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NONPROFIT ORG. STANDARD US POSTAGE PAID ST. PETER, MN 56082 PERMIT NO. 10 *****ECRWSS**C-013
Saint Peter Public Schools
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Oct., Nov., Dec. 2013
Update on School Facilities Review By Jeffrey Olson, Superintendent of Schools As many of you now know, we are outgrowing our school facilities in the Saint Peter Public Schools. Growing enrollment, more and different programs for students, and facilities built for a different time have made it apparent that we need to take action to address this situation. I would like to update you on three steps we have taken over the past six months.
First, we are in the process of finalizing a singlepoint-of-entry in all of our buildings in the district. The idea behind this safety measure is that entry into any of our buildings can only be accessed through an office where school officials can see and identify would-
be visitors before they enter the main areas of the schools. All of our sites will have such a system in place by January 1, 2014. Second, we are working with facilities consultants and architects to develop plans for meeting our needs. Such plans involve repurposing existing buildings and looking at a plan for a new building to address our facilities and grounds limitations. Our goal is to have a “concept plan”
Bringing Art to Life With Technology Third and fourth grade students at North Intermediate have been working on a project in STEM that brings a picture “to life” using an iPad app called Aurasma. “I wanted to incorporate technology right away in STEM but most importantly I wanted to get to know the students. The Aurasma app provided the perfect opportunity to complete both tasks,” commented Angie Potts, North Intermediate STEM teacher. To begin the project, fourth grade students drew a caricature or exaggerated version of themselves, while third graders created a free drawing of themselves. After coloring and adding details to their pictures, students answered questions about things they like and highlights of their summer. Students then filmed one another sharing
in place by mid-January 2014 that will likely involve adding a new building and shifting grades and programs within existing buildings. Third, we are looking at options that do not involve adding a new building. The intent is to determine ways to remodel existing facilities and rent/renovate space in the community to address both the capacity and adequacy problems of our current facilities. These plans will be finalized
by January 2014. Once these three tasks are completed, the next steps involve gauging the support of the community for the options we develop. This process will involve a community survey set for February 2014, and a series of community meetings tentatively scheduled for March 2014.
JOBS CLASS TOURS FAMILY FRESH MARKET
Adult Basic Education for English Language Learners has a new class. Students in this image to their “all about me” class learn job related vocabulary, work expectations, and how to use a timecard. This video. When the students use class has guest speakers that talk about their jobs and any training or schooling needed the Aurasma app to scan oth- for their work. Students in the Jobs Class also tour local places of employment. er student’s pictures, the student’s picture comes “to life” as their image transforms into their all about me video right on the iPad screen. Students get an opportunity to watch their peers share about their summer highlights and other likes in common. Highlights of the project include drawing the characThird grader, Daisy Pehrson, ters and realizing they would uses an iPad and the Aurasma app to learn more about a fellow actually come “to life,” makclassmate. ing the video and putting the pieces together, and getting these “all about me” responses to see other pictures and vidas a video. eos created by fellow classOnce students completed mates. “Walking the STEM their drawings and videos, hallway gives students an opthey were ready to put the portunity to learn about their app into action! Using the peers with a simple push of Aurasma app students were a button on the iPad,” stated able to link their drawings Angie Potts. of themselves as the trigger The Community and Family Education ABE Jobs Class toured Family Fresh Market led by manager Connie Winter.
“Men acquire a particular quality by constantly acting a particular way...you become just by performing just actions, temperate by performing temperate action, brave by performing brave actions.” — Aristotle