September 2026
Longfellow Elementary
Welcome to the 2026-2027 School Year
Dear Longfellow Families and Community,
Welcome to the 2026-2027 school year at Longfellow Elementary! I am excited to start this journey with our community and look forward to working together to make this year inspiring and successful.
Longfellow has a strong tradition of excellence and a positive school culture. Our success is made possible by the dedication of all employees who support our students each day. From our teachers, paraprofessionals, and special education staff to our custodians, food service team, and front office staff, every employee plays an important role in making Longfellow a caring and welcoming place for children.
At Longfellow, students come first. Our decisions and efforts are centered on what is best for our students and their success. We are proud of our strong academics and our emphasis on school attendance. We are committed to helping every student learn, grow, and reach their potential. Just as important are the relationships we build so every child feels valued, supported, and encouraged.
Our supportive PTO, families, and community partners are essential to our students' success. Families are encouraged to be involved, and their ideas, participation, and support are valued. Working together strengthens our school and creates greater opportunities for our students.
As principal, my focus is on supporting our students, staff, and families, and I am eager to listen, build relationships, and work together for a successful year.
I am proud to join Longfellow’s strong tradition and look forward to continuing its culture of caring, academic excellence, and community partnership. Together, we will keep our students at the heart of everything we do.
Sincerely,
Dr. Todd Obele
Principal
Longfellow Elementary School
The Longfellow staff would like to give a HUGE shoutout to all of our amazing parents and families!
Because of you, we have had some truly great mornings at school. We know goodbyes can be hard, but your children have been walking through our doors with smiles on their faces and heads held high. Thank you for encouraging their independence, confidence, and perseverance each day.
Right now, everything is still new and exciting, and we know it won’t always feel that way. There will be mornings when getting up and coming to school isn’t quite as exciting. On those days, your positive encouragement makes such a difference.
Thank you for making school attendance a priority and for cheerfully encouraging your children to be here each day they are able. We appreciate your partnership more than you know!
Morning Arrival Reminder
Just a friendly reminder that our school doors open at 7:30 a.m., and student supervision begins at that time. For the safety of all students, please plan for your child to arrive at or after 7:30 a.m., as students arriving earlier will need to wait outside.
Thank you for helping us keep morning arrival safe and smooth for everyone!
I Hate Being Late!
Have you ever had to walk into a meeting late? You know the feeling. You’re sheepishly juggling your coffee, coat, and bag while it feels like everyone is watching. You missed the important beginning, and now you’re trying to figure out what’s going on.
For our students, arriving late to school can feel much the same way. Morning routines, directions, announcements, and learning have already begun, and it can be tough to jump in once everyone else is settled.
Being on time helps our students start their day feeling confident, connected, and ready to learn.
Thank you for helping our Lions start their school day off right!
You are encouraged to complete a Free and Reduced Meal Application at any time throughout the school year. When in doubt, fill it out! A new application must be completed each school year.
If you have already completed a 2026–27 application, you should have received notification of your eligibility status. However, if your household has experienced a financial change, such as a change in income, employment, or household size, you are encouraged to apply again at any time.
Click the ⏫ LUNCH PROGRAM LINK ⏫ above to access the Free and Reduced Meal Application. Paper applications are also available in the school office.
You can also create an online account to monitor your child(ren)’s meal account, check balances, and add money to their account. Click the ⏫ LUNCH PROGRAM LINK ⏫ above for more information about the MealTime app.
Longfellow Elementary takes great pride in our strong attendance rates, and with your help, we intend to keep it that way!
A few important reminders about absences: If your child will be absent, parents/guardians are required to call the school and let us know. When a student doesn’t arrive and we haven’t heard from you, we worry! Our first concern is always making sure your child is safe and accounted for. Until an absence is reported by a parent or guardian, it will be recorded as unexcused.
Of course, we want sick kiddos to stay home and get better! If your child has had a fever or has vomited within the past 24 hours, please keep them home. And no, we certainly don’t expect you to rush to the clinic for every sniffle or minor illness!
There is, however, an important distinction: an absence reported by a parent/guardian may be considered excused, but an absence can only be exempted with documentation from a medical provider.
Thank you for helping us keep accurate attendance records, for keeping us informed, and most importantly, for helping us know that all of our Lions are safe, healthy, and accounted for.
Crosswalk Safety is #1
Our students are always watching and learning from the adults around them, so please help us model safe choices by having your child use the crosswalk when crossing the street.
We know it can be tempting to wave your child across to your vehicle, but with cars coming and going, this can quickly become unsafe. Drivers may be rushed, distracted, or simply not see a child crossing where they aren’t expecting one. No saved minute is worth risking a child’s safety.
We also ask that you please be patient and respectful with the adults managing our crosswalks. These are Longfellow staff members who know, love, and care for your children every day. Their goal is the same as yours, to make sure every child gets where they need to go safely.
A smile, a wave, or a simple “thank you” goes a long way.
Please use the crosswalk, follow the direction of our staff, and help us keep all of our Lions safe!
A little note about medication.💊
For the safety of all of our students, all medications must be administered through the school office.
Students may keep cough drops in their lockers or desks, but all other medications including Tylenol, ibuprofen, other over-the-counter medications, and all prescription medications must be kept in the nurse’s office and administered there.
Please also remember that Longfellow does not keep medication on hand for students. Any medication your child may need during the school day must be provided by a parent/guardian and brought to the school according to our medication procedures.
Have questions? We’re happy to help! Stop in and visit Mrs. Snoozy, Longfellow’s nurse, or call 605-995-3092 and ask to speak with the nurse.
Our school uses PBIS (Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports) to help students learn and practice positive behaviors at school. PBIS focuses on teaching clear expectations, recognizing good choices, and helping children learn from mistakes.
In our school, we focus on three simple expectations:
- Be Safe – Make choices that keep yourself and others safe.
- Be Respectful – Use kind words, listen to others, and take care of our classroom.
- Be Responsible – Follow directions, take care of your belongings, and do your best.
Students are taught what these expectations look and sound like throughout the school day. We celebrate students when they demonstrate positive behavior and provide reminders and support when they need help making a better choice.
Students earn Kernel Cards for demonstrating behaviors that meet the expectations of being safe, respectful, and responsible. On Fridays, we draw 20 cards and the students drawn win prizes from our PBIS school store. If your child brings home a Kernel Card and a prize, please ask them to explain why they received the card.
Our goal is to create a safe, positive, and welcoming environment where every child can learn, grow, and feel successful!
Drawing Names
On Friday mornings, we draw names for the Kernel Card Winners
Shopping
Students who were drawn get to pick out prizes!
Coat of Many Colors
All About Me...
Bright future
Welcome to 5th grade
5-Mertens
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 8-25
In our class family
My word for the year
4-Osthus
Happy Frog
Colorful Dinos
If you were to ask a Longfellow learner in grades 2–5 what it means to be part of a Den, they would tell you it means being part of a community—a place where you belong, learn together, support one another, and grow.
Our K Den is made up of our kindergarten and begindergarten learners. Right now, they are learning what their new “job” as a student looks like. Their teachers have been busy modeling expectations, practicing how to play and be kind to others, learning how to go through the lunch line, following directions, and so much more!
It is amazing to see how different kindergarten and begindergarten look after just two short weeks of school. We have OUTSTANDING learners and teachers at Longfellow Elementary, and our newest Lions are certainly no exception!
Next up is our 1st Grade Den! These learners are recalling everything they learned in kindergarten and are already becoming wonderful role models for our younger Lions. Their reading skills are beginning to soar, and they are so eager to share their talents!
Our first-grade teachers and learners have a very important job this year, becoming fluent readers. First grade is where reading really takes off! Along with all of their academic learning, they are working hard to be safe, responsible, and respectful. They are definitely ROCKING First Grade!
Finally, we have Dens A, B, and C, which are made up of our Minors, Majors, Masters, and Mentors in grades 2–5. These learners are building strong communities and creating a sense of family within their dens. They are discovering that being part of a community means learning how to work together and recognizing that everyone has something valuable to contribute.
In fact, if you asked one of our Minors, Majors, Masters, or Mentors what it means to work successfully with others, there is a good chance they would proudly tell you they are learning to work together while striving for personal growth.
Den bonds are growing stronger each day, and our learners are already working hard to hold themselves, and one another, accountable for being safe, responsible, and respectful. We are so proud to see them encouraging each other, making positive choices, and taking pride in what it means to be part of their den! No matter which Den you belong to at Longfellow Elementary, you are part of the Longfellow family—a tradition and sense of community we take great pride in. We encourage you to ask your child about their successes at school. Ask them how they are modeling positive choices and how they are growing. What are they reading about? What new skill are they working on in math or music, PE or art?
Headphones Required
Imagine you are one of 20 students sitting in a classroom, and everyone is working on a Chromebook during English. Each learner is listening to a short story and will need to answer questions about it afterward.
The problem? Not everyone is listening to the same story.
One student is listening to a story about fishing. Another is learning about a mining quarry. You’re trying your best to concentrate on a story about the solar system.
You listen carefully...
The solar system consists of...
But wait—what was that about the mining quarry? That actually sounds pretty interesting.
OOOOPS! Your attention wandered for just a few seconds, and now you’ve completely missed the facts about Jupiter.
UGH!
Now imagine 20 different stories, videos, lessons, and activities playing at the same time. Even when our learners are working hard to focus, that is a LOT of competing noise for young brains to tune out!
For this reason, we must insist that learners use headphones when they are working on activities with sound. Our goal is to give every learner the best possible opportunity to focus, listen, and learn without competing distractions around them.
Students are certainly welcome to bring their own headphones from home. We also have headphones available for purchase at school for $5.
Turkey Goes to School
Kindergarten
Puffer Fish
I am...
