ROBO CALL – APRIL 16, 2021

Good afternoon Armatage families,

My reason for communicating is to follow up on the email and robo call you received from the district today regarding moving to Distance Learning next Wednesday, April 21^st – Friday, April 23rd.

As our nation awaits the verdict in the Derek Chauvin trial, the district is preparing for disruptions that may include road closures that will make negotiating bus routes difficult. In addition, the funeral for former MPS student Daunte Wright will be held in Minneapolis next Thursday which may have an emotional impact on students and staff impacting district & school building operations.

The staff and I will be working on plans to make Distance Learning available to all students next Wednesday – Friday.  Teachers will communicate with you their plans for continuing your child’s education remotely during these three days.  We understand this will impact every Armatage family and will do everything we can to make the transition as easy as possible for your children.

Without a doubt, this is the most difficult time in education that I have experienced in may career.  Leading through the CDD, a pandemic, distance learning and the death of two African American gentleman in such a horrific manner is hard to comprehend.  But it is your children that constantly weighs on my mind.  I can not imagine how they are able to process all that is going on and make any sense of a world that for lack of a better word is not “normal.”  In the difficult days ahead, please take the time to have a developmentally appropriate conversation with your children submersed in reassurance, compassion and love.  As a former Armatage parent once said at a PTA meeting, “Be careful what you do and say, your children are watching.”

We will keep you apprised of any changes to the plan that may take place over the next few days.  Please check the district website for current updates.  As  Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. once said,

“Hatred paralyzes life; love releases it.

Hatred confuses life;

Love Harmonizes it.

Hatred darkens life;

Love illuminates it."

Have a great week-end. - Joan

All MCA testing has been cancelled from April 19 - 23.  Third grade mathematics testing has been tentatively moved to April 26 & April 27.  All other testing will stay at their scheduled times at this point.  If you have questions about our test schedule, please feel free to reference our link to the testing schedule below, or feel free to email Jasper (jasper.jonson@mpls.k12.mn.us)

LINK: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1QqLxDHxlWfItRgp1Q8GI9UyinY2QyRm0VZD28rWtQh4/edit?usp=sharing

Fundraising for Foster, our largest direct-to-school fundraiser of the year, will take place April 26-30. We need your help to make this fundraiser a success and support our school! 

Armatage students 5^th grader Tayehu Hanson  and 1^st grader Amankwa Sankofa have were selected as finalists for Minneapolis Community Education’s citywide K-12 virtual youth talent show: MCE’s Got Talent!

Please join us on March 24 from 6:00 - 8:00 pm for a virtual workshop on Microaggressions and Bias 101 facilitated by the YWCA Racial Justice and Public Policy Team.  

Registration for Minneapolis Community Education Spring virtual afterschool classes begins on Monday, February 22^nd at 12PM!

The spring session of Community Education classes will run from March 8^th through April 23^rd (no classes April 5-9 due to Spring Break).  Class options will be available Monday through Thursday and provided for students in K-5^th Grade.  Please click on the links below that correspond with the classes of your student’s grade level.  These classes are being provided to students across the city, so make sure to check everything out as there are many options available, including our Activity Kits for all ages!

Spring Registration Links:

Spring registration links open February 22^nd at 12PM!

K-5th Registration – contact Michelle.Rukavina@mpls.k12.mn.us with any questions