Noticias de la Manada

Dear Sonia Sotomayor Families,

What a fabulous start to the school year! We are so grateful for the incredible support you continue to show our students, staff, and school.

One of the things that has brought us so much joy this year is watching our families connect with one another. At our Lobos Launch mar it was wonderful to see veteran kindergarten parents welcoming and reassuring our first-time kindergarten families. Over coffee and pastries, they shared stories, answered questions, and helped calm those first-day nerves. That is what a One Pack/Una Manada community looks like!

And then there was our Fun Run! 🐺💚💙 Thank you for your incredible generosity and support. The money raised is going to provide our students with learning experiences that extend far beyond the walls of our school.

Our second graders recently visited the Laura Ingalls Wilder Homestead, where they were able to connect what they have been learning in class to a real historical setting while developing an incredible amount of new Spanish vocabulary. Our first graders are heading to Our Family Farm, where they will frolic with farm animals, explore the pumpkin patch, and—most importantly—experience new learning and vocabulary in Spanish!

And we are just getting started! Our students have many more adventures ahead this year, including trips to the Washington Pavilion, the Great Plains Zoo, the Children's Museum in Brookings, and, of course, the 5th grade trip to the Omaha Zoo, just to name a few.

These experiences are so much more than field trips. They give our students opportunities to see, experience, explore, ask questions, make connections, and use the Spanish language in authentic settings. They create memories and learning experiences that simply cannot be replicated inside a classroom.

And those opportunities are made possible, in part, because of the support and generosity of our families.

Mrs. Ries and I have also had a pretty memorable start to the year ourselves! We have celebrated your students' success in the Summer Reading Challenge by getting blasted with hundreds water puffs SIX different times in one day, and then, of course, there was the unforgettable experience of kissing Wilber the Pig and Bugs the Goat during our Fun Run celebration! 🐷🐐

We are having so much fun celebrating your students, watching them grow, and being part of this amazing school community.

Thank you for supporting our school, our staff, and—most importantly—our students. Your partnership makes a difference every single day, and we are so excited about everything this year has in store.

It’s going to be a GREAT year!

With gratitude,
Dr. Vik

Stay connected and up to date by downloading the Infinite Campus Parent Portal app on your mobile device. The app provides quick and easy access to your child’s grades, attendance, and important school information—all in one place. This app will give you real time updates on your student and quick access to attendance records and progress reports/grades.

If you do not yet have an active Parent Portal account or need help accessing an existing account, we are happy to assist! Please email the school office and we will send you initial set-up information or help reset your password.

Links to Download Parent Portal App

Apple App Store Link - Google App Store Link

As we begin the school year, please remember that smartwatches and cell phones must be turned off and kept in backpacks from 7:55 a.m.–2:45 p.m. This is a District-wide expectation that our staff will be reinforcing.

Thank you for partnering with us to help students stay focused and ready to learn! When families and staff work together, our students benefit. 💙

If your student will be absent for a school day, there are several easy ways to let us know:

📱 Parent Portal
You can submit a full-day absence notification through the Parent Portal. The office will process the notification, and your student’s teacher will be able to see it as well.

Please note: The Parent Portal absence option is only for full-day absences. If your student will be arriving late or leaving early, please do not use this option.

📧 Email
You can email your student’s teacher, Mary (mary.boen@k12.sd.us), AND Andrea (andrea.fowler@k12.sd.us). Please include everyone on the email so we receive the notification even if someone is out of the office that day.

📞 Call the Office
You can also call us at 605-367-4655. The office will make sure your student’s teacher is notified.

⏰ The Sooner, the Better!

Whichever method you choose, the sooner you let us know about an absence, the better! This helps us keep attendance records accurate and makes sure everyone who needs to know is informed.

Thank you for helping us keep our attendance communication running smoothly! 💙🐺

Our lunch periods run smoothly thanks to the help of our amazing families! Volunteers help supervise students, wipe tables, open lunch items, and assist with simple set-up and clean-up. It’s a great way to support our school and get a little peek at your student’s day!

Lunch Times:

• 3rd Grade: 10:55–11:15
• 1st Grade: 11:10–11:30
• 2nd Grade: 11:20–11:40
• 4th Grade: 11:35–11:55
• 5th Grade: 11:45–12:05
• Kindergarten: 12:00–12:20

Please arrive 5 minutes early and stay 5 minutes after your assigned time.

Ready to help? Click below to choose your weekly spot!

Lunchroom Volunteer Sign-Up

Thank you for being part of what makes our Los Lobos community so special! 🐺❤️

Having involved parents and guardians is such a blessing to our school! It truly takes a team, and we’re so grateful you’re part of ours! 🐺💙

Each school year, we need to have a current Volunteer Registration Form on file for anyone planning to volunteer at Sonia Sotomayor Elementary during the school day.

Ready to lend a hand? Please complete the Google Form below to get started!

A note about background checks: You do not need to complete a background check when filling out this form. A background check is only required if you will be volunteering in a situation where you may be with students without a staff member present. If a background check is needed in the future, we’ll reach out with the information and next steps.

Thank you for sharing your time, talents, and heart with our SSE students!

We couldn’t do it without you! ❤️🐺

Volunteer Registration Google Form

Looking for school info? Start here!
Our Parent One-Stop-Shop has everything in one place—calendar, lunch menu, staff info, tutoring info, lost & found photos, and more.

👉 Click here to access it

📱 Want easy access from your phone?
Save it to your home screen:

• On iPhone (Safari):
  Tap the Share icon → scroll down → tap Add to Home Screen.

• On Android (Chrome):
  Tap the three dots in the top-right → select Add to Home screen.

Now you’ll have one-tap access anytime!

It’s hard to believe September is already over! As we wrap up the month, September Reading Logs can now be turned in to classroom teachers. A new reading log will come home at the beginning of each month. You can also use the link below to print one if needed.

❤️ Keep Reading, Talking & Thinking!

Remember, you don’t have to be a reading expert to support your child’s English reading! You just need a little time, a book, and some conversation.

Try reading together, taking turns reading, or letting your child read to you. Then talk about the story:

• What happened?
• What was your favorite part?
• Why do you think the character did that?
• What do you think will happen next?
• What makes you think that?

These simple conversations help children build vocabulary, make connections, and think more deeply about what they read.

🌟 Every Minute Counts!

Whether it’s a favorite picture book, a chapter book, a comic, a magazine, or another book your child enjoys, every minute of English reading counts!

Our goal is 20 minutes of English reading each day—but most importantly, we want children to discover that reading can be enjoyable and something they can share with their families.

Read. Talk. Wonder. Predict. Connect. Laugh.

Thank you for helping us grow confident, bilingual readers! 🐺📚💙💚

It’s that magical time again—our Scholastic Book Fair is coming to school! Research shows that kids read more when they get to choose their own books—and a love of independent reading brings incredible benefits, from academic growth to improved well-being.

Remember the thrill of finding the perfect book at a Scholastic Book Fair? Let’s give our kids that same unforgettable experience! Join your child at our school’s Fair and create a reading memory they’ll treasure forever.

Skip the cash and make book shopping a breeze! Set up a Book Fair eWallet so your child can explore and pick their favorite books worry-free. Even better—you can share your eWallet link with friends and family so they can pitch in and make the experience even more magical! ✨

And here’s the best part: every funded eWallet gives you the chance to join Share the Fair™, our special giving program that helps students in need discover the thrill of choosing their own books. Together, we can make reading dreams come true! 📚💖

The Scholastic Book Fair is making its way to Sonia Sotomayor Elementary from October 8–15! Students will have the chance to browse and purchase books during the school day—and the Fair will also be open during Open House on October 13 and October 15. Times will be limited after school and students will need to shop with a Parent/Guardian. We will send those details later.

💻 Can’t make it in person? No worries! Shop online Oct 8–21 and 25% of every purchase will directly benefit our school.

My name is Joe Matzke, and I’m excited to join Sonia Sotomayor Elementary as the new school counselor! I’m originally from South Dakota and have spent the past 13 years working as a school counselor at Roosevelt and Jefferson High Schools here in Sioux Falls.

I’m looking forward to getting to know our students, families, and staff and becoming part of the Los Lobos community. My philosophy is simple: do your best, remember that mistakes are part of learning, and always lead with kindness.

Outside of school, I enjoy coaching football and softball, cheering on the Green Bay Packers, and spending time with my wife and our four children. I’m also a self-proclaimed dork who enjoys anime, The Lord of the Rings, Marvel, and video games. With four busy kids, “chauffeur” is definitely one of my unofficial job titles!

I believe that supporting students is a partnership between school and home. Please don’t hesitate to reach out if you have questions or concerns about your student, or if there is anything you think would be helpful for me to know. My email is joseph.matzke@k12.sd.us. I’m always happy to connect and work together to support your child.

I love learning new things and am excited for this next chapter at Sonia Sotomayor. I can’t wait to meet our Lobos and be part of this amazing community!

It's normal to want to support your child by making things easier for them, but it's important and healthy to expect them to do some things for themselves too. Responsibility is a skill, and like any skill, kids build it through practice. Here are a few simple ways to help your child grow more independent this year:

• Let them carry their own school supplies, such as their backpack, to and from school. It seems small, but it builds a sense of ownership over their own things.
• Give them a regular chore at home, matched to their age. Examples could be taking out recycling, clearing dishes after a meal, unloading the dishwasher, or sweeping/vacuuming.
• Let them pack their own backpack at night, with a checklist if needed, so mornings run smoother.
• Have them speak up for themselves when they can, such as ordering their own meal at a restaurant, greeting an adult with "hello" or "good morning," or asking a question when they are uncertain.

These small, consistent expectations help kids feel capable and prepared, at school, at home, and within the community.

Flu and illness season is upon us! One of the best ways we can protect our students, staff, and families is by staying home when sick and taking simple steps to help prevent the spread of illness.

🏠 Please keep sick students home. We know it can be tough to miss school, but keeping sick students home helps prevent illness from spreading to classmates, teachers, and staff. If a student comes to school sick, our health office may need to send them home.

🌡️ Fever: Students with a temperature of 100.4°F or higher should stay home until they have been fever-free for 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medication. Even if your child feels better after taking medicine, they still need to remain home until they have been fever-free for 24 hours without medication.

🤢 Vomiting/Diarrhea: Students should be free from vomiting and diarrhea for at least 12 hours before returning to school. Students who are unable to manage independent hygiene may be sent home.

🧼 Do your part to stop the spread: Frequent handwashing, covering coughs and sneezes, and staying home when you are sick are some of the best ways to help keep germs from spreading.

🍬 Cough Drops: If your child needs cough drops to soothe a sore throat while at school, please complete a medication form, available in the school office.

Thank you for helping us take care of one another and keep our Lobo Pack healthy, happy, and ready to learn! 🐺💙💚

If you have any questions please reach out to Nurse Mariana at 605-367-4655.

We love to highlight our students and their success! Take a look below at all the amazing things some of our students have accomplished this last month. If your student would like to share their achievements, please email the information and pictures to mary.boen@k12.sd.us. #UnaManada

"For the strength of the pack is the wolf, and the strength of the wolf is the pack"

-Rudyard Kipling

To keep our classrooms clean and safe, only water in a bottle with a lid is allowed inside. Because our classrooms have carpet, drinks other than water can be difficult to clean up. Any student who brings another beverage will be asked to dispose of it upon entering the building.

Please remind your students to bring only water for use in the classroom. Staying hydrated supports both cognitive focus and physical well-being, and we strongly encourage students to have water bottles with them throughout the day.

For more information about nutrition at our school, visit our Nutrition Services webpage.

Student safety is our highest priority. To help us maintain a secure environment, all visitors and volunteers must check in at the school office with a valid government-issued photo ID—every time you enter the building.

This policy applies to all adults, including regular volunteers.
Please remember to bring your ID each time you visit.

Thank you for partnering with us to keep our school safe and welcoming for all!

At Sonia Sotomayor Elementary, two of our core values are to be kind and responsible—and that doesn’t stop at the school doors! Parents and caregivers have a great opportunity to model these values for students during drop-off and pick-up times. Let’s work together to drive and park with care, courtesy, and common sense to keep everyone safe and our neighbors happy. Go Los Lobos!

🚗 Morning Drop-Off Procedures

• If your student is eating breakfast, they may enter through the front doors starting at 7:30 AM.

  • Only students eating breakfast should enter through the front doors by the office.

  • Breakfast service ends at 7:45 AM, so students must arrive before then to receive breakfast.

• Students not eating breakfast should enter through the playground doors on the south side. These doors open at 7:50 AM. There is SSE staff supervision on the playground starting at 7:40 AM.

• Classroom learning begins promptly at 7:55 AM.

🚙 Using the Drop-Off Lanes

• Drop-off lanes are located on the west and east sides of the school.

• Students should only exit the vehicle from the curb side—never from the street side.

• To help keep traffic flowing, drivers must remain in their vehicle while using the drop-off lanes.

• If your student needs assistance exiting the car or gathering items, please park on a nearby side street and walk them in.

🚌 Important: No Drop-Off or Pick-Up in the Bus Lane

• The bus lane in front of the school on Lake Avenue is for buses only during arrival and dismissal.

• No parking is permitted in the bus lane at any time.

• For everyone’s safety, do not use the bus lane to drop off or pick up students.

🚧 Safety Reminders for All Drivers

• Do not park on the crosswalk at any time.

• Please observe and respect No Parking signs—they are in place to protect students and ensure visibility.

• These expectations apply to all family members and friends who may be helping with drop-off or pick-up. Please share these reminders with anyone who transports your student.

🕒 Afternoon Pick-Up

• School dismisses each day at 2:45 PM. Students should be picked-up no later than 3:00 PM.

• Parents may:

  • Park and meet their student(s) on the playground, or

  • Use the pick-up lanes on the west and east sides of the school.

• As in the morning, drivers must stay in their vehicle while using the pick-up lanes.

• Only students being supervised by an adult will be allowed to play on the playground past 3:00 PM.

Thank you for helping us build a safe, respectful, and community-minded environment at SSE. Modeling kindness and responsibility in everyday moments makes a big impact on our students!

Email: tracy.vik@k12.sd.us
Website: https://www.sses.sf.k12.sd.us/o/ssspes
Location: Sioux Falls, SD, USA
Phone: 605-367-4655
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SFSpanishImmersion/