A note from Conn McCartan, Perpich Arts High School Principal – March 17, 2020

March 17, 2020

Students & Families of the Perpich School Community,

Let me begin by acknowledging that we are in a strange time that offers challenges none of us have faced before. I will not pretend to have everything figured out. I will, however, commit to doing the best I can. I believe everyone is doing the best they can and that is all I can ask of each of you.

What does that mean for students? First of all, it means taking care of yourself. Take seriously the recommendations for hand washing and social distancing. Get proper rest and eat proper food. Create a routine for yourself that includes time to get schoolwork done, time to get some good movement in, and time to do some good for someone else.

Secondly, it means taking care of your responsibilities. Even though you aren’t physically in school, you need to attend to the learning program your instructors are providing to you. Check your email every day for instruction and materials from your teachers. Set aside time every day to complete your work. If you have fallen behind, use these first days at home to work extra hard to get caught up. Then, when you get to Friday, March 20th, stop doing school work! (Unless you’re behind and still have to catch up.) Take the spring break you have coming to you. I predict that challenging times lie ahead for us, so take that break to recharge and refocus!

If you need materials that are at school, you can arrange a time to pick them up. Call us at 763-279-4200 between 8:00 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. to let us know when you are coming. If you live too far away, let your instructor know and they’ll work with school to have materials sent to you.

For our families, I plan to send out emails relatively frequently during this time. I will be doing so to both maintain a connection between Perpich and your homes, and to make sure you all feel informed as we proceed through this uncharted territory. Please encourage your students to check their email and put time into their school work through Thursday this week.

We are in this together and we’ll get through it together!

Conn McCartan
Principal