Dassel Elementary Fall Newsletter

We are off and running and it has been a wonderful start to the year! Students have reignited relationships with their schoolmates and created new friendships. As students advance to the next grade level, expectations and academic rigor increase. We work hard to provide meaningful learning opportunities through engaging curriculum and thoughtful teaching practices.

It is amazing to see our students so engaged with their teachers and support staff as they experience the joy of learning. We know that each child is unique, and we believe it is important to educate the whole child. We emphasize character by actively teaching students through our character pillars: Respect, Responsibility, Resiliency, Integrity, Compassion and Understanding Diversity. These values are enforced in our classrooms, during CARE time and also through school-wide programs.

We also recognize that the start of a new school year can impact every family differently. Please reach out to me if there is anything that we can do to support your child’s journey here at Dassel Elementary. We want every student to feel welcomed, supported and excited to come to school each day.

My hope is that every day at Dassel Elementary brings opportunities for your child to learn, make friends and have fun!

I hope the first couple of weeks of school have gone well for your family and that everyone is beginning to settle into the new school year! I am so excited to be part of Dassel Elementary and look forward to getting to know our students and families. One of my biggest goals is to help ensure every student feels seen, safe, supported, and valued while they are here. Every child deserves to know they have caring adults in their corner, and I am here to help provide that support.

I am at Dassel Elementary every day and am always happy to connect with you! If you have a question, concern, or simply want to talk through something, please feel free to reach out by email or phone. As a school social worker, my role can look different from day to day. I may check in with students, help children work through big feelings or difficult situations, support social-emotional skills, facilitate groups, assist with problem-solving, connect families with resources, collaborate with teachers and staff, or help develop additional supports for students. My goal is to meet students and families where they are and help connect them with the support they need to be successful.

A big part of school social work is also connecting with families and our community. We know that supporting a child takes a team, and I want to be a resource for families both inside and outside of school. This may include connecting families with food and clothing supports, mental health resources, mentoring opportunities, school programs, or other community services. If you are ever unsure of where to start or what resources may be available, please reach out! I am always happy to help explore options and make connections.

If you have any questions, concerns, or would simply like to connect, please don't hesitate to reach out. I am looking forward to a wonderful school year and getting to know our Dassel Elementary students and families!

We are off to a wonderful start here at Dassel Elementary! We have learned many important things about safety, schedules, respect, responsibility, etc. Here is a recap of some of the important items for you to consider as well:

1. Breakfast Opportunity – Students may arrive at 7:45am to eat breakfast in the small gym each day. Breakfast is served until 8:00am.

2. Morning Arrival – The earliest students may arrive at school is 7:45am when supervisors are available. Plan for students to go outside each morning!

3. School Patrol Crossing on West Side – 7:45am – 8:00am.

4. Start of School – 8:00am: first bell rings; 8:10am: all students must be in their classrooms so that the learning, lessons & fun may begin by 8:10am!

5. School Dismissal – 3:15pm: Please make arrangements to meet or pick up your child at 3:15pm if they are not riding the bus.

6. School Patrol Crossing on East & West Side – Starts at 3:15pm.

A sense of safety, routine, and an over-all caring environment is what we strive for at Dassel Elementary. When we are all in the know, we can provide the BEST for Dassel Elementary!!

Our wish is that all students are in school regularly and on time! However, we do realize that some absences are necessary due to circumstances out of your control. Absences of any type are subject to the 8 days per trimester limitation which is part of school board policy. For safety and accountability reasons, we must be notified by 9:00am to let us know when your child is absent (320.286.4150). If we have not heard from you by that time, your child's absence will be counted as unexcused and an automated phone call will be sent out.

Note: if you send your child's teacher an e-mail, please include stephanie.corbin@dc.k12.mn.us on the message as well so it is not missed!

Our school lunch menu can be found online! Please be aware that the menu is subject to change based upon availability. Again this year, students will receive one free breakfast and one free lunch on school days. If you are purchasing milk only, the cost is $0.50.

Visitor meals are $5.30.

Dassel Elementary is excited to share our theme again for this school year: Filling Buckets! It will be an exciting year as we continue to learn how to share positive comments and thoughts throughout the school year!

Our kick-off for students will take place in mid October. We ask our students and staff to pledge to STEP UP! against bullying and negative behaviors (we wear our Step Up shirts, too)! This year we are focusing on the two Character Pillars of Resiliency and Understanding Diversity. Think about what those words mean to you and have a discussion at home. We will be sending home a challenge for you to complete and return to school. It takes all of us to make a difference and we want to include you in on what we are doing here at DE!

We will continue to talk about what bullying is: A student is being bullied when he or she is exposed, repeatedly, and over time, to negative actions on the part of one or more students. The student who is bullied has difficulty defending him/herself. We talk about strategies to guide us when we need to take a stand for ourselves and others.

Talk with your children about our theme and our Character Education programs. Hope you have had a great start to the school year!

Every day at school, the students at Dassel Elementary are involved in CARE groups from 9:45-10:15. During this time, they are engaged in a lesson about character education while having a snack/break. This year, we are focusing on the character pillars of resiliency and understanding diversity. One of the activities we do each month is to have the students in each of the nine CARE groups select a Golden Ruler of the Month to represent their group! They are asked to vote for a member who continually displays all six character pillars and demonstrates the Golden Rule: "Treat others as you would like to be treated."

We are excited to have 27 new fourth grade recruits to help DE students safely cross the streets before and after school! They are true leaders in our building. Thank you kids for your time, effort and great attitudes all year long.

We are excited to continue using Second Step, our school-wide Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) curriculum, to help students build important skills they can use both at school and at home. Throughout the year, students will be learning and practicing skills in four main areas:

• Skills for Learning: Learning how to listen, focus attention, use self-talk, and be ready to learn.
• Empathy: Learning to understand and care about how others are feeling.
• Emotional Management: Learning strategies to recognize and manage strong emotions.
• Problem Solving: Learning how to identify problems, think of solutions, and make safe and respectful choices.

We appreciate your support as we work together to help our students grow socially and emotionally. The skills students learn through Second Step are skills they can carry with them throughout their school years and beyond!

If you have any questions about Second Step or what your child is learning, please feel free to reach out to Angela Dahlman, School Social Worker, or your child’s classroom teacher. Thank you for partnering with us to support our students!

This year we will be celebrating Grandparents' Day at Dassel Elementary on Friday, October 23rd at 1:30pm (doors will not open for our guests until this time!). This is a special day for us as we welcome grandparents into our building to enjoy some time with their grandchild here at school! The event will conclude at 2:30pm.

Please assist us in notifying your child's grandparents. More information will be coming home soon!

Elementary Parent / Teacher Conferences will be held at Dassel Elementary on Tuesday evening November 10, Thursday evening November 12, and Friday morning November 13. Childcare will be provided in the small gym if needed during your conference time! We will also be holding our annual book fair in the media center that week, so be sure to check that out! Watch for a conference reminder to come home closer to that date.

Every Wednesday evening between 5:00-8:00pm, the Cokato Dairy Queen is supporting both Dassel and Cokato Elementary schools with a 10% contribution of their total sales! WOW!!

Our students will take turns providing artwork to display the eating area of the DQ. Please stop in to buy a treat and enjoy looking at the the amazing art provided by our children! What a fun and tasty way to support our school!

Classroom dates are posted on the website calendar for Dassel Elementary. Teachers will also send a reminder home closer to the date when their class has art displayed.

THANK YOU, DQ!

Birthday invitations are very special to receive! We ask for your cooperation in not sending birthday invitations to school to be handed out. We have many disappointed children when invitations are handed out and they are not included. Please make arrangements to mail them or deliver the invitations in an alternative way! Please note: our school office and teaching staff cannot disclose the addresses of our students due to data privacy laws.

Continuing this year, bus passes will not be issued. District bus routes are currently operating at capacity and safety guidelines. Students will only be allowed to ride to/from their designated stop! If you should have any questions, please contact Cokato Transportation at 320.286.5315.

In rare cases, an exception may be made for emergency situations. These requests must be approved by the Transportation Coordinator. If a situation should arise, contact transportation FIRST and then notify the school of the change. Notes sent with students or directly to the school office are no longer sufficient.

We appreciate your understanding as we work to ensure the safety and efficiency of our transportation services!

Our lost and found has been moved in to the small gym! Feel free to stop in and check out the hanging rack for items that may belong to your child. Reminder to please label any sweatshirts or coats with their name so we can find the owner! Once the year is over, we will make a donation to the local thrift store with any items that are left here.

Welcome back to school! I am excited to have you back, and am hopeful for a safe and healthy school year. As a reminder, if your child isn’t feeling well, please keep them home and notify the school of their absence. Keeping ill students home prevents the spread of illness to others. This helps protect the health of everyone in our school community.

If your child says he/she does not feel well, please use your best judgment in determining if school is the best place for him/her on that given day - you know your child better than we do! Healthy Children are better learners!

As a general guideline, students with fevers over 100, vomiting, diarrhea, or undiagnosed rash are asked to remain at home. They are free to return when 24 hours fever free without fever reducing medication, and/or 24 hours have passed since the last episode of vomiting/diarrhea.

Cold and Flu Prevention

Please remind your child to wash their hands frequently, and cover their mouth when coughing or sneezing. Our school will continue to promote good hygiene practices in the classroom, but your partnership in reinforcing those habits at home is greatly appreciated.

As we enter flu season, we strongly encourage families to get the flu vaccine. Flu shots protect your child and others around them. Many local pharmacies and doctor’s offices offer flu shots.

Medications

Please keep in mind that if your child needs medication while in school, certain guidelines must be followed:

• A signed permission form from the parent or guardian is needed for ALL medications.

• A signed order from the physician is needed for all prescription medications, including Epi-Pens and inhalers.

• All medication must be in the original container, and have a pharmacy label if applicable.

• A health assistant or trained staff may distribute medications, only as delegated by the School Nurse.

Health Plans

If your child has a medical condition that could require an emergency health plan or an individual health plan, this was mailed to parents/guardians in August to your mailing address on file at school. If you received this, please complete and return to the health office as soon as possible. If you received a health plan, and feel your child does not need this, please reach out to the health office so we can update your child’s health record.

Immunizations

We are trying to update our immunization records for all of our students. If your child is missing immunizations, you may be receiving information from the health office. Please remember to do one of two things:

1. Complete the missing immunizations, OR

2. Fill out a conscientious exemption form, get it notarized, and return to the health office, so we can update your student’s health records.

As always, I am here to assist with any health concerns you may have regarding your child. Please don’t hesitate to reach out to me with questions or if you need support regarding your child’s health and wellness. If you have any questions, feel free to contact me at 320.286.4100 x1804 or jenny.heidecker@dc.k12.mn.us. Wishing you and your child a healthy, happy, and successful school year!

Students have Phy Ed daily and TIGHT fitting and SUPPORTIVE footwear is required! Casual slip-on shoes such as the "Hey Dude" brand and "Vans" are causing many students to trip and fall as these shoes often fall off while running and playing games in the gym.

It is also important that students can independently tie shoes...even if they don't wear tie shoes! Below are some short videos to help students practice along with at home.

Hello! Welcome to the 2026-2027 school year. We are all so excited to see the students back in the building and we are enjoying their smiling faces and cheerful voices in the hallways and on the playground.

As the volunteer coordinator, my job is to connect people with opportunities in our building. I have opportunities for people in many different capacities, from projects that can be sent home, to special events here at school, to weekly volunteers working with small groups of students. If you are interested in getting involved in our building, I would love to hear from you and connect you with an opportunity that fits you.

Feel free to email (see below) or call me at 320.286.4100 x1518.

WHO: Parents/Guardians driving students to and/or picking students up at Dassel Elementary School.

WHAT: We need your help to keep Dassel Elementary students safe during loading and unloading times. AM - Students should enter the building at the east door. Please do not drop students off in the front (south) side of the building as this area is designated as a bus loading and unloading zone. PM - Students not riding a school bus will be dismissed on the east side of Dassel Elementary. Students will cross the street to walk home or meet their parents, with patrol assistance, at Guy Street and William Ave - see map. At no time will students be allowed to cross at any location other than a marked crosswalk, unless accompanied by an adult! Parents/Guardians are encouraged to pick students up at the door to safely escort them to a vehicle. Reminder: Please do not park and wait in the middle of the street! We also ask that you do not park in the yellow curb (dotted line on the map) Pick Up Zone during the designated hours.

WHEN: Pick Up Zone -- Loading & Unloading Times 7:45am to 8:00am and 3:15pm to 3:20pm.

WHERE: In order to safely manage traffic during loading and unloading times we are requesting that parents travel north on Willis Street - West on Horace Avenue - South on Guy Street. This will create a continuous flow of traffic that can utilize the Pick Up Zone (No Parking -- dotted line on map) to ease congestion and concerns regarding student safety.

Thank you for your cooperation regarding this very important safety concern!