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Check & Connect

Creating a sense of belonging, helping students get excited about learning and planning for a future of success.

Through long-term sustained support, Check & Connect seeks to build a relationship with each student that will serve to connect them with their school community and take pride in learning. Weekly conversations, tutoring and homework help form the basis for a trusted bond between the student and the Check & Connect Monitor. This enables the Monitor to individually and definitively determine the supports best suited to the students’ needs. The Monitor then works on behalf of the student as a mentor, tutor, problem-solver, listener and case advocate. Check & Connect works across the spheres of home, school, and community.

Key Features

  • Preventative: Focuses on risk factors that can be altered through support and intervention.
  • Builds capacity: Instructs and encourages students in the acquisition of new skills.
  • Efficient: Coordinates student access to established resources within the school, at home and in the community.
  • Outreach:  Structured to create long-term and trusted relationships
  • Individualized:  Uniquely focuses on the individual needs of each student.
  • Adaptable:  Designed to incorporate the goals and strengths of the school and the local community.

Contact

Colleen Kaibel
Director, Student Retention & Recovery
colleen.kaibel@mpls.k12.mn.us
612-386-2748

Multilingual Staff

Mohamed Ali
Somali
612-668-1314

Paulina Jacobsson
Spanish

Lucia Guillen
Spanish

Shayda Gounili
Spanish

Lu (Tom) Yang
Hmong

612-668-1640

Check & Connect is about...

  • Building a relationship with each student.
  • Implementing supports to keep students involved in their education.
  • Monitoring grades, credits and attendance regularly.
  • Offering academic support including tutoring.
  • Facilitating collaboration between the school, home and community services to ensure educational success.

We have partnered with the Minneapolis Alliance with Youth to connect students with Americorps Promise Fellows. Promise Fellows serve our students by keeping track of their attendance, contacting families, and directing them towards the resources they need to succeed.

5 boxes in distinct colors hold the 5 different objectives of the Check and Connect teams: Building a relationship with each student, Supporting students so they stay engaged in their education. Checking in on grades, behavior, and attendance regularly. Offering academic support including tutoring. Working together with families, schools, and community supports.

Working to shape students who...

Connect.

Relationships, Respect, Teamwork, Communication

Achieve.

Goal-Focused, Creative, Organized, Critical Thinkers

Thrive.

Self-Advocating, Responsible, Successful, Healthy, Strong

Locations

Elementary Schools

Anishinabe Academy

Robert Stack
robert.stack@mpls.k12.mn.us
612-668-2884
 

Bryn Mawr

Kaiya Woller
kaiya.woller@mpls.k12.mn.us
612-524-9508
 

Ella Baker

Amber Barry K – 5
amber.barry@mpls.k12.mn.us
612-454-0439
 

Hall

Tom Yang
yu.lang@mpls.k12.mn.us
612-668-2650
 

Jenny Lind

612-568-8424

Middle Schools

Andersen Middle School

612-668-4224

Lucia Guillen
lucia.guillen@mpls.k12.mn.us
612-361-9228
 

Franklin Middle School

651-300-2714
 

Northeast Middle School

Cassie Kiener
cassandra.kiener@mpls.k12.mn.us
612-293-8663
 

Sanford Middle School

Shayda Gounili
shayda.gounili@mpls.k12.mn.us
612-405-9132

High Schools

Edison High School

612-668-1326
 

Mohamed Ali Aden
mohamed.aden@mpls.k12.mn.us
612-567-7333

612-440-8267

Henry High School

612-668-1948
 

Maria Ahlgren
maria.ahlgren@mpls.k12.mn.us
612-470-5979

T Larkins
tamera.larkins@mpls.k12.mn.us
507-403-8114

Longfellow High School

Sydney Gross
sydney.gross@mpls.k12.mn.us
919-342-8655
 

Roosevelt High School

612-668-4884
 
Jesse Tiffen
jesse.tiffen@mpls.k12.mn.us
612-389-8598
 
612-470-2644
 

South High School

612-668-4378
 

612-405-0766

Jack Benson
jack.benson@mpls.k12.mn.us
612-440-8558

Southwest High School

612-930-1606 

651-327-0638     

Washburn High School

612-668-3503
 
Jennifer McMacken
jennifer.mcmachen@mpls.k12.mn.us
612-367-7530
 
Sumeya Mohamed
sumeya.mohamed@mpls.k12.mn.us
612-689-3517