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May 17, 2021
Updates in this email:
Yesterday evening, Governor Walz announced an end to the statewide mask requirement. This announcement followed new guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), stating that fully vaccinated individuals no longer need to wear a mask. Minnesotans who are not fully vaccinated are strongly recommended to wear face coverings indoors.
The CDC has not yet provided clear guidance for school settings, but has stated that they expect to update guidance for children in school and summer camps soon. Additionally, our youngest Minnesotans remain ineligible for vaccines and eligibility for 12- to 15-year-olds was just announced this week. As a result, Minnesota’s Safe Learning Plan, along with the existing face covering guidance for schools and child care settings, remain in effect. Through the end of the 2020-21 school year (last teacher contact day), masks must continue to be worn by everyone inside school buildings or on a school bus.
The CDC has been clear that the new guidance applies to people who are fully vaccinated. Our elementary students have not yet been vaccinated, eligibility just opened up 12- to 15-year-olds this week, and only some 16- to 18-year-olds are fully vaccinated. Knowing that our schools are places with a very high concentration of unvaccinated individuals, we must keep the requirement in place through the end of the school year.
Following last week's announcement from Governor Walz about the phase-out of many COVID-19 restrictions, we received some questions about the Executive Orders and the end of the 2020-21 school year. Below are a few points of clarification:
- All public school districts and charter schools must follow the Safe Learning Plan until the last teacher contact day for each individual district or charter school.
- Beginning immediately after the last teacher contact day, school districts and charter schools will follow the universal guidance for all business entities when planning for summer programming. These recommendations will continue to be updated.
- For summer programming, using the state recommendations as a guide, school districts and charter schools will need to make decisions about how to handle the following at the local level:
- Face coverings
- Physical distancing
- Contact tracing
- Quarantining
- Student and staff COVID-19 testing
- Meal time
- Special areas
- For graduations prior to May 28, follow the indoor/outdoor venue guidance.
- For graduations after May 28, follow the universal guidance for all business entities.
Starting today, May 14, Minnesotans age 12- through 17-years-old can get vaccinated at state sites that have Pfizer available: Bloomington (Mall of America), Saint Paul (Roy Wilkins Auditorium), Lino Lakes, and Oakdale.
Families in Greater Minnesota looking for a vaccine closer to home are encouraged to talk to their child’s health care provider, visit the state’s Find Vaccine Locations map, or go to Vaccines.gov to search for providers administering Pfizer vaccines.
We strongly encourage all our students ages 12 and up to get the Pfizer vaccine as soon as possible. Getting our students vaccinated will help keep us on track for a school experience that resembles what we are used to and will help protect those who are not yet able to be vaccinated, like younger siblings.
COVID-19 vaccines are safe and effective in adolescents. Adolescents, like adults, may have some side effects after vaccination, which are normal signs that their body is building protection. If you have questions about COVID-19 vaccine, or any other vaccines your child may need, talk to your child’s health care provider.
A Reminder on Parental Consent:
- Parent or guardian consent is required for COVID-19 vaccination for people younger than 18 years old. Families are highly encouraged to join 12- through 17-year-olds and get vaccinated at the same time.
- For State Community Vaccination Clinics:
- 12- to 15-year-olds must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.
- 16- and 17-year-olds must receive permission from a parent or guardian, either in person through being accompanied by a parent or guardian, or online beforehand through the appointment scheduling and registration process.
- Families are highly encouraged to join 12- to 17-year-olds and get vaccinated at the same time.
How Minnesotans Can Get Their Shot at No Cost:
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Vaccine Connector: You can directly sign up for an appointment at one of the state Community Vaccination Program locations at VaccineConnector.mn.gov.
- Walk-ins for Minnesotans 12+ will be accepted at state community vaccination sites administering Pfizer vaccines in Bloomington (Mall of America), Saint Paul (Roy Wilkins Auditorium), Lino Lakes and Oakdale.
- Walk-ins and appointments for Minnesotans 18+ are accepted at all sites.
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Vaccine Locator Map: You can use the Vaccine Locator Map to search for providers who are offering COVID-19 vaccine to Minnesotans ages 12 and older at https://mn.gov/covid19/vaccine/find-vaccine/locations/index.jsp.
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Vaccine Finder: You can also find COVID-19 vaccine appointments at Vaccines.gov, which allows you to filter by vaccine manufacturer and search for only Pfizer vaccine appointments.
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Health Care Provider: You can also contact your child’s primary health care provider, local public health department, or a local pharmacy.
While it is very exciting that students as young as 12 can get vaccinated, there are still so many younger children that cannot. To that end, it is critical that youth continue to get tested.
How Students and Families Can Get a COVID-19 Test at No Cost:
Additional resources and translated materials about COVID-19
Announcing MDE's Division of Academic Standards, Instruction and Assessment
Consistent with Governor Walz’s One Minnesota Plan and Due North Education Plan, the Minnesota Department of Education (MDE) has developed a new Strategic Plan. Keeping equitable student learning at the center of all actions, a new division has been created. The Academic Standards, Instruction and Assessment Division aligns the instructional process utilizing DuFour’s first two corollary questions: What do we want students to know and be able to do? How will we know if they know it? This alignment also solidifies that standards, instruction and assessment are intertwined for improved student learning and publicly communicates the tie between academic standards, instruction and assessments at various levels. This division will continue to provide support for all the core academic areas: physical education, arts, social studies, mathematics, science, and English language arts as well as STEM, computer science, and gifted and talented education.
Doug Paulson and the Academic Standards team have joined the Assessment team members under this new merged division, led by Director Jennifer Dugan. This merger will forge a new direction for how to best support our schools while prioritizing increased alignment and collaboration across academic standards, instruction and assessment.
MDE is very excited about this opportunity to strengthen our support for districts. As specific resources and projects are available, additional information will be provided.
Minnesota Bilingual Seals Assessments in Dakota/Lakota and Ojibwe
The assessments in Dakota/Lakota and Ojibwe are now available for Minnesota high school students to demonstrate language proficiency for Minnesota Bilingual Seals awards! The work to develop the assessment in these languages was funded by a grant under the Language Revitalization effort administered by the Minnesota Indian Affair’s Council. Please circulate this flyer to raise the awareness of this opportunity.
Contact: mde.worldlang@state.mn.us.
Using Circle to Teach Restoratively: June 22-23 and June 24-25
Registration is open for Circle to Teach, two-day online trainings, June 22-23 and 24-25, 9-noon and 1:30-3:30 each day. Educators can choose from the following sessions:
- Circle to Teach—Elementary with Ruth Endthoff, Maxfield Elementary School, St. Paul and Leslie Young, Nokomis North Montessori School, St. Paul, June 22-23;
- Circle to Teach—Middle School with Erin Dooley, St. Paul Public Schools and Angela Wilcox, Hopkins North Junior High, June 22-23;
- Circle to Teach—Secondary with Heidi Rybarczyk, Paladin Career & Technical High School, Blaine, June 24-25.
This circle training will focus on teaching the circle process and on using the process to practice social emotional learning (SEL) skills and teach academic subjects. Teaching circle-keeping skills and supporting youth-lead circles will be explored. Basic experience with circle is helpful for participants. Both virtual and in-person Circle practices will be addressed. The registration fee is $215.00. Continuing Education Units (CEU’s) and Administrative CEU’s are offered.
The RP Online Training Descriptions and Frequently Asked Questions about RP Online can be found on the Restorative Practices website. For further information, contact Nancy Riestenberg, Restorative Practices Specialist, at 651-582-8433.
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