December 8, 2022

Hello Families,



Please remember students go outside for recess every day! Make sure they have outdoor clothing. Label all clothing. Students should visit the Lost & Found which is located near the Cafeteria.

Students will always go outside unless the regular temperature is below 0 degrees or the windchill temperature is -10 degrees or below. We will watch the temperature to keep our students safe.

Paz,

María & Olivia

María Graver, Aquila Principal

952-928-6502 ~ graver.maria@slpschools.org

Olivia Tolzin, Aquila Assistant Principal

952-928-6508 ~ tolzin.olivia@slpschools.org

Thursday, December 22 --- Monday, January 2 ~ No School

Tuesday, January 3 ~ School resumes

Monday, January 9 ~ AQ PTO Meeting, 6:30 PM

Saturday, January 14 ~ AQ Sledding Event, 10:00 AM - 2:00 PM

Monday, January 16 ~ No School

Thursday, January 26 ~ Imagination Fair

Friday, January 27 ~ No School

Friday, February 3 ~ No School

Thursday, February 9 ~ AQ Whole School Field Trip to Musical

Friday, February 17 ~ No School

Monday, February 20 ~ No School

AQ Staff Spotlights

Nadie Nandlall, Assistant

Steve Welter, Custodian

Math Update ~ Heather Hussong, AQ Math Specialist

St. Louis Park Schools adopted a new math curriculum last year, Bridges in Mathematics. If you are looking for extra resources for math, please check out the Math Learning Center's Math At Home website. It has a collection of activities that are organized by math content. On this website, there are even links to some of the math work place games that the students play at school.  

Math At Home: Choose your child's grade level and find online activities to do at home.

https://mathathome.mathlearningcenter.org/

Math Apps: These are great apps to use on a tablet or a computer.

https://www.mathlearningcenter.org/apps

Please contact Heather Hussong with any questions at hussong.heather@slpschools.org

Winter Gear Donations Needed

Aquila's Tool Of The Week ~ Progressive Rest

Each week, students and staff will focus on a tool that helps them with their social emotional well-being. This week's tool is called Progressive Rest.

1. Sit or lie down on the floor and breathe slowly.
2. Bringing your attention to your feet, squeeze the muscles in your feet. — Now, let your feet rest.
3. Bringing attention to your legs, squeeze the muscles in your legs. — Now let your legs rest.
4. Breathe slowly.
5. Bringing attention to your hands, squeeze the muscles in your hands. — Now let your hands rest. 
6. Still breathing slowly, shrug your shoulders toward your ears. — Now let your shoulders rest. 
7. Bring attention to your eyes and squeeze your eyes. — Now let you eyes rest.
8. Allow your whole body to rest.

STEP Holiday Registration

In December, STEP provides new toys and Target gift cards to St. Louis Park Children. 

Registration for this program is November 21-December 12. Click here to register.

Aquila Gives ~ Funding Spotlight

Last year, second graders were treated to a visit from the Minnesota Arboretum's School Plantmobile. During this visit, Eli and Imran took a close look at a thorny situation, and Detective Eva was on the job investigating plant characteristics. Students compared a plant's life in Minnesota to life in the desert, went on a plant adaptation hunt through the classroom, and learned how to safely touch the prickly parts of these desert plants. Guest speakers like the School Plantmobile are made possible with funds generously donated during Aquila Gives. 

The mission of the Aquila Parent Teacher Organization (PTO) is to enhance the educational experience of all Aquila students and support all Aquila community and staff through fundraising and community events. 

AQ PTO INFORMATION ~ LINKS:

*Website

*Facebook

*Send an email

*Parkway Pizza Fundraiser:

Wednesday, December 14

*Meeting: Monday, January 9, 6:30 PM

GET INVOLVED ~ LINKS:

*Volunteer Interest Form

*Cafeteria Lunchroom Help Link

District News ~

Why Do So Many SLP Students Opt Out of Testing?

St. Louis Park Public Schools has a significantly higher opt-out rate than our neighboring school districts. We want to help staff, families, and students understand how these tests can benefit students and schools and how opting out can actually have unintended negative impacts.

The state uses proficiency data to help identify which schools need additional support and recognize those making fantastic progress. But when students opt out of testing, they are marked as “not proficient” by the state, significantly lowering apparent proficiency levels. It impacts everything from students’ college-ready scores and understanding of academic progress to school enrollment and perception. 



It’s not that SLP students aren’t proficient, it’s that many are not testing. Movements across the country have encouraged families to opt out without understanding the impact it has on students and schools. Some movements, for example, are based on the premise that standardized tests are racially biased against Students of Color. Read more.

District News ~

We Recognize Inclusive Schools Week - December 5-11

During Inclusive Schools Week, it is important to commemorate the progress that schools have made in providing a quality education to an increasingly diverse student population including students who are marginalized due to disability, gender, socio-economics status, cultural heritage language preference and other factors. Inclusive Schools Week also provides an important opportunity for educators, students and parents to discuss what else could be done to ensure that their schools continue to improve their ability to successfully educate all children. 

This year, the Inclusive Schools Week’s theme is “Unity within Community—Inclusion Around the World.” United we are stronger to focus on our common need—inclusive practices in our schools and in our communities.

Let us stand together to address the challenges of this time as we continue to address the needs of our children for schools where all children belong, thrive, and are supported by their teachers, peers, family members and neighbors. Let’s learn more about the work of other organizations and groups in our community and share ideas, resources and support. Let’s teach our children by our actions how to treat others, how to communicate and build relationships, and how to work in harmony to address our common needs. None of us are alone in our efforts to support inclusive practices. Working together we stand stronger as we move closer to that vision of an inclusive world in 2022!



View Governor Walz’s Inclusive Schools Week proclamation on the Minnesota Department of Education website.

María Graver, Principal

Olivia Tolzin, Assistant Principal

8500 West 31st Street

St. Louis Park, MN 55426

Phone: 952-928-6500

Fax: 952-928-6466

graver.maria@slpschools.org

tolzin.olivia@slpschools.org

aq.slpschools.org