Arcadia This Week 6/28/2020

Hello, Arcadia Families,

Here’s what’s up at Arcadia this week--and through July 14th! (The next newsletter will be sent out July 19th.) In the meantime, though I am still catching up on the enormous flood of emails I received during distance learning, the quantity of new daily emails has lessened significantly. Please email me with questions or needs. I should be able to respond to you in a more timely manner (within 36 hours)!

Monday, June 29: Building Closed

--Laura available by email

Tuesday, June 30: Building Closed

--Laura available by email

Wednesday, July 1 to Tuesday, July 14: Arcadia Closed

--Laura available by email

Mission Spotlight (continuing reflection)

Our Mission:

It is the mission of Arcadia Charter School to prepare our students to transition intellectually, emotionally, and ethically to higher education, future employment, and engaged citizenship.

Arcadia Charter School envisions a supportive learning community that, through  collaboration and student-driven, project-based learning, encourages and assists students to:

  • Express themselves creatively through the visual, literary, and performing arts.

  • Use technology with innovation, imagination, and responsibility.

  • Develop critical thinking and creative problem solving skills.

  • Construct knowledge and meaning for themselves.

  • Value, advocate, and strive for the wellness of the whole person.

  • Be empowered to act as local citizens within a rapidly changing global community.

Reflection: When you look at our mission statement, what stands out to you? What is important to you about this mission? What did you see last year or in previous years that reflected this mission? Where do we have room for growth? 

Take some time to consider these questions--in the future, I will be asking you to join me in a conversation around this! (This goes beyond distance learning--this is more about our long term planning.) You are, of course, welcome to share your thoughts before that, too, via email or visiting my Google Meet! 

Announcements 

Meet with Laura

My next Meet will be on Thursday, 7/16 from 11:00-11:30am. Feel free to stop by if you need anything or have any questions! 

Here is the address for the Meet: 

To join the video meeting, click this link: https://meet.google.com/tmk-nfcx-szi

Otherwise, to join by phone, dial +1 513-796-6467 and enter this PIN: 493 475 105#

Distance Learning Survey

Thank you for your survey feedback--I know there are a lot of surveys going around as organizations try to gather data to help them with decision making in the midst of the pandemic. We have received 25 responses on the distance learning survey so far, and a lot of useful feedback! If you would still like to add your responses, here is a link: https://forms.gle/Vy4cMrydsDbX38PL6

Planning for Fall Reopening (either in person, hybrid, or distance learning)

We will receive further guidance from the State between July 15th and July 27th. I am planning to start calling families during July 13th-17th to gather information about every student’s needs and families’ preferences.

Meals for Children: We will continue to partner with Northfield Public Schools. Here is the information they are currently providing to families (note that it’s only posted through tomorrow and will likely change): 

Beginning Monday, June 8th, through June 29th, the Child Nutrition program will serve meals on Mondays and Wednesdays at Emmaus Church, Sibley Elementary, and Northfield High School. The meals will be bundled for multiple days. Meal bags will have two days of meals on Monday and three days of meals on Wednesday. Beginning July 1, the program will operate at reduced locations based on the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) summer food service program guidelines. Please continue to watch the Northfield Public Schools website for further summer meal program information.

In addition...

The Minnesota Department of Human Services is now offering additional funds for the families of children ages 5 to 18 who qualify for free and reduced-price meals. This new program, called Pandemic EBT (P-EBT), will provide $325 per child that families can use to purchase nutritious food for their household. Families with children who received free or reduced-price meals at school, and who were between the ages of 5 and 18 on Sept. 1, 2019, may qualify. Benefits are available to two groups:

Families receiving Minnesota Family Investment Program (MFIP) or Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits on March 18, 2020. Benefits for these families were issued automatically and appeared on their EBT balance on May 30, 2020.

Families receiving free or reduced-price school meals, but not SNAP or MFIP benefits. These families need to fill out a short application for a P-EBT card. Families can apply here between June 8, 2020, and June 30, 2020. If approved, families will receive a P-EBT card in the mail, which will arrive with the funds preloaded.

Upcoming Events

July 1-14: Arcadia Charter School closed 

 

Sincerely,