Washington Technology Magnet School
Family Newsletter May/June 2022
Washington Parents Group Meeting
Hello Washington Families!
A small group of Washington parents have been meeting biweekly to engage in conversations about the Washington school community. Our hope is that we can become equal collaborators with Washington staff to ensure a safe, respectful, and peaceful school community that values each of our children and sees the potential in each of our children. We engage in conversations that center around our vision for what we want our children to experience at Washington. We focus on finding resources and ways to engage with Washington staff for positive equity outcomes. We would love to meet more Washington parents/guardians!
We invite you to complete this interest form if you would like to be contacted to join our conversations. Interest in Washington Families Group
If you have any questions please contact Pangjua Xiong at pangjua.xiong@gmail.com
Washington provides assistance with transportation and child care at school events. Contact Michelle Leba if you need assistance.
Michelle Leba
Family and Community Engagement Coordinator
612-367-6512
Caregiver Survey About Walking and Biking to School
Dear Parent or Caregiver,
The Saint Paul Public Schools Safe Routes to School program would like to learn your thoughts about students walking and biking to school
This survey will take about 5 minutes to complete. We ask that each family complete only one survey per school your children attend. If more than one child attends the same school, please fill out the survey for the child with the next birthday from today's date.
Your responses will be kept confidential and neither your name nor your child’s name will be associated with any results. Link to survey.
PBIS School Climate Survey
The PBIS (Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports) committee is giving a 9-question survey to students in grades 6-8 between May 9-13 in their Foundations class. The purpose of the survey is to get feedback from students on how they feel about being a student at Washington. If you prefer your child not participate in the survey, please click the link below to fill out the opt-out form. This form will need to be completed by Friday, May 6. Link to form
If you have questions, please reach out to Assistant Principal Shandyn Benson (shandyn.benson@spps.org). Thank you!
Gift cards now offered for all doses of COVID-19 vaccine
Now through May 31, get a $50 gift card for your first, second or booster dose of the COVID-19 vaccine at a Ramsey County-operated clinic, while supplies last.
- Get your gift card immediately after vaccination - no forms or paperwork required.
- You do not have to be a Ramsey County resident to get vaccinated at a Ramsey County clinic or to receive the gift card.
- For location and dates of Ramsey County-operated clinics, see our vaccine page or call 651-266-1190.
Save the date for a summer of learning
Washington Athletics
As the Spring Sports Seasons come to an end over the next couple of weeks, be on the lookout for information regarding summer practice schedules and Fall Sports Registration.
In the meantime, if you have any questions regarding Fall Sports please contact your respective coaches:
Boys’ and Girls’ Cross Country - Mike Nawrocki michael.nawrocki@spps.org
Boys’ Soccer - Micah Merritt micah.merritt@spps.org
Girls’ Soccer - Aaron Crawford aaron.crawford@spps.org
Girls’ Swimming (Gr 7-12) - Johannah White johannah.white@spps.org
Girls’ Tennis (Gr 7-12) - Jim Hoard james.hoard@spps.org
Girls’ Volleyball - Zach Easty zachariah.easty@spps.org
As always, contact Kelly Sandquist (kelly.sandquist@spps.org) or Jesse McCann (jesse.mccann@spps.org) for any sports questions you may have.
GO EAGLES!
Mental Health and School Success
Get Ready in collaboration with the University of Minnesota’s Extension program is offering an online family engagement workshop on Tuesday, May 10th, 2022, from 6:30 to 8:00 PM on Mental Health and School Success. This event will provide parents and guardians tips on how to support their children and increase their mental well-being to succeed in school. Topic discussions will include: the meaning of mental health, how mental health influences others, the connection between well-being and learning, and how to help your children to succeed at school. See the below and the attachments for fliers and more information on the event.
Event: Mental Health and School Success
Date: Tuesday, May 10th, 2022, from 6:30 to 8:00 PM
Presented by: University of Minnesota Extension
Registration: https://tinyurl.com/GetReadyMN9
*All participants will need to register for this event.. A Zoom link will be sent to participants prior to the event.
The event is open to EVERYONE, including all staff, parents/families/guardians, students, and community partners. Please share with your networks.
If you have questions, then please email GetReadyInfo.OHE@state.mn.us
Summer Academic Enrichment Opportunities
Minnesota Institute for Talented Youth (MITY) inspires and challenges intellectually curious students to pursue their passions within a diverse, inclusive community. MITY offers more than 50 unique STEM, humanities and fine arts classes featuring inquiry-based, hands-on learning experiences, small class sizes, and exciting field trips. Students entering grades 8 - 12 are eligible for MITY’s Expand Your Mind (EYM) program at Macalester College. Students can commute or live in the dorms as they experience post-secondary life, grow leadership skills and have fun with new friends. Full and partial need-based financial aid is available. Visit mity.org for more information. Go here for a 2-minute video that gives a snapshot of our Expand Your Mind (EYM) program.
Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month Resources
Click here for resources to celebrate and recognize Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month.
Washington students leave messages to bring awareness to sexual assault
In honor of April being Sexual Assault Awareness Month, Transforming Generations (TG) collected messages from students about what they wanted everyone to know when talking about sexual assault. Their notes were put up to share, alongside a description of what Denim Day is and the importance of it, with Washington Tech on the first floor by the Center For Equity And Culture (Room 1620). Please check it out!
Denim Day, which occurred April 27th this year, was established in 1999 after a perpetrator got away with raping an 18-year old girl, citing that there was consensual sex because her jeans were “too tight” to have been removed on their own. Today we wear denim to make a statement that what anyone wears is never an invitation for sexual assault. Learn more about Denim Day at www.denimdayinfo.org
Sexual Violence Prevention Project Updates:
This month, TG and the Women’s Initiative for Self Empowerment (WISE) facilitated Green Dot Active Bystander trainings for 7th grade and 10th grade students during their Health classes. The goal of these trainings is to help students understand how they can be proactive in creating safe spaces in their school and taking a stand against violence. Forms of violence include bullying, cyberbullying, stalking, cyberstalking, and dating violence. Additional Green Dot trainings will be facilitated in Fall 2022.
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
Washington provides assistance with transportation and child care at school events. Contact Michelle Leba if you need assistance.
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