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In today's edition of District News:
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Good Afternoon Roseville Area Schools Families and Staff,
Welcome to the new year! I hope that you had an opportunity to relax with loved ones in your household and safely celebrate the season. As we turn our attention to 2022, we remain focused on the health and wellness of our students, staff and entire community.
The most important way that we can all keep each other safe and healthy is to stay home when feeling sick, get tested regularly for COVID-19, and get a vaccination and booster shot as soon as they are available to you. Please make sure to read the COVID-19 Updates section below for the latest information about accessing COVID-19 vaccines and resources for getting tested. We intend to remain in-person for learning, and we will need everyone to be diligent about watching for symptoms and testing regularly in order to accomplish this.
Again, welcome back and let’s do our best to meet the challenges ahead!
Jenny Loeck, Ed.D
Superintendent
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Updated CDC Guidance
In late December, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced that it is updating its guidance on isolation and quarantine for the general public to include criteria for when shortened time periods can be applied for how long people should stay home if they test positive (isolation) or are in close contact with someone who has COVID-19 (quarantine).
The Minnesota Department of Health has not received detailed guidance from CDC yet, and has informed Minnesota schools to stand by for further guidance on how the CDC's announcement will apply to certain settings, including schools. We will inform families of any changes to our isolation practices as soon as we are able to.
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COVID-19 Testing Opportunities
The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) recommends getting tested even if you have only one of the many symptoms associated with COVID-19. COVID-19 testing is critical to slowing the spread of COVID-19 variants, including the delta and omicron variants.
- Learn more about testing and find a testing site near you.
- Symptoms of COVID-19 include new and worsening cough, fever of 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit or higher (38 degrees Celsius or higher), difficulty breathing, new loss of taste or smell, sore throat, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, chills, muscle pain, excessive fatigue, new or severe headache, new onset of congestion or runny nose.
- Again, if you have even one of these symptoms, stay home and take a COVID-19 test.
- Families can access one free BinaxNOW COVID-19 test kit per student from their school health office to use at home. Contact your school's health office for additional information about these tests.
- Frequent COVID-19 screening helps to find anyone who may have “asymptomatic COVID,” meaning they test positive but do not show any symptoms. Consider testing once a week instead of just testing when you get an exposure or close contact letter.
Students or staff with symptoms may be referred to a local vendor, Total Compliance Solutions, for a rapid-PCR COVID-19 test. Contact your school's health office for additional information.
After Testing
Please call the health office to report the test results. Typically, students are welcome to return to school the day after their negative test if they are feeling better.
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Vaccines Available Now for Ages 5 and Up, COVID-19 Boosters Coming for Ages 12-15
Vaccines are the strongest tool we have to prevent serious disease and death from COVID-19. Vaccines are now available for Minnesotans ages 5 and older at no cost.
- Use the state’s Vaccine Locator Map to find a vaccine provider near you.
- Check for vaccine appointments at vaccines.gov, where you can search for appointments by vaccine type (e.g., Pfizer).
- Contact your primary health care provider or a local pharmacy.
- Walk in to or make an appointment at one of Minnesota’s COVID-19 Community Vaccination sites.
- Minnesota Department of Health COVID-19 Public Hotline: 1-833-431-2053, Monday - Friday, 9 a.m. – 7 p.m. & Saturday, 10 a.m. - 6 p.m.
The Minnesota Department of Health has informed us that they expect the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) to authorize Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine boosters to children 12 to 15 this week. Stay tuned for more information.
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Watch for Weekly General COVID-19 Notifications
Due to the amount of community spread of COVID-19, schools may begin sending general notifications of COVID-19 at school weekly in their regular Thursday communication to families. Please visit our COVID-19 Dashboard for the latest data about COVD-19 spread in our community, including information about schools with five or more confirmed cases of COVID-19 in students or staff who were in the building while infectious during a two-week reporting period.
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| News and Views From Around the District
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Encouraging Students to Apply for "Social Justice Through the Humanities" Mini-Grants
Does your student have a great idea for a project that celebrates culture, community and social justice? Encourage them to apply by January 15 for the second round of grant opportunities.
Roseville Area Schools is partnering with the Minnesota Youth Council, Minnesota Alliance With Youth, Youth Service America, and the Minnesota Humanities Center to offer young people the opportunity to showcase their ongoing youth-led advocacy and organizing efforts centering on the humanities. these grants seek to expand youth leadership on issues of social and racial justice and amplify youth-led solutions. The service grant offers young people in the state of Minnesota the opportunity to showcase their ongoing youth-led advocacy and organizing efforts centering on the humanities.
Grants will be awarded in amounts ranging from $50 - $350 to implement youth-led projects that address some of the most critical issues facing our young people and leverage the humanities to spark change in communities. Special consideration may be given to classrooms or communities working on larger or long-term projects for requests in the range of $500 - $1000.
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Get Your Tickets to See Tonic Sol-Fa Live in Concert
Roseville Area Schools Community Education is hosting Tonic Sol-fa live in concert on February 11 at the new John J. Thein Performing Arts Center at Roseville Area High School.
Tonic Sol-fa has established itself not only as the most in-demand vocal group in the Midwest but also one of the most successful independent acts in America. In addition to substantial album sales of its own independent releases (two million copies sold), the group has toured extensively throughout the US and abroad, building their fan base with a steady list of festivals and private shows that eventually led to numerous sold-out tours of theaters and small arenas.
Tonic Sol-fa began at St. John’s University in Central Minnesota and includes lead vocalist Shaun Johnson, tenor and vocal percussionist, Greg Bannwarth, baritone and percussionist/vocal percussionist, Theo Brown, and bass, Jared Dove. Together the group reached national prominence with appearances on NBC’s Today Show and in Newsweek magazine. Along the way, they shared the stage with a number of recognizable performers including Jay Leno, Jeff Foxworthy and Weird Al Yankovic, and were recently inducted in the Minnesota Music Hall of Fame alongside Prince.
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Little Canada Elementary staff were dressed up and ready for Character Day and Bear Pride Bingo just before winter break.
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Students in Ms. Diffley’s kindergarten class and Mrs. Anderson’s 2nd graders at Brimhall Elementary enjoyed new picture books.
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Parkview Center School fourth-graders participated in a recent service-learning project, making and donating more than 100 hats to the American Legion, to be distributed to people in need right here in Roseville. Great work, students!
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Applications for Educational Benefits
Has your family completed this year’s application? Families must fill it out each school year to receive benefits and for the schools and district to receive crucial revenue to support student learning. This is the last call to complete before year-end to ensure Roseville Area Schools receives the needed compensatory revenue.
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