Congratulations to the Salk STEM students who successfully completed their History Day projects this year! We are very grateful that over 60 people from the community came to interview and judge the 432 student projects at our schoolwide event in February. This year's theme was Rights and Responsibilities in History and students can choose to make an exhibit, paper, documentary, performance or website. From the school event, we had 71 students advance from the school competition to regional History Day which was held at St. Cloud State University in late March. Big thanks to the Social Studies team for making this all happen for our students. The advanced level competitions are a chance for students, and their projects, to go up against others from across the state and receive additional recognition. Salk STEM students did very well with 41 students advancing to state. This puts Salk in an elite category among middle schools in Minnesota and across the country. Minnesota State History Day will be on April 27 this year at the Minneapolis Convention Center with 1,000 students from across the state competing. Will anyone from Salk advance to the national competition in D.C. this June? Stay tuned. Of the 25,000 students who do History Day in Minnesota only 64 will advance to Nationals, making it extremely difficult. That said, Salk has a four year streak of students advancing to nationals and a total of 19 since 2012.
As we approach the last quarter of the school year, we want to make sure you’re aware of the upcoming Minnesota Comprehensive Assessments (MCAs) for students in grades 6-8. The MCAs are an important part of assessing student learning and growth, and we appreciate your support in ensuring your child is well-prepared for these assessments.
Here are our MCA testing dates:
Reading MCAs: April 8-10 (Grades 6-8)
Math MCAs: April 22-24 (Grades 6-8)
Science MCAs: April 29-30 (Grade 8 only)
A few reminders to share with your child:
Get a good night’s rest: Please encourage your student to get plenty of sleep the night before each testing day. Being well-rested helps them stay focused and perform at their best.
Eat a healthy breakfast: A nutritious breakfast is important for giving your child the energy and focus they need during testing.
Charge Chromebooks: Students will be taking their MCAs on their Chromebooks, so please remind them to charge their devices fully each night during testing days.
We appreciate your partnership in helping your student prepare for these assessments and ensuring they are ready to do their best!
Salk 5K Run/Walk Registration or
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We are proud to announce that Salk has been recognized as an AVID Certified Site. This status is awarded to sites that have met AVID's (Advancement Via Individual Determination) implementation expectations and submitted required data documentation that supports effectiveness and student progress.
Congratulations to our students, families, and staff!
Please click on this link to review our ISD 728 April Newsletter.
Join us! The ISD 728 Special Education Advisory Committee is a place to connect with other parents, community members, and district stake holders on the topic of special education. SEAC works to ensure high quality learning experiences for students with disabilities. Next meeting is tomorrow, 4/3/2025.
Understanding Gaming and Gambling Risks
These days, gaming isn’t just for fun, it affects how people interact, shapes behavior, and for some, can even become a real challenge. Many games now include gambling-like features, such as loot boxes and microtransactions, which can increase the risk of addiction. As a parent, staying informed and having open conversations with your child is key to fostering healthy gaming habits.
Did you know that over 300,000 children in Minnesota face food insecurity, lacking consistent access to meals they need to thrive? Here at Salk, we're committed to help each of our students get the fuel they need to learn and grow, and we're proud to partner with Every Meal to address this important issue.
Interested in Signing Up?
We are offering the Every Meal Weekend Meal Program to our middle school students and families. If you are interested in receiving a bag of food each week during the school year for your student to bring home, please reach out to Tim Dokken, Counseling Secretary, at timothy.dokken@isd728.org. There are no qualification requirements, and your family's privacy is completely protected.
What's in the Bag?
Each food bag contains 4-5 pounds of nutritious, non-perishable food, including fruits, vegetables, proteins and grains. Families will be able to choose from five different bag options to best suit their needs and preferences.
We believe that every student deserves to come to school ready to learn, and the Every Meal Weekend Meal Program is one way we're working to make that a reality. Don't hesitate to reach out to Tim Dokken if you have any questions or would like to enroll.
CLICK HERE for a message from the SMS Health Office.