Sunday, May 31, 2009

Clearview Cougar Golf Classic

Clearview is inviting you and your organization to consider being a sponsor of the Fourth Annual Clearview Cougar Golf Classic, which will be held at Eagle Trace Golfers Club in Clearwater, Minnesota on Tuesday, June 9, 2009.

The Golf Classic will include golf, raffle, meal and many contests and challenges throughout the day. The Clearwater area will be host to many golfers and participants as part of the Classic, and we invite you to be a part of this special day.

For more information go to http://isd742.org/~clearview/ and see how this will impact Clearview Elementary.

The Clearview Cougar Golf Classic Organizational Committee

Friday, May 29, 2009

Top 10 Ceremony Honors Students

The Top Ten Reception, which honors the leading scholars at Apollo and Tech high schools, was May 26 at St. Cloud City Hall. Apollo’s ten best are Megan Gorder, Molly Gorder, Alison Gray, Chelsey Hinnenkamp, Andrew Humbert, Kaci Parsons, Sarah Schmitt, Michael Schreifels, Caleb Stellmach and Kayla Stock. The top ten students at Tech are Stefan Bartell, Flannery Cunningham, Joshua Godding, Elly Jarvis, Kaashyapee Jha, Joseph Molde, Stephanie Nappa, Dominick Ormsby, Kathryn Paulson and Madina Sultanova. View the program.

Thursday, May 28, 2009

6th Grade Orchestra: Conducted by Thea Stockinger

I was invited to the Granite City Rotary Club this morning because our Northside 6th Grade Orchestra performed for the club. This club has been very generous in supporting the program. The video below was done with my Blackberry; therefore, I'm sorry for the quality. Even so, it is worth showing. Please pass this on to others who may have children who play in this orchestra group. I was so impressed, and I know it's because of the great work that Thea Stockinger does to teach these kids to play. Thank you Thea!

Wednesday, May 27, 2009

All Adults Need to be Aware of Sexting

Sending pictures of a sexual nature between cell phones or the Internet is often done between students. About 20 percent of teens admit to sexting, according to a nationwide survey by the National Campaign to Support Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy.

Students need to know that this goes beyond a pornographic problem; there is a bullying aspect to sexting. As many of you have heard, a Cincinnati girl committed suicide after photos she sent to a boyfriend were sent to hundreds of people. This girl received harassing messages through her MySpace and Facebook accounts, and in person.

With regard to pornography, there has been attempts to prosecute girls for sexting. The threatening charges were against some girls with hopes of felonies of child pornography for sending partially-nude pictures of themselves to boys. Students need to know the possible legal implications they could possibly face for doing this.

Some school districts are finding a need to suspend both the students who are nude to semi-nude on cell phones and the students who are in possession of these photos. Schools have to be careful in their handling of these issues because teachers, principals and administrators find themselve in possession of the pictures when they confiscate them. Recently, an assistant principal in another state was charged with child pornography after investigating a sexting case at his school; the principal was obviously in possession of the photos after confiscating them.

School districts need to consider a variety of actions around raising awareness of and increasing education about sexting. Schools, community organizations, law enforcement and public officials need to partner to provide trainings on bullying, cyberbullying and computer/internet safety, including sexting and safety on social networking sites. Any education around sexting should include the whole community. This means including students, board members and staff as well as parents and community members. District 742 recognizes the need for computer/internet/technology safety and discussions around the need for more awareness and training will be discussed soon.

My hope is that parents are talking to their children about this. It's my plea that parents have these discussions as soon as cell phones, digital cameras and the internet are allowed at home. After all, 20% and growing is certainly a concerning statistic.

Tuesday, May 26, 2009

Make the Water Connection: 2009 Ad Contest Winning Entries

This information comes from: http://www.mnwaterconnection.com

CMWEA and Gander Mountain announced the winners who entered the 2009 "Make the Water Connection TV Ad Contest." The top three winners each received $700 paid to their school’s sponsoring department and a $300 Gander Mountain Gift Card.

Refer to the videos below to see these winners:

Scare Factor: Kamren Kubesh, Apollo student
Water Bottle: Craig Myhre, Tech student

Monday, May 25, 2009

SKYWARD: DISTRICT 742 STUDENT INFO SYSTEM

As we role out Skyward, our new student information system, we will be introducing the Parent Portal. This management system will serve the school district well, but I think parents will be equally pleased. This will certainly enhance school-to-home communications by daily informing the parent of grades, attendance, homework, and etc.

Staff training will take place during workshop week. Therefore, be patient as this will be new to our staff members, but because of the simplicity of the program, we will be operating smoothly with this shortly after school begins.

We will begin enrolling parents at open house this coming fall so that they can immediately begin monitoring from work and home. I do want parents to understand that while teachers generally update their gradebooks at least weekly, it is understood that some assignments simply take longer to grade and may not be immediately updated in the gradebooks. Staff will make every attempt to update their gradebooks weekly.

Friday, May 22, 2009

District 742 Health Care Center: Roosevelt Education Center

We have plans to move forward with the concept of a Health Care Center at the Roosevelt Education Center. Roosevelt was selected as the location largely because of the Welcome Center where all kindergarten and students new to the District register for District 742 schools throughout the year. The space is ideal and will be able to accommodate the equipment needed for a care center. It is very clear there is a need, as a lot of students who are enrolling do not have a medical provider. Essentially, at the Welcome Center, we want to help families with initial services, i.e., immunizations, developmental and early childhood screening, child and teen checkups, etc. The biggest objective is to provide information and referrals to connect students to a medical provider. Meetings to make arrangements are being held with Stearns County Public Health, District Nurses, CentraCare, Health Partners, and the St. Cloud Medical Group. The Center will be open part-time to start. It is expected that nurses and doctors from the three medical providers will volunteer time at the Center. At a minimum, we will have LPNs doing hearing and vision screenings.

We will be submitting a letter of inquiry to the Medica Foundation requesting $30,000 in startup costs to cover the purchase of equipment and a part-time nurse. CentraCare has volunteered to provide some equipment.

This will be brought to the Board of Education at the June 10th meeting with a request for approval at the June 25th Board meeting. It is anticipated to have the Health Care Center operational in August. This will really help our District’s families.

Thursday, May 21, 2009

Vision and Strategic Direction: Still in Draft

We are really excited about the direction we are headed. Please read below to get a sense of this.

Vision – 2014
o Shared ownership for student success: community, families, students and district
o Integrating technology as “what we do” at a pace with the world
o Excellence in teaching, learning and engagement assuring success for ALL
o ALL students achieving and excelling
o Well resourced, well managed, well governed
o Culture and environment which is inclusive, attractive, respectful and reflective of all
o Community partnership around a clear image, identity and value

Strategic Directions
A. Developing & implementing instructional district practices focused on diverse student needs
B. Increasing our means by 20% & manage well within that
C. Changing, aligning systems & structures to move towards our vision
D. Developing partnership processes & capacity to address the we/they
E. Developing a clear & effective District 742 “brand”

North Junior High Pool Project

At tonight's meeting, the school board voted to approve the remodeling project of North Junior High's pool. This area will be turned into a very nice multipurpose wellness area; it will be a combination gym/weightroom. Our vision of this area will include volleyball, basketball, weighroom, and other physical education space. We are hoping for a climbing wall in the future with cages for softball/baseball. Not only will it provide a great space, but it will also add about 2 classrooms to an area where the present weightroom exists. North Junior High is excited about this adventure because it will also give them a nice space for the 180 Reading Program they are adding.

Just so everyone knows, about 5 years ago the district decided to close the pools at North and South because of the cost to keep these open and in repair. The city of St. Cloud said they were interested in keeping the South pool open for their programming by funding this. They chose South due to the fact that this was the pool that was in the best shape.

We are also so thankful to ING Direct for their contribution to this project; they will give us their time and money in this great service project.

Thank you ING Direct!

Tuesday, May 19, 2009

The 2009 Legislature Adjourned

The 2009 Legislature adjourned at 11:59 on May 18th with no resolution to the budget deficit. And, late last week, the Governor announced “there will be no special session. There will be no government shutdown.” While still hoping that an agreement could be negotiated before Monday’s adjournment, Legislative leaders worked throughout the weekend to reach an agreement. However, no agreement was reached and the Legislature adjourned with no final budget resolution. They did send a budget balance bill to the Governor which included an income tax increase, an alcohol tax increase and school aid and tax recognition shifts. However, there is no reason to believe the Governor would sign this bill.

To achieve his promise, Pawlenty said that he would use his veto pen, suspend payments, and unallot to trim the two-year budget down to $31 billion, if a deal is not reached. Measures such as payment suspensions or unallotment could begin on July 1, 2009. Click here if you are interested in reading more about unallotment. More information will be forwarded as I receive it.

The E-12 Budget bill was signed by the Governor on May 16th. This bill did not include the school payment shifts to help address the budget deficit and did not include any cuts to early childhood or K-12 education. Although he signed the bill, he stated that he was disappointed that several of his reform provisions were not included: pay for performance, QComp, alternative pathways for teachers, and long term solution to the math graduation test. And, he did not line-item any funding provisions in the E-12 bill.

Shared Services: The E-12 budget bill did not include the shared services mandate that Sen. Bonoff was pushing. However, language was included in the State Government budget bill, encouraging municipalities, including school districts, to contract for the purchase of supplies, materials, or equipment by utilizing contracts that are available through the state's cooperative purchasing venture authorized.

Pensions: Late on Monday the Legislature passed the Omnibus Pension Bill. The bill originally included changes to TRA to address the deficiency in the fund and provide benefit enhancements. The enhancements included increasing the formula multiplier and a benefit change for certain employees hired after 1989 -- a modified form of Rule of 90 that will allow long serving TRA members to retire around age 62 with 30 years of service. To fund this proposal, contribution rates for both employees and employers would increase 0.5% per year for four years beginning in FY 2012. As the bill was drafted, the state would cover the increase in the employer share for school districts. This bill was controversial and in order to ensure the other non-TRA pension provisions would pass, the TRA article was removed.

Mandatory Statewide Health Insurance Pool: Legislation mandating school district employee statewide health insurance passed both the House and Senate this year. However, unlike other years, the Legislature failed to act on a conference committee report so no bill was sent to the Governor!

By Charlie Kyte, Executive Director, MASA

Monday, May 18, 2009

LEADING A DISTRICT

I was recently asked, "What ever motivated you to be a superintendent?" I can honestly say that I am driven by the complexities of leading and managing a school district. I have the opportunity of working closely with the community, a governing board, administrators, directors and supervisors. I enjoy the planning, problem solving and decision-making; I am motivated by the opportunities to develop programs and systems right along with the adventure of aligning these so that they will best serve children.

Then I'm asked, "Doesn't it bother you that some disagree with your decisions?" To be honest, yes it can be humbling, but then I remind myself why I chose this path...to serve the best I can. Sometimes (perhaps more than I would want to admit) I realize that my decision isn't the best, but then I fall back on the most important principal of leadership - to listen.

I have thoroughly enjoyed this first year because of the great people I get to surround myself with everyday. These leaders have so much capacity to move this school district in the right direction. They are change agents; they love to learn, but they realize that they are here to change as well.

Together, we have adopted the strategic plan of the district, been trained to make impact decisions, learned how to trust one another, and to play the roles we are assigned. We will align programs to best meet the needs of kids. We will empower each other along with all staff, parents and students. We will continue to develop key strategies, implement best practices and hold ourselves accountable to results. We have developed a powerful district report card and we're about to reveal and a district scorecard that will drive results and close achievement gaps. We are leaders; we must do this!

I get to work with teaching and learning, curriculum, instruction, assessment, human resources, student services, school finance, transportation, food service, technology, facilities maintenance, a governing school board (bless their hearts for serving), and a community that understands they have the potential of being identified as a "WOW" school district...not just in Minnesota, but with national and international recognition.

So, if you were to ask me again, "Why this career path?" Answer: It's the greatest adventure out there.

Friday, May 15, 2009

SEE: Keep Saving Energy

The Schools for Energy Efficiency Committee was informed that our District had a savings in energy costs (energy avoidance) in the amount of $200,000 this past year. Our cost avoidance over a five-year period in the SEE Program has amounted to over $2,000,000. At District 742, "We WON'T keep the light on" for you.

MORE FLU INFORMATION

CDC has narrowed the definition of an illness for which children with influenza-like illness should be excluded from school. The new definition is fever together with cough and/or sore throat. MDH defines fever for this exclusion to be greater than or equal to 100.0 degrees Fahrenheit. It is suggested that students or staff who are developing symptoms of a respiratory illness including a runny nose, stay home for at least one day to observe for other symptoms.

Children or staff who have fever, together with cough and/or sore throat, are considered to have an influenza-like illness (ILI) unless an alternative diagnosis (for example, "strep throat") is made. CDC continues to recommend that children or staff with an ILI stay home for seven (7) days or 24 hours after the resolution of acute symptoms, whichever is longer.

Although this virus appears to be acting like seasonal influenza in terms of severity and spread, it is important to remember that it is a new virus and there are people who are at high-risk for influenza-related complications and are not protected by vaccination.

Please continue to check for additional or updated information at the MDH website (www.health.state.mn.us) or the CDC website (www.cdc.gov).

Wednesday, May 13, 2009

VIEW VIDEO BELOW

Click below to view a 9 minute long video which provides a summary of where things stand right now at the Capitol and guesses about the final outcome. The legislature is scheduled to adjourn it's regular session next Tuesday, May 19th, 2009.

Summer Camps and Leagues

District 742 is hosting numerous camps and leagues this summer. Learn about many summer camps and leagues:

Tech Football Summer Camp
Apollo Skills and Thrills Basketball Camp
CTE Academic Achievement Academy
CTE College and Career Camp
CTE for English Language Learners
CTE Health Career Service Academy
CTE Super Success Skills Seminar
Junior Tiger Gymnastics Summer Classes
Tech Girls Basketball Camp

Tuesday, May 12, 2009

TONIGHT: THERE'S A LOT GOING ON!

Kindergarten Transportation Round-Up
Transportation Services is hosting Kindergarten Round-Up May 12 at 6:30 p.m. in the Little Theater at North Junior High. Bus rides for new kindergarten students next year will be given, along with information about busing and a question/answer time. Visit our Transportation Services web page.

Eighth Grade Open House at Tech
Students entering ninth grade this fall, and their parents, are invited to an open house 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. May 12 in the Tech High School gymnasium. There will be comments from administrators, counselors and students. This opportunity is designed to make the first year of high school enjoyable and successful for our new students.

Lincoln Family Picnic
Lincoln Elementary will be hosting a family picnic 5 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. May 12. Many activities are planned including a walk-a-thon. E-mail lincoln@isd742.org for more information.

AmeriCorps Opportunities in District 742
You're invited to an open house to learn more about unique opportunities to serve St. Cloud area students as Reading or Math Tutors through AmeriCorps. The open May 12 house is from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the St. Cloud Holiday Inn. View the flyer for more information.

Saturday, May 9, 2009

MOTHERS' DAY WEEKEND

I realize that today is the opener for fishing in Minnesota, but don't forget that tomorrow is Mothers' Day. Men, make an attempt to make sure you recognize that this day is theirs. Don't do it for yourself; don't celebrate hoping that you're going to get something in return. Celebrate because she deserves it. My wife's name is Katia, and I would like to leave a short message here for her.

Katia,

I have learned so much from you about what it means to be a great parent. You model for me the balance required to love and discipline. You have this love for your children that is incredible; it demands respect, but who do the kids always go to for support? A: YOU!

Ti amo,

Steve

Happy Mothers' Day moms!

Friday, May 8, 2009

Access and Opportunity Grant: MN State Colleges and Universities (MnSCU)

If you can spare ten minutes for this today, so many could benefit if efforts could be made successful by contacting legislators about a very important program in our district called the Access and Opportunity Program would be very appreciative. This program targets students who are on the edge of either failing or being successful. The intervention created allows 8th – 12th graders an opportunity to work with a strong mentor who guides these students to success so that they can reach their dream of attending a post-secondary institution in the future.

Initially we were skeptical of this program. In our initial planning stages my colleagues had lamented that, all too often there have been well intentioned programs that come into our buildings and, as a result of funding limitations "fade away". Frustrating is the best word to describe it. Wouldn't it be nice if we could establish a program that has proven results and then implement it for more than a year?

These tutors and mentors have had a significant impact on the students here in our district. We can share many examples of students who have made significant achievement gains this year. These are the students who have historically "fallen through the cracks". This program is helping our district close the achievement gaps in both reading and in math. It is leveling the playing field for many disadvantaged youngsters. Through the program's family outreach we have been able to help students and families imagine college as a real possibility.

Teachers are convinced that this program helps the way teachers view students and their true potential. "I'm seeing kids that, before, I didn't think college was an option for them. Now I'm thinking, Hey, why not college for them? They're totally capable! I think its changed how a lot of teachers think about our students." - Maureen Proell

Let's not forget the harm we do to the students who have established relationships with these tutors and mentors if this program "fades away". These students are just now beginning to realize that there is hope and possibility for their own bright future.

Unfortunately, these constituents historically have not had their needs expressed at the legislature. They're trying to survive and raise their children on modest means. You probably won't hear from them. Their voices are not as loud as the political action committees and lobbyists who attempt to flex their legislative influence on you daily.

As I understand it, the future of the Access and Opportunity Program is in jeopardy. Funding for the Access and Opportunity Grant comes from the state of Minnesota through MnSCU (specifically, under the auspices of their “recruitment and retention of underrepresented populations). The MN House and Senate are both debating budgets that will impact MnSCU funding and consequently funding for the Access and Opportunity Program. This may impact the renewal of the program or limit the existing program.

The House version limits the amount of money that MnSCU can appropriate for “recruitment and retention of underrepresented populations.” The Senate version does not have this limit.

It is possible that a resolution will be reached in the next few days. I urge you to send a quick message to:

St. Cloud House Rep., Larry Haws and
Senate’s Assistant Majority Leader, Tarryl Clark.

Your message might include:

□ your support for Access and Opportunity
□ a personal anecdote illustrating student success
□ a statement encouraging the legislator to support the Senate bill
□ this is higher education omnibus bill, SF 2083 which does not limit funding

Please cc: any messages to Dr. Robert Johnson (the principal investigator for the AOP grant). robjohn@stcloudstate.edu

House Representative Larry Haws rep.larry.haws@house.mn

Senator Tarryl Clark http://www.senate.leg.state.mn.us/members/member_emailform.php?mem_id=1071&ls=86

If you have a little more time, here are links to the legislative conferees:

Senate conferees are:

Sen. Sandy Pappas, DFL-St. Paul (Go to this link and use mail form for her:) http://www.senate.leg.state.mn.us/members/member_list.php?sort=a&ls=#hea

Sen. Claire Robling, R-Jordan sen.claire.robling@senate.mn

Sen. Ann Lynch, DFL-Rochester sen.ann.lynch@senate.mn

Sen. Ron Latz, DFL-St. Louis Park sen.ron.latz@senate.mn

Sen. Sharon Erickson Ropes, DFL-Winona sen.sharon.erickson.ropes@senate.mn

House conferees are:

Rep. Tom Rukavina, DFL-Virginia rep.tom.rukavina@house.mn

Rep. Linda Slocum, DFL-Richfield rep.linda.slocum@house.mn

Rep. David Bly, DFL-Northfield rep.david.bly@house.mn

Rep. Carol McFarlane, R-White Bear Lake rep.carol.mcfarlane@house.mn

H1N1 Novel Influenza: Attention Parents

Schools and parents of school children are being asked to help with tracking the new flu bug in Minnesota. Parents should keep kids home from school if they are sick with flu-like symptoms: fever and a sore throat, cough, body aches, or runny nose. When calling the school to report that your child will not be in school, tell them your child has flu-like symptoms. Schools are being asked to report to the state health department the number of children gone and the number of children sick with flu-like symptoms each day. Your child’s name will not be shared with anyone outside of their school. Thank you for your help!

To date, the Minnesota Department of Health has identified 16 probable and two confirmed cases of the H1N1 novel influenza in Minnesota. All of the cases so far have been mild. More severe cases will likely appear as MDH focuses its testing on hospitalized cases.

Four of the new probable cases are connected with Emerson Spanish Immersion School in Minneapolis. This brings to five the number of cases connected with the school, which remains open. The first case was identified Sunday by MDH. School officials have communicated with all staff and parents of students at the school.

MDH officials are contacting school superintendents when new cases are identified in schools. School officials are then communicating directly with staff and parents. MDH is also implementing a tracking system to monitor absenteeism in schools. Because the H1N1 virus appears to be behaving like seasonal influenza at this time, MDH officials expect to see more cases of the virus in schools, businesses and communities across the state.

High-risk groups include:

□ Children under five
□ Persons 65 and older
□ Pregnant women
□ Adults and children who have chronic pulmonary disorders (including asthma), cardiovascular problems (except hypertension), and renal, hepatic, hematological, or metabolic disorders (including diabetes mellitus);
□ Adults and children who have immunosuppression (including immunosuppression caused by medications or by HIV)
□ Adults and children who have any condition that can compromise respiratory function or the handling of respiratory secretions or that can increase the risk for aspiration (e.g., cognitive dysfunction, spinal cord injuries, seizure disorders, or other neuromuscular disorders)
□ Residents of nursing homes and other chronic-care facilities.

Thursday, May 7, 2009

LVX Technology

The LVX System (Visible Light with Embedded Communication) is a form of ultra high-speed, very secure wireless data communication using visible light instead of radio waves (i.e. WiFi). It offers access to the internet and can transmit virtually any form of electronic data - Light can do it faster and with greater security than any other practical form of wireless communication available today. For those who would like to see and work with this technology, you are invited to Apollo High School in the St. Cloud Area School School District 742 in St. Cloud, Minnesota. You will be able to register and send yourself an E mail, and then you can tell others that you were one of the first ever to "play" with this technology. This is a fantastic opportunity for you, but just imagine, Apollo High School is the first place this technology has been tested and utilized. All of this is made possible by working with the Chairman of LVX, John Pederson, who is an alumni of this school.

Wednesday, May 6, 2009

Minnesota Announces 2009 Teacher of the Year



Amber Damm, a 7th- and 8th- grade English and Language Arts teacher at Clara Barton Open School in Minneapolis, was awarded the 2009 Minnesota Teacher of the Year on Sunday afternoon by Education Minnesota.

“It’s my pleasure to congratulate Amber Damm on being named Minnesota’s 2009 Teacher of the Year. Amber Damm’s commitment to discovering how children learn and enriching the relationships with her students and their families demonstrates the impact teachers can have in the classroom and lives of their students. Read news release. For additional information, visit the National Education Association site and Education Minnesota.

Tuesday, May 5, 2009

MIDDLE LEVEL PROGRAMMING: THE SUGGESTION OF 4 TASK FORCES

District 742 is looking at the possibility of creating a strong middle level program. Three Middle Level Task Forces (1993, 1995, 1999) concluded that true middle school programming enhanced the academic, social, emotional, and physical needs of middle level students with a preferable configuration of 6th-8th grade. Then, there was a Facilities Steering Committee created in August of 2005 that reported the following:

  • This group projected a need for a 3-year transition for the middle grades within 4-7 years
  • They planned for middle level students at Kennedy to be separate from PK-5 students
Once again, a Facilities Task Force reconvened in August of 2008 and they proposed that the district move to a 6-8 grade level configuration.

After careful consideration of each of the studies above, district administration also recognizes that middle-level students have changed. We feel that we can have a greater impact on the socioeconomic, ethnic and ability differences that contribute to a widening achievement gap. Even so, we will be challenged knowing that a 6th-8th grade configuration costs more due to the fact that 6th graders are funded by the state at the same level as other elementary students.

We also struggle with our current enrollment that is unbalanced ethnically and puts one building at capacity because of boundary lines that have not been addressed. With a 6th-8th configuration, we could balance enrollment without drastic boundary changes, but if we continue to program for K-6th grade we will need to make dramatic changes to boundaries to provide access to buildings that best meet the needs of a K-6th population. Plus, one of the outcomes that would favorably impact children would be the creation of preschool programs at all buildings, but because of grade level configuration and buildings at capacity, we don’t have the space that allows for this.

As superintendent of this district, I will always try to alleviate overcrowding any one building. I will not disregarding this, nor will I disregard the research and the conclusions of 4 school-community task forces regarding the best practice for middle level students. I am also opposed to schools where we have two-year transitions. Even so, we must not make configuration options without a sound rationale; our decisions must align with the district’s Strategic Plan.

I am always going to align the district’s Strategic Plan for optimal student growth and proficiency, and I know that the implementation of PK-8/6-8 grade configurations is the best method of doing so. I recognize that we will have to strive toward operational efficiency throughout the district, but research-based strategies and decisions that support student learning and development cannot be ignored. We could merely house 6th-8th graders in buildings, but the program with the greatest impact would be a true middle level program.

Monday, May 4, 2009

New H1N1 Guidance for Schools

Date: May 4, 2009
To: Minnesota School District Officials
From: Commissioner Dr. Sanne Magnan
Dr. Ruth Lynfield, State Epidemiologist

Subject: Updated Guidance from Minnesota Department of Health for Minnesota Schools (K-12) in Response to H1N1 Novel Influenza (formerly swine flu) Infections

The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) has been working closely with federal, state and local partners to investigate and characterize the outbreak of H1N1 novel influenza. MDH has worked with schools and the Minnesota Department of Education (MDE) regarding the response to an identified probable or confirmed case of H1N1 novel influenza in a school. Previously, because of very limited knowledge of the severity and transmission of this novel strain, and out of an abundance of caution, we believed it was prudent to close affected schools while we learned more about the characteristics of this new disease. We greatly appreciate the collaboration of parents, students and school officials during this early stage of the outbreak.

Over the past week, much has been learned about the cases of H1N1 novel influenza. This virus currently appears to be acting like seasonal influenza in terms of the severity of illness and transmission of infection. We recognize that cases that have no relationship to travel or to other identified cases are occurring in communities, and that it is not possible to identify every case of novel influenza because the symptoms are similar to those of other acute respiratory infections. We also know that we have other acute viral respiratory infections circulating in Minnesota. Therefore we recommend an approach that will focus on keeping all students and staff with symptoms of influenza out of school in order to decrease transmission of infections to others. This will provide an approach for all schools to strengthen their measures to control the spread of infections whether or not a case is identified as H1N1 novel influenza. We will all need to continue to work together to control the spread of illness in our communities.

We recommend that all members of the school community – staff, parents and students take an active role in limiting the spread of infection. This will require increased vigilance among parents and caregivers, and school staff to identify students and staff with influenza-like illness, in particular looking for respiratory symptoms associated with fever.

We want you to vigilantly observe students and staff for illness characterized by having a fever (100◦ F or greater) and recent onset of at least one of the following: runny nose or nasal congestion, sore throat or cough.

Updated recommendations for school officials:

School officials have several options, if a case has been identified in their school:
1) Remain open with appropriate isolation of the individual, at home, and follow other recommendations noted in this memo to decrease the spread of any respiratory illness.
2) Close school at their discretion, based on public health and community assessment.
3) Close school for a number of days - for example, follow the CDC guidelines at: http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/K12_dismissal.htm (please note these guidelines are subject to change).

As is our practice with seasonal influenza, schools may choose to close if large numbers of students or faculty become ill and school functioning is disrupted. We are available to provide specific guidance about school closure should a school encounter an increased number of absences due to influenza like illness. These recommendations are based on current information and we will continue to provide information about the H1N1 novel influenza outbreak. The current influenza outbreak appears to be acting like seasonal influenza.

Other recommendations for schools are as follows:
• Each morning, parents and caregivers should assess all family members and especially school-age children for influenza-like illness (defined above).
• School staff should assess themselves for influenza-like illness.
• Students or staff with influenza-like illness should stay home and not attend school for at least 7 days even if their symptoms resolve sooner. If after 7 days, the student or staff continues to have acute symptoms, he or she should stay home until 24 hours after these symptoms resolve.
• Schools should observe students and staff for influenza-like illness at school.
• Students and staff who are ill should be removed from the classroom and sent home.
• If a student or staff is ill with other symptoms, they should stay home at least one day to observe how the illness develops.
• Students and staff with influenza-like illness should stay home and not go into the community unless they need medical care. Ill students should not attend extracurricular activities, community activities or child care. Recommendations for public health protection for all Minnesotans:
• Wash hands frequently and thoroughly with soap and water.
• Cover your nose and mouth with your sleeve when you cough or sneeze.
• Limit your contact with others who may be ill.
• Stay home from school or work if you are ill MDH is placing a priority on continuing to monitor disease severity. It is important to remember that even “routine” seasonal influenza can be a severe disease.

Each year in the United States more than 200,000 people are hospitalized and about 36,000 people die from flu related causes. Similarly we need to prepare for the possibility in this novel influenza outbreak of additional cases including severe cases and even deaths.

Reporting to MDH:
At this time, we would like to closely monitor influenza-like illness activity in schools. MDH is developing enhanced school-based surveillance for influenza-like illness. We will provide schools with more detail shortly once we complete development.

Communications:
MDH will continue to work closely with the Minnesota Department of Education (MDE) on issues that affect schools. MDH and MDE will continue to communicate with schools regularly about disease activity in the state and any changes in our recommendations. We will also inform you if cases are identified in your school and assist in making informed decisions for your community.

Preventing the spread of influenza requires all of us – schools, families, businesses, and government – to cooperate and work together. Thank for your work and your partnership.

For specific questions, please call MDH at 1-877-676-5414 or 651-201-5414.

Copy to: Commissioner Alice Seagren, Minnesota Department of Education

TECHNOLOGY NEEDS: PROJECT LEAD THE WAY

Project Lead the Way began in the District at Apollo through a grant in which we received machines, teachers (from the St. Cloud Technical College) and training. As our staff became trained the District took over the program. The program has been expanded to other buildings, but the money coming in is getting smaller each year. This year we have need to expand the program at Tech, and they are 15 machines short. The training piece has been worked out; however, we do not have the machines in our computer rotation. Next year Apollo computers will need to be replaced. This will be an ongoing expense. We have approximately 100 computers that need to be rotated periodically. Remember, this program is way too valuable to eliminate, and we need to find a way to fund it.

We may pull together a group of downtown high tech companies to help us plan, market and prepare the community for this need. We need their expertise to help us create the message that the work/employment of tomorrow demands technology. The technology portions of the last two levy referendums have been turned down by the community. I would also suggest we also involve higher education. We either need to find another revenue stream or stretch out our computer rotation.

SKYWARD: NEW STUDENT INFO SYSTEM

We have a master training calendar, a training timeline, and class lists sorted by buildings all prepared for a smooth transition to our new Skyward Student Information System. You may recall that our other system became outdated and would no longer be serviced. We will attempt to schedule training for staff members on extended contracts, i.e., Secondary Media Specialists, Counselors, etc. as part of their work days. Some 10-11 month clerical staff may need to start the year earlier for training. Staff at ALC will need to get trained more quickly due to summer school use of the system. This is a mandatory training; information will be sent to administrators so they can notify staff of the training. Since there may be conflicts due to the summer schedule, a phone number will be set up for people to call to make changes. Training is limited to 10 seats at a time, and there will be Mini-training scheduled for District Administrators and Principals.

My vision will be a system that allows for ease of use and great communication to families. A system such as this allows parents the opportunity to tune into their child's records and homework on a daily basis.

7 SKILLS STUDENTS NEED FOR THEIR FUTURE - TONY WAGNER