September 2025

Greetings and welcome back Longfellow Families! It is so wonderful to be back in session and have our awesome Lions and teachers here to start off another successful year at Longfellow Elementary! The beginning of our school year has brought in about 55 eager to learn and excited Begindergarten and Kindergarten students, in addition to the many new Longfellow families. We look forward to seeing all our families at the various activities that Longfellow staff and PTO put on throughout the year. Our biggest event is right around the corner: Longfellow Decade Disco on Friday, October 3rd!! (see more information in this newsletter’s edition). Raffle sales will run from September 10-26. It is our only fundraiser Longfellow Lions do throughout the year. Let’s see if we can continue the tradition of “We are small, but we are so MIGHTY!” The students raised over $21,500 for last year’s raffle. Let’s see if we can meet that goal once again this year!!!

We also have some new staff to introduce. Please join me in welcoming the following new staff:

Miss Dylan Buchholz - paraeducator

Miss Kayla Petersen - paraeducator (returning to LO)

Mrs. Roxy Loudenburg - district behavior specialist

Ms. Kim Strehlow - begindergarten aide

Longfellow is a place where strong connections are made between the home and school and where all staff members are committed to developing the whole child. As partners, we share the responsibility for our children’s success and want you to know that we will do our best to carry out our responsibilities. We ask that you guide and support your child’s learning by ensuring that he/she:

1) Attends school daily and arrives by 8:00am
2) Reads daily to develops a love for reading and to improve literacy skills
4) Shares school experiences with you so that you are aware of his/her school life
5) Informs you if he/she needs additional support in any area or subject
6) Knows that you expect him/her to succeed in school

Communication is key to an effective partnership. Together we can encourage our learners to make positive choices and to be productive members of the Mitchell community. The staff and I look forward to building positive working relationships with all Longfellow families. Please contact your child’s teacher and/or myself at 995-3092 if you have any questions or concerns.

Yours in education,

Mrs. Heckenlaible

The mornings might not be too chilly yet, but please be aware that the doors do not open and supervision doesn't start until 7:30 am. Thank you for your attention to this matter!

School announcements, such as weather-related dismissals, late starts, or cancellations, in addition to reminders about Longfellow Elementary events, can be sent to you via text. You can download the app on your device by visiting the app or google play store and searching for ‘Mitchell School District’. If you just want Longfellow information, please select our school. You can select multiple schools if you have children in other levels. Just a reminder that this is how you are notified when your child/ren’s school times are affected by weather. The school does not call individual parents.

Also, please make sure your phone number is updated and stays updated in Campus and with the school. You will receive text notifications, as long as you choose to accept them. These notifications would be primarily for weather related school late starts, early dismissals, and cancellations.

We understand that families need to make doctor appointments and have family vacations. As you are scheduling those, it may help to be aware of these dates.

9/1 Mon-NO SCHOOL - Labor Day

10/13 Mon-NO SCHOOL - Staff Development

11/7 Fri-NO SCHOOL - McGovern Debate

11/11 Tues-NO SCHOOL - Veteran's Day

11/26-28 Wed-Fri-NO SCHOOL - Thanksgiving Break

12/23-1/2 NO SCHOOL - Christmas Break

1/5 Mon-SCHOOL RESUMES

1/19 Mon-NO SCHOOL - Staff Development

2/13 Fri-NO SCHOOL

2/16 Mon-NO SCHOOL - President's Day

3/18-3/23 Thru-Mon-NO SCHOOL - Spring Break/Staff Development

4/3-4/6 Fri-Mon-NO SCHOOL - Easter

5/22 Fri-LAST DAY OF SCHOOL

We do the bulk of our statewide testing in April as well (3rd-5th graders). When a student

misses the scheduled testing time, we are required to reschedule for that student. Learners do

better when testing with the rest of their peers. We appreciate you doing your best to avoid

absences or leaving for appointments during those dates.

Mr. Bruna and our Longfellow 2nd & 3rd grade Lions will present our annual Veteran's Day Concert at the Longfellow gym, November 3rd, starting at 6:00pm. Please invite any Veteran that you know as we want to honor them. Stay tuned for more information.

What does it mean to be a part of a den? If you were to ask a Longfellow learner from grades second through fifth, they would tell you that it means you are a part of a community.

We have a K Den, comprised of our kindergarten & begindergarten students. They have been focusing on what their new ‘job’ should look like within the school. The teachers have been working on modeling expectations, how to play, being kind to others, how to go through a lunch line, and following directions, to name a few. It is amazing how different kindergarten/begindergarten looks after only two short weeks of school and I have to say, “We have OUTSTANDING learners and teachers at Longfellow Elementary and our newest lions are no exception!"

Next, we have our 1st grade den. They are recalling everything they learned in kindergarten and have already grown into great role models for our younger learners. Their reading skills are already soaring and they are so eager to share their talents! Our first grade teachers and learners have a very big job and that is to become fluid readers. First grade is where reading really takes off! In addition to all they are learning academically, they are working hard to be safe, responsible, and respectful and they sure are “ROCKING First Grade!”

Finally, we have Dens A, B, and C. These dens consist of Minors, Majors, Masters, and Mentors, in grades two through five. Learners in these dens are building a strong community/family within each den. They are great role models for each other and with the Habits of Mind (HOM) they are learning and applying, they are working together, understanding empathy for others, finding humor in everyday life, and learning what it means to manage their impulsivity, to name a few. These learners are taking the word, COMMUNITY, and really understanding that in order to be successful, you have to learn to work together (INTERDEPENDENTLY would be the word a minor, major, master, or mentor would use if you were to ask him/her J). Dens have enjoyed the HOM activities and lessons and it has truly brought the learners together. The den bonds are growing stronger each day and they have been working hard to STRIVE for ACCURACY as they have pushed through their assessments.

So as you can tell, no matter which den you belong to at Longfellow Elementary, you are part of the family tradition that Longfellow PRIDES itself on. We encourage you to consistently ask your child about their successes at school and have them retell you what they are learning about the Habits of Mind and how they are applying them to their educational and life journey! Thank you for sharing your children with us as we continue to work together to build a strong community.

Mrs. Heckenlaible

You are encouraged to fill out a free and reduced meal application at any time throughout the school year. When in doubt, fill it out. If you completed the 2025-2026 application already this year, then you should have already been notified of your status. If you have experienced a financial change due household membership or job change, you are encouraged to apply again.

You can create an online account to monitor your child/ren’s meal account, balances, and add money to their account. Visit the district
the school website and click on

“Mealtime Online Access”

We are very proud of our attendance rates at Longfellow Elementary and want to keep that going! We want to thank our parents for continuing to bring their child/ren to school each day and on time.

Attendance is extremely important to the success of each child's education.

Thank you for making attendance and education a priority in your child's life!!

Student attendance is important, not just to the individual student, but to the entire classroom environment. It is noticed when a classmate is missing. ALL pieces need to be present to make the puzzle complete.

Pick up and drop off can be a very stressful time for parents and students. Everyone is in a hurry and ready to move on to the next part of their day. However, safety is the most important factor! Please go to the corner and cross the street with the crossing guards. Please do NOT encourage your child to cross in the middle of the street. We want to keep our students safe and set a good example.

Our Student Council runs a store about twice a month, selling things like pencils, erasers, pens, and other fun trinkets. Prices range between .25 to just over $1. The money raised is used to support projects, student rewards, and Christmas gifts for students, etc.

September

Mon. 9th - School Board Meeting

Tue. 2nd - PTO Meeting

Fri. 5th - Student Council Store-OPEN

Fri. 19th - Student Council Store-OPEN

Sat. 13th - Caring Closet Pop-up (must pre-register)

Mon. 1st - NO SCHOOL

10th - 26th - Raffle Ticket Sales

Tue. 2nd - 5th Grade Band Meeting

Wed. 3rd - Fall Pictures

Thur. 4th - Snack Pack Forms Due

October

Tue. 7th - PTO Meeting

Wed. 15th - Picture Retakes

Fri. 3rd - Decade Disco

November

Mon. 3rd - Veteran's Day Concert

The school doors open at 7:30 am. Even if it is cold or raining, we do not have staff in the building to supervise so students will wait until 7:30 am to enter the building. Likewise, our staff leaves by 3:45 and students will need to be picked up before that time. We appreciate you making arrangements to have your children dropped off and picked up within those times.

Building doors open 7:30 am

Breakfast served 7:30-8:10 am

First bell rings at 8:10 am

School begins at 8:15 am (meaning a student is tardy at 8:16 am)

School dismissed at 3:15 pm

If your child needs to leave during the school day or will come late due to an appointment, simply alert the school office at 605-995-3092. If you need to take your child out early, we appreciate you alerting the office ahead of time, if possible. Your child will remain in class until you come inside to sign them out and we will do our best to have them prepared and ready to go as quickly as possible.

Please ask your child if they have headphones for school. If you forgot to send some or they are no longer working, we have headphones in the office available for purchase for $5.00. Our lions use headphones daily.

We will, once again, be doing our Raffle Ticket Sales Fundraiser for PTO. This is the only large fundraiser we have the students do. More information will be coming home soon, but the dates will be September 9-26.

MHS homecoming week will be Sept 22-26. Watch your classroom communication for more information about dress-up days!

Stay tuned for photos from some special events Mrs. Brink has planned in the library during the month of September!

All medications must be administered through the office. Students may keep cough drops in their lockers or desks but allergy meds, cold & flu, antacids, inhalers, etc., as well as all prescription medications will be held in the nurse's office. Please stop in to see Mrs. Snoozy, Longfellow's nurse, or call 605-995-3092 and ask for our nurse, if you have any questions.

Mrs. Snoozy's hours at Longfellow vary but she will call you back should you leave a message.

Please remember that students are NOT ALLOWED to carry any medications on them (even aspirin). It is not safe to have elementary students carrying meds as we don't want them to get into the wrong hands. We are happy to keep OTC medications in the office for your child when/if they need them.

In the next couple of months, we will be screening all K-3rd graders, as well as any new students, for hearing and vision. You may receive a letter or phone call from our nurse if any results are at all concerning.

If your child had any health concerns in the past (milk allergy, asthma, etc.) our nurse may be contacting you via a letter in your child's backpack, mail or phone call to confirm. If your child HAS any health conditions we need to be aware of, please fill out the form below so we can be prepared