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. March 25, 2021 Dear Fridley Families and Staff,
Spring is finally here and we hope that our students and families will enjoy a restful and fun Spring Break! As we head into Spring Break next week, we want to share a few reminders with you.
Please remember that all Prekindergarten - Grade 12 students who are learning in-person at school will be participating in DISTANCE LEARNING tomorrow, Friday, March 26.
There will be NO IN-PERSON LEARNING for any students due to the second district-wide Vaccine Clinic for Fridley staff. The clinic will be hosted by Anoka County Public Health at Fridley High School.
Congratulations to Claire Smith, Fridley High School (FHS) senior, who has been named the 2021 Athena Award winner! The Athena Award program honors female high school student-athletes in the Twin Cities region, with one winner selected from each participating Minnesota State High School League (MSHSL) school. Determined by the Minneapolis Athena Awards committee, each student is selected based on athletic achievements, academic success, volunteer work and other extracurricular participation. Smith is a three-sport athlete at FHS, playing hockey, tennis and softball. She has played hockey since kindergarten, and served as captain during her senior year on the Osseo/Park Center Varsity Girls Hockey team. She considers her teammates to be like family, as time spent with them is embedded in some of her favorite high school memories, such as the annual Duluth hockey tournament trips. In addition, Smith has served as captain of the Fridley Varsity Girls Tennis team for the past two years and has earned two consecutive All-Conference honorable mentions. The Fridley High School (FHS) Key Club earned the coveted 'Distinguished Club' status, along with many other honors and accolades, at the Minnesota-Dakotas District Leadership Conference (DCON) held virtually on March 8, 2021. Key Club is a student-led, service-oriented club that makes a positive impact by serving others in their school and community.
and Key Club Vice President. "Every year, our ultimate goal is to help our community members and put a smile on the faces of the people around us." Despite the pandemic, Fridley Key Club members have contributed a total of 1,383 hours of service in the past year.
Other awards the FHS Key Club earned were:
Individual Awards included the Key Club Distinguished Officers. The following officers submitted binders and earned Distinguished status for their work the past year:
Congratulations to all our Key Club students! Hayes Elementary third grade students pitched their products in the style of the Shark Tank television show during the school's annual Market Day event held on March 11, 2021. Market Day is an International Baccalaureate (IB) Primary Years Programme (PYP) project that teaches students entrepreneurship, production and consumption, and the laws of supply and demand. Due to the pandemic, this year's project was adjusted and did not include the customary exchange of 'market money,' or large-scale Market Day event where students would normally purchase and sell their homemade products. Third grade teachers instead used a transdisciplinary approach to create Shark Tank-themed business and entrepreneurial lessons. Students created products independently, from manufacturing their goods, creating strategies for advertising, and writing their pitches to attract investors. On March 11, third graders in the in-person learning model presented their pitches to teachers, staff members and fellow students to persuade them to invest in their products. "This new Shark Tank format caused our annual project to become even more transdisciplinary," said Heidi Hall, Hayes third grade teacher. "Students learned about crafting persuasive letters in our writing unit, which were included in product pitches, reviewed advertising techniques in media, and created product logos in art class." In addition, students learned Market Day concepts in their math, science and other subject areas. The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) recommends that all school-age youth returning to school youth sports, or extracurricular activities, and their families, to get tested every two weeks through the end of the school year. Students involved in any extracurricular activities or sports should get tested every week.
Testing, plus wearing masks and taking other precautions like social distancing and staying home (quarantining) when needed, are some of the best tools we have to limit the spread of COVID-19. By getting tested regularly until the end of the school year, we can help limit the spread of COVID-19 and keep schools open and sports operating.
Anyone could have COVID-19 and not know it. Getting tested regularly is the best way to know you are still healthy. If you don't have symptoms and have not been close to someone with COVID-19, you do not need to stay home while you wait for your test results.
COVID-19 Testing for Students and Families While it is not a requirement, regular testing complements other safety measures already in place, such as masking and social distancing. Getting tested every two weeks from now until the end of the school year can help keep schools open and sports operating, and ensure we are limiting the spread of COVID-19. Student COVID-19 Testing Update At Governor Walz's direction, the Minnesota Department of Education (MDE) is working with school districts to make it easier for students to send off their saliva test kits. Students will now be able to send their Vault-at-Home tests back to the lab through their schools. How this works:
To help students comply with MDH's bi-weekly testing guidance and use at-home tests as a screening tool:
Saliva test drop off dates for Fridley students Any student who has taken a saliva test can drop off the test kit at any of our schools' main office on the following dates:
As our 5th - 12th grade hybrid students have transitioned to learning at school four days per week, students are not eligible to pick up meals on the Tuesday or Wednesday Distance Learning Pick Up times, as they are receiving breakfast and lunch during the school day.
REMEMBER: All 5th-12th graders can pick up a one day meal bag from the school cafeteria at the end of the school day on Tuesday to eat on Wednesday when they are learning from home.
Please see the chart below for information on One Day Meal Bags and Five Day Meal Bag Pick Up times. PLEASE NOTE: Following Spring Break on April 7, the Wednesday Meal Pick Up time will update to: 10:15 AM - 11:45 AM. 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! 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 |