THE LENS

Students & Families-

Welcome back from Spring Break. We only have eight weeks left in the 2023-2024 school year. The grass is greening, flowers are blooming, tree branches will soon be covered with leaves and that means it's spring.

April is also Arab American Heritage Month!

"During this time, we celebrate Arab Americans throughout the past and present, and recognize their invaluable contributions to our country. It also serves as a time to combat Anti-Arab bigotry and to challenge stereotypes and prejudices." Learn more here from this link from the Arab American Foundation and click here for 20+ videos from PBS about Arab American Heritage Month topics.

Important Dates:

4/17: College/Career Gear Wednesday

4/17-18: Bilingual Seals Testing

4/22: Earth Day

4/22: EHS Registration Opens

4/30: Job/Career Fair

5/3: GPHS PROM (MN Humanities Center)

5/4: Equity Summit 8:15-1:15 Johnson High School

5/30: Gordon Parks Q4 Conference & Showcase

Gordon Parks Prom Friday, May 3rd

Minnesota Humanities Center

Tickets singles $25.00 couples $35.00

For more information, please contact Ms. Fountain at 651-744-1240 or email at shelly.fountain@spps.org.

3 Field Trips! Inver Hills Community College Art Extravaganza, Minneapolis Institute of Art, Walker Art Center and Sculpture Garden! Where do mathematics and art intersect? Join us in this amazing exploration!

Credit Areas: Art or Math

Teachers: Ms. Nichols & Ms. Laing

First Aid, CPR and AED Training. This project will implement a course that has been developed by the American Red Cross. With participation in this project you will be able to recognize when a situation is life-threatening and will gain the confidence to act in an emergency situation. This project breaks down the steps in first aid and life-saving techniques and will provide significant hands-on practice in the skills that you will need to save lives. PHONES WILL BE COLLECTED AT THE BEGINNING OF EACH SESSION TO MINIMIZED DISTRACTIONS.

Credit Area: Health & a two-year certification with the American Red Cross.

Teachers: Mr. Bednar, Mr. Iwen & Nurse Dishong

This project will explore the "protest song", songs that aim to send social messages, raise awareness about an issue and bring about change. Protest songs have had as their subjects war, racism, poverty, sexism, environmental/social justice, human rights, police brutality, etc. We will spend our time listening to the music and engaging with the lyrics.

Credit Areas: US History or Human Geography

Teacher: Tom Davies

Soccer, soccer, soccer!!! In the gym, in the park, on the court, we will play the beautiful game but in addition to that we will study film in the classroom. Research the greats, acknowledge that Everton is the greatest football team and come to accept that Messi is the greatest of the modern era.

Credit Areas: Phy Ed, English.

Teacher: Mr. Hagg

Develop your filmmaking skills AND have a lot of fun in this project! Together, we will create a 5-minute documentary about the Q4 Gordon Parks PBL projects and then premier it at the Q4 conference/showcase on May 30th! Filmmaking skills are valuable in todays world.

Credit Area: English

Teacher: Paul Creager & guest filmmakers

In this project we will explore examples of utopian societies and dystopian futures as shared on screen and in writing. Students will learn about government and history while examining the possibilities of life in a perfect world and create their own utopian (or dystopian) civilizations.

Credit Areas: U.S. Government, World History

Teacher: Mr. Johnson

Let's dig deeper into the fine points of woodworking by creating charging stations for each classroom. While waiting for your chance at the saw, let's explore soil and why and how we can preserve it. Then let's see look at how flowers get from the farm to the vase, and who can keep their flower blooming the longest.

Credit Area: CTE, Math

Teachers: Ms. Warner & Mr. Vaerst

This project will explore community and public art around the Twin Cities. Students will need to be prepared for field as well as writing activities reflecting on public art and how it impacts themselves and their community.

Credit Areas: Elective, ELA

Teachers: Kelly Miller and Jamie Tomlin

Students will learn about the impacts of recycling efforts, participate in the GPHS recycling process, and determine potential next steps at the local and global level.

Credit Areas: Human Geo, Econ or Math

Teachers: Ms. Cavanaugh & Mr. Koreltz

Family Night for Latino Families with students in grades 6-12 receiving Special Education Services or attending Focus Beyond.

Wed, April 17 from 5:30-8 pm

Humboldt High School

The objective is to support Latino newcomers that have secondary students receiving special education services.

Families will learn:

• about the Special Education process

• how students benefit from Special Education services

• how families can support their student at school and home

• families will meet interpreters who work with special education services.

• families can ask questions, meet other parents and special education staff in small groups.

Unexpected life events or challenges can arise, making it more difficult for students to focus on completing their education. Having a sense of urgency helps students address challenges, maintain control over their academic progress, achieve personal goals, foster a positive mindset and a belief in their ability to overcome challenges. Counselors, teachers, and administration all encourage our student to take advantage of all the credit-earning opportunities at Gordon Parks High School. We all work together to provide our students pathways to graduation.

See your counselor and your GP Connect teacher for more information.

Need a backpack? Talk to your GP Connect teacher during advisory. We'd like to help you stay organized and a backpack is a tool to help you reach that goal.

If you have food from lunch that you don’t want to eat, you can add it to the sharing table (look for the sign) instead of throwing it away.

These items must wrapped/ contained (milk, grapes, etc.)

You can grab what you want from this table too!

NEW! Compassion Roseville HEALTH CLINIC, location: 1910 County Road B West, Roseville MN 55113, Services provided at no cost, first come first served, Services: Dental: Fillings, Extractions, Cleanings, Medical Exams: Kids and adults, Vision: Checks and Free Glasses, Social Services, and Physical Therapy

NEW! Metro State University, Winter Food Distribution, 690 E. 7th Street, St. Paul MN 55106, Student Center Rm 101, 2:30-4:00 pm, May 8, 2024

Eligibility: Our Fresh Produce Distribution events are open to everyone! Identification

and documentation is not required to attend. • Recommendations: We encourage you to bring your own large, reusable bags

and a cart if you have one

• Parking: Parking is available in the Metro State ramp for $8. Otherwise, street

parking is available along 7th St. and Bates Ave.

For cancellation updates and more information, please visit:

www.neighborhoodhousemn.org/programs/food-support/fresh-produce-events

NEW! Merrick Community Services Holiday Share Program registration opens November 6th. Go to Merrick’s link: https://merrickcs.org/holidayshare/

Students!

Do you need elective credits? Do you have a part-time job?

Did you know you can earn 2 credits per quarter for working after school?

To take advantage of the work experience program, the first step is to check with your counselor to see if you still need electives. If so, he will direct you to Mr. Iwen, the Work Experience Coordinator who can get you set up with the paperwork and information you need for work experience credit.

This is a great way to earn credit for something you might already be doing!

If you are interested in work opportunities or need help searching and applying for jobs talk to Mr. Iwen in room 1109, and visit the hallway display on the first floor.

All school documents can be translated or interpreters made available upon request

Spanish

Todos los documentos pueden ser traducidos o interpretados oralmente si usted lo solicita

Hmong

Tej ntaub ntawv tom tsev kawm ntawv uas xa los rau nej, peb yuav pab txhais thiab nrhiav neeg txhais lus rau nej yog nej hais qhia peb

Somali

"Dhammaan dukumiintiyada iskuulka waa la turjumi karaa ama waxaa la heli karaa turjumaan haddii la codsado"

Ths SCIP will be available for review and feedback at our conferences on the 21st of March, and we will have interpreters available upon request.

Check out our School Continuous Improvement Plan (SCIP) and other Title I Resources:

SCIP

Website: https://www.spps.org/gordonparks
Location: 1212 University Avenue West, Saint Paul, MN, USA
Phone: 6517441212
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GordonParksHS/