Sturgis Elementary School
Meade School District 46-1
“To Build Knowledge and Skills for Success Today and Tomorrow
A NOTE FROM THE PRINCIPAL CHANTAL LIGTENBERG Supervision on Playground
I have noticed some students being dropped earlier than we have supervisors. Just a reminder that the supervisors are not on the playground until 7:45 a.m. Breakfast students can be dropped off as early as 7:30 a.m. at the cafeteria doors.
Inclement Weather/School Closings
On mornings when school is cancelled or a late start occurs, every attempt will be made to notify the following radio and television stations by 6-6:30 a.m.: radio stations BHB, KOTA, KAT, FOX, KIMM, KKMK, KKLS, KRCS, KSQY, KIQK, KTOQ, KDDX, KZZI, KDSJ, and television stations KOTA, KEVN, KNBN, and KELO.
In addition to the announcements on select radio and television stations, parents will also be notified by telephone via School Messenger (previously known as School Reach) in the event of school closing or early dismissal. School Messenger messages will come from the district level. Please let the school office know if you have changed phone numbers recently so we may make those updates in our system.
School Attendance
Attending school might not be a big deal for you now, but the consequences can have a lasting impact on you. Check out the attendance facts from our friends at Attendance Works.
• Absenteeism in the first month of school can predict poor attendance throughout the school year. Half the students who miss 2-4 days in September go on to miss nearly a month of school. • An estimated 5 million to 7.5 million U.S. students miss nearly a month of school each year. • Research shows that missing 10 percent of the school, or about 18 days in most school districts, negatively affects a student’s academic performance. That’s just two days a month and that’s known as chronic absence. • When students improve their attendance rates, they improve their academic prospects and chances for graduating
Parking Lot Concern: Student safety is our utmost concern. Please use caution and do not use your cell phones while driving through the parking lot. Also, please be role models and use the cross walks when walking to and from your vehicle.
October MUSTANGS OF THE MONTH
Front Row: KG: Kinley Petrocco, Talon Bryant, Christian Pankratz, Abram Mitchell, Jaxton Clement
2nd Row: 1st Grade: Eben Treloar, Aubree Pickett, Stella Smith, Noah Bergstrom, Isabella Eide
3rd Row: 2nd Grade: Ava Neuschwander, Morgan Lee, Ashlyn Snow, Myleeah Bright, Drecen Findley, Gabe Hall
4th Row: 3rd Grade: Aiden Ashmore, River Dunavant, Kaydence Aldren, Elizabeth Shearer, Bella Willuweit, Trenton Oswald
5th Row: 4th Grade: Xaaryn Thomas, Hunter Inhofer, Bree Wilson, Noree Hammerstrom, Cade Tallmage UPCOMING EVENTS: October 29, Monday: Picture Retakes October 31, Wednesday: Halloween Safety Tips with Carter Smith November 2, Friday: Inservice No School November 21-25 Wed/Thurs/Friday: Thanksgiving No School
Rural School Librarians Look to the Future
Heidi Kruse from Meade 46-1 begins a three-year professional development cohort program, designed to enhance her skills in the digital world, on October 8-9 with a conference. Thirteen rural school librarians drawn from each of three states--North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wyoming--are participating in the cohort.
Technology and Innovation in Education (TIE) of Rapid City is coordinating the program, free to librarians, thanks in part to an Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) grant. The state libraries of North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wyoming are also collaborating with TIE on this program, called “Reaching Out.”
Through face-to-face and virtual learning, selected librarians will gain expertise in utilizing Open Educational Resources (OER) and will be prepared to serve as instructional leaders in their schools. The event this week provides a focus on teaching Digital Literacy and the new national standards, as well as Digital Citizenship. Project Director, Julie Erickson, explained that these digital skills and standards integrate with content area standards to support teachers and students who live in a digital world.
More information is available from Julie Erickson at [email protected].
TIE, an extension of public schools, has worked for more than three decades to improve instruction throughout the region.
This project was made possible in part by IMLS, grant RE-7018-0050-18. The IMLS is the primary source of federal support for the nation’s approximately 120,000 libraries and 35,000 museums, with a mission to inspire libraries and museums to advance innovation, lifelong learning, and cultural and civic engagement.”
PTA
PTA hosted the National Bike & Walk to School event, October 17th, with approximately 215 participants! Huge thank you to the Sturgis Police Dept for their increased patrolling, the Sturgis Abulance for helping with crossing guard duty and all volunteers! The Dakota DOT donated light bracelets to the whole school for the event. Great job SES... way to get out and MOVE!
Thank you to all who brought sides and desserts to pair with the pizza and subs we served our wonderful teachers, during Parent/Teacher Conferences this month.
Please continue collecting Box Tops for your student and the school! We counted less than 2,000 Box Tops in September, compared to 6,500 last year at the first count. The funding provided by collecting Box Tops, lets us provide opportunities to our students and teachers that would not otherwise be offered. November will be our next count and our goal is to be at 7,500 Box Tops. Participation is key!! Help reach our goal! K-1st graders Jamboree September 25th, Our “Fall Sports Jamboree” focused on Fall sport offerings that will be available when the Students go to High School, including cheerleading, football, golf and soccer. This replaced our “Field Day” which has been celebrated at the end of the year.
2-4th Grade Jamboree
Mayor Mark Carsten visited Mrs. Williams 3rd grade class.
HOMECOMING ROYALTY
HOMECOMING PARADE!!! Congratulations to the awesome students in Bailey Zwahr, Lisa Haslip, Ashley Abell, and Annette MacKaben rooms! Their Homecoming Float won 2nd place in the Most Inventive Category! GREAT JOB! YOU ROCK!
The Kiwanis K-Kids had a great time putting together little bags of school supplies for their fundraiser at the Kiwanis Kraft Fair the weekend of Oct 6. Thank you to the K-Kids who stopped by and helped sell the bags, and to all those buying a bag!
Even more fun will be the 2nd Annual K-Kids Pet Food Drive coming to the school and community. We’ll be busy making posters at our meeting on October 18, and decorating the boxes.
Beginning on Oct 22, each grade K - 4 will have a box available for donations, and there will be boxes at several locations around town. On November 9 we’ll pick up the boxes and see which grade donated the most items. Last year the 2nd grader won and had an ice cream and cookie celebration! Who will win this year?
GIRLS ON THE RUN
Sturgis Elementary is hosting the after school program, Girls on the Run (GOTR) for the third year. Girls on the Run inspires girls to be joyful, healthy and confident using a fun, experience-based curriculum which creatively integrates running! The program aims to enhance self-esteem and confidence by teaching young girls about positive thinking and being a good friend, practicing healthy decision-making and standing up for oneself, addressing gossiping and bullying, understanding diversity and giving each girl a sense of connection to her community and world. Seventeen third and fourth grade girls and 10 volunteer coaches/running buddies are participating in the 10-week program this year. We will end our season with a 5K on November 17th with all other area schools participating in GOTR. Families and friends are encouraged to participate in the 5K. We will post registration information to Meade School District website when all details are finalized.
Mystery Science in 3rd grade
Mystery Unit 1: POWERS OF FLOWERS: Plant Life and Heredity
Students developed the idea that by studying how plants reproduce and pass on their traits which in turn helped humans figure out how to make food plants even more useful to us. Students first discovered how plants reproduce by exploring the process of pollination and fruiting. Then students were introduced to the process of plant domestication (selection of traits based on inheritance and variation).
During this unit students were able to explore the school garden, became a scientist to develop whether fruit or vegetables were a science fruit or a science vegetable, designed art projects, and explored how pollination works by bees transporting from flower to flower.
NURSE NEWS From your school Nurses: Julie Dobler, R.N, Jennifer Oedekoven, R.N, Heidi Komes, R.N
FROM THE COUNSELORS Dear Parents/Guardians, Sturgis Elementary is committed to building strong character in our students by promoting kindness and compassion for all students. In our classroom guidance classes we teach our students about the importance of being kind and compassionate to others. This year we continued our commitment by sponsoring activities that further promote this philosophy in our students. October 26th was our one day "Unity” event when we taught our students the importance of being kind, caring, cooperative, respectful and embrace diversity. While participating in the activities students were encouraged to wear ORANGE! “Make it ORANGE and make it end! If you care about safe and supportive schools and communities make your color ORANGE”, is our Unity Day Slogan. It was and is our hope this process sets a positive example for how students treat each other as they move through their academic journey. Please help us continue to reinforce this message and encourage your children to show kindness and compassion toward all people. We can be the change we want to see in the world, one student at a time. Thank you for your consideration and time assisting us in building strong character in your children and by promoting kindness and compassion. Sincerely, Kellie Thomas and Kristi Ortiz, SES Professional School Counselors
3rd -4th Grade Music Concert
3rd grade (pictures)
4th Grade picture
K-4 Assembly: Harlem Globetrotters Anti-Bullying presentation