MPS Elementary Newsletter

• 10th- Bottineau Winter Park field trip 3rd grade tubing and 6th grade skiiing
• 11th- Benson County Spelling Bee
• 11th- Elementary Valentine's Day Parties
• 14th- 18th- Artist in Residence
• 15th- Elementary Assembly @ 2:30
• 16th- Wear Red/Pink
• 18th- Community Artist in Residence Event @ 2:40
• 21st- No School
• 23rd- Early Out @ 1:00
• 23rd- Board Meeting @ 4:00

March

• 15th- Spring Pictures
• 16th- End of 3rd Quarter
• 17th- No School
• 18th- No School

All of these dates and more future dates can be found on the school website OR this calendar link- https://calendar.google.com/calendar/u/0?cid=bWlubmV3YXVrYW4uazEyLm5kLnVzX2RhZHU0ZDR0dHRsNTE2dWllazRqa3FkMzA4QGdyb3VwLmNhbGVuZGFyLmdvb2dsZS5jb20

5th Grade

Lance Robertson

Ryleigh Wetzel

Kayne Charboneau

Madysen Ploium

Selina Richotte

Shelby Spottedhorse

Jonah St. Claire

Payton White

6th Grade

Avery Azure

Casen Dauphinais

Serene Lawrence

Tristen Leaf

Gladys LIttlewind

Robert Santos III

Abigail Thomas

Sienna White

Please make sure your elementary students are bringing their shoes for gym daily. All students have gym everyday and if they are not wearing their gym shoes they are unable to participate in many of the lessons and activities.

Make sure your students in grades PK-12th grade are wearing at least their coats while riding the buses.

**We have had some dangerously cold temperatures and we want all of our riders to be safe during the winter months.

In February, Social-Emotional Learning will focus on developing Problem Solving skills. Throughout this unit, students will learn different approaches to resolving conflict and practice a step-by-step approach to problem solving.

Conflict is a necessary part of life. It occurs in the classroom, on the playground, at home, and in the neighborhood. Learning problem solving skills can help children navigate conflict and handle these situations in a healthy way.

See below for you student's grade level.

Students will be working on the following skills:

· Cooperating and Being Considerate

· Identifying Problems and Solving Problems

o Students will focus on the four steps of problem solving:

§ 1. STOP and calm down.

§ 2. TALK to understand the problem.

§ 3. THINK of possible solutions.

§ 4. TRY a solution and see how it works for everyone.

Home Activities to Support Learning

· Encourage your child to use calming strategies when they are upset or overexcited.

o Strategies include taking deep breaths, counting slowly, thinking of something beautiful, hugging a stuffed animal.

· Take opportunities when reading stories or watching television that involve a conflict or difference of opinion to guide your child in recognizing each person’s perspective and using words to label the problem. This gives students practice in developing empathy and identifying problems in situations in which they are not involved and possibly already feeling upset.

Students will learn about the three different approaches to conflict:

· Conflict Avoider (like a turtle)

· Conflict Controller (like a shark)

· Solution Finder (like an owl)

Once students become familiar with these concepts, they will practice

STEP It Up, an approach to conflict resolution that uses the following four steps:

1. STOP, think, and cool off.

2. TALK it out.

3. EVALUATE possible solutions and consequences.

4. PICK a realistic solution and try it out.

Home Activities to Support Learning

· Ask your child to explain the turtle, shark, and owl approaches to resolving conflict.

· When watching TV or movies with your child, discuss the different conflict strategies illustrated. Ask your child if the approach was successful, and why or why not.

· Discuss the approach that different family members have used to resolve conflict, and the costs and benefits of each approach.

· Ask your child to explain the Step It Up approach to conflict resolution. When problems or conflicts occur at home, help your child practice using the Step It Up approach.

Make sure if your student is not riding the bus to make sure to call the school right away in the morning so the driver knows not to stop.

Also, if you student is ill, has an appointment, etc. please make sure to tell the office staff that information too so we can make sure to mark them as excused for the day.

• I graduated from Mayville State University in 2008

• PK-12 Physical Education Teacher- This will be my 12th year

• This year I will also be teaching SIPPS and Reading Mastery to students

• Love the San Francisco 49ers

• Work at Grahams Island State Park as a Park Attendant May-September

I'm Kari Jo Taylor. I live in Devils Lake, with my son Easton. This is my 5th year teaching third grade in Minnewaukan! In my spare time I enjoy traveling, being outside, and working out.

All classroom Valentine's Day Parties will be held on Friday February 11th. If your student will be bring treats to share please make sure they bring them on this day.

Below the number of students for each section is listed:

Pk- 18

K- 19

1st Alyssa Walter- 14

1st Grade Hilary Kratzke-14

2nd- 22

3rd- 20

4th- 24

5th- 18

6th- 18

Each grade level will be eligible to receive student of the month.

They will be recognized on the school website and FB page as well as receive a small reward for their accomplishment.

Student engagement staff will look for when nominating a student of the month:

• Good Attendance!
• Completion of Work!
• Collaborates well with peers and staff!
• Follows school expectations!

Check out last months students of the month on our website!

https://www.minnewaukan.k12.nd.us/

Email: mackenzie.moen@minnewaukan.k12.nd.us
Website: https://www.minnewaukan.k12.nd.us/
Location: Minnewaukan Public School
Phone: 701-473-5306
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MinnewaukanSchool