Meadowbrook News
November 19, 2021
From Mrs. Sawatzky
Good afternoon Meadowbrook,
In addition to November serving as National Native American Heritage Month, November is also recognized as National Gratitude Month. Thus, I'd like to extend my gratitude to you, our Meadowbrook community; for your support, generosity, and most of all for sharing your amazing children with us.
I would also like to request your help in talking with your children about inclusive language. Reminders about not using the word "gay" as a put down or synonym to stupid, not teasing classmates who have been out ill with "covid name-calling", and making sure that the words they choose are kind, helpful, and inclusive would be especially appreciated.
Remember there is no school next Wednesday through Friday, November 24-26 due to Thanksgiving. Because of the shortened week, I will not be sending a weekly update. For those of you celebrating, I hope you enjoy the time with your family and/or friends.
In partnership
Natalie
Winter Gear
From Nurse Karen
Hello Meadowbrook Families.
I will start by answering your most popular question: Yes, we have Covid cases at Meadowbrook. We feel very lucky that we have not yet experienced cases which were transmitted from student to student or staff to student, or staff to staff. However, I am seeing students coming to school not feeling well. Please use the Daily Checklist and keep your student home if ill. Sniffles, headaches, tummy troubles and sore throats all can be subtle signs of Covid. I am aware that it is difficult to take time off work, but the pandemic is far from over. We all need to do our part to keep Meadowbrook Healthy.
If your child or a family member should test positive, Hopkins has a Covid Mitigation Team which has set the policy for quarantines and isolations. If a household member is positive, we have the student quarantine for 14 days. If a student tests positive, they go into isolation for 10 days. If a student is determined to be a close contact to a classmate, teammate, activity outside of school, the student will quarantine for 10 days. Sports teams and other activities may have different protocols, but we follow the Hopkins policies for our students.
Hand-washing, staying home when ill or under the weather, eating well, getting plenty of activity/exercise, and good sleep can all help with keeping this virus away. Please consider vaccinating your children. The next vaccination clinic at Hopkins will be Friday December 3, from 4pm-7pm. We had a robust response to the first clinic and we are making improvements to help the second clinic run smoother. Anyone is welcome to come, first time vaccines, second vaccines, and boosters can all be found at this clinic!
As always, feel free to contact me with any questions or concerns!
Hopkins Virtual Registration Night
Need help enrolling your student? Join us at a virtual enrollment event on December 7, 6:30 p.m.
VirtualEDU (formerly Online Academy) Information Session
Parent Support Group through St. David's
St. David’s Center is offering a support group for caregivers/parents to explore common challenges in raising young children, build community with one another, and expand understanding of how a child’s brain works. Upcoming parent support groups will cover the topic: Your Child’s Big Emotions: build up, meltdown, and reset.
- Session 1: Learn about what influences your child’s ability to manage their feelings and behaviors. Monday, November 29th at 3:00pm
- Session 2: Discuss ways to support your child when feelings overwhelm them. Wednesday, December 8th at 12:00pm
- Session 3: Explore ways to reset after challenging interactions with your child. December 15th at 9:00am
Click on each link to register. Parents are invited to register for any or all of these times. Once you have registered, support group facilitators will reach out with a Google Meet virtual meeting invitation.
Yearbooks
School is in full swing and we are hard at work on your child’s 2022 Yearbook. We can’t wait for you to see this year’s book! Don’t put it off, order now at the link below.
https://ybpay.lifetouch.com/Order/LookupJob?jobNumber=14465722
Hopkins Public Schools is Hiring!
If you or someone you know would like to be a part of an inclusive school community on a mission to transform what education looks like — we need you! We currently have positions open in transportation, nutrition, event coordination, marketing and communications, teaching, early childhood, special education and more. Ready to get started? View our Careers page.
For additional information about paraprofessional support jobs in special education, please email Heidi Wilhelm at heidi.wilhelm@hopkinsschools.org or call the Special Services Department at (952) 988-4044.
Guest Teachers Desperately Needed
The nation-wide substitute teacher shortage is also impacting Hopkins Public Schools. We are looking for Guest Teachers to help us when our Hopkins Teachers are absent. It is very easy to become a Guest Teacher.
All that is needed is a college degree and a Substitute Teaching License obtained through the Minnesota Department of Education and is very easy to get. Guest Teachers work up to 8 hours per day and we pay $165 per day. Our Human Resources department will help you obtain a Substitute Teaching License if you are interested in serving in this capacity.
We really need you! If interested in working with our amazing students in this role, please contact our Human Resources department at 952-988-4000.
The Meadowbrook PTO has a new website, check it out! This is where you can access the online directory and so much more!
Room Parents Needed
Are you interested in being a room parent this year?
Please let us know which teacher/class you would like to help by completing our form here: https://forms.gle/VBDyZfHtbPBoDbiXA
Any questions? Reach out to us at meadowbrookelementarypto@gmail.com or visit us on Facebook, Twitter, Instragram, or our PTO website
Eisenhower Community Center Job Fair
Hopkins Community Education is hosting a Job Fair on November 20 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Eisenhower Community Center (1001 Hwy. 7, Hopkins). Whether you are an employer or a job-seeker, we invite you to come. More information on which employers will have booths at the fair is forthcoming. Learn more here.
Employers if you would like to have a table at the fair, please contact Chantele Burgess: Chantele.Burgess@HopkinsSchools.org.
Registration for Fall Programs
Registration for Community Education fall programs is now open! Pre-season wrestling, after school art classes, Home Alone Safety classes, chess club, online classes and many more offerings are available. Register online at hopkins.ce.eleyo.com
COVID-19 Updates
Please remember to have your child complete a daily health screening before attending school. It is very important that you keep your child home if they are experiencing any signs of illness.Thank you for helping us keep our schools operating as normal as possible!You can find updates and information related to our school’s safety plan on our COVID Hub.
Important Vaccination Information
Hopkins Public Schools will host its second vaccination clinic on December 3, from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. Everyone is welcome! We are in need of medical volunteers for our clinics. You can learn how to volunteer on our website.
The clinic will take place at the North Junior High Athletic Structure. While our primary focus is vaccinating scholars aged 5-11, the entire school community is welcome. No appointment needed. You can access more information about the clinics at the flyer below or on our Healthy in Hopkins webpage.
Find more vaccination clinics here.
Free At-Home COVID-19 Testing for Hopkins Scholars
Hopkins Schools will continue to offer weekly COVID-19 testing for all scholars. Through grant funds, we purchased more test kits and will continue our testing program throughout the rest of the school year. In addition, families who would like test kits may order free home testing kits through the MN Department of Health at any time.
COVID-19 Dashboard is now live
Hopkins Public Schools COVID-19 Dashboard remains live on our website. The dashboard shares the virus transmission rate in our community and the number of positive cases and quarantines among staff and students. The dashboard will be updated Fridays at noon.
Meal Benefits Applications
All student meals are free for the 2021-22 school year. However, you can help our district qualify for important federal and state financial resources to support education by submitting a meal benefits application for your family. Please complete the 2021-22 Free Meal Application for Educational Benefits form.
Paper copies can be filled out and returned to the Meadowbrook office.
Questions? Contact the Student Nutrition Office:
Email Nutrition@HopkinsSchools.org or call 952-988-4060
Important Calendar Dates
November 24-26: No School - Thanksgiving Break
December 3: Vaccination Clinic at North Junior High 4:00pm-7:00pm
December 9: Late Start - School begins at 11:30am
December 20-31: No school - Winter Break
January 3: School Resumes
Meadowbrook Elementary
Main Office Line: 952-988-5100
Attendance Line: 952-988-5110
https://meadowbrook.hopkinsschools.org/families/attendance
Online Student Directory: www.meadowbrookpto.ptoffice.com
Email: natalie.sawatzky@hopkinsschools.org
Website: https://hopkinsschools.org/schools/elementary-schools/meadowbrook-elementary
Location: 5430 Glenwood Avenue, Golden Valley, MN 55422, USA
Phone: (952) 988-5100
Facebook: facebook.com/HopkinsMeadowbrook
Twitter: @MeadowbrookGV