Fridley Public Schools Did You Know? E-Newsletter is a newsletter designed for Fridley families, staff members, and community members. This e-newsletter will be distributed bi-weekly on Thursdays during the school year to all parents, guardians, staff members and community members who have joined the distribution list. If you would like to add your email to the Did You Know? distribution list, click here. January 29, 2021 Dear Fridley Families and Staff,
We have missed having our students and staff members in our school buildings, and we are looking forward to safely welcoming everyone back to school!
Here is a reminder of the Fridley Public School District timeline of its phased-in transition to in-person learning:
• January 27-29: NO SCHOOL for all students. This marks the end of Semester 1 and these days are planning days for staff.
• February 1: PreK, Kindergarten, Grade 1 will return to in-person learning, 4 days per week (M, T, Th, F); Fridley Middle School Grade 5 and 6 will return to Hybrid schedule • February 15: NO SCHOOL - Presidents' Day
• February 16: *PreK, Kindergarten, and Grade 1-4 will begin 5 days per week, in-person learning (M-F) *Fridley Middle School Grade 5 and 6 will continue in Hybrid schedule *Fridley Middle School Grade 7 and 8 will return to Hybrid schedule *Fridley Moore Lake Area Learning Center students will return to half days in-person learning (M-F) *Fridley High School Grade 9, 10, 11, and 12 will return to Hybrid schedule
*All Hybrid students at the middle and high school will be distance learning on Wednesdays*
REMEMBER: All distance learning students who selected Fridley Online Academy for Semester 2 will NOT be affected by these changes. Stevenson Elementary students and their families connected virtually through a school-wide STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) activity on Wednesday, January 13, 2021. The activity challenged students to create the tallest possible tower with various materials, including balloons, plastic utensils, straws, rubber bands, and toothpicks. All students received STEM kits, provided by the Stevenson PTO, with the necessary supplies for the activity.
School mascot Integrity the Tiger and International Baccalaureate (IB) Primary Years Programme (PYP) Coordinator Kate Talafous demonstrated the engineering cycle for students in a school-wide video slideshow. Students were prompted to "ask, imagine, and plan" their designs - brainstorming and drawing their way through the engineering process to build their tall towers! Then it was time to "create" - as students began their hands-on learning to build their masterpieces. The final stage of the engineering cycle was "improve," where students were able to reflect on their processes and make improvements where necessary. Thank you to all our Fridley Public School District paraeducators! January 25-31, 2021 is designated as Paraprofessional Recognition Week in Minnesota. Our paras work hard every day to ensure all students have the support they need to reach their fullest potential. To our paras: We appreciate YOU! Your role is an integral part of student achievement and success. Your work and contributions are greatly valued and appreciated. Teachers, families and fellow staff members, please take the time to thank a paraeducator this week! Our R.L. Stevenson Elementary Kindergarten teacher Je'Naya Brown was selected as KS95 Radio's Teacher of the Week! 'Ms. Je'Naya' as she is fondly called by her students, was nominated by Stevenson families to celebrate and recognize her dedication to her students. She was featured on the station's special segment on Friday morning, January 22, 2021. Teaching Kindergarteners online is no easy task, but Ms. Je'Naya works incredibly hard to keep her young scholars enthusiastic about learning!
"[Distance learning] has been quite a journey, but I do a lot of tap dancing and silly voices to keep the kids engaged!" she said. Ms. Je'Naya shared that her favorite part about teaching is having the ability to create fun and memorable experiences for her Kindergarteners. "I love giving them fun activities to do - we have the 100th day of school coming up and we are excited for that!" Another memorable activity during distance learning included decorating gingerbread cookies with her students before winter break. "We were able to get cookies donated, baked, and then we packed a bag for each individual student to decorate at home," said Ms. Je'Naya. "The kids loved it, and so did I!" MEAL PICK UP UPDATES: With the district's shift to in-person learning, there are several updates to the Fridley Nutritional Services Meal Pick Up schedule.
Remember: ALL children, ages 18 and under, are eligible to receive free meals through the end of the 20-21 school year. Children Ages 1-5
Elementary Hybrid Learners: Kindergarten - Grade 1
Elementary Hybrid Learners: Grades 2, 3, 4
Middle School Hybrid Learners:
Middle School Hybrid Learners: Grades 7, 8 and High School/ALC Hybrid Learners: Grades 9, 10, 11, 12
REMEMBER: All Fridley Online Academy students (distance learners) will not be affected by any of these Meal Pick Up schedule changes. See the chart below for Meal Pick Up times: Families are encouraged to follow their assigned learning model group when picking up meals,
If you have any questions, please contact Nutritional Services
Please remember to wear your mask when picking up meals to help keep our nutritional services staff safe! Thank you to all our families who have been picking up meals! You may also read this message in ARABIC HMONG SOMALI SPANISH
Students who qualify for free or reduced-price meals may be eligible for Pandemic-Electronic Benefit Transfer (P-EBT) to purchase food for the days they are not in the school building.
To be considered, households must submit an application for free or reduced-price meals for the 2020-21 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 based 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.
Click here to log in to Parent Portal and apply for free or reduced meal benefits Click here to learn more about meal applications on the district website Click here for more information including breakfast and lunch menus Fridley Public Schools We are proud to offer the full IB Continuum from Preschool to Grade 12. 6000 West Moore Lake Drive, Fridley, MN 55432 |