MES Family Update

Do you know a staff member at Manawa Elementary who deserves to be recognized for the amazing things they do? Nominate them for an award that will be given out by the Manawa Chamber!

To end the school year, we are going to try something a little different and hopefully have some fun! Starting Wednesday, April 30th, we are going to celebrate each day according to the letters of the alphabet. Participation in our “ABC Countdown” is optional. Students can participate as often as they would like.

Dear Parents and Guardians,

The Manawa School District cares deeply about our students. We are always looking for ways to improve their educational experience and form a stronger partnership with you, our parents. To help us accomplish this goal we are conducting a parent survey to help us understand what we are doing well and where we need to improve.

We have hired School Perceptions, an independent educational research firm, to conduct the survey and ensure all responses are kept confidential. We are asking that all parents respond to a survey that will be emailed to you on April 28.

The survey will be open from April 28 through May 12 at 5:00 PM. If you do not receive an email invitation to complete the survey, please check your “spam/junk” folder and then contact me for assistance.

We value your comments and suggestions and strongly encourage you to participate in this important survey. Together, we will continue to shape the future of our schools.

We are in need of substitutes for paraprofessionals. Our parapros are an important part of our school community by supporting our students and staff. All you need is a high school diploma and background check to be qualified. Come and make some extra money in a fast paced, fun environment!

If interested, please call 920-596-5700

Community members and families,

If you are interested in supporting the social, physical, mental and emotional growth and development of our students, there is an opportunity to join the School District of Manawa Board of Education’s Ad Hoc Growth and Human Development Committee.

If you are interested, please send Mrs. TaraLa Jackson an email (tjackson@manawaschools.org) or call (920)596-2525.

Social media can negatively impact children in many ways, including mental health, social skills, and behavior. It is important to know that the use of social media and texting changes parts of a child’s brain related to emotions and to learning. A child’s brain is not really ready for the impact of social media and texting until about the age of 14.

Parent Tips for All Kids:

» Carefully evaluate whether or not your child needs a cell phone and especially texting or other media on their cell phones. Just because other kids in their class have it doesn’t mean your child needs it. Make sure your child is mature enough to handle texting and consider an app like Kids Messenger.

» Make rules around when and where. No texting during meals, during class, or on family outings. Turn the phone OFF at least an hour before bedtime and keep it off all night.

» No texting while they should be concentrating on something else. If they are doing homework, reading a book or even watching a movie, turn the cell phone off. Firm rules about this will ensure their safety as well as help them learn how to navigate and build social skills.

» Establish consequences for misuse. Remember checking your child’s messages is not snooping. Your first job as parents is to ensure that our children use powerful technology safely and responsibly.

» Watch your own behavior. Parents are still models for their kids. Do not send messages out of anger and frustration and do not send anything that you would not say in person.

(Common Sense Media, Center for Parent Education)

May 23 - 1/2 Day Students, Noon Dismissal

May 26 - No School

June 5 - Last Day of School, 1/2 Day Students, Noon Dismissal (No 4K/EC classes)

• If a student is gone due to a having a temperature or feeling unwell they should not return until they are fever free and symptom free for 24 hours without fever reducing medications.

Skyward is a powerful tool that helps parents stay informed about their child’s academic progress. With Skyward, you can view grades, attendance, and even upcoming assignments—all in real time. To access your child’s grades, simply log in to your Skyward Family Access account via the school’s website or mobile app.

Set a routine to check grades weekly and use the information to encourage positive study habits and address challenges early.

1. Go to www.manawaschools.org and click the Skyward Family Access link.(upper right)
2. Enter your username and password provided by the school.
3. Click Sign In to access your child’s grades, attendance, and more.
4. Forgot your login? Use the Forgot Password option or contact the school.

The voting is in and ballots have been counted. There was a clear winner on Tuesday for MES Decision 2024. Climbers won 150 votes to Swings 30 votes. The student body has spoken.

Stay tuned to hear about fundraising for the new equipment.

I have fielded a few questions about attendance so I wanted to add a note in the update just in case others are wondering.

Students are "allowed" 10 excused absences each school year. These include sick days and other parentally excused days off such as a vacation. Absences can be medically excused by bringing a note from a medical professional (dentist, doctor, etc) stating that the student had an appointment during a school day or has an illness that prevents them from attending school until a certain day or symptoms subside. Medically excused absences do not count toward the 10 excused absences. At the 10th excused absences I will meet with the parents of the student to discuss a plan moving forward and the information below.

After the 10th excused absence all days the student misses are considered unexcused even if we get notification from a parent unless we receive a medical excuse. Students are "allowed" 5 unexcused days per semester before they are considered habitually truant. I will meet with parents again after the 3rd unexcused absence in a semester to revise the plan and discuss what could happen if the student misses more school. We may move toward truancy after the 5th unexcused absence in a semester.

Practicing school lunch at home is a critcial skill for school! Help your child succeed at school by teaching them how to open and each a lunch box meal.

Lunch time is 30 minutes for our students to open, eat, and clean-up from lunch. That is not a lot of time if your child is having to wait for an adult to help open their food. There are 2 adults assigned to lunch duty daily and approximately 100 students in each lunch peroid. It might be 15 minutes before your child could start eating if they are waiting for help.

In my opinion, that is way too long for them to wait, and then way too fast for them to have to eat before leaving the lunch room!

Be mindful when you pack something in your child's lunch that needs to be warmed up that it reduces the time your child has to eat.

Many students would rather eat something warm and parents may like to get rid of left overs by packing microwaveable foods in their child's lunch. While we do have 2 microwaves in the cafeteria, please remember that there are approximately 100 students and 2 adults. The line for each microwave can get long. Last year, we had students who had to wait 15 minutes for a microwave! This didn't leave them much time to heat, eat, and clean up.

We ask that students bring drinks that have no caffeine and as little sugar as possible to school.

Check labels! Many drinks that call themselves sparkling water are filled with caffeine and sugar. Bubbl'r can have twice as much caffeine than a can of coke.

Please reach out to MES if you need anything. We still have school supplies and the Food Pantry is available for anyone in need. We are here year round to support our families. Call the elementary office at 920-596-5700 if you need assistance.

Email: dbrauer@manawaschools.org

Website: www.manawaschools.org
Phone: 920-596-2238