Aquila Communicator

January 18, 2024

Greetings Aquila Community,

January and February are busy months here at Aquila. Buddy hula hooping is one way to stay warm!

A big thank you to the volunteers who helped with the Imagination Fair last night. Thank you students for showcasing your brilliance and interests.

Our teachers are taking opportunities to assess and reflect on student learning. We are looking forward to sharing the progress your child has made this first semester. Please watch for a special communication to sign up for family connect times.

During the month of February we have much to honor and celebrate. February is Black History Month. We have many school-wide activities planned to appreciate and honor the theme, "African-Americans and the Arts." February is I Love to Read Month. Our fabulous PTO and our Library Media Specialist Joanne Bongaarts have planned many fun events to inspire our young readers.

February 1 is World Hijab Day. We will have a school-wide assembly.

February 12 is National African American Parent Involvement Day. Invitations to breakfast and other school events for caregivers of our Black and African American students will be coming soon.

Thank you for your continued partnership.

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

Key Dates

Monday, January 22 ~ AQ PTO Meeting, 6:00 PM

Tuesday, January 23 ~ Dine Out for Aquila - Panera

Thursday, January 25 ~ 6th Grade Information Night, 6:30-7:30 PM, Virtual

Friday, January 26 ~ No School

Monday, January 29 ~ AQ PTO LTD Brewing Night

Friday, February 2 ~ No School

Thursday, February 1 ~ World Hijab Day Assembly

Thursday, February 8 ~ Whole School Field Trip to Middle School for AQ Musical

Monday, February 12 ~ National African American Parent Involvement Day Breakfast

Thursday, February 15 ~ Family Connect Times, 2:30-6:30 PM

Thursday, February 15 ~ Scholastic Book Fair

Friday, February 16 ~ No School, Family Connect Times, 7:30AM-3:30 PM

Friday, February 16 ~ Scholastic Book Fair

Monday, February 5 ~ Read My Shirt Day

Monday, February 19 ~ No School

Monday, February 26 ~ Author's Night With Sideena Grace, 6:30 PM

Five Fabulous Aquila Fifth Graders

AQ PTO Imagination Fair Recap & Photo Info

Thank you to all who attended our Imagination Fair! It was a huge success, with 70 Aquila students displaying imaginative exhibits, 20+ amazing volunteers lending a hand, and so many smiles and fun.

Photos taken are available exclusively on Aquila PTO's web site - visit PTBoard - Aquila Elementary PTO and navigate to Docs & Photos for the link. Here's a few as a preview!

Thanks once again to parent photographer Joe Stevens for these awesome memories, and to Aquila PTO committee co-chairs Kayleen Beccard and Alex Schmid for organizing the fun.

Save The Date ~ Author's Night - I Love To Read Month

February is I Love To Read Month at Aquila. Be looking for information coming home about special reading activities.

Please bring the whole family to a free event on Monday, February 26 at 6:30 PM. Local children's book author Sideena Grace will share her writing process and inspirations for writing a book. She will lead students in a writing activity.

Looking to purchase Sideena Grace's book? Please click on this form to pre order the book. Forms need to be returned to Joanne Bongaarts in the Library by Monday, February 5.

5th Grade Families ~ Virtual 6th Grade Information Night

Exciting News for 5th Grade Parents!

Join us on Thursday, January 25, 2024, from 6:30-7:30 PM for our online 6th Grade Information Night. Meet teachers, learn about the curriculum, and interact with our amazing principal. Don't miss out on this opportunity to kickstart a successful 6th-grade journey!

Find out more at ms.slpschools.org/grade6

Field Trip Recap

Fifth graders took a field trip and attended the University of Minnesota’s “The Physics Force” presentation in January. The show is a unique mix of physics demonstrations and humor. The Physics Force is a K-12 outreach program through the University of Minnesota that hopes to generate an interest in science in K-12 students. Click here to learn about the program.

Bussing for this event was funded with money raised from Aquila Gives!

Our Community Partner ~ Westwood Hills Nature Center

This school year, once more, our St. Louis Park elementary students will have the opportunity to explore the wonders of Westwood Nature Center in St. Louis Park. These enriching field trips bridge the scientific concepts our students are exploring in their classrooms with tangible examples in the natural world.

The focus of field trips to Westwood:

Kindergarten- Patterns of what plants and animals (including humans) need to survive.

1st Grade- How plants or animals use their external parts to help them survive, grow, and meet their needs.

2nd Grade - The structures and functions of plants or animals in seed dispersal.

3rd Grade - How the variations in characteristics among individuals of the same species may provide advantages in surviving.

4th Grade - The ways communities, including Minnesota American Indian Tribes, use evidence and scientific principles to make decisions about the uses of Earth’s resources.

5th Grade - How energy can be transferred from place to place by sound, light, heat, and electric currents.

Anne LaLonde Laux

Districtwide International Baccalaureate (IB) - Primary Years (Elementary) Coordinator

lalondelaux.anne@slpschools.org - 952-928-6642

Volunteer Opportunity ~ Lunchroom Support

Please consider helping out in the Aquila Cafeteria. We are looking for parents and guardians to help keep tables clean and engage with students.

Click here to sign up to help during February!

New slots available! THANK YOU!

AQ PTO Sledding Event ~ Canceled!

Unfortunately, due to the lack of snow, we are canceling the Aquila Sledding & Treats event scheduled for this Saturday at Aquila Park. Stay tuned for a potential reschedule later this winter! We appreciate your understanding.

Aquila PTO Information

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 Website - Click here

AQ PTO Facebook page - Click here

AQ PTO Calendar - Click here

AQ PTO Email Signup & Volunteer Interest Form - Click here

AQ Dine Out Nights For Aquila - Click here

AQ PTO EVENT

Aquila GOTR ~ Volunteer Coaching Opportunity

We are looking for volunteer coaches to help us support a Girls On The Run (GOTR) program this spring. Please contact Aquila Liaison, Kayleen Beccard, at kayleenbeccard@fit4mom.com with any questions. More information about GOTR can be found by clicking here.

District News ~ Superintendent Search Update

Magnets: We are aware that many families received multiple magnets instead of the intended one per household. Our printing vendor accidentally missed the important step of merging duplicate addresses. We sincerely apologize for the wastefulness. Please know that our printing vendor is crediting the district for costs related to this error. If you have extra magnets, please consider dropping them at your student’s school and we will distribute them to staff and community members.

FAQs: Superintendent Search FAQs: We’ve added 45+ questions to the online FAQs about the superintendent search. Visit the super search webpage to learn more.

Online and Hard Copies of the Superintendent Survey: The online community superintendent search survey is open through today, Thursday, January 18. Hard copies of the survey can be picked up and dropped off at your school’s main office. Please turn in the hard copy of the survey by January 22. The survey is available in English, Spanish and Somali.

Take the survey - open through today, Thursday, January 18.

District News ~

Accessibility of Menstrual Products in School Bathrooms

All St. Louis Park Public Schools’ school bathrooms will be getting the addition of menstrual products and dispensers. The stocked dispensers will be installed by the end of January. In the interim, products will continue to be available in the health offices of all school buildings. The distribution of menstrual products will be discreetly placed in designated dispensers within the restrooms, and our custodial staff will monitor and replenish the supplies regularly. This change, required by Minn. Stat. § 121A.212, aligns with our commitment to fostering a safe and nurturing learning environment for all students.

Community Resource ~ The Food Group