From the Superintendent, John Schultz, Ph.D.
All Hopkins Elementary Schools Adding World Language Next year, every kindergartner and first-grader will receive Spanish instruction. I hope this letter finds you and your family doing well as we anticipate the warmth and sunshine of spring! As I write this, I am looking out the window at snow that does not seem willing to melt — which makes me look forward to spring even more! I wanted to let you know that the Hopkins School Board recently approved adding Spanish language instruction to all elementary schools, effective this fall. This new offering will complement our existing educational programs and services. As a District, we believe that the future for our children will undoubtedly hold numerous opportunities in other cultures. Adding a World Language to the elementary curriculum is a great learning opportunity for our students. Research has shown — time and time again — that learning other languages has a positive effect on intellectual growth, improves understanding of a child’s native language, provides the opportunity to experience other cultures, and gives students a head start in the language requirements needed for college. Next school year, 2013-14, all six elementary schools will be adding Spanish, starting with students entering kindergarten and first grade. Each year, we will add an additional grade level until the program is implemented in kindergarten through sixth grade. Spanish will be taught for 20 minutes per day, three times a week in kindergarten; 30 minutes per day, three times a week in first through fourth grade; and 60 minutes per day, two times a week in fifth and sixth grade. As a result, our students will begin junior high proficient and ready to enter Level II Spanish.
SUPERVALU E-mentors Provide Eisenhower Students with Valuable Experiences
Once every two weeks, students in Angie Leitch’s fifth-grade class have the opportunity to email Supervalu e-mentors for guidance on their reading and writing assignments. This year’s e-mentor program began in early October and continues to provide a valuable experience for both students and volunteers.
The e-mentor program, which has been a part of Eisenhower Elementary for 12 years, is beneficial on many levels. Not only do the Supervalu e-mentors help students with school projects, but students also get the chance to learn how to safely communicate via email, composing messages and adding attachments. In return, the 25 volunteers get the rewarding experience of helping students within their community. “Supervalu employees say that this program allows them to volunteer in the community in a simple way while still making a big impact on a child’s life,” said Angie Leitch. In January, students visited the Northern Region office of Supervalu to learn about their e-mentor’s work world. During their field trip, students had lunch, played games, and toured the warehouse to witness the food distribution process. Angie Leitch and Jennifer Rimstad at Eisenhower as well as Bev Backstrom from Supervalu have gone above and beyond to build and manage the e-mentor program. Their hard work and devotion to this project and to the students is truly admirable.
Hopkins Students Recognized at International DECA Conference for Their Business Savvy
It is my hope that you share my enthusiasm for World Language being taught at the elementary level for all the reasons I have mentioned, as well as reasons of your own. My wife and I adopted two Chinese daughters, and learning their culture and language has opened up many new doors for us, as well as for members of our extended families. Both of our girls have taken Spanish – so both have been fortunate to experience three cultures and languages, as compared to the one culture my wife and I have experienced! Our Teaching and Learning Department has begun diligent preparation and planning for this fall. I have no doubt that we will have a high-caliber Spanish program in place for your children to experience the numerous benefits of learning another language as part of their education. This is just one example of how Hopkins Public Schools is committed to “Excellence. Every School. Every Student. Every Day.” If you would like additional information, please contact Diane Schimelpfenig, Director of Teaching and Learning, at 952-988-4037 or Diane.Schimelpfenig@HopkinsSchools.org. Until then, best wishes for a happy spring! Sincerely, John W. Schultz, Ph.D. Superintendent
SBE certification students Isaac Fisher (left) and Wyatt Mekler
The School-Based Enterprises (SBE) at Hopkins High School (Royal Corner/Spirit Shop) were among 166 school-based enterprises in the United States achieving Gold Level Certification this year and will be recognized at DECA’s International Career Development Conference in Anaheim, California this coming April. The students who worked on the certification were Isaac Fisher and Wyatt Mekler, with the assistance of their advisor, Jesse Theirl. School-based enterprises are effective educational tools in helping to prepare students for the transition from school to work or college. For many students, they provide the first work experience, or an opportunity to build management, supervision, and leadership skills. “Working on this project helped me gain insight on the small business world,” said Mekler. “I enjoyed working on something to satisfy the customer and working with social networking. This is the best project I have ever done.”