The AGAPE Times
December 2023 vol 5
From the Desk of Mrs. Weir, AGAPE Administrator
"The Right to Read" shares the stories of an activist, a teacher, and two American families who fight to provide our youngest generation with the most foundational indicator of life-long success: the ability to read. Executive produced by host of PBS’ "Reading Rainbow" LaVar Burton, the film follows the story of the literacy crisis in America and what we can do about it.
AGAPE's staff all watched this film during Staff Opening Week along with Gordon Parks HS staff. We highly recommend it!
Families: Please note AGAPE's Winter Flex Conferences are on Wednesday, 12/13. Please know that ANY FAMILY AT ANY TIME can schedule a conference with ANY TEACHER, not just during our scheduled conference dates. We want to meet our families where they are and help how we can! Please contact our clerk at 651-744-7970 if you are interested in scheduling a conference, or review the information below.
- December 13th will be AGAPE's Winter Flexible Conferences. At AGAPE, we offer in-person, virtual or phone conferences to meet our families' needs. Parents/Guardians/Students: Please sign up by completing this GoogleForm, calling AGAPE at 651-744-7970 or emailing angela.payne@spps.org if you are interested in being contacted by your student's teachers for conferences! We will also have a our annual Title I meeting that same day at 1pm. See our Title I section of this newsletter for more info!
Quarter 1 Award Winners - Congratulations!
Quarter 1 AGAPE GRACE Card Recipients - way to go!
Final call for APPLICATION FOR EDUCATIONAL BENEFITS - due December 15th!
If you received a copy of the 2023-2024 Saint Paul Public Schools Application for Educational Benefits in the mail PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE return the form to Angie in the office or use the enclosed envelope to mail it BEFORE December 15th! This is SO important! Click here for more info!
Important Dates and Events at AGAPE
- December 13th will be AGAPE's Winter Flexible Conferences. At AGAPE, we offer in-person, virtual or phone conferences to meet our families' needs. Parents/Guardians/Students: Please sign up by completing this GoogleForm, calling AGAPE at 651-744-7970 or emailing angela.payne@spps.org if you are interested in being contacted by your student's teachers for conferences! We will also have a our annual Title I meeting that same day at 1pm. See our Title I section of this newsletter for more info!
- AGAPE will be closed on Monday, December 25th-Friday, January 5th for Winter Break. HeadStart childcare will be open every day during break EXCEPT December 25th and 26th and January 1st and 2nd. PLAN AHEAD for childcare needs!
- Students and staff will return to AGAPE on Monday, January 8th.
- Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day is Monday, January 15th. AGAPE and HeadStart childcare will both be closed in honor of Dr. King's memory.
- Friday, January 26th AGAPE will be closed for a Secondary grading day (Q2 ends 1/25!). HeadStart childcare WILL be open!
- Monday, February 12th AGAPE will be celebrating NAAPID (National African American Parent Involvement Day) with all of our students, staff and families at 8:30am. Kenna-Camara Cottman will be joining us for this event - we are so excited to welcome Kenna back to AGAPE!
Counselor's Corner - Updates and Info from Ms. Sparkman, AGAPE's counselor
- Ms. Sparkman has worked hard on Q2 schedules for students - please sign up to make an appointment in Calendly if you would like to discuss your class schedule, credits and/or grad plan!
- Wallin Scholarship 4 year and 2 year application period opened on November 1st!
- Senior Letters are being mailed out 12/8. Please review the credits you still must complete to earn your diploma and keep working toward that goal! Schedule a Calendly with Ms. Sparkman with questions!
- Use Xello and continue applying to colleges!
RCCMHC & SRFC BASIC NEEDS AND FAMILY WELLBEING RESOURCE FAIR - Dec 7th!
VIRTUAL RESOURCE FAIR: Basic Needs and Family Wellbeing
Please invite your families and staff to attend the virtual resource fair on December 07. We will offer $20 gift card per family, and we’ll also raffle 2 special wellness prizes (one for a visiting caregiver and one for a visiting provider.)
Register here to get the Zoom link: https://www.rccmhc.org/resource-events
Virtual FAFSA Sessions for Students and Families
The following evening zoom sessions are free to all Minnesota students and families. Please help us promote these events in your school and/or community.
1.Ready, Set, FAFSA Series – Starting January 9, 2024 @ 7 p.m.
With upcoming 24-25 FAFSA changes, Ready Set FAFSA sessions will assist students and families with creating a Federal Student Aid (FSA) ID, completing the FAFSA or the MN Dream Act applications and understanding award letters. For 12th grade students and their families; four Tuesday evenings in January.
•Registration is open! Information for families about registering for the January series is
available here: https://sites.google.com/view/minnesotagoestocollege/for-students/attend-a-
virtual-event
•All sessions will have simultaneous interpretation in Spanish, Somali, Hmong – we are hoping
to add Karen as well.
•Students who attend a session or watch one of the recordings will be eligible to win a $1,000
scholarship! From our October series, two seniors won $500 scholarships from ECMC – one
from Farmington High School and one from Mounds View High School!
•These sessions are a collaborative effort between the Minnesota Office of Higher Education,
Minnesota Department of Education, ECMC The College Place and Minnesota Goes to
College.
Check in with your EHS (Evening high school) and APEX teachers regularly in Q2!
What can we do to improve the AGAPE Times?
Staff, students, parents, community members: would you like to share something with the AGAPE community? Send your content and ideas, feedback and anything you would like to put into the newsletter to Angie Payne, AGAPE's clerk - angela.payne@spps.org. Your voice is important!
It's time for a poll!
What would you like to see more of in The AGAPE Times?
Upcoming Birthdays (No December student birthdays!)
Title I Documents and Information at AGAPE
Annual Title I Meeting
AGAPE Title I Annual Meeting
AGAPE's Title I Annual Meeting
In addition to information shared on an individual basis at all intake meetings with Mrs. Weir, existing families and students have an opportunity to learn about Title I processes at AGAPE! Click the PDF below to view the Agenda and our intake meeting information for families.
Information can be sent to families and/or an impromptu meeting can take place any time by calling AGAPE at 651-744-7970 to make an appointment!
Tuesday, Nov 28, 2023, 01:00 PM
AGAPE School, University Avenue West, Saint Paul, MN, USA
RSVPs are enabled for this event.
SCIP Implementation Meeting
SCIP Implementation Meeting - Virtual or In Person
Tuesday, Dec 19, 2023, 01:00 PM
RSVPs are enabled for this event.