Raider Update
A Weekly eNewsletter from Hastings Public Schools
Message from the Superintendent
Happy New Year Raiders!
I hope winter break and the New Year, although different this year, brought safe and happy times for your family. We continue to monitor our numbers and are still on track to begin rolling grade levels back into schools on January 19th. Much of the information in this update pertains to the details of the learning model shift. If questions or concerns come up regarding your student(s), please continue to reach out to teachers and/or building principals as they will have the most accurate information pertaining to grade level or program specifics.
Reminder: Learning Model Shift
- Classes for all students begin Monday, January 4 in distance learning.
- Students in grades kindergarten through grade 2 will attend full-time, in-person learning 5 days per week beginning Tuesday, January 19. The school time schedule remains the same as when the district was in hybrid (school begins at 9:40 and ends at 3:25).
- We plan for children in grades 3 & 4 to begin full-time, in person learning 5 days per week on February 1; until then, they will continue distance learning.
- Any child who participates in the Hastings Online Academy will continue learning virtually 4 days per week with Wednesday Flex Days.
What is the "School District Learning Model"?
- full-time, in-person learning (5 days per week face to face),
- hybrid learning (2 days face to face and 2 days virtually with Wednesdays as Flex days), or
- distance learning (4 days of virtual learning with Wednesdays as Flex days)
We hope this quick description helps to clarify the "district learning model".
Information Request due January 5
We are offering families of elementary children another opportunity to make a change to their child's learning model. We will plan for each child to continue in their current preference - either the district learning model (which may shift between in-person, hybrid and distance learning) or Hastings Online Academy (full time distance learning). If you would like your child to change, please fill out this form. Please know that by filling out this form, you are committing to your chosen model for the remainder of the school year. We will close this opportunity to change on January 5. If you have questions, please call your child's school.
Transportation Opt-Out
Because of the shift to in-person learning that no longer follows the hybrid cohort model, we will need to reorganize school bus routes. If you know that your child in grades k-4 will not use district transportation, please fill out this opt-out form. We want to work quickly and also be as accurate as possible when rebuilding our routes; please fill out this form by January 5 if your child will NOT be using district transportation during the full-in-person schooling. If you have questions, please call the Hastings Bus Company at 651-437-1888.
School Age Child Care Registration
As we transition to all in-person learning at the elementary level, we are opening registration for elementary families to register for Before and After Care at their elementary sites. The Transition days (January 13 & 14) and Non School Days (January 15 & 18) are also available for registration. Transition days are available for only Tier 1 approved families during their school day (no before or after care). Non School days are available for any student Kindergarten-5th grade at our standard Kids’ Campus rates.
Registration will be open December 21 at noon through January 4th at noon. The goal is to have families informed of acceptance or wait list status on or before January 8th. Please visit:
https://hastingscommunityed.com/k-12/school-age-care/ to register.
Free and Reduced Lunch Forms Needed!
It is important that all families who are eligible to receive free or reduced lunch prices complete and submit their application for benefits; we are still missing many of the anticipated applications. Not only do families benefit from receiving much needed reduced prices on meals (in a typical year) but the district also receives compensatory revenue for the 2021-22 school year based on eligible applications. The Minnesota legislature has a bill to extend the application deadline to January 4, 2021. If you believe you may be eligible for free or reduced lunch prices, please apply online as soon as possible, or call us at 651-480-7127 and we can mail you a form.
Students who qualify for free or reduced-price meals may be eligible for Pandemic-Electronic Benefit Transfer (P-EBT) to purchase food for days they are not in the school building. To be considered, households must submit an application for free or reduced-price meals for the 2020-2021 school year or be approved for Minnesota Family Investment Program (MFIP) or Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits. Families who received P-EBT benefits last summer are not automatically eligible; eligibility is abased on the current school year. Benefits may be retroactive to September 2020, depending on when eligibility for free or reduced-price meals is determined. To ensure you qualify for the most benefits, please submit your application as soon as possible.
Shout Out!
Hastings Public Schools
- Tilden Community Center 651-480-7670
- Kennedy Elementary (K-4) 651-480-7221
- McAuliffe Elementary (K-4) 651-480-7390
- Pinecrest Elementary (K-4) 651-480-7280
- Hastings Middle School (5-8) 651-480-7060
- Hastings High School (9-12) 651-480-7470
- Hastings Alternative Learning Center 651-480-7690
Email: raiderupdate@hastings.k12.mn.us
Website: www.hastings.k12.mn.us
Location: 1000 11th Street West, Hastings, MN, USA
Phone: 651-480-7000