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August 30, 2021
In March of 2020 no one could have predicted that COVID-19 would still be upending classrooms across Minnesota as the 2021-22 school year begins. Since the moment the pandemic began, our educators, school staff and school leaders from preK through adult have made extraordinary efforts to support the students and families in their communities while also navigating the challenges that COVID-19 brought to their own lives. Their grace under pressure and continued commitment to meeting the needs of their students is inspiring.
While the commitments of our educators, school staff and school leaders are felt at the local level, our MDE team’s commitments to students, educators, school staff and school leaders are felt statewide. Your expertise, talents, energy, time and resources have allowed our local education partners to focus on their students and families. You have helped to create systems and structures that are flexible and adaptable to meet the unique needs of our educational entities across the state, and you have done so while also responding to the profound challenges that COVID-19 has brought to you personally. Your leadership, partnership and support throughout this pandemic has impacted the lives of Minnesotans across the state every single day, and I could not be more proud to have you as my colleagues.
While we have learned a lot since March 2020, we are entering a new school year with the Delta variant upending classrooms once again. This is incredibly daunting not only because we have a sense of what is to come given the past year, but also because COVID-19 has disproportionately impacted our black students, our Indigenous students, our students of color, our students receiving special education services and students who are English learners. These disproportionate impacts have deepened the existing disparities in educational access, opportunity, participation, representation, and achievement for our students across Minnesota, and we must lean-in and lead with the resolve necessary to meet the needs of each and every student.
I believe in our MDE team’s resolve to meet the demands of the impact of COVID-19 on our students’ academic achievement and well-being. I believe in our MDE team’s commitment to finding bolder solutions to accelerate learning, close gaps in academic performance and increase the academic, social-emotional, and behavioral learning of all students. Most importantly, I believe in our MDE team.
Thank you for the work you have done, and thank you for the work that you are about to do. We are engaged in incredibly meaningful and difficult work. I would not want to be anywhere else, working alongside anyone else.
“No work is insignificant. All labor that uplifts humanity has dignity and importance and should be undertaken with painstaking excellence.” – Martin Luther King, Jr.
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Internal Equity, Diversity and Inclusion News
“Mi Gente” (Hispanic) Heritage Month Celebrations Being Planned
Events to Begin Week of September 15
As part of our Heritage Month Celebration Series, MDE will be celebrating “Mi Gente” (Hispanic) Heritage Month with a weekly lunch and learn series led by a volunteer team of staff members. Details are still being finalized, but “Mi Gente” (Hispanic) Heritage Month events will begin the week of September 15, 2021, and the lunch and learn series will include various presentations from local community members as well as open music and casual conversation time to expand our view of the diverse Latino/Latina experience in Minnesota. Watch Inside MDE and the next Staff Lounge for more information on the celebrations and events. We look forward to seeing you there.
Find the Information You Need Fast With New Default Browser Tabs That Take You to Inside MDE, Public Website
Starting Friday, Sept. 3, you will notice two new default tabs set in Edge and Chrome browsers—the MDE public website and our intranet site, Inside MDE. Firefox was already configured with these defaults in 2018.
This change will make it easy for you to find the information you need every day. The MDE public website provides critical information for our stakeholders and staff. The Quick Links, located in the site’s footer, include our Twitter feed, the A-Z Subject Directory and the COVID-19 Updates page.
Inside MDE includes timely announcements, events and news that are important to your work and your work-life balance. Check it out each morning to be sure you are “in the know” about all things MDE.
If you have current default tabs set in Edge or Chrome, make a note of them prior to Friday, Sept. 3, so you can add them back in after this update has been made. Please note, MNIT recommends setting Microsoft Edge as your default browser.
Agency Work: Minnesota Launches Statewide System to Support Student Learning Recovery
COMPASS, Collaborative Minnesota Partnerships to Advance Student Success, is a new statewide system to support learning recovery as students head into another school year that is impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. The 2021 statewide assessment results reinforce the need for support. Read the full press release.
Wellness at Work and Home
You're Invited to Join the Wellness Team
Learn More at Information Session
The MDE Wellness Team is currently inviting new members to join the team! If you have a particular interest in social, physical, mental, financial and/or community wellness, please join us for a 30-minute information session on Tuesday, Sept. 14, at 10:30 a.m.
Come to the session and learn more about what the MDE Wellness Team has been up to, our ideas for the future, and the time commitment as a member of the team. Then decide whether you’d like to help shape the future of wellness at MDE (in-person and virtual). Everyone at MDE is welcome to join the team. There is no need to be an “expert” in any of the areas of wellness to participate, and multiple members of the same division may participate.
Help us spread the word and share this invitation with others who may be interested. Can’t make it to the information session or have questions? Please contact Kristie Anderson.
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Form A Training Set for Sept. 1 and Sept. 9
It’s Form A season again! The Government Relations Division is offering two training sessions about the form itself, the Form A process, and how they get approved. Please attend if you are a director or a staff member who works directly on Form As. Training sessions are offered on Wednesday, Sept. 1, 1-2 p.m., or Thursday, Sept. 9, 2-3 p.m. See calendar on Inside MDE or Legislative Resources webpage for details.
New Training Videos from Agency Finance
The procurement unit has posted new training videos. Please make sure to check out these trainings which are available on the main PT Contracts SharePoint page under the Professional Technical Training Videos folder. Videos include:
- How to Complete a Professional Technical SharePoint Form
- Small Business Procurement Program Presentation for MDE by the Department of Administration, Office of Equity in Procurement (OEP). You will also find the Questions and Answers document from Small Business Procurement Program Presentation in the folder.
If you have questions related to the above trainings, please email mde.contract@state.mn.us.
September is National Preparedness Month
National Preparedness Month is an observance each September to raise awareness about the importance of preparing for disasters and emergencies that could happen at any time.
Disasters don’t plan ahead, but you can. No matter where you live or work, you are subject to disasters. Disasters, natural or man-made, can affect everyone causing severe damage and endanger lives.
Each week in September, the campaign will focus on a different aspect of preparedness for individuals, families and communities. Watch Inside MDE for more information. Learn how you can prepare on the 2021 National Preparedness Month website.
-MDE Safety Team
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Upcoming Preschool Development Grant Town Hall
The Preschool Development Grant is half-way through the renewal grant. Come to a Preschool Development Grant Town Hall on Wednesday, Sept. 22, from 10 to 11:30 a.m., to learn more about how the team is doing early childhood system change and engaging with the community. The town hall will include an overview of the grant projects, and Q and A. Use the state staff link to register.
Catching up on Employee Transitions
New Employees
Mary Acosta, School Finance
Lisa Barnidge, Office of Teaching and Learning
Dr. Stephanie Burrage, Commissioner’s Office
John Ford, Student Access and Opportunity
Laurie Jo Hanrahan, Agency Finance and Operations
Julie Johnston, Human Resources and Agency Services
Mamisoa Knutson, Communications
Jason Reil, School Finance
Stacie Stensrud, Academic Standards, Instruction, and Assessment
Nicole Sutton, Communications Office Support
Separated Employees
Sara George, Student Access and Opportunity
Ursula Lentz, Student Access and Opportunity
Alicia Muckenhirn, Nutrition Services
Jeanne Redfield, Student Access and Opportunity
Christina VanDell, Agency Finance and Operations
Maria Vincent, Commissioner’s Office
Retired Employees
Mary Barrie, Career and College Success
Charlene Hagle, Assistance and Compliance
Mary Hunt, Special Education
Susan Ingvalson, Academic Standards, Instruction, and Assessment
Eileen Nelson, Office of Early Learning
John Olson, Academic Standards, Instruction, and Assessment
Virginia Pitra, Human Resources and Agency Services
Julie Wadsworth, Nutrition Services
Find Appointments to Get the COVID-19 Vaccine
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