As elected representatives on the Austin School Board, members make decisions about the District's policies, programs, people, and infrastructure. To provide the greatest possible education for all of our students, they keep the best interests of our school district in mind.

At the January Organizational Meeting, the Board elected the following officers:

• Chair: Carolyn Dube
• Vice Chair: Kathy Green
• Clerk: Peggy Young
• Treasurer: Cece Kroc
• Director: Don Leathers
• Director: Carol McAlister
• Director: Evan Sorenson
• School Board Representatives: Anita Rao and Nawras Zaki

Learn more about the School Board here.

Sincerely,

Dr. Joey Page, Superintendent

Congratulations to Austin's Joee Winter, Chris Gogolewski, and Emily Hovland on being nominated for the 2023-2024 Southeast Service Cooperative STEM Forward Outstanding Educator Award.

"Being nominated for an award like this is an honor for our school and the STEM work and learning we all are embracing," says IJ Holton Intermediate School Project Lead the Way teacher Chris Gogolewski. "STEM allows students to think freely in their world and come to a learning that fits their personality as well as the world they know and live in."

STEM Forward is a collaborative group of southeast Minnesota K-12 school districts, post-secondary partners, and community businesses, IBM, Mayo Clinic, The Hormel Institute, and Workforce Development, Inc., who promote STEM excellence in our K-12 schools.

"STEM is the future in almost every career path a student will take after high school," says Austin High School Math and Computer Science teacher Joee Winter. "Learning STEM will allow [my students] to excel in any area they choose to focus on in the future."

The STEM Forward Outstanding Educator Award "recognizes K-12 professionals who strive toward the highest levels of excellence … with a focus on initiative and continuous improvement in every aspect of their work."

"I am incredibly fortunate to work with the students at Austin High School, and getting to see them grow and reach new goals is one of the best parts of my job," says Austin High School Packer Profile Coordinator Emily Hovland. "STEM education allows students to explore areas of interest, develop skills that will support them in their future endeavors, and allows them to engage in hands-on learning that is engaging and enriches their learning."

This year, nine Southeast Minnesota educators were nominated for the award.

The 2024 Outstanding Educator will be celebrated at the Annual STEM Forward Gathering on February 21, 2024. This event will also be live-streamed on Facebook via Southeast Service Cooperative.

Minnesota State Senator Gene Dornink stopped by Banfield Elementary School today as part of the Minnesota Elementary School Principals' Association's "Principal for a Day" event. Principal Henely took Senator Dornink on a school tour and answered questions to help "foster a collaborative environment where our shared commitment to education can be celebrated and further strengthened."

What's Happening: Information, applications, and updates on Health and Human Services like SNAP, Medical Insurance, WIC, and many more! Interpreters will be available.

Dates: January 23, February 27, March 26

Time: 4-7 pm

Location: Austin Public Library

Minnesota's Refugee Health Program partners with local health departments, health care providers, and community organizations to offer populations eligible for Office of Refugee Resettlement benefits a comprehensive health assessment, appropriate follow-up or referral, and community-based health education. These groups include:

• Refugees
• Asylees
• Special Immigrant Visa holders
• Certified Victims of Human Trafficking
• Some humanitarian parolee groups

If you are working with newcomer populations and would like additional guidance on whether they are eligible for a Refugee Health Assessment or have other health-related questions, please contact refugeehealth@state.mn.us. More information is available from the Minnesota Department of Health website at Minnesota's Refugee Health Program. Additional healthcare resources can be found at the Minnesota Community Health Centers.

As a reminder, questions about a parent or student's immigration status are unnecessary to establish whether a family is eligible for services.

Austin Public Schools is committed to providing its passengers with a safe and enjoyable ride. Please visit our transportation information site for any assistance you may need.

Please join us for this community learning event on February 1, 2024.

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• Have you talked to your children about alcohol use
• The 5 Ws of healthy hands can help you avoid germs, illnesses

In this week's Alumni Spotlight, we catch up with alumnus Bill Hart.

Are you an alumnus of Austin Public Schools? If so, we'd love to hear from you! We're excited to hear about your accomplishments and are eager to share your successes and advice with our current students, families, and the Austin community.

All you need to do is take a minute to answer a few quick questions at https://www.austin.k12.mn.us/alumni-spotlight.

Thanks, and we look forward to hearing all your wonderful stories!

At Austin Public Schools, our mission is to inspire, empower, and accelerate every one of our learners, and we know that the only way for us to reach this goal is through the efforts of all our incredibly hard-working staff.

In this week’s Staff Spotlight, we’re highlighting IJ Holton Intermediate School Art Teacher Kate Erickson.

"[Ms. Erickson] is a phenomenal art teacher who shares a vast wealth of knowledge and passion for her content. Her room is a welcoming environment full of creativity, and Austin is lucky to have have her!"

Congratulations!

If you’d like to nominate an outstanding Austin Public Schools staff member for our weekly Staff Spotlight, please take a moment to fill out the form at https://www.austin.k12.mn.us/district-resources/staff-spotlight. It only takes a minute and can truly make someone’s day. Thanks!

• Former Austin, Caledonia basketball coach reflects on a career that was fulfilling, challenging
• How to Sustain Your Empathy in Difficult Times
• Minnesota's push for free school meals proves popular, but costs are climbing

APS offers a wide range of student activities, including competitive athletics, intramurals, academic clubs, fine arts, and performing arts. View schedules and learn more here.

The school district strongly encourages anyone interested to apply to join our teams. Reasonable accommodations are available to access job openings or apply for a job. Click here to learn more.

You can review previous issues here.