Obama Montessori Family Connect

Start of the Year

"Top 5"

Message From Principal Diemer

Greetings, Obama Families,

Wow! Time has gone by so fast since I last reached out with our back to school newsletter. If you missed that, or want to find it again, click here. Personally, I am very excited for this school year. It has been a breathe of fresh air to start the school year without the stress of also moving into a new school building! I am so excited to build upon what we learned last year, and continue to grow this year.

We hope to see many of you at our back to school event this coming Thursday, September 3rd, from 4:30-6:00p.m. Not only can you connect with our community and meet our amazing staff, it is also a chance for you to get any questions answered before the first day of school! We hope to see you there!

We are very excited to welcome you all back to Obama Montessori School!

See you soon,

Lizzy Diemer

Principal, Barack and Michelle Obama Montessori School

1. Open House & Garden Party

We would like to invite you and your family to come and meet your child's teacher on Thursday, September 3rd between 4:30-6:00 p.m. Teachers will be in their classrooms and would love for you and your child to stop by and say hello before the year begins. After visiting with your child's teacher, we will gather in the park as a community. More information to come from our Family Staff Organization (FSO). If you're interested in volunteering with the FSO for the Garden Party, you can sign up here.

If your child is going to be picked up and/or dropped off at school, please stop by our transportation table to make sure you get your child's pick up number for this school year! Some numbers will stay the same, and some will be changing!

2. Technology Updates

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 elementary students safe and engaged.

YouTube is blocked on student iPads in grades PreK-5. Students will still be able to view videos that teachers have embedded into Seesaw.
Google Gemini and other Artificial Intelligence websites are not available for all elementary students.
Gmail is disabled in grades PreK-3.
Elementary students’ iPads remain in the classroom and are only sent home in specific circumstances, such as e-learning days.
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 on their iPads.
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. Elementary families can speak to their student’s teacher for more information.

Please reach out with any concerns about iPad or technology use.

3. Language Sprout

Through our partnership with Language Sprout, Obama Montessori provides optional Spanish language instruction for students. We believe financial constraints should not prevent a child from participating; if you need payment adjustments or financial support, please connect directly with Language Sprout to explore available options.

Schedule: Monday/Wednesdays, 8:15 - 9:15 a.m
Program Dates: September 23 2026 - May 26, 2027
Cost: $1280

Register for Language Sprout

4. Family Handbook

The 2026-27 Obama Montessori Family Handbook is ready. Please review this important information and save it for future reference.

Obama Montessori Family Handbook

5. Bus Information

Families should have received an email with transportation information earlier this week. The email included where and when to get on and off the bus. Please arrive at the bus stop five minutes before the bus is scheduled to pick up your child. The Versatrans My Stop app provides live bus route tracking and approximate daily pickup times.

If your bus route information is incorrect or you no longer need a route, please email obamamontessori@spps.org to let us know.