Washington Technology Magnet School
Family Newsletter April 2022
A Message From Principal Bonnick
Welcome Back! Hopefully everyone had an amazing spring break! I wanted to take a moment to welcome everyone back and to the start of quarter 4.
I am asking for families to please talk with their students about the importance of school safety. If you see/hear something say something. Please review with your child/children who their trusted adult or adults are at Washington. As we move into spring and warmer weather, we want to make sure that Washington stays safe for all students and that takes a collective effort. Please review the Washington Way, which is to Be Respectful, Be Responsible and Be Ready to Learn.
Thank you.
Principal Bonnick
Digital Learning Day-Friday April 15, 2022
On Friday April 15, 2022 we will be having a digital learning day. Students will work from home and learn online. Check with your teachers for more information.
Student's To Do List:
* Go to Google Meets Set up by your teachers (check in Schoology for codes).
* Complete assignments provided by teachers in Schoology.
* Complete missing assignments.
* Study for upcoming assessments.
Daily Schedule-This is a GOLD Day, go to your gold day classes ONLINE
7:25 a.m.-10:00 a.m. Independent Work Time
10:00-10:15 a.m Gold Day Period 1
Synchronous time teachers are available to assist and support student learning, post google meet codes on your class schoology page
10:20-10:35 a.m. Foundations
All students attend ONLINE Synchronous Foundations, post google meet codes on your class schoology page
10:40-10:55 a.m. Gold Day Period 2
Synchronous time teachers are available to assist and support student learning, post google meet codes on your class schoology page
11:00-11:15 a.m. Gold Day Period 3
Synchronous time teachers are available to assist and support student learning, post google meet codes on your class schoology page
11:20-11:35 a.m. Gold Day Period 4
Synchronous time teachers are available to assist and support student learning, post google meet codes on your class schoology page
11:40 a.m.-12:00 p.m. Gold Day Period 5
Synchronous time teachers are available to assist and support student learning, post google meet codes on your class schoology page
12:00 p.m.-3:00 p.m. Independent Work Time and Lunch
High School Ethnic Studies Course
The Ethnic Studies Department in OTL is reaching out to SPPS community members to submit curriculum suggestions for the new Critical Ethnic Studies course. Ethnic Studies curriculum focuses on topics relevant to our communities. By collaborating with community members, we hope to develop a course that best meets the needs of SPPS students.
We highly encourage SPPS students, teachers, staff, parents/ guardians, alum, and/or programs to submit curriculum suggestions using the google form listed in this flyer.
Submission(s) will be reviewed by the SPPS Ethnic Studies Collaboration Circle (Ethnic Studies Dept., Steering Committee, Community Collaborative and Course Development Team) and used to inform our curriculum development process.
Please reach out to Moua Kong Vue (mouakong.vue@spps.org) or Xue Xiong (xue.xiong@spps.org) if there are any questions.
Free At-Home Rapid COVID-19 Test Kits
Every home in Minnesota is eligible to order two rapid at-home COVID-19 test kits (four tests total) for free, while supplies last.
At-home testing helps determine your risk for spreading COVID-19.
At-home rapid tests help detect the virus that causes COVID-19. You can do the nasal swab test anywhere and get results in about 15 minutes.
The at-home rapid antigen tests can be used at any time, such as if you have symptoms of COVID-19, were exposed to someone who has COVID-19, or before an indoor gathering.
The tests available for order:
- Are rapid antigen at-home tests, not PCR
- Can be taken anywhere
- Give results within 15 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 (OTC) tests
- Order your home tests now.
Prevent Violence in our Communities
Washington Tech is in its second year of collaboration with two Saint Paul nonprofits, the Women’s Initiative for Self Empowerment (WISE) and Transforming Generations (TG), to carry out a three-year Sexual Violence Prevention (SVP) program. WISE works with immigrant and refugee women and girls in education and leadership development and TG provides LGBTQ+ and domestic violence/sexual assault support services for the Hmong and Southeast Asian community. Together, the SVP program will train school personnel and students at Washington Tech to utilize prevention and intervention response strategies to mitigate gender-based violence in the schools, including dating violence, sexual assault, stalking/cyberstalking, and bullying/cyberbullying.
Contact us for inquiries about the SVP program:
Cydi Yang (She-fluid)
SVP Program Coordinator, WISE
Contact us for onsite support services:
Schoua Na and Seng provide onsite advocacy and support for Washington Tech students on Mondays 10AM-2:30PM, Tuesdays 7:30AM-2:30PM, and Thursdays 10AM-2:30PM in room 2661. Students can walk-in, email, or text Schoua Na and Seng via their contact information below:
Schoua Na Yang (She/Her, They/Them)
Youth Organizing Coordinator, TG
schouanay@transforminggenerations.org
Seng Xiong (They/She/He)
Queer Justice Coordinator, TG
sengx@transforminggenerations.org
Text: 651-417-6887
Poetry Contest
Marny Xiong was an Arlington High School graduate and SPPS School Board Chairperson who passed away from COVID in 2020. We are renaming the Washington Media Center the Marny Xiong Memorial Library. More information can be found about Marny at these links-Article (pdf version) Video
We are seeking original poetry submissions with the goal of inspiring community engagement and honoring the legacy of Board Chairperson Marny Xiong.
Rules
Poems should address one of the following themes:
Community connections
Activism
Racial equity
Gender equity
Two middle school student submissions and two high school student submissions winners will be chosen by the Xiong family and each student will receive a $100 gift card from the Xiong family and be invited to share their poems at the Memorial Celebration on Thursday, September 29, 2022 at 5:00 p.m.
The deadline for submissions is Friday May 13, 2022 at 12:00 p.m.
FAQs
Who can participate?
Students currently enrolled at Washington Technology Magnet School are invited to participate in the Marny Xiong Memorial Poetry Contest.
Can I submit any poem?
You may submit any poem as long as it addresses at least one of the themes listed below:
Community connections
Activism
Racial equity
Gender equity
How many poems can a student submit?
Students may submit one original poem to the contest.
Does the contest require a certain topic for the poem or a certain style of poem?
Most topics can be used for your poem and the poem can be written in most any style. Often a poem will stand out by being about a unique topic, but the most important criteria is how well the poem is written. Topics that have graphic violence, sexual situations or promote situations that are illegal such as suicide or drugs are not accepted to be published. Whereas most any style can be accepted we do not accept concrete poems that have words written upside down or backwards. We also do not publish "found" poems that take the words of other published authors and are used to make a poem.
What happens if I win?
Winners will be announced on June 1, 2022. All winners will be invited to present their work during the Memorial Celebration on Thursday September 29, 2022 at 5:00 p.m.
Translation Services
English
All school documents can be translated, or interpreters made available upon request
Spanish
Todos los documentos pueden ser traducidos o interpretados oralmente si usted lo solicita
Hmong
Tej ntaub ntawv tom tsev kawm ntawv uas xa los rau nej, peb yuav pab txhais thiab nrhiav neeg txhais lus rau nej yog nej hais qhia peb
Somali
Dhammaan dukumiintiyada iskuulka waa la turjumi karaa ama waxaa la heli karaa turjumaan haddii la codsado
Karen
Family Engagement
Do you have ideas or suggestions for Washington? If you would like to become more involved at Washington please contact:
Michelle Leba
Family and Community Engagement Coordinator
612-367-6512
Contact Information
If you have questions, please call our school and leave a voicemail. We will get back to you as soon as possible.
Phone: 651-293-8830
Interpreter and Translation Services
For more information contact:
Michelle Leba
Family and Community Engagement Coordinator
612-367-6512