Austin Packer Bulletin - 09/27/2024

We're proud of our AHS students for coming together during the "Nourishing Champions" food-packing event! With the support of Hormel Foods, United Way of Mower County, and the Hometown Food Security Project, they assembled 24,000 snack packs to stock our food pantry, support students, and help local community organizations. What an incredible effort for Hunger Action Month!

Sincerely,

Dr. Joey Page, Superintendent

This week has been a whirlwind of activity at Austin Public Schools as we celebrated Homecoming 2024. From theme days and assemblies to special activities and events, this has been a week to remember.

Coronation was held Friday morning in AHS Knowlton Auditorium and we'd like to extend a huge congratulations to Austin High School's 2024 Homecoming King Moreti Idjidina, Queen Makkel Gibson, and to the entire Homecoming Court.

At APS, we are committed to our mission to inspire, empower, and accelerate all learners and our vision to prepare every student to make a difference in the world. The insights from this review align with our district's core values, ensuring that we continue to support and uplift all students through research-based instructional strategies that benefit multilingual learners and every student in APS.

Focus Areas for 2024-2025:

• Developing an Austin-Specific LIEP (Language Instruction Educational Program) Plan
• Aligning our LIEP plan with input from staff, families, students, and community members.
• Key updates include consistent terminology (ML for students, EL for programming) and refining our student identification process.
• Instructional Practices for Multilingual Learners
• Training Grades 7-12 staff on High Impact Teaching Strategies (HITS), proven to accelerate student learning.
• OL&LA Training for K-12 Sped, K-6 Staff, which includes EL instructional strategies (READ ACT training)
• Ongoing SIOP training for EL staff to enhance instructional effectiveness.
• Launching an EL Leadership Team to ensure consistent programming across all sites.
• Improving Communication and Family Engagement
• Hosting parent meetings focused on EL screening, assessments, and services.
• Updating parent service letters to align with state requirements and engage families more effectively.
• Culturally and Linguistically Responsive Practices
• Monthly professional development for principals focusing on social justice and culturally responsive leadership, fostering an inclusive environment for all learners.
• Continuous Program Improvement.
• Continuing our collaboration with CAREI and revisiting the curriculum review process for EL materials and courses to ensure they meet the highest standards.
• Ongoing Professional Development
• Providing HITS training for instructional staff and developing observation tools for coaches and principals to monitor the implementation of these strategies across all classrooms.

Focusing on these areas strengthens our commitment to high-quality instruction that empowers all learners to succeed and make a difference.

In 2024, Minnesota passed a law permitting American Indian students and staff to smudge in public schools. This amendment to the existing tobacco ban allows an exception for traditional spiritual and cultural ceremonies. See Minn. Statute 121.08 and School Board Policy 419.

Mower County Distinguished Citizens will honor individuals who live or work in Mower County for their professional and personal commitment and contribution. This event returns for a second year to honor others, including Dewey Schara, Principal at Ellis Middle, and IJ Holton Intermediate School Elbert K. Fretwell Outstanding Educator Award. Learn more here.

Did you know you can follow Austin Superintendent Dr. Joey Page on social media?

• Facebook
• Instagram
• X (Twitter)
• LinkedIn

Six bridges along I-90 in Austin are scheduled for replacement or repair between 2024 and 2026. A new interchange will also be constructed, replacing the current one with a design that improves pedestrian safety and traffic flow. Construction on 4th St. will begin in fall 2024 and continue throughout the 2025 season. The demolition of the existing bridge is set for mid-October 2024, with the new bridge expected to be completed by fall 2025. Please visit our transportation services information website for more details about our services.

Mower County residents, community leaders, business owners, area agencies and organizations now have an opportunity to share how severe weather events impact their property and lives. There is also an opportunity to share their ideas on how to reduce local impacts in the future.

The Mower County Office of Emergency Management is working with U-Spatial at the University of Minnesota Duluth to update the county's Hazard Mitigation Plan (HMP). The plan assesses the natural hazards that pose risk to the county, such as tornadoes, straight line winds, ice storms, blizzards, wildfire, flooding, and extreme temperatures and identifies ways to minimize the damage of future events. As the county works to update the plan, it wants to hear from the public.

The Mower County HMP is a multi-jurisdictional plan that covers Mower County, including all cities and townships within the county. The Mower County HMP also incorporates the concerns and needs of school districts, watershed districts, and other related agencies, organizations, or businesses participating in the planning process. The plan will be updated by a planning team made up of representatives from county departments, local municipalities, and other key stakeholders. When completed, the plan will be submitted to the Minnesota Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for approval.

"Hazard mitigation planning is a central part of our emergency management program," said Amy Bramwell, Mower County Emergency Management Director. "Understanding the natural hazards that can cause serious impact to our communities and taking action to reduce or eliminate the impact of future disasters makes us more resilient. Hazard mitigation helps us to break the cycle of damage and repair caused by things like flooding, ice storms, and severe wind events that can damage property, stress economies, and threaten life safety in our county."

Examples of hazard mitigation include:

• Conducting public outreach on severe weather awareness and preparedness
• Improving stormwater management systems to better handle high-rain events
• Removing existing buildings from flood or erosion prone hazard areas
• Increasing defensible space around homes in high-risk wildfire areas
• Constructing tornado safe rooms in vulnerable areas such as mobile home parks
• Burying overhead powerlines that may fail due to heavy snow, ice, or windstorms

Some mitigation activities may be eligible for future FEMA Hazard Mitigation Assistance grant funding.

Public input is an essential part of the plan update. As part of the planning process, Mower County is seeking feedback from residents and businesses to incorporate into the plan. Your input will be recorded and incorporated into the planning process:

• What are the natural hazards you feel pose the greatest risk to your community?
• Are there specific populations or assets in your community that you feel are more vulnerable to future storm events?
• What concerns do you have, and what sorts of actions do you feel would help to reduce damages of future hazard events in your community or the county as a whole?

Your feedback is wanted. Comments, concerns, or questions regarding natural disasters and your ideas for mitigation projects should be submitted to Mower County Emergency Management email.

There will be additional opportunities for public feedback throughout the planning process. A draft of the plan will be made available for public review prior to submission of the plan to the State of Minnesota. Future news releases will be shared with the media to notify the public of these opportunities.

The Federal Disaster Mitigation Act of 2000 (DMA 2000) requires counties to update their plan every 5 years to maintain eligibility for FEMA's Hazard Mitigation Assistance (HMA) grant programs.

Contact Amy Bramwell

Mower County Emergency Management Director

507-437-9483 mcso@co.mower.mn.us

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 Austin High School Special Education teacher Samuel Good.

"Mr. Good explains [things] in a way for me to understand. He’s a great teacher and I look forward to his class each day."

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/aps-staff-spotlight. It only takes a minute and can truly make someone’s day. Thanks!

• The State of the Principalship Five key takeaways from the Minnesota Principals Survey
• Second AAUW forum hears from Austin School Board candidates
• APS board approves a proposed tax levy increase
• This Twin Cities school is locking up cellphones. How's it working out?

Please join me and a School Board member at the Coffee House on Main, 329 Main Street North, for coffee and conversation.

Dates:

• 10/21
  
• 11/25
• 1/27/25
• 2/24
• 3/31
• 4/30

Time:
7:45 AM - 8:30 AM

You can reach me at joey.page@austin.k12.mn.us or call 507-460-1900 to schedule an appointment.

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.

Austin Public Schools does not discriminate on the basis of sex and prohibits sex discrimination in any education program or activity. Individuals may report concerns or questions or make a complaint of sex discrimination to the Title IX Coordinator, Sue Stark.