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Barnes and Noble Bookfair

Please join us on Saturday, December 11th for our Barnes & Noble Bookfair at Ridgehaven Mall (next to the Ridgedale Target)!

• Help our teachers fulfill their classroom wish lists
• Enjoy special readings done by teachers and students
• Wear ISLA apparel and sign in upon arrival to earn a uniform-free day
• Support ISLA with each dollar spent

Can't make it in person? Visit BN.COM/bookfairs to support us online from 12/11 until 12/16.

Interested in volunteering for this festive event? Please sign up here:https://www.signupgenius.com/go/70A0D4FA4A62AA1FF2-volunteers

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Join the ISLA Board of Directors!

Looking for a way to support the mission and shape the future of ISLA? Join the ISLA Board of Directors!  The ISLA Election and Nominating Committee is seeking interested community members, teachers, parents, grandparents, and guardians to fill several upcoming vacancies on the ISLA Board beginning June 30, 2022.  No previous experience is required, but we do have a specific need for individuals with expertise in marketing and communications, fundraising, or finance.

The ISLA Board is responsible for overseeing the general operations of the school, implementing policies and procedures, and long-term strategic and financial planning.  In addition, there are a number of different committees on which Board members serve. Click here for descriptions of the various committees. The Board meets in the evening on the third Tuesday of each month.

If you are interested in seeking a Board seat, please submit a Statement of Interest (available here) to the Election and Nominating Committee by February 4.  Questions about Board service and the election process can be directed to Liz Crouse, Chair of the Election and Nominating Committee, at lcrouse@isla.school. The election of Board Directors will occur in connection with ISLA’s annual meeting on May 17, 2022.

Help Improve the Lives of ISLA Faculty and Staff!

The ISLA Human Resource Committee is currently recruiting members, and we'd love to have you join us! The H.R. Committee is an advisory committee to the ISLA Board of Directors, made up of parents, community volunteers, ISLA faculty, and staff members.  We provide recommendations, guidance, assistance, and support to the Board and the ISLA administration with respect to a variety of human resources matters. As a part of this Committee, you have the opportunity to make a significant impact in the lives of the amazing faculty and staff of ISLA.  We regularly solicit employee feedback and recommend actions to increase employee engagement and satisfaction, including in the areas of employee benefits and compensation.

Come join our team!  No experience is necessary, but human resource or employment law experience would be particularly appreciated. If you are interested, please contact Dana Provus, the current H.R. Committee Chair, at dprovus@isla.school.

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COVID-19 Updates

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AT-HOME TESTING KITS FOR STUDENTS

To Parents/Guardians: ISLA has received an additional supply of BD Veritor rapid, antigen COVID tests for home use. We have enough to send home one kit with every student (Pre-K through 6th grade). If your student feels ill, please keep them at home and use this test kit. See instructions and links below for directions on using the kit. These kits will be sent home in student's backpacks before winter break. If you do NOT want this test kit, please let your child's teacher know. If you have questions regarding testing, please email the School Nurse [tnelson@isla.school].

Previously, these rapid antigen were NOT to be used in situations of close contact and the shortened 7-day quarantine. MDH has just updated their guidance and they will allow these test kits to be used for the testing requirement of the 7-day quarantine. The manufacturer's instructions for serial testing must be followed precisely, however. Please see the information below for more details.

BD VERITOR AT-HOME RAPID ANTIGEN COVID TEST

BD Veritor At-Home COVID test is a rapid antigen test recommended for people experiencing symptoms. Individuals who feel ill should stay home and perform this test. This test is done using a shallow nasal swab, and results are read within 15 minutes using the Scanwell Health app from your smart device.

• Please visit this webpage: BD Veritor™: Our Rapid COVID-19* Antigen Test (www.bdveritorathome.com/enus/our-covid-19-test) for testing information and how to download the app. The Scanwell Health app will walk you through the testing process, step by step.
• Refer to the manufacturer’s instructions for specific testing details: BD Veritor™ At-Home COVID-19 Test - Instructions for Use (www.fda.gov/media/151761/download).
• Each box contains 2 test kits. If your first test is negative, use the 2nd test 24 to 48 hours later. If both tests are negative and you continue to have symptoms, it is recommended to get a molecular COVID test.
• Please document the test results (with a screenshot or equivalent) and forward to the School Nurse [tnelson@isla.school].
• For any positive result, please stay home and isolate yourself. Family members of positive persons should also remain at home. Please email [covid19reporting@isla.school] for any positive result.
• If you are using this test kit because you have been identified as a close contact, please refer to the newly updated guidelines from MDH: Quarantine for COVID-19. This link contains detailed information about using rapid antigen testing correctly in situations of close contact. You will find this information under the heading labeled: Options to Reduce Quarantine.

Celebrate Safely, Minnesota

Governor Tim Walz has launched a new “Celebrate Safely, Minnesota” campaign — a coordinated, statewide effort to help Minnesotans access the resources they need to celebrate as safely as they can this holiday season. In addition to testing and vaccine events (including roughly 35 school-based clinics over the next few weeks), the campaign will help Minnesotans find a test, vaccine, or booster and highlight why each step is critical to help prevent the spread of COVID-19. Parents can even take their kids to Mall of America to get vaccinated at meet Santa this Saturday, Dec. 11 from 1-2 p.m. So get tested. Get vaccinated. Get boosted. And celebrate safely, Minnesota! Learn more at mn.gov/covid.

COVID-19 Boosters Recommended for 16 and 17-year-olds

On November 9, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) gave emergency authorization for 16- and 17-year-olds to get a booster dose of the vaccine made by Pfizer. In addition, the CDC is now recommending that teens ages 16 and 17 get their booster if it has been at least 6 months since their initial Pfizer vaccination series. People ages 16 and 17 years can only receive Pfizer for their booster dose. Minnesotans can find a vaccine at mn.gov/covid.

Updated Quarantine Guidance

MDH has updated its quarantine guidance related to testing and shortened quarantine. Until now, a molecular test was the only option for testing to return to child care, school, or other programs following a shortened 7-day quarantine. This guidance has been updated to allow for antigen tests to be used for a shortened 7-day quarantine as well. To summarize:

• If the person has a test that requires only a single test (rather than a series of two tests), the test should be performed no earlier than day five and as close to day seven after the last exposure as possible. If the test is negative, the person may resume regular activities on day eight (i.e., PCR or CUE test).  
• If the person has a rapid antigen test that is meant to be performed “serially” (meaning two tests are required over a specific time period), the final test in the series should be performed on day seven after the last exposure. Examples of rapid antigen tests that are meant to be performed serially are BinaxNOW OTC and BD Veritor.

Updated guidance documents:

• MDH: Quarantine for COVID-19
• MDH: Close Contacts and Quarantine
• MDH: COVID-19 Self Testing.

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