August 15, 2007 Dear St. Louis Park Parents and Students, There's an excitement of "Back-to-School" in the air as we look forward to students returning for the new school year. School begins on Tuesday, September 4 for students in grades 1-12 and Thursday, September 6 for kindergartners. If you have not yet received back-to-school information from individual schools, watch for that in your mailbox in the next couple of weeks. Our district is on the brink of some fabulous and courageous changes that will benefit all of our kids! In the coming year, we will go further than ever before to determine what our families need and value. This year's major initiative will focus on equity and putting an end to the racial achievement gap in our schools. Work has already begun to lay the foundation for this plan that will ensure that all students have access to equal, high-quality educational opportunities. Watch for more information and ways to get involved in this exciting initiative as it unfolds! We can be proud of bringing the International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme (PYP) into our schools as an exciting option for students. As part of PYP, all St. Louis Park elementary schools will now offer Spanish language instruction this fall. In addition, a full-day, fee-based kindergarten option is now in place at Aquila and Peter Hobert schools. Our senior high was ranked number 386 among the nation's top 1,000 high schools this year by Newsweek magazine. All seven of St. Louis Park's schools also earned the National Blue Ribbon of Excellence Award. And for the second time, St. Louis Park was named as one of the 100 Best Communities for Young People by America's Promise - the Alliance for Youth. These are just a few of the many exciting things happening in St. Louis Park Schools! We are looking forward to a productive year - working with your child to create great stories for the future. Sincerely, Debra L. Bowers, Ph.D Superintendent of Schools Prior Superintendent Messages

6425 West 33rd Street St. Louis Park, MN 55426-3498 phone: 952.928.6000 fax: 952.928.6020 contact us by email