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Hopkins Public Schools ISD 270 1001 Highway 7 Hopkins, MN 55305-4723
The Community’s Guide to the District
February 2022
HopkinsSchools The Community’s Guide to the District
Hopkins Public Schools January 21
A kindergarten classroom at Gatewood Elementary was learning about Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., and while students were engaging with a video, a teacher captured this precious moment. "I have a dream that one day little Black boys and girls will be holding hands with little white boys and girls." - Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Residential Postal Patron ECRWSS
Four Hopkins teachers have been named candidates for this year’s Minnesota Teacher of the Year Award. A total of 77 candidates will be considered for the award. Congratulations to Karin Brinkhoff, Sarah Gleason, Scott Stillman, and Rachel Volkmann!
Hopkins Public Schools February 1
Photo by Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder
Hopkins hosted a historic girls basketball tournament last weekend! Four nationally ranked teams squared off in the 2022 Girls Basketball Invitational. The Hopkins Royals are ranked third in the nation’s top five teams. Read more: https://bit.ly/3GiJhA9
Hopkins Public Schools February 3
Our XinXing Academy Chinese Immersion and Eisenhower Elementary staff celebrated the Lunar New Year. Staff wore red in celebration. The color symbolizes good luck during the Lunar New Year.
Four Hopkins Teachers Named Candidates for Minnesota's Teacher of the Year Award
READY TO EXPLORE! Hopkins' inquiry-based learning in action.
An independent panel of leaders in the fields of education, business, government, nonprofit, and philanthropy will review candidates’ portfolios over the next few weeks. Then, they will narrow the list to a group of semifinalists, and later to finalists.
BEAUTIFUL EDUCATION Last semester, Hopkins grades 7-12 students welcomed a new after-school program, Beautiful Education, which teaches the fundamentals of maintaining and styling all types of hair as well as hair history and culture. Scholars travel to 369 Studios in Northeast Minneapolis and learn from owner and stylist Mary Stephens. Stephens and Hopkins Summer & Extended Learning Coordinator Paris Timmons partnered to create the program with a generous grant funded by Hopkins Education Foundation. They plan to seek out additional fundraising opportunities so Beautiful Education can continue in the future!
Hopkins Welcomes Three School Board Members
Redesigned Program Enriches Learning for All Students
By building on strengths, multi-age classroom teachers see first and second graders becoming interdependent.
Meadowbrook’s Principal Natalie Sawatzky noticed education was becoming more rigid. She remembered hearing teachers talk about the flexibility and creativity they used to have in their classrooms, which brought them so much joy — yet she saw less of that as education focused more on the standards. At the same time, Meadowbrook Elementary enrichment specialists Kathleen Roller and Michelle Hetlund were attending Confratute, a conference and institute at the University of Connecticut that provides educators with research-based practical strategies for engagement and enrichment learning. Roller and Hetlund left feeling inspired, resulting in a catalyst for the schoolwide enrichment program at Meadowbrook.
Enrichment for ALL students Hopkins Public Schools February 3
Tanglen Principal Jim Hebeisen revealed his tattoo to his students! Hebeisen promised to get a tattoo that read "Tanglen Pride" if the students reached their fundraising goal earlier this year. After he revealed the tattoo, students got to match with specially made temporary tattoos! Check out more photos: https://bit.ly/35OSPWZ
GET CONNECTED, STAY CONNECTED
HopkinsSchools.org/update Watch a video about Beautiful Education.
The schoolwide enrichment program combines creativity, experiential learning, and the standards to create engaging learning experiences for both teachers and students. Three board members were sworn into four-year terms on the Hopkins School Board on Jan. 4. Each board member took the Oath of Office with their families at their side. Incumbent Jen Westmoreland Bouchard is entering her second term on the Board and Rachel Hartland and Jason Ross are both entering into their first term.
February 2022
In the past, only students who excelled on
standardized tests would qualify for accelerated learning opportunities. However, with the schoolwide enrichment model those opportunities have been expanded giving all students access. Through inquiry-based and personalized learning, the school wide enrichment model brings a range of meaningful learning experiences to all scholars and guides them to reach their highest potential. “I love that we are moving forward,” Hetlund said. “The old model was outdated. It’s so much fun working with all kids.” The enrichment specialists credit the redesigned enrichment program to Hopkins leaders like Sawatzky and District administration. Without the support of leadership, it would not have been possible to create an equitable enrichment program. In addition, the staff community has embraced the reimagined model. “We have a really open-minded staff and school community who are not afraid to try new things and are supportive of it,” Hetlund said. See Redesigned Program, inside
Kindergarten Roundup Hopkins High School DATES Join us for an in-person event, Kindergarten Roundup, Spotlight Concert IN THE designed to connect you and your future kindergartner Chris Koza, composer and your school community. Meet our teachers and dis- performer, will join the HHS COMMUNITY with cover how they inspire young learners to reach their potential. Tour the classrooms and meet other families. To attend, find your school's dates and times and register at HopkinsSchools.org/Roundup.
orchestra for their annual Spotlight Concert. Fri., Feb. 25 at 7:00 p.m. HHS Auditorium
ROYAL SPOTLIGHT
2022-23 CALENDAR
David Bell First Grade Teacher, Meadowbrook Before he earned his Master of Teaching in Elementary Education and came to Hopkins, David Bell lived in the West African country of Niger as a member of the Peace Corps. That’s where he met his wife, Salamatou. In 2019, they, along with their three children, began a Facebook page called “African Family Plus 1” about their quadrilingual family. The group currently has 167,000 followers from all around the world. “My family and I love the amount of validation the Hopkins District gives to honoring student cultures, faiths, backgrounds, languages, and experiences. We appreciate how students and staff of all cultures are given a voice to explain their ideas and collaborate. Everyone brings something to the table.”
Hopkins approves a more inclusive calendar for the 2022-23 school year At the Jan. 18 School Board Meeting, the Hopkins School Board approved the calendar for the 2022-23 school year. Next year’s calendar adds three new holidays — Rosh Hashana, Yom Kippur, and Eid-al-Fitr. These changes reflect a recommendation made by the Reimagine School Day Structures committee that the academic calendar better reflect Hopkins’ diverse student body. The calendar also removes late starts and instead opts for full-day professional development for staff. The first day of school once again starts before Labor Day on Aug. 29, 2022 and spring break is the first week of April 2023.
It’s no surprise Bell’s first-grade classroom exemplifies these values. Each week Bell’s students pick a country to learn more about, and on Fridays they discuss that country in depth. This includes geography, food, people, and sports, as well as what the schools are like and how they are similar or different from Meadowbrook.
Oscar Wolfe, a student school board representative, gave an impassioned endorsement of the decision to add the Jewish High Holidays and Eid-al-Fitr to the calendar at the Board meeting.
How does Vision 2031 fit with African Family Plus 1? I am particularly excited about Vision 2031 because of the focus on student voice. The diversity of students and their varying experiences are to be celebrated. It is important to not see students as one size fits all, rather, that students have strengths and skills in different areas. Our Facebook page unites families around the world who are interested in our page — we frequently talk about the importance of respecting other cultures and being inclusive.
“For most students, this will be a minor change, but for those students who are for the first time having their holidays honored, this is a really big deal,” said Wolfe. “Not only will it help students who are in the religious minority, it will also help students who are in the religious majority get a better perspective about the other cultures in Hopkins.” If you would like to view the calendar, please visit HopkinsSchools.org/calendar.
Anything else you’d like to add? I would like to give a shout out to all of my current and former students. I love watching you all learn and grow each and every year!
Hear Wolfe’s comments from the meeting in full. His comments begin at 1:42:28.
Redesigned Program, continued from cover
Developing skills and traits
“Ultimately, creativity is what gets you to your goal of whatever it is you’re trying to achieve,” Hetlund said.
Schoolwide enrichment is more than excelling at reading or math. Roller and Hetlund have developed curriculum that Building multi-age classrooms strengthens skills like engineering, problem solving, and spatial Meadowbrook is also exploring multi-age classrooms that comreasoning. bine first and second graders into one classroom with the same “I feel like it’s benefiting students to provide them with critical- teacher. Multi-age classrooms can complement and enhance the thinking skills that maybe they wouldn’t get to develop in a enrichment model. typical classroom experience,” Hetlund said. In a standard classroom, a teacher teaches one lesson and According to research, traits that are traditionally considered moves on. Meadowbrook multi-age classroom teacher Elyse gifted traits can be taught. Hopkins is instilling in student Juba uses a personalized learning strategy in her combined scholars a gifted mindset — building and developing critical grades 1 and 2 classroom. This classroom is integrated so seamthinking and curiosity in all students. Schoolwide enrichment lessly that many students do not know who is in their tradiconcentrates heavily on conceptualizing and exploratory tional first or second grade class. Students move through small learning. The specialists encourage and redirect students in group rotations so that standards are met and students learn ways that allow them to develop gifted traits. at a pace that matches their learning development, rather than grade level determining their pace. For example, imagine two kindergartners building a marble run. When they try to add a large disk to an area of the The structure has created a great sense of community among structure with no support under it, Meadowbrook’s enrichment the students, giving space for student voice to be amplified. It specialists redirect their approach with questions like “what do creates an environment for students to build real-life skills like you think will happen if you place that there?” or “why would it confidence, self advocacy, collaboration, and empathy. tip over?” At a time when more and more educators across the country are “It’s hands-on and they don’t even know they are learning feeling burnt out, the Meadowbrook teachers in the multi-age because they are just playing,” Hetlund said. classrooms and enrichment program are letting their passion and excitement shine through. So much of critical thinking is engaging in problem-solving scenarios — and creative thinking is another major focus area “Now we have a chance to see and nurture all of the students,” in the schoolwide enrichment model. Some people don’t think Roller said. “It feels much better and is aligned to Vision 2031.” they are creative, but according to Hetlund, creativity is something all scholars can grow and cultivate.
Imani Kerre-Mongi Senior, Hopkins High School Imani Kerre-Mongi is consistently looking for ways to broaden her knowledge of the globe and the community around her. She is a strong example of a globally-minded student. The Hopkins High School senior is involved in Model United Nations, an academic simulation in which students are asked to represent a country requiring extensive research on real-world issues and policies. She is also engaged in Youth in Government where she has increased her debate and public-speaking skills. With all the time she spent in Youth in Government and the Model UN, she wanted to do more advocacy work and gain experience in community engagement. As a student representative of the Legislative Action Coalition, Kerre-Mongi is able to voice a student perspective that directly impacts policy and decision-making. Why is Student Voice important? If students know their voices are heard and valued, they are more likely to see their education as beneficial and tailored to their specific needs. Institutions that encourage student voice will be able to raise a student body that is passionate about what they believe in and who they are as individuals because they will have more opportunities to express themselves. What is a proud moment from your participation in Youth in Government? During the 2021 Youth in Government conference, I submitted a bill that would allow up to eight weeks of paid parental leave, with an extra six weeks of unpaid leave. My bill passed almost unanimously in both my committee and senate, but the Youth Governor vetoed it due to funding concerns. Fortunately, after improving the funding section, it passed again in my senate. My hard work, inclusivity in my bill, and dedication were praised. It was one of my favorite conferences, and it will forever be etched in my mind.
Know a Hopkins student, teacher, or alumnus we should feature? Email Michelle.Wirth@HopkinsSchools.org.
DR. MHIRIPIRI-REED Vision 2031 — a vibrant reality! After launching Vision 2031 in 2018, aspects of this vision are manifesting in Hopkins classrooms and across our schools. Hopkins Public Schools is doing the hard work of innovating and reimagining public education. Our scholars see the world around them changing, and they want the confidence that their classrooms and school experiences are evolving. Our scholars live vibrantly in the present, but they also think about what their futures will hold. They are future-forward, and we must be too.
Programs inspired by Vision 2031! •
Hopkins has launched Juntos Spanish immersion at two of our elementary schools: Eisenhower and Alice Smith! Spanish immersion provides families the opportunities for children to develop into multilingual scholars who will be able to navigate cross-culturally across the globe. We are also working hard to recruit native speakers to teach in this program.
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Next year, Hopkins Preschool will become one program — unifying Stepping Stones and Kaleidoscope preschools to offer families increased access to an extended preschool day, and to ensure all 3- to 5-year-olds have high quality learning experiences.
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Gatewood Elementary launched Outdoor Learning in kindergarten and will soon expand to first grade. Gatewood is also honing its school-wide focus on environmental and outdoor learning, enhanced by its beautiful forest, farm animals, gardens, and greenhouse.
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West Junior High received a grant from the Minnesota Department of Education to support developing a Full Service Community School that will build partnerships with community organizations interested in creating holistic support for students and their social, emotional, and academic learning. Partnerships with organizations that can provide resources to meet needs such as food insecurity and free medical care are underway, supplemented by collaboration with local non-profits ready to bring real-world learning opportunities directly into classrooms.
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In partnership with Thrive Ed (a local non-profit focusing on transforming public education), Hopkins High School is launching the Collaborative Lab School this fall! The Collaborative Lab School will empower 10th-12th grade scholars to become decision-makers and co-designers of their education, engage in authentic and real-world experiences, build strengths, develop leadership skills, and experience choice in when, how, where, and what they learn.
WHAT'S NEW IN OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT? Changes to Start Times
STUDENT VOICE
FROM SUPERINTENDENT
In the next two years, Hopkins Public Schools will operationalize two significant changes related to start time and grade configuration. Both of these changes were made under the guidance of a diverse steering committee that extensively researched each concept and collected community input. At the beginning of the 2022-23 school year, Hopkins will adjust school start times such that elementary schools start earlier and secondary schools start later. The decision to move both junior highs and the high school to a later start time was supported overwhelmingly by staff and caregivers. It is also backed by research that states starting school later is better for the adolescent brain. “Adolescent learners need more sleep if we expect them to be productive in the morning,” said Superintendent Dr. Rhoda Mhiripiri-Reed. “We are looking forward to the positive impacts this change will have on student engagement and achievement.” Hopkins plans to release the start times for the elementary and secondary schools this spring after the District completes a thorough feasibility study looking at different transportation models.
Shift to Middle School Model in 2023-24
Learn more by visiting our Reimagine Schools Parameters webpage.
In the 2023-24 school year, Hopkins will transition 6th-graders to middle school and 9th-graders to Hopkins High School. The feedback driving this change was more mixed, with a slight majority of families wanting to keep their children in elementary school through 6th grade. In making this decision, Hopkins leaned heavily on the expert advice from elementary school leaders who overwhelmingly believe a strong and nurturing middle school model provides more developmentally appropriate learning for 6th graders. This decision also creates more space for preschool and kindergarten. “As one of the last districts in Minnesota to make this shift, we believe this move puts us in a better position to further expand upon our Vision 2031 priorities at the middle school and high school levels,” said Superintendant Mhiriphiri-Reed. Hopkins Schools has created a transition steering committee and will use the months ahead to prepare staff, schools, and its instructional practices to ensure that the change is positive and supportive for all sixth- and ninth-grade students.
In Hopkins, we believe that intellect, brilliance, talent, and creativity reside in all students — and we must operate based on that belief. Hopkins cannot continue to be a place where family income determines a student’s educational outcome. Our moral and educational responsibility is for our least served to one day become part of the population who is best served. We can get there, Hopkins. We will get there. Sincerely,
Dr. Rhoda Mhiripiri-Reed Superintendent