Online High School Happenings
Quarter 2 Cycle 3 News & Updates
Welcome to the SPPS Online High School Newsletter!
Important Contacts and Resources
SPPS Online Contact Information
Main Phone Line: 651-325-2588
Address: 740 York Ave, Saint Paul, MN 55106
Family Guide to Schoology
Attendance Information
Content Area News
ELA (English)
Students in grades 9-12 should be reading independent novels each quarter. Your student(s) can check out and read books from their Libby app on their iPads. Students are highly encouraged to visit a local St. Paul Library if they prefer not to read on their iPad. This year's SPPS Read Brave book is Man O' War by Cory McCarthy. Students can ask their English teacher about getting a free copy.
Math
Students in Integrated Math 1 and Geometry are competing in a personalized IXL skills Leaderboard Challenge. Click the link to see where your student stands! Cash prizes for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place help motivate students to fill their knowledge gaps by reviewing math skills all winter break long!
Students can find their Personalized Action Plan and math scores after taking the IXL Diagnostic Test. Learn more here.
Spanish
Students in Exploring 7th & 8th as well as Spanish 1 learned about the origins of Chocolate. They love the Chocolate Song- “it´s fire."
Spanish 2 is wrapping up the year with Selena´s El chico del apartamento 512. They will continue the study of Selena with a novel (after winter break).
Spanish 3 wrapped up a study of Cultura Chicana and will begin a new novel after winter break titled Secretos de la selva.
Art
The OHS Online Art Gallery is up and running for the year! New student art has been posted and submissions are now open! Check out the site to see student art from this year and previous years. Please encourage your students to share the art that they are proud of! Links to the submission form are available on the gallery website.
Business
Link to SY 24 Internship Catalog
Questions about internship opportunities? Email Mrs. Wothe at ann.wothe@spps.org or Ms. Sang Le at sang.le@spps.org
Right Track Summer Application will be opening in January! Links to the application will be posted to the OHS Student groups and in the Crew announcements.
Student Celebrations
First Quarter Honor Roll
Students at SPPS Online are awarded Latin Honors each quarter by achieving the following GPAs:
- Summa Cum Laude, High Honors with Distinction: GPA of 4.000
- Magna Cum Laude, High Honors: GPA of 3.75-3.99
- Cum Laude, Honors: GPA of 3.3-3.749
Click the button below to view our first quarter honorees--congratulations to these students for their academic achievements!
Students of the Month
Every two months, SPPS Online High School teachers and staff nominate and select one Student of the Month from each grade level. Students can be selected based on a variety of criteria, including:
- Academic excellence and/or improvement
- Positively supporting and assisting peers
- Embracing a growth-mindset
- Completing particularly creative, insightful, and/or meaningful projects
- Helping build a welcoming school climate
Congratulations to our September/October and November/December Students of the Month; we appreciate you!
In-Person Connections
Mr. Pierson's 9th Grade Crew
Online High School 9th grade students and families from Mr. Pierson's Advisory Class participated in SPPS' first ever High School General Education Academic Parent-Teacher Team Conference. Staff, students, and families met as a community, reviewed students' academic goals, and learned new strategies to help support their students at home.
Guthrie Theater Field Trip
In November, students attended a field trip to the Guthrie Theater to see the world premiere comedy by Native voices, For the People. Created in partnership with the local Indigenous community, this new comedy explored contemporary Native life with humor and joy.
Club Spotlight: Exercise Club
Did You Know...?
SPPS Online High School students participate in clubs and activities every Thursday during Crew! Students can choose whether they want to join the same club every week, or if they want to try something new each time.
Exercise Club is held by Ms. Malmer, our Physical Education and Health teacher. This club gives students the opportunity to move their bodies by participating in activities such as yoga, core strengthening, and low-impact cardio. Online learning can involve a lot of sitting, so our main goal is to get moving! Students who join Exercise Club improve their physical health, reduce their muscle tension, and heighten their mood and mental focus.
Counselor's Corner
9th-12th Grade School Counselor: Rebecca Schmitz
Ask your student if they are in credit recovery! Credit recovery earns back graduation requirements. Courses end on January 18th.
Do you know if your student is on-track for graduation? If not, send me an email at rebecca.schmitz@spps.org, and I will follow-up with their graduation credit check showing all of their credits earned and what is missing.
Wellness Hub
Jennifer Martineau, School Nurse
Proper handwashing is so important to prevent the spread of germs! Regular soap is just as effective at killing germs as antibacterial soap.
Contact Nurse Jenny if you want more information on handwashing or any other health related-topic at 651-419-1219 or Jennifer.martineau@spps.org
Tech Tip
Joshua Thao, iPad Manager
Please update your iPads to the latest iOS!
Do you have additional tech questions? Contact Joshua using one of the methods below:
612-699-4161 / joshua2.thao@spps.org
Important Dates
- January 12: Cycle 2 Grading Deadline
- January 15: No School (Martin Luther King, Jr. Day)
- January 25: Last Day of Quarter 2
- January 26: No School (teacher grading day)
- January 29: First Day of Quarter 3
- March 12: ACT Test