CPA Tiger Talk

Remember: CPA is transitioning back to in-person learning beginning on Monday, January 31. We can't wait to see you face to face!

Please continue to monitor your family for symptoms of Covid and do not send your children to school if they are not feeling well. If your student tests positive, please contact Judy Thompson at 651-280-4532. Thanks for your support!

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.

"Differences are not intended to separate, to alienate. We are different precisely in order to realize our need of one another."

~Desmond Tutu.

Our school community is a slice of the future: a microcosm of emerging business leaders, teachers, electricians, bankers, mechanics, and more, all in a wide spectrum of diversity. Here's an important lesson for us all: To achieve their life goals, we must identify with others. The doctor will need a mechanic, and vice versa. The teacher will need an electrician who might want a loan to start her own business. Each will need help and each will need to help.

In this world, there is no place for alienation based on differences. Working together helps all of us succeed.

February is Black History Month! There are many ways your family can celebrate Black History Month at home. Some examples include:

• Support Black owned businesses
• Purchase, explore, and share the creations of Black artists, musicians, writers, and filmmakers
• Donate to or volunteer with non-profits that support antiracism, equity, and equality
• Learn about the achievements of noteworthy Black figures
• Read books and watch documentaries about Black History

Families can check out this article from National Geographic Kids as a starting point--it gives background information on Black History Month as a celebration, and it links to informative resources about Black History and Black leaders.

Monday January 31: CPA Returns to In-Person Learning

Tuesday February 1: 2022-2023 New Student Registration Deadline

Monday February 7: 2022-2023 New Student Lottery, 3pm

Monday February 7: Middle School Choir Rehearsals begin, 3pm (see below)

Monday February 14: Board of Directors Meeting, 6pm

Tuesday February 22: Free COVID Vaccine Clinic at CPA for age 5 and up, 4:00-6:30pm in the cafeteria. Enter Door A.

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!

CPA families: have you heard there is a new government program that will mail 4 free COVID tests to every household? In order to receive your 4 free COVID tests, you must order them!

Please visit covidtests.gov to order your tests--it's very easy, and it only takes a minute.

The tests are entirely free, and there is no shipping cost. It takes about 7-12 days before the tests will be shipped, so order now before you need them!

Thanks for helping us keep stop the spread of COVID in our community.

How does $100K a year sound? $100K is the average salary for U.S. computing jobs, and Girls Who Code wants to help students who identify as girls or non-binary #MakeThatChange!

Join Girls Who Code's free virtual summer programs, and get the skills and support you need to step into the 500,000+ open computing jobs across the country.

• The 2-week Summer Immersion Program (SIP) hosts current 9th-11th graders in live virtual classrooms led by industry-leading companies like EA, Pfizer, and ViacomCBS. Students learn HTML, CSS, and JavaScript while getting an inside look into the tech industry. Plus, SIP students can apply for grants up to $500!

• The Self-Paced Program offers independent study and real-world projects for current 9th-12th graders to earn beginner-level badges in HTML, CSS, and JavaScript for web development or an intermediate-level badge in Python for cybersecurity.

Both programs offer exclusive alumni benefits and career support for life, including a Hiring Summit, pre-internship programs, virtual mentoring, and GWC Talks webinars for career tips and strategies.

Complete your application here! Programs are available June 17 - August 12. You’ll get priority consideration when you apply by February 16, 2022. Regular-decision applications are due by March 18, 2022. Learn more by participating in an on-demand or live webinar.

Are you a renter who has fallen behind on rent due to COVID?

Ramsey County and the City of Saint Paul have teamed up to create the Saint Paul - Ramsey County Rent Assistance Program, a new tenant assistance program for Ramsey County renters struggling to pay rent due to the financial burdens of COVID. Eligible renters include households that earned 80% or less of area median income in 2020, or in the most recent month.

Click here to learn more or to apply!

We are excited to announce that 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! We apologize that the link did not work in the previous Tiger Talk--it will work now. If you have any questions, please contact Chelle York (651-280-4509) or Sadie Fischer (651-280-4564).

Minnesota dental professionals are concerned about the growing number of low-income children who face barriers to dental care. That’s why thousands of dental professionals come together on the first Friday and Saturday of February to provide free dental care to children in need.

This special event is called “Give Kids a Smile” and is coordinated by the Minnesota Dental Association. The dental care will be available in community-based clinics and private practices in many locations throughout Minnesota.

All patients must have appointments in advance and be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian. Parents may call United Way 211 (just dial 2- 1-1) or 800-543-7709. Operators will have a list of participating dental offices and will be able to direct people to a location in their area. Parents will then call the dental office to schedule an appointment.

An online list is also available at www.mndental.org.

Middle School Choir is gearing up for semester 2! Anyone interested in joining Middle School Choir can get visit Ms. Emily to get a registration form. Practices will take place on Mondays from 3-4 in Ms. Emily's music room from February 7 - May 16. See you soon!

Check out these free financial aid events available to Minnesota students and families in February! The series, called “Ready, Set, FAFSA”, is an MDE collaboration with Minnesota Office of Higher Education, ECMC The College Place and Minnesota Goes to College.

Running February 8 through March 1, five virtual sessions will cover general financial aid information, details on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), the Minnesota Dream Act for undocumented students, and other ways to pay for college. All sessions will have simultaneous interpretation in Spanish, Somali, and Hmong. Participants will be eligible to win a $500 scholarship. Registration is open now for families.

Join MDE staff for informational webinar about the series and promotional materials available for schools in multiple languages on Thursday, January 27, 2022, at 10 a.m. Register to attend these financial aid events.

Please contact beth.barsness@state.mn.us for more information.

CPA will be hosting several free COVID 19 Vaccine Clinic for ages 5+, and you and your family are encouraged to attend. Below is a list of upcoming COVID 19 Vaccine Clinics at CPA that will be open to age 5 and older:

• Tuesday, February 22, 4:00-6:30pm

The COVID 19 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.

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