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February 17, 2023
Updates in this email:
Willie L. Jett II has been confirmed as Commissioner of Education by the Minnesota Senate. Today’s confirmation came on a vote of 51-13. The vote comes after the Senate Education Policy Committee unanimously recommended Commissioner Jett be confirmed at a meeting last month.
"Having served in school districts from St. Cloud to St. Paul, Willie Jett is the right leader to tackle the shared challenges of our students and teachers across the state," said Governor Walz. "I look forward to working with Willie to guarantee that every Minnesota student, in every neighborhood, receives a world-class education."
"Willie Jett is a highly-qualified, smart, and thoughtful leader with extensive administrative experience and a deep focus on equity," said Lieutenant Governor Flanagan. "I am confident he will ensure our students, instructors, and administrators have the tools, resources, and support they need to succeed for generations to come."
Commissioner Jett was born in Minneapolis and graduated from Osseo High School. He graduated from the University of Illinois at Chicago and received his Master’s Degree in Education from the University of Pittsburgh. He served as a teacher and coach in the Anoka-Hennepin, Minneapolis and Osseo Public School Districts. He was also a Principal in Hopkins Public Schools, Assistant Principal in Osseo Public Schools, Assistant Superintendent at Saint Paul Public Schools and most recently Superintendent of St. Cloud Public Schools for nine years.
“I am grateful for the support of Governor Walz and Lieutenant Governor Flanagan, and am humbled by this opportunity to serve all Minnesota students,” says Commissioner Jett. “I am committed to preparing our future citizens, growing Minnesota’s workforce and supporting professional educators.”
Registration is open for three virtual job fairs that will connect employers with K-12 educators interested in working in Minnesota public schools. The events, produced by MNSchoolJobs.org, will be held March 23, April 13 and May 10 from 3 to 7 p.m. School leaders can meet active job seekers in brief, one-on-one text and video chats. MNSchoolJobs recruits new and veteran educators to participate to provide administrators the certainty of qualified candidates without the expense of travel.
Visit Employer Information & Registration for more information and to register. Please contact Chris Hoehn (651-343-2608), Minnesota Association of School Personnel Administrators, with any questions.
MDE’s Project AWARE and COMPASS teams are partnering to host several free, virtual School Mental Health Best Practices trainings this spring. The intended audience is anyone interested in enhancing their systems of support 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 and Mental Health Specialist.
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Teaming: Feb. 27, 9–10:30 a.m. CST; Teaming Registration Link. This session will focus on teaming. By the end of this module, participants will be able to define a school mental health team and at least three functions of school mental health teams, describe at least three reasons why school mental health teams are valuable, and describe best practices for teaming.
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Needs Assessment & Resource Mapping: March 22, 9–10:30 a.m. CST; Needs Assessment & Resource Mapping Registration Link. This session will focus on needs assessment and resource mapping. By the end of this module, participants will be able to define needs assessment and resource mapping, describe at least three reasons why needs assessments and resource mapping are valuable for schools, and describe best practices for needs assessment and resource mapping.
By March 1 of each year, or three weeks prior to the district’s course registration date (whichever is earlier), a district must provide up-to-date information about the PSEO program to all students in grades 8-11 (Minnesota Statutes 2022, section 124D.09, subdivision 7). This requirement applies to both districts and charter schools.
Information about the PSEO program, including enrollment requirements and the opportunity to earn postsecondary credit, must be published on the district or school website and in materials that are distributed to parents and students. To provide consistent and helpful guidance about PSEO, updated language is available on the MDE Postsecondary Enrollment Options (PSEO) webpage. This language can be used on district and school websites to satisfy this statutory obligation.
For questions, contact Beth Barsness at 651-582-8336.
To support local high schools with their financial aid efforts, the Ready, Set, FAFSA! series are being offered to students and families. Through Feb. 28, five virtual sessions will cover the financial aid process, details on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), the Minnesota Dream Act for undocumented students, understanding offer letters and how to search for scholarships. All sessions will have simultaneous interpretation in Spanish, Somali and Hmong.
Financial aid experts from local colleges will be available during the events to answer questions in the chat. Students who attend or watch a session recording will be eligible to win a $500 scholarship. Registration is open for families on the Ready, Set, FAFSA! website.
Schools can access Promotional Materials with ready-made graphics and content to promote the series to students and families. Please contact Beth Barsness for further information.
The Ready, Set, FAFSA! series is a collaboration between MDE, Minnesota Office of Higher Education, ECMC The College Place and Minnesota Goes to College.
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