OWL Weekly Email
October 26, 2026
In an effort to increase communication with our students and families, we send a weekly email on Sunday evenings or Monday mornings highlighting upcoming school events. This information will also be shared with students in Schoology and in Crew on Mondays. Events are listed in chronological order.
Seeking meal donations for the teacher potluck buffet during Fall Student-Led Conferences: OWL families will be providing a potluck buffet for the teachers in the afternoon and evening of Wed. Nov, 18 2026 during Student-Led Conferences. Please show your support by signing up to bring a food item or two to donate to the meal. Click Here for the SignUp Genius link.
PTO Volunteer Coordinator Opportunities: Family members can CLICK HERE to volunteer to organize PTO activities this school year. Lots of fun ways to get involved!
Monday is survey day in Crew: Today's survey is the super important school climate survey. This is required from ALL students! If you have not completed it already, please take a few minutes to do so now.
Dia de los Muertos Celebration at OWL is Thursday, October 29 at 6 PM: Come celebrate Latinx culture at OWL with this family friendly event with lots of fun and great food. Contact: Tim timothy.leone-getten@spps.org
No Afterschool Flipside/EDL classes or activities on Tuesday, November 3: Election Day
Picture Re-Take Day is Wednesday, November 4 from 8:30-10:30 AM: If you did not get your picture taken in September or would like a retake, this is your chance.
Order This Year's School Pictures
ENJOY 10% OFF YOUR ORDER
CODE: F2610OFF
EXPIRES JULY 31, 2027
Last day of Quarter 1 is Thursday, November 12: Be sure to get all your work completed and submitted!
No School on Friday, November 13: Staff Professional Development Day
SAVE THE DATE! The FALL PLAY will be a rendition of William Shakespeare's As You Like It! Mark your calendars for the performance dates on Thursday, December 10th and Friday, December 11th at 7pm in the OWL auditorium.
This month in Crew, students are exploring the OWL HOWL (habit of work and learning) of collaboration through games and discussions. Check out the October Crew slides and the October folder in your Schoology Advisory course to learn more.
Archery Open Shoots are on Tuesdays from 3-5 PM in the OWL Gym: Open Shoots are:
a. A “drop-in” style of archery practice for all levels (just show up!)
b. Run Tuesdays after school 3pm to 5pm (until 11/17, except for 11/3, see full calendar here)
c. Free, with all equipment provided
d. No commitment to the team is required
e. Busing is NOT available. All students need to make sure they have a ride home
Have questions? Please email all archery related inquires to openworldarchery@gmail.com
Weekly Athletic Update: Go HERE to learn about what is happening this week in sports
Sports Schedules: CLICK HERE for directions on how to find athletics schedules for Humboldt/OWL teams.
Middle School Sports Update:
*** Game schedules are subject to change. For an up-to-date schedule, please go to https://www.gobound.com/mn/districts/stpaulpubs
SPPS is using new sports platform this year. It is called BOUND
If you want to subscribe or get notifications, here is a document to help you get that set up
https://docs.google.com/document/d/14YpgVZ0e05JAxbl_hkkTUiO0DMgAjYArMHAUQBBk-z0/edit?tab=t.0
There is also a BOUND app you can download.
The middle school fall season ends on November 7, 2026.
Winter 1 season is Monday, November 9, 2026 - January 16, 2027
Girls Basketball, Co-Ed Wrestling
Winter 2 season is Monday, January 19, 2026 - March 13, 2027
Boys MS Basketball
Middle School Winter registration is open. Here are the directions on how to set up a BOUND family account and how to register your student for a sport. If you already set up an account, you only need to register your athlete for their sport.
Directions for setting up a family account in BOUND
Go to Saint Paul Public Schools Bound page at
https://www.gobound.com/mn/districts/stpaulpubs
Click "Registration" on the top of the page (do not use the "create account" button)
Create a family account
Once on family dashboard, click "Add Your First Child"
Enter student information and click next
Search for and click on the "Open World Learning" organization and click next
Most students have been entered into the database, so they should show up on the site next page, click on them to confirm that it's your student and click next. Confirm addition of student to your family
Click on "Register for Activity" under student's name on family dashboard
Make sure "2026-2027" school year is selected
Select the activity you would like to register for and complete the registration processes
When registering, it may ask you to upload a physical. If your student already has a physical on file, you can skip this step.
If it doesn't let you continue without uploading a file, please just upload a blank document. We are trying to fix that so it is not a required step.
If your student does NOT have a sports physical, you can also upload a blank document to get the student registered but they will not be able to begin until we have a sports physical on file.
Middle School Sports Expectations: HERE
If you have questions or need assistance setting up an account or registering a student, please contact Barbara Lawrence, Middle School Athletic Director, at Barbara.Lawrence@spps.org
Host a Foreign Exchange Student: If your family is interested in hosting an exchange student for the second semester starting in January, please contact Tim at timothy.leone-getten@spps.org for more information.
OWL has a trip to Peru planned for April 1st-9th, 2027 and because they have made a bigger bus available we have 3 spots we can fill: This itinerary is 6-12 friendly, and parents/grandparents/siblings are welcome. Explore breathtaking sites like Machu Picchu, immerse yourself in rich Incan history and culture, and create memories that will last a lifetime — all with the support of a dedicated tour team every step of the way. For full itinerary details, pricing, and to enroll, visit our tour website: https://www.eftours.com/tour-website/2840131HK. Questions? Reach out to Tom Totushek at tom.totushek@stpaul.k12.mn.us. Can't make it for this trip? We are already looking at Spring Break 2029, stay tuned for more information!
OWL Crew Parliament and Better Crew Bureau: Each Crew may send up to 2 representatives to join the OWL Crew Parliament Club, where students learn to lead Crew and influence schoolwide Crew plans and policies. Better Crew Bureau (BCB) is the OWL think tank devoted to making Crew more welcoming and inclusive for all students. If you want to join OWL Crew Parliament or BCB, select one of the clubs on your club registration survey in October. Reach out to Connie (cvangenderen001@stpaul.k12.mn.us) and Megan (megan.hall@spps.org) with questions.
AVID Schoolwide: This month, OWL teachers are working on guided reading strategies for deeper understanding of texts in all subjects. Happy reading!
Update on Technology Use from Principal Dave:
I am writing today with an update on technology use at our school. Saint Paul Public Schools is responding to family and staff feedback about screen time, social-emotional effects of technology, and the continued need for hands-on learning. There are many new and continuing technology safeguards in place for students in the 2026-27 school year. More information is available at spps.org/digital-support.
Here is a list of ways we are keeping our secondary students safe and engaged.
• Secondary access to YouTube access will be reviewed later this fall in collaboration with teachers and administrators.
• Students carry iPads from class to class and bring home to do homework.
• Google Gemini and other Artificial Intelligence is disabled in grades 6-8.
• Digital Citizenship is a requirement for Saint Paul Public Schools. All students PreK-12 complete Digital Citizenship, Online Safety / Privacy, Online Behavior and Cyberbullying lessons in class each fall. Teachers review lessons with students periodically throughout the year.
Additional student iPad security and restrictions are being enabled to keep students safe and focused. Among these changes:
• No mass e-mailing. There is a 35 recipient maximum for emails on student Gmail accounts.
• Students are unable to sign into their personal Google Account.
• Artificial Intelligence (AI) Google search results have been limited and reduced from student access.
What you can do at home:
Families can use the free Securly app to manage your student's school iPad when it is at home. You can pause internet access, block specific websites or schedule offline time. In the Securly app, enter your Campus Parent email then tap “get instant access” to set up your account.
Families can also use iPad “Screentime Reports” (inside the Settings App) for similar controls and usage information.
Please reach out to me directly with any concerns about iPad or technology use.
Application for Educational Benefits (Very Important to Complete!): While all in-person students will receive free breakfast and lunch under Minnesota’s Free School Meals program, it remains critical that all families complete an Application for Educational Benefits each school year. Educational Benefit Form These applications determine how much funding your child’s school receives for educational programs and supports. Additionally, eligible families can qualify for other benefits. The application can be completed online at schoolcafe.com/spps. Paper applications are available at school. We need 100% of OWL families to complete this form, even if you do not believe you will receive benefits. We have achieved 100% completion on this for the last five years at OWL.
One proven way to live a happy life is to express gratitude. Is there a staff member at OWL that has done something you are grateful for? Shoot them an email! An alternative and way has been made available by filling out this link. (This form requires an email but is sent anonymously.)
Important Reminder about Attendance:
If your child is going to miss school, please call, email owlattendance@spps.org or write a note to explain the reason for the absence. If we do not hear from you, the absence is documented as unexcused. After 3 days of unexcused absences, you will receive a letter from the school reminding you to please communicate with us so the absence(s) may be documented accurately. If your child continues to miss school, unexcused, he/she will be referred to the SAM (School Attendance Matters) Program for intervention.
The following reasons for absence qualify as an excused absence; illness, doctor, dental or therapy appointment (please be sure to obtain a note to give to the school), extreme family emergency or religious holiday not already recognized by our school district. When a student misses 3 or more class periods in one day, this is considered to be a full day of absence. Please call us if you have any questions/concerns.
HERE IS GUIDANCE on when to send your child to school and when to stay home.
Community Announcements:
Right Track/SPPS spring internship program and the 3M STEP program: The application, which is the same for both, is open now through October 31st.
Here is a slideshow for Spring Internships: Grades 9-12
link to district-wide career pathway website for spring internships
Spring internship blurb for a school newsletter
Here is a slideshow for 3M STEP Internship (summer opportunity): Grade 11 only!
For more information: Contact Anna Parvi anna.parvi@spps.org
Minnesota Toy Library: Do you need service hours for school? Volunteer at the Minnesota Toy Library. More information HERE.
2026 Girlhood Summit: Community Starts with Us: Hosted by the Anne Bancroft Foundation, this wonderful event is November 7 from 9:15 am to 3:30 pm at St. Paul College. More information HERE.
The University of Minnesota Math Center for Educational Programs is getting ready for our Saturday Morning Math enrichment courses starting this November: This program for 5th-7th grade students lets math loving students learn and explore mathematics through games, crafts, and fun! We are offering courses this year on voting theory, origami, game strategy, and more. Each class encourages students to explore advanced mathematics and its scientific applications from a different perspective. It's a great way to keep excited young mathematicians engaged and spark a love of math in curious students. A complete list of this year's session dates and topics can be found on our Saturday Morning Math page.
University of Minnesota Talented Youth Mathematics Program: Registration for the entrance exam is now open! UMTYMP is our five year program where students can complete the high school curriculum and take advanced college mathematics courses at the University. I will be sending out entrance exam reminders at the beginning of the calendar year. This year we are providing online information sessions in December and January. You can RSVP here to receive the meeting link. More information is available on our website. Questions to Max Manzo mathcep@umn.edu