Arcadia This Week 11/10/2019

Hello, Arcadia Families,

Here’s what’s up at Arcadia for the coming week!

Monday, Nov. 11: 

  • ILEO, 2:45-4:15pm

  • Ace of Clubs, 2:45-4:30pm

  • Policy Committee Meeting, 3:00pm--If you have any interest in school policy, this is an open meeting of the School Board Policy Committee at Arcadia! You are welcome to join us! 

Tuesday, Nov. 12: 

  • Picture Retake/Make Up Day

  • Homework Help, 2:45-4:00pm

Wednesday, Nov. 13: Late Start (as usual)

Thursday, Nov. 14: Give to the Max Day!

  • Give to the Max Day is Thursday, but why wait? Early Giving has already begun! Go to https://www.givemn.org/story/Arcadia2019

  • Homework Help, 2:45-4:00pm

  • Finance Committee Meeting, 4:00pm--If you want to learn more about how our school is funded, our budgeting process, and how our money is spent, join us for this meeting of the School Board Finance Committee!

Friday, Nov. 15: 

  • Arcadia Family Night at the YMCA, 7:00-9:00pm--The YMCA will be closed to the public, but open for us! Come hang out with your Arcadia friends at this wonderful facility full of activities for us to enjoy together.

Mission Spotlight: Funding to Fulfill Our Mission

With two major fundraisers coming up, I thought I would take a minute to explain why fundraising dollars matter, especially to a charter school, and ask you to consider contributing.

Charter school funding is, for the most part, pretty straightforward. We receive a specific amount of money per student, and that is our source of revenue to pay for all of the expenses of operating the school. If the Northfield School District needs more funding, it can ask taxpayers to vote for an increase in local property taxes to help support the cost of day to day operations (an operating levy). Charter schools, including Arcadia, cannot. 

In addition, our enrollment is limited to a fixed number. School districts prefer increasing enrollment, which increases their funding so they can keep up with inflation and keep expanding their programs. We have a limit of 126 students, regardless of how many students apply. 

For us to continue the level of programming we offer at Arcadia now, or to further expand our programming, we need your help.

I would ask you to consider, if you are able, offering your financial support to Arcadia to help ensure that we are able to fulfill our mission every year for every student. Invite others to support us, too! 

Here is the very worthy mission you are supporting:

It is the mission of Arcadia Charter School to prepare our students to transition intellectually, emotionally, and ethically to higher education, future employment, and engaged citizenship.

Arcadia Charter School envisions a supportive learning community that, through collaboration and student-driven, project-based learning, encourages and assists students to:

  • Express themselves creatively through the visual, literary, and performing arts.

  • Use technology with innovation, imagination, and responsibility.

  • Develop critical thinking and creative problem solving skills.

  • Construct knowledge and meaning for themselves.

  • Value, advocate, and strive for the wellness of the whole person.

  • Be empowered to act as local citizens within a rapidly changing global community.

Thank you, and I hope you will participate in Give to the Max Day, Thanks-Give, or both! Invite others to participate with you!

If you have questions about how Arcadia spends its funds, or if you would like to learn more about charter school finance, join us for the Finance Meeting on Thursday at 4pm.

Announcements

Fall Conferences, Nov. 25 and 26

A sign up for fall conferences will be coming out this week. We encourage all families to come in to learn more about their child’s progress so far and discuss plans for the next part of the year!

Volunteer Opportunities (reminder)

We have three great volunteer opportunities being offered through our newly forming Parent-Teacher-Student Organization!

The first two are ongoing, the third is a one-off opportunity.

1) Join the (new) Arcadia PTSO! For more information, email arcadiaptso@arcadiacharterschool.org.

2)  Help serve lunch each day! This is a great way to meet the students at your child's school.

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/805044BAFAF2AAAFF2-lunch

3) Feed our wonderful teachers during conferences! Conference days are long for teachers, and this is a great way to show how much we appreciate the work they do.

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/805044BAFAF2AAAFF2-conference

School Late Starts and Closings (repeat from last Tuesday’s email)

I thought it important to make sure everyone saw this information about school late starts and closings. As noted in my email earlier this week, Arcadia's policy around weather-related late starts and closings is to do whatever the Northfield School District is doing, since we share transportation.

Here is information from the Northfield School District about how those decisions are made and reported to the community (a message from Matt Hillman):

As the calendar turns to November, we are forced to realize winter is upon us. In preparation for the season, I encourage you to review the District’s school alerts page. This page explains our decision-making process for delaying the start of school, closing school early, and canceling school due to winter weather conditions. I also encourage you to pay special attention to the start times for school should we ever have a late-start on a Wednesday morning. In the case of a two-hour late start on a Wednesday, we follow the two-hour late start procedures that we would on other (non-Wednesday) days.

As noted on the Northfield website, a number of radio and television stations will broadcast the information that Northfield schools are closed (which will include Arcadia). As per the Northfield website:

In the event that there is a weather-related delay, closure or early dismissal, the following radio and television stations will broadcast this information:

  • KYMN – 1080 AM – 95.1 FM Northfield

  • WCCO-TV, Channel 4, WCCO Radio and WCCO.com – Minneapolis/St. Paul

  • KARE-TV, Channel 11, and KARE11.com – Minneapolis/St. Paul

  • KDHL/Power 96 – Faribault

  • KSTP-TV, Channel 5, Minneapolis/St. Paul

  • KMSP-TV, Channel 9, Minneapolis/St. Paul

I will send out an email verifying that Arcadia is closed. I will also attempt to send a text through our student information system, but I would recommend that you not rely on that as the primary means of communication. Checking the Northfield Public Schools website, listening to the radio or television for an announcement, or checking your email for a message would all be a good idea if you are looking for information about weather-related late starts or closures.  

Upcoming Events

Nov. 12, Picture Retake/Make Up Day

Nov. 14, (all day) Give to the Max Day

Nov. 15, 7:00-9:00pm, Arcadia Family Night at the YMCA

Nov. 19, (during school), All High School Field Trip to the Bell Museum: https://www.bellmuseum.umn.edu/

Nov. 19, 6:30-8:30pm, Arcadia School Board Meeting

Nov. 25 and 26, Early Release, Fall Conferences

Nov. 25, 3:00-4:00pm, Gertens Winter Greenery Fundraiser Pickup

Nov. 27-29, No School, Thanksgiving Break

Dec. 4, (during school), Innovation Day 2

Dec. 6, Thanks-Give, Arcadia’s Annual Fundraiser!

Sincerely,