January 25th, 2025

Saint Paul Public Schools has prepared several fun activities for students to participate in throughout the month! Also, check out the Black History Month Reading Recommendations!

• Bookmark Contest (PreK-12): We want you to design our Saint Paul Public Schools library bookmarks! This year's theme is "Read Every Day". Winning designs will be selected for different age groups (PreK-5, 6-8, and 9-12) and distributed at SPPS schools! Use this bookmark template to create your artwork and return to any SPPS school library. There is also a PreK-2-friendly entry form.
• 40 Book Challenge (PreK-8): Students are encouraged to participate in our 40 Book Book Reading Challenge during the month of February. Pick up your participation sheet at your school library or access it using this entry form for grades PreK-3 and this form for grades 4-8. Students who finish the challenge will receive a journal, pencil, and bookmark or sticker, and will be entered into a raffle for the grand prize!

Last Week You Voted - Dogs Won by Just 1 Vote!

Fun Fact: Yawning is contagious - even for dogs. Research shows that the sound of a human yawn can trigger one from your dog. Find more fun facts from The American Kennel Club.

Please forward our family newsletter to prospective families and invite them to join one of our school tours!

Monday, January 27 - NO SCHOOL, Staff Professional Development Day

Tuesday, January 28 - Open House for Prospective Families, 5-6pm

Tuesday, January 28 - PTO Open Gym Night, 6-8pm

Wednesday, January 29 - GTCYS Music Class, 8am

Friday, January 31 -GTCYS Music Class, 8am

Friday, January 31 - Award Assemblies for Students

***SCHOOL SPIRIT WEEK 2/3-2/7***

Monday, February 3 - GTCYS Music Class, 8am

Monday, February 3 ***School Spirit: Inside Out Day

Monday, February 3 - Community Ed Classes, 4pm

Tuesday, February 4 ***School Spirit: Mis-Match Day

Wednesday, February 5 - GTCYS Music Class, 8am

Wednesday, February 5 ***School Spirit: Neon Day

Thursday, February 6 ***School Spirit: Hat Day

Friday, February 7 - GTCYS Music Class, 8am

Friday, February 7 ***School Spirit: School Pride Day (LNFI Gear or school colors - blue and yellow)

In the coming weeks, our team will begin sharing a series of informational videos/resources/documents to help you support your student's learning. What are the topics? We need to hear from YOU to help us investigate what you think is important! To make it a little more fun, your student will come home with a B-I-N-G-O card to fill out at home. Each week, a new space will be called in this section... or during the video. When your child has a B-I-N-G-O, send them to school with their card for a prize!

Help us get started by giving us feedback - What do you want to know about?

This was the inaugural year LNFI students participated in the First LEGO League Challenge. This program inspires young people to experiment and grow their confidence, critical thinking, and design skills through hands-on STEM learning. Teams learned about how we share our own hobbies and interests while learning about experts in museums, theaters, and other creative fields. Last Saturday, LNFI had two teams of 4th and 5th-grade students competing at the First LEGO League competition in St. Paul. Students cheered and encouraged each other, and we were even celebrated by earning a special award! We look to build upon our first year of experience and hope to grow our program next school year! Special thanks to our incredible team coaches - Mme Scholl and Mme Eichten!

Next Open Gym Night ***Rescheduled from the Cold Weather Cancellation***:

Tuesday, January 28th, 6:00-8:00 pm

Alongside SPPS, L'Etoile du Nord is committed to providing students with responsible opportunities to learn about and utilize technology effectively. This investment encompasses a variety of software applications and devices that enhance the educational experience.

As part of this initiative, we are excited to announce the purchase of new headphones for every student to use at school. These headphones will facilitate better engagement with digital learning tools and resources.

To ensure that these headphones, along with all other technology devices, remain in good working condition, we kindly request support from families. Together, we can create an environment where technology serves as a powerful tool for learning. Thank you for your partnership in this important endeavor!

- Remind students to handle headphones carefully:

• Hold the plug (not the cord) when unplugging
• Don’t wrap the cord around the headphones—it damages the wires

- No writing, coloring, or adding stickers to headphones

- No food, drinks, or scissors near headphones

- Remind students not to treat headphones as a fidget

- Store them properly in your labeled zip-lock bag

SPPS follows state education guidelines that allow districts to offer e-learning days due to inclement weather. The district may call a non-instructional day or e-learning day if:

• Wind chills are forecasted to be -35 or colder at 6 a.m. OR

• Snow makes it too difficult for our students and staff to safely get to school

Saint Paul Public Schools uses Blackboard Connect to communicate with families during emergency situations, including severe weather, that may affect the school day. Contact information for Blackboard Connect is synced with the district's student information system, Infinite Campus.

SPPS uses a variety of methods to inform families, staff and the community about school closures and cancellations including spps.org, local media, social media, and direct communication through email, text messages and phone calls. Families should make sure their contact information is up-to-date through Campus Parent.

LNFI is known for our dedicated and experienced teachers. Whether you have been connected to our school for years or this is your first experience, we want to introduce you to our amazing team. You may see familiar faces or some brand new, but everyone is part of our story and why we love working at L'Etoile du Nord French Immersion School!

Mme Kabeya, our musically talented 1st-grade teacher, joins us from the Democratic Republic of Congo! Mme Kabeya is passionate about education and the power of music, which she instills in her family and classroom. Fun fact: Mme Kabeya's son is in a band, Miloe, that plays in many concerts around the world, and his songs are even played on The Current radio station!

• School begins at 9:30 am and ends at 4:00 pm. Students may enter the school at 9:15 am and not prior. Please, never leave your child unattended. We do not have staff available prior to 9:15 am, and front office doors will not be open prior to 9:15 am.

• If you arrive after 9:30 am, bring your child to the Main Office to sign them in.

• If you need to change your child’s dismissal procedure for the day, please call the office before 3:15 pm. Notes to your child’s teacher are easily lost and emails to the teacher may be missed as they are working hard to support student learning all day. The only reliable communication is a phone call to the Main Office before 3:15 pm. We have one office clerk, and once the pack-up and dismissal process begins it is unlikely we will receive your message in time.

• Students may only ride on their assigned bus. We cannot send any students home on a different bus than what is listed on Campus.

• Many of our teachers are involved with after-school activities and we do not have staff available to supervise students after 4:15 pm. Please do your best to pick-up your student(s) by 4:00 pm. If you have an emergency and will be late, please call the Main Office (651) 744-6970.

• Parents/guardians drop off students on Ames Place, in front of the school.

• Please follow the cars lining up.

• Please wait your turn and do not go in front of other cars already in line.

• Pull up as far as you can behind the car in front of you, without leaving gaps between cars.

• Students get out on the right side (curb). Exiting on the left side puts them directly into oncoming traffic.

• There will be staff there to assist if needed.

• When your student(s) is out of the car, please safely pull out of the line and use the circle to turn around on Ames Place.

• Drive slowly as you exit in case there are students/families crossing the road (Please avoid parking and crossing the road as much as possible).

• Parents/guardians pick up students on Ames Place, in front of the school.

• Please follow the cars lining up.

• Place your student information sheet (Name/Grade) in a visible location (passenger window or right dash).

• As you get closer to the building, a staff member will radio your student information to the team waiting with students inside the building.

• Please continue to move forward, closing all gaps between cars as you wait.

• Students get in on the right side (curb). Entering on the left side puts them directly into oncoming traffic.

• There will be staff there to assist if needed.

• When your student(s) is in the car, please safely pull out of the line and use the circle to turn around on Ames Place.

• Drive slowly as you exit in case there are students/families crossing the road (Please avoid parking and crossing the road as much as possible).

• At 4:15, any student still left will be escorted to the main Office and the parent/guardian will be called. Please come to the Main Office for late pick-up.

Website: https://frenchimmersion.spps.org/
Location: St. Paul, MN
Phone: (651) 744-6970
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LNFIschool