Tech tips Yearbook help students The staff head- avoid prob- ing toward lems that final dead- could affect lines to pub- their work lish Talons Page 2 QuillMon., March 22, 2021 Vol. 57, No. 6 Page 3 Robbinsdale Cooper High School chs.rdale.org/the-quill 8230 47th Ave. N., New Hope, MN 55428 ALSO INSIDE While many students are News HAWKS RETURN TO COOPER headed back to the build- ing, others have elected to FOLLOWING SPRING BREAK remain in distance learning received from the meet- ings about the model shift was that distance learning students wanted to remain Sophomores finish with their current teachers. Personal Projects According to Burrage, the district was able to honor Although the projects this request by offering a were deemed optional concurrent teaching mod- this year due to dis- el. In other words, students tance learning, many who are in the building, and Hawks still decided to students who are remaining take on the challenge in distance learning, will be taught by the same teacher Page 2 at the same time. Students returning to the building must follow Opinion safety protocols, such as wearing a mask, social dis- tancing and washing hands frequently. Adding to the safety issue is that a large number of staff members in the Robbinsdale Area School District have been vaccinated, and the remain- Climate accord ing staff members who have provides hope not received the COVID Photo by DOMINIQUE WILLIS vaccine yet are projected to President Biden's deci- have at least their first dose sion to rejoin the inter- Many students will be seeing the Cooper sign at the school's entrance in person for the first time beginning on April 6. by the beginning of April. national climate agree- By MAX REKELA-JASPER plan introduced on February back to the same buildings, team of health experts.” Given the fact that this ment was an important Quill staff writer 3 that would have seen high either in a hybrid learning For students who want school year has been any- step in addressing an school students returning on model, or a full in-person to remain in a full-time vir- thing but normal, Cooper ever-growing crisis Robbinsdale District a hybrid model with only 50 model, beginning March 9. tual learning environment, Head Principal Mr. Herman Page 4 281 will be moving to the percent of students in the “[We] had several Distance Learning Plus is and other staff members are long-awaited, in-person building on any given day. meetings with various stake- still an option. Families excited for the return of stu- learning model for high Prompting this change was holders, including families, were required to send an dents. school students. Starting a February 17 decision by district staff and school ad- email to the district to sign “I am looking forward Variety on April 8, all students Minnesota Governor Tim ministrative teams,” Robbin- up for distance learning due to reconnecting with stu- in grades 9-12 who have Walz to update the Minne- sdale Interim Superintendent to the state requirement that dents and meeting many elected to do so will tran- sota Safe Learning Plan. Dr. Burrage said. “After requests are made in writ- ninth graders in person for sition into full, in-person The announcement stated gathering feedback, the In- ing. The deadline for sign- the first time,” Herman said. learning. that school districts would cident Command Team dis- ing up was March 12. Herman also said stu- This decision, an- no longer be required to cussed the recommendations For students opting to nounced on February 26, have rolling start dates and and we have also reviewed stay home, the most com- HAWKS RETURN was a shift from a previous could instead bring students our plan with our regional mon feedback the district continues on page 8 MLB The Show is baseball bliss School staff gets vaccinated against COVID The latest installment in the ongoing series does The addition of K-12 educators to the state's vaccine priority list has made it possible for Cooper's staff to obtain shots before the return of students an ample job of giving gamers an often realis- By SANDY VUE tic experience of play- Quill staff writer ing professional ball COVID vaccination opportunities have been presented to Cooper Page 7 teachers and staff members to prepare them for the start of in-person learning on April 6. “From the current research, those who are vaccinated have very low chances to get the virus and or getting the serious illness characteristics Variety that come with COVID-19,” Cooper Head Principal Mr. Herman said. For the entire state of Minnesota, approximately 60,000 doses of the vaccine are received each week. At this point in the state vaccination pro- cess, the available doses are being administered to health care workers, long-term health care workers, older people and individuals in priority groups, which includes adults working in K-12 education. Currently, teachers, school staff members and childcare workers add up to 250,000 people in the state of Minnesota. While there are not yet enough vaccinations for every educator, school staff member and child- Ghost is haunting care worker in the state, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz is continuing to sequel to Power acquire and provide more doses for Minnesotans in these groups. Photo by MR. ZUCCOLA “It would be great to be able to get all those that want the vaccina- Vaccine recipients receive a card from the CDC detailing the date of their shot. Power Book II: Ghost, tion to be able to get it,” Herman, who said has been fortunate enough to which debuted in Sep- receive the vaccination, added. members to receive the vaccine on a first-come, first-served basis when tember 2020, features One tool the state has been using to get educators vaccinated came extra doses became available. Then, during February, Robbinsdale staff the further adventures from the Minnesota Department of Education (MDE). The MDE initial- members had an additional chance to sign up for a new contact list if an of many characters ly shared information in January with educators across the state about opening occurs to receive the vaccination. from the original series the COVID-19 Vaccine Pilot Program, through which educators could English teacher Ms. Eisfelder is one of the Cooper staff members find information on vaccination locations and sign up for the vaccina- Page 8 tion waitlist. Also in January were some opportunities for school staff STAFF VACCINATED continues on page 2 Sports Seven Dreams Foundation raises funds for district schools The group's annual Bird Bash event, which took place on February 11, gathered more than $50,000 in donations By ANDREA TRIBBLE for students, which makes it possible for many in,” Herman said. Quill staff writer students to be present during distance learning. The hands-on learning grants are arguably In fact, the group specifically donated $16,802 one of the Seven Dreams Foundation’s most no- The Seven Dreams Foundation supports to fund 70 hotspots during the 2020-2021 school ticeable contributions. Teachers are able to submit Cooper and other Robbinsdale district schools year. According to Head Principal Mr. Herman, a project idea that supports hands-on learning and Esports squad with hands-on learning grants, district-wide ini- this technology support is just one example of encourages critical thinking to be considered by preps for season tiatives, teacher and staff appreciation gifts, food the ways in which Cooper has benefited for the the foundation’s committee. The committee then shelves, and many more helpful programs that foundation’s education initiatives. reviews the application and evaluates if it meets Cooper players are pre- keep students engaged in constructive activities. “We have been very fortunate in that several the requirements. If everything is approved, that paring to take on area The group just held its eighth annual Bird Bash teachers have written for hands-on grants for their project can receive a funding prize that ranges from rivals in the game Rocket event on February 11, which helped raise more classrooms. This has included the purchase of equip- $500 to $2,000. The grant money can be used to League as part of their in- than $50,000 in funds for the various activities ment, materials, field trips and other items that have cover any cost associated with the project and is augural season in the Min- the organization supports. been requested over the years. At Cooper, we also available to any Robbinsdale Area Schools staff nesota Varsity League The Seven Dreams Foundation has played were the recipients of being able to purchase new member who gets approved. a major role in supporting the Robbinsdale furniture for our Media Center. This allowed us to Page 9 School District during distance learning by get new updated furniture that was more conducive SEVEN DREAMS providing funding to purchase Wi-Fi hotspots to learning and having a comfortable space to be continues on page 2 Page 2, The Quill News March 22, 2021 STAFF VACCINATED continued from page 1 Tech tips help Hawks stay on top of school who has been vaccinated. “I received an email from With classes being delivered both in person and virtually, it is important for students to make sure their devices are working the district that vaccines were available at a local hospital on a Meet or Zoom and doing the class- first-come, first-served basis, so I work on the Chromebook at the took a chance and went there and same time.