I AM 742: Myrna Taylor
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 Thank You Volunteers!
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It is National Volunteer Week and I have to shout out our THANKS to all 1,200 volunteers who take time out of their busy schedules every week to support District 742 students. Parents, retired teachers, principals and staff, community members—each and every one of these dedicated people ascribe to the “it takes a village” philosophy that helps pave the way to success for all our kids. Whether a member of PTA, a field trip host, tutor, coach or mentor, every volunteer makes a significant impact. 1,200 is a considerable workforce! I cannot imagine how we would go about our daily business of school without their contributions.
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Whether these volunteers realize it or not, they carry out the core of our district’s mission statement with every hour they donate to our schools by preparing, engaging, educating, empowering and inspiring all learners to be successful in today’s and tomorrow’s society. They embody the community engagement we so desire, admire and appreciate.
Join me in extending a personal thank you to every single volunteer in our school district. They deserve our highest praise.
Superintendent Jett
Learn how to become a volunteer with your school.
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 Top 7 Tips for Testing
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It’s that time of year. The academic year is winding down and teachers are prepping their students for testing whether it is standardized tests, finals or college prep. To further prepare, the learning and teaching department of St. Cloud Area School District have put together some helpful tips for parents and students.
- Share enthusiasm for reading, solving puzzles and discovery with your children. Make prep time fun! Get out a puzzle, find word riddles online and do them together. Make teams and games and have it be a friendly family competition. Try taking turns reading books.
- Provide students with a quiet study area. Designating a specific quiet area for a child to study allows him or her to concentrate and focus.
- Encourage good study habits, setting aside a time every day for reading and homework. Routine, routine, routine! Setting aside a specific time every day sets expectations for students and gives them the opportunity to plan their downtime around it.
- Talk to teachers and the principal if you have concerns about your child’s progress. Teachers are a significant resource for parents. Teachers are able to provide insights on study habits, behavior patterns and engagement.
- Give students the opportunity to become familiar with the format of the test. Often times standardized tests will have sample tests online. An example: the Minnesota Comprehensive Assessment (MCA) samplers can be found at PearsonAccess.
- Encourage students to answer all test questions. Talk to students about the importance of trying to answer a question and not just skipping over a question. They may just get it right!
- Have students get a good night’s sleep and eat a nutritious, protein-filled breakfast before taking a test. Rest and nutrition are a big part of the brain’s capability to be focused, sharp and alert!
With testing season, there can be a heightened sense of stress for many students and their parents. Worries about scores and performance can take their toll. You may not be able to erase the anxiety of testing season, but with these seven tips you may be able to ease stress and anxiety and help them shine instead.
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 Join Us at a Kindergarten Open House
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 Summer Enrichment Opportunities
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Summer community education classes are now available! Enroll online today!
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 Interested in Making a Difference?
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There are over 350 paraprofessionals in District 742 working hard every day to make sure children have the education they need to succeed in school and life. Paraprofessionals are individuals who work in a variety of positions in our schools. Their roles include but are not limited to, instructional assistants, Title I paraprofessionals, pupil support assistants, special education paraprofessionals, job coaches, lunchroom and playground assistants, hall monitors, media center assistants and health office assistants.
Paraprofessionals are the heart and hands of our schools.
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 I AM 742: Grace Weitz
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Some things are serendipitous. The same can be said for Grace Weitz, an instructional paraprofessional at North Junior High School, when she was looking for a new job. She’d already been in several industries, but none of them really spoke to her. On a whim, she decided to attend one of St. Cloud Area School District’s job fairs at North Junior High School. She had experience in several fields, and the school was within walking distance of her home.
“I’d actually always wanted to be a custodian,” says Weitz. “At the time I was a cook at a daycare. I went with the hope of getting either a custodianship for any building… [or] food service. While I was there, I saw Kris Pitt (licensed supervisor of special education), who I’ve known since elementary school. She did EBD (emotional and behavior disorder) when I was in elementary.”
Pitt encouraged Weitz to try for the SPED (Special Education) team. When Weitz was applying for other positions, Pitt thought to herself, “Are you kidding? She needs to join our team!”
Pitt has always believed that Grace has always been wise beyond her years. She’s “always been wise, empathetic and bright.”
Weitz had never done anything like a paraprofessional before, but she learned from Pitt what SPED was about and the process to get qualified. After taking the exam, applying for a position and interviewing, she was hired.
After looking at options, Weitz chose to work at North.
“It was just my dream location, but with a totally new professional direction,” explains Weitz. “I’ve done a lot of different jobs … with kids. I was going out on a limb with trying something new.”
Within a couple of weeks, Weitz loved the work and felt she was really good at the job.
“I was really starting to develop a lot of confidence and I wanted to do what my bosses do,” shares Weitz. “I had a moment when I just thought, ‘You know, if my bosses went to school and got their license and certification and this is their job, I can do that.’ So, this past fall, I went back to school and now I’m in school to get my SPED license and become a special ed teacher.”
It was a life-changing realization. Continue reading.
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