Saber Bytes April 28, 2016

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April 28, 2016 Vol. 1, Issue 13 Planning For Expanded High School Continues Last May our community spoke very clearly. With a tremendous show of 66 percent support, voters approved a referendum that is enabling us to support our students in many ways – including expanding Shakopee High School to address growing enrollment and create a four-year, comprehensive high school experience. We are grateful for that trust and will use these resources to improve education for every Shakopee student. Once the referendum was approved, it was time for us to move from concept to reality. Fortunately, a tremendous amount of community and staff planning had already been done. In 2014, a Secondary Design Team was charged with reimagining our secondary programs. Part of their vision was to organize student electives into six areas of interest. Those areas of interest will soon become the Academies of Shakopee. The academies will be small, real-world learning communities within a large high school. Over the past year, we have continued the collaborative planning that resulted in the successful referendum. A number of staff/community teams have been working on details for the expanded high school that will open in fall 2018, including how to implement the academies. Much more planning remains to be done over the next two and a half years, and we will continue to engage staff and community members at key points in the process. So, what are academies? The goal of the academies is to use small learning communities to personalize education and improve students’ transition from high school to postsecondary and beyond. Ninth graders will be part of a Freshman Academy, to help with the transition to high school and provide time to explore the academies. Students in 10th through 12th grade will select a home academy from six choices: Arts & Communication, Business & Entrepreneurship, Engineering & Manufacturing, Health Sciences, Human Services, and Science & Technology. That “home base” will give students a sense of belonging and the opportunity to learn with others who share their same interests. A key to the academies is giving students the chance to connect the core education they learn in high school with what they may pursue after graduation. Regardless of which academy a student is in, their courses will help them develop the 6 Cs of college and career readiness (character, collaboration, communication, creativity, critical thinking, and cultural competence). To help us actually create the academies, we are working with the Shakopee Chamber of Commerce and area business partners to make important local connections for students. We are also working with Ford Next Generation Learning (Ford NGL – the philanthropic nonprofit arm of Ford Motor Co.), which has helped many districts over the past 20 years to successfully transform their high schools. Ford NGL will help us learn from others’ experiences and give us access to many resources, including; seminars, workshops and staff development; a proven planning process; and professional development opportunities. Continued on Page 2…

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Transcript of Saber Bytes April 28, 2016

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April 28, 2016 Vol. 1, Issue 13

Planning For Expanded High School Continues

Last May our community spoke very clearly. With a tremendous show of 66 percent support, voters approved a referendum that is enabling us to support our students in many ways – including expanding Shakopee High School to address growing enrollment and create a four-year, comprehensive high school experience. We are grateful for that trust and will use these resources to improve education for every Shakopee student. Once the referendum was approved, it was time for us to move from concept to reality. Fortunately, a tremendous amount of community and staff planning had

already been done. In 2014, a Secondary Design Team was charged with reimagining our secondary programs. Part of their vision was to organize student electives into six areas of interest. Those areas of interest will soon become the Academies of Shakopee. The academies will be small, real-world learning communities within a large high school. Over the past year, we have continued the collaborative planning that resulted in the successful referendum. A number of staff/community teams have been working on details for the expanded high school that will open in fall 2018, including how to implement the academies. Much more planning remains to be done over the next two and a half years, and we will continue to engage staff and community members at key points in the process. So, what are academies? The goal of the academies is to use small learning communities to personalize education and improve students’ transition from high school to postsecondary and beyond. Ninth graders will be part of a Freshman Academy, to help with the transition to high school and provide time to explore the academies. Students in 10th through 12th grade will select a home academy from six choices: Arts & Communication, Business & Entrepreneurship, Engineering & Manufacturing, Health Sciences, Human Services, and Science & Technology. That “home base” will give students a sense of belonging and the opportunity to learn with others who share their same interests. A key to the academies is giving students the chance to connect the core education they learn in high school with what they may pursue after graduation. Regardless of which academy a student is in, their courses will help them develop the 6 Cs of college and career readiness (character, collaboration, communication, creativity, critical thinking, and cultural competence). To help us actually create the academies, we are working with the Shakopee Chamber of Commerce and area business partners to make important local connections for students. We are also working with Ford Next Generation Learning (Ford NGL – the philanthropic nonprofit arm of Ford Motor Co.), which has helped many districts over the past 20 years to successfully transform their high schools. Ford NGL will help us learn from others’ experiences and give us access to many resources, including; seminars, workshops and staff development; a proven planning process; and professional development opportunities.

Continued on Page 2…

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Planning For Expanded High School Continues We are joining a collaborative network of districts all seeking to make the delivery of high school education more relevant, impactful and successful. We are fortunate to have been selected to become one of their partners, and their support will be funded through our regular professional development budget. In 2018, we expect to be a fully functioning Ford Next Generation Hub that will feature other educators and communities coming to Shakopee for study tours to learn from our teachers and business partners how we work together for the best results for our students. What matters most? As superintendent I get asked a lot of questions about our building projects and specifically about the Academies of Shakopee. Sometimes the questions are around student choices, costs, sometimes they are procedural, about training, and sometimes they are simply out of curiosity. Talking about where our schools are going is one of the best parts of my job. It’s challenging though as we are still about two and a half years away from opening the building and there are many questions we are working with staff and community to develop the answers. While we want answers to all questions, we still have work to do. Sometimes we need to go slow to go fast. The question I got yesterday that caused me to reflect was, “Rod, what matters most to you in this process to get the best results?” Gosh, there are so many factors that I could have answered at the time but I decided to pause and not answer. I told the person that I would get back to him. Maybe the reason I didn’t sleep well that night is because each day someone asks a new question that hasn’t been asked before and I really want to answer these questions as soon as possible. I will admit, we don’t have all the answers to all the questions yet. So, after tossing and turning most of the night, I got up early and started writing my response to that important question…What matters most? It really is an easy answer. It’s what drives me each and every day. It also has nothing to do with programs or initiatives. What matters most through this process is making sure in everything we do we show our kids they are loved. It’s quite simple, it’s all about loving kids! We need to talk about loving kids in every process, every program, and every initiative we do. We must continue to get in the hearts and minds of everyone involved in this journey for the purpose of demonstrating to our children how much they are loved. What matters most means getting to know each and every child’s story. That is something I believe our community can rally around is the need to show each and every child they are loved. We have about a two and a half year journey ahead of us before Shakopee High School officially becomes a grades 9-12 high school. We are not the first, nor will we be the last, school district to implement an academy concept. But the way we implement the Academies of Shakopee will fit our community, draw on our community’s strengths and build on our community’s commitment to our students. The academies will allow us to continue the successful academic progress we are known for by creating meaningful small-learning communities within a 3,200-student high school. With our community’s support, we will offer our students real-world experiences that build on their passions and prepare them for life after high school. Together, as we did leading up to the referendum, we will continue to listen, learn, plan, and build. For frequent updates on all referendum related projects, visit the district’s Design and Construction website.

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Celebrating the Fine Arts

Please join us for an evening of jazz at the High School Auditorium. Our band directors are excited to present the annual All-District Jazz Festival at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, May 3. All jazz bands will perform including the Pearson 6th Grade Center Jazz Band directed by Jana Meckler; the West Junior High Jazz Band directed by Sean Vander Veen; the East Junior High Jazz Band directed by Scott Sater; and the High School Jazz Bands directed by Mitch Evett and Eric Christenson.

The concert is free to attend and open to the public!

Shakopee High School has had three students selected for membership in all-state music groups:

• Marin Wilts, All-State Choir • Perry Brennan, All-State Band • Bri King, All-State Band

“Band and choir are the two largest activities in the state of Minnesota based on number of students involved. This means that less than .1% of all students involved in these groups are named to the All-State groups,” Director of Bands Eric Christenson said. “It is truly an honor to be selected.”

All-District Jazz Festival is May 3rd

Three Students Earn All-State Honors

High School Theater Presents Hamlet

Photo by Todd Myhre Photography

Congratulations to Director Thom Amundsen and the entire cast and crew of Hamlet for three amazing performances, April 22-24.

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Two Tweets Not on … By Dave Orlowsky

Students just left your classroom. Do you know who is struggling, who is on-track, who has mastered, & who knew the material before you started? Is the plan the same for all or different? PLC questions 2, 3 & 4 forcus on these decisions. Do you use them to guide your work? (276)

Alumni Association Holds Successful Gala The Shakopee Alumni Association hosted its Shakopee Gala: Past, Present, and Future on Friday, April 22 at Mystic Lake Casino Hotel. With close to 200 guests, the night was a great success! Attendees participated in a silent auction, with profits going toward the Angel Fund, which assists high school students with financial need in the district. The alumni association will host the Hall of Fame celebration on September 30. Athletic and Distinguished Alumni Hall of Fame nominations are currently being accepted. Visit the Shakopee Alumni Association webpage to submit a nomination!

Jackson 1st Grade Teachers Say Thank You to SEEF

First grade teachers at Jackson Elementary would like to extend a big THANK YOU to SEEF for their generous grant for non-fiction literature. “We are able to teach many of our social studies, health, and science standards through reading these books and we look forward to being able to use them to help our students learn more in these areas of study,” first grade teacher Jenny Arnfelt said.

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Shakopee AVID Hosts Opportunity Fair Numerous current and newly-selected AVID students and their families attended the first-ever AVID Opportunity Fair at Shakopee High School on April 21. Attendees visited booths representing local organizations, civic groups, and businesses to learn about opportunities, such as volunteering, enrichment classes and camps, summer jobs, internships, and assistance programs. In addition, Shakopee Community Education offered a presentation led by Alan Weinblatt called “How to Get into College and Pay for it without Unmanageable Debt.” Jose Santiago-Montiel, an AVID 8th grader at Shakopee West, stopped at every booth at the event. “I liked learning more about the community,” he said. “I was surprised to see all the opportunities. I got a little bit of everything.” He added that his dad, who accompanied him to the fair, is encouraging him to be more active in school and the community. Together, they learned a great deal from the presentation on how to pay for college. “We learned many tips and strategies. It was a lot to take in, but we got it,” he said. Event participants included Shakopee Community Education, Shakopee Public Schools

Volunteer Program, Shakopee Indian Education, Shakopee Diversity Alliance, River Valley YMCA, CAP Agency, Esperanza, Shakopee Public Library, St. Francis Regional Medical Center, St. Gertrude’s Rehabilitation Center, Relay for Life, Shakopee Heritage Society, Scott County Historical Society/Stans Museum, Main Street Shakopee, Carver County Parks, Shakopee Police Department, Canterbury Park, Valleyfair, River Valley Theatre Company, Scott County 4-H, Dollars for Scholars, and Toy Corner.

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Shakopee Staff Take Part in Fraser Walk for Autism at Mall of America

A number of Shakopee Schools staff members took part in the Fraser Walk for Autism on April 16 at the Mall of America. The event attracted more than 3,000 participants and raised more than $125,000 for Fraser Autism Services. Another event to support families affected by autism is the Autism 5K, held at Lake Calhoun on May 21 from 9-11 a.m. If you are interested in registering for the event, you can do so online at autism5k.org. A team name, Shakopee STARS, has been created for any Shakopee staff who want to run or walk the event.

Update from the DLC’s

Read the latest Catching Creativity to see great examples of creative and collaborative problem solving.

Shakopee Fire Dept. Visits CFC

The Shakopee Fire Department spoke to preschoolers at Central Family Center on April 20.

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Shakopee Diversity Alliance to Host Guest Speaker

The Shakopee Diversity Alliance will host guest speaker Abdirashid Abdi at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, April 28 at Shakopee Fire Station #1, 2700 Vierling Drive East. Abdi will present a speech titled, “Discover the True Facts of Islam”. He is an educator, administrator, and has been in the teaching and learning field for more than 10 years. He currently works for Minneapolis Public Schools in developing strategic plans for teaching East African students and English language learners.

Upcoming Events

Community Ed to Host 2016 Vehicle Fair

Shakopee Community Education invites you to the 2016 Vehicle Fair. This free event for ALL ages is filled with many amazing vehicles, activities, door prizes, and much more! Explore a fire truck, ambulance, and race car. Learn how to make a pinewood derby car, investigate the Scott County Mobile Crime Scene Lab, and see robotics vehicles in action. Plus, rumor has it there will be a Life Link helicopter! Free hot dog meals to the first 500 participants. WHAT: 2016 Vehicle Fair WHEN: 5-6:30 p.m., Thursday, May 19 WHERE: Shakopee High School North parking lot

Nominate a Co-Worker for Recognition at End of the Year Celebration Please nominate your co-worker to be recognized at the staff celebration at Canterbury Park on June 3, 2016. We know that all employees and their role in the district are important to the education of our students. We will be recognizing all of our staff through different groups. You many nominate one employee per group. Your nomination form must be completed by Friday, April 29, 2016. Nominations will be reviewed by a group of district representatives by May 6, 2016. All employees who are selected to be recognized will be notified shortly after. We appreciate you taking the time to recognize your co-workers!

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