Wolf Pack Press, March 23rd

Greetings, Wolf Pack!

There is quite a bit going on this week at school with conferences and Science Fair. Most of you will be visiting the school in-person this week, and we hope you will use time in the school to do some of the following:

1. Donate. Bring any donations of full-sized toiletries like toilet paper, shampoo, conditioner, liquid hand soap, bar soap, deodorant, razors and shaving cream for men, toothbrushes/toothpaste. These items will go to International Institute of MN and benefit newly arrived refugees settling into life in Minnesota. The collection box is located by the entry at school.

2. Find Stuff. Lost & Found is teeming, overflowing, packed to the gills, bursting at the seams, etc. Please build in five minutes to your visit during conferences to see if any of the items are yours.

3. Return Books. Please look through your books with your children to see if you have any school library books that should be returned.

We also have some immediate volunteer requests. Can you help?

1. Every Meal Distribution. We need two people to consistently commit to sort, organize, and deliver dry food bags discreetly to student's backpacks from 8:15am-9:15am each Friday school is in session. Please sign-up here: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/805084da4ac2da0fa7-every Also, we will need two people just this Thursday morning at the same times because there is no school Friday. If you can help this Thursday, please email Beth Davies (beth.davies@spps.org).

2. Staff Room Stock-up. Thank you so much to everyone who has already signed-up to help stock up the staff room. There are still openings and we are happy to take items through Friday afternoon: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/805084da4ac2da0fa7-spring3

And Coming Soon:

• No school this Friday

• Science Fair Monday is Monday, March 28th

• Plant Sale Presale begins Monday, March 28th

• Last chance to donate toiletries as part of our service project is Friday, April 1st

• No school Monday April 4 through Friday 8th for Spring Break

• Digital Learning Day, Friday April 15th

Thanks so much and looking forward to seeing you around school this week,

SAPSA

St. Anthony Park School Association

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Presale begins March, 28th. SAP Elementary School's Annual Plant Sale will be May 11th and 12. Pre-sale orders will be available on May 10th!

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Support Our Young Scientists! Science Fair, Monday, March 28th

The St. Anthony Park Elementary Science Fair will take place on Monday, March 28th. Our 3rd-5th Grade students will be presenting their Science projects. 3rd, 4th, 5th Grade Families are invited to attend the night of March 28th. K-2 students will be able to walk though during the day on Monday.

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Service Opportunity: Welcome To Our New Neighbors!

The International Institute of MN is working to resettle more than 600 refugees to the Twin Cities this year, including at least 250 people who evacuated Afghanistan in early September. Over 200 have arrived in the past couple months. They need St. Anthony Park Elementary School’s help to provide toiletries to donate to families when they arrive. Your donations will go directly to welcome new families to Minnesota!

Please drop off donations in the collection box in the SAP school entry through April 1.

Full Size Toiletries Needed:

☐ Package of toilet paper

☐ Shampoo

☐ Conditioner

☐ Liquid hand soap (in pump dispenser)

☐ Bar soap for bathing

☐ Deodorant

☐ Razors and shaving cream for men

☐ Toothbrushes

☐ Toothpaste

*travel size toiletries are not preferred

Here are a few resources to talk to your kids about the refugee crisis:

• Go to www.booktrust.org/uk and search "refugee" for excellent book lists for youth of all ages

• Go to the UN Refugee Agency: www.unhcr.org/en-us/teaching-about-refugees.html

• Go to www.kids.nationalgeographic.com and search "afghanistan"

The International Institute of MN, located just east of St. Anthony Park at 1694 Como Ave, has resettled more than 25,000 refugees to MN since the U.S. refugee resettlement program began in 1974. Questions? Reach out to larabollweg@yahoo.com or carabmelvin@gmail.com

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We are now offering Every Meal (bags of food). If you are interested in having your child bring home a FREE bag of nonperishable food on the last day of every week, please open the link below to sign up.

To receive your first bag of food in mid-March

• Click here for full details (in English, Somali, Hmong and Spanish)

• Click here to sign up for Every Meal

You may also let your child’s teacher know, or email our school counselor, Megan Rinn, at megan.rinn@spps.org

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Lost & Found

Are these items your child's? Please pick them up during your trip to school this week for conferences!

Please follow https://www.instagram.com/lostandfoundsap/ and connect with us!

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What's For Lunch?

What's For Breakfast?

Calendar

March 23-24 Conferences 3-6PM

March 25th Conferences AM & PM (No School)

March 28th, SAP Science Fair

April 1st School Spirit Day (Pajama Day)

April 4-8th Spring Break (No school)

April 12th SAPSA & AC Meetings

April 15th Digital Learning Day

May 1st Board Nominee Deadline

May 10th SAPSA & AC Meetings

May 10th Board Elections

May 10-12th Plant Sale

May 13th Spring Carnival (outside)

May 20th Ninja Anywhere

May 30th Memorial Day (No School)

June 2 Fifth Grade Celebration

June 7th Fifth Grade Celebration (RAIN DATE)

June 10th Last Day of School

July 31st – End of 2021-2022 Fiscal Year and Current Board Positions

August 1st – Start of 2022-2023 Fiscal Year and New Board Assume Positions

Wolf Pack Press, March 16th

Don't forget to sign up for Conferences!

It is time to sign up for spring conferences! Conferences will be:

• Wednesday, March 23, from 3:00 - 6:00 PM

• Thursday, March 24, from 3:00 - 6:00 PM

• Friday, March 25, from 8:00 - 11:00 AM and 12:00 - 3:00 PM

Because COVID numbers are down, our default mode for conferences will be in-person. Masks will be required, we will sit at a distance, and we ask you to limit visitors to parents and guardians only. If you would prefer to meet online, please contact the classroom teacher to request a Google Meet code, after you have signed up. Here is the link to sign-up for conferences: https://www.ptcfast.com/schools/St_Anthony_Park_Elementary_1

Staff Room Stock Up -- Help Needed

Sign-up here: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/805084DA4AC2DA0FA7-spring3

During Spring 2022 conferences, SAP Elementary families will be providing snacks for teachers! They teach Wednesday and Thursday, then gear back up for afternoon/evening conferences. This makes for three very long, exhausting days. We want to keep them fortified and make sure our appreciation of their hard work is evident!

New this March: we are also using this opportunity to stock up the staff room with some shelf-stable provisions for the next few months. Boxes of granola bars, packs of bubbly water, dried fruit, etc. This is why you will see some large quantities of items on the sign-up!

Fresh snacks and treats will be available to teachers starting at 2:00 PM on March 23, 2021.

• If you are bringing a shelf stable item for the stock-up, you can leave in the main office at drop-off any time next week.

• If you are bringing a fresh item or one that requires refrigeration like ice cream bars, fresh cookies, fresh fruit, please bring your contribution to school between 12-1:30PM on Wednesday the 23rd. If your item doesn't require refrigeration, feel free to leave during drop-off.

As you can see, we are asking mostly for items teachers can take to go. We've left a few blank spots for those of you who enjoy baking or are snack aficionados to fill in with items you would like to bring.

***There is a nut allergy, so please keep any nut topping separate and/or provide a label naming the nut ingredient.***

Please review the available slots below and click on the button to sign up. Please share this sign-up with anyone who might be interested in contributing to snacks. Thank you for showing your appreciation for all our teachers do!

Save the Date: Science Fair, Monday, March 28th!

The St. Anthony Park Elementary Science Fair will take place on Monday, March 28th. Our 3rd-5th Grade students will be presenting their Science projects. 3rd, 4th, 5th Grade Families are invited to attend the night of March 28th. K-2 students will be able to walk though during the day on Monday.

From Mr. Schrankler: we still need 5 people to help with giving students feedback on their projects. No special scientific talents are needed, just the ability to communicate with the presenters (students) and give them some friendly feedback. We could also use some help in taking down tables and cleaning up after the evening session. (All volunteers must be vaccinated-COVID-19 and wear masks in the building). Here are the two opportunities:

7:45AM—11:00 AM Evaluators Giving Feedback

6:45 PM-7:30 PM Science Fair Clean-up

Here is the LINK to sign-up to volunteer. Thank you!

Meeting Recaps

SAPSA and Advisory Council Minutes are here:

• https://www.sapsamn.org/sapsa-monthly-meetings

• https://www.sapsamn.org/advisory-council

At both monthly meetings, we heard an update from Principal Duke:

• Covid numbers are way down and continue to be low.

• There are now changes in Covid protocols:

No more contact tracing, no assigned seats, changes to lunchroom layout,

Large events allowed with distancing like the Science Fair on March 28th

Field trips like 5th Grade Wilderness Inquiry

Masks / School Board will vote 3/22

No change to volunteer/visitor policy; vaccination or testing still required

Possible changes/additions to volunteer/visitor opportunities including parents to coming back slowly again to do drop off on assigned days.

• We hope to have a Spring Picnic and Field Day!

• We hope Kindergarten Orientation will be in person.

Advisory Council

At Advisory Council, we discussed the timeline for the school's budget. Dr. Duke reviewed the dates for when major budget related milestones happened last year (April-May). There are still many moving pieces that need to fall into place before there will be any numbers to share like enrollment projections, state legislature decisions, and potential additional ARP (American Rescue Plan) funds. The typical sequence is first the allocation from district, then meeting with staff, then meeting with principals, then meeting with Advisory Coucil, then meeting with school community, then submit final budget.

Here are some relevant variables unique to our school: How will Envision, school closures, start time changes, affect interest in SAP? Kindergarten applications are most likely known by now. How will the relatively small 1st grade class continue to move through the school in terms of number of classrooms?

Advisory Council needs a chairperson for next academic year. Karen will put out a call in her next Principal’s newsletter. Samantha hopes to remain involved and eventually provide some connection between district-wide family engagement and school-level council work.

Also, if anyone has a student interested in interviewing a SAP staff member, please fill out this form! https://forms.gle/vmofQ7NgmMYfJn5GA

SAPSA

We heard from Dr. Duke with her Principal Update (summarized above), Cara Melvin about this month's Service Project (see below) and Beth Davies (Every Meal Bags, see below). We also discussed the Science Fair (above) and recapped the Luminary Walk which was deemed very enjoyable and will hopefully become an annual tradition.

We received an update from our Treasurer, Nia Anderson.

• We have recently funded the following asks: MN Historical Society Books for 4th Grade, Clay for Ms. Wilson for stop motion animation, and Lunch Room Positive Behavior Reinforcement Items.

• Dr. Duke is putting in a proposal to request SAPSA fund the 5th Grade Wilderness Inquiry trip

• We would like to remind families that SAPSA is an approved charity in the Amazon Smile program.

• New items for the Teacher Lounge new items to be delivered tomorrow. Families are being asked to provide consumables as part of a staff room stock up around conferences next week (see above).

We also discussed upcoming events: The Spring Carnival & Book Fair is scheduled for Friday May 13th. The Carnival will be outside while the Book Fair will be indoors. The goal to be a community builder not a fundraiser.

SAPSA is looking to fill Board Positions for the 2022-2023 school year. Please say hi at Spring Conferences where we will have a table. Also, we will have Lost & Found items out for you to look through when you visit for conferences! THANK YOU.

Service Opportunity: Welcome To Our New Neighbors!

The International Institute of MN is working to resettle more than 600 refugees to the Twin Cities this year, including at least 250 people who evacuated Afghanistan in early September. Over 200 have arrived in the past couple months. They need St. Anthony Park Elementary School’s help to provide toiletries to donate to families when they arrive. Your donations will go directly to welcome new families to Minnesota!

Please drop off donations in the collection box in the SAP school entry through April 1.

Full Size Toiletries Needed:

☐ Package of toilet paper

☐ Shampoo

☐ Conditioner

☐ Liquid hand soap (in pump dispenser)

☐ Bar soap for bathing

☐ Deodorant

☐ Razors and shaving cream for men

☐ Toothbrushes

☐ Toothpaste

*travel size toiletries are not preferred

Here are a few resources to talk to your kids about the refugee crisis:

• Go to www.booktrust.org/uk and search "refugee" for excellent book lists for youth of all ages

• Go to the UN Refugee Agency: www.unhcr.org/en-us/teaching-about-refugees.html

• Go to www.kids.nationalgeographic.com and search "afghanistan"

The International Institute of MN, located just east of St. Anthony Park at 1694 Como Ave, has resettled more than 25,000 refugees to MN since the U.S. refugee resettlement program began in 1974. Questions? Reach out to larabollweg@yahoo.com or carabmelvin@gmail.com

We are now offering Every Meal (bags of food). If you are interested in having your child bring home a FREE bag of nonperishable food on the last day of every week, please open the link below to sign up.

To receive your first bag of food in mid-March

• Click here for full details (in English, Somali, Hmong and Spanish)

• Click here to sign up for Every Meal

You may also let your child’s teacher know, or email our school counselor, Megan Rinn, at megan.rinn@spps.org

Lost & Found

Are these items your child's? Please follow https://www.instagram.com/lostandfoundsap/ and connect with us! Your items will be identified and put into the laundry basket in the front office. And please label your child's clothes! It is the very best way to get your items back to you. Thanks!

From Our Friends At Langford Park

Sign-up for Summer Camps at Langford, North Dale & Northwest Como is now live. Here are the camps being offered at those locations.

Campus Flyer Summer Camps 2022.xlsx - Sheet1

.pdf

Download PDF • 115KB

What's For Lunch?

What's For Breakfast?

Calendar

March 23-24 Conferences 3-6PM

March 25th Conferences AM & PM (No School)

March 28th, SAP Science Fair

April 1st School Spirit Day (Pajama Day)

April 4-8th Spring Break (No school)

April 12th SAPSA & AC Meetings

April 15th Digital Learning Day

May 1st Board Nominee Deadline

May 10th SAPSA & AC Meetings

May 10th Board Elections

May 10-12th Plant Sale

May 13th Spring Carnival (outside)

May 20th Ninja Anywhere

May 30th Memorial Day (No School)

June 2 Fifth Grade Celebration

June 7th Fifth Grade Celebration (RAIN DATE)

June 10th Last Day of School

July 31st – End of 2021-2022 Fiscal Year and Current Board Positions

August 1st – Start of 2022-2023 Fiscal Year and New Board Assume Positions

Staff Spotlight: Ms. Krider!

Emily: 1. OK, the first question is what is your favorite color?

Ms. Krider: That is a good question. Anybody who knows me at SAP knows rainbow is kind of my thing.

But if I had to pick one, it would be green because I like growing things and it seems like green is everywhere and it means new life and, yea, green.

Emily: That is my dad’s favorite, color, too. 2. The second question is what is your favorite candy?

Ms. Krider: Oh! There are so many. However, if really have to pick just one, I’m going to say Butterfingers.

Emily: Butterfingers?

Ms. Krider: Butterfingers! You bite it and they’re sort of flaky inside and it gets stuck in your teeth so it lasts a really long time but it doesn’t pull out your fillings like some of those other ones do. So, yes, Butterfingers. With Reese’s a close second. What about you?

Emily: Mine is probably Tootsie Rolls or Jolly Ranchers.

Ms. Krider: Yes, those are good, too.

Emily: 3a. The next question is a pretty long one so I wrote it out. If you were trapped on a desert island, what movie would you watch on repeat?

Ms. Krider: Well, first of all, it is February in Minnesota, so I would be super excited to be trapped on a desert island because it would be a lot warmer than this! And I have to pick one?

Emily: Yes.

Ms. Krider: Hairspray. I really like the movie Hairspray. A second might be Sound of Music. I have a thing for musicals! I really like musicals.

Emily: I would probably choose 9-to-5 or Hairspray.

Ms. Krider: Oh yea! Yea, yea, yea. Now, here is something, I haven’t watched Encanto yet and I heard the music is super good on that one. So, I might change my mind.

Emily: Yea, if you watch the movie, you should watch the music video, “We Don’t Talk About Bruno.” That is an amazing song.

Emily: 3b. Ok. Next question is part of the number three question - if you were trapped on a desert island, what food would you eat?

Ms. Krider: Ooh - that is a really good question. I’m going to say Sweet Potatoes and Mangos. How many can I have? Can I only get one?

Emily: You have to pick one.

Ms. Krider: Oh, that is brutal. Hmmm. Mangos – because a desert island is going to be really hot and it would be really refreshing to have mangos. Gotta go with mango.

Emily: 3c. Next question goes along with the other two questions again, what celebrity would you have get you off the island?

Ms. Krider: Does the celebrity have to be alive?

Emily: No, it doesn’t.

Ms. Krider: Oh!!!!

Emily: It can be dead or alive.

Ms. Krider: Dead or alive. Holy banana cream pie! This is a very tricky question. So, it should be somebody I get along with but not too much because you wouldn’t want someone you always agree with because that would be super boring. And I would want someone who has read a lot so that they could help me out with stuff I don’t know about. And it would have to be somebody musical so we could have some music in our lives if we’re stuck on a desert island. OK. I’m going with Aretha Franklin.

Emily: I have no idea who that is?

Ms. Krider: Oh yes you do! You know her music. Unfortunately, she is dead but she led a super interesting life and knew a lot of things that I don’t know about so that is who we’re going with.

Emily: 4. What is your favorite thing about Sienna? (Ms. Krider’s dog)

Ms. Krider: My favorite thing about her is that she gives love no matter what. No matter what kind of mood everybody is in. She loves to be with us and just gives us love. And her long, long, long, long, long legs are astounding. She is a greyhound and was a racer. So, those are my two favorite things about her. Plus, she is so sweet. She is the nicest dog. She looks up at me with these big soulful brown eyes when she wants a treat. She is the best.

Emily: 5. What is your favorite flower?

Ms. Krider: I like this flower called Phlox. It’s these little, teeny, tiny flowers and they are kind of spiky looking and are sort of low to the ground but they come in these super bright colors and they bloom both early in the spring and then later in the fall, they like cooler temps. And when they bloom in the spring, they are covering the ground with these super bright, bright colors and they are so eye-catching and they are wild. I like native and wild flowers.

Emily: This other question is what is your favorite board game?

Ms. Krider: Oh my gosh! It’s the train game! What is it? Ticket to Ride - I love that one! It is so awesome! We have the European version. You go through mountains and under tunnels. That one I really like. Second favorite board game is an old one called Trivial Pursuit because I love trivia. Another one of my favorite board games I also like is called Linkee, also a trivia game. Love it!

Emily: 6. My favorite board game I love is Chutes and Ladders.

Ms. Krider: That’s a really good one.

Emily: Yes.

Ms. Krider: That game gets so discouraging when you have to go “squeegsh” [made-up sound representing down] but then you can go back up.

Emily: 7. Why did you choose to be a second grade teacher?

Ms. Krider: That’s another really good question. I started out as an Educational Assistant and I didn’t know that I wanted to be a teacher. So, when I was working with kids at this school in downtown St. Paul, I loved the kids and wanted to be a teacher. So I went back and got my teaching degree. Then I got a job teaching 8th grade and I loved the 8th graders! They are so sarcastic. They are great! But then, they exited out of my building and I went and got a job teaching 5th graders. But then I heard about an opening from a friend at SAP for 2nd grade and I wanted to work at SAP so I interviewed and got the job. I didn’t know if I’d like 2nd grade but, I love 2nd graders! They are right up my alley. I have the same sense of humor as a second grader so it is a good fit. So, I chose the school but not the grade. And I’m so glad because it has been one of those happy mistakes that just happen in life. It has been marvelous.

Emily: 8. What is your favorite sport?

Ms. Krider: To play or to watch?

Emily: It can be either or both.

Ms. Krider: OK. Then you are going to tell me yours. My favorite to watch is tennis because I struggle with depth perception, and I’m always astounded at how they hit those balls [Ms. Krider makes a zing sound] right across the net and it is fast. And I like fast. And soccer. I really like to watch soccer. And my favorite to do or play is swimming because I get nervous if I’m being competitive because I don’t want people to rely on me too much, so with swimming, I get to be part of a team but I’m also doing it by myself if that makes sense. And I love to swim.

Emily: My favorite to watch is probably hockey because I like seeing everyone get pushed into the little glass part …

[Ms. Krider laughs and makes a crash sound]

Emily: It’s a bit weird except it is quite funny when they get their faces squished onto the glass. My favorite sport to play is probably swimming and basketball.

Emily: 9. Next question, do you like coffee or tea better?

Ms. Krider: I started to drink coffee only three years ago when SAP went to an early start and now I really like it. I only have one cup a day. Oh my gosh but it is super delicious. So, coffee.

Emily: 10. OK. Now you don’t have to answer this next question but, by any chance, was I your favorite student when I was in your 2nd grade class?

Ms. Krider: Emily, of course, you were my favorite student! Of course! Naturally! Ha! And then there was another child who was the one I liked the best. And there was another child who was the one I most appreciated. And there was another child who was the best. Do you see what I’m getting at?

Emily: Yes. OK, so that is all of the 10 questions.

Ms. Krider: That was a great interview! I’m very impressed. I just love that you are doing these interviews. Love it. Love it. Love it.