Hayes Highlights

Welcome back families!

I am so excited to begin a new school year with all of you!

We have many things to be grateful for; our new assistant principal, Mr. Greg, our brand new construction to make learning and growing together better than ever, our fabulous Giraffe Staff, students and all of YOU! Together we make our Team Tower the best.

Please sign up for an orientation session with your child's teacher at the link below, we can't wait to see you soon!

If you have not received your back to school letter in the mail, give our office a call at: 763 502 5202

Dear Families,

On Tuesday, June 18, 2024 the Fridley School Board approved a resolution calling for an election on Tuesday, November 5, 2024. This will include two items impacting the Fridley Public Schools and the students we serve.

While FPS is a source of pride, our district has operational and facility needs that require the attention of our entire community. We have outlined these needs and proposed solutions below.

Operational Needs

The gap between the state funding Fridley Public Schools receives and the cost of educating each student has steadily widened over the past several years. In fact, if the formula allowance from the state of Minnesota had kept pace with inflation, our district would have received an additional $3.985 million in general education aid from the state during the 2023-24 school year.

To bridge this funding gap, more than 70% of Minnesota school districts rely on revenue from operating referendums to provide basic programming and services for students.

To bridge this funding gap, more than 70% of Minnesota school districts rely on revenue from operating referendums to provide basic programming and services for students.

The first question on the November 5 ballot will be a proposed operating referendum for Fridley Public Schools. This referendum would enable us to maintain stable funding and invest in programs and services. It would also limit future budget reductions over the next several years.

A voter-approved operating referendum would have a preliminary tax impact of $130 per year on a $250,000 home in our community.

Facility Needs

Fridley Public Schools has a growing list of deferred maintenance needs that we must address soon to ensure our students continue to have access to outstanding educational facilities.

It’s important to understand that a school district’s general fund covers the day-to-day operational costs of running a school district, including salaries and benefits, classroom materials, and utilities. However, our general fund has incurred significant expenses for deferred maintenance, at nearly $2 million per year.

Many of these maintenance expenses are due to wear and tear and items needing replacement, including plumbing, HVAC (heating and cooling system), and roofing. These needs have begun to exceed our dedicated funding for long-term facility maintenance, which means we have needed to use our general fund to cover the costs.

The second question on the November 5 ballot will be a proposed $30 million facility bond referendum. If approved, it would have no preliminary tax impact, as some of the District’s old bonds will be fully paid off before payments on the new bonds begin.

We are committed to providing clear and accurate information and continuing to engage our community right up to election day. We will soon launch a webpage featuring more information and answers to frequently asked questions. This will be shared with families and community members later this month.

Thank you for your support and engagement as we address these needs together. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Sincerely,

Brenda Lewis, Ph.D.

Superintendent

• All new families and Kindergarten families are required to submit a form if they need transportation. Families do not need to submit a form if students had transportation last school year.
• Register for Transportation Link: Transportation Request Form
• If families want to use a daycare address or an alternative address (within the Fridley Public Schools boundary) they need to complete the Transportation Registration Form.
• In late August, families will receive an email with transportation information and it will also let them know that they can log into their Parent/Student portal for transportation information
• If parents have a new phone or email address, please contact your child's school and notify transportation using the information below, thank you!

Contact information for transportation:

Phone: 763-502-5151

Email: transportation@isd14.org

Nutritional Services Information

Welcome back families and students. We are looking forward to having you back in the café for breakfast and lunch daily. We hope that your students enjoy our new menu items along with their favorite items. We are continuing to expand our use of locally grown foods.

Completion of Application for Educational Benefits

The Application for Educational Benefits still needs to be completed even with the Minnesota Free School Meals Program. The school district will be mailing households a post card in mid-August encouraging families to complete the application. A copy of the paper applications are available in the schools’ main office or on the District Website at https://www.fridleyschools.org/about-us/departments/nutritional-services/meal-applications Applications can also be completed online at https://fridleymn.infinitecampus.org/campus/portal/parents/fridley.jsp (you will need your Parent Portal username and password). If you do not have a Parent Portal username and password, please contact Kathy Backstrom at 763-502-5021 or your School Main Office. An Application for Educational Benefits must be completed every year. If your family receives SNAP benefits or if you receive Direct Certification letter from the district, you do not need to complete an application. If your income has changed due to job loss or change, please complete an application. Students approved for free or reduced priced meals are eligible for Summer EBT benefits from USDA. These applications also help the district receive additional funding for support staff and teachers. As a household, you may also be eligible for discounted internet services, reduced activity or athletic fees including Park and Rec and reduced metro transit fares. When completing the application, please include all people living in the household including infants or young children, college students, and older adults who may be living with you.

Minnesota Free School Meals Program

The Minnesota Free School Meals Program provides state reimbursement to schools that participate in the National School Lunch Program and School Breakfast Program. Students can have one reimbursable breakfast and one reimbursable lunch at no cost at school.

At breakfast, the student must choose at least 3 items to be counted as a reimbursable meal. The student must choose a ½ cup fruit as part of their breakfast.

At lunch, the student must choose at least 3 components to be counted as a reimbursable meal. The student must choose a ½ cup serving of fruit or vegetable as part of their lunch.

Additional Milk or Milk for Cold Lunch

Students purchasing just milk will be charged $0.55 and must have money in their lunch account. Students are not allowed to have negative lunch balances to purchase these items.

Breakfast:

We provide a grab and go breakfast daily for students to eat in their classroom. We encourage all students to eat breakfast at school, so they can focus on learning and to start their day off in a positive way. Students must take a reimbursable meal including ½ cup fruit.

Lunch:

We do not use pork products in our menus. There are a few items that do contain gelatin. Students are required to take a reimbursable meal which includes a ½ cup fruit or vegetables and two other menu

items. Students are encouraged to take all items to ensure they are getting enough to eat and to try different foods. We offer a variety of school prepared items, locally sources products and culturally diverse menu items.

Online Meal Payments

To add money to your student’s meal account please go to Infinite Campus Parent Portal https://fridleymn.infinitecampus.org/campus/portal/parents/fridley.jsp If you are paying online, we ask that the minimum payment be at least $10.00. Money can also be sent to school with your student if you choose to pay with cash or paper check. Please include your student’s name, teacher’s name and lunch pin on the envelope. If you are having trouble accessing the parent portal, please contact your School’s Main Office for someone to assist you. If you want to eat lunch with your student, we encourage you to purchase a school lunch and we accept cash or you can pay online through your student’s lunch account.

Monthly Menus

For an interactive student menus including food allergy information can be found at https://family.titank12.com/menu/PLUZN8 . If you would like to print a monthly menu, those can be found at https://www.fridleyschools.org/about-us/departments/nutritional-services/lunch-breakfast-menus We are continuing to prepare more items from scratch, incorporate more locally sourced items, taste testing new cultural dishes and asking for student engagement.

Food Allergies

If your student has a medically diagnosed food allergy or is lactose intolerant, please contact Renee Arbogast at arbogast@isd14.org or 763-502-5022 to discuss your child’s needs. There are some additional USDA forms that must be completed.

Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program

Both Hayes and Stevenson Elementary Schools will be participating in the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable program. This grant provides fresh fruit or vegetable as a snack to students 3-4 days per week. We try to provide students with new and different fresh produce including papaya, mango, jicama and kohlrabi. Besides the snack, students receive some education about the produce. We encourage all students to try the items, even if this is only taking a bite each time or smelling the item. This grant program will start in October 2024.

If you have any questions regarding Nutritional Services, please contact Renee Arbogast at 763-502-5022 for assistance

Nondiscrimination Statement

In accordance with federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, this institution is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex (including gender identity and sexual orientation), disability, age, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity.

Program information may be made available in languages other than English. Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication to obtain program information (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language), should contact the responsible state or local agency that

administers the program or USDA’s TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TTY) or contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339.

To file a program discrimination complaint, a Complainant should complete a Form AD-3027, USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form which can be obtained online at: https://www.usda.gov/sites/default/files/documents/ad-3027.pdf , from any USDA office, by calling (866) 632- 9992, or by writing a letter addressed to USDA. The letter must contain the complainant’s name, address, telephone number, and a written description of the alleged discriminatory action in sufficient detail to inform the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights (ASCR) about the nature and date of an alleged civil rights violation. The completed AD-3027 form or letter must be submitted to USDA by:

1. mail: U.S. Department of Agriculture Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights 1400 Independence Avenue, SW Washington, D.C. 20250-9410; or

2. fax: (833) 256-1665 or (202) 690-7442; or 3. email: Program.Intake@usda.gov

This institution is an equal opportunity provider.

For the safety of all our scholars and Tower, we ask that these procedures be maintained by all when visiting our school:

• Any time any adult or child is visiting our campus, please have a photo ID and check in at our front office to sign in and receive a visitor badge
• Our front lot outside is a bus only lot each morning and afternoon from 8:55 AM - 9:10 AM and 3:25 PM - 4:05 PM. Please drive slow and safe through all our school lots at all times for the safety of our scholars, families and staff.
• If you wish to pick up your child early, please notify our office by 2:00 PM. A valid picture ID is required.
• To avoid learning disruption for all classrooms as well as excessive absences, please minimize early dismissals whenever possible.
• Please note, teachers are teaching during school hours. If you would like to speak to your child's teacher, phoning or emailing is the best route for communication during our school day.
• Our school day starts at 9:10 AM, DROP OFF BEGINS AT 8:55 AM, no earlier for the safety of our scholars. Our school day ends at 3:45 PM. Please note these times as we do not have staffing outside of these hours.

New guidelines:

Birth to at least 2 years old:

• ​Rear-facing in an infant or convertible child safety seat.

• Forward-facing with an internal harness.

4 years old AND has outgrown the forward-facing seat with internal harness by height and weight:

• Ride restrained in a belt-positioning booster seat using the lap belt and shoulder belt.

9 years old or has outgrown the booster seat AND the child can pass the five-step test that demonstrates how the seat belt fits correctly:

• Ride restrained with a lap belt and shoulder belt secured correctly on the vehicle seat.

Additionally, children under 13 years old must sit in the back seat if possible.

If a child falls into more than one category, then the child must be placed in the safer restraint for them. For example, a child who is 2.5 years old and weighs 35 pounds but has a car seat with a rear-facing limit of 40 pounds must stay rear-facing even though they are over 2 years old. It's very important for parents and caregivers to always read their car seat and vehicle owners' manuals for proper installation.​

Downloadable child restraint guidance chart​.

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Statistics

In Minnesota crashes from 2019 to 2023, preliminary figures show:

• Of the 12,827 children ages 0-7 properly restrained, 89 percent were not injured. Another 10 percent sustained only minor injuries.
  
  
• 20 children ages 0-7 were killed in motor vehicles. Of those, only 10 were known to be properly secured.
  
• Of the 81 children (ages 0-7) seriously injured in motor vehicles, only 44 percent were known to be properly secured.
  
  

For the safety of your children

• Be an attentive driver

• Always buckle up

• Always secure your children in the proper restraint for their age, height and weight.

• Always have your children sit in the back seat.

See what happens to a child in the front seat when an air bag deploys.

New full color Hayes spirit wear, complete with our very own school band, Jack & the Spots, available now!

To order, call today, don't delay - 763 502 5200

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Elementary Cell Phone & Personal Device Usage

Fridley values the importance of technology in education while also fostering a safe and focused learning environment. This agreement outlines the guidelines for appropriate use of technology devices on school premises. We aim to strike a balance between utilizing technology for educational purposes and maintaining respectful interpersonal interactions. Cell phones and personal technology devices will not be permitted for use at any point during school hours for students. Cell phones will be permitted after the dismissal bell at 3:45pm to communicate with parents as needed.

Responsible Technology Usage Guidelines

• Respect for Learning Time: Any student with a cell phone or personal technology devices must keep it either in their backpack or in their designated locker.

• Privacy and Consent: Students are expected to respect the privacy of others (adults and students) and obtain consent before taking photos, videos or recordings. Sharing or distributing such content without permission is strictly prohibited. This expectation also applies to the bus.

• Cyberbullying and Harassment: Any form of cyberbullying, harassment, or inappropriate online behavior is strictly prohibited.

• Content Restrictions: Students must adhere to age-appropriate content guidelines while using their school technology devices. Accessing or sharing explicit, violent, or otherwise inappropriate content is not allowed.

• Responsibility for Devices: Students are responsible for the safety and security of their own devices. The school is not liable for any loss, theft, or damage to personal cell phones or technology devices.

Consequences for Violation: Violations of this agreement may result in progressive consequences, including warning to keep in your locker, temporary confiscation of devices, and/or parental involvement, depending on the severity and frequency of the infraction.