May 21, 2020
An academic bilingual community fostering global citizenship
UPCOMING
  • March 17 - June 4: Schools Remain Closed Under Executive Order from Governor Tim Walz
  • Friday, May 22: (virtual) Coffee with Corey between 8:30-9:15 a.m.
  • Monday, May 25: NO SCHOOL - Memorial Day
  • Friday, May 29th: Last Day of formal class lessons and groups; activities will be provided for continued learning through June 4
  • Friday, May 29: Virtual Musical, The Show Must Go Online performed by PSI Alumni, 7:00 p.m.
  • Tuesday, June 2nd from 8:00-1:00 Materials Pick Up and Drop off for last names A - H
  • Wednesday, June 3rd from 8:00-1:00 Materials Pick Up and Drop off for last names I - P
  • Wednesday, June 3rd at 1:00 p.m.: 5th Grade Celebration of Learning; link will be sent to families
  • Thursday, June 4th from 8:00-1:00 Materials Pick Up and Drop off for last names Q - Z
  • Thursday, June 4th from 3:00-4:00 p.m. End of the Year Farewell Drive Through Parade at PSI for Families to see Staff Members. Watch for more details coming soon!
5-21-20

Dear Park Spanish Immersion Elementary School Community:
 
I hope that you and your family are well and that you are having a good week. Our year is quickly coming to a close! Thanks to each of you for your continued support of our children as we work together to end the school year. Across St. Louis Park Public Schools, our elementary classroom teachers will connect with families to celebrate our children's learning during the week of June 1st. Because of this, next Friday, May 29th will be the last day of lessons and groups for our students. Grade levels will provide activities and opportunities for students to continue learning during the week of June 1st.
 
As we are approaching the end of the year, I would be remiss if I did not take a moment to acknowledge the countless volunteers who help make our school a better place for our students and families. This week, I would like to highlight our Amity intern host families. Thank you to them for opening their homes to our interns. The "Stay at Home" orders have provided for a different hosting experience for all involved in the program, and we are grateful for the graciousness, kindness, and generosity of host families during this challenging time.
 
A few questions have arisen about a couple of our field trips which we were not able to attend. For students currently in grades K-4, we will use any remaining funds to offset next year's field trips for those children. For our fifth grade students, because they are moving to Middle School, we have worked with Stages Theater, and our students will be receiving a voucher for Stages (in their end of the year boxes) that can be used for classes, performances, or merchandise.
 
Please watch for some updates in the next few weeks including content taught in the grade levels, supply lists for next year, additional information about the materials pick up and drop off procedures, and other opportunities.
 
Take care, tell your children that we miss them, and  "hasta pronto."
 
Sincerely,
 
Corey
952-928-6558

P.S. Please watch for more details about a farewell parade on the last day of school from 3:00 to 4:00 p.m. In PSI style, families are invited to drive-through to see our staff members as we play music and dance you into summer!
School News
From NAESP (National Association of Elementary School Principals):
Keeping Children Healthy While School's Out
Watch your child for signs of illness. If you see any sign of illness consistent with symptoms of COVID-19, particularly fever, cough, or shortness of breath, call your health care provider and keep your child at home and away from others as much as possible. Follow the CDC's guidance on what to do if you are sick. Also,
  • Look for signs of stress in your child
  • Teach and reinforce everyday preventive actions
  • Help your child stay active
  • Help your child stay socially connected

Click HERE for more information in ENGLISH
Click HERE for more information in SPANISH
PSI Alumni Players Debut Performance!
Join us virtually on Friday, May 29, at 7:00 pm for the first-ever performance of the PSI Alumni Players. This newly-formed theater group will be performing "The Show Must Go Online" , a new virtual musical created by  Beat by Beat Press . 

Log on next Friday, May 29th to see what happens when Sra. Wieber learns that the spring musical must be cancelled because of the COVID-19 school closures. Do not fear; the Drama Club students will come up with a plan to save the musical! 

Watch for the link to the virtual show in next week's ¡La Prensa!
Read-Aloud Books (Chapter AND Picture Books in English & Spanish)
Thanks to many publishers, we are able to post read-aloud books during the school closure. We have compiled many of the books that our staff members have read to PSI students during the past 6 weeks. So far there are three chapter books (2 English, 1 Spanish) and multiple picture books. Click HERE to see the many read-aloud books.
From RFE (Resources for Educators):
Math & Science Connection - Intermediate Edition
COMPARE THE WEIGHTS: Ask your youngster which they think weighs more: a mug or a water bottle. To find out, they can hold one in each hand and compare. Encourage them to try other objects, too: shampoo vs. a pair of socks, or toothpaste vs. a roll of paper towels. Some things might compare as they expected, but others may surprise them. Click HERE for this week's Math & Science Connection-Intermediate Edition!
PSI Annual Art Fair
Over 100 PSI artists submitted their creations for the Virtual Art Fair. Students created cakes, naturescapes, sculpture, paintings, and more!! View the gallery here.
Chromebook/iPads
Students to Keep Devices this Summer
There are still a few weeks left of school. Please contact PSI's Media Specialist, Sra. VanDeWalker ( vandewalker.sara@slpschools.org ) with questions or help with your child's home devices through the last day of school, June 4.

St. Louis Park Public Schools has decided that families who received a district Chrome book, iPad and/or mobile hotspot for distance learning this spring will be able to keep these devices over the summer. 

This decision was reached after consideration of the needs of students participating in academic summer school and the uncertainty of school startup this fall.  Students and families who currently have a school district device will not need to do anything further in order to keep the device over the summer.  Students and families should be aware that content filtering will continue to be applied on the devices throughout the summer. Students keeping the distance learning device over the summer are encouraged to use them to further their learning on their own.

If students experience technical difficulties with their assigned devices after the end of the 2019-2020 school year, support will be provided through the following:
  • Family Distance Learning Technology Support - Students and families can call 952-928-6056 to leave a message or send an email to familytechhelp@slpschools.org The messages will be monitored between the hours of 8 am and 4 pm Monday through Friday. If a message is left after 4 pm, it will be received by technical support staff the next business day.

If a student or family does not wish to keep their assigned device over the summer, please bring the device when you're dropping off library books and instruments on the designated date/time the last week of school.
PSI School Social Worker and School Counselor REFERRALS
As a reminder, we are available to provide support with basic needs, social and emotional help, and community resources. Please reach out by completing this form or emailing one of us. We will follow up with you and/or your student.

Jennifer Gregor, School Social Worker

Anne Moore, School Counselor
PTO News
COVID-19 Family Fund Donations
Many of you have reached out about how you might support kids and families with critical financial needs during this time of uncertainty and change. We thank you for demonstrating what a strong community we have here at PSI! To help streamline efforts and reduce burden on PSI staff, donations may be made for the COVID-19 PSI Family Fund through the  PTO PayPal account . Sra Gregor will then facilitate the purchase and distribution of the funds through gift cards.

Thank you in advance for your generosity! Stay well, be safe and feel proud to be a PSI family.
School District News
Free Meals Program Changes
Spring has arrived in Minnesota and temperatures are rising! This is wonderful news for the birds, the grass, and the flowers, but it is not good news for our fresh food delivery in  FREE Student Meals . In order to meet food safety guidelines we must keep food refrigerated until it is given to students and families. In order to do so we are modifying our Grab-and-Go Meal Distribution locations and times. Meals will now be served from school kitchens or refrigerated trucks parked at St. Louis Park Public Schools locations. We will no longer serve from apartment locations.

A few notes about the NEW service:
  • Meals will be served to your vehicle via drive-up at all locations.
  • Meals distribution times are 11:00 a.m.-12:45 p.m.
  • Meals are served from school kitchens or refrigerated trucks as referenced at each location below.

Grab-and-Go Meal Distribution Locations beginning Monday, May 18, 2020:

Aquila Elementary School - Kitchen
8500 W. 31st St., St. Louis Park, MN 55426

Park Spanish Immersion Elementary School - Kitchen
9400 Cedar Lake Rd., St. Louis Park, MN 55426

Peter Hobart Elementary School - Truck
6500 W. 26th St., St. Louis Park, MN 55426

Susan Lindgren Elementary School - Truck
4801 w. 41st St., St. Louis Park, MN 55416

St. Louis Park Middle School - Truck
2025 Texas Ave., St. Louis Park, MN 55426

St. Louis Park High School - Kitchen
6425 W. 33rd St., St. Louis Park, MN 55426
Virtual Kindergarten Information Week
St. Louis Park Public Schools was set to hold a Kindergarten Information Night at its four elementary schools on March 12, just as the COVID-19 pandemic started to affect the country, and so the event was canceled. 

During the week of May 18-22, we will hold a Virtual Kindergarten Information Week that is intended to provide incoming Kindergarten families with important information about the Kindergarten experience in St. Louis Park Public Schools. All of this content will be available starting Monday, May 18 by visiting  www.slpschools.org/kindergarten . 

Here is a schedule of the content that will be available each day:
  • Monday, May 18: Learn more about YOUR elementary school. 
  • Tuesday, May 19: ABCs and 123s … And SO MUCH MORE! They say “Everything You Need to Know, You Learn in Kindergarten,” but what will your child learn in kindergarten in St. Louis Park Public Schools?
  • Wednesday, May 20: Learn about Transportation, School Nutrition and Special Services.
  • Thursday, May 21: LIVE EVENT - Ask a question to a kindergarten student, parent, teacher, or principal.
  • Friday, May 22: Are you registered for kindergarten? Join us for a step-by-step guide to completing the forms for Kindergarten Registration.
Kids Place Child Care to OPEN for the Summer
The Governor’s most recent Executive Order 20-57 for the summer school period informs that school districts may provide childcare to all children but must continue to prioritize onsite care for eligible children of critical workers.

Under this order, Kids Place Childcare is able to reopen to families for the summer period, June 15 – August 21, 2020. The program will be required to follow social distancing and hygiene guidelines laid out by the Minnesota Department of Education and the Minnesota Department of Health. These guidelines will require more programming space and staffing thereby potentially limiting the number of children we can serve.

If you are interested in enrolling your child, please register by May 22  HERE . We will notify you as soon as possible if we can approve your contract as space allows. Kids Place says THANK YOU for your patience as they work through the details of these unprecedented times.
Community News
Sheridan Story: Grow & Give From Your Home Garden
We are excited to announce The Sheridan Story's new summer initiative, Grow & Give. The Grow & Give initiative brings together our produce garden partnerships with Dangerous Man and Surly breweries, our brand new produce garden located at our facility in Roseville, and YOU! This new seasonal produce initiative will significantly expand the amount of produce we are able to provide to children and families that need it.

You can join our initiative right from home. From broccoli to zucchini and anything in between, consider growing produce at your home, business, or faith community! We will add your produce as part of our distributions to children and families. 

If you need help getting started, we've partnered with a local organization, Giving Gardens. They can help you with supplies and installation, and we then ask that you please donate to them to cover the costs of their services. To connect with Giving Garden, please complete the form here:  www.givinggardensmn.org/contact-us.

 When the harvest is ready, you can drop off your produce donations at our office located at 2723 Patton Road, Roseville, MN 55113 on  Mondays and Tuesdays from June 15 – September 30, 2020.






Dr. Corey Maslowski, Principal
Follow me on Twitter @PSIPrincipal

Park Spanish Immersion Elementary School
9400 Cedar Lake Road
St. Louis Park, MN 55426 
 
School Hours: 8:25 a.m. - 2:55 p.m.
School Office Hours: 7:45 am - 4:00 pm

PSI Main Office: 952-928-6555
24Hr-Attendance: 952-928-6570
Health Office: 952-928-6554
PSI Fax: 952-928-6556
School Nutrition: 952-928-6567
St. Louis Park Public Schools Transportation Department (Bus) 612-437-4719
St. Louis
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