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July 23, 2020
Updates in this email:
As announced on today's superintendent and charter leader call, we will provide an update about plans for the 2020-21 school year on Thursday, July 30.
Engaging with Your School Community
As part of the planning process for the 2020-21 school year, school districts and charter schools should be actively engaging with students, families, educators and other members of the school community. Here is an excerpt from the 2020-21 Planning Guidance for Minnesota Public Schools to help guide that work:
Create a plan for developing, seeking feedback and communicating the district or charter school’s plan under each scenario for the 2020-21 school year. Involve students, families and staff in developing these plans. Your plan should include, at a minimum, how you will address operations; academics; student, family, and staff supports; and professional development and training. The plan must be translated and communicated in both written and oral languages based on the needs of your community.
- How will the district seek input from families and students in the development of the plan? How will the district share the plan with families and students?
- How will the district seek input from key labor groups (teachers, secretarial, custodial, etc.) throughout the development of the plans, especially on any job description adjustments based on identified needs? How will the district share the plan with key labor groups?
- How will the district seek feedback from district and school staff? How will the district share the plan with district and school staff?
Consider creating an advisory group that consists of students, family members, staff, and community members; utilizing your World’s Best Workforce (WBWF) committee; utilizing your American Indian Parent Advisory Committee; or utilizing some other form of diverse advisory committee that already exists in your school district.
Once a model of delivery is determined for the 2020-21 school year, survey your families and staff on what their specific needs are given the learning model.
Yesterday, Governor Walz's signed Executive Order 20-81, which states that as of July 25, 2020, masks are required indoors in public spaces in Minnesota. This includes public and nonpublic school buildings. For more information about face coverings and face shields, see page 6 of the MDH K-12 planning guidance.
Minnesota schools and community organizations are invited to celebrate Farm to Summer Week on July 27-31 by local, fresh food and hands-on learning experiences to students through the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Summer Food Service Program.
While each Farm to Summer program looks different, they all center around the core principles of purchasing and distributing of local foods, educating students through gardens, and educating students about agriculture, food, health and nutrition. During Farm to Summer Week all of these principles are celebrated leading up to the highlight of the week, the Cucumber Crunch on Thursday, July 30.
To join in procure local cucumbers (or a few slices or mini cucumbers) and have everyone crunch into them at once! Register your site now for the Cucumber Crunch. Share photos of your site’s Cucumber Crunch with us on social media using #MNFarmtoSummer and tagging @MNDeptEd.
To learn more about farm to summer and farm to summer week, visit MDE’s Summer Food Service Program webpage and view the Farm to Summer Week Fact Sheet.
MDE is collaborating with the Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) to provide schools with additional funding to begin, diversify and increase purchases directly from Minnesota producers or from Minnesota producers via distributors and food hubs. Up to $124,000 in funding will be awarded through the AGRI Farm to School Rapid Response Grant. Schools can apply for the grant on the MDA website until August 12, 2020, or until all funds are gone.
Executive Order 20-57 allows Minnesota schools and districts to administer bilingual seals testing to 2020 graduates over summer and into fall:
"Upon approval by the Executive Council, during the Summer Learning Period and until August 15, 2020, school districts and charters must allow 2019-2020 graduating seniors to complete any testing required to attain a state bilingual or multilingual seal under Minnesota Statutes 2019, section 120B.022, subdivision 1b."
In addition, according to the Minnesota Statutes, section 124D.02, subds. 2-4, the board may permit a person who is over the age of 21 or who has graduated from high school to enroll in a class or program at a secondary. A district may not count a person enrolled pursuant to subdivision 2 as a pupil unit or a pupil in average daily membership for the purpose of receiving any state aid.
Therefore, schools and districts may allow 2020 graduated seniors to complete any testing required to attain a state bilingual or multilingual seals awards over the summer and into fall 2020. Please refer to MDH 2020-21 school year guidelines or MDH summer programming guidelines, depending on whether you are administering in the summer or after your school year has begun.
Schools and districts do not generate any state aid for this purpose.
Please contact mde.worldLang@state.mn.us for more questions.
This year MDE will be hosting Q&A/Networking sessions focusing on topics supporting the implementation of Teacher Development and Evaluation (TDE) and Q Comp. These optional sessions are intended to provide spaces to trouble-shoot and collaborate as we navigate different school scenarios.
Come join other coordinators to discuss TDE/Q Comp implementation topics, including but not limited to TDE/Q Comp Fall Guidance, distance learning or hybrid modifications, site goals, etc. Please bring questions, ideas, and any resources to share as this will be a format in which we can all problem solve and learn from each other.
Intended Audience – Local coordinators and leaders of Q Comp or teacher development and evaluation (TDE). Space is limited to 100 participants, and facilitators will create smaller groups for discussion.
August Sessions & Registration
Agenda – This is a participant-driven agenda, so no session will be entirely alike. The only limit on the conversation is a focus on local coordinators work to support the educator workforce through the implementation of TDE/Q Comp. If these are successful, additional dates in September and beyond will be added.
Please note: these Q&A offerings will not be recorded. However, we will publish key messages and resources following the sessions.
If you have any questions, please contact us at: mde.q-comp@state.mn.us.
Pandemic EBT (P-EBT) can provide families with children up to $325 for groceries. The Minnesota Department of Human Services says as many as 150,000 families may be eligible for these additional food assistance benefits. The application is available in Hmong, Russian, Somali, Spanish and Vietnamese. The deadline has been extended to July 31. Please share this message with your community so that families can apply at https://mn.p-ebt.org.
For help applying, families can call 651-431-4050 or 800-657-3698, Monday - Friday from 8 a.m. - 4 p.m.
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