On Veterans Day, we remember all who have served our country in the Air Force, Army, Coast Guard, Marine Corps, Navy, and Space Force.

As the US Department of Veteran Affairs stated, "the theme for Veterans Day 2023 is 'Service'." Veterans are proud of their military service in defending our Nation. Honor reflects the military value and tradition of answering the call to duty. There is distinct honor in serving to protect our way of life and the Constitution of the United States of America." Finally, since our brave military service people rely not only on training but also on strong families supporting them, I also want to thank their families.

Sincerely,

Dr. Joey Page, Superintendent

Austin High School junior Nadia Hummel has been named to the Minnesota Department of Education Computer Science Working Group. The group is “charged with developing a state strategic plan for long-term and sustained growth of computer science education in all kindergarten through grade 12 school districts and charter schools.”

“According to the 2023 State of CS Education Report, only 28% of Minnesota high schools offer a computer science course, which is the lowest in the nation,” says Austin High School computer science teacher Joee Winter. “There are many computer science career pathway options in Southeast Minnesota and the state. For our schools to prepare students for these careers, they need access to computer science education. This working group and the associated legislation is one step towards this goal. I am thankful for the support the district has given to be able to offer computer science courses at Austin High School. Minnesota needs a plan to make this the rule and not the exception; all students, no matter their location, should have access to a CS course.”

Nadia’s involvement in the working group began after she was nominated by Ms. Winter. “I wanted to help impact our local community and others like it. Computer science is one of the fastest growing occupational industries in the modern world and there is a huge need for people from that background. Computer science teaches students complex problem-solving skills that are applicable in almost any field.”

“Nadia has been an exceptional computer science student and is dedicated in all her academic endeavors,” says Ms. Winter. “I knew she would take this role seriously, going above and beyond the expectations and not be afraid to share her thoughts and opinions with the working group.”

A huge congratulations to Austin Boys Soccer coach Jens Levisen on winning the 2023 Section 1AA Coach of the Year award. Jens has coached the Austin Boys Soccer program to multiple state tournament appearances, including consecutive third place finishes in 2017 and 2018.

And another huge congratulations to Austin JV Boys Soccer coach Ryan Mayers on being named the Section 1AA Assistant Coach of the Year. Ryan has been with the program since 2010 and has helped develop the program into a perennial contender.

Austin Public Schools' More Than Pink program has won a Regional Project Award from the Minnesota Community Education Association. The award is "presented to outstanding projects that have exemplified the concept of Community Education." The award will be presented to the Austin School Board by a representative of the MCEA at the December School Board meeting.

Now in its tenth year, More Than Pink is a program designed for girls who have completed third through sixth grade to empower themselves and each other. This 6-week summer program innovatively weaves training for a 5K run with lessons that empower girls to celebrate their bodies, honor their voices, and embrace their gifts. A More Than Pink day consists of 60 minutes of physical activity, a Topic Talk lesson, and group time. Topics include self-worth, body image, nutrition, puberty, peer pressure, and more. Strong female role models from our community lead our Topic Talks.

"More Than Pink has been an inspiring program in Austin for many years and has impacted hundreds of young women in our community," says Community Education Director Jen Lawhead. "Our Community Education Coordinator, Teri Wermager, brought the program to Austin and has been its creator and greatest champion. We are also grateful for the many amazing women from the Austin community who have volunteered their time and talent as guest speakers and fitness leaders for this program."

The goals of More Than Pink are as follows: to help girls grow and develop mentally, physically, and socially with community support, to empower girls to be true to themselves, and to gain healthy fitness habits that will have life-long benefits. During the six-week program, the program concludes with a community 5K event celebrating the learning, training, and community building.

Austin's Community Education program includes Austin Adult Learning, Community Education, Early Childhood Family Education, Early Childhood Preschool Programming, the Kids Korner program, and more.

Big news! AHS's beloved 1921 Steinway Baby Grand is restored, thanks to our community's $40k support! Now making music in the choir room, it's ready to inspire future generations. A heartfelt thank you to all donors!

The week before Thanksgiving is American Education Week, highlighting different themes daily. It's a tribute to everyone in the country's public schools. Thank you to our Austin Public Schools staff for the work you do to prepare all learners to make a difference in the world. Learn more here.

Last week, Ms. Fran Sepler provided training in our District. Ms. Sepler is best known for pioneering work in harassment prevention and workplace investigations. She has developed techniques and protocols used by organizations throughout the United States to investigate complaints of workplace misconduct. Ms. Sepler also wrote Finding the Facts: What Every Workplace Investigator Needs to Know, published in 2008.

Some of the topics covered:

• The importance of psychological safety and respect in organizational climate and culture and how it manifests
• The various ways that respect and psychological safety get derailed
• Incivility
• Abusive Behavior
• Harassing Behavior, Including Unlawful Harassment
• The responsibilities of leaders, both legal and practical, to address and prevent problematic behavior
• Cultivating a feedback-rich environment to support self-correction

• Your body knows the difference between good stress and bad stress. Do you?
• Mayo Clinic Q and A: Understanding high-functioning anxiety
• Mayo Clinic Minute: Halloween candy strategies

In this week's Alumni Spotlight, we catch up with alumnus Craig Lerum.

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 Ellis Middle School custodial engineer Adam Wradislavsky.

"Adam is a great asset to the school district. He does whatever is needed to keep a clean and safe environment for students and staff and he always goes above and beyond when needed."

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!

• How do Minnesota schools deal with flag issues?
• Success coaches: Building bridges to connect school and home
• CDC: High school vape use declined in 2023

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.

Please Note:

We are currently between the fall and winter sports seasons.

Austin Public Schools is committed to creating an inclusive environment that values the diversity of its employees and does not discriminate against any employee or candidate based on race, color, creed, religion, national origin, sex, disability, sexual orientation, age, marital status, status with regard to public assistance, familial status or membership or activity in a local commission. The school district strongly encourages anyone interested to apply to join our teams. Reasonable accommodations to access job openings or to apply for a job are available. Click here to learn more.

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