Happy Friday, Lil Steamer Families!

From the Desk of: Principal Hoese

Lil Steamer Families --

What a fantastic start to the year! The energy in our hallways is absolutely amazing and it's been wonderful seeing all of your children's smiling faces and hearing their silly jokes.

One of the things that makes our school so special is our sense of community. We are continuing our tradition of "Steamer Nation Fridays!" where we encourage all students and staff to wear our school colors of red & black to show our school pride. It's an easy way to feel connected and celebrate being a part of the Steamer family.

Speaking of school spirit, our high school sports teams and activities are in full swing! It’s exciting to see our older students competing with such heart. We love cheering them on, celebrating their hard work, and seeing them be good role models for our Lil Steamers.

And to add to our Friday traditions, our Lil Steamers are learning something special that all of us Steamer alums can smile about. Every Friday, our students are learning and singing the school song during our morning announcements. The sound of their voices fills the halls with pure joy, and it’s even more wonderful to see them singing at our school events. I'm pretty sure I heard a few of them humming the tune on their way out of school today!

Let's keep the Steamer spirit alive and well, both in and out of the classroom!

JAGH

P.S. I tried to teach our school therapy dog, Roese, the school song, but she just keeps howling for treats. I guess her priorities are in order.

From the Desk of: AP Marten

Long Weekend Survival Guide: Coming Back to School Ready to Learn

Long weekends are a welcome break for both parents and students, offering a chance to relax, have fun, and enjoy a little extra family time. But getting back into the school routine can sometimes be a challenge. After a few days of staying up late and sleeping in, the Tuesday morning alarm can feel extra jarring. To ensure your child is ready to jump back into learning after a long weekend, here are a few simple tips to keep in mind:

1. Ease Back Into the Routine

While it's tempting to let bedtimes slide completely during a long weekend, it's a good idea to start a "soft reset" on Monday. Slowly adjust their bedtime back to what it is on a school night. Even moving it up by just 15-30 minutes can make a big difference when the Tuesday morning alarm goes off. A well-rested child is a focused and happy child!

2. Prepare the Night Before

A stress-free Tuesday morning starts on Monday night. Get your child involved in preparing for the week ahead. This is a great way to empower them and build a sense of responsibility. You can:

Lay out clothes: Choose and lay out their outfit for Tuesday morning.
Pack the backpack: Make sure homework and any school essentials are packed and ready to go.
Make lunch: If your child brings their lunch, pack it the night before. This saves valuable time in the morning rush.

3. Reconnect with Learning

You don't have to spend the whole weekend on academics, but a small amount of "brain engagement" can help ease the transition. Try to work in a quick, fun activity that reinforces what they're learning in school. This could be:

Reading a favorite book together.
Playing a board game that uses math skills.
Doing a simple science experiment with household items.
Writing a letter or drawing a picture about what they did over the weekend.

4. Talk About It

Take a few minutes on Monday evening to talk with your child about going back to school. Ask them what they are looking forward to, and if they have any worries. Acknowledging their feelings can help them feel more prepared and less anxious. A positive and reassuring conversation can set the tone for a great week ahead!

By following these simple tips, you can help your child transition from a fun-filled long weekend to a successful and productive week of learning.

From the Desk of: Counselor Meumann

Celebrate the best in your children. What you give attention to grows! On a sticky note, write one thing you appreciate each day about your child and post it on their bedroom door. Doing this will help them to see the good things about themselves.

Lil Steamer Shoutout!

Congratulations to Mrs. Iben for her induction into the GKHS Athletic Hall of Fame! Jeanelle is part of the induction class of 2025 and was a 2007 graduate. She was a standout basketball and volleyball player for the Cogs. She was a 4-time BNC All Conference selection and a 4-time MVP. At the time of her graduation in 2007, she held 5 school records in both scoring and rebounding and she eclipsed the 1,000 point threshold finishing her career with 1,119 points. Her play earned her All-State Honorable Mention honors as a Senior. Besides being a standout student-athlete, she loved to give back to her school and community as she was a member of Student Council, Fellowship of Christian Athletes, and she performed over 180 hours of community service. She went on to play basketball for two years at Augustana College before earning her Master's Degree and is now a 4th grade teacher at Fulton Elementary School.

It is easy to learn about the teacher that your child/children have or have had. However, at FBP and FES, we are one large team. For this reason, we will introduce and give some fun information about each of our family members in our newsletter!

Exciting news is coming out of the library! We have monarch caterpillars and eggs in an enclosure nestled among the books! The students have been so excited to stop in and check them out! It has been all things 'monarch' in the library this week. We will continue talking about butterflies over the next month. Once our little friends hatch, we will release them so they can start their long journey to Mexico! Ask your kiddos about monarchs. I bet they will have a fun fact for you!

We will be starting a Book Bingo in the library! Be on the lookout for a Book Bingo sheet that your child will be bringing home from the library. This reading program is open to all FES students and will run from September through the beginning of December. The Bingo game will introduce students to different genres such as mystery, historical fiction, and poetry. Please help your child participate by initialing each square as they finish a book. Those students who complete the Book Bingo sheet will receive a prize, a certificate, and have their picture taken. There will also be a grand prize winner who will be able to pick out a new book! We are looking forward to this fun new incentive!

-Your friendly Library Team

Here is the Book Bingo paper that will be sent home. Be on the lookout!

On Thursday, Angie Tennyson of Grand Canyon University stopped by to visit with staff and speak with them about educational opportunities offered by GCU. She brought her school therapy dog, Ozzy, with her. Roese and Ozzy were instantly best friends and even took a break long enough from playing to pose for a picture together!

Shirts can be ordered online from August 29 through September 14.

Homecoming Week starts September 29 with the theme GLOW BIG OR GO HOME!

River Bend Families,

Your input is needed as the Board of Education considers building a new gym at RBMS, adding a performing arts center at FHS, build a multi-purpose space at FHS to address needed wrestling room space, add classrooms to RBMS and FES, an additional gym at FHS to replace the converted performing arts space and add parking around the middle school.

The following link will take you to a Q&A document as well as provide a survey to give input. The Board would like to finalize a decision and move forward with planning for a referendum to pay for the additional spaces by the October meeting. Your feedback is valued.

Thank you,

Darryl Hogue & Kelli Parsons