Greyhound Special Edition 12/21
As the end of Semester 1 approaches...
Please remember that school staff members are also on break. Emails and phone calls may not be returned until January 4. Thank you for your patience!
Winter Break Community Resource List
Duluth Public School buildings will be closed Wed., 12/22 thru Mon., 1/3 for Winter Break.
Our community is here to offer connection and support during this time. A list of resources including Crisis Lines, Youth Programs, Food Support and additional resources is available for those who need it.
Many thanks to Rachel Thapa and our community partners for compiling these resources.
Semester 2 Schedules Distributed Monday and Tuesday
Students received a copy of their Semester 2 schedule during WIN on Monday or Tuesday (whichever day they were not scheduled to be in the assembly). Schedules can also be viewed by logging on to Infinite Campus. Please review the schedule and check for any errors or missing classes.
Any student who meets any of the allowed circumstances must pick up a schedule change request form that must be signed by a parent/guardian before it is turned in to the counseling office. Please be patient when requesting a schedule change. Counselors will review the request forms after break. You must complete the schedule change request form from the counseling office; do not call or email for a schedule change. If the change isn’t made prior to the start of Semester 2, the student should follow their current schedule..
Reasons allowed by district policy:
The student failed a class and needs to retake it.
The student didn’t register for a class required for graduation.
There was an error and a student was placed in a class they didn’t register for.
The student is scheduled for the same class twice.
There is a gap in your schedule and/or the student is registered for two classes in the same hour.
Schedule changes will not be approved if:
The student is requesting a different teacher (unless the student failed a class with that teacher previously).
The student is requesting a different lunch.
The student is trying to re-arrange for early release or late start. (Only applies to seniors.)
The student changed their mind about what was requested at registration.
They are trying to re-arrange their schedule to be with friends.
Our priority is to make sure students are on track for graduation. Make sure all of the required courses are on the schedule now.
Grading for 2021-2022
1. There are no more "No Credit" or NC grades. Students will earn letter grades that will be reported on their transcript, including Fs. While an NC meant they essentially failed the course, it did not have an impact on their cumulative grade point average. An F will significantly impact GPAs.
2. Students are also no longer allowed to elect to have a passing grade changed to a "P" this year. Some students chose to do that last year to avoid having a B, C, or D impact their GPA in a way they didn't want.
3. Semester grades are calculated by combining term grades and final exam grades. Term 1 = 43%, Term 2 = 43%, and the Final Exam = 14%. All students must fully participate in the final exam (which can look very different by course and by teacher) in order to pass the class.
4. We report grades in two documents: the report card and the official high school transcript.
5. A report card is issued after each Term. It includes Term Grades, Final Exam Grades, and Final Semester Grades. It also includes an isolated Term GPA.
5. The official transcript contains ONLY Final Semester Grades and the Cumulative Semester GPA that will be updated after each semester of high school.
6. TERM GPA is only used to recognize honor roll students. CUMULATIVE GPA based on semester grades is used for class rank, college applications, and scholarship applications.
7. If your student is in an MSHSL activity or sport, their TERM grades are used to determine eligibility. An F on the report card makes a student ineligible to compete. Semester grades are still critical as you must also be making credit progress to be eligible.
If you have questions about grades, the grading process, or anything else mentioned here, please contact the teacher, counselor, or an administrator.
Wondering About Your Semester Grade?
COVID Test Sites Open January 3, 2022, 12-6 P.M.
On the second extended break day, January 3, 2022, ISD709 is again partnering with Essentia Health to provide COVID testing at two locations from 12:00-6:00.
Essentia will provide a Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) test. This form of test can take up to two days to receive results. This is not a rapid test. Remember that students and staff who have symptoms should not come to school unless test results are negative and symptoms have improved.
The West side location is Evergreen Senior Center located at 5830 Grand Ave, Duluth, MN 55807.
The East side location is Lutheran Church - Good Shepherd 1325 N 45th Ave E, Duluth, MN 55804.
Before you come to these test sites, you can sign up for Essentia's My Chart to receive notification of any positive tests. Learn more by clicking these links:
Students and ISD 709 staff who have COVID symptoms can receive a Rapid Testing kit from our health office. Please do not send students into the building with symptoms. Call the health office to arrange for a pick up.
Duluth Saliva Test Site: DECC
Mon-Thurs: 11 A.M. - 6 P.M.
Schedule an appt: mncovidtestingappt.as.me
*Students experiencing symptoms may request a rapid test from the health office.
Counseling Office Notes
REQUEST AN APPOINTMENT WITH YOUR COUNSELOR OR SOCIAL WORKER
Counseling Office Contacts:
218-336-8845
Jenn LaBelle, Registrar: ext 2143, jennifer.labelle@isd709.org
Jamie Savre, Counselor (A-E): ext 2154, jamie.savre@isd709.org
Jessica Forsman, Counselor (F-La): ext 2041, jessica.forsman@isd709.org
Morgan Costley, Counselor (Le-Re), ext 1262, morgan.costley@isd709.org
Laura Horton, Counselor (Rh-Z,) ext 1121, laura.horton@isd709.org
Kerri Persons, Counselor (9th Grade), ext 1345, kerri.persons@isd709.org
Watch Out for FAKE Live Stream Links!
Activities Office News
Click to purchase tickets to an East event/game.
Click to view the full activities and facility schedule.
Click to learn more about activities at East!
Click to live stream East events.
Activities Office Contacts
218-336-8845
Lynn Carlson, Clerical/Treasurer: ext 2304, lynn.carlson@isd709.org
Shawn Roed, Activities Director: ext 2151, shawn.roed@isd709.org
Notes and Resources from Outside Agencies (Not ISD 709)
Duluth East High School
Assistant Principals: Jon Flaa, Kyle Rock
Activities Director: Shawn Roed
Email: darcy.motschenbacher@isd709.org
Website: https://www.isd709.org/duluth-east
Location: 301 North 40th Avenue East, Duluth, MN, USA
Phone: 218-336-8845
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dulutheasthighschool