The AGAPE Times
Jan/Feb 2023/2024 - vol 7
****Please note - HeadStart has an early release day on Friday, 1/26 at 12:30pm. There will be no transportation to or from the AGAPE/HeadStart building - plan ahead!
A new SPPS/AGAPE website is coming on January 31st!
Important Dates and Events at AGAPE
- Thursday, January 25th is the final day of Quarter 2
- Friday, January 26th AGAPE will be closed for a Secondary grading day. HeadStart childcare WILL be open but ONLY UNTIL 12:30pm and there will be no SPPS transportation - plan ahead!
- Monday, January 29th is the first day of Quarter 3
- February is Black History Month
- 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!
- Monday, February 19th - President's Day holiday - AGAPE and HeadStart childcare will BOTH be closed for this day.
- Wednesday, February 28th - AGAPE Spring Flexible Conferences (in person, online, phone) More info coming soon!
NAAPID Event at AGAPE - Monday, February 12th, 2024 8:30am
AGAPE will be having an event on Monday, 2/12 in the Cafeteria from 8:30am-9:30am. We invite all families to join us for this event.
Content Warning:
This resources in the link above and the video below both address scientific experimentation on enslaved women and violation of their bodies.
SmartPass is at AGAPE!
Smartpass is a new Digital Pass system. Students are able to create passes to go where they need. To find out more - ask your student or contact the Main Office at AGAPE!
Counselor's Corner - Updates and Info from Ms. Sparkman, AGAPE's counselor
- Ms. Sparkman is working hard on Q3 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!
Senior who are on Track to graduate in June or Summer of 2024 please bring your acceptance for college letters and scholarship awards to the office please so we can celebrate all your wonderful achievements.
Also if you need help applying to colleges or scholarships please make an appointment to see me at:
- Use Xello and continue applying to colleges!
COMPASS Application and FAFSA Night at St. Paul College 1/30/24 3-5pm
High School seniors who are graduating in June or Summer of 2024 and their parents are invited to COMPASS Application and FAFSA Night, Tuesday, January 30 from 3-5pm. Saint Paul College staff will be available to assist with completing the 2024-2025 FAFSA, as well as the Saint Paul College and COMPASS admissions steps. Pizza and prizes will be provided. Students and parents should bring tax documents (1040 forms) from 2022.
Saint Paul College’s COMPASS Program is designed to support recent high school graduates in their transition from high school to college. The program offers financial assistance to cover tuition, fees, textbooks, transportation, and basic needs. Participants enjoy personalized guidance from specialized advisors and exclusive on-campus activities and services.
We hope to see your students there! Please feel free to reach out with any questions.
COMPASS Program
651.403.4478
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.
Earn As You Learn: Career Certification Opportunities!
Are you in 9th-12th grade in SPPS? Are you interested in earning money from home? Do you have some extra time? Do you have 30-40 hours to expand your financial literacy skills, learn about possible careers, gain skills to prepare you for future jobs/careers, and earn certifications to bring you closer to those careers?
SPPS is offering an opportunity for students to earn a $300 stipend to learn financial literacy skills, earn a certificate and/or credential to show work readiness. Students complete the work asynchronously.
Please see this website to learn more about the program and certifications being offered. It'll likely take between 30-40 hours to complete the work depending on the certification you select and your work style. The program can be completed in English and/or Spanish.
Some certifications include:
- First Aid/CPR/AED
- OSHA General, Construction, Agriculture, Automotive, Healthcare, Manufacturing, and or Public Safety (EMS)
- Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, and/or Excel
- Others
If you'd like to participate, please complete the Student Interest Form.
Testing at AGAPE
2023-2024 ACCESS Test for English Learners
State and federal laws require that all English Learner (EL) students are assessed annually to measure their proficiency and progress in reading, writing, listening and speaking in English.
Minnesota uses the ACCESS for ELLs (Assessing Comprehension and Communication in English State-to-State) test as its annual assessment. EL students who receive special education services and who meet certain guidelines may take the WIDA Alternate ACCESS test instead. These tests are used to see if students are meeting the WIDA English Language Development Standards and determine if a student is ready to exit from SPPS’s EL program.
All SPPS EL students in grades K-12 will be administered the ACCESS for ELLs or WIDA Alternate ACCESS tests between January 29 - March 22, 2024.
If you have questions about your student’s participation, please reach out to your child’s principal.
For more information on English language proficiency assessments and the MDE Parent/Guardian Participation Guide and Refusal form, please go to: ● ACCESS Family Test Information website ● MDE Family Testing Information website: education.mn.gov/MDE/fam/tests/ Please reach out to your child’s school if you have any questions.