Thank You For Helping Shape The Future of Austin Public Schools

As part of ongoing efforts to engage our community, Austin Public Schools undertakes biennial surveys to help shape the district's planning and priorities. We want to express our gratitude to all the parents/caregivers and Austin residents who participated in the most recent community survey – more than 1,000. Your responses truly make a difference as we look forward to the future.

The survey showed strong community support for our school district. Residents clearly recognize that one of our district's greatest strengths lies in our teachers' and staff's dedication and expertise. In addition, residents appreciate the district's efforts to communicate about what's happening in our schools. Residents cited the district's website, emails, newsletters, and social media as their top sources of information about Austin Public Schools.

Looking ahead, survey respondents prioritized preparing students for life after high school and improving student discipline. Community members also advised the district to be transparent about its data and decision-making processes, put students first, and engage with staff to reinforce their value. As a district, we have already taken steps in these areas and remain committed to improvement.

When asked about the most important success factors for graduates of Austin Public Schools, residents cited a safe learning environment, strong communication skills, and the ability to use technology.

To review the survey results, learn more about the strategic plan, and review goals to support student success, visit AccelerateAustin.org.

Thank you again for your participation and support of our schools. If you have any questions about the survey results or the district's long-term strategic plan, please contact me at joey.page@austin.k12.mn.us or call 507-460-1900.

Sincerely,

Dr. Joey Page, Superintendent

In last week's issue, we highlighted our Packer Profile and introduced the first of several Pathways Posters. Our next one focuses on business. The Business Career Pathway helps students explore careers and provides authentic learning experiences in planning, organizing, directing, and evaluating functions essential to running an efficient and productive business.

This week, the Hometown Food Security Project and Hormel Foods held a community celebration showcasing creative projects from Austin Public Schools students and highlighting the initiatives to combat food insecurity in Mower County. It's been a perfect outing for families/caregivers—filled with creativity and engaging discussions. Thank you to Tammy Snee, Gema Alvarado, Dr. Tanya Rodriguez, Sneha Jogi, and Danny Holton for their invaluable support on this project. Special thanks to our teachers, Jake Levisen, Jesse Smith, Robin Brown, and Lisa Sanders, for their dedication and guidance with the students.

Congratulations to Oakland Education Center Principal Amy Schulz on achieving her doctorate! Your commitment to lifelong learning and leadership is an inspiration! Way to go, Dr. Schulz!

Thank you so much for awarding the 2024-2025 grants funded by the Huntting and Packer Endowments and the Hirsch Family Foundation. The APEF support of 66 grants totaling over $100,000 will significantly impact our educational and activities programs. We are grateful for your commitment and generosity.

Wednesday was Administrative Professionals’ Day, and we wanted to take a moment to honor a group people without whom everyone’s jobs would be more difficult. Our amazing Administrative Professionals spend every day working with students and parents, managing schedules and paperwork, and just generally being awesome.

Thank you for your warmth, resourcefulness, and professionalism. Your hard work and dedication have impacted the lives of every student, and it shows.

Thank you for everything you do to make Austin Public Schools what it is.

In Minnesota, the Latine community burgeons amidst a vast opportunity gap. Two charter schools, rooted in decades of struggle, champion equity through decolonized, bilingual education. PROFE delves into this educational revolution, blending history and contemporary narratives to illuminate its profound impact.

Families, educators, and students (grades 8–12): Do you have ideas about how the statewide assessment results, like the MCA, could be shared with the public and school and district staff?

MDE is beginning the process of redesigning the statewide assessment reports. This includes evaluating how student results are organized and communicated (including labels like "does not meet" or "exceeds" the standards and what the reports will look like for new academic standards). The redesigned reports will be seen for the first time in summer and fall 2025.

Please take the survey to share your experience. It should take no longer than 15 minutes. The survey is now open for submissions until May 19. Responses are completely anonymous.

Click here: tinyurl.com/state-testing-survey

Your voice is important to this process. We appreciate your time and consideration. Please reach out to mde.testing@state.mn.us with any questions or concerns about the survey or feedback process.

Graduation for the Class of 2024 will be held on Friday, May 31 in AHS Knowlton Auditorium. The ceremony begins at 7:00 PM. Each graduating senior will receive four tickets to the commencement and we will have overflow seating in Ove Berven gym. Additionally, the ceremony will be livestreamed at https://youtube.com/live/oXegimHi8vU.

If you have any questions regarding the graduation ceremony, please contact Austin High School at 507-460-1800.

Did you know that Workforce Development Inc. provides scholarships to Youth/Young Adults interested in pursuing short-term training, up to a two-year degree? All WDI services are free! Our services include assessment, career planning, skills training, job search guidance and resources, and preparation for further training and education. We also offer scholarships and connections to many other great programs and resources in Southeast Minnesota. Contact them today!

A huge congratulations to Austin High School senior Ava Denzer. Last year, Ava, who is planning to study interior design next year, was given the opportunity to redesign the annex auditorium. Over the summer, buildings and grounds used her design to replace the seating and carpet, paint the walls, and mount APS logos on the walls. The space looks fresh and new, and Ava gained some valuable experience as she heads off to college. Great job!

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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 IJ Holton Intermediate School Pi Academy teacher Lisa Lage.

"[Ms. Lage] is easily one of the best teachers [we] have ever had [and we] would love to recognize her for her kindness, hard work, dedication. She is an amazing staff member."

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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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.