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November 18, 2022
Updates in this email:
The exponential rise in children’s respiratory illnesses resulting in hospitalizations from respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), influenza (flu) and influenza-like-illnesses (ILI) has placed an unprecedented strain on our hospitals and emergency departments (EDs).
As a result of this increase, Minnesota hospitals are receiving an overwhelming number of parents and guardians requesting notes from hospital staff, specifically in EDs. The increase in requests for these notes has placed an additional burden on an already strained system. If your district policy necessitates notes from medical providers for student absences, please consider asking parents to request these notes from a healthcare provider instead of going to the ED to get a note.
We continue to encourage school districts to promote basic public health measures including handwashing, covering your cough, staying home if sick, and promoting vaccination. Thank you for your continued leadership to ensure a safe and healthy learning environment for students and staff.
The Efficient and Healthy Schools Campaign aims to engage K-12 schools to improve energy performance and indoor air quality. The campaign is led by the U.S. Department of Energy with technical support from Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory.
The White House COVID-19 Response Team and the Efficient and Healthy Schools Campaign will offer an informational session for Minnesota schools. Speakers will give an overview of the campaign including the newly launched 2022-23 recognition program as well as technical assistance and resources that are available to support indoor air quality and energy performance, reduce carbon emissions, and promote a healthy learning environment in schools across Minnesota.
The informational session is Nov. 30 from 12–12:30 p.m. Visit the registration page to join. Email EHSC@lbl.gov with questions.
Project AWARE (Advancing Wellness and Resiliency in Education) will be hosting a variety of free, virtual trainings this fall. Anyone is welcome to register and attend.
Youth Mental Health First Aid (YMHFA) Training: YMHFA is designed to teach parents, family members, caregivers, teachers, school staff, peers, neighbors, health and human services workers, and other caring citizens how to help an adolescent (age 12-18) who is experiencing a mental health or addictions challenge or is in crisis. YMHFA is designed for adults who regularly interact with young people. The course introduces common mental health challenges for youth, reviews typical adolescent development, and teaches a 5-step action plan for how to help young people in both crisis and non-crisis situations. By the end of the training, participants will be able to recognize and respond to the signs of mental health or addictions challenges or crises in young people age 12-18. YMHFA meets educator suicide prevention/mental illness training requirement per MN statute 122A.187 as determined by district. This training is a blended training, meaning it includes both a self-paced component as well as a live, virtual component. Participants are required to complete 2 hours of self-paced pre-work before gaining access to the live, 5.5 hour training portion.
Dates & times: Friday, Dec. 9, 8:30 a.m.–2:00 p.m. or Friday, Dec. 16, 8:30 a.m.– 2:00 p.m. Registration link.
The Minnesota Department of Education (MDE) has posted the 2021-22 Combined World’s Best Workforce Summary (WBWF) and Achievement and Integration (A&I) Progress Report. The summary and report are collected through the Alchemer survey tool. A Word template is available on the WBWF page of MDE’s website and can be used as a worksheet to gather the required information prior to submission using the survey tool.
This report fills two requirements:
- Under the WBWF legislation, districts and charter schools submit to MDE a short summary of their annual WBWF report.
- Districts that participate in the Achievement and Integration (A&I) program report progress toward their A&I goals.
All districts and charter schools should submit the report. Only districts that participate in the A&I program are required to complete the A&I portions. This report should be submitted by Dec. 15.
Please contact mde.worldsbestworkforce@state.mn.us with any questions or issues.
Governor Tim Walz announced that Minnesotans can schedule appointments for children ages 5-11 to receive an updated bivalent booster at state-run vaccination sites. The announcement follows updated recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) that expanded the use of updated (bivalent) COVID-19 vaccines to children ages 5 through 11 years to protect them against newer Omicron variants.
Minnesota health care providers are ready to administer new COVID-19 booster shots for ages 5 and older that have been formulated to be more effective against the Omicron variants. Attached you will find high-level talking points on the Bivalent vaccine.
The Pfizer bivalent booster is now available for people 5 and older and the Moderna bivalent vaccine is now available for people 6 and older.Both products can be given as soon as two months after a primary vaccine series or booster vaccination. Children 5-11 receive a smaller dose than people age 12 and older. The bivalent vaccines are only recommended for use as a booster.
The updated COVID-19 boosters can both help restore protection that has decreased since previous vaccination and provide broader protection against newer variants. The COVID-19 vaccines and the updated booster are safe and help protect people from getting very sick with COVID-19. Even if you’ve already had COVID-19, you should get vaccinated.
State-Run Vaccination Sites
Vaccination will start this week at the state-run vaccination sites at Mall of America, Duluth, Moorhead, Rochester, and St. Paul. Parents can start making appointments now.
All state-run vaccination sites will offer the Pfizer bivalent boosters. Appointments are recommended but walk ins will be accepted.
Where to Get a Bivalent Booster
There are several options for where to get a bivalent booster.
- Check with your regular health care provider or local pharmacy to see if appointments are available.
- Minnesotans can make appointments at the state-run vaccination sites now: State Run Sites
- Use the state’s Find Vaccine Locations map to find vaccine providers near you—providers will update their information as appointments are available.
- Check for vaccine appointments at Vaccines.gov, where you can search for appointments by vaccine type (e.g., Pfizer).
- Watch for vaccination clinics being offered at other community locations around Minnesota.
Project AWARE & COMPASS will be partnering to host several virtual School Mental Health Best Practices trainings this fall. The intended audience is anyone interested in enhancing their system of supports for student mental health and wellbeing. Trainings will be facilitated by Emily Denight Kelly, MPH, CHES, Project AWARE’s Lead Trainer and Laura Lyman, MSW, LICSW, COMPASS School Climate & Mental Health Specialist. Participants will be asked to complete a short amount of pre-work sent two weeks prior to the training date(s) as well as the 1.5 hours of live, virtual training(s). Upcoming session offering:
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Needs Assessment and Resource Mapping: Monday, Dec. 5, 9–10:30 a.m. CST; Registration Link. This session will focus on Needs Assessment and Resource Mapping. By the end of this module, participants will be able to: 1) define needs assessment and resource mapping; 2) describe at least three reasons why needs assessments and resource mapping are valuable for schools; and 3) describe best practices for needs assessment and resource mapping. We highly encourage participants attend of the Foundations of Comprehensive School Mental Health trainings in October as a pre-requisite.
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