Welcome back! Regardless of how you spent spring break, I hope you enjoyed the week and are ready for the final stretch. As all of our spring activities and athletics get underway, time will undoubtedly fly by. As you get back into the school routine, I wanted to remind you of a few upcoming events and provide a few updates.
Legislation Session: There have been a flurry of bills introduced this session. I didn’t think we could possibly have more activity than last year, but the session is on par to surpass the actions of the 2023 session. The Hastings School Board has adopted the legislative priorities of the district, which I have included for you:
Hastings School District 2024 Legislative Priorities
To continue our ability to provide high quality learning environments that maximize every student’s potential, Hastings School District has established the following priorities for the 2024 legislative session:
•Continue to hold harmless on Compensatory Education funding
•Fully fund unemployment and Earned Sick and Safe Time (ESST)
•Fully Fund the READ Act
•Reduce or close cross-subsidies for Special Education and English Language programs
•No unfunded mandates and honor local control and managerial rights
•Repeal the requirement for boards to negotiate e-learning days and class size
•Increase student-centered learning opportunities by creating alternative pathways to graduation and allowing students to earn credit for learning wherever it occurs
In the upcoming Raider Newsletter, I will provide additional context for these priorities.
READ ACT - The MN READ ACT - One of the outcomes of the 2023 session was the historic literacy language. Since then, Hastings developed a very intentional plan and process to ensure that our staff have the required professional development and approved curriculum materials for the 2024-2025 school year. After receiving feedback from our staff, curriculum committee and families, the board will receive the final recommendation at the regular March board meeting. If you have any questions regarding the READ ACT or the action plan for Hastings, please don’t hesitate to reach out.
Coffee and Conversation - Wednesday, March 20th - HS Lecture Hall at 6 p.m.
I’ve been including the upcoming conversation opportunity for several weeks and this Is the week. As a reminder, the Hastings School Board recently created a community collaboration committee. The goal of the committee is to engage with the community. This first event will kick off with an update of current events and initiatives followed by an opportunity to engage with the superintendent and school board members. The goal of the committee is to offer quarterly opportunities.
Calendar Updates and Reminders: With 55 instruction days remaining in the school year, our time is going to go fast. Please review the district calendar and the event calendar (on district website) to make sure you don’t miss any events. As you know, spring gets incredibly busy, especially for our families with seniors.
