Eagles Newsletter
February 6, 2026
Calendar
February 10 - PTO General Meeting
February 13 - Coffee with the Principal
February 16 - No School - Presidents' Day
February 20 - PTO Family Dance
March 3, 5, 11 - Parent/Teacher Conferences & PTO Scholastic Book Fair
March 5 - Second grade Field Trip to Ordway
March 6 - No School - Report Card Marking
March 10 - PTO General Meeting
March 13 - Coffee with the Principal
March 17 - Fourth grade Recorder Program
March 20 - No School - Conference Release Day
March 23 - 27 - No school - Spring Break
Parent Teacher Conferences
Parent Teacher Conferences are March 3, 5 & 11. Scheduling will begin Tuesday, February 17th. You will receive an email on February 16th with detailed information on how to sign up for your child's conference.
IMPORTANT!
You need a ParentVUE account to sign up.
Don’t have an account? Contact Staci in the office at 763-425-0577 or joness@district279.org to request an access key.
Don’t remember your password? Go to the login page to reset your password.
Don’t remember your user name? Call or email Staci, she can look it up for you.
Classroom Planning - optional form
The purpose of this form is to gather important information for classroom planning for next school year. This is an optional form - Please only fill this form out if your child will not be attending Elm Creek next year or you have concerns to share. Deadline to complete form is Sunday March 1st.
https://forms.gle/LQbxTYCjk3YtDydr7
The goal of student placement is for each child to be placed in the best possible learning environment. We strive to create balanced classrooms that will meet the needs of all students therefore we are unable to honor specific teacher requests. Class lists will be completed and communicated via email prior to Open House in the fall.
Student Council Pop Tab Collection
Student Council collects pop tabs all year long for the Ronald Mc Donald House, but in the month of February we are looking to collect a lot more! Please save all your pop tops and send them to school to help us raise money for a great cause!
Facts about Ronald Mc Donald House:
* The Ronald McDonald House provides a “home-away-from-home” for families of seriously ill children receiving treatment at area hospitals.
* Ronald Mc Donald houses have support services like art therapy, music programs, and gardens *Ronald McDonald Houses serve more than 8,000 families each day around the world, saving them over $311 million a year in hotel costs.
Thank you for your support!
Girls on the Run for grades 3-5
Erica Schmidt, Kindergarten teacher at Elm Creek is coaching again this year. Check out the attached flyer for more information.
Attendance Reporting
Reminder: We continue to see a number of students not called in when absent. It is important to report student absences each day. If you do not report your child absent (with the reason) it is an unexcused absence. You can review your child's attendance record on ParentVUE.
When using the ParentVUE app to report absences there is limited reasons to choose from. When selecting student/family concern, please always include a reason in the comments.
Vacations should be pre-arranged buy calling the office or emailing elmcreek@district279.org
There are several ways to report your student absent from school
1. Call the Attendance Line 763-315-7692
2. Report through ParentVUE app - please note the reason/symptoms.
3. Call the school office 763-425-0577
Families that are non English speaking may report absences via Talking Points.
Taking vacation? Please notify the teacher AND the office prior to your vacation.
Coffee with the Principal
An opportunity to connect, gather feedback, and be available to answer questions.
Have questions? Contact: Mrs. Ness at nesse@district279.org
Friday, February 13th
9:30 a.m.
Elm Creek Media Center
Topic change: What do kids do in the Media Center at Elm Creek?
Future Dates:
Friday, March 13th, 10:30 a.m., Elm Creek Media Center - Budget information for 2026-27 school year.
Monday, April 6th, 10:30 a.m., Annabelle House in Osseo - It’s testing time, and my child has testing anxiety. What can I do to help?
Friday, May 8th, 10 a.m., Elm Creek Media Center - St. David’s will share Summer Tips for your child.
PTO Events
PTO Family Dance - Let's Glow Crazy! Friday, February 20th at 6:00-8:00pm in the Elm Creek Gym. Volunteers are needed for a variety of roles – come be part of the fun!
Volunteer sign-up: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/805044DA5AF29ABFA7-61368792-2026#/
Check out the attached flyer's for more information.
Volunteer
To get involved in the school community, check out district279.org/community. You'll find information on volunteering, advisory committees and more.
Indoor recess protocol
To ensure clarity and consistency, we will adhere to the following conditions for implementing indoor recess:
1. Air Quality
When the Air Quality Index (AQI) reaches 201 or higher (coded as "Purple" or "Very Unhealthy"), all elementary students must have recess indoors. This guideline is based on the MDH’s “Minnesota Outdoor Air Quality Guidance for Schools and Child Care,” which highlights the increased health risks for everyone at this level of air pollution. EPA has a helpful app that can help track the air quality, EPA AIRNow
2. Cold Weather
When the wind chill or "feels like" temperature is -5°F (negative five degrees Fahrenheit) or below, students will have recess indoors. This measure is to protect students from the risks of frostbite and other cold-related health concerns. We continue to encourage families to ensure their children come to school with appropriate winter clothing.
3. Hot Weather
When the heat index reaches 104° or above, students will have recess indoors. This protocol is in line with the Minnesota Youth Athletic Services Heat Index Guidelines recommendations to prevent heat-related illnesses during periods of extreme heat. Heat stress poses significant dangers to children, who are more susceptible to heat-related illnesses. Additional resources can be found on the MDH Extreme Heat website.
Since we are almost through the winter cold, we will continue to follow our current procedure of below zero for indoor recess. We will implement the -5-degree policy next school year.
Social Media
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