Letter From Our Director

July 24, 2020

Dear Excell Academy Families:

We hope you are all feeling well, staying safe and enjoying the summer. The following are a few very important school updates:

I would like to thank all of the parents or guardians who joined in one or both sesion of our Parent Talks information and Q & A last week. It was very helpful hearing comments, concerns, receiving feedback and holding discussions about fall school reopening scenarios. Your input was extremely helpful!

Return to school Preparedness Plan

As you know, schools were asked to develop plans for all three of the following school programming scenarios and be ready to switch / rotate between models as the public health situation changes:

1. Distance Learning – Remote instruction using technology and / or student work packets.
2.  Blended Learning – Also called “hybrid learning” – “represents a learning model that combines both formal (traditional classroom) and non-formal (online courses) methodologies” – including rotating groups of students physically distanced on site.
3. Traditional – All on site classroom instruction.

On next Thursday, July 30th, Governor Walz will announce which scenario schools will begin the 2020-2021 school year with. In order for Excell Academy to fully accommodate the needs of our students and families in every scenario, we need more specific information from you. Please click on the following link to complete a short survey by Tuesday, July 28th: https://forms.gle/JH9Bz5VySwPgqNVr7. We need ALL families to respond ASAP to communicate your needs, accommodations, and/or preferences so we may have a head start in ensuring the best possible school experience for our students AND their families. 

 Full time distance learning option

All Minnesota school districts are also required to provide a full distance learning option for those who prefer distance learning for the full year, instead of having their child attend under any in-person/hybrid model. Excell families will always have the option for full time distance learning for the school year.

Face covering now required at Excell Academy and in all school facilities starting July 25th ages 5+.On July 22, 2020, Governor Walz issued Executive Order 20-81, requiring Minnesotans to wear face coverings in certain settings to prevent the spread of COVID-19. 

What’s next? When can you expect more information?

Yearly registration forms- available online by logging into PowerSchool and drive up style on August 5th, 12th, and 19th from 10am-6pm.

We will keep you informed once a final decision regarding school programming is made next week via our website and social media.

Finally, please know that the health, safety, and dignity of our students and families is of utmost importance to me as well as our Board and school leadership. We will continue to “Do Whatever it Takes” to work together with YOU – our families to “Change Tomorrows for Children Today.” Please stay well and safe.

Sincerely,

Sabrina R. Williams, Founder and Executive Director

June 10, 2020

Dear Excell Academy Families:

Whew! We made it through the 2019-2020 school year; what an incredible year! Thank you for your flexibility, patience, and partnership as we suddenly reorganized our programs per the Governor’s orders in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. Because of the hard work and dedication of our staff and the support from YOU – our families, Excell Academy was able to continue its high quality education, offer health and wellness supports, provide childcare for children of essential / critical workers, and provide over 5,500 meals to all of our students and community!

As you are aware, the horrific death of George Floyd has brought our communities, our nation, and the world to a point of no return with the injustices that have plagued so many black men, women and children for centuries. We want you to know and remind you that Excell Academy has always been committed to the advancement of Black Lives through providing our students with a high quality education and social-emotional supports to ensure high school and college preparedness and opportunities for future successes. As the founder and Executive Director of Excell Academy, I am committed to ensuring Excell Academy’s teachers and staff believe in our mission of Excellence that serves college aspiring students; teachers and staff who will commit to Excell’s core values including a developing value of “listening, reflecting, processing, and moving forward in action” on issues that affect the lives of Excell’s Black students and staff as well as growing in the understanding that “Black Lives Matter.”

As we plan for your students to return to school in the fall, we are constantly reviewing guidance from the Governor, Commissioner of Education, as well as the Centers for Disease Control regarding the state of public health in our country in light of COVID-19. As a final decision from the Governor may not come until the end of July or beginning of August, we want you to know we are planning several high quality educational program models; most likely, one of the following scenarios will be implemented for the upcoming school year:

1. Distance Learning – Remote instruction using technology and / or student work packets.
2. Blended Learning – Also called “hybrid learning” – “represents a learning model that combines both formal (traditional classroom) and non-formal (online courses) methodologies” – including rotating groups of students physically distanced on site.
3. Traditional – All on site classroom instruction.

We will keep you informed once a final decision is made via our website and social media this summer as we receive updates from Governor Walz and Commissioner Ricker. Also, please remember, Excell Academy is offering summer school via distance learning from June 22nd – August 7th. All students are strongly encouraged and welcome to attend. Please contact your child’s teacher or the main office.

Finally, please know that the health, safety, and dignity of our students and families is of utmost importance to me as well as our Board and school leadership. We will continue to “Do Whatever it Takes” to work together with YOU – our families to “Change Tomorrows for Children Today.” Please stay well and safe.

Sincerely,

Sabrina R. Williams, Founder and Executive DIrector