Park Terrace Elementary
January 5, 2022 Newsletter
Greetings Park Terrace Families!
Welcome back to school and welcome to 2022! I hope everyone had a wonderful and relaxing break and students returned to school ready to resume learning with renewed energy and focus in the new year!
Every new year is both an opportunity to look backward at what has been done and to look forward in anticipation for what is to come. I am truly excited about the work our staff is doing here at Park Terrace on behalf of our students. It is my hope that through our classroom and enrichment learning each one of our students can grow to his or her greatest potential!
A couple of quick reminders as we look forward to the month ahead:
- We are seeing impacts of the fast-spreading Omicron variant of COVID-19 and more staff are out due to illness in the first days of this week. Please see some reminders and clarifications about our COVID practices in today’s newsletter. Thanks for your partnership in helping us achieve the goal of keeping students learning at school.
- Please be sure to send students to school with winter gear. We will go outside for recess each day unless the weather prohibits us from doing so.
- Attendance is a critical component of learning. Please be sure your student is arriving at school each day and on time.
- Please note that there is no school on Monday, January 17 in honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
I hope everyone’s first week back to school and first week into the new year is off to a great start! Work hard, read lots, learn much and let’s make this an amazing 2022!
Mona Perkins
Principal
COVID-19: Illness, testing, face masks and quarantine
The fast-spreading omicron variant of COVID-19 has raised some questions in the first days after winter break. Here are a few reminders and clarifications for families regarding illness, testing and quarantine.
- Illness and symptoms: Please do not send your student to school if they are sick or experiencing symptoms – even for testing. Contact your school's health office to coordinate testing and for other guidance.
- COVID-19 testing: All testing – whether at school during the day or after hours – is coordinated through the school health office. Testing is optional, free and only done with parental consent using the Cue Test which provides accurate results in about 30 minutes. Testing is only for students experiencing COVID-19 symptoms or for students who are identified as close contacts of someone with COVID-19.
- COVID-19 testing consent form: You may choose to complete a COVID-19 Cue Testing Consent Form now and keep it on file with our schools. Completing the consent form before testing is needed helps speed up the process when, or if, a student needs a test. School nurses only administer a test with a signed consent on file and will communicate with families before any test is done. Review and sign consent forms for your student(s) by logging into the Campus Parent Portal. Select the Surveys link from the main Message Center screen and select "COVID-19 CUE TESTING CONSENT FORM." You will find links to complete for each child you have enrolled in Spring Lake Park Schools.
- Face masks: We continue to follow our COVID-19 Face Mask Decision-Making Guide. Face masks are required at grades K-6 and we are strongly recommending masks at grades 7-12. Masks also continue to be required on buses. While not a perfect solution, face masks are one strategy to help support us in keeping our schools open for learning in person.
- Quarantine guidance: While the Centers for Disease Control updated quarantine guidance over the winter break, we are continuing to follow the Minnesota Department of Health’s quarantine guidelines. The state guidelines have not yet been updated as officials are waiting for additional clarification from the CDC.
The COVID-19 hub continues to be the place for the latest information. Updates will also continue to be communicated directly to families.
Join us for a virtual screening of "Like" on January 20
There will be a free virtual screening of the IndieFlix documentary "Like" on January 20 from 6-7:30 p.m. that will explore the impact of social media on our lives and the effects of technology on the brain.
Hosted by Spring Lake Park Schools, as well as five other metro school districts and the Mental Wellness campaign, the goal of the film is to inspire and help us to self-regulate. Social media is a tool and social platforms are a place to connect, share, and care... but is that what's really happening?
A panel discussion will follow the film with experts who will share resources and do a Q&A.
Viewing information:
- When - Thursday, January 20, 6-7:30 p.m.
- Where - Virtual
- Trailer -Watch the "Like" trailer
- Registration - register for the screening
Sign up for enriching after-school programs!
Opportunities for families
Family Snowshoeing
Opportunities for adults
New Year Resolutions: Get Moving, Try a New Hobby, Learn a New Skill
Glass Mosaic Frames & Signs
Create a beautiful photo frame or mosaic sign. All the cutting is already done, we just need you and your creativity. Both projects are wonderful for home decorations or to give as gifts. Register here.
Basic Home Repair-Plumbing
James Bond with North Metro TV
Indoor Walking Club
Hockey in the Gym
"Why am I learning this?"
Middle schoolers are asking themselves, "Who am I online, and what is a digital footprint?" Meanwhile, elementary students are learning economics as they run their own businesses, discovering a love of reading while getting connected to their local library, or finding their spark by trying out everything from karate to cooking. What’s happening in the classroom is being connected to real life. Through these experiences, students are answering the question, “why am I learning this?” When students find a “why” in what they are learning, learning means something. It matters.
Read the full story and view the Economics Marketplace photo album
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