St. Louis Park Middle School's Weekly News |
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February 15, Presidents' Day, No School
February 18 & 19, Teacher Transition Day, No School
February 18-21, MS Play
February 22, Begin Hybrid Learning or continue Distance Learning
February 22 or 25, Girls' and Boys' basketball starts
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Registration Information for 6th & 7th Graders |
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Greetings St. Louis Park Public Schools 6th and 7th Grade Families:
Welcome to the 7th and 8th grade registration process. We are excited to see our students getting ready to move to the next grade at the Middle School.
STUDENT REGISTRATION OPENS TOMORROW - SATURDAY, February 13
Your student will receive a registration link via their school Gmail account. This link will guide your student and you through the course selection process.
We are providing the links to the registration videos your student saw in advisory:
PLEASE NOTE: Students can only submit the form ONE TIME, so please make careful selections. Registration forms must be submitted by Friday, February 19, 2021.
If you need help accessing your student's school Gmail account, follow these steps:
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Open an internet browser (Chrome, Firefox, Safari, etc.) and go to google.com.
- In the upper righthand corner click on the (blue) "Sign in" button.
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On the Sign in page, enter your child's school email address with this formula: [email protected] (e.g. [email protected]).
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If the email address is recognized the next window will ask for a password. Please enter that in the field with this formula: studentID#firstandlastinitial (e.g. 123456jd / Note: Student ID numbers are six digits long) If your child does not remember their ID number, please send us an email at [email protected].
- This should allow you and your student access to your student's school Gmail account AND the student's school Google account, including Google Drive, etc. (This is also how students log into their school ChromeBooks).
- Once you have logged in, go back to the upper righthand corner and click on the 3x3 grid. Click on the Gmail icon and you will be taken to the Gmail Inbox.
Please reach out with any questions you have by emailing [email protected]. English speaking families should call the Middle School at 952-928-6300. Spanish speaking families should call Multicultural Liaison Carmen Rudin at 952-928-6018. Somali speaking families should call Multicultural Liaison Tarabi Jama at 952-928-6017.
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A Message from the Principal |
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Welcome back to St. Louis Park Middle School, for those of you who have chosen in-person hybrid learning starting February 22. On behalf of the staff I want to share that we are all very excited to have students back physically in school again. Hopefully, this means that we are intentionally and safely moving towards having all our students back in school again. When all students come back, we want to give them the educational opportunities that were present before the pandemic, as well as adding new ways of teaching and student learning techniques that we learned during this unprecedented time period.
Included in this communication are some key pieces of information that we believe families need to have who are returning to in person learning. Later next week more communication through district channels will be available regarding hybrid learning.
As you know, Monday is a national holiday. Tuesday will be a full day of instruction for all students. Wednesday will be a student feedback day. Thursday/Friday there will be no school so teachers can prepare for in-person hybrid learning on Monday, February 22.
In closing, I want families, who have chosen Cohort C, distance learning, to know that we are keeping in our professional conversations the learning needs of your students as well.
I am hoping you can find a warm place to enjoy the long Presidents' Day weekend.
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Hybrid & Distance Learning Schedule |
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Click here to see the Hybrid & Distance Learning Schedule starting February 22.
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Return to Hybrid Learning Reminders |
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Click here to see the flyer.
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Parents/Guardians & Visitors |
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Parents/Guardians & Visitors:
To maintain a healthy and safe environment we are limiting access to school as much as possible for students and employees who learn and work here. Thus, if parents/visitors have a need to come into the school an appointment needs to be made prior to coming to school to see the person you would like to meet with. Please call 952-928-6300 for assistance.
Families who need to pick up a student from school should call the office when they arrive and wait for their child in the entryway. Students will be called out of their class once their parent/guardian has arrived on campus. Students will exit through the office to be signed out.
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Attendance Reminders for Hybrid Students |
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Families are reminded that all student absences must be reported to the attendance office to be excused. You may phone, 952-928-6394 or email, [email protected].
Parents/Guardians of hybrid students will need to contact the attendance line if their student will attend virtually on a day they are scheduled to attend physically in the building. Students will receive a "Parent excused absence" to clearly indicate they were not in the building. This is necessary for COVID contact tracing.
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Self Screening - Students |
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All students reporting to school at St. Louis Park Middle School are asked to screen themselves at home for symptoms before they come to school .Please review page 23-25 by clicking here for more information.
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St. Louis Park Public Schools requires compliance with the Minnesota State Immunization Law (M.S. 121A.15). In anticipation of middle school students returning to in-person learning, your student must be up-to-date on immunizations, or provide the appropriate legal exemption form. Your student will not be able to attend school in-person until the appropriate documentation is provided.
If you have questions please contact the health office at 952-928-6311.
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8th Grade Community Project Update
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Students should have connected with their supervisor this week, this may or may not be their advisory teacher. They (individually or as a team) should be working on completing Lessons 8, 9, and 10. These lessons are accessed through their advisory Schoology page. These lessons should be completed by the 24th of February. If a student/group finishes early they can reach out to their supervisor for their next check-in so they can keep the momentum of their project going.
Community project reminders for 8th grade students:
You should have lesson 8-Group Norms (digital notebook pg. 19) completed and are now working on Lesson 9-Research (notebook pgs.17&18).
Remember that your project goal (Lesson 10) is due on February 24 for Meeting #2 with your supervisor.
Be sure to check your email/Schoology messages for communications from your supervisors!
Please reach out with questions or concerns anytime,
Mia Waldera
International Baccalaureate Coordinator
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SLP MS Theater Presents "10 Ways to Survive Life in Quarantine" |
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SLP MS Theater proudly presents to you: "10 Ways to Survive Life in a Quarantine", by Don Zolidis, produced by special arrangement with Playscripts, Inc. (www.playscripts.com).
The show has been recorded and can be viewed on the digital platform Anywhereseat.com. With the digital format, you buy a ticket and then have access to view the show 2 times using the link over a certain period of time. The viewing period will be from Thursday, February 18- Sunday, February 21.
We opted to do a "pay what you can" model for ticket pricing. You will see some suggestions for how to think about this in the description for the show on the ticketing website.
Feel free to share the link with others as well!
The cast and crew really did work hard, and perform alone in their rooms to a camera, and won't get to hear the applause... please be sure to check out the "flowers" link in the program so you can throw a little love their way!
Thank you to everyone for their hard work on the show, it was a bright spot during this very weird time!
SLP MS Theater Director
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Boys' and Girls' Basketball and Spring Sports |
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Boys' and Girls' Middle School basketball will look different from what it has in the past. The following is the plan starting February 22.
Boys’ and girls’ basketball will start practice starting on February 22 and the season will go until March 25. However, because other districts we participate against are doing the same, we will be offering an intra-school season (no competitions against other schools).
Spring sports will start right after spring break (April 5) and registration will open in March.
Sports offered will be girls’ and boys’ track and field, boys’ tennis and 7th and 8th grade girls’ lacrosse.
The plan is spring sports will compete against other schools but we will have to wait and see as we get closer to the season starting.
What middle school sports will look like in the hybrid learning model:
Student Athletes will only practice, participate and compete on the days they are in session at school.
Students with last names A-K will practice and participate in any games/matches on Monday and Tuesdays.
Students with last names L-Z will practice and participate in any games/matches on Thursdays and Fridays.
Registration
When prompted to log in, you will log in with the same username and password you use to pay your students lunch account.
The first day of practice will be February 22 for Cohort A (last name A-K) and February 25 for Cohort B (last name L-Z). The season will last until March 25. Practices are from 4:00 - 5:15 p.m.
The following must be received by the Athletic Director by February 22 for winter sports:
Registration and payment (see above for instructions).
Proof of sports physical exam (exam date can be found on PowerSchool) given within the previous three years (which clears the athlete for full participation) on file in the Health Office. If the physical expires during the season, a new physical must be provided before the athlete may begin participation. A well child check-up or immunization record does not count as a sports physical. Click here to download the 2020-2021 Sports Qualifying Physical Examination Medical Eligibility Form.
Transportation
An activity bus will be available after practice but will be different than it has been in the past. You will need to pre-register for the route your student athlete will ride. More information to come on how to register for the activity bus.
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8th Graders UPLIFT Mock Trial |
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8th graders! You have the opportunity to participate in UPLIFT Mock Trial on Zoom, on Wednesdays from 4:00-5:00 p.m., from March 3 – May 5. You will get to work with practicing lawyers, and represent your own clients in Zoom courtrooms. Bring your thoughts and ideas about how we can make the justice system better for all. Sign up by emailing or calling UPLIFT Director Catherine Ahlin-Halverson, [email protected], 612-672-8314. You can also sign up with DeAnte Michaud, [email protected].
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A Message to 8th Grade Students and Parents/Guardians
High School Principal Search Update
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St. Louis Park Public Schools is seeking a principal to lead the high school beginning July 1, 2021. The position is posted and potential candidates are invited to visit the school district website at www.slpschools.org/HR to apply. The posting closes February 24.
Interview & Selection Timeline:
February 22-26: Stakeholder Team Selection
February 24: Principal Applications Due
March 10: First Round Interviews
March 17: Second Round Interviews
March 22-25: Final Round Interviews
April 12: Candidate Recommendation to the School Board
Stakeholder Team Sign Up
If you are interested in joining a stakeholder team and participating in the interview process, please complete the following form.
The stakeholder team will provide feedback to the superintendent based on principal candidate qualifications. The superintendent will take into consideration the feedback from the stakeholder teams. The final selection decision will consider information collected throughout the full selection process and will be made by the superintendent.
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Listening Sessions with Superintendent Osei |
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This year has been very unique for St. Louis Park Middle School. We are thankful that some traditions will remain the same this year, specifically the yearbook. Last spring, we SOLD OUT of the historic yearbooks and we expect this to happen again this year – please make sure to pre-order online before February 19 to be guaranteed a book in the spring. After this date, there are no guarantees since we place our final book order to Jostens.
The 2020-2021 yearbook will be the ONE book that your student will pull off the shelf to remember what it was like to be a student during this pandemic.
Can’t remember if you purchased a book earlier? Please call 1-877-767-5217 for Jostens customer support.
YEARBOOK ON A BUDGET
Choose J-Pay™ to easily and affordably spread the cost of your purchase over three payments. No interest. No fees. No stress. www.jostensyearbooks.com.
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The 3rd Tuesday of every month, Parkway Pizza donates 5% of ALL sales back to SLP Middle School. Bring your family to Parkway Pizza or pick up carryout on TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 16.
NEW THIS YEAR: Text this code, SLPMIDDLE, to phone number 22452 for a monthly reminder to support Parkway Pizza and SLP Middle School. Thank you for your support!
Parkway Pizza
6325 Minnetonka Blvd
St Louis Park 55416
952-929-0095
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Click here for the Middle School Website. Go to parent resources for information on PowerSchool and Schoology. Go to student resources for information on PowerSchool and Schoology.
Click here for the digital school calendar.
Click here for the SLP Communicator
School Social Worker & School Counselor:
Kristen Engen-Routzohn (Social Worker)
Theresa Weber-Sexton (School Counselor)
Dean of Students:
(6th Grade) Gina Magnuson
(7th Grade) Randy Zutz
(8th Grade) Delana Brinkman
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2021 D.C. Trip (Current 7th and 8th Graders):
1. There is still a little time to register if you're interested! Registration is open through mid-March. Our Trip ID is 188262. Please visit worldstrides.com/register or call 1-800-468-5899.
2. Families that are already registered, you should receive a roommate preference form and an emergency contact form via e-mail or postal mail in March. Please complete both forms and return them to David Burr at the Middle School as soon as possible. You can also scan and e-mail them to [email protected].
2022 D.C. Trip (Current 6th Graders):
1. David Burr held an informational Zoom meeting this past Tuesday for families that were interested in learning more about this travel opportunity. If you were unable to attend or have questions, please contact David Burr at [email protected] or 952-928-6375.
2. Families that register for the 2022 trip by Feb. 19 will receive a $125 discount off the trip price! The 2022 Trip ID is 193112. There are two easy ways to register:
B. by calling 1-800-468-5899.
For more information about either trip, please contact David Burr at [email protected] or 952-928-6375. Please include your student's current grade level to ensure that you receive the correct information.
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Other opportunities in the district/community:
Camp Invention Summer 2021
Lacrosse Registration 2021
Lenox Foundation Fundraiser
Spring Youth Football
Master Gardener Classes
Golden Valley Girls Softball Registration
Black History Month Pioneer Series
Virtual Teen Tech STEAM Club
The Newscaster Winter
Self Care 101
Softball Registration
Are You a Night Owl?
2021-22 Student Calendar
Click here to see the flyers.
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