September 24, 2015
Dear Parent/Guardian:
Welcome to the Northeast Metro 916 Intermediate School District Construction Occupations
Program. This year will mark the 23rd student built home we have constructed. The building
project is located at 2341 14th Avenue East, in the city of North St. Paul. This year’s project is a
partnership with the city that removed a single family dwelling and detached garage. We look
forward to working with the city of North St. Paul and their commitment to education and
community.
The financial and educational support from this partnership allows us to offer the program to 11th
and 12th grade students within our component school districts. Throughout the day we have
three classes or time blocks that meet for 1 hour and 45 minutes, each class has an average of
12 students. With the exception of the first three weeks, the majority of our time will be spent at
the construction site with approximately three days per month in the classroom. I do not want
to create a false expectation for my students so we will be working outdoors during the winter
months. Throughout the school year the students will be exposed to all aspects of building
including the following:
⌂ Safety
⌂ Print Reading
⌂ Foundation
⌂ Waterproofing
⌂ Wall Framing
⌂ Roof Framing
⌂ Windows and Exterior Doors
⌂ Insulation
⌂ Exterior Finish
⌂ Mechanical/Electrical
⌂ Drywall
⌂ Floor Framing
⌂ Roof Covering
⌂ Interior Finish
Students are supplied with personal protective equipment and quality tools necessary to learn
the construction trades. A $20.00 deposit is required to ensure accountability for personal
protective equipment. The deposit will be refundable up to June 10, 2016. Students may bring
in their own personal safety equipment to include a hard hat, and Hi-viz safety vest. Safety
glasses will be provided by the school. We will provide a small locker at the construction site so
students can secure safety equipment. I encourage all students to bring in a lock for their locker.
With the training and exposure received during this program, we are hopeful that our students
will make educated career choices. At the end of the school year, scholarship opportunities
are given to our students. Scholarship applications will be handed out to students in class. I
would recommend making copies of completed applications along with letters of
recommendations, college applications, letter of acceptance, etc. for several different
scholarships require redundant information. Other benefits of this program include guest
speakers and field trips to local Technical Colleges.
Northeast Metro 916 Construction Occupation Program has Articulation Agreements regarding
course content with the colleges listed below. These colleges have agreed to award college
credit to our students that have earned a B average or better and obtained 90% attendance.
The transfer of these credits will help reduce the cost of college tuition.
Students also have the opportunity to become certified in the American Heartsaver AssociationHeartsaver First Aid Program, and the OSHA 10 safety program. The OSHA 10 will be a
combination of on line learning and classroom presentation. Once the student has completed
the course work he/she will be awarded an OSHA 10 training certificate. The OSHA 10 safety
program is recognized throughout the industry as the standard for safety. This certification is
available to all students at no additional fee.
Communication between students and me on a daily basis will be via a phone message system.
Each morning I will leave a message on our student access line. The message will indicate to
the student if we will be at the construction site or the classroom. Due to inclement weather we
may experience during the school year, I may be forced to have an unscheduled classroom day.
Students just need to call (651) 415-5613 starting at 7:30 A.M. to inform them where we will be
for the day. I will not divide up the school day, so it will affect all classes.
Communication of student progress can be accessed through our Parent Portal. If you would
like to monitor your students progress simply complete the Parent Portal Acceptable Use
Procedure Acceptance Form and either mail it to the address indicated or have student return it
to me. Parent Portal forms were also mailed out earlier as part of a welcome letter sent to the
student/family. This form does not replace the original; it is being sent to all students who are
enrolled in the Construction Occupations Program. If you have already submitted a Parent
Portal form, you do not need to re-submit. As a reminder, if you have received the activation key
please follow the directions to create a user name and password.
I like to document the progress of our project through pictures. To view photos of our current
project, log on to http://www.nemetro.k12.mn.us/career. From our site, click on course pages,
from the course page directory, click on Construction Occupations. This will bring you to my
teacher page and under contents you can view photos and the building plan.
If you have any questions, or concerns, please contact me, the following page has my contact
information.
We look forward to sharing this educational experience with your son and/or daughter
throughout this school year.
Sincerely,
Thomas Spehn
Instructor, Construction Occupations
CONSTRUCTION OCCUPATIONS PROGRAM
PARENT/GUARDIAN AUTHORIZATION
As a parent/guardian, I am aware that:
 The 916 does not provide transportation to the building site
 Students will be exposed to cold weather and are expected to dress accordingly
 Students will be operating power tools and pneumatic tools
 Students will be working on roofs, ladders and scaffolds
 Students must follow all safety procedures and guidelines
The building site has the potential to be a hazardous place. If you believe there are any issues
that you may have about your son/daughter in this environment please contact me.
I can be contacted by phone or email.
Tom Spehn- Instructor
Phone- (651) 415-5567
Email- tom.spehn@nemetro.k12.mn.us
After you have read the above information, please sign and have your son/daughter return this
page only. Keep the rest of the letter for your future reference
Student Name: __________________________ High School: _________________________
Parent/Guardian Signature: _____________________________________ Date: __________
If you would like to share any concerns, or have any questions, I have provided some space
below.