March 28, 2025
Dear Families:
Another great week at HBC Elementary School! Students are actively engaged in their learning! Make sure to have a look at this week’s Connection…Remember no school on Friday, April 18 and Monday April 21. MCA Testing begins for our Grades 3-5 Students on Wednesday April 23. Please make sure your child gets the rest they need. Special breakfast for students on those days! Thank you for your partnership in educating your child!
PTO FUNDRAISER PICKUP REMINDER: Mark your calendars! The fundraiser item pickup will be on April 23rd, from 3:00 PM to 6:30 PM at the Hills Beaver Creek Elementary School. All items must be picked up during this time frame!
LOOKING AHEAD:
No School April 18 & 21
April 25 - Early Dismissal
May 16- H-BC Elementary Puppy Relays
April is Autism Awareness & Acceptance Month. At H-BC Elementary, it’s a time to learn, promote understanding and celebrate our friends with autism.
DONATE BLOOD & SAVE A LIFE: The HBC GRAD Student Council is hosting this event open to the public. Please call the HBC Secondary Office - 507-962-3240 to sign up for a time slot.
SPRING ROBOTICS: There are still a few spots left for 4th graders to register for Spring Robotics. Forms were sent home for this program to be held Tuesday & Thursdays after school April 29 - May15. Mazzi Moore, will again lead the program giving students the opportunity to explore STEM via the SPIKE Prime robotics curriculum.
JOIN OUR H-BC TEAM - HBC is seeking dedicated tutors for the 2025-26 school year to join our AmeriCorps ELC and Reading Corps programs. You can make a meaningful difference helping our youngest learners build essential skills and confidence! Check out all the details here: https://5il.co/3aymf
AFTERSCHOOL/ CHILDCARE/ ENRICHMENT- LAST CALL: Please fill out this survey related to Afterschool/Childcare/Enrichment for the 2025-2026 School Year. Survey closes on 4/18/25. Here is the LINK
25-26 LPA REGISTRATION: NOW is the time to complete the registration for next year's preschool class. See all the information here: 25-26 Little Patriot Academy Registration
APRIL DISTRICT NEWSLETTER: https://5il.co/3c0pa
E-LEARNING: If we have an E-Learning Day, Here is the information- E-LEARNING LINK
Spring Assessments Coming Soon
Spring Testing is an important time to check progress for our students. As we get closer to April, we will enter the Spring Assessment season. Please click this LINK to see our HBC Assessment Calendar. This will give you an idea when each assessment is scheduled for ACTs, MCAs and NWEAs.
Information for Families Regarding MCA III Assessments: (New)
MCA Statewide Assessments Dear Families,
The Minnesota Department of Education (MDE) requires that statewide assessments are annually administered in reading, mathematics, and science. They are designed to provide the state, districts, and schools with a snapshot of student learning of the Minnesota K-12 Academic Standards.
When will HBC Students take the MCA Tests? What Grades will take the MCA Tests?
MCA Reading - (3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th and 10th) - Wednesday, April 23rd and Thursday April 27, 2025
MCA Math - (3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th and 11th) - Tuesday, April 29th and Wednesday, April 30th
MCA Science - (5th, 8th and 10th) - Tuesday, May 6th
What are the MCA Tests? The Minnesota Comprehensive Assessment (MCA) and Minnesota Test of Academic Skills (MTAS) are reading, mathematics, and science standards-based assessments that measure student learning of the Minnesota Academic Standards. These assessments are used to meet federal and state legislative requirements. Most students take the MCA, but students who receive special education services and meet the MTAS eligibility requirements may take the MTAS instead.
Why do we give these assessments? MCA results provide valuable information for the school, district and MDE about how well students have learned concepts and skills from the academic standards. Educators and schools can use the results to plan instruction and evaluate their curriculum. Families can also use the results as one way to measure how students are doing on the content that is part of their daily instruction. School- and district-level test results are used in federal and state accountability measurements.
How are the MCA administered? The MCAs must be taken in person, even if your student is enrolled in an online program. For students temporarily learning online, they will take statewide assessments when they return to school. Your school can provide more specific information about the health and safety measures they are taking to ensure students and staff stay safe and healthy during test administration. Most students take the MCA online, but some eligible students take the assessment in a paper test book instead. For the MTAS, teachers work with each student individually using paper test materials.
Please reach out to me if you have any needs: t.holthaus@isd671.net