East Lake Preschool News 

Our Preschoolers have been very busy during our Creativity unit! There is so much you can do with some boxes, junk, and tape.  We have created through building, art, and music.  We have explored shaky eggs and rhythm sticks and how they sound. We have made penguin playgrounds, rock pet playgrounds, rock pet houses, boats, robots, and more.

In April and May, we will be exploring our growing and changing unit.  It is hard to believe that we are beginning our final unit of the school year.  The children have grown so much since the beginning of the year and have adapted to the many changes in our school year.  We will be looking at some of the growth and changes we have made as well as growth and changes happening in the world around us as Spring is here. 

If you are interested in Preschool for the 2021-2022 school year, the application process is now open.  East Lake offers a half day program in both the morning and afternoon. 

Applications received before April 5 will have priority processing. Applications are NOT selected on a first come first serve basis. Families in this group will be notified by the end of April via email whether their child has been registered in a preschool classroom OR if they have been placed on a waiting list. There is transportation available for families who live in the East Lake attendance area and are not walkers.  Please contact Kathy Adams if you have any questions.  

Kathy Adams
Connections Preschool
East Lake Elementary
Phone: 952-423-7896
Kathy.adams@district196.org

Raise money for East Lake by purchasing gift cards at face value

Shop 750+ top brands and immediately earn up to 20% on every gift card you buy. Use gift cards at full value for your daily purchases: Earnings come from brands, not from your pocket, so gift cards are worth every penny. Raise money simply by doing everyday things -- like grabbing your morning coffee or ordering dinner for the family. The Spring shopping campaign goes through April 10th. 

April 5th 4:00-8:00pm @ Panera Bread, Apple Valley

Our next community restaurant night is scheduled for Tuesday, April 5th from 4:00-8:00 p.m. at Panera in Apple Valley.  Mention “East Lake Elementary” to the cashier when ordering. A portion of the sales will be donated to East Lake Elementary PTO.

We are excited to offer our Pahl's plant fundraiser again. 

A percentage of all purchases will come back to East Lake PTO.  Last year, we were able to raise over $1,200. Ordering is easy and ALL online this year.

1. Click on this link to select and pay for your order: https://www.pahls.com/spring-fundraiser/?ref=13
2. All orders must be place by April 23rd, 11:59pm CST
3. Plants will be delivered to the school on Tuesday, May 11th for pick up between 4:30-7:30pm

Please email eastlakevolunteercoordinator@gmail.com with any questions.

From April 1 - May 3, all Minnesota public school students in grades 3, 4 and 5 will take the Minnesota Comprehensive Assessments (MCA). The tests help measure individual student progress toward meeting state standards. There is no minimum passing score on the MCA.

The reading test for students in grades 3, 4 and 5 will be given between April 1-May 3. Students will be taking this test in over multiple days and will be done on the computer. The reading test will include both multiple-choice and open-response questions that test students’ skills in comprehension, interpretation and evaluation.

The math test for students in grades 3, 4 and 5 will be given between April 1-May 3. The math test is intended to be completed in one sitting and will be done on the computer. The math test will include both multiple-choice and open-response questions involving shape, space and measurement, number sense, and chance and data handling.

The science test for students in grade 5 will be given on April 1-May 3. The MCA Science test is a computer-delivered assessment that presents a series of science scenarios. As students watch scenarios on computers, they listen on headphones to audio content and respond to multiple-choice, constructed-response, and figural-response items (e.g., drag and drop, creating a bar graph, etc.). Headphones will be provided for all students that do not have a set at school.

It is very important that we have as many students in school during the testing period so if at all possible please try to avoid taking any vacation time or setting up any appointments at this time.

Individual student results will be shared with parents as soon as they are available from the state. We will mail the parent copy at that time.

For more information about the MCA tests, call Miles Haugen at East Lake Elementary.

East Lake Elementary School has a Site Council that meets every other month during the school year. The purpose of the Site Council is to provide a forum where both parents and staff can participate in a shared decision-making process concerning the operation of the school. The Site Council is made up of four elected parents, four elected staff, the appointment of our volunteer coordinator and the building principal. Each of the elected members of the Site Council serve a two year term of office. New members of the Council take office at the August meeting.

The two-year terms of office for Amanda Kolpin and Kari Suzuki are up on June 30, 2021. If you are interested in running for the East Lake Site Council, please contact the East Lake office by Friday, April 16. We will then ask you to share a biographical narrative with us that will be published in the May Newsletter.

The qualifications for office are:

• Be at least 18 years of age.
• Be a resident of the East Lake attendance area and/or have students attending East Lake Elementary School.
• Be willing to devote time and effort to meetings and committee work.

The Site Council meets every other month at school. Meetings of the Site Council are always open to the public. Families are welcome to attend.

About District 196 Foundation

District 196 Foundation is dedicated to eliminating barriers to learning across ISD 196. We’re an all-volunteer organization that focuses on ensuring students have consistent access to food, providing books to keep kids reading during the summer months, and restoring used instruments so more students can participate in band. In response to Covid-19, we shifted our priorities to better address rising food insecurity, technology needs, and personal protective equipment for District 196 teachers and staff. 

Camp Propel is a three-week program that will run from July 26 through August 12. This year classes will be held at Highland Elementary School. The goal for Camp Propel is to improve student achievement by increasing attendance and moving the experience closer to the school year. We want to strengthen programming and provide more consistency across the district. Aligning curriculum with upcoming units of study in Science and Social Studies will essentially provide our students a jump-start to the school year, hence the name Camp Propel.

The Camp Propel is designed for students needing extra assistance in math and/or reading in grades K-4. (5th grade classes will be held at the student’s home middle school at a different time.) The classes will meet Monday through Thursday from 8:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m. Busing is provided. The goals of our summer program are:

• to improve student reading, writing and math skills.
• to increase student skill retention over the summer break.

Studies indicate that many students benefit from an extended school year. We will expect students who enroll in Camp Propel to attend every day. If you are not able to commit to this, then this program may not be for you. Consistency is an important component of learning.

We are identifying students whom the staff feels would most benefit from the experience. Parents of recommended students will receive an application form in March with your child’s report card.

Questions regarding our summer school program can be directed to Miles Haugen at 952-423-7896.

During the months of April and May, staff will be developing class lists for the 2021-22 school year. In order to ensure the best learning environment for all students, it is important that classes be balanced with an equal number of boys and girls, a blend of various ability levels, and separation of students who do not perform well together. Staff spend an incredible amount of time making sure that classrooms are balanced and that individual student needs are met. Each staff member works extremely hard in providing an excellent education for our children at East Lake Elementary. We believe all teachers employed at East Lake are excellent teachers who can provide excellent instruction.

However, sometimes there are unique circumstances when it is necessary for parents to provide additional input about their child's placement for the next school year that we do not already know. If you feel you have information that will assist us in the placement of your child, you may obtain a "Student Placement Form" from the office. Please understand that adjustments may need to be made over the summer months and that we can not always guarantee that the placement will be honored.

If you choose to complete a student placement form, we ask that you contact the East Lake front office and we will get the form to you. The form will need to be returned to the East Lake office by Friday, April 16, 2021.