Wildcat News

Principal Message

Thanks for a great start to a great year! A few reminders:

~ Kindness Retreat: Our school's theme this year is KINDNESS. This past Tuesday, our 5th grade students attended an amazing Kindness Retreat hosted by Youth Frontiers. The Taylor Foundation funded the event, and it was a huge success. Our 4th grade students will also attend a retreat on Tuesday, September 23. It was incredibly powerful to see our students building their empathy skills and engaging with our school-wide theme of kindness. It shows how much it matters to have this theme woven into everything we do.

~ PTO Meeting: We had a great first PTO meeting of the year! Huge thanks to our new members!!! A few reminders from the PTO: 1) We are looking for a secretary; if you are interested, please email Katie Dease @ katie.kendhammer@gmail.com. 2) We do collect Box Tops digitally. Here's the link to all the info; it's really very simple. Get the app, scan receipts, and our school makes money. 3) We also collect Hy-Vee receipts. When you shop at Hy-vee, simply save your receipts and send them to school with your child. There's a small box located near the office for these receipts. 4) Be on the lookout for Walk-A-Thon fundraising information coming home with your child next week! In the meantime, you may want to mark your calendar as our Walk-A-Thon is scheduled for the afternoon of October 9 (yes, parents join in the fun & walk with their child if it works in their schedule). 4) Our picnic is also scheduled for the evening of October 9, 5:00-6:30. 5) Volunteers needed: Be on the lookout for a Sign Up Genius link coming soon (for both the Walk-A-Thon and picnic volunteers).

~ Wildcat Wednesdays: We do try to wear Wildcat gear on Wednesdays each week. Your child's Wildcat t-shirt will be arriving in the next few weeks; typically we give these to children to wear at our October rally, so they will probably be coming home with your child on October 8. In the meantime, if you do not have Wildcat gear, feel free to have students wear yellow and black, our school colors.

We cannot do what we do without the support we receive from each and every parent. Your partnership matters, so thank you in advance for your collaboration, teamwork, and support!

Go Wildcats!

Ann

Ann Haggerty

Washington Principal

ahagge1@isd77.org

Alissa Ross, Washington School Counselor

What do the students at Washington call you?

Mrs. Ross

What is your job at Washington?

Elementary School Counselor

How long have you worked for Mankato Area Public Schools?

This school year is my ninth year as the school counselor. Prior to that, I worked as a playground supervisor and a counseling intern.

What is one of your favorite things about your job?

I really love to serve as a listening ear for students that just need to talk, and to help students feel heard, special and loved. To be able to give students a space to feel safe, comfortable and themselves is a privilege that I am so thankful for! I also love working alongside teachers and families with a team approach when supporting students.

What is an interesting fact about you?

I am an ultramarathoner, I love fishing and canning garden fruits and vegetables!

Tell us about your family.

My husband is Tony, and our three children are Annie (5), Cecilia (4) and James (2). We live in rural Cleveland near the lake and stay pretty busy!

September 2025

Dear Mankato Area Public School Families,

We thank you and your family for being our valued partners as we work together to educate the children in our district. Mankato Area Public Schools values input from our community – and we need to hear from your child or children! Students are important partners as we work to improve our communication, academic program and overall experience for everyone.

In order to learn more about student experiences at school, we will be asking for your child’s feedback via an online survey they will be completing at school. The survey shouldn’t take more than 20-30 minutes to complete.

We are asking that all of our students participate in the surveys, as their feedback will provide invaluable insights into their experiences and how we can improve and adapt our district to their needs. If a student doesn’t feel like they have enough information to answer a question, they will be able to skip the item altogether. The responses to these surveys will be completely confidential. We are partnering with a third-party vendor to support us in administering these surveys.

Our students have many qualities and skills to succeed both in school and in everyday life now and in the future. Qualities such as humility, curiosity, empathy, resilience, and self-awareness often aren't measured through traditional methods. By administering SEL screeners and seeking to understand how students feel about themselves, we are valuing student voice and emphasizing the importance of supporting them in their development. It’s essential that we hear from our students.

Please notify us if you would like your child to opt out of taking the survey by filling in your name and your child’s name below and returning it to school by September 26, 2025. You can call for a paper copy if that's easier for you. We thank you in advance for your thoughtful responses. If you have any questions about the survey administration, please don’t hesitate to contact us at 507-345-3059.

Thank you once again for your collaboration.

Best regards,

Sincerely,

Ann Haggerty, Principal

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