Owatonna Public Schools
May 13, 2021
District Update
This has been a school year like no other! In the midst of a global pandemic, we have found new ways to teach, learn, and provide meals and resources for our kids. Our students and teachers learned a lot - in new ways and about new things. We have all risen to the challenge and made this the best year it could be. This is a great community - full of talented staff, supportive families, and amazing students!
COVID cases continue to decline and we look forward to finishing the year strong. The number of cases continues to be below the 5% threshold at each school site in the district. Each week, we post the percentage of students or staff who are experiencing COVID-like symptoms, or have COVID, on our website. Our current percentages are as follows:
Lincoln: 0%
McKinley: 1.4%
Washington: 0.4%
Wilson: 0.2%
Middle School: 1.4%
High School: 1.2%
ALC: 1.9%
Roosevelt: 0%
April 18-May 1 COVID-19 cases in Steele County: 38.72 per 10,000
For the rest of this school year, we still have a safe learning plan in place, but with the decline in COVID cases and restrictions beginning to lift, we are planning for a normal start time for the 2021-2022 school year. Thank you again for your support and for helping us finish the school year strong. Together, we are #OwatonnaProud!
COVID-19 Vaccination Clinic for Ages 12 and Up
Sterling Pharmacy, a local vaccine provider, is offering to administer free COVID-19 vaccinations to people who are 12 years of age and older, per the State of Minnesota guidelines, and with the permission of the parent/guardian for those under the age of 18. On Monday, May 17 from 3:00 PM to 7:00 PM, they will be setting up an offsite clinic at Owatonna Middle School in the cafeteria for anyone who is interested in receiving the vaccine. Those who receive the vaccination should plan to remain at the site for approximately 15 minutes after the vaccination to monitor for side effects. Please note that the vaccine cannot be administered if there has been an exposure to, or a diagnosis of, COVID-19 within 14 days. Walk-ins are welcome; however, scheduled appointments will be honored first. Click here for the scheduler to sign up for a time slot to receive your vaccine. This will ensure that our clinic runs efficiently.
The Pfizer vaccine that Sterling Pharmacy will administer is a two-shot series, three weeks apart. There will be an additional clinic available for the second dose of vaccine on Monday, June 7 from 3:00 PM to 7:00 PM for everyone who received the first dose on May 17th.
Please bring your insurance card if you have one available. There is no cost to the vaccine, but insurance information will be collected to pay for the administration of the vaccine. This helps the pharmacy recoup some of the cost. There will be no cost to you.
For children under 18, a consent form signed by the parent or guardian is required to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. Click here for a consent form that can be printed, completed, and brought to the offsite clinic. There will be forms available at the clinic site as well, but all consent forms must be signed by a parent or guardian.
More information about the COVID-19 vaccine can be found on the Minnesota Department of Health’s website: www.health.state.mn.us/diseases/coronavirus/vaccine
Summer Opportunities for Students
Over the last year, we lost time with our students, and we have created a robust program of summer opportunities for all of our students. We believe these experiences will provide not only skills that may have been missed, but important enrichment to re-engage our learners with collaboration and cooperative learning. We look forward to offering these unique experiences in our continued work to Inspire Excellence for Every Student, Every Day! Click this link for more information.
Register in person, online, or via phone.
Community Education Office
122 E. McKinley Street
Owatonna, MN 55060
Phone: (507)444-7900
Minnesota Safe Learning Survey
A Minnesota safe learning survey is being conducted by the Wisconsin-Minnesota Comprehensive Center (WMCC) housed at the University of Minnesota’s Center for Applied Research & Educational Improvement (CAREI) in partnership with the Minnesota Department of Education (MDE) in order to gain insights from PreK-12 and Adult Basic Education educators, families, and students on their school experiences during the 2020-21 school year. This survey is being administered at three different times this year: February, May, and October 2021.
This short 15-20 question survey is voluntary and anonymous. Your decision to participate (or not) will not affect your standing with your school, school district, the MDE, the WMCC10, CAREI, or the University of Minnesota. All questions were developed with input from Minnesota educators, families, and students. The purpose of this survey is to inform potentially needed support that individual districts, MDE, or other organizations may be able to provide. The results of this survey will be communicated through a statewide report. Thank you for your participation.
Now is a good time to get started on back-to-school vaccinations!
Providers will likely have a larger than usual amount of vaccinations to do before sending kids back to school this fall. It’s important to keep up with routine vaccinations during the pandemic to prevent a future outbreak of a vaccine-preventable disease. School vaccination requirements are still in place to help ensure kids are safe and healthy in school. Consider calling the clinic earlier this year to avoid a rush later this summer.
Wellness Policy Feedback Requested
Owatonna Public Schools is in the process of conducting an annual review of the District’s Wellness Policy. The policy addresses school meal programs, nutrition education, physical activity, and foods available during the school day. Studies show a direct connection between a child’s health status and academic achievement. By continuing to improve our health environment and practices, we will be improving our students’ health and achievement.
If you have an interest in student health, we invite you to participate in the process by providing feedback and/or recommendations for updates to the existing policy. To review the current policy, click here. To submit feedback, click here. Any ideas or suggestions received will be considered by the ISD761 Student Wellness Committee.
Thank you for your interest and commitment to the health of our students!
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INSPIRING EXCELLENCE - EVERY LEARNER, EVERY DAY
Contact Us
Email: shoffman@isd761.org
Website: www.isd761.org
Location: 515 West Bridge Street, Owatonna, MN, USA
Phone: 507-444-8600
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Owatonna761/
Twitter: @Owatonna761