CPA Tiger Talk

"Our ambition should be to rule ourselves, the true kingdom for each one of us; and true progress is to know more, and be more and to do more."

~Oscar Wilde

What are some of the first words that come to mind when you hear the word ambition? Your answer would likely run the gamut of very positive to very negative connotations. The fact is, as parents or educators, we teach the best aspects of ambition daily: to work hard, be responsible, get along with peers, and have high aspirations for the future.

Ambition at its finest is to know more so you can be more and in the long run, do more. In this way, true progress and success is attained and that kind of ambition benefits everyone.

Tuesday April 19: ACT Exam for CPA juniors and select seniors (see below)

Thursday April 21: Permission slips due for the 7th & 8th grade dance

Friday April 22: 7th & 8th grade dance (see below)

Monday May 2-Friday May 6: Staff Appreciation Week at CPA!

Tuesday May 3: Free COVID Vaccine Clinic in the Cafeteria from 3:30-6:30pm. Enter Door A. (see below)

Saturday May 7: High School Prom

Monday May 9: Board of Directors Meeting, 6-8pm

Thursday May 12 & Friday May 13: Shrek Jr. Performances (schedule details TBA)

Thursday May 19: CPA's Annual Meeting

Saturday May 21: CPA Walk/Run at Lake Phalen

Tuesday May 24: Free COVID Vaccine Clinic in the Cafeteria from 3:30-6:30pm. Enter Door A. (see below)

Make sure you are following CPA on social media to see all the amazing things that are happening at our school!

Follow CPATigers on Facebook and Instagram and subscribe to Rusty the CPA Tiger on Youtube!

This Tuesday, April 19, all CPA 11th grade students and select CPA 12th grade students will be taking the ACT exam. The ACT is a standardized test used for college entrance.

The ACT will take the majority of the day on April 19, and students and families should be aware of the following:

• Testing will start at the beginning of the school day. Students must arrive by 8am. Students who arrive after testing has begun will not be allowed to test.
• Students should eat a good breakfast and bring a snack (there will be a short break before lunch).
• Students will need to bring their school issued laptop to take the test.
• There are no personal electronic/internet capable devices allowed in the testing environment. Students should not bring a phone, smartwatch, fitness tracker, or any other internet capable device into the testing environment. Accessing any device during the day, even during breaks, will result in a testing violation and the test will be invalidated.
• Each student's first ACT exam is free (paid by the Minnesota Department of Education).
• 12th Grade students who are NOT taking the ACT will have a Distance Learning Day on Tuesday April 19. All other students should report to school as normal.

For more information, please visit the following links:

Taking the ACT
ACT Practice Test

Saint Paul Public Schools is offering several K-12 Summer Learning Programs to help students strengthen academic and social emotional skills, discover new talents, and recover high school credits. Examples of program themes include: Experiential & Project-Based Learning; Environmental Studies; Science, Technology, Engineering, Math (STEM); Leadership; and Languages & Cultural Studies. All programs are FREE and include:

• Academic Support & Enrichment- Students will be inspired to learn new skills and increase their current understanding of reading, math and other subjects while discovering new interests and talents and making new friends.
  
• Breakfast and Lunch - All students receive two free healthy meals daily that include entrees, salads, baked goods, and locally grown fruits and vegetables.
• Transportation - Transportation is available to most students who live in Saint Paul.

Visit the SPPS Summer Learning website for more information and to register!

CPA will begin MCA testing soon. MCA tests are used to measure student proficiency in Reading (grades 3-8 and 10), Math (grades 3-8 and 11), and Science (grades 5, 8, and 10).

MCA testing at CPA will begin on Tuesday, April 26th and will run through Friday May 13. Students will have modified schedules on the days they are testing. See the CPA district calendar for specific test dates for your student. For more detailed information about any of the standardized tests CPA students participate in, please click here.

MCA tests provide valuable information about what our students have learned and what we can do to help them grow. These tests are important to the CPA community, so we ask all families to help support their children by ensuring they are well rested and ready to do their best on testing days. Thank you for your support!

CPA's 7th & 8th Grade Dance will be on Friday, April 22nd from 3-5pm. The theme of the dance is Starry Night! 🌟🌟🌟

Permission slips will go out on Monday April 18th and will need to be in by Thursday, April 21st for anyone who wants to attend the dance. Admission is $2.00. There will be food and pop for sale at the dance. We hope to see all of you there!

If anyone has questions, please talk to Ms. KW or Ms. Littlewolf.

CPA will be hosting several free COVID Vaccine Clinic for ages 5+, and you and your family are encouraged to attend. Below is a list of upcoming COVID Vaccine Clinics at CPA that will be open to age 5 and older:

• Tuesday, May 3, 3:30-6:30pm
• Tuesday, May 24, 3:30-6:30pm
• Tuesday, June 14, 3:30-6:30pm

Select vaccine recipients will get a $200 gift card upon getting vaccinated. Those eligible to receive a gift card are:

• Ages 5 -11 receiving a 2nd dose
• Ages 12 -17 receiving either a 2nd dose or booster
• Ages 18+ (who are immunocompromised and eligible) receiving a 2nd booster
• Ages 50+ receiving a 2nd booster

The COVID Vaccine is free, and these clinics are open to the public. Pfizer and Moderna boosters are also available for those who are eligible. Participants should enter CPA through Door A on Magnolia and wear a mask.

Click here to read the COVID Vaccine Letter that was sent home with PreK-6th grade students on Friday November 5, which contains additional vaccine resources.

Minnesotans can now place orders for free at-home rapid COVID-19 tests as part of the state's efforts to make it easier to access testing.

Minnesotans can order two test kits per home (for a total of four tests) HERE. The website includes information on at-home rapid testing, a video demonstration & FAQ on how to use the iHealth COVID-19 Antigen Rapid Test, and a link to place orders with the state’s fulfillment partner, Care Evolution.

Minnesotans can also place orders through the Minnesota Department of Health COVID-19 Public Hotline at 1-833-431-2053 Monday - Friday from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., Saturday from 10am to 6pm. Language assistance is available.

Are you interested in joining the CPA Board of Directors?​

CPA's Board of Directors consists of 9 members, representing the community, parents, and staff. For the 2022-2023 school year the board has the following positions open:

• 1 Teacher Position
• 2 Community Member Positions
• 1 Parent Position

If interested, email board chair Sarah Zosel at sarahz.board@cpapk12.org

This is a reminder to high school students and parents that all high school students are expected to wear a CPA T-shirt or sweatshirt as their outermost layer every day. CPA T-shirts and sweatshirts are available in the HS office for $10.

CPA will be starting a partnership with Every Meal. Through this program, CPA families can register each enrolled child to receive a bag of food to take home each week. This program is entirely free and is open to anyone who is interested. We expect this program to be up and running later this winter.

There are 5 types of food bags available to suit your dietary preferences. On the registration form, you can see the kinds of food each bag contains and choose your preference.

Register here! or turn in the paper registration that was sent home with students last week. If you have any questions, please contact Chelle York (651-280-4509) or Sadie Fischer (651-280-4564).

CPA is currently accepting enrollment applications for the 2022-2023 school year. Currently enrolled students do not need to reapply, but you do need to turn in your Intent to Return Form so we save your seat.

If you have any family or friends who are looking to join a new school community, please encourage them to apply and send them this link! Thanks for your support.

This newsletter can be auto-translated using the buttons on the top right of the page.

If you prefer, our liaisons will be happy to translate or explain any announcements in Tiger Talk or answer any questions you have about CPA. Contact Maikao Lee at 651-280-4545 (Hmong), Mariana Majil at 651-289-3742 (Spanish), or Paw Nay Bu at 651-280-4591 (Karen) for support.

Teaching Peace. Building Community. Developing Character.

Email: connect@cpapk12.org
Website: cpapk12.org
Location: 471 Magnolia Avenue East, Saint Paul, MN, USA
Phone: 651-776-5151
Facebook: facebook.com/CPATigers