As we near the end of 2023, I extend warm greetings to all of you. Our district's teachers, staff, students, families/caregivers, and community members have helped make the first few months of the school year one of the best starts in recent memory.

This past month, Austin Public Schools marked several milestones:

• Lars Johnson, the art and digital art teacher at Ellis Middle School, was awarded Teacher of the Year. Mr. Johnson's passion, diligence, and caring attitude are shaping Austin's students in many positive ways, and I am proud to have him as a staff member.
• The district also celebrated Nadia Hummel, an Austin High School junior named to the Minnesota Department of Education Computer Science Working Group. Nadia is one of only two students from across the state selected for this honor. Congratulations, Nadia!
  
• Further, Todd Lechtenberg was named executive director of finance and operations at Austin Public Schools. Todd is excited to join the team and continue the district's strategic priority of excellence in resource management. I hope you will join me in welcoming him.
  

As we head into winter, we want to remind everyone that inclement weather, from closures and delays to indoor recess and slippery sidewalks, can affect our schools. Through it all, the most crucial factor when making weather-related decisions is what's safest for Austin Public Schools' students and staff.

For many families, one of the most pressing questions when the temperature plummets and snow is in the forecast is whether there will be school. Many factors go into the decision to delay, release early, or close schools entirely. When winter storms loom, we receive announcements and timely updates from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). We also review road conditions with city and county road crews and our bus contractor and consider MnDOT reporting.

After looking at all the information, we determine what we feel is safest for Austin Public Schools' students and staff. While we try to make the best decision possible for the safety of all, sometimes parents might have a different perspective. It is, of course, always within the parent's prerogative to keep their student home if they feel it is safer in this situation.

Student (and staff) safety continues to be a priority even when schools remain open. At the elementary level, students will automatically have indoor recess if the temperature is below zero or the wind chill is below -10oF. It is vitally important that students be sent to school with appropriate winter weather gear, including coats, gloves, and hats.

Our buildings and grounds crews work tirelessly to clear sidewalks and parking lots throughout the day, though we encourage our students and staff to do the "penguin shuffle" if ice is present. While our goal is to make sure sidewalks and other surfaces are clear of snow and ice, in the case of inclement weather, it might not always be perfect. Again, student and staff safety is paramount to Austin Public Schools, and we work hard to keep up with our dynamic Minnesota weather.

Thank you for your continued support of our district. I wish you and your loved ones a season of joy.

Sincerely,

Dr. Joey Page, Superintendent

Communication helps serve as the basis for the relationships we build and maintain with our students, families, and community partners. Austin Public Schools strives to maintain open and transparent communication with students, families/caregivers, staff, and community members to maintain a high level of accountability, trust, and collaboration, all to provide our students with the best education possible. Please visit our Communications site for more information.

Are you curious about AI and machine learning, the brains behind your everyday apps? Want to grasp how AI works or its influence on our future? Here's a chance to learn the basics of this exciting technology, which will transform the future. Both students, families/caregivers, and staff can expand their understanding with these free courses from IBM.

Did you know?

To be eligible to play collegiate athletics under the NCAA, students must meet academic standards during their high school career. This includes courses taken via distance or e-learning; institutions offering these courses must be certified by NCAA.

Did you also know?

Austin Online Academy has now been certified by the NCAA.

What does this mean?

The core coursework will count toward NCAA collegiate athletic eligibility when a student attends. AOA is one of the few online options in southern Minnesota to have achieved this certification. Learn more about AOA here.

Community Education is currently planning winter and spring classes in 2024, and we are looking for instructors to teach classes of all kinds. Community Education classes are a fantastic way to earn extra income and share your talents.

The sky is the limit for classes. Anything you are passionate about can be a great class! Baking, sports, arts, crafts, woodworking, photography, candle making, and more can be classes people will be interested in while having fun.

The deadline to submit a winter and spring 2024 class is Monday, January 8.

Frequently Asked Questions

What do I need to do to teach a class?

Click here to fill out a class planning form. The Community Education team will review the submission and will contact you to discuss additional details for the class.

When do classes take place?

Classes can be held anytime between February 10 through May 20. Classes can be held one day or multiple days. You can decide what is best for you and your audience.

Who can attend a class?

Community Education offers programs in after-school enrichment, youth classes, youth and adult day trips, adult multi-day travel, and opportunities for adults with disabilities. Once a target audience is determined, Community Education staff will manage all marketing to that target audience to generate registrations for your class.

How much will I make?

We will work together to set a cost for your class. You can decide if you want to be paid by the hour or by the number of participants.

Where are classes held?

Classes can be held at any of the Austin Public Schools buildings, and Community Education will schedule a location with Buildings and Grounds. Classes may also be scheduled at other locations within the Austin area if you have access to them or know someone who does.

Please join us for this community learning event on February 1, 2024.

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• Recognizing the signs of pneumonia
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In this week's Alumni Spotlight, we catch up with alumna Katelynn Plunkett.

Are you an alumnus of Austin Public Schools? If so, we'd love to hear from you! We're excited to hear about your accomplishments and are eager to share your successes and advice with our current students, families, and the Austin community.

All you need to do is take a minute to answer a few quick questions at https://www.austin.k12.mn.us/alumni-spotlight.

Thanks, and we look forward to hearing all your wonderful stories!

At Austin Public Schools, our mission is to inspire, empower, and accelerate every one of our learners, and we know that the only way for us to reach this goal is through the efforts of all our incredibly hard-working staff.

In this week’s Staff Spotlight, we’re highlighting Banfield Elementary School instructional coach Nicole Edwards.

"Nicole’s work to build trust with the staff at Banfield and within the instructional coach team is impressive. She has led the school in the implementation of class-wide interventions to support student reading growth."

Congratulations!

If you’d like to nominate an outstanding Austin Public Schools staff member for our weekly Staff Spotlight, please take a moment to fill out the form at https://www.austin.k12.mn.us/district-resources/staff-spotlight. It only takes a minute and can truly make someone’s day. Thanks!

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• MN Supreme Court: Racial imbalances in schools alone don’t violate state constitution

APS offers a wide range of student activities, including competitive athletics, intramurals, academic clubs, fine arts, and performing arts. View schedules and learn more here.

The school district strongly encourages anyone interested to apply to join our teams. Reasonable accommodations are available to access job openings or apply for a job. Click here to learn more.

You can review previous issues here.