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Fiesta de la Primavera 2023

The 2023 Fiesta de la Primavera was a success! It was SO great to see some familiar faces and lots of new faces!! We had a blast at La Doña Cervecería, mingling with old friends and making new ones. Food, drinks and lots of dancing made for a great evening while we helped raise funds for the Language Ambassador program.

THANK YOU!

You all deserve a HUGE thank you – You helped us get closer to hitting our fundraising goal - tally is still coming in, but it was a success! We are still completing the final tally of what we raised, more to come soon! The ISLA PTO, your students and ISLA as a whole cannot thank YOU enough!!

GreatGatherings still available!!

We still have a handful of really fun events available from Fiesta!! We’d love to see these fill up more now that we are able to get together as a community again. If you are interested in booking a spot, please go to GiveSmart or email fiesta@isla.school.

De Colores (Kinder only)

It will be a fun evening all about painting. We will have facepainting, hair painting and finger painting and snacks! March 24th, from 4:15 -5:45 in room 108.
1 spot left - $35 / each

Hangout with the LA’s

Saturday March 25th from 5-7:30 pm (location TBD - one of the families will offer their home for the event)
7 spots left - $20 / each

Private Moving Showing (2nd and 4th grade)‍

April 15th 5:30 - 7:30 pm @ISLA
12 spots left - $25/each

Hopkins Scavenger Hunt (2nd-6th grade)

May 13th 11:00 am - 2:00 pm downtown Hopkins
6 spots left -$35/each

La Caminata Saludable // The Healthy Walk (3rd and 4th grades)

May 20th 10 am -12 pm @ Bryant Lake
10 spots left - $35/each

Student vs. Teacher Soccer (4th, 5th, and 6th grade)

May 20th 11am - 1:30 pm (location TBD)
3 spots left - $35/each        

PuertoRican Themed BBQ

May 20th 2-7:30 pm in Minneapolis, hosted by Tamara Gonzalez & Jose Kosowski
3 spots left - $75 /per couple

Parent/ Child Mountain Biking

May 21st 1-3 PM @ Monarch Single Track Train Head in Carver Park Reserve
6 spots left - $50 / parent & child  

Games with the LA’s (1st - 6th grade)

May 26th 5-7 pm @ Burnes Park
35 spots left - $20 / each

Girl Scout Cookie and Wine Party

May 5th 7-9 pm @ Van Eps home in Minnetonka
2 spots left - $40 / couple

Minnehaha Falls Hike and Snack (1st, 2nd and 3rd grades)

May 6th 10am-12pm
13spots left - $15 / each

Yard Game Olympics GG (adults only)

May 6th 5-8 pm hosted in Edina by Sperber and Moretto families
7 spots left - $50/ couple

Educational Minecraft #2 with Sr. Edgar (kinder, 1st, and 2nd)

Date TBD @ ISLA
5 spots left - $25/each

Girls Only Mountain Biking (3rd - 6th grades girls only)

May 21st 3-5 pm @ Monarch Single Track Train Head in Carver Park Reserve
7 spots left - $25/each

Lake Harriet Beach Party (2nd and 3rd Graders)

May 27th 10 - 11:30 am @ Lake Harriet South Beach
10spots left - $35/each

Wrap-up

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!! As we wrap-up the 2023 Fiesta, Spring is arriving!! And as we near the end of our second year in the new ISLA building, we look forward to next year. We would love to see our Fiesta team grow– If you are interested in helping us plan the festivities next year, please reach out to fiesta@isla.school.

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MCA Testing At ISLA!

Beginning next week, students at our school and across Minnesota will be taking the Minnesota Comprehensive Assessments (MCAs).   The MCAs are state tests in reading, mathematics, and science that are used to meet federal and state legislative requirements. The tests are administered every year to measure student performance relative to the Minnesota Academic Standards that specify grade-level learning benchmarks for students and help guide our work in curriculum and instruction.  As always, testing windows are shared on ISLA's assessment calendar on our website.  The following link also has more information about the MCA (including translated materials): https://education.mn.gov/MDE/fam/tests/  

While parents and guardians have always had the right to refuse standardized testing, administering the MCA is not optional for our school. A parent refusal form must be on file with the school prior to testing.  For any questions about MCA testing at ISLA, please reach out to our District Assessment Coordinator, Sarah Devers at sdevers@isla.school

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Join the ISLA School Board!

Looking for a way to support the mission and shape the future of ISLA? Join the ISLA Board of Directors!  The ISLA School Board is seeking candidates to fill a new board director vacancy that will run from July 1, 2023 through June 30, 2024. ISLA teachers, parents of ISLA students, and other community members are all welcome to apply.  

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 in person at ISLA on the third Tuesday of each month.

If you are interested in seeking nomination to this Board seat, please submit a Statement of Interest (available here) to Liz Crouse, Chair of the ISLA Governance Committee, at lcrouse@isla.school by Friday, March 31.

Executive Director 360 Degree Survey

Every year, the HR Committee conducts a 360 Degree Survey of the Executive Director.  A few years ago Jeremy brought this idea to the Board to help set and evaluate goals.  This anonymous survey should take about 5-10 minutes and is written in English and Spanish.  Please complete the survey by Monday, March 13th.  

Encuesta de 360 grados del director ejecutivo

Cada año, el comité de recursos humanos realiza una encuesta de 360 grados. Hace unos años Jeremy trajo esta idea a la junta directiva para ayudar a establecer y evaluar los objetivos.  Esta encuesta anónima debería tomar 5 a 10 minutos de su tiempo y está disponible en español y inglés. Por favor completa la encuesta para el lunes, 13 de marzo.  

Thank you!!

Summer School at ISLA

As families are making summer plans, some have inquired about summer school at ISLA.  Summer school is by invitation only, based on assessment data and teacher input.  For students invited to summer school, families will be notified in late March, with a registration deadline at the end of April.

Summer school will be scheduled for incoming 2nd-6th graders the mornings of July 17-28. While it is ideal for students to attend both weeks, families may register for one or both weeks.  

Students who are registered for summer camp will be able to adjust their registration if they receive a summer school invitation.  We encourage families to sign up for the summer camp(s) they are interested in.  Students attending summer school have the option to stay in the afternoon for summer camp programs.