Greyhound Newsletter 11/6/20
End of Term 1!
Pictures Are Here!
Term 1 Grades
Remember that the new term is a fresh start for all! Do your best to stay on track and stay connected with your teachers. Even if you've struggled in Term 1, there are more modules in Term 2 and can have a big impact on your Semester grade. The terms will be weighted approximately by the number of modules in each.
Important Dates:
- Term 1 ends November 6.
- The final module that will be included in Term 1 grades was due Wednesday, November 4.
- ALL Term 1 work that teachers are still accepting is due by Wednesday, November 11. No work from Term 1 will be accepted after that date.
- The first module that will be included in Term 2 grades opens on Thursday, November 5.
- Grades will be finalized by Wednesday, November 18 when report cards will be visible online and mailed home.
NOTE: ONLY term and semester grades will appear in Infinite Campus. Ongoing grades are only visible in Canvas. If you are not set up as an observer, please view the tutorial below to get access to your students' Canvas classes to monitor their progress.
Calculation of Semester 1 Grades (this happens at the end of the semester in January)
Due to the imbalance in the number of modules, Quarter 1 and Quarter 2 will be weighted differently for Semester 1:
No classes, other than select CITS courses, will give final exams for Semester 1.
S1 grade = Q1 (35%) + Q2 (65%)
CITS classes that include final exam grades (not all do): S1 grade = Q1 (30%) + Q2 (60%) + F1 (10%)
conferences
Duluth East High School Fall Conferences will be very different this year due to Distance Learning and COVID. This information will be emailed to families separately. Information about sign up will come on Sunday, November 8. Note the following information:
Please take some time to watch the videos linked in “EAST Open House Videos Fall 2020” These are short video messages from our teachers about their courses and Canvas classrooms. After you have watched them, and if you haven’t already been in communication with a teacher, we will have a limited number of conference spots available for sign up. You'll receive an email on Sunday, November 8th.
We are still using Pick A Time. Follow the instructions in the email on Sunday and at https://www.isd709.org/duluth-east.
Scheduling for conferences won’t open until 12:00 AM on Monday, November 9, and will close at 11:59 P.M. on Wednesday, November 11.
Teachers have been in contact with many of you already, so you won’t need an additional conference meeting. Between those contacts and the information you can find in these videos, we hope that most of your questions will be answered. We also know that you may still want to connect with a teacher, and we encourage you to do so!
Remember that conference openings are going to be very limited and will be limited to 10 minutes or less. If you need more time, schedule an additional meeting with the teacher. Please be understanding that they must remain on schedule and another family is waiting to meet with them at the end of your conference.
If you want to talk but can’t schedule a conference time, you can connect with teachers at any time, as always. Just start by reaching out with an email.
Remember that everything about this year is very different, including conferences. You’ll find that teachers may have questions they’d like to ask you to learn more about your student in addition to answering questions you may have of them. If your student hasn’t been regularly attending their Google Meet sessions, it has been very difficult for teachers to get to know the student and to be able to support them. Keep stressing the importance of logging in for those sessions!
Sources of Strength: Student Support at East
Denfeld and East are excited to welcome Ms. Marnie Thompson to our team. She is our new Sources of Strength Coordinator.
Sources of Strength
Sources of Strength is an evidence-based program focusing on prevention for suicide, violence, bullying, and substance abuse by training, supporting, and empowering peer leaders and caring adults to impact their school communities through the power of connection and spreading messages of Hope, Help and Strength. This is the third year of having Sources of Strength in our schools. To learn more about the program, check out their website Sources of Strength.
Next week all East and Denfeld students will receive a postcard inviting them to participate as a Sources of Strength peer leader in their school. They will also receive a follow up email with more information and a link to sign up. Please watch for those communications on how your student can be involved in spreading Hope, Help and Strength in our community.
We recognize that the struggle is real! We also recognize that we all have strengths. We can leverage those strengths to support our mental health during this new reality. The Sources of Strength model is composed of eight categories that we can draw strength from: Family Support, Positive Friends, Mentors, Healthy Activities, Generosity, Spirituality, Physical Health and Mental Health. Each week for the next eight weeks we will focus on one of these strengths and offer resources and activities for you and your family. We hope these resources will serve as tools for your family to calm, cope, and connect. It is possible for us to not just survive, but to thrive during these challenging times. Hope, Help and Strength!
PLANNERS ARE HERE!
Tech Tips and Tricks
- LOOK for a weekly planning guide from your teachers for each module. If you don't see one, email them.
- LOOK for a way to give feedback to your teachers each week. It is critical that you give them honest feedback so they can adjust workloads. If you're spending more than 3 hours per week on the class, they need to know that.
- Go to GOOGLE MEETS! You'll find they are really a great experience and a chance for you to get help, hear concepts explained in a different way, discuss things with classmates, and more!
Counseling Office Notes
AP Students! It's time to register for your AP Exams! Deadline to register is November 12th. Click on this LINK for registration details. You need a Gmail or ISD709 email account to access this link. Email Jessica.Forsman@isd709.org if you cannot access this form.
Counseling Office Contacts:
218-336-8845
Jenn LaBelle, Registrar: ext2143, jennifer.labelle@isd709.org
Jamie Savre, Counselor (A-G): ext 2154, jamie.savre@isd709.org
Jessica Forsman, Counselor (H-N): ext 2041, jessica.forsman@isd709.org
Robert Gagne, Counselor (M-Z): ext 3032, robert.gagne@isd709.org
Career Center Updates
Click on the button below to check out notes and reminders from the Career Center!
Career Center Contacts
218-336-8845 ext 2195
Sandra Rich: sandra.rich@isd709.org
Colleen Holliday: colleen.holliday@isd709.org
Activities Office Updates
Grading and Eligibility for Athletics and Activities
Our academic eligibility policy is still in effect. For the 20-21 school year, no grades of "F" will be on report cards. An "NC" is given in place of an "F." This means students who receive a grade of "NC" on a Term Report card are ineligible to compete in their activity. Coaches have been conveying this information to students who are already in activities. Please contact the coach or activities director if you have questions or concerns.
The next grade check date is December 4. Any student who receives a Term 1 "NC" will become eligible on that date if their Canvas grades are all passing.
*Only a report card F or NC can make a student ineligible. The December 4th grade check date only applies to those students. We do not check grades on December 4th for students who passed all of their Term 1 classes.
Athletics Notes:
Congratulations and best of luck to our fall sports teams as they wrap up their seasons! We have some additional awards to announce:
- Girls Tennis Team awarded Gold Level Award (3.75 or Higher-Team GPA)
Individuals Academic All-State Award:
Aili Hietala
Natalie Goetzman
Activities Office Contacts
218-336-8845
Alyssa Thompson, Clerical/Treasurer: ext 2304, alyssa.thompson@isd709.org
Shawn Roed, Activities Director: ext 2151, shawn.roed@isd709.org
Duluth East High School
Assistant Principals: Jon Flaa, Kyle Rock
Activities Director: Shawn Roed
Email: darcy.motschenbacher@isd709.org
Website: https://www.isd709.org/duluth-east
Location: 301 North 40th Avenue East, Duluth, MN, USA
Phone: 218-336-8845
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dulutheasthighschool