Dear families,

As we approach the end of the school year, it feels like we are nearing the finish line of a marathon. As we all know, this past year has been quite a challenge, but as we are celebrating graduations and our end-of-year successes, it is also a wonderful time to embrace everything that we have accomplished!

With next week being our final year of the school year, we also get to see our seniors walk across the stage as they complete their time with us and move into the world! Many times, we think about what the high schools have done to prepare our scholars for college, career, and their lives in general, but it is also the combination of many years of hard work in middle school, elementary, and even early childhood programming. Students, families, and staff alike can give each other a collective “pat on the back” for these many years of dedication and perseverance. I, too, want to again show my appreciation for each of you for what we have accomplished this past year.

This past week I had the pleasure of working with two groups of students and staff at Denfeld and East high school as they met with families for our check and connect graduation celebrations! As you may know, our check and connect programs have been very successful in providing structures and support to assist students in crossing the graduation finish line!

I am also pleased to share that due to the decline in COVID-19 rates in the Duluth area and in particular in our schools, masking for staff will be optional for this final week of the school year. I am glad that we can all see each other's smiles as we say farewell and head into the summer! Of course, we support and recommend masking for those who are in a situation with sensitive medical needs, or for anyone else who chooses to wear one.

Have a great last week of the 2021-22 school year and a great last day for this year's seniors!

Best regards,

John Magas

If you have questions or thoughts about what's going on in our school district, email:

Info@ISD709.org

Congratulations to the Area Learning Center's (ALC) Sam McEvoy, who signed his National Letter of Intent (NLI) to play baseball for Edward Waters University in Jacksonville, Florida.

Edward Waters athletic teams are the Tigers. The university is a member of the Division II level of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), primarily competing in the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference.

Congratulations Sam!

Construction Pathways is an introduction to the trades and a way to explore career options. Participants will have the chance to train with the Iron Workers, Operating Engineers and more.

This training opportunity is great for anyone who is income-qualified, 18+ years old, people with a driver's license and reliable transportation, people with no prior experience and people who are interested in a starting wage of $24 per hour

For more information or to enroll contact Nicole Bloom at SOAR at 218-722-3126 or Betsy Hill at CareerForce at 218-730-5228.

Welcoming local teens and young adults for a meet and greet with Angeline Boulley, author of the "Firekeeper's Daughter." Free to attend and no RSVP is required. Guests are encouraged to bring a copy of the book if they have one. Light refreshments will be available.

Sunday, June 5, 2022 | 3:30 PM

Dr. Robert Powless Cultural Center

202 W 2nd St, Duluth, MN 55802

A new blended learning agreement is required each year to ensure access for your student to all of the licensed materials and their device.

If your student is attending summer school the form will need to be filled out before they begin. If they are not attending summer school, it needs to be filled out before the beginning of the next school year.

Get it done for each of your students now so you don’t have to worry about it in the fall!

Click on the link below.

22-23 Duluth Public Schools Blended Learning Form

Breakfast will be served from 8-10:30 a.m. and lunch will be served from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Laura MacArthur Elementary, Lincoln Park Middle School, Lowell Elementary, Myers-Wilkins Elementary, Piedmont Elementary and Stowe Elementary.

If you have questions, please call 218-336-8707.

The tests available for order:

• Are rapid antigen at-home tests, not PCR.
• Can be taken anywhere.
• Give results within 30 minutes (no lab drop-off required).
• Work whether or not you have COVID-19 symptoms.
• Work whether or not you are up to date on your COVID-19 vaccines.
• Are also referred to as self-tests or over-the-counter (OCT) tests.

You should take an at-home test:

• If you begin having COVID-19 symptoms like fever, sore throat, runny nose, or loss of taste or smell, or
• At least 5 days after you come into close contact with someone with COVID-19, or
• When you're going to gather with a group of people, especially those who are at risk for severe disease or may not be up to date on their COVID-19 vaccines.

You can also get a rapid antigen or PCR saliva test at the Duluth Entertainment Convention Center (DECC) for free Tuesday-Friday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.and Saturday 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

For the safety of our students, staff and families, we ask that you please continue to screen your child daily for any symptoms of illness and keep them home if they are ill. COVID-19, Influenza, Strep Throat, Norovirus, and basic colds are still present in our community and affecting some of our students.

If your student is experiencing any COVID-19 like symptoms, please keep your student home and test as soon as possible. Please review Duluth Public Schools district webpage for our current COVID-19 guidelines.