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News From the Village
  May 4, 2012
In This Issue
Calendar
Key Links
Moodle How-to
Can Recycling
Cheer Team
Tennis Rackets
Community & Service
NO Study Center 5/11
Parent Survey
Summer ALEKS
Spotlight on Students
Books books books
State History Day Results
History Day Stories
D.C. Update
Class Pets
MS Walk
Vacant Board Seat Notification
Talent Show and Dessert Auction
International Days Update
CALENDAR

5/6 MS Walk  

 

5/7 Cheer Team

 

5/7 Handbells 1 

 

5/9 Handbells  2

 

5/10 Talent Show

 

5/11 NO STUDY CENTER  

 

5/14-16 NWEA testing

 

5/15-16 MYP International Days 

5/14-16 Eagle Bluff Field Trip

5/18 Physics Day  @ Valleyfair - 7th & 8th grade


5/28 Memorial Day NO SCHOOL

 

5/29 4:30-6:00 pm

CVA Board Meeting 

 

5/31 Community & Service Fair

 

5/31 School PIcnic and New Director Meet & greet  

 

5/31 School Board elections  

 

6/1 Last Day of School ON CAMPUS  

 

6/1 8th Gr Graduation  4:00pm

 


Globe in Hands

KEY LINKS

 

 

Math Practice based on NWEA scores

 

Reading Practice based on NWEA scores

 

iTunes app - Rocket Math

 

Basic Math

 

Mad Math Lite 

 

Coins Genius

 

Calculator Pro

 

EaselAlgebra i lite 

 

iTunes app - (Spanish) Mind Snacks 

 

ITunes app - (Language Arts)  

Rootology 

      

Moodle How-to

 

Click here for a copy of the how-to sheet showing how to access the CVA Moodle system, classes, gradebook and student email system.

 

FAMILY DIRECTORY 

 

 The CVA family directory is available on the website when you log into the website via the Staff and Student Logins page. 
     Use your student's username and password.  Please remember that this information is to be kept within our CVA community.

Aluminum Recycling 

Please bring your aluminum recycling  to school any day in tied plastic bags. Small bags can be brought to the resource room.



Let's Go CATS!

 

It's that time again - time for the cheer team to start!  

This year we will put together a routine for the

talent show on Thursday, May 10.

 

All students are welcome to participate.

 

Practice times are as follows:

 

Mondays from  

3:30 to 4:30

April 16, 23, 30 and May 7

 

Thursdays from  

12:30 to 1:30

April 26 and May 3

 

I am asking for a $10 fee to cover t-shirts for the talent show. Please contact me if this is a concern. There may be scholarship money available.

 

Print out and return the permission slip that is attached. Let Amanda Reding know if you have any questions!

 

 

Tennis or Badminton Rackets

 

If anyone has any Tennis or Badminton Rackets that they no longer use/need that they would want to donate, the CVA Physical Education Department would love to have them!  Any questions please contact Mr. Orr.

 

Community
 & Service Opportunity 

 

Please join Great River Greening as they continue their efforts to restore native landscapes throughout the state! Individuals of all ages, families with supervised school-aged children, and community and corporate groups of any size are welcome to participate in Greening's volunteer restoration events.

 

Pilot Knob Invasive Removal Event - Mendota Heights - Saturday, May 5 from 8:30 - 12:30  

 

Cherokee Bluffs Regional Park - Saturday, May 12 from 8:30 - 12:30  

 

Rum River Easement Property Tree Planting - Saturday, May 19 from 8:30 - 12:30

 

To sign up, go to their   

website
and click under "volunteer"

































Greetings! 
   
         If you haven't given us your input yet on the Parent Survey (linked below) please do so by next Monday.  We read and discuss every (anonymous) answer and have put many of parent suggestions into place over the years.  We value your input!  As a community we all want to be on the same page - providing an excellent educational option for your children.  Thanks for all the parent help this year in so many ways - we couldn't have done it without you!
      Don't miss the annual talent show this next Thursday evening!  It is always a lot of fun and very impressive!  Plus, there's a dessert auction.  What's not to like?  :)
      
David Alley 

There will be NO STUDY CENTER next Friday, May 11th

ANNUAL PARENT SURVEY

 

Each year faculty and staff use the excellent feedback given on these parent surveys to make improvements in our school community.  Please take a few minutes to complete the completely anonymous survey by clicking on this link. Please complete the survey by Monday, May 7th. Thanks!      

         ALEKS math program
available over the summer! 

CVA can keep your child's ALEKS account open throughout the summer! (Otherwise all accounts expire and will not be renewed until the new school year begins.)
This option is available to all students currently using the ALEKS program.
  • If you are interested in this option, please let the front office know on or before Friday, May 25.
  • The cost of this option is $50; $25 will go directly to CVA and $25 will go to your child's math teacher (if paying by check, please write 2 separate checks).

If you have any questions, please contact your child's math teacher or the front office. 

Spotlight on Students student council 2012
The CVA Student Council successfully completed their last "sandwich-making" activity for Our Saviour's Housing in Minneapolis this year. Aniq A. and Seamus F. made 47 sandwiches to deliver to the shelter. What a great way to show you care! Thanks for volunteering!
Calling All Books!

 

      It's time for spring cleaning! Return those CVA library books! Here are some places you may want to search: in the car, under the bed, between the couch cushions, on the shelf, in your tree fort, and at your Grandma's house.

     The library will be closed for the school year beginning on Monday, May 14. You may continue to return books as you find them, but items will no longer be available for checkout after that date.

      Thank you to Beth Nordquist for her heroic work in the library the past few years! We appreciate her dedication!

State History Day Results

Hip hip hooray for History Day! Gooooooo CVA! Congratulations to our students for their great work!  Here are the results:

2nd place and
going to Nationals in
Washington, DC:
Grace G. - Individual Exhibit
Mairead B. - Website 
 
3rd place  - individual exhibit: Sovigne G.  
5th place - Group Exhibit:
Lydia G., Carly Z. and Siena M.,  

Honorable Mention, - Group Exhibit:
Mickelle K., Mary Anna P., and Isabel H-L
Aniq A., Sam T., and Zoe H-L
 
Honorable Mention - Group Performance:
Seamus F., Ethan D., and Charles B

Special Prizes
Wallenburg Prize for Humanitarian History ($100.00): Seamus F, Ethan D, and Charles B for The Rescue of the Danish Jews
History of Europe Before 1914 Prize ($100.00): Sovigne G for Reforming Serfdom in Russia

History Day Stories

 

Each year we come away from State History Day with stories to tell. Here are three of those stories from this year.

 

Story #1: While waiting to find out if they made the second round of judging (they did), Seamus and Charles were hanging out by a piano. Both boys are accomplished musicians and Charles started to play. Three different people came along and each gave Charles a dollar for his fine playing. Charles was sincerely pleasantly surprised!

 

Story #2: Seamus, Charles, and Ethan did an incredible job presenting their dramatic performance about the rescue of the Danish Jews during WWII. However, Ethan is starring in Pippi Longstocking at the Children's Theater and had to leave for afternoon and evening productions after the boys' first round performance. When it was announced that they made it to the second round, Charles and Seamus paused to consider their options for no more than a minute. They ran off to find a room and rearranged and practiced their script in an hour and a half. Charles had new lines and Seamus took on Ethan's lines. They made it work and ended up walking across the stage twice for their Honorable Mention award and as the recipients of the Raoul Wallenberg prize.

 

Story #3: Mairead was awarded 3rd place for her Website at State History Day last Sunday, a prestigious award when you consider that over 30,000 students in Minnesota do History Day each year. But everyone dreams of Nationals and only the first and second place students go on to this level. This week, Mairead received a call from the State History Day people. The first place student isn't able to go to Nationals, so Mairead will advance to that next and final level. Now like Mairead, Sovigne received 3rd place in her category. But no, we don't have ill wishes for the first or second place finalists---especially when the 2nd place student is Sovigne's sister, Grace. For Sovigne, there's always next year!

 

We hope you've enjoyed these little insights into how our talented students encounter opportunities. For more examples of CVA student talent in action, come to the CVA Talent Show next Thursday, May 11 at 7:00 PM. And don't forget to say "Hip hip hooray for History Day!"

Washington D.C. Update!

 

Early registration for Washington D.C. is Thursday May 10th! 

Register now to save $50 off the price of the trip. The dates have been set! Washington DC is scheduled for April 24 - 27, 2013. This trip is open to all current 6th, 7th & returning 8th grade students (next year's CVA 9th grade)!

 

ANNOUNCEMENT: CVA students have received the honor of placing a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknowns at Arlington National Cemetery. Arlington National Cemetery is one of our most sacred shrines honoring our nations' Veterans and their families who have sacrificed their lives for our freedom while serving in past and present conflicts. This ceremony will take place on April 25th with four of our students being the official wreath party. We are very honored to be a part of this event. 

 

Please email Mr. Rand or Robyn with questions about Washington D.C. 2013!

Class Pets

It is that time of year again! CVA is looking for a summer home turtlesfor three CVA mice and 2 turtles. If you would be interested in hosting the school mice or the turtles for the summer pleasemice contact Mr. Rand. CVA will supply the housing and 1 bag of food. You will need to change the bedding (shredded paper) weekly for the mice and clean the water for the turtles as well as feed and water daily. You may also need to purchase a bag of mice or a jar of turtle food over the summer. Mice and turtles will move to their new home on Wednesday, May 16th. The first families to respond will be the proud summer homes for our wonderful class pets!

Twin Cities MS Walk this Sunday 

 

In recently students were shown monkey pins that were made by Emily B, a former CVA student, who has MS (Multiple Sclerosis) to raise money for research. Emily has made a you-tube video about her story that she would love for you all to see: Emily's Story   The pins are $1 and available from Robyn Mesenbring. 

 

This Sunday, May 6, CVA is participating in the Twin Cities MS walk (we have done this for many years and is an excellent community and service activity). To join our team, click here  and search for the "cats and eagles" team. We are currently one of the largest teams in the state. You can also make a donation to the team if you are unable to join us for the walk.   To find out more about MS, please click on the following link: MS Society

Notification of Vacant Board of Education Seats, Nominations and Elections

Composition of the Cyber Village Academy Board of Education:

The Cyber Village Academy School Board is made up of 9 members; 5 of which are CVA teachers, 3 of which are CVA parents, and 1 of which is a non-CVA related community member.

Vacant Positions:

We are currently accepting nominations for 2 parents, 2 teachers and 1 community member. All terms are 3-year terms, with the following exceptions:

 

  • Due to a parent not being able to continue on the Board as a parent because of a graduating child, one of the parent positions is a 2-year position to finish out the original 3-year term; and
  • Due to an early resignation of a community member, the community member position is a 1-year position to finish out the original 3-year term.

Responsibilities of School Board Members:

The position of School Board member is an important responsibility. The school Board sets direction for the school, makes decisions about the program, budget, staffing and policies for the school. School Board members must attend meetings. It is at and only at these meetings that Board action is accomplished. Members are expected to learn how to constructively contribute to board actions, become knowledgeable about the school and governance responsibilities. They are expected to vote their conscience for the good of the school, taking into account their knowledge of the school, the groups they represent, the school's mission and situation. All School Board Members must attend a mandated School Board Training provided by the Department of Education. This training, paid for by CVA, must be completed within 1 year of being elected to the board.

 

Procedure for Nomination:

If you wish to nominate yourself or another person, please complete the attached form. If nominating another person, obtain that person's permission and have them complete the information about themselves. The deadline for turning in the nomination form is Friday, May 11. Click here for a nomination form, or pick one up at the front desk on campus. 

 

Board Meeting Dates and Times:

In general, Board meetings will take place on the last Tuesday of each month, August - May. Additional meetings may be called during the summer months. Meetings are held from 4:30 P.M. - 6:00 P.M.

Election Date:

The Cyber Village Academy School Board election will be held on Thursday, May 31, 2012 from 8:00A.M. - 6:00P.M.

CVA Talent Show and  

Dessert Auction

 

What: Talent Show & Silent Dessert Auction

Where: CVA Gym

Date: Thursday, May 10, 2012

Time: Talent Show beginning at 7:00 P.M. (Dessert Auction during Intermission)

Your Part
  1. Bring in a dessert for the auction (tables will be set up for the dessert auction near the entrance of the auditorium).
  2. Support CVA by bidding on the desserts.
  3. Cheer on our students as they display visual and creative talents.

Silent Auction Guidelines

1. Desserts will be placed on tables near the entry. Please have them set out prior to the beginning of the talent show.

2. You are to wander around (socialize), feasting your eyes on the scrumptious desserts that are up for bid, signing your name and dollar amount to any and all that make your mouth water.

3. Make sure to go back to double (and triple) check your favorites to be sure that no one out-bids you!

4. At the end of the allotted auction time (intermission), all bids will cease.

5. Immediately following the intermission, winners of the delicious desserts will be announced. Payment is needed at this time.

    International Days @ CVA
Children Around the World
     
      In May, while the 8th graders are at Eagle Bluff, we are planning for 2 days of activities designed to expand our students' international understanding.  We are planning for hands on interactive activities that will break down stereotypes and foster understanding of differences and commonalities that humans all over the world have.  We will be focusing especially on Games, crafts and hobbies that are practiced by children in various countries.  We will be making kites and flying them,  cooking and tasting some international foods, creating toys from found objects and creating and playing some international games.  In addition, we plan to have a performance time for students who choose to go in depth in either dance or music classes.  Do you have expertise you could lend?  Artifacts that could be loaned to our 'international museum'?  Music you'd like to play?  Dances you'd like to teach?  please contact Lauren Odle or Jennifer Naglak if you'd like to be involved in any way, no matter how small.  Look soon for a resources list of items that could be donated or loaned.
Yours for the kids, CVA - International Baccalaureate World School

The Team at
Cyber Village Academy