News and Views
An e-newsletter from Mounds View Public Schools
January 29, 2021
Reopening elementary schools
This week, schools welcomed kindergarten through third grade students for in-person learning. Students in grades four and five will return to school for in-person learning on February 8. Watch principals from Pike Lake Education Center and Valentine Hills Elementary School recap the week at their schools during this week’s School Board meeting here.
Preparing to reopen secondary schools
Following state guidance, secondary schools can reopen for blended (hybrid) learning if/when COVID-19 case counts drop below 30. At this time, it's unclear when this may occur. Families can view our case counts in the learning model tracker, updated weekly. In anticipation of this eventuality, the District is gathering information about how many students intend to make changes to the learning model they were participating in before the District-wide shift to distance learning. Secondary families will receive an email with more information in the coming days.
Updated COVID testing guidance for students
The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) updated its COVID-19 testing recommendations for those aged 12-25. The recommendations now include students returning to school, youth sports, extracurricular activities and anyone who regularly interacts with people outside of their family unit or household. This is in addition to anyone with symptoms, anyone who was exposed to someone who tested positive, or anyone who is working at places that remain open during the pandemic, such as critical infrastructure, first responders, health care, retail, schools and child care. Families can find no-barrier and no-cost testing using this link.
CDC discourages travel
Mounds View Public Schools is not currently requiring quarantine following travel. However, families considering travel during this school year are encouraged to keep a close eye on guidance from the Center for Disease Control. Given the high level of COVID-19 spread in our communities, any unnecessary travel is highly discouraged. The CDC recommends the following: Think about what you would do if you became ill, need to quarantine, etc. while traveling. People who travel out of state are strongly encouraged to quarantine when they return home. As of January 26, anyone traveling internationally needs to be tested three days prior to returning to the U.S. and have proof of negative results before boarding a flight.
These links can help you make informed decisions about travel:
Report student absences electronically
In addition to leaving voicemail messages, parents and guardians can now electronically record student absences, including future and/or planned absences. Log into ParentVUE and select “Record absence” next to your child’s name to begin the process. School staff will review new entries daily. Detailed instructions are available here.
Paraprofessional Recognition Week
Governor Walz has officially proclaimed this week Paraprofessional Recognition Week in Minnesota. Paraprofessionals are truly the grease in the wheels of our schools; without their commitment and efforts, our schools would be missing an integral piece to student success. Whether they are assisting in classrooms, serving meals or bringing students safely to and from school each day, the work that paraprofessionals do in Mounds View Public Schools is immeasurable.