Raider Families and Staff,

I hope this update finds you and your family enjoying the weekend and ready to tackle the final week of January 2025! In today’s update, you’ll find a recap of our safety protocols, a reminder to participate in the 2026-2027 calendar survey, details about our new absence request protocols, information about the upcoming in-person community collaboration event on February 19, highlights of recent celebrations, and the usual calendar reminders to keep you informed.

Emergency Safety Response Protocols:

Following the district's decision to SECURE our buildings on Thursday, January 23rd, I’d like to take a moment to review our various safety protocols and explain when each might be used. In every situation, our top priority is the safety and well-being of our students, staff, and families. At the earliest possible opportunity, communication will be shared as quickly and transparently as possible.

HOLD: The HOLD directive is used when it is necessary to keep hallways clear. This measure can be implemented for various reasons, such as a medical emergency, a student experiencing distress, or a significant spill. During a HOLD, classrooms continue normal activities, but movement in the hallways is restricted. It is important to note that a HOLD is typically not communicated broadly, as it is often a precautionary measure to manage internal situations efficiently.

SECURE: The SECURE directive is issued when there is a potential threat or concern outside the building. In this situation, everyone is instructed to move inside, and all external doors are secured to ensure safety. Activities within the building proceed as normal, maintaining a calm and controlled environment. Examples of situations that may prompt a SECURE directive include the presence of a dangerous animal nearby or an alert from law enforcement regarding external activity.  In the case last week, it was reported that the Government Center had issued a lockdown.  Due to the fact that we didn’t have any additional information, we took the highest level of caution and secured our buildings.  In a matter of minutes, we learned that the cause was a water main break which allowed us to cancel the secure status.  Depending on the nature of the secure status, controlled access to the building may be allowed.

LOCKDOWN: The LOCKDOWN directive is activated when there is an immediate safety threat or concern within the building. During a LOCKDOWN, specific measures are taken to secure all areas to protect students and staff. Depending on the nature of the threat, an evacuation may also be required. Communication about a LOCKDOWN is shared as quickly and transparently as possible to ensure awareness and maintain safety.

EVACUATE: The EVACUATE directive is issued when an emergency within the building, such as a fire or chemical spill, requires everyone to exit promptly for safety. Each building has designated rallying points where staff and students will gather after evacuating to ensure accountability and safety.

SHELTER: The SHELTER directive is used when staff and students need to take cover due to specific threats, such as severe weather. In Minnesota, this would most commonly be initiated during a tornado warning. The directive ensures everyone moves to designated safe areas within the building to remain protected until the threat has passed.

To ensure that you are notified of any emergency situation or inclement weather, please review all your contact information.  

2026-2027 School Calendar Planning Feedback - LINK

As a district, we are currently in the process of planning the 2026-2027 calendar. Please take a moment to share your input using the link above. To date we have had 332 stakeholders participate.  The survey will remain open for the remainder of the month.

2025 New Absence Request Protocols

Beginning semester 2, parents/guardians are now able to submit full day absence requests directly through their Infinite Campus Parent Portal account. This can be used to inform the school attendance office in advance when your child is not going to be in school. This may be done using a computer or the Campus Parent Portal app on your mobile device. The portal absence request process is only available for full day absence requests. Absence requests for late arrivals or leave early requests must still be done by contacting the school attendance office. You also still have the option of calling the attendance office at each building to report full day absences if you prefer.

If you do not have a parent portal account, please contact your respective building to request one. More information including step by step instructions for how to submit an absence request directly through your portal account can be found on our website. 

Link:  https://www. hastings.k12.mn.us/o/hps/page/ attendance

Community Collaboration Event - February 19th at 6pm: Mark your calendars. The next community collaboration event is scheduled for February 19th at 6pm in the high school lecture hall.  In addition to a number of informational topics, time will be dedicated to gaining additional feedback regarding the development of the district’s strategic plan. We hope to see you there!

Celebration Highlights:

Paraprofessional Week - Thank you to our paraprofessionals!!! This past week served as paraprofessional week in Minnesota. In Hastings Public Schools our paraprofessionals positively impact our students and truly make a difference in the lives of the children they serve. We’re lucky to have such dedicated and committed paraprofessionals. 

Rotary Students of the Month: At the board meeting this past week, four Rotary Students of the Month were recognized and celebrated for their accomplishments.

Congratulations: Brieseis Rusnacko, Lukas Foss, Delaina Kurtz, and Nathan Barker

AVID Senior Scholarship Recipient - Congratulations Wendy Liu 

• The AVID Scholarship will provide Wendy Liu with tuition, room, board and books for her to attend Carleton College in the fall of 2025. 

MSHSL Recognition:

• Congratulations to our ExCEL Award Recipients 

  • Ryder Ashcraft and Ellie Magnus

• Congratulations to our Triple "A" Award Recipients

  • Josey Larson & Elliott Renneke

Chamber of Commerce Educator of the Year: Congratulations Katie Matzek! The Hastings Area Chamber of Commerce honored Katie at last week’s Chamber Dinner.  We’re grateful to have Katie on our Raider team!

Calendar Reminders

• Upcoming calendar reminders:

  • No School January 27 Professional Development

• 24-25 School Calendar in its entirety

Raider Events

• Raider Athletic Calendar

• Raider Events Calendar  

As always, thank you for your ongoing support of Hastings Public Schools. If you have any questions, concerns, or feedback, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me.

Sincerely,

Dr. Tamara Champa
Superintendent, Hastings Public Schools

Mr. Mollo has been inspiring our 6th graders for the past nine years through his passion for STEM. As a dedicated educator, he’s been helping students build essential computer skills, from digital literacy and coding to robotics. “My class works with tools like Google Sheets and programming languages. It’s incredible to see students imagining themselves using these skills in their future careers,” says Mr. Mollo.

An advocate for collaboration, Mr. Mollo values input from families. “I send a weekly email to parents, updating them on the projects we’re working on,” he explains. “If there’s a concept or skill in STEM that would benefit the students, I’m always happy to hear suggestions.”

For Mr. Mollo, teaching goes beyond just imparting knowledge—it’s about encouragement. “I love seeing students thrive in a non-traditional classroom setting,” he shares. “Sometimes, kids doubt themselves and give up before they even try because they don’t believe they can succeed. But the adults in their lives—teachers, parents—are here to help them realize their potential.”

Having strong local roots, Mr. Mollo is married to a Hastings alum and has close ties to the community. “I’ve heard so many great things about this district from friends and family, so I knew it was the perfect place for me,” he says with pride.

Mr. Mollo draws his inspiration from his own upbringing. “My parents are Italian immigrants with little formal education. Their incredible work ethic and positive attitude taught me the value of perseverance,” he reflects.

Though he’s busy shaping young minds, Mr. Mollo still finds time to enjoy life outside the classroom. With three young boys—ages 7, 3, and 1—he and his wife are always on the go. As a huge sports fan, you can often find him multitasking, catching a game whenever possible.

We’re incredibly grateful for Mr. Mollo’s dedication to developing strong computer skills in our middle schoolers. These technical abilities are essential in today’s digital world and will serve them well for years to come.