SNAPSHOT: October is National Bullying Prevention Month, a month focused on preventing childhood bullying and promoting kindness, acceptance, and inclusion. Students around the district highlighted this month in special ways. The Valley View Student Leadership team made custom face masks for staff that reinforced the message against bullying. Highlands Elementary students took on the Kindness Challenge and decorated their pavements with encouraging words.
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Four Edina High School students received recognition from the Minnesota Scholastic Press Association for their stories featured in the Zephyrus student news publication. During the conference held Oct. 8, the EHS yearbook, Whigrean also received an award.
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Fourteen district employees retired this fall. Collectively, they contributed 267 years of service to Edina students, families and colleagues. Our hope is that the traditional, in-person retirement celebration will be able to happen in the spring, and these fall retirees will be invited to that event. However, we want to thank and recognize them now, and give the community a chance to do the same, as these former employees begin their retirement adventure.
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If extreme weather causes the district to close school buildings, learning would continue uninterrupted as all students and staff would shift to an e-Learning Day. This means students in the Hybrid Learning Model who were scheduled to have an in-school learning day, would instead learn virtually for that day. All other students scheduled for virtual learning in the Hybrid or EVA models would continue their learning as planned.
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Calendar Change: Nov. 23 & 24 will be asynch for students
The School Board has approved a change to the school year calendar, giving staff across the district time for professional development and planning. Nov. 23 and 24 (Monday and Tuesday of Thanksgiving week) will now be asynchronous learning days for all students.
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Watch for Kindergarten Info late-November
Due to COVID safety protocols, Kindergarten Information Nights are being reimagined! Information about kindergarten registration and virtual information opportunities will be mailed to homes of incoming kindergartners in late November. Program Choice Forms are not due until Jan. 6; online kindergarten registration is due Jan. 22. Watch for more information to come!
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IMPORTANT REMINDER: Before EPS students board the bus, they are required to wear face coverings and continue to wear them while on the bus. For more information on safety guidelines while riding the bus, visit the Transportation page on the Family Dashboard.
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Staying safe outside
For the safety of the school community, MDH recommends wearing a mask outdoors when unable to maintain social distancing of at least six feet. Students often have a hard time remembering to stay apart while playing with classmates outdoors, so we are now emphasizing our message and asking them to wear their masks outside during recess. Safety protocols are most effective when applied consistently. We have implemented this practice at all elementary school playgrounds.
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Based on a new study of COVID transmission, the CDC expanded its definition of “close contact.” Here is the new definition: Someone who was within 6 feet of an infected person for a cumulative total of 15 minutes or more over a 24-hour period* starting from 2 days before illness onset (or, for asymptomatic patients, 2 days prior to test specimen collection) until the time the patient is isolated. (* Individual exposures added together over a 24-hour period, e.g., three 5-minute exposures for a total of 15 minutes). This is the definition the district uses when contact tracing an exposure. Please keep this in mind when assessing possible exposures for your own family members.
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Stay home with symptoms
As cold and flu season begins, and overlaps with the ongoing pandemic, we want to remind parents to please keep students home if they have any symptoms. If you are unsure, contact your school Health Services Office. Students who present symptoms while at school are isolated and parents are called to pick up their student. View the COVID Monitoring page on the Family Dashboard for more information about symptoms.
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Regular School Board meeting: Monday, Nov. 16, 7 p.m.
Dates and full agendas for Regular Meetings and Board Work Sessions are posted in the Agenda and Minutes section of the School Board Meetings page three days prior to the meeting. Meeting agendas, dates and times are subject to change. (Click the Bookmark icon on the far upper right of the PDF to navigate through the document.)
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Regular meetings of the Edina School Board are held in a partial in-person format at the District Office Conference Room, with limited public seating available in the adjacent collaborative space. Construction in the ECC Board Room is expected to be completed in February.
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News from Nutrition Services |
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District’s ability to deliver food nearing capacity
Since the pandemic began, the District has offered a weekly delivery option for school breakfast and lunch, and dinner boxes for families experiencing food insecurity. The number of requests for delivery of food has grown tremendously and we may soon have to stop accepting delivery requests.
The delivery service is intended to assist families with transportation challenges (i.e. no working or available car, no licensed driver, working parents unable to pick-up). If you are receiving food delivery and no longer need this service, please call Dan Hutchinson at Nutrition Services, 952-848-3813, and ask to be removed from the delivery route. It will help ensure that this service remains available for those most in need. Food pick-up is Wednesdays, 11 a.m. - 1 p.m., at EHS Door 15, behind the school. Thank you!
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Winter gear drive for Edina students
Mercy Closet is collecting and distributing winter gear to Edina Students needing help this season. Items include: coats, snow pants, boots, hats, gloves/mittens, and scarves. Donated items may be gently used or new. Winter collection day is Saturday, Nov. 7, 9 a.m.-noon at 4201 W. 50th St. Edina. Families with students in need can sign-up for donated items with their EPS school social worker, cultural liaison, or by referral from the Edina Resource Center.
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Nov. 1 - Daylight Saving Time Ends ("Fall back" one hour at 2 a.m. Sunday)
Nov. 3 - No School / Election Day
Nov. 23 & 24 - Asynchronous Learning Day for all Students; Professional Development Day for Employees
Nov. 25 - 27 No School
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