at Thanksgiving, which is one of my favorite times of the year.  I love enjoying a big meal with my family and spending restful time together.  This year will be very different for my family and probably for many of yours, but I hope this quote lifts your heart. 

“Gratitude turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, 
chaos into order, confusion into clarity...it makes sense of our past, brings  
peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow.”     By Melodie Beattie

Once again, this newsletter is filled with information, addressing “school” in distance learning.  Please open the links for more details on various topics.  I also hope you will read about the Zoom Bombings and discuss this with your child, in addition to all the other items in this newsletter.  Lastly, I hope you and your loved ones enjoy this Thanksgiving holiday with good food, lots of love and continued safety.

With Much Gratitude,

Wendy Loberg
Interim Principal
2: PITT - Park Instructional Tech Team-Student Tech Team Committee
At SLP, we have an amazing group of teachers who volunteer their time to serve on PITT, our Park Instructional Tech Team. They have prepared and delivered countless training sessions to help staff learn new tech skills for distance and hybrid learning. This year, they have added a "Student Tech Team Committee" which is a student/teacher group whose mission is to help students navigate technology tools and provide other tips and helpful information during distance and hybrid learning. Students are working on two initiatives now:

1. Instagram page: slp_hybrid_learning. Students share announcements, videos and tips to help their fellow students navigate distance learning. All Park students are invited to follow them on Instagram.
 
2. Park Connections PITT Stop slides. Every week, students will make a slide or more with a video, giving advice or tips to students during distance learning: how to reorder Schoology courses, how to manage your bookmarks, how to change your picture on Zoom, how to make an appointment with teachers using Student Connect, ideas on how to organize your day and space, etc.
 
Check out the Recent ECHO article featuring this group of talented students!
3: "Zoom Bombings"
Over the last few days, we have seen an increase in “Zoom Bombings.” This means that a person enters a Zoom class link and proceeds to make inappropriate, and in some cases racially and sexually charged statements. I wish to publicly acknowledge the harm and personal pain these situations cause for our teachers, staff and students.  

This is not the first time that members of our staff have had to endure “Zoom bombings” and/or verbal assault, but it has to stop. As a result, teachers may choose to add the security feature of requiring students to register before entering class Zoom links or move to Google Meets which is a less desirable platform. Many teachers have recently removed that security feature, based on feedback, but I support the wide scale use of this additional step in order to protect staff and, hopefully, stop this from happening. 

St. Louis Park District and High School are focused on collaborative action research for equity, and staff are all intentionally working to identify and disrupt anti-racist procedures and curriculum. This event serves to remind me that we have much work to do to eliminate hate and racism in this and every community. One staff member eloquently stated, “One of the reasons that I love St. Louis Park so much is because this district's mission is rooted in equity and is focused on creating a safe space for all staff and students, especially our community members of color. I love SLP because racial equity is at the core of who we are and what we do. These Zoom Bomb events are alarming and go directly against the core of who we are and what we stand for.”  Please talk with your children about this topic, as this negatively impacts our entire community.
4: Purpose of Asychronous Periods
Asynchronous periods are designed to build screen time breaks into the online school day for students while still providing a consistent structure to each school day. They are intended to provide opportunities for check-ins and individualized or small group academic, social and emotional support for students on alternating days between synchronous instruction. Compelling evidence shows us that when students check in, they are more likely to get their work done with the help and support provided. Please read clearly articulated expectations for students and staff for asynchronous periods. In this link:  Asynchronous Expectations for Students and Staff
5: Distance Learning and Student Assistance Information

Daily Schedule 
A schedule can be found in this link.

Student Support App
To sign up for a help session with a teacher or for the Oriole Study Nest click here.

Transportation
To sign up for transportation click here.

Other Supports are Available
Many supports are available including virtual support, tutoring, Learning Lab, math tutoring sessions, mental health supports and more. Check other supports available at the High School here.
6: Parent/Guardian PowerSchool Help
To learn how to set up a PowerSchool parent account click here.

Are you unsure of how to get the most out of your PowerSchool account? In-app help is available from a central online location in a simple, easy-to-use format. Once you are logged into your PowerSchool account, use the “Help” link in the upper right corner of the page to explore all of the things you can do in PowerSchool such as Review Class Information, Review Class Schedules, Email Teachers, View Grades and Attendance and more. 
7: For Family Tech Help
For solutions to common technical problems that you may have with a student device, check out the St. Louis Park Schools Family Tech Help site which is located at https://slpfamilytechhelp.blogspot.com/.
8: Winter Sports "Paused"
Per Governor Waltz, all winter sports are "paused". This means that boys & girls basketball, boys & girls hockey, girls gymnastics, boys & girls nordic ski and boys swimming will not begin practices on the dates previously announced. 

As we get more information from the Minnesota State High School League we will communicate it out. Go Park!

Go to  gopark.org  for athletic event information and sports registration.
9: Virtual Career Expo January 8
I am excited to announce we are having a 2021 Career EXPO!  We have joined forces with multiple schools and a new platform called Elevate Futures to offer a virtual Career Expo. Please read over the information below and attached. SAVE the DATE - January 8, 2021!  If you are available great! Once registered, you will receive detailed information on how to "create your booth" in the near future.
 
  • When: Friday, January 8, 2021; 9:00am-2:00pm
  • What: You are invited to participate in a Virtual Career Expo
  • How: Host a virtual booth on the Elevate Futures platform. Elevate Futures is an interactive workforce development platform that links recruitment, skill building, and career navigation into one comprehensive system.
  • Who: Students from eight secondary and two post-secondary area schools will attend to learn about industries, explore future careers, and get to now potential employers.
 
Register: Click here to register your business or organization and to create your FREE profile. For questions about setting up your profile contact Claudia Aurand at caurand@mplschamber.com.
 
Business/Organization Benefits:
  • Gain exposure to more than 5,000 future employees or interns
  • Increase company visibility and awareness
  • Connect directly with educators for future engagement and volunteer opportunities
 
Virtual Booths Offer These Features:
  • Publish a company profile that includes a video, company description and contact information so students can learn more about you
  • Upload a personal message to visitors of your booth
  • Upload multiple documents for your visitors to download and read
  • Link to more than 1,000 existing career cards to showcase positions within your company

Our students are looking forward to an interactive and creative opportunity with this Career Expo!

Sincerely

Kara Mueller
Career & College Coordinator/CTE Coordinator
St. Louis Park High School

10: Meal Pick Up Schedule for Next Week
Meals will be available for pick up outside the High School main entrance from
11:45 a.m.-12:45 p.m. on the following days:

Monday 11/23 
Monday 11/30
Wednesday 12/2

Take home meals are available Monday - Friday from 3:00-3:15 for students who are in the building. Breakfast and lunch is also provided for any students in the building.
11: PSAT Registration
The new PSAT test date will be January 26, 2021. Students who registered for the PSAT are enrolled for the January exam.
 
Students who have not registered can still register 
Registrations are on a “while supplies last” basis and cost $30.00.
Students who qualify for Free/Reduced Lunch can request a fee waiver when registering.
Students who would like to take the PSAT, but for whom the cost is prohibitive should contact their Counselor or the Testing Coordinator about Grants** to cover the fee

*The PSAT is to qualify students for National Merit Scholarships when taken during 11th grade. Students who are in the top third of their class and/or have over a 3.0 GPA are encouraged to take the test. Tenth graders who are in the top 25% of their class should consider taking the test as well as a practice for 11th grade. The PSAT can also be used as a practice test for the SAT.  
**Grants do not have to be repaid.

Please contact Jami LaPray, High School Testing Coordinator with any questions.
12: COVID-19 Testing At Home
Order an At-Home Test

Click here for Test Site Information
 
The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) is offering Minnesotans more and different options for COVID-19 testing by offering saliva testing in a growing number of locations across the state. The test is more comfortable than a nasal swab, and available at no cost to anyone who believes they need a COVID-19 test. Saliva testing is free and available to all Minnesotans who believe they need to be tested, with or without symptoms. Identification is not required. You do need to have an email address and phone number to receive your results.

Insurance is not required. If you do have insurance, you will need to show your card. The test is completely free whether or not you have insurance, and you will not receive a bill.
Saliva testing may not be right for those with low saliva production, such as children under age 4 or someone who has suffered a stroke.

Monday - Friday: 12-7 p.m. and Saturday - Sunday: 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
 
What to expect at the testing site
  • Wear a mask or face covering if you can.
  • If you made an appointment ahead of time, you can show either your confirmation email/text or tell staff your name, birthdate, and address. Plan to arrive close to the time of your scheduled visit.
  • If you did not make an appointment ahead of time, you can register at the event.
  • Bring your insurance card if you have health insurance. The test will be 100% free whether or not you have insurance. If you do, we may ask your insurance company to help pay for your test.

How the saliva test works
You must not eat, drink, chew or smoke anything for at least 30 minutes before taking a saliva test. A health care professional will tell you how to take the test, but you will do it yourself.
You will spit into a funnel attached to a tube. Producing the required amount of saliva usually takes 10-12 minutes. You will get your results in about 48-72 hours.
13: Keep Your School Nurse Informed
14: SLPHS Familias Latinas Reunion 
Please join us for our second Latinx family meeting of the year on Thursday, December 3rd from 5:30-6:30 pm. We will share updates from school and information about finals and second semester. We welcome your questions and feedback as well. Please use this link to join our meeting. Hope to see you soon! 

¡Segunda Reunión Virtual para Familias Latinas!
Queremos invitarles a la segunda reunión para nuestras familias Latinx. Acompañenos el jueves, 3 de diciembre de 5:30 a 6:30 p.m. Queremos compartir información actualizada
sobre examenes e inicio del segundo semestre. Habra tiempo para compartir opiniones y preguntas. Sea parte de esta reunión al darle un clic a este   link (enlace).
¡Esperamos verles pronto!
15: Lifetouch Pictures
If you ordered pictures from Lifetouch they are available for pickup just inside Door #1. The building is open Monday-Friday from 7:00 am - 5:00 pm. If you are unable to pick them up contact Kiki Christensen at christensen.kirsten@slpschools.org.
16: Virtual Senior Meeting
Ms. Busse and Ms. King will be hosting your first Senior Meeting on Wednesday, December 2 during Park Connections (11:45-12:15). The virtual link to this meeting is https://slpschools-org.zoom.us/j/95952933145. An invite will also be sent to each senior student school email address. 
17: Seniors - Order Your Cap & Gown Now
Please go to gradsmn.org to order your cap and gown now. There is no charge to families. We order our cap and gowns from Jostens and due to the situation with the pandemic, they need to have this information as soon as possible. If you have any questions contact Deb Muralt at muralt.debra@slpschools.org.
18: Change to Chill Hennepin County
SECONDARY STUDENTS AND CAREGIVERS: Change to Chill
Allina Health’s teen mental well-being initiative, Change to Chill, will offer free virtual sessions to Hennepin County secondary students and parents. The 60-minute sessions will cover general topics like identifying stressors, coping with change, grief and anxiety, as well as how to start mental health conversations. Sessions for youth and parents who have been most impacted by COVID-19 and the civil unrest are planned. These sessions will be led by culturally competent community consultants and mental health providers. Sessions run from November through December and registration is required. The first session on November 9th at 7 pm is for school educators and community partners to learn about Change to Chill and this project. For more information on the Hennepin County project and to register for sessions, visit the Change to Chill Website.

Please see attached flyers for opportunities for virtual mental well being support for students, parents and various affinity groups.

19: Relate Counseling Center
Instead of meeting with a therapist at an outpatient office, your child can meet with a therapist in school or virtually during the school day. For information about school mental health services offered through Relate Counseling Center click here.
20: Interested in Starting PSEO for Semester 2
The deadline to apply is December 1st!
 
The final virtual information meeting time is Tuesday, November 24, 3:20pm - 4:20pm
Sign up for a session using Ms. Cosgrove’s Calendly link. You will then receive the link for the session in your email.

Helpful Q and A's Link
21: 2020-21 Yearbook Sales are Open
2020-2021 Yearbook Sales are open! Purchase yours online now at slpechowan.com for $70. Sales close on January 31, 2021. This year’s yearbook will provide a way to stay connected to all aspects of the school, as well as preserving unique and valuable information for years to come. Don’t miss out, get yours today! The yearbook will feature stories and photos regarding sports, clubs, academics, and special events from this school year, and it is a great way to keep these memories throughout your life! For any questions on sales, please email echowan2021@gmail.com.
22: SLP Library - Place Your Own Holds
"There was and there was not, as all stories begin, a princess cursed to be poisonous to the touch." So begins Girl, Serpent, Thorn, one of the newest books in our library. Want to read it? Even though distance learning is resuming, you can still get library books! 
  1. Put a book on hold and pick it up in the entry near the main office: How do I put a book on hold?
  2. Read an e-book in the Sora app 
  3. Read an e-book from Junior Library Guild. Get the details on how to access JLG.

Have questions? Reach the Media Specialist, Marie Slaby, at (952) 928-6215 or slaby.marie@slpschools.org. Or contact the Media Assistant, Deb Sparling, at (952) 928-6182 or sparling.debra@slpschools.org.

Happy reading!
23: Drivers Ed
Registration for Driver's Ed is now open!
Register and find more information here: Website
Return to School Guide
The District released its Return to School Guide to families on August 14. This guide contains important information about the three potential learning models (distance, hybrid and in-person), health and safety guidelines and protocols, and other general information on a variety of topics including transportation, school nutrition, childcare, arts, athletics, and much more! Click here to download a PDF version of this document.

This document will be updated frequently and will be maintained on the district website at www.slpschools.org/covid19.
Student Spotlight!