Communications

Every other Thursday, School District 197 sends out the Community Update, an electronic newsletter containing news about School District 197's students, staff, and upcoming events. The updates are sent to district staff, parents/guardians, and community members who have subscribed to receive it. To subscribe to receive the Community Update, please click here.

The District Dispatch is the official newsletter of School District 197 and is published in the fall, spring, and summer. The district newsletter is mailed to all School District 197 residents and families. View digital copies below.

School District 197 wants families to know about valuable programs and resources available to students and their families in our community. To facilitate delivery of this information, approved community organizations can send their flyers home to families digitally through Peachjar. Paper flyers will no longer be distributed to our students and families.

Flyer Guidelines
Due to the number of requests we receive from businesses, organizations, and individuals, all flyers distributed to our students and their families must:

• Be provided in English and Spanish
• Be school news, district news, news from one of our city/county partners and their affiliated organizations, and/or news from local non-profit organizations that provide programs and services for our students and their families
• Support the basic educational mission of the district, directly benefit the students, or be of intrinsic value to the students or their parents/guardians
• Not imply School District 197's endorsement of any identified product and/or services
• Not be lewd, obscene, libelous, or slanderous
• Not incite students to commit unlawful acts, violate school rules, or disrupt the orderly operation of the schools
• Not promote any particular political interest, candidate, party, or ballot measure, unless the candidates or advocates from all sides are provided the opportunity to present their views to the students during school hours or during scheduled events
• Not discriminate against, attack, or denigrate any group on account of gender, race, age, color, religion, ancestry, national origin, disability, or other unlawful consideration
• Not promote the use or sale of materials or services that are illegal or inconsistent with school objectives, including, but not limited to, materials or advertisements for tobacco, intoxicants, and movies or products unsuitable for children

To request flyer approval, follow the steps below. Paper flyers from outside organizations will no longer be distributed.

1. Visit www.peachjar.com
2. Register as a Program Provider (account type)
3. Upload your flyer for approval
4. Learn more about Peachjar's Community Free Program here and reach out directly to Peachjar for approval at support@peachjar.com.

Your flyer will be automatically submitted to the School District 197 Communications Department for approval. Once approved, your flyer will be emailed to parents and posted on each school’s web flyerboard for your selected duration of time. Peachjar charges a fee for this service that is typically much less than the cost to copy and deliver paper flyers to each school. You will be able to track your organization's flyers via your Peachjar dashboard.

View District Peachjar Flyers Here

School District 197 uses Facebook and Instagram to keep families updated on news and announcements. 

• School District 197
• School District 197 Instagram
• Two Rivers High School
• Two Rivers Instagram
• Friendly Hills Middle School
• Friendly Hills Middle School Instagram
• Heritage E-STEM Middle School
• Garlough Environmental Magnet School
• Garlough Environmental Magnet School Instagram
• Mendota Elementary School
• Mendota Elementary School Instagram
• Moreland Arts & Health Sciences Magnet School
• Moreland Arts & Health Sciences Magnet School Instagram
• Pilot Knob STEM Magnet School
• Somerset Elementary School

The District has a presence on two local cable channels:

• Townsquare TV, Channel 20 - serving residents of Inver Grove Heights, Lilydale, Mendota, Mendota Heights, South St. Paul, Sunfish Lake and West St. Paul
• Eagan Television (eTV), Channel 15 - serving residents of Eagan

Regular business meetings of the School Board are video recorded for playback on local cable and online streaming. Find more information about School Board Meetings.

The decision to close on days of inclement weather or in an emergency is always challenging, Student safety is always our primary concern, so we want to make sure parents and guardians are fully aware of our procedures.

• All delays in school opening, early dismissal of school, or emergency school closings will be announced over the WCCO radio station (830 on the AM dial). Channel 4 (WCCO), Channel 5 (KSTP), Channel 9 (Fox 9/KMSP), and Channel 11 (KARE) will also be notified. The district will be listed as: West St. Paul-Mendota Heights-Eagan Area.
• In the event of a delay in school opening or an emergency school closing, the media will be contacted by 5:30 a.m. When there is a delay in opening schools, the school starting time will always be delayed at least two (2) hours. However, we cannot control when the announcement will actually be broadcast.
• Families will be alerted through the parent notification system and information will be posted on the district and school websites.
• Students and parents should be sure to keep emergency contact information updated with their school office.

School District 197 welcomes requests from media outlets. Journalists and media companies who seek information for stories or wish to interview staff should begin by contacting Sara Blair, Director of Communications.