Weekly Newsletter
November 17, 2023
Dear families,
I simply cannot believe that we are heading into the second half of November! With all of the beginning of the year efforts, in addition to the huge referendum push, the weeks and months are simply flying by.
One important November acknowledgement that I want to mention is National American Indian Heritage Month, which has been recognised nationally since 1990.
According to the National Congress of American Indians, “Native American Heritage Month is a time to celebrate rich and diverse cultures, traditions and history, acknowledge important contributions, educate the general public about tribes, and raise awareness about the unique challenges Native Americans have faced historically and currently. By understanding Native American history and hardship, we take steps to break down the harmful systems that hamper Indigenous people everywhere.”
Duluth has a rich Indigenous history which remains an important part of our culture and lives today. For nearly 14,000 years, a number of tribes lived and continue to call Duluth home, including the Ojibwe, also known as the Anishinaabe, as well as the Dakota and Northern Cheyenne.
Personally, I have considered it one of the greatest honors of being superintendent of Duluth Public Schools to take part in tribal consultation with the Fond du Lac Tribe. These experiences have taught me a lot about tribal interactions and how to better meet the needs of our American Indian students.
Although I attended Heritage University for my teaching license and master’s degree, which is rooted in the homeland of the Yakama Nation and was an educator on the Central Washington reservation for nearly 10 years, I still have so much to learn about the first people of our community and hope that each of us embrace the opportunity to do so with an open heart and mind. I am deeply grateful for those who have shown patience and understanding to me as I entered our community.
As we head into the final weeks of this month, please take a moment to reflect upon the amazing contributions of our American Indian students, staff and community members and show deep gratitude for the lands upon which we work, learn and live.
Sincerely,
John Magas
Dear Duluth Public Schools Families,
Free online tutoring for K-12 students is available through the CSS/ISD 709 Tutor Program. We have tutors in most grade levels and subjects. They have completed training and are ready to work with Duluth students!
Go to this web address: https://css709tutor.setmore.com/ to book tutoring appointments. Once there you will be able to choose the grade level needed, the content, the tutor and the time they are available. After you book a tutoring session you will receive an email with a Google Meets (video-conference) link. Use that link at the time of your appointment.
If you have any questions please feel free to email Beth LaVigne blavigne@css.edu
Join us and be a voice for our special education students! Parent Advisory Council on Special Education (PACSE) will facilitate opportunities for parents and schools to work collaboratively ensuring the success of all children and youth with disabilities from birth to age 22.
Meetings are held virtually via Google Meet and in person at the district service center, 709 Portia Johnson Drive, room 102A.
Meeting Schedule:
- Thursday, Dec. 14 at 4:15 p.m.
- Thursday, Feb. 15 at 4:15 p.m.
- Thursday, May 2 at 4:15 p.m.
Visit www.isd709.org/academics/special-education for more information.
Lincoln Park Middle School unveiled an Inka khipu art work display on Friday, Nov. 17.
Students have been working on a math lesson and community art project for Hispanic Heritage Month involving Inka khipu. A khipu is a series of knotted strings used by the Inka to communicate and keep numerical and organizational records (and even language in some cases).
Math interventionist Rachel Breckenridge, LPMS art teacher Chrissy Valento, and community education at LPMS Mackenzie Tucker, have been working with the students and on the design.
The work is inspired by Mexican American artist Gabriel Dawe. Students were able to learn and work on the art project before school and during lunch. Students were asked to pick a color for the string and a number less than 1,000 that was important to them. Math interventionist Rachel Breckenridge knotted a strict representing the number of students who participated and added it to the collection.
Students learned about the khipu and Gabriel Dawe's Plexus Series work. There are a total of 123 strings that the students worked to assemble in a pattern that would mimic a spectrum of light. From farther away the knots are not really visible and the strings resemble a smaller version of Gabriel Dawe's work, but on closer inspection, you can see the knots and most students now know how to read them and identify which is theirs.
