January 13, 2022
An academic bilingual community fostering global citizenship
From the Principal
January 13, 2022

Dear Park Spanish Immersion Elementary School Community:

As always, there are so many exciting things happening in our school! I enjoyed watching our second grade students start to learn about making masks. This morning, I saw a fifth grade student help a first grade student pick up the materials from their backpack, which had fallen on the floor. In two classrooms today, I saw students working collaboratively to solve a problem. I am grateful to our amazing team of adults who continue to provide a safe and caring learning environment for our students.  

As we continue to have students quarantining, I wanted to remind families of the "At Home Learning" procedures. Please see here. As a reminder, I will be online today from 3:00-3:30 for a "Coffee with Corey" session at this link. The purpose of these sessions is to connect, hear perspectives, and learn together. Thank you for your continued support and patience as we work together on behalf of your children.  

Have a great week, and keep reading!

Sincerely,

Corey
PSI News
Attendance Reminder
Parents/Guardians, if your child is absent, please remember to call the attendance line (952-928-6570) ANY time your child will be late or absent from school, including possible COVID symptoms and/or COVID test results. Not calling in your child’s absence will result in an automated attendance call, and will also result in an unexcused absence per the school attendance procedures. 

From Sra. Gregor (Social Worker) and Sra. Moore (School Counselor)-
Anxiety and Coping with the Coronavirus (from the Child Mind Institute)
We’re all on edge because of the coronavirus. Our daily lives have been disrupted, we aren’t sure what tomorrow may bring, and for many of us the nonstop news and social media coverage isn’t helping.
Our experts say that dealing with your own anxiety can be the most powerful way to make sure your kids feel secure. If you or your children are feeling worried, learning how to deal with that anxiety in a healthy way can help the whole family be more resilient, both now and when the pandemic is finally over.

“The treatment for anxiety isn’t to make the fear go away, it’s to manage the fear and tolerate uncertainty,” explains Jerry Bubrick, PhD, a clinical psychologist at the Child Mind Institute. “So for the kids who’ve been in treatment for this, it’s almost like they have an immune response or they’re vaccinated against uncertainty. They’ve been training for this and now they’re able to put their skills in place and for many of them the coronavirus is not affecting them as much as those of us who aren’t used to dealing with uncertainty on a daily level.”

Many parents are having a harder time dealing with COVID-19 than their children, and some of the anxiety that kids are experiencing may be inadvertently passed on by worried parents.

As parents, we need to be modeling for our kids how to react to stressful times by coping with anxiety in healthy ways. “I think we have to be mindful of the present and stay focused on what is actually happening and not let ourselves go to worst case scenarios,” Dr. Bubrick recommends. “If we’re showing our kids catastrophic thinking and head-in-your-hands worry, and crying and fear, then they’re going to learn that’s the way to handle the times now.”

Click HERE for more information AND for a Spanish translation from the Child Mind Institute.
Student Hallway Art
Click HERE to enjoy some student hallway artwork!
Kindergarten Enrollment for 2022-2023
Online kindergarten enrollment and the online application to enter the Park Spanish Immersion Elementary School lottery is available online by clicking HERE

PLEASE NOTE: PSI Sibling Preference pertains ONLY if you currently have a student at PSI in grades K-4, you are a St. Louis Park resident, AND you complete required forms by the stated deadlines. To learn more about Kindergarten in St. Louis Park Public Schools, visit www.slpenrollment.com. See School Board policy #545 for more PSI admission details.

Families with a student eligible for Kindergarten in the Fall of 2022 can ensure they receive ALL Kindergarten-related mailings and emails by filling out this Enrollment Interest Form

The Enrollment Center staff is ready to answer all of your enrollment-related questions. You can either call 952-928-6023 or email enrollment@slpschools.org with your questions.

Recordings Now Available from Kindergarten Information Nights
If you have a student who is eligible to start Kindergarten in the Fall of 2022 and you weren't able to attend the two Kindergarten Information Nights on November 30 and December 2, recordings are now available for parents/guardians to watch on YouTube. Follow the links below to view the videos:


School District News
Upcoming Vaccine Events for Ages 5+
In partnership with Hennepin County, St. Louis Park Public Schools will be hosting Pfizer vaccination events for people ages 5 and up. If you are receiving a second dose or booster dose, please bring proof of vaccination. Event details:
 
·      Dates: Saturday, January 15, 2022 and Saturday, February 5, 2021
·      Time: 9 a.m. - 2 p.m.
·      Location: Aquila Elementary School
·      The vaccine is free and no insurance is required
·      Individuals receiving a vaccine will receive a $50 Visa gift card (while supplies last)
 
Register by using your phone to capture the QR code or click the following link: Vaccine Registration & Scheduling (hennepin.us).
District to Host Virtual Elementary Principals Panel
for Incoming Kindergarten Families
St. Louis Park Public Schools will host an online elementary principals panel for incoming kindergarten families from 6:30-7:30 p.m. Tuesday, January 18 on Zoom. 

At this online event, families will be able to:

  • Meet the principals from all four elementary schools
  • Learn about IB-PYP and Spanish Immersion instruction 
  • Hear 20 questions about Kindergarten answered
  • Share your questions in real time

Click here to join the Zoom on January 18. No prior registration is required.
5th Grade Families:
Save the Date for Incoming 6th Grade Information Night
St. Louis Park Middle School will host a Virtual Incoming 6th Grade Information Night at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, January 20. Stay tuned for more information in the coming weeks regarding how you can register for this event.

During this virtual event, students and families will be welcomed by school leaders, receive details about course registration, and participate in breakout rooms to learn more about St. Louis Park Middle School.
PTO (Parent/Teacher Organization) News
Community Education & Hope Speaks Project:
So You Want To Be An Antiracist?
St. Louis Park Community Education's Adult Enrichment Program in collaboration with the Hope Speaks Project is offering a six-week virtual course titled "So You Want to Be An Antiracist?" The course will meet online on Wednesdays from 7:00-8:30 p.m. between January 26 and March 2, and will be led by St. Louis Park teachers Kristen Pehl and Meghan Malone.

This course is for anyone looking to deepen their understanding of what it means to be an antiracist. Gain tools to engage in uncomfortable conversations, develop your racial literacy and begin to unpack how race operates in everyday life often without consent and/or acknowledgement, all the while building the muscles to move into action. Nine Continuing Education Unit (CEU) credits are available to those who complete the course.

Click here to enroll.
Community News
January Gnome Hunt
2022 is here, and what better way to start the new year than by getting outside and searching for New Year's gnomes! Each week in January a different New Year's gnome will be placed in one of SLP parks. Once a gnome is placed in a park, that gnome will remain there until the end of January.

We will give out clues each week on Tuesday morning through Facebook, Twitter and Instagram (@stlouispark), and GovDelivery to help you locate the different gnomes. Watch for our first clue on January 4!

It is said that those who snap a photo with one of the New Year's gnomes will have some of its good luck transferred to them! Share your photos with us through Facebook, Twitter and Instagram by posting them in the comments section of our weekly clue posts.

Make sure to leave the gnome where it is at for others to find and share in the good luck!

Unsure of where all the city parks are? Find them here: Click for Details
Tags: local events, st. louis park, gnome hunt, activities, winter fun, outdoors, family fun, all ages, community, free

Posted from: Town Planner





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: 7:45 am - 2:15 pm
School Office Hours: 7:00 am - 3:30 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
SLP Family Tech Help: Call 952-928-6056 or by email to: familytechhelp@slpschools.org
St. Louis Park Public Schools Transportation Department (Bus) 612-437-4719
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