The Community’s Guide to the District
John Kuhl Joins the Hopkins School Board
March 2021
Hopkins Junior Highs Keep Students Connected During a Time of Distance
On Tuesday, Feb. 2, John Kuhl was officially sworn in as the seventh Hopkins School Board member. Kuhl was one of several community members who applied to fulfill a vacancy left by Chris LaTondresse, who resigned from the board when he was voted in as Hennepin County Commissioner. After a careful selection process, Kuhl was chosen to join the Hopkins School Board. Kuhl will fulfill the remaining months of LaTondresse’s term, which was set to expire in January 2022.
Hopkins Celebrates Student Nutrition Staff for Reaching Major Milestone
West Junior High seventh-grade student Jamaria Brown-Watson (left) is one of many who are happy to be back learning in person. Watson said she enjoys the hands-on aspect of being in school.
This year, Hopkins seventh-graders did something no other class had done before — they transitioned into junior high without ever entering a building. Due to the pandemic, all scholars in grades 7-12 started their year in distance learning, and most remained in that learning model until after winter break. In fact, when junior high students entered the classroom for the first time, it had been nearly a year since they were physically in school. Starting school in a virtual environment was an unprecedented decision. While there was no roadmap for what this would look like, the Hopkins junior high program was especially mindful this year about creating virtual communities through unique What I Need (WIN) sessions that were held in the morning before the official start to the school day. The topics of these sessions helped create a sense of belonging for students, while allowing them to explore their passions.
Inspiring confidence and connection Hopkins has served over 1 million meals during the entirety of the pandemic. When hybrid learning began, nutrition staff were preparing meals for both at-home and in-person learners. Food has been delivered to students through critical home meal delivery, curbside service, weekend meal bags, in-school meals, and more. Each school thanked its nutrition staff with cheers, applause, shirts, and signs the week of Feb. 22.
Andrea Dale, a student services coordinator at North Junior High, is one of the staff members hosting virtual WIN sessions this year. Not being able to be in person was hard for Dale, who describes herself as a hugger and someone who cares and stands up for all kids. This year, she started a
DATES IN THE COMMUNITY
virtual affinity group for Black girls at North Junior High called Black Girl Magic. It’s a safe place where girls of color can talk about everything from social justice to hair care, TikTok, books, and mental health. “They are so thirsty for it,” said Dale. “They just want to connect with each other. This group is a fortress, you can make your way through anything when you have a group and a community. That’s part of the magic.” In the first Black Girl Magic session, three girls showed up. The next session had 13 and continues to hold strong. Dale said her goal for the group is to create a sense of community and to help girls of color build confidence. Whatever they want to be or aspire to do, she wants them to be the best version of themselves. In a time of isolation, this group is a lifeline. Dale has heard from parents and grandparents who have thanked her for starting the group and shared that they have noticed it has made a difference in their child. “I think I am the person they can come to if they have difficulties or have a question,” she said. “This work is my calling.”
Where We All Belong: Building an Anti-Racist World Join us for an online forum on navigating conversations about race and racism with your child. This event is open to all and is catered to parents and guardians of 9- to 13-year-olds. Thursday, March 25 at 6 p.m. on YouTube Register online at https://bit.ly/3q6ahdX
See Hopkins Junior Highs, inside
Best Summer Ever for Youth! Register now for Camp Royal activities and the Kids & Company summer care program. Camp Royal offers a variety of camps for students entering kindergarten to sixth grade. Visit HopkinsSchools.org/summer to learn more and register.
Hopkins Junior Highs, continued from cover
Creativity in the kitchen Jennifer Poncelet, a language arts teacher at West Junior High, always wanted to share her passion for baking with students. In traditional school, there was never an opportunity because she did not have access to a space with a kitchen. In distance learning, she was able to start a baking club, which students join virtually from their kitchens at home. Baking holds a special place in Poncelet’s heart. Three years ago, after experiencing a difficult time in her life, she took up baking as a form of self care and eventually started her own business. Realizing the therapeutic effects of being in a kitchen and creating, she wanted to share this with her students. “I definitely think a lot of our students are experiencing some level of trauma right now,” said Poncelet. “This club helps break through the isolation. Baking brings us together.” Food is a natural way to talk about who you are. In one of her classes, during a discussion about holiday baking, a Somali student described a honey cake that is part of her family’s culture. This sparked a conversation among the students about what they cook at home and how it connects to their cultures. “These topics come up naturally, and it seems really open and comfortable,” said Poncelet.
Finding common ground in video games Even before the pandemic hit, special education paraprofessional Tim Williams noticed that many of his students enjoyed talking about video games. Williams would use video games as a way to begin building relationships with his students, and he started an after-school video game club. When schools shut down, this group transitioned to a virtual space. Students both talked about video games in the club and played together. Williams found games that did not require a console and could be played on a smartphone. In addition to being a COVID-friendly activity, video games helped his special education students develop communication skills.
“Video games provide the special education students that I work with a lot of opportunities to interact in their mainstream areas in authentic ways,” said Williams.
Using what we’re learning now to inform what school should be The Hopkins junior high program began phasing in in-person learning in February and expects to be operating mostly in-person at the end of March. Hopkins is determined to use what it has learned during distance learning to continue to reimagine schools from the ground up. Virtual sessions have played an important role in helping students feel part of the school environment, and some students prefer the flexibility of connecting virtually in some spaces and in-person in others. Moving forward, Hopkins wants to create a structure that honors both types of learners. Andrea Yesnes, a seventh-grade counselor at North Junior High, has been working closely with her students in a virtual environment most of the year. Now that school is beginning to phase in, she is meeting them in person for the first time. Many prefer in-person learning, but also appreciate the ability to be more independent and have more control over their schedules. “Most are just so happy to be here,” she said. “I think this has helped them gain a new appreciation for school.” When school is able to operate in normal conditions again, Yesnes hopes it will look different. She is not alone. Hopkins is evaluating if learning in a contained environment for a set amount of time best serves students. How can the best parts of distance learning continue to be part of the secondary school experience moving forward? “If we can survive COVID and being shut down for 11 months, then there is nothing that we cannot do,” said Yesnes.
ACCELERATING VISION2031 DURING THE PANDEMIC Hiring more teachers of color A success indicator of Vision 2031 is that staff demographics will reflect our student demographics. To hire more staff of color, particularly teachers, Hopkins is taking targeted steps. Dr. Rhoda Mhiripiri-Reed, superintendent of Hopkins Schools, is on the board of Black Men Teach and serves as board chair. Tanglen and Eisenhower Elementary are both partners to this organization. Hopkins also has a partnership with Metropolitan State University and intentionally mentors students of color and recruits them to stay.
Advancing digital tool solutions for students and educators As secondary students are phasing in to in-person learning, teachers have implemented new technology in their classrooms so that they can attend to in-person learners and virtual learners at the same time. Hopkins is currently exploring how it might learn from techniques like this to build more blended learning opportunities for scholars. Blended learning means scholars would have the ability to learn in-person or virtually and have choice in what method they use.
VISION2031
TASK FORCES
Reimagining our schools from the ground up In a time of limited financial resources, Hopkins Schools is defining how it will do differently with less as an approach to reimagine school from the ground up. This spring, seven advisory teams composed of staff, students, parents, and community members are using research, stakeholder engagement, and innovative thinking to decide how Hopkins will move forward into the future as a destination school district. Task force topics include: Canvas Content and Collaboration, Summer Learning, Online Learning, Scholar Pathways, Scholar Success Metrics, Enrollment, and Space and Place.
ROYAL SPOTLIGHT Kay McCarthy Kindergarten teacher at Gatewood Elementary Kay McCarthy has been teaching in Hopkins since 2000. After 20 years, she still loves being with kindergartners every day. Even as a distance learning teacher this year, she says her students are just as wiggly in their Google Meet squares as they would be on their in-person rug squares. “Their joy for life, love for others, and endless entertainment brings me life and joy each day,” she said. Fellow kindergarten teacher Katie Schmidt said McCarthy is always finding ways to help her students develop important skills. One way she does this is through outdoor learning. “She understands that some of our most important learning occurs outside of the traditional work of school,” Schmidt said. “She has seen amazing social-emotional growth in her students when given the time to wonder and explore.” When McCarthy isn’t in the classroom, she still utilizes her teaching skills. She is currently fostering Rilla, a service dog in training who will be ready to help someone in need this spring.
What do you love about Hopkins? I am so thankful to be working in Hopkins. The training and discussions I have had about race have truly been life changing. My eyes have been opened to the profound need for me to be a lifelong learner and listener about the impact of race — for my students and myself.
What have you changed for the better?
The kindergarten team implemented Forest Friday at Gatewood. Each week, we look forward to taking our students to our natural areas — woods and wetlands — for learning and exploration. Initially, it just seemed the right thing to do for our children. Since then, we have gained much knowledge about why this is so important and beneficial for our students.
ALUMNI CORNER Josh Thelemann 2007 Graduate Stats: Elementary Education and
Teaching, Augsburg University • Founder/CEO of Teacher Prodigy
Fun Facts: In high school, he
was part of the team that won back-to-back state basketball championships. Today, he is the founder and CEO of Teacher Prodigy, a nonprofit that supports the growth and development of educators. Teacher Prodigy was inspired by a nonprofit that Thelemann created in college. He came to realize that there were many amazing teachers and students who had little say in what was in the curriculum. He worked with teachers, students, and community members to develop programming. “Not only was innovative programming needed, but schools needed a way to leverage the expertise of their teachers to make effective change for the students,” he said.
What Hopkins teacher made a difference? My home life was affecting my mental well-being, performance, and behavior in school. One day, after an outburst in class, Mr. Swenson did something amazing. I expected to be disciplined, but he took me outside and talked to me in a way I really needed. I will be forever grateful for the care, compassion, and for noticing I needed a hand.
How did Hopkins prepare you for the future? Very few schools could have prepared me better to work in a world that requires one to be able to work with all types of people from many different backgrounds. Hopkins’ student diversity, of thought and ethnicity, and the examples set by my teachers and coaches, taught me that everyone matters and everyone’s story is important. To this day it helps me bring compassion and inclusion to everything I do.
STUDENT VOICE Ezana Tedla Senior, Hopkins High School Ezana Tedla’s hard work has paid off. The Hopkins High School senior received a full four-year scholarship to Yale University through QuestBridge National College Match. He was one of 1,464 high school seniors who were awarded a full four-year scholarship and admission to top colleges. “I was pretty shocked when I found out, but it is exciting to go to a school I have never been to. It has taken a lot of time for me to process my acceptance, and I’m still at times in disbelief,” Tedla said. Tedla is a leader of the debate team at Hopkins, has participated in Quizbowl, and helps with tutoring in his spare time. He has not yet decided what he wants to study in college, but regardless of what he decides, one thing is for certain — his drive and his work ethic will take him far.
Why is Student Voice important? Learning requires active participation from both students and teachers. When we elaborate on what we think and believe, we truly grapple with the topic. Find what you excel at, and relentlessly pursue it.
How has Hopkins prepared you for your future? We have lots of opportunities at Hopkins to pursue whatever interests we have. I have learned that you have to pursue what is available and delve deeper in your interests.
Know a Hopkins student, teacher, or alumni we should feature? Email Michelle.Wirth@HopkinsSchools.org.
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT FROM SUPERINTENDENT
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HopkinsSchools Becky Jacobson March 2
EXPLORE KINDERGARTEN
I've never been so affirmed by a decision. Just checked out some of the @Hopkins270 virtual kindergarten adventure! Emma is so excited for @Ike_XinXing270 Spanish Immersion "she can't even stand it!!" HopkinsSchools.org/ExploreK Alice Smith Elementary March 2
Mrs. Lindemann's 2nd graders took a break from Distance Learning and went sledding at Hilltop in Hopkins. New friendships were made and everybody, even Mrs. Lindemann, soared through the air going down the hill. It was a great way to meet classmates and have social time with friends.
Doing differently with less Public schools are in a time of scarce resources and needing to do things differently with less. In Hopkins, we are committed to a process of reimagining our schools as part of our Vision 2031 strategic plan. But this is not just a moral duty, it’s also an economic imperative. COVID-19 has been hard on our federal and state budgets, and when state budgets don’t do well, school district budgets also suffer. In Hopkins, we are exploring how to do differently with less — not more with less, but differently with less. We are now in year two of budget right-sizing. Last spring, we reduced our budget by about $2.5 million, and predicted similar reductions needed for this year. As you might expect, COVID-19 has added layers of complexity to our budget challenges.
How school districts are funded School districts in Minnesota are funded primarily through state aid and local taxes. Minnesota school districts typically receive an annual increase from the state that amounts to about 2 percent of their budgets. Not only has this annual increase not kept pace with inflation, it's possible school districts may see no increase this year.
Hopkins alum Paige Bueckers continues to break records during her freshman year of college! The former Royal was recently highlighted in the New York Times for her basketball dominance with the University of Connecticut Huskies.
A huge source of funding for school districts is student enrollment. For every student enrolled, Hopkins receives around $14,000. Prior to COVID-19, Hopkins experienced a two-year enrollment increase. This year however, most Minnesota school districts saw declining enrollment due to the difficulties brought on by the pandemic. Many districts experienced more enrollment decline than Hopkins, yet any decline can be significant. The virus prompted many families to delay kindergarten, as well as choose homeschool, micro school, and private school options.
Read more in the NYT article: https://nyti.ms/3dylH7O
Vision 2031 remains our North Star
Hopkins Public Schools February 22
Photo Source: Wendell Cruz/USA Today Sports, via Reuters
DR. MHIRIPIRI-REED
Hopkins Public Schools February 8
Last winter, Hopkins Public Schools launched its brand refresh in partnership with brand identity firm Franke+Fiorella. Last week, we learned that our work was featured in the bright lights of New York City in Times Square! HopkinsSchools February 4
Our 7th and 10th grade hybrid learners started in-person learning! Scholars had a blast meeting their teachers, seeing old friends, and exploring their new schools. We've missed having their energy in our buildings and can’t wait to welcome back the rest of our hybrid-learners next week!
As we reimagine schools from the ground up and do differently with less, we have momentum on our side. We can reimagine ways to regain our pre-pandemic enrollment increases. Our families remain enthusiastic about Hopkins and about our bold vision. As we think about how to do differently with less, we will reduce our General Fund budget by at least $2.5 million for next year. We are using an inclusive process to reimagine our schools. This spring, we are facilitating seven Reimagine Task Forces after receiving more than 90 participation requests from staff, parents, and students. In addition, the Hopkins School Board held four Community Engagement sessions around different budget topics. These sessions were recorded and are available online. Our bold vision will serve as a guide to help us navigate challenging times and move into the future of education. As we reimagine, I invite you to explore what education could be rather than holding onto what it currently is. To use poet laureate Amanda Gorman’s language, reimagining education is possible if we’re brave enough to see it, and if we’re brave enough to do it. Our future is up to us. Sincerely, Dr. Rhoda Mhiripiri-Reed Superintendent
Hopkins Public Schools ISD 270 1001 Highway 7 Hopkins, MN 55305-4723
The Community’s Guide to the District
March 2021
Residential Postal Patron ECRWSS
Thank You, Teachers!
For being laser focused on our students in the face of adversity.
GRIZZLY RIDGE AT GLEN LAKE Sixth-graders at Glen Lake Elementary School have a yearly tradition of visiting Wolf Ridge Environmental Learning Center. Due to the pandemic, they were not able to visit this year, so parents and staff brought a winter event to them. At Grizzly Ridge, students had the opportunity to go dog sledding, ice fishing, cross country skiing, curling, and more. For more photos of the fun, view our Flickr album: https://bit.ly/3k4tzPC
GET CONNECTED, STAY CONNECTED
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