Hello Echo Park community,

It is hard to believe that we are at the midpoint of summer! At Echo Park we have been busy on many different fronts--from preparations for the fall to hiring new staff, there has been plenty happening.

First, as many of you are probably aware, school districts have been tasked with preparing for three learning options--full in-person, a hybrid model, and full distance learning. This week, we will be receiving guidance from the governor and state regarding fall planning. Last week, focus groups of stakeholders that included parents, teachers, other school staff, and students provided input regarding the three learning options. That input will be used for continued planning and the feedback was greatly appreciated. Thank you to the many who indicated interest in the focus groups based on the June district survey. Echo Park focus group participants were randomly selected and provided constructive and valued input. If you were not selected, thank you for your interest and know that you can reach out to me anytime via email or phone as your partner in education.

On a different note, we have hired outstanding staff members across our school for the upcoming school year. In this Penguin Post I am going to highlight our Assistant Administrator hire and our general education classroom hires. We are thrilled to have them join our strong Echo Park community!

In partnership,

Logan Schultz

Paul Collier comes to us from Minneapolis Public Schools where he has been the lead Social Worker at Bethune Community School since 2014. He is a recent graduate of the Mankato State Educational Specialist program with a K-12 Principal Licensure.

In addition to putting his school’s students and families first, he is also proud of his growing family. Paul and his family recently moved to Lakeville from south Minneapolis. He is married to Amanda, who is a school social worker for MPS school district. They currently have twin four year olds, Lauren and Preston and just welcomed a new daughter, Ocean, at the end of June.

Welcome to the 196 community, Paul!

Michelle Young will be joining the 5th-grade team at Echo Park this Fall. This marks her 5th year of teaching, two of which were also in 5th-grade classrooms. She loves spending summertime out on the lake with friends and family, taking her dog out for daily runs, and trying to redeem herself on the basketball court as a former Division I player. She is looking forward to becoming a part of the Echo Park family!

Qorsho Hassan is a bilingual educator, researcher, and community organizer. She was a fifth grade teacher at ISD 191 (Burnsville - Eagan - Savage) for the past three years and has taught in Ohio, Malaysia, and Kenya. She is also the artist and co-author behind the exhibit and book “Urur Dhex-Dhexaad Ah: Community In-Between,” which presents color portraits, first-person video stories, and written narratives of Somali-Americans from Columbus, Ohio. Please give a warm welcome to Qorsho!

Ashley is so excited to be joining the Echo Park community as a 4th grade teacher! She has been teaching in Madison, WI for the past three years, and looks forward to returning to her home state of MN. She loves being outside and finds running to be her peaceful meditation. She also enjoys reading, playing board games, and trying new restaurants. Ashley's daughter Everly (soon to be one year old!) keeps her very busy and brings joy. She looks forward to learning and growing with our Echo Park community! Welcome, Ashley!

Lexie Wills is excited to join Echo Park's third grade team. She is in her eighth year of teaching and has worked in many positions across multiple school districts, most recently in district 191. She enjoys musicals, like Wicked and her favorite color is Emerald Green. Please join me in welcoming Ms. Wills to Echo Park!

Camp Propel has begun! If you have a student in Camp Propel and have not yet picked up your iPad or have questions regarding Camp Propel, contact Nick Gorman (Camp Propel Coordinator) at Nick.Gorman@district196.org to schedule a pickup time or to have your questions answered.

As the calendar nears the end of July and flips to August be on the lookout for increased communication regarding fall learning and other important messages. Also, head to our school or district websites for up to date information.