DaVinci Connection – September 23, 2022
School Links
Important Dates
Subject to change-see online calendar
September 26 – No School / Staff Workshop
September 26 – School Board meeting
September 30 – Picture retake day
October 11 – Special Education Advisory Council meeting
October 17-18 – No School / Student Conferences
October 19-21 – No School, Office Closed
Environmental Learning Center Trips
Middle school students, teachers, staff members, and parent volunteers had some amazing experiences this week on 3 different Environmental Learning Center trips to Wolf Ridge, Eagle Bluff, and Long Lake. These trips, in addition to being educational and science based, are also a great way for kids to connect with each other and their teachers in a different and meaningful way. “I am so glad I went. I learned a lot about my classmates I don’t normally hang out with. I can tell you for sure I made new friends.” – 8th grade student
Welcome Diane Muske, Middle School Counselor
Hello!
My name is Diana Muske, and I am so excited to be joining DaVinci as the new Middle School Counselor.
Prior to DaVinci, I worked for over twenty years as a home visitor and behavior coach with the Anoka-Hennepin School District.
I earned my undergraduate degree in psychology, with a minor in child and family studies from St. Cloud State University. I also earned my Masters Degree in Counseling from SCSU.
In my spare time, I enjoy cooking, traveling to new places, reading and hanging out with my family.
I look forward to getting to know the staff, students and families at DaVinci Academy. My office is on the third floor, room 310. You may also contact me at DMuske@davincicharteschool.org or 763-754-6577 Ext 1310.
National Bullying Prevention Month
Hey DaVinci Community!
October is National Bullying Prevention Month! DaVinci’s Mental Health Team is here to provide more information on this topic, and how to prevent bullying from happening.
Bullying is when someone repeatedly and on purpose says or does mean or hurtful things to another person who has a hard time defending themselves. At school we teach students that conflict, meanness, and bullying are different. Bullying and meanness are never ok, but we want to distinguish between them as we have different responses on these issues. Conflict is a normal part of friendships, and we teach students how to manage and resolve conflict with one another. When a student is bullied, we encourage them to reach out to safe adults at school and at home for help. This includes any trusted adult- all staff members are prepared to help students get the support they need!
Students learn best when we work as a team, so we appreciate when you reinforce this information at home as well. We are here to support you with further resources surrounding this topic.
RESOURCES TO LEARN MORE ABOUT BULLYING PREVENTION:
https://www.stopbullying.gov/resources/get-help-now
https://www.pacer.org/bullying/resources/sites-for-kids-and-teens.asp
View our school’s policy on bullying here as well as the bullying report form. Please reach out to the administration team if you have further questions.
If you need further support, information or would like to discuss any questions or concerns with the mental health team at DaVinci, please feel free to contact us at any time!
Mindfully Yours,
DaVinci Academy’s Mental Health Team
Phoenix Hathaway (K-4 Counselor) www.calendly.com/mshathaway (763)-754-6577 ext. 1204
Diana Muske (5-8 School Counselor) (763) 754-6577 ext. 1310
Courtney Ferderer (K-8 School Social Worker) www.calendly.com/mrsferderer (763)-754-6577 ext. 1215
22/23 School Fundraising Plan
Our BoosterThon Fun Run was a huge success, and the kids had a blast! Thanks to the generous support of our DaVinci families, friends, and corporate and community partners, we were able to raise just over $30,000.
THANK YOU!!!
These funds will be used to add a swing set and nine-square-in-the-air to our outdoor play space. Project planning is in the works, and our goal is to have these both installed and ready for use early spring 2023!
Looking at the remainder of the 22/23 school year, our plan is to have one additional fundraising event. Family favorite Dollars-4-DaVinci will kick off in the spring of 2023 (most likely March/April).
Thank you again to our amazing DaVinci families – your support is greatly appreciated!
p.s. We will continue our golf tournament as a day of community building, versus a fundraising event.
Additional Bus Route
Due to the high demand for busing and limited seats available, we will be adding one additional bus route which will begin September 27. We are working to update Silent Dismissal with the important information, which may include bus color and route time changes. To ensure this does not interfere with dismissal on 9/22 or 9/23, system updates must be uploaded on a non-school day. All new details will be sent by email on or before September 26.
We understand that this is very short notice for some, and want to thank you for your patience and cooperation.
Please ensure you are looking for your updated busing email.
If you have any questions, please contact Cassandra Anderson at 763-754-6577.
Upcoming Author Event!
DaVinci Academy is thrilled to announce our first author event of the 2022/23 school year. Dan Abdo and Jason Patterson, authors of the Barb the Berserker series will visit Davinci Academy on Friday, October 7!
This action-packed, humorous graphic novel is sure to entrance readers. Students will attend a presentation with the authors and be able to take home a personalized autographed book. Students in fourth, fifth and sixth grade will attend the event, but anyone can order the book. The presentation will be recorded for third grade, who will be on a field trip that day.
This event is sponsored by Red Balloon Books. DaVinci Academy author events are supported by book purchases. Please consider purchasing this book for your child to support this and future author events.
Online order form link: https://www.redballoonbookshop.com/dan-abdo-and-jason-patterson-school-visit
FCC Affordable Connectivity Program
As we start the school year, it is important that our students have access to learning resources and technology that they need to accomplish their academic goals.
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has created a funding program to help eligible families with the cost of Internet access to the home in the form of a benefit program called The Affordable Connectivity Program.
This program is designed to ensure households can afford the level of Internet access they need for work, school, healthcare, and other essential services. The program provides a discount of up to $30 per month towards Internet service for eligible households. Eligible households can also receive a one-time discount of up to $100 to purchase a laptop, desktop computer, or tablet from participating providers if the family provides between $10 and $50 towards the purchase price.
Households that are eligible for this program must have an income at or below 200% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines or if a member of the household meets one of several additional criteria.
If you have a need for assistance with the cost of Internet access to your home, this program can help. More information is available at https://www.fcc.gov/acp. Enrolling is easy and can be done either online or by US Mail.
If you have any questions, please call the Affordable Connectivity Program Help Line at (877) 384-2575 for assistance.
Battle of the Books!
Battle of the Books is back for DaVinci Academy students in grades 3-5!
The purpose of the battle of the books is to give students a fun purpose for reading, while exposing them to a wide range of high-quality children’s literature.
Check those backpacks!!! Information went home this week with all students in grades 3-5. Please note: the deadline for students to return their completed form to their teachers is Monday, October 3. NO LATE FORMS WILL BE ACCEPTED.
DaVinci Basketball
We are excited to kickoff the registration and seasons for our DaVinci Basketball program. Please select the link below to find out more information about our programs for boys and girls in grades 2-8 and to register for the upcoming season. Registration is due October 1, 2022.
Please reach out to Jack Shields with any questions. jshields@davincicharterschool.org