Waite Park Community School

Minneapolis Public Schools will move to an inclement weather e-learning day tomorrow, Monday, Jan. 10, based on the extreme windchill forecast at 6:30 a.m. and reduced capacity to safely transport students given the weather conditions and increased COVID-19 cases reported over the weekend.

Students should remain at home tomorrow and follow instructions from their schools and teachers to complete e-learning activities. District and school buildings will be closed to the public.

Minneapolis Kids sites will also be closed and all Minneapolis Community Education evening classes, athletic and school-sponsored activities are canceled.

“Temperatures for Monday are projected to be colder than they were last Thursday and Friday,” explained MPS Superintendent Ed Graff. “We were able to make it work last week. But with the increased limitations on our transportation department as a result of COVID-19 infections reported over the weekend, we decided that bus transportation tomorrow just poses too great a safety risk to our students.”

Learn more about winter weather guidelines at www.mpls.k12.mn.us/school_closing. For a list of food resources when our school buildings are closed, visit the City of Minneapolis website.

Winter Break - NO SCHOOL
December 18 to January 2nd

REMINDER: School Picture RETAKES will take place on WEDNESDAY, December 8th.

➽ Holiday Food and Toy Resources Wondering about options for Holiday resources? Check out our resource list! If you have any questions, please contact Kelly Watson-Ostroot, School Social Worker, at 612-668-1600, or [email protected].

HOLIDAY Resources 2021 Holiday Food and Toy Resources November and December - 2021 I.THANKSGIVING FOOD/MEALS THANKSGIVING MEAL FOR FAMILIES Marie Sandvik Center Address: 1112 East Franklin Avenue Minneapolis, MN 55404 Thanksgiving meal - Served Thursday, Nov 25th 11:00-1:00 UNITED WAY 2-1-1 United Way re...

There will be NO SCHOOL from Wednesday to Friday, November 24th-26th, due to Thanksgiving. We wish you a wonderful and restful break.

A 5-alarm flag tangle requires Minneapolis' finest! Thank you, Minneapolis Fire Department, for your assistance.

Soooooo MANY opportunities for COVID vaccines this coming weekend! Check out our list:

COVID Vaccine Clinics (November 19-22) COVID Vaccine Clinics (November 19-22) ➽ Marcy School for the Arts Vaccine Clinic Marcy School for the Arts has invited Waite Park families to their COVID vaccine clinic(kids aged 5-11) on Friday, November 19th from 4pm - 8:30 pm. Click HERE for more information. ➽ MPS Davis Center Vaccin...

This week (November 15-19) we will celebrate, recognize and raise awareness of American Indian people and culture. We invite students, families, staff and the larger community to participate with us.

ORANGE SHIRT DAY --Thursday, September 30th --MPS American Indian Education Invites you to Wear an Orange Shirt with us on September 30th!

Orange Shirt Day is a day to honor and remember Indigenous children who were sent away to boarding schools. This date falls during the time of year when Indigenous children were taken away to boarding school.

Boarding schools were government and church run schools where approximately 85% of Indigenous children were sent between the 1850s through the 1990s. The schools harmed Indigenous children by removing them from their families, forcing them to speak English instead of their ancestral languages, disconnecting them from their culture and traditions and forcing them to adopt
Christianity in order to assimilate into American society.

The “orange shirt” in Orange Shirt Day refers to the new shirt that Phyllis Webstad was given to her by her grandmother for her first day of school at St. Joseph’s Mission residential school in British Columbia, Canada. When Phyllis got to school, they took away her clothes, including her new shirt. It was never returned. To Phyllis, the colour orange has always reminded her of her experiences at residential school and, as she has said, “how my feelings didn’t matter, how no one
cared and I felt like I was worth nothing. All of us little children were crying and no one cared.”

Phyllis Webstad’s message has since travelled throughout Canada and the United States. Orange Shirt Day was founded with Phyllis Webstad’s message that every child matters!

Check out our newly-launched school website! Watch our website for details on the upcoming school year!

Home - MPS_CMF To maintain social distance, we will be assigning each family a specific time to attend based on last name. Please watch for more info to come home soon.

It's that time of the year again! The 2021-22 School Supply List is now available. We can't wait to see you in September!

2021-22 School Supply List WAITE PARK COMMUNITY SCHOOL SUPPLY LIST 2021-2022 Bringing school supplies is encouraged and appreciated, but not mandatory. HIGH FIVE 1 backpack – big enough to hold a folder 1 pair of tennis shoes for gym class - Velcro if your child can’t tie 1 change of clothes (shirt, long pants, under...

It's not too late to participate!

Summer Scholars is still accepting new students. Sign up your child today and get them involved in fun, engaging activities for the rest of the summer! https://summerschool.mpls.k12.mn.us/

The Waite Park Weekly Update for Friday, June 11, 2021, the LAST DAY OF PANDEMIC SCHOOL YEAR, is now available.

Have an amazing summer!

June 11, 2021 Weekly Update June 11, 2021 Quick Links Dates to Know: Monday, June 21 - First Day of MPS Summer School Thursday, September 02 - Waite Park Open House Wednesday, September 08 - First Day of School: grades 1-12 Friday, September 10 - First Day of School: High-5 and Kindergarten Principa...

The Waite Park Weekly Update for Friday, June 04, 2021 is now available.

June 4, 2021 Weekly Update June 04, 2021 Quick Links Weekly Happenings Monday, June 07 Tuesday, June 08 Wednesday, June 09 Thursday, June 10 -Field Day -PTA Meeting: 6:30pm Friday, June 11 - Last Day of School for all students -5th Grade Presentations -5th Grade Ceremony: 11:00am -DL student drop-off/pickup: ...

The Waite Park Weekly Update for Friday, May 28, 2021 is now available:

May 28, 2021 Weekly Update May 28, 2021 Quick Links Weekly Happenings Monday, May 31 -NO SCHOOL: Memorial Day Holiday Tuesday, June 01 Wednesday, June 02 Thursday, June 03 Friday, June 04 -Flexible Learning for DL students Upcoming Dates June 10 - Field Day June 11 - Last Day of School & 5th...

The Waite Park Weekly Update for Friday, May 21, 2021 is now available:

May 21, 2021 Weekly Update May 21, 2021 Quick Links Weekly Happenings Monday, May 24 -New Specialist Rotation Tuesday, May 25 Wednesday, May 26 Thursday, May 27 Friday, May 28 -Flexible Learning for DL students Principal's Corner Happy Friday Wildcats! I would like to commend our students for the great job ...

The Waite Park Weekly Update for Friday, May 14, 2021 is now available!

May 14, 2021 Weekly Update Weekly Happenings Monday, May 17 -Dine Out for Schools Tuesday, May 18 Wednesday, May 19 Thursday, May 20 Friday, May 21 -Flexible Learning for DL students ________________________________________ Principal's Corner Happy Friday Wildcats! As always please reach out to me if you have any questi...

Tonight at 6:30!

The Weekly Update for Friday, May 07, 2021 is now available:

Weekly Update May 07, 2021

The Waite Park Weekly Update for Friday, April 30, 2021 is now available and contains important information regarding Picture Day and Testing.

Weekly Update April 30, 2021

The Waite Park Weekly Update for Friday, April 23, 2021 is now available:

Weekly Update April 23, 2021

The Weekly Update for Friday, April 16, 2021 is now available and contains important information for our in-person learning families for next week:

Weekly Update April 16, 2021

Our community is moving through an extraordinarily challenging time as we react to the killing of former MPS student Daunte Wright by a Brooklyn Center police officer, just as testimony in the trial of former officer Derek Chauvin in the death of George Floyd concludes and the case goes to the jury.

We anticipate that a verdict in the Chauvin case could impact in-person learning in Minneapolis Public Schools. In order to give families as much time as possible to plan for changes in their daily routine we want to share the following information, which is also available at https://b2s.mpls.k12.mn.us.

In-person learning next week will be impacted by the trial

The Derek Chauvin jury will begin deliberation Monday, the same time that MPS middle grades are making in-person learning available for the first time in more than a year.

After speaking with Hennepin County sources, we believe we can best serve students and staff through changing the learning format next week:

• On Monday and Tuesday (April 19-20), in-person learning will continue for all grades with corresponding transportation to and from school. Sixth graders in most schools will be welcomed on Monday, and grades 7 and 8 in most will follow on Tuesday. A few schools in hybrid learning with start dates scheduled later in the week will provide updated start dates for their students. Please check with your school with any questions. Families who believe a different choice makes sense for their child are welcome to make that decision using your school’s approved absence process.

• From Wednesday through Friday next week (April 21-23), all in-person learning students in all grades will return home for distance learning. Students will not be required to leave their homes to attend school for the remainder of the week, though school buildings will be open. Over these three days, no athletic events or Minneapolis Kids before- and after-school childcare will be held. Meal box pick-ups will continue as currently available.

Students may be impacted by ongoing public protests

Peaceful protests are one of the foundations of our democracy. Some students may feel called to participate in collective actions being organized around the city, but MPS also recognizes our primary need and your primary desire to keep students safe. We cannot deny the fact that people with ill intentions sometimes take advantage of communities in crisis.

Leaving the school campus should be a family and caregiver decision done while carefully weighing the potential dangers and concerns in the broader community. Please read more at emss.mpls.k12.mn.us as you consider your decision to allow your student to participate in public gatherings and how it can impact your child, their education and their safety.

Race may be a topic of conversation in your child’s classroom

The racism and violence that has been highlighted in these tragic incidents may be widely discussed among some students in our schools. As appropriate and as they are comfortable, teachers will give students the opportunity to process their feelings, how this feels to them personally and how they are impacted by having the eyes of the world on Minneapolis. Understanding that every educator will approach this differently, MPS has provided all educators with resources that are appropriate both to the age of the students being taught and the background and experience of the educator.

These plans are made based on what we know today. Should trial activities change, we will reevaluate, adjust plans and let families and students know as soon as possible.

If you have additional questions about school for your student next week, please see your school principal. Thank you for your flexibility and for helping us put our students first.