August 2012
Communicator Welcome Center now open at Central Middle School…
I
Where a World Class Education Begins n order to provide new students and families with the best experience possible, a new Welcome Center is now located at Central Middle School (CMS).
“The Welcome Center reflects the District’s commitment to building strong and enduring relationships with each and every family,” shared Kristin Tollison, administrator for the Welcome Center. “Many families are anxious to be a part of the Wayzata Schools and all of us in the Welcome Center strive to connect with them to help ease the transition and get students off to a great start!” Beyond registering new students for school, the Welcome Center will also introduce families to other services they may need that are also located at CMS including: special education, pre-school screening, Family Learning Center classes, Home Base before and after-school programs, and various other district programs and services. For more information about the Welcome Center or student enrollment, call 763-745-5200.
Fifth grade students Johnny Garcia and Elaina Wollerman will be using digital learning devices like the iPad in their classrooms as part of the district’s “My Way” initiative to increase student learning and engagement.
“My Way” will put the world in students’ hands
B
y the time incoming Wayzata fifth graders Johnny and Elaina graduate from high school in 2020, the world will be very different than it is today.
Technology, information and digital content will continue to multiply at increasing rates, which will require them to have new and different skills to be successful in the future. The “My Way” Student Learning Initiative is the name of the long-term effort underway in the Wayzata Public Schools to make sure that Elaina, Johnny and each and every one of our 10,400 students are prepared to thrive today and excel tomorrow in an everchanging global society. The initiative will begin putting digital learning devices (iPads) in the hands of students at certain grade levels later this school year to increase student learning and engagement. “The goal of the ‘My Way’ Student Learning Initiative is to put the world in our students’ hands,” shared Jill Johnson, executive director of teaching and learning. “My Way” goes far beyond just giving students iPads. “It is a learning initiative aimed at providing all students with individualized learning experiences
that stimulate creativity and imagination. We want students to experience, connect and interact with the world in ways that traditional textbooks and curriculum alone can’t provide.” Work continues on a three-year, phase-in plan that outlines how the learning devices will be deployed to provide our students with personalized learning experiences focused on the 21st Century work skills needed for success. Students at certain grade levels, still in the process of being determined, will begin working with iPads sometime during the second half of the 2012-2013 school year. Staff professional development is a critical component to the success of “My Way”. Over the summer, more than 100 teachers have been trained as part of the “My Way” Implementation Leadership Team to be liaisons within their buildings to help inform, instruct and model appropriate and effective instructional strategies using iPads. By the time school starts, the majority of licensed, certified staff will have received an iPad and some initial training to get started. “In order for the ‘My Way’ Student Learning Initiative to be successful it will require all of us to rethink the way we teach and the way students learn,” emphasized Shelly Nelson, director of curriculum. Watch for more information about “My Way” in the October issue of the Communicator.
New communications tools launched
A
s part of our commitment to better connecting with families and community residents, a number of new and improved communications tools are being put in place this fall.
Sign up to receive emergency text messages Parents and guardians now have the option to receive text messages, in addition to phone calls and email messages, for emergency and other essential school communications. Parents interested in receiving text messages will have to opt-in to accept the charges for which standard text message rates apply. To sign up to receive text messages: 1. Login to Family Access through the district website, www.wayzata.k12.mn.us. Click on the Family Access button in the upper right hand corner. 2. After you log in, click the Skylert link under the General Information heading. 3. Click the Edit button. 4. Confirm and edit your communications preferences. (If you opt in to receive text messaging the standard text message rates do apply.) 5. Check and/or uncheck the boxes next to your numbers and email addresses to choose which kind of notification you would prefer to receive. Additional phone numbers and email addresses are configured based on the secondary contact information located in Family Access. 6. Click Save when complete. New email messages will provide general information and updates Schools and departments throughout the district will begin using a new email software this fall to share general information and updates on a regular basis. Parent newsletters, elementary Thursday Folders, announcements and other general information will be sent directly to parents and guardians using a new email format that is visually-appealing, easy-to-read and links to the district web site for more information. There is no need to sign up to receive these emails as long as your information is up-to-date in the Family Access system. Web site improvements underway Since launching the new web site last year, we have gathered feedback from parents, staff and community members in an effort to continuously improve. Based on this feedback, watch for improvements to the web site this fall that will make it even easier to find the information you need about our schools. For more information about Family Access, call 763-745-6014.