CA Welcome-Back Letter

  • Greetings from Columbia Academy,  

    We are excited to have your child join us at Columbia Academy for the upcoming 2023-2024 school year! Making sure your child is ready for the first day of school is an important step we can take together to help your child get off to a great start. With the start of school just a month away, here is some important back-to-school information for you as you begin to think about the upcoming school year.

    Columbia Academy Open House: Tuesday, August 29th 4:00 – 6:30 p.m.

    Join us at Open House and meet your child’s advisor and more:

    • Collect your child's schedule
    • Locate your child's classrooms and locker
    • Get assistance in completing required school forms
    • Purchase uniforms and CaseIts if you have not done so already. (We recommend you purchase your child’s uniform and CaseIt online to avoid waiting in line at Open House. See ordering information below.)

    First day of school: Tuesday, September 6th 8:20 a.m. – 3:15 p.m.

    Our first day of school will include orientation for our 6th graders as well as a welcome back for our 7th and 8th graders. Our first day is always an important time to build a sense of community where we all belong.

    Purchase your child’s required School Uniform online now at Rapit Printing. Click here.

    Columbia Academy is a uniform school. Students are required to be in uniform to attend classes. Uniforms help us build a sense of belonging to the same team and show the importance of education in the lives of our students.

    • Please be sure your child is ready for school by ordering their uniform shirts online. Navy or khaki-colored pants can be purchased at Walmart, Target, or Savers.
    • Uniform orders will be delivered free to school or can be picked up at Rapit Printing.
    • All students must have a CA CaseIt before receiving their computer in order to minimize potential damage to the computer they are issued. CaseIts include a pencil pouch and the Columbia Academy school planner.

    Sign your child up for Fall Athletics and Activities on the District Website. Click here.  

    • 6th – 8th Graders: Football, Soccer, and Girls Volleyball
    • 7th – 8th Graders: Girls Tennis, Girls Swimming and Dive, Adapted Soccer
    • 6th – 8th Graders: Robotics
    • Many more opportunities for athletics and activities to come!

    Make sure we have your correct contact information on ParentVue. Click here.

    ParentVue is our database for important information, including your correct phone number and email address as well as your emergency contact information. Make sure you check to see that our information in ParentVue is correct by logging into your ParentVue account and clicking on Online Registration. If you do not have a ParentVue account, please reach out to Sarah Durst at dursts@colheights.k12.mn.us. It is very important that all parents have a ParentVue account so we can communicate your child’s grades, assignments, attendance, and other important school information with you throughout the school year.                                                                                             

    Complete the following important forms.

    • We ask that all parents complete the Educational Benefits form on our Food Service website page. While school lunch is free for all students, this form provides us with information that is necessary for our school district to qualify for federal funding that benefit all students. Filling out this form helps us provide educational opportunities to all of our students!  This form must be filled out again each school year. Click here.
    • Parents must complete the Technology Use Agreement Form each year before their child can be issued their computer. You will receive an email from the District Center with a link to this form.                                                            

    Thank you for being part of our Columbia Academy community! We look forward to meeting you at the CA Open House and helping your child get off to a great start. Please be in touch with any questions.  

    All the best from Columbia Academy,  

     
     

    Principal of Columbia Academy

    763-528-4705

    berkasd@colheights.k12.mn.us

Columbia Academy Leadership

  • hide Columbia Academy consists of a community of learners where every student knows they belong and each student helps to create a culture of academics. Our school is serious about academics including the arts; we like to say we have our heads in academics and our hearts in the arts! With strong core academics and vibrant performing and visual arts programs, we are part of the Columbia Heights Public Schools mission to provide worlds of opportunity for all students.

    The middle years are an amazing time of development for our children. Adolescent brains grow rapidly just as students are changing quickly in their physical appearance and their sense of independence. We know it is essential that we work to support the whole child in middle school with the many social/emotional, physical, and intellectual changes that occur at this age. We stress three things as we provide this support to all students: First, that every child belongs to our Columbia Academy team; Second, that together we can RISE UP by paying attention to our core values of respect, integrity, strength, excellence, understanding and pride; Third, that our school will be defined as having a strong culture of academics where we believe in ourselves and the power of persistent effort to learn.

    Columbia Academy encourages students to participate in our after school activities including our excellent theater and robotics programs open to all grade levels. Grades 7 and 8 have many athletic activities our students can join throughout the school year. After school academic services are also available for students through Targeted Services. Leadership opportunities are available for all grades in Student Council and for 8th graders through the Where Everyone Belongs (WEB) program that helps welcome new students to our school.

    Columbia Academy has high expectations for academics and behavior because we know our students have the capacity to do great things. We believe in our students and help our students learn to believe in themselves as they develop skills that will prepare them for success in high school, college, and career. We are Columbia Academy and together we RISE UP!