ISLA News

September 7, 2021

Emily Smith

Administrative Assistant

Letter from the Director

Queridas Familias,    

“It is spring again. The earth is like a child that knows poems by heart.”― Rainer Maria Rilke 

Spring is in the air and there is a palpable energy shift here at ISLA.  I have found that the weeks leading up to spring break is an exhilarating but somewhat exhausting time in schools, as the teachers have the satisfaction of seeing very tangible academic growth in their students, but need to balance the verve and vigor of the 24 young people in their classroom with the sense of fatigue that begins to creep around the edges of even the most hardy educators as they head into the final months.   At this time of the year, we can see the progress that our students have made in terms of language fluency, mathematical reasoning, socialization, and critical thinking skills.  This is readily apparent on a daily basis, as class discussions seem to become more spirited, student research becomes more sophisticated, and presentations become more lively--evidence that the process of inquiry is really taking shape in the classroom.   This month is National Poetry Month, and once again, ISLA teachers will be participating in many ways. Once again, I would like to encourage you to participate as well,  to help our task of fostering literacy at every level. During this upcoming vacation, take some trips to the library, write poems with your child, or simply continue the routine of daily reading with your ISLA student.  I would like to thank all the parents who were able to fill out the parent survey that was available in the school entrance during conferences. If you did not get a chance participate in the survey, it is still open and a link for it can be found here:   https://goo.gl/forms/thKehcMCfRUJVH2k1 On April 27th, we will be honoring our volunteers again at our annual Volunteer Appreciation event.  As you know, our cadre of parent volunteers is amazing, and we could not fulfill this mission without them.  I would like to take this opportunity to call for volunteers for the remainder of this year and next year---if you have not been able to participate in the past, this is a perfect time to get involved!  We look forward to seeing you all at the Fiesta de la Primavera tomorrow night!

Best regards,  

Jeremy

 

Spring Music Programs

 The dates for the spring music programs have been set.  They are as follows:

1st grade        Friday, May 6th, 10 am

3/4th grades  Wednesday, May 10th, 6:30 pm

2nd grade Thursday, May 11th, 10 am

5th-6th grades  Thursday, May 18th, 6:30 pm

Kindergarten Friday, May 19th, 9:30 am

Late Start 

Thursday, April 6th is ISLA’s next late start.  School and buses will run 2 hours late.  If you need childcare for this time please register at onoccasion.misamigosimmersion.com. 

Kindergarten Round-up

Kindergarten Round-up is scheduled for Thursday, April 20th at 6:30 pm.  This is for incoming kindergarten students and their parents.  We will collect registration paperwork, go for a bus ride and meet with the kindergarten teachers. 

 

Assessments at ISLA

I would like to give you a preview of the testing that will be coming up in the next months.  We need to complete the MCAs, and Spring MAP testing.  You can help us by making sure your child comes to school on those dates, well rested and having a good breakfast.

Please read below the dates and grades that are involved in each of these assessments.

3rd-6th Grade MCA Reading Started March 20th—ending April 3rd

5th Grade-MCA Science  April 3rd-7th

3rd-6th Grade MCA Math April 20th-28th

2nd-6th Grade NWEA—MAP Math TBD

2nd-6th Grade NWEA—MAP Reading  TBD

Thank you for your support and feel free to contact me with any questions.

Ximena Rayo, Assessment Coordinator

 

We NEED Volunteers to Serve on the ISLA Board of Directors!

What makes ISLA great? All of Us.

As a charter school, we rely on parent and community volunteers to, quite literally, keep the school running. Right now we need volunteers to serve on our Board of Directors. Our Board of Directors is composed of parents, community members, and teachers who volunteer their time to make the decisions that shape the current and future direction of our school. We need you. You chose ISLA as the best school for your child(ren); remember, ISLA is the best because of the people who work to make it so. Please be one of those people.

Worried you are not qualified to sit on the Board of Directors? If you are a parent or community member not employed by ISLA, then you are qualified! Worried you don’t have skills needed by the Board? Are you passionate about ISLA? A community-minded person? Do you work well with others? You are qualified! Board members bring diverse skills, personalities, and strengths to the Board. Check us out here: http://isla.school/contacts/board

Apply now! Download a Statement of Interest form, fill it out, and return to Gina Rumore (grumore@isla-academy.org) by April 6.

 

3 Simple Ways to Rock Your Life and Feel Good

 

The heartfelt expression of gratitude lifts us out of the mind's usual feeling of "not enough" into the joy of sufficiency. We open ourselves to take in the blessings that surround us. Concentrate on naming, savoring, and feeling gratitude for the blessings you do have--love for your children, pleasures of eating the food you like, the sight of the sky at dusk. Don't ignore the bad stuff, but make a point of celebrating the beautiful stuff with all the exuberant devotion you can muster.

Here are 3 simple things you can do every day this week:

  • Do something from your Joy list to nurture yourself, so your cup is full enough to overflow with joy towards others. Don't have a list of the things you can do to help you feel joyful and happy? Make one, right now! Put it up and keep adding to it every day.
  • Spend 15 minutes in private, unstructured, loving interaction with each child, preferably including lots of listening and snuggling. Let them decide what the topic of conversation will be, and just listen OR spend the time reading together. Resist the urge to tickle, teach a lesson, or engage with any kind of technology. Just be--and let love rush in.
  • Find something to be grateful for every minute. Let's do an experiment, right now. Put your hand on your heart. Name 5 things for which you're grateful. Feel that gratitude. Immerse yourself in it. Did you do it? It takes one minute. What do you notice after doing this practice? Now, name 5 things about your child/family for which you're grateful. See how this could turn your whole life around? Gratitude transforms our mood, attitude, actions, how we perceive our world. If all you do is offer appreciation all day long--to your child, your spouse, yourself, Life--you'll find your day transformed.

 May your week be filled with miracles, large and small!

ISLA (International Spanish Language Academy) receives the Minnesota Department of Education School Finance Award

The School Finance Award is awarded annually by the Minnesota Department of Education (MDE), Division of School Finance, to recognize schools for meeting statutory deadlines for submission of audited fiscal financial data and reporting criteria.

 

March 31st, 2017

 

The International Spanish Language Academy received the 2016 Minnesota Department of Education (MDE) School Finance Award. ISLA received this prestigious financial reporting honor for its FY16 fiscal year financial results.

The School Finance Award is awarded annually by the Minnesota Department of Education (MDE), Division of School Finance, to recognize schools for meeting statutory deadlines for submission of audited fiscal financial data and reporting criteria.

This is the 13th year the MDE has recognized school organizations that exhibit sound fiscal health and financial management policies and procedures. This is the third consecutive year that ISLA has been recognized. To earn this honor, ISLA:

Complied with all state requirements for meeting financial reporting deadlines;

Showed financial health; had positive fund balances in the general fund, food service fund, and community education fund; and

Had no errors in its financial reporting.

Out of the 574 eligible reporting entities, 449 met the qualifying criteria for the FY2016 School Finance Award. There was no application process.

 

See what ISLA Alumni are up to!

The Hopkins High School Quiz Bowl team will compete at the national level in May, thanks to a strong and well-balanced team of mostly juniors. Pictured are Michael Korsh, Shayna Korsh, John Vaaler, Armand Martinez, Maxim Peng, Jasper Johnson, Kelson Rauser, Ian Baxer and Coach John Sammler. (Sun Sailor photos by Gabby Landsverk)   click here for the full story

 

Summer Camps

Register here

Adventure Wilderness/Aventuras en la Naturaleza July 24-28 Entering Grades 1-5

Amazing Animals/Animalisimo July 24-28 Entering Grade K

Magical Wizarding World through Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts/El Mundo Mágico de Harry Potter y las Bestias Fantásticas July 31-August 4 Entering Grades 1-5

MakerSpace, Coding and Minecraft/MakerSpace, Programación y Minecraft August 7-11 Entering Grades 1-5