2022-04-08 Noticias de ISLA y ISLA PTO
Emily Smith
Letter from the Director
"Only a life lived for others is a life worthwhile." Albert Einstein
Queridas Familias:
I hope that you all had a great spring break and were able to spend some nice time with family and friends. As we get back into the swing of things at ISLA, I would like to call your attention to a few changes and events that are happening around here. As you might have seen in notes from your classroom teacher(s), next week your ISLA student(s) in grades 3 through 6 will begin taking the Minnesota Comprehensive Assessments (MCA’s) in Reading, and will take the Mathematics exam starting on April 25th. Please take a look at these dates:
MCA Key Dates:
April 11-22, 2022
MCA Reading (Grades 3-6)
April 25-May 6, 2021
MCA Math (Grades 3-6)
May 9-13 , 2022
Science MCA (Grade 5)
Another important item to note is that this week we are testing sending out the newsletter in this, more traditional format via email, as well as through Toddle. We would like to transition to putting all the newsletters on Toddle in weeks to come, so please get on Toddle if you haven’t already, and reach out to techsupport@isla.school if you have any questions or concerns. This will be the last newsletter that is emailed out in this format.
As usual, spring at ISLA is exciting and fast paced, with a flurry of activities, so I thought we should send out a list of key dates to keep us all on the same page. These dates are also being uploaded to the Toddle Calendar.
Atentamente,
Jeremy
ISLA Community! We NEED your photos for the yearbook.
What are we looking for?
- First Day of School
- Group Pictures
- Grade Specific activities and photos -ALL OF IT!
PLEASE, PLEASE take a few minutes this weekend and upload your photos. It helps us out significantly AND gives your child(ren) a chance to be in the yearbook beyond just their class photo! Here's the details: Please upload your candid photos at these links:
If you already have an account, log in for access to the upload folders. If not, you’ll need to create one with our school code: 1016123740893948)
Teachers & Staff: https://yearbook.treering.com/school/234727/photos/shared-photo-folders/199401439?fbclid=IwAR0LJEA4t8gh-NRZZXEsR_5GLBK_ORjzvD4ISQD3RLHqdhJUlSJ9kiJ6YxQ
6th Grade Baby Photos: https://yearbook.treering.com/school/234727/photos/shared-photo-folders/199401451?fbclid=IwAR1hJrW1ZJYh5BEUxt5T_7sSIwO92eepycS3CZ47zlcBh79VCY1nrgJ7DOg
Book your spot now!!
Here’s an update on the available get togethers from Fiesta!! If you are interested in booking, please email PTOFundraising@isla.school to reserve your spot. Payment can be made via Venmo (@ISLA-PTO), cash or check to ISLA PTO & delivered to Emily in the office.
Escapar de la ISLA (1st & 2nd grade)
Next Tuesday April 12th 4-6pm @ ISLA
Only 1 spot left - $30
Soccer Game with the LAs (2nd-6th grade)
April 22nd 4:15-5:45pm @ISLA Gym
$15/each
Private Movie Showing (1st & 3rd grade)
Date May 1st time TBD @ ShowPlace Theater in SLP
Only 4 spots left - $25/each
Parents will enjoy a happy hour at West End while the kids are in the theater!
Orange Theory Workout (Adults)
May 1st 1-2:30pm @ Orange Theory - Edina
$20/each
Zumbaton (Families: adults & children)
June 4th 10-11am @ISLA Gym
$25/family
K-2nd grade must have an adult with them.
Bike Ride Adventure (3rd & 4th grade)
June 10th 10-11:30 @Lone Lake Park
$25
Class of 2028 FInal Fiesta Pool Party (6th grade)
Aug 28th 1-4pm @ The Mahowald’s Home
Only 1 spot left - $50 (1 spot includes 2 adults & 1 child)
Thank you!!
One last round of ENDLESS thank you’s to everyone involved in making this year’s Fiesta such a fun time. We are grateful for this community and its amazing show of support!! If you are interested in helping us plan the festivities next year, please reach out to PTOFundraising@isla.school.
BOOK EXCHANGE
Hello ISLA Families with students in Grades 4, 5, and 6:
Each year in April, we celebrate El Día del Libro, which is a worldwide celebration, that began in Barcelona, Spain. It is a tradition to give a book to someone that day, and we would like to do a modified version of this.
We are asking students in grades 4, 5, and 6 to bring a book that they have enjoyed, but are willing to part with in exchange for choosing another to bring home. Please send books in good condition, and age appropriate. If you would like to send an extra, that would be great. Please do not send more than 3 books, however. In order to have time to organize the books, we would like them by Monday, April 18. Please have your child place the books in the box in the Media Center marked Día del Libro.
We hope to expand this celebration next year for the entire school.
Thank you for your support and participation!
EARTH DAY--APRIL 22, 2022
Hello ISLA Families!
To celebrate Earth Day, we are asking students to wear a green shirt on Friday, April 22. Also, we would like you to send us photos of your family helping the Earth. Recycling, cleaning up trash, or any other activities you participate in. Please submit the photos to: earthday@isla.school by Wednesday, April 20.
Thank you!
Our ISLA Diversity and Equity Committee is seeking proposals. Please share the linked RFP with any individuals, training teams, or organizations that may be in your network. The submission deadline is Friday, April 15th but we can extend that if interested parties need more time to complete the proposal. Thank you!
RFP for Diversity and Equity Audit
Spring 2022 Extra-Curricular Activities
Sports Sampler with the LAs!
Students will learn and recognize sporting rules of fútbol (soccer) and basketball by playing and putting into practice what they have learned during each class. Students will develop teamwork while playing in teams, while also fine tuning their individual skills with each lesson.
For the last class, students will challenge their parents in a game - kids vs parents! If a parent cannot attend on May 16th, an older sibling or an LA can try to substitute. Please communicate your attendance beforehand so teams can be equal. All classes are taught in Spanish by our wonderful Language Ambassadors (LAs).
Who: Grades 3-6 Maximum 15 students
When: Monday afternoons 4:15-5:15 April 11-May 16 (6 sessions)
Who: Sr. Carlos, Srta. Anamaría and Srta. Carolina
Cost: $72.00 (Please send check payable to the ISLA PTO)
Traditional Salvadoran and Spanish Games with the LAs!
In this class, students will learn three traditional games from El Salvador, and three traditional games from Spain! Games will strengthen children’s brains and their bodies by introducing popular board games, and more physical games like tug of war. All classes are taught in Spanish by our wonderful Language Ambassadors (LAs).
Who: Grades K-6 Maximum 15 students
When: Tuesday afternoons 4:15-5:15 April 12-May 17 (6 sessions)
Who: Srtas. Gisela and Irene
Cost: $72.00 (Please send check payable to the ISLA PTO)
Chess Club
Chess club is FULL
COVID Corner
COVID-19 Community Level: LOW
Community Level of COVID-19 for Hennepin County remains LOW, as of 04/08/22. Masks will be optional for ISLA staff and students the week of April 11 to 15, 2022.
New Online Program to Provide At-Home Rapid COVID-19 Tests to Minnesotans
Beginning March 29, Minnesotans will be able to order two test kits (for a total of four tests) per home through mn.gov/covid19. The State of Minnesota has secured 500,000 test kits (for a total of 1 million at-home tests) and the program will be available until all the test kits are ordered. Minnesota will use this program as a model for providing more access to COVID-19 rapid testing in the months ahead.
Vault At-Home Testing Program Ending
The State of Minnesota’s at-home PCR testing program through Vault Health ended on March 31. You can no longer order free test kits through the Vault Health program. Minnesotans who have Vault PCR tests at home will be able to use them until they expire, or until December 31, 2022, whichever is first.
Additional Ways to Get Tested
Minnesotans can continue to access no cost, COVID-19 tests at the state's community testing sites or use the state's online Find Testing Locations tool to find a clinic or pharmacy providing tests. The federal government is also providing up to eight free at-home COVID-19 tests per family that can be ordered at COVIDtests.gov.
CDC Quarantine and Isolation Calculator
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has released a new Quarantine and Isolation Calculator. This online tool allows people who have been in close contact with someone with COVID-19 or have COVID-19 to determine if they need to isolate, quarantine, or take other steps to prevent spreading COVID-19. This link was also added to the ISLA website, under the Quarantine/Isolation Guidelines section on the COVID-19 page.
Test to Treat Initiative
The Biden-Harris Administration launched a new nationwide Test to Treat initiative in March to give individuals an important way to quickly access free lifesaving treatment for COVID-19. Through this program, people can get tested and – if they are positive and treatments are appropriate for them – receive a prescription from a health care provider, and have their prescription filled all at one location.
A Test to Treat locator is available to help find participating sites. A call center is available at 1-800-232-0233 (TTY 1-888-720-7489) to get help in English, Español/Spanish, and more than 150 other languages. The Disability Information and Access Line (DIAL) is available at 1-888-677-1199 or via email to specifically help people with disabilities access services. A Test to Treat fact sheet is also available online in English and Español/Spanish.
In addition to the newly launched federal Test to Treat initiative, the State of Minnesota offers the Minnesota Resource Allocation Platform (MNRAP) as an online tool to connect patients and health care providers with COVID-19 medications. Learn more at COVID-19 Medication Options.