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Review this important information about free meals, late start Wednesdays, technology help, transportation and wellness checks.
Grades preK-2 will return on Thursday, January 21 and grades 3-5 will return on Thursday, February 4.
Families will be able to connect with district support staff to ask questions and receive support around technology tools such as Seesaw, Schoology, the iPad, Zoom, and iPad apps. Registration is required.
Apple Valley High School was a finalist for a Minnesota Technology Association Tekne Award in recognition of efforts of school staff to provide local health care workers with protective equipment at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The COVID-19 pandemic forced high school theaters to reinvent how they put on their winter performances. But for Eagan and Eastview students, this was a challenge they were ready to meet.
Governor Walz announced a change in the state’s Safe Learning Plan to allow a phased-in return of elementary students to in-person learning. Details of our plan for elementary students will be shared by January 8.
Browse our online catalog and register now to ensure your spot in a class that sure to engage, inspire and enrich you and your family!
Both calendars are based on an all in-person learning mode. Each calendar has 172 days of instruction for elementary students and 171 days for secondary students.
The 768 participating students in District 196 registered for 1,239 CIS courses in the 2019-20 school year.
In recognition of this important declaration, we encourage District 196 families to explore the rich history of indigenous people around the United States and in Minnesota.
Each school will share site-specific details about the change at their building. There will be no school for all preschool and elementary students only Nov. 19 and 20.
The recommendation comes following increasing difficulty staffing our schools and rapidly rising COVID-19 rates. The decision will go before the School Board for approval at a special meeting Nov. 16.
Applications must be submitted by Jan. 6, 2021, for elementary magnet schools and by Feb. 10, 2021 for Valley Middle School of STEM. Applications for the School of Environmental Studies are accepted throughout the year.
The average composite score for District 196 students is 22.7 out of a possible 36. The district average is 2.1 points higher than the national average of 20.6
Due to rising case rates and increased community spread of COVID-19, our middle school and high school students will shift to full-time distance. Elementary students will remain in hybrid.
The district has a process and timeline for determining when to shift to a different learning model based on multiple data points and factors.
Of the 29,008 total students enrolled this year, approximately 9,000 are in the 196 Digital Academy full-time distance learning option and the other 20,000 are participating in the district’s hybrid learning model.
Both calendars are based on an all in-person learning model, although the district does plan to continue to offer the 196 Digital Academy as an all distance learning option for families.
The proposed levy is $121,465,415, an increase of $5,388,113 or 4.6 percent compared to the levy for payable 2020 property taxes.
The EAC has authority to make recommendations to the Superintendent’s Cabinet on potential changes needed to ensure equitable practices and systems are in place in District 196.
Highland Elementary was selected for its exemplary work in closing the achievement gap between groups of students.
Register now for fall learning opportunities. As always, the safety of you, your family and our staff is our primary concern.
Twelve district students are semifinalists in the 2020 National Merit Scholarship Program and 44 are National Merit commended students.
District 196 students are eligible to receive free breakfast and lunch every school day, whether in school or distance learning at home. A la carte items available at school are not included in this program.
Find information about free school meals, back-to-school information and safety protocols in a message from Superintendent Kreger.
Qorsho Hassan is the first Somali-American to earn the title of Minnesota Teacher of the Year. She is a fourth-grade teacher at Echo Park.
PayPAMS is the platform families will use to pay for meals. Meal account balances from the 2019-20 school year have automatically been transferred over.
An AP exam score of 3 or higher (on a scale of 1 to 5) earns credit at many of the nation’s colleges and universities.
Information about the start of the 2020-21 school year, including sample schedules, cohort assignments and an updated calendar, is now available.
MyPayments Plus replaces FeePay. Learn more about the platform, create accounts and register for activities and athletics.
Free child care will be available for all district-enrolled students (ages 5 to 12) whose parents or guardians are Tier 1 critical workers. Families must register by Friday, August 21.
Both platforms replace Feepay. MyPaymentsPlus will be used for online payments for athletics and activities, and PayPams will be used for managing student meal accounts.
Remaining balances in FeePay for food service accounts will be automatically transferred to PayPams. MyPaymentsPlus will be used for online payments for athletics and activities registrations, field trips and fees.
All students will attend school in person two days each week, in A and B cohorts. Cohort A will be at school Mondays and Thursdays, and Cohort B will be at school Tuesdays and Fridays.
Dakota County is currently hosting a virtual open house to share study goals and process and needs your feedback related to pedestrian and bicyclist safety.
District 196 Community Education offers learning opportunities for you and your family for engagement, enrichment and inspiration, and safety is a priority.
Three District 196 students won national championships and Apple Valley, Eagan and Eastview high schools all won top team honors at this year’s National Speech and Debate Association national tournament.
Of the 33,000 school-age children living in District 196 last year, approximately 29,000 were enrolled in District 196 schools, giving the district an 87 percent “capture rate” among resident students.
Regular board meetings are normally held at Dakota Ridge School in Apple Valley. Since April, the board has been meeting by videoconference due to COVID-19.
This is the second to last phase of schools migrating to the new Finalsite platform. The design provides a unified look across the district.
For the 18th year in a row, the district has earned the Association of School Business Officials International's highest recognition of financial operations.
The Minnesota Department of Education and the Minnesota Department of health has launched a survey to capture feedback regarding fall planning. Fill it out through June 30.
Free breakfast and lunch kits will be available for children, up to age 18, June 15-Aug. 14, at five District 196 schools and two neighborhood locations.
Superintendent Mary Kreger provides an update on summer programs and meals and a message to the Class of 2020, and shares remarks about the recent events in Minnesota.
Our Community Education program is working hard every day to ensure a variety of learning opportunities for your engagement, enrichment and inspiration! Check out what's in store for summer.
Members of the graduating Class of 2020 in District 196 will be serving in the U.S. Armed Forces after graduation and three received appointments to enroll at military academies.
Hughes will fill the position currently held by Mary Jelinek, who will retire at the end of this school year after a 29-year career in District 196, the last 23 as principal of Thomas Lake. Hughes will officially take over as principal July 1.
The purpose of the LAC is to increase citizen participation in the legislative process and community understanding of legislative issues and how they impact District 196. Applications are due June 12.
Kusch will officially take over July 1 for Rich Wendorff, who is retiring at the end of this school year after 27 years of service in District 196, including the last 19 as principal at Black Hawk.
The three-part optional experience includes a diploma cover presentation and photo opportunity, followed by a parade on graduation day and a video released shortly after.
With new guidance from the state, the committee can complete its work on a plan that fits the required guidelines and celebrates our students.
Schultz will fill a vacancy created with the resignation of current Echo Park Principal Scott Thomas at the end of this school year. He will officially take over as principal July 1.
They are role models for the youth of our community, helping them to acquire the knowledge and skills necessary to become successful, contributing members of society.
There will be no distance learning May 1 and 4, however free meals will still be available. Also, students will be able to keep devices this summer.
All of our high schools rank in the top 60, with Eastview and Eagan both in the top 10 among Minnesota high schools.
All cocurricular activities and on-site events are also canceled. Alternate plans for graduation are currently being discussed.
Eagan and Rosemount are the first two of four artificial turf projects that will be completed over the next 16 months.
The Student Production Awards are sponsored by the Upper Midwest Chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences.
Based on the addition of new safety and security improvements, the benefit of key features and our familiarity with the system, the district has decided to continue using Zoom.
Bids for the certificates of participation will be opened the morning of April 13 and results will be presented at the board meeting that night.
Dakota County’s request is for $4.62 million to fund several proposed pedestrian and vehicle safety improvements on Diffley Road, Braddock Trail and the adjacent campuses.
This meeting is not at the regular location and will be held virtually. Topics include certificates of participation pre-sale report for financing turf fields and bonding request for safety improvements at Diffley Road and Braddock Trail.
The purpose of the BAC is to ensure active community participation in and enhanced community understanding of the district’s budget planning process, and to provide input on budget plans that support district goals, policies and initiatives.
All 16 District 196 seniors who were selected semifinalists last fall have been named finalists and are eligible for the approximately 7,600 merit scholarships totaling more than $31 million that will be awarded this spring.
Twelve District 196 high school students had top finishes at state business competitions in early March to qualify for national competitions that were scheduled for this spring but have been canceled.
The national Schoology and Seesaw support teams are monitoring the situation and working hard to minimize any disruptions to service to member districts.
We are committed to the goal of providing meaningful learning opportunities and personalized connections between students/families and teachers/school staff during this time.
Free meals will be available at five school locations or dropped off at neighborhood sites around District 196.
Transcript of Superintendent Mary Kreger's latest update to families regarding COVID-19.
In response to Governor Walz’ executive order, all of our schools and buildings are closed until at least Monday, March 30. Only essential staff will be in the buildings.
In the event schools will remain closed after spring break, the district will implement its e-learning plan. Options are available for students and staff who do not have access to reliable internet.
Grab-and-go meals will be available March 16-20, and child care is being offered only for children of health care workers and emergency personnel.
This includes all programs and activities. Teachers will not be providing instruction this week. School buildings will be open Monday, March 16 from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. to allow families to collect necessary items.
Effective Saturday, March 14, all District 196 Community Education evening and weekend classes, and facility rentals are also canceled through March 29. As a reminder, all Minnesota State High School League-sponsored events, games and tournaments are canceled. We are following MSHSL guidelines in allowing practice until further notice.
District 196 schools remain open and classes are being held as scheduled. However, all school-sponsored evening activities at District 196 schools are canceled, except Community Education classes.
We continue to stay in regular contact with representatives from the Minnesota departments of health and education to guide our actions in preparing for and responding to COVID-19, and limiting the spread of all illness in our schools.
The four-year graduation rate for District 196 high schools increased to 91.2 percent in 2019 compared to 83.7 percent statewide, according to data released by the Minnesota Department of Education March 5.
Middle school students from Dakota Hills, Falcon Ridge and Scott Highlands are heading to the Minnesota GeoBee March 27.
Parents in the Rosemount-Apple Valley-Eagan Public Schools interested in becoming involved in districtwide conversations regarding curriculum, instruction and assessment are encouraged to apply for membership on the district’s Curriculum and Instruction Advisory Council (CIAC).
District and school leaders are reviewing emergency management plans to prepare for the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19)
The qualifiers are Kartik Saravanapandi of Black Hawk Middle School in Eagan, May Tang of Falcon Ridge Middle School in Apple Valley, and Rasin Hussain of Scott Highlands Middle School in Apple Valley.
Part of the district's Career and Technical Education Program, automotive courses are introducing students to technology is critical for success in today’s auto industry.
The District 196 Budget Advisory Council (BAC) will meet at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, March 11, at the District Office in Rosemount to discuss enrollment projections and year-to-date budget performance.
District 196 students in grades 9 and 12 will have a flexible learning day at home on Tuesday, April 7, due to ACT testing for students in grades 10 and 11 that will take place at Apple Valley, Eagan, Eastview and Rosemount high schools that day.
District 196 will continue to use FeePay through this school year and plan to have a replacement service in place for the start of the 2020-21 school year this fall.
The cast and crew of Apple Valley High School’s one-act play, “The Revolutionists” earned a starred-performance rating at this year’s state One-Act Play Festival held Feb. 7 at O’Shaughnessy Auditorium in St. Paul.
For the fourth time in school and state history, the Eastview High School Lightning Dance Team swept the Class AAA state titles in both jazz and high kick Feb. 14-15 in Minneapolis.
District 196 has added text messaging to the list of ways we communicate. Parents/guardians must opt-in to receive text messages by texting “Y” to 67587.
Representatives from approximately 30 colleges and universities will be on hand to provide information about educational opportunities, campus life, financial aid and the college application process.
Apple Valley High School has earned its 13th trip to the state One-Act Play Festival and is one of eight Class AA high schools to perform Friday, Feb. 7 at O’Shaughnessy Auditorium in St. Paul.
Fifty-seven District 196 students were selected by audition to participate in state honor choirs for grades 7-10 sponsored by the American Choral Directors’ Association of Minnesota.
Cedar Park, Diamond Path and Glacier Hills elementary schools received a 2020 School of Excellence Award, and Echo Park and Oak Ridge Elementary were named a 2020 School of Distinction.
Future City is a national, project-based learning experience where middle school students imagine, research, design and build cities of the future that showcase their solutions to a citywide sustainability issue.
Eastview High School junior Layla Foster won a state championship and 11 other District 196 students advanced to the elimination rounds of the state debate tournament.
District 196 high schools qualified 167 students to compete at state business conferences that will be held in March.
FeePay system is back online, however Sourcewell has said families may still experience some intermittent disruptions with this transition. They have provided guidance for the most common situations that may occur.
The approval implements improvements to classroom teacher staffing and additional mental health support for students promised as part of the operating levy referendum approved by district voters in November.
The District 196 School Board held its annual organization meeting to affirm appointments and committee assignments.
District 196 high school students had top finishes at the Section 3 debate tournament Jan. 10-11 and qualified to compete at the state debate tournament Jan. 17-18 at the University of Minnesota.
The Minnesota State High School League ExCEL Awards recognize high school juniors who are active in fine arts and athletic activities, who demonstrate leadership qualities and who are model citizens in their community.
Oak Ridge recently implemented “STEM to GO!” kits that students take home to tinker with kid-friendly science, technology, engineering and math projects and experiments.
Some families may be experiencing difficulties updating their FeePay accounts during the system update. We have provided a helpful solution.
FeePay and Eleyo have decided to separate their systems. You will still have access to online registration and payment for Community Ed activities and FeePay meals, fees and activities, but will now use separate systems.
The design provides a unified look across the district while allowing each school to maintain its unique identity with the use of colors, logo and content.
From Dec. 21 through Jan. 5, all YMCA Twin Cities branches and additional locations will have The Sheridan Story bags of food available for anyone who requests it.
The District 196 School Board gave the administration approval to take the next steps in developing plans to add artificial turf fields at each of the district’s four high schools over the next two years.
The District 196 academic calendar for 2020-21 has been revised to include two days off school October 15 and 16 for the Minnesota Educators Academy (MEA) conference.
Students from three District 196 high schools celebrated their academic and athletic achievements this fall by announcing their collegiate commitments.
Eastview High School students received a dose of financial reality this fall participating in a “Reality Fair” sponsored by Wings Financial.
Parents interested in having their child attend a District 196 magnet school for next school year can now apply. Enrollment at magnet schools is determined by a lottery and is limited to space available.
Voters in District 196 approved a levy referendum question and elected incumbent School Board members Jackie Magnuson, Joel Albright and Sachin Isaacs, and newcomer Cory Johnson.
District 196 students scored higher than the state and national averages on the ACT college admissions test in 2019. The average composite score for District 196 students is 23.0 out of a possible 36.
Lifelong distance runner and Eastview High School cross-country and track and field coach Tom Sharp has completed several times before. But this year’s running of the Twin Cities Marathon was a more rewarding challenge than previous marathons, as he crossed the finish line pushing junior Ryan Costley.
District 196 students and staff stood up for kindness and spoke out against bullying on Oct. 23 in recognition of Unity Day. The annual day is held in conjunction with National Bullying Prevention Month efforts each October.
For the 17th year in a row, District 196 has earned the Certificate of Excellence in Financial Reporting from the Association of School Business Officials International (ASBO). “This award represents a significant achievement and reflects your commitment to transparency and high-quality financial reporting,” said ASBO International Executive Director David Lewis.
Enrollment in District 196 reached a new all-time high this year and is projected to continue growing over the next several years. As of Oct. 1 there were 29,223 students enrolled.
The 12 District 196 residents vying for four open seats on the School Board will answer questions and share their ideas at a candidate forum Wednesday, Oct. 9, 7 p.m., at Rosemount City Hall.
District 196 high school students who participated in the College in the Schools (CIS) program during the 2018-19 school year earned a combined 6,185 college credits valued at more than $3.1 million, according to a value statement released by the University of Minnesota’s CIS program.
The District 196 School Board approved a proposed 2019 (payable 2020) property tax levy increase of 1.5 percent. Based on calculations provided by the Minnesota Department of Education (MDE), the district’s maximum proposed levy for payable 2020 property taxes is $96,771,258, which is $1.5 million or 1.5 percent more than the current levy of $95,300,391.
Voters in Independent School District 196 can begin casting their ballots on the levy referendum question and School Board election beginning Friday, Sept. 20. Information about the Nov. 5 levy referendum is available at www.District196.org/Levy2019/.
Forty-five District 196 seniors are receiving special recognition this fall for scores they achieved on a national standardized test taken last year as juniors.
The College Board recognized 766 District 196 high school students for their performance on Advanced Placement (AP) course exams taken during the 2018-19 school year.
Of the 31 Minnesota cities with populations of 30,000 or greater in 2019, the four with the lowest tax rates are all District 196 communities and a fifth is in the lowest 10.
The Apple Valley Eagles will take on the Chaska Hawks Friday, Sept. 27 at 7 p.m. as part of the second year of prep spotlight games at TCO Stadium on the Minnesota Vikings headquarters campus in Eagan.
The District 196 School Board approved a new two-year agreement with members of Dakota County United Educators (DCUE), representing the more than 2,100 teachers and school nurses in District 196.
District 196 is exceeding state averages in test scores, according to the Minnesota Department of Education (MDE), who today released results of the Minnesota Comprehensive Assessments, Series III (MCA-III) and Minnesota Test of Academic Skills (MTAS) data.
In the Land of 10,000 Lakes, it should be no surprise that one of the fastest growing high school sports takes place on the water and involves a net. Rosemount High School fielded its first fishing team last year.
District 196 elementary schools, middle schools and high schools have all scheduled back-to-school open houses, orientation sessions and information nights that will be held in August and September.
Becky Melville is hired to be the next principal of Falcon Ridge Middle School. She replaces Noel Mehus, who retired in June following a 14-year career as principal at Falcon Ridge.
Forty-two District 196 high school students were named all-state musicians by the Minnesota Music Educators Association (MMEA) for the 2019-20 school year.
Four of the seven at-large positions on the School Board of Independent School District 196 are up for election in the Nov. 5, 2019 General School Board Election.
For the fifth year in a row, Eagan High School was named one of the top-10 Schools of Outstanding Distinction and Apple Valley and Eastview high schools were two of the top-20 Speech Schools of Excellence at the National Speech and Debate Tournament June 16-21 in Dallas.
The District 196 School Board is moving forward with plans to call for an operating levy referendum increase this fall that would allow the district to avoid up to $18 million in additional budget cuts and fund improvements to classroom staffing, increased mental health support for students and after-school activity bus transportation.
Beginning this fall, District 196 parents whose children ride the bus to and from school each day will be able to track the location of their child’s bus using a smartphone application.
The total population of Independent School District 196 in 2018 is estimated at 157,475, according to projections by the state demographer’s office. That represents an increase of 2,855 residents or 1.8 percent over the demographer’s estimate of 154,620 from one year ago.
District 196 Superintendent Mary M. Kreger announced the hiring of Drew Mons to be the next principal of Apple Valley High School.
District 196 ranked 12 out of 51 Minnesota employers included on Forbes’ inaugural list of Best-in-State Employers for 2019.
The majority of District 196 residents surveyed this spring said they would support a local property tax increase to avoid additional budget cuts and preserve the quality of educational opportunities offered by District 196 schools.
The Drone Construction, Modification and Flight course is the first of its kind in District 196 and students are eager to put their engineering skills to the test.
Eastview High School Assistant Principal Bruce Miller has been selected to be the school’s next principal, District 196 Superintendent Mary M. Kreger announced May 6.
Apple Valley High School Principal Michael Bolsoni will be the next director of secondary education for the Rosemount-Apple Valley-Eagan Public Schools. Bolsoni will replace Mark Parr, who is retiring at the end of this school year after a 19-year career in District 196.
This Earth Day was a special one for students at the School of Environmental Studies as it marked the completion of five-year process to become a LEED certified green building.
Representatives from The Morris Leatherman Company will be contacting residents of District 196 April 25 through May 3 to gather data on the public’s satisfaction with district schools and support for bringing a levy referendum election this November.
Woodland Elementary School is leading the way in STEM learning and efforts have earned Woodland the 2019 STEM Innovation Award from the Minnesota Elementary School Principals’ Association.
A local program is giving African-American males in District 196 unique opportunities to explore careers in fields from law enforcement and criminal justice to marketing and wildlife conservation. The Tazel Institute initiative provides students positive exposures to black males in leadership roles.
Emergency services is one of several medical and health care careers classes that are offered through the district’s Career Development and Enrichment Opportunities Program. The 18 career development classes, ranging from animal science to vehicle services, are offered at one high school but are open to students at all District 196 high schools.
Somewhere across the country, a 9-year-old girl is waiting for a prosthetic arm so she can finally learn to swim. And right here in Apple Valley, eighth-graders at Valley Middle School of STEM are eagerly taking on the challenge.
First a Westview Bulldog, now a Minnesota Timberwolf, Tyus Jones is all grown up. But he never forgot where he came from. Jones returned to his alma mater on Monday, Sept. 17 to surprise students and unveil a revamped technology lab as part of his “Write Your Own Story” campaign.
Attendance Matters is a new campaign in District 196 is giving administrators and educators a renewed opportunity to dig deeper into the reasons for unexcused absences in an effort to keep kids in the classroom.
The District 196 School Board, at its Aug. 13 meeting, approved the purchase of a 34-acre parcel of land in Rosemount as a possible site for a new elementary school. The land is located on the southwest corner of the intersection of Bonaire Path and Akron Avenue, east of Highway 3 and north of County Road 42.
Eagan High School teacher Ryan Hauenstein’s hands-on learning technique in Construction and Building Trades course is molding the next generation of tradespeople. The elective was added last fall.