Staff,

As many of you prepare for 2026 license renewal (due June 30, 2026), I want to share several additional options that may help you meet required categories — especially if most of your recent CEUs have been concentrated in literacy work.

Below are approved and recommended pathways based on guidance from our Relicensure Committee  and district HR.

Tier 4 Requirements (125 hours total) include specific hours in:

• American Indian History & Culture

• Cultural Competency

• English Language Learner

• Reading Preparation

• Suicide Prevention

• Mental Illness

• Curriculum, Materials & Strategies

• Accommodation, Modification & Adaptation

• Positive Behavior Intervention

If you find you have gaps in specific areas, consider the following:

1. Navigate360 (District Platform)

The MS24 – Suicide Awareness and Prevention in Schools course qualifies for the Suicide Prevention requirement (certificate of completion required)  .

This course addresses:

• Recognizing mental health risk factors

• Identifying warning signs

• Protective actions

• School impact

2. INFINITEC

Grand Rapids Area Schools still has access to INFINITEC (www.myinfinitec.org/login). Courses are available in:

• American Indian History & Culture

• Cultural Competency

• English Language Learner

• Suicide Prevention

• Mental Illness

3. PELSB Training Resources

The Minnesota Professional Educator Licensing and Standards Board (PELSB) provides targeted training options in:

• Cultural Competency

• Reading Preparation

• Mental Health

• Suicide Prevention

• American Indian History & Culture

Access:

https://mn.gov/pelsb/current-educators/trainings/

These are especially helpful for filling specific category gaps.

4. MDE American Indian Education eLearning (Canvas)
   
   

Through MDE’s Tribal Relations page, educators can earn CEUs via Canvas courses:

• Key Concepts and Terms (1 CEU)

• Federal Indian Policy (1.5 CEUs)

More information:

https://education.mn.gov/MDE/dse/indian/tribaltrain/

These are strong options for American Indian History & Culture requirements.

5. In-District Options

• ACEs & Hope trainings may also qualify for Cultural Competency and/or Mental Illness depending on focus  .

• UMD also offers a 1-hour American Indian History & Culture course that many staff have used  .

Important Reminders

• Keep certificates of completion.

• Submit clock hours to the Recertification Committee before meeting dates.

• Upcoming certification meetings: March 26 and May 14 (per HR communication).

• Information and forms are available on the Teacher License Information page at:

https://www.isd318.org/departments/human-resources/employee-information2/teacher-license-information

Our goal is to help everyone avoid “scrambling” at the end of the cycle. If you are unsure which category a course fits into, reach out early.

I’ve released a new episode for families that highlights the intentional systems happening inside our classrooms each day.

The focus of this episode includes:

• How we use FastBridge screening data to respond instructionally

• The structure behind UFLI and Wit & Wisdom implementation

• WIN (What I Need) time and small group adjustments

• How intervention and inclusion have evolved over time

• The collaborative systems that support early learners

The goal is to help families better understand that instruction at West is responsive, structured, and grounded in research — and that small groups and intervention are normalized parts of learning, not labels.

If you’d like to listen before or after families do, here is the link:

• https://open.spotify.com/episode/29b2TouPTWAb1STxq8Elqv?si=LCz4ID4qRCGq-AMB8N99nw

Thank you for the daily work that makes this message authentic.

— Sean

We will hold our next State of the Building meeting on Thursday, February 19, immediately after school.

This meeting will focus on:

• Winter academic screening updates (reading and math)

• SEL trends and overall systems data

• What we are adjusting in response to our data

• Next steps moving into spring

The goal is to keep everyone aligned on where we are as a building, what the data is telling us, and how our instructional and systems decisions connect to student outcomes.

Thank you for the important work you do each day to support our students.

At a recent session with the Minnesota Elementary School Principals’ Association (MESPA), I was introduced to Gamma:

https://www.gamma.app

While it’s often described as an AI presentation tool, it can be especially helpful for planning and communication in a K–2 setting.

Instructional Planning

• Turn lesson notes into a clean mini-lesson slide deck

• Create visual anchor charts for phonics patterns, comprehension strategies, or math models

• Build a simple overview of a Wit & Wisdom module for your own clarity

• Draft structured pacing outlines for a unit
  
  

Family Communication

• Convert a weekly newsletter draft into a polished visual format

• Create a “What We’re Learning” summary page for families

• Develop a quick visual explanation of classroom routines or expectations

• Turn bullet points into a clean, readable parent presentation for conferences or curriculum night
  
  

AI tools are not going away — they are becoming part of how we organize ideas and communicate clearly. Used thoughtfully, they can reduce formatting time and help us focus more on instruction and relationships.

If you experiment with it, I’d love to hear how you use it.

• Partnerships, Reading, and Learning Together

(Full Smore Newsletter)

Dear West Rapids Families,

As we move into February, our District wide focus is on partnerships and collaboration. Strong academic growth happens when students, staff, and families work together with shared purpose and clear communication. These partnerships help ensure every child feels supported, challenged, and encouraged to grow.

In our classrooms, collaboration supports learning in meaningful ways. Students work together to share ideas, explain their thinking, and problem-solve. Teachers collaborate to review student progress, adjust instruction, and use evidence-based practices to meet students where they are. Our partnership with families strengthens this work by extending learning beyond the school day.

Working Together to Support Academics

Families play an essential role in supporting academic success. Reading together, talking about learning, asking questions, and encouraging effort all reinforce what students experience in the classroom. When students see school and home working together, it builds confidence, motivation, and a strong sense of belonging.

Increasing Access to Our School Library

As part of our focus on partnerships, we are increasing family access to the West Rapids school library.

The library will be open on the second and fourth Saturday of each month, from 9:00–11:00 AM, on the following dates:

• Saturday, February 14

• Saturday, February 28

• Saturday, March 14

• Saturday, March 28

These open library mornings are a chance for families to come in together and check out books to enjoy at home. Our library has over 11,000 titles, including many books that are a great fit for family reading, shared interests, and read-alouds, but may not typically be checked out during the school day.

Families can also browse our catalog online at: https://grsouthwest.goalexandria.com/

Local Literacy Partner: Wildflower Bookshop

We also want to highlight a wonderful independent bookstore right here in Grand Rapids that some families may not yet know about: Wildflower Bookshop.

Wildflower Bookshop is located at: 4 NE 3rd Ave, Grand Rapids, MN 55744 (next to Shaw Florists)

They are also open on Saturdays, making it easy to pair a visit to our school library with a stop downtown if you’d like to make a full day of literacy stops as a family. Supporting local bookstores and surrounding children with books in many settings helps reinforce the importance—and joy—of reading.

You can learn more at: https://www.wildflowerbookshop.com/

Thank you for your continued partnership and collaboration. We appreciate the many ways you support learning at home and look forward to welcoming families into our library and celebrating literacy together this month.

Sincerely,

Sean Martinson

Principal, West Rapids Elementary School