Dear St Paul HS/MS Students and Families,
I hope you have had a restful and relaxing summer. Obviously, this last spring and summer has been unlike anything we have ever experienced. The last time we walked the hall together was March 13th and we miss you very much and wish we could be back together this fall. Unfortunately, current conditions will not allow for that and we will be starting the school year in a distance learning model.
However, the model we are using for distance learning is much more comprehensive than in the spring. All students will be expected to participate in a full school day and courses will earn a letter grade as we would if we were in the classroom. This is going to be challenging, but we must do this so we can fulfill our promise of preparing our students for college and/or career after graduation.
Like we did in the spring, the high school and middle school will be working on a block schedule. This means that students will engage in four classes per day on alternating days for a total of 8 classes. This is proven to be a much more effective model when working in an online and distance learning environment. These alternating days will take place Monday through Thursday. Friday will be dedicated to providing student with opportunities to engage in social activities and course interventions that will allow them to be successful in this different way of learning. We are currently working out the details of that schedule and will release it in the coming days.
Be assured, that one of the goals for our distance learning model is to help families best support their students. We will be scheduling an orientation time with each student and family to meet with each of their teachers in a socially distant and safe manner. During this orientation time you will learn about the expectations of the course, how teachers, students, and families will communicate with each other, and how parents can engage with the chosen Learning Management System (LMS) that the teacher will be using (either Schoology and/or Google Classroom.)
We have some new faces here at the middle school/high school this year. Please welcome Julia Nelson as our new high school math teacher, Randy Conrad as our new high school PE/health teacher, and Jaxon Saunders as our new high school social studies teacher.
Enclosed in this packet is general information for the start-up of the school year. As in the past, we would like you to read and review all of the materials enclosed in this packet. On the registration, permission and application forms; please fill in all pertinent blanks, as this is important information we need for reports, emergency contacts and medical information for the safety of your student(s).
The following are the pieces of information you will find in your packet:
Registration Form/ Permission Release Form – Please fill out one for each student. This is key information we use throughout the year to communicate with you. Please review and fill out this form and include appropriate signatures. This includes Student Medications, Infectious Disease Instruction, Personally Identifiable Information, Student Information to Military Recruiters, Student Telecommunication Acceptable Use Agreement, Lunch Policy, and Athletic and Activities Participation.
Free and Reduced Lunch Application – Please fill out this form and return to the school if you wish to apply for the state’s free and reduced lunch program. This information will be handled confidentially.
District Calendar – This will give you a quick look at what is happening during the school year. You can also view the calendar and many more important updates on our website at www.stpaul.k12.or.us.
Supplemental Insurance – If you do not have insurance and wish to cover your child, there is supplemental insurance that can be purchased independently. Applications are available on our website or in the school office.
We will be having a “drive-in” registration drop-off and Chromebook/supply pick-up on Wednesday, September 9th, from 9-3. We will be posting more details on this on the school website.
We realize that not being in the classroom creates a great deal of stress and challenges to each of our students and families. It is stressful and challenging for us, as well. However, we must commit to meeting these challenges so that St. Paul will continue being a great place for teaching and learning. Please feel free to contact us with any questions or concerns. Go Bucks!
Sincerely,
Patrick Schrader
High School and Middle School Principal