March 2026
Holton Families:
As we move closer to Spring Break, I would like to challenge us to have limited screen-time vacation. At school, our students spend a fair amount of time on their laptops navigating Schoology and other curriculum related material. In addition, many of our children also spend time on their phones or playing video games. For me, I fall into both categories: I use my laptop most of the day for school related work, and I certainly use my phone or other technologies in my personal time. We don't have to do deep research to find that limiting screen time is a good habit to get into. With a weeklong break on the horizon, this could be a good time to set up boundaries for your child when it comes to technology and screen time. Set a goal with your child that is reasonable and help them monitor it. Taking a break from school and especially screen time is a healthy endeavor. Thank you for your consideration.
Unfortunately, we missed our last school dance due to weather-related conflicts. However, our next dance is scheduled for Friday, March 20th from 3:30pm-5:30pm. Our dances are organized, supervised, and safe events for our students to have fun with their peers. Please remember that pick up time is 5:30pm or earlier in the bus lot or in front of the building. We do allow students to use our phones or use their cell phone to contact you. We also have them leave their coats and materials in their lockers during the dance. We open up the building at the end of the dance for them to retrieve their things. We also offer concessions at the dance with a variety of food and drinks. All proceeds go to our PBIS committee, and 100% of the proceeds go back to the students and the building.
Thank you for your support,
Mr. Schara
Mr. Malo's Shout Out
Dear IJ Holton Families,
Warm greetings! I hope this note finds you and your loved ones well. We are grateful for the partnership we share with each of you and for the many ways you support our students every day.
Important Announcements
- Daylight Savings Time Begins — March 8
- Reminder: Set clocks forward one hour so students arrive on time.
- Spring Break — No School — March 9–16
- School resumes Monday, March 17.
- School Dance — March 20
- More details (time/location/ticket info) will be shared soon.
- 3rd Quarter Medical Detective Field Trip — March 24
- Permission slips and any required forms will be sent home; please return them promptly.
- School Play: The Brave Buckaroo — March 26
- Families invited to attend; ticket details to follow.
- Students View the School Play — March 27
- In-school performance for students.
- End of 3rd Quarter — March 27
- Please check Infinite Campus for grades and contact teachers with questions.
- No School — April 3 and April 5
- Please mark these dates on your calendar.
- MCA Reading Test — April 7 and 8
- Encourage rest, a healthy breakfast, and on-time arrival.
- MCA Math Test — April 14 and 15
- Please ensure students are present and prepared.
Celebrations from the Week
- ACCESS Testing is complete at IJ Holton.
- A heartfelt thank-you to the families who made sure their children were in attendance and ready for testing. We are grateful for your support.
- Reminder: The ACCESS test measures language proficiency for our Multilingual Learners; completing it helps us better support students’ language development.
- Looking ahead: MCA tests begin the first week of April.
- We appreciate families helping students come rested, fed, and ready to do their best. Small routines at home (good sleep, healthy breakfast, and a calm morning) make a big difference.
Additional Information & Reminders
- Morning temperatures will average around 50°F by the end of the month.
- Mornings can be chilly and afternoons warmer. Please remind students to bring jackets and to check their backpacks before leaving school, so jackets don’t get left behind.
- Lost & Found
- If your student has misplaced an item, please check the Lost & Found. Labeling jackets, water bottles, and lunch boxes with your child’s name helps reunite items quickly.
A Note of Thanks We are grateful for your ongoing support in helping our school community thrive. Thank you for ensuring students are present for important tests and events, returning permission slips, and encouraging routines that help learning happen. Your partnership truly makes a difference.
Closing Thank you again for all you do for IJ Holton. We look forward to continuing our work together and to the many learning moments ahead. Please reach out if you have questions or need support — we’re here for you.
Holton Hawks-
Welcome to March! A warm January and no snow on the ground has the students thinking that summer is near. As we know, that is not exactly the case. We still have at least 25% of the school year ahead. Encourage your student to continue to follow expectations. This will allow everyone a chance to finish the year strong!
With that in mind, the days are getting longer, and the temperatures are inching higher. Of course, this can only mean one thing—MUD. During this sloppy, messy time of year, we still have our outside Movement Break, but we try to limit it to activities that only take place on cement (Gagaball, Basketball, 4-Square, Walking Path, etc.). Unfortunately, sometimes it seems that herding cats is easier than getting students to stay out of the mud. The constant announcements and reminders to stay on the sidewalk frequently fall on deaf ears. Inevitably, every day we have several students that end up taking a fall and covering themselves in mud. Regrettably, the student then has to spend the rest of the day wet and muddy. We do not allow students into the building to clean up or to get a change of clothes if they fall. Please remind your child to follow expectations and to stay on the sidewalk or cement to prevent any accidental slipping. We appreciate your assistance with this.
I hope your child told you about our PBIS Celebration this month. Each team played Bingo this month. For each team, the students gathered in their FTLAs and participated in several intense games of Bingo. We had numerous students take home some nice prices. It really is amazing to see how focused the children become when the game is on. They are laser focused on each number. The tension is palpable. When someone else yells out, “Bingo!” the devastation is real. It is a remarkable experience to watch over 100 students in one small area, that attentive.
We look forward to next month’s celebration. In March, we will be taking our annual trip to the Austin Packer Wescott Field Dome. There, the students will have the chance to play football, soccer, kickball, volleyball, frisbee, gymnastics, or dozens of different activities. Stay tuned to hear all about it.
Another exciting event planned for March is our next Holton dance. Mother Nature chose to cancel our last dance in January. The thrill for this one is enormous! The students simply cannot wait. More information will be out soon!
At IJ Holton, we encourage our students to be Respectful, Responsible, Safe, and to Do Their Best! If at any time you have any questions or concerns, please email me david.brown@austin.k12.mn.us or call me at 460-1525. Bring on spring!
David Brown
IJ Holton Dean of Students
IJ Holton Families,
On Thursday, 2/19 our BARR Coach visited IJ Holton for the third time this year. She visited both a 5th grade and a 6th grade classroom for the I-Time lessons. She saw students who were engaged in their learning, working collaboratively with their peers, and thinking deeply about the lessons. She also sat in on a Small Block meeting and Community Connect meeting. During these meetings, she witnessed adults taking part in solution-focused conversations about students offering suggestions as well as listening to their peers as decisions were made about what next steps should be.
Karen Dunbar, IJ Holton & Ellis BARR Coordinator
BARR Strategies
Focus on the whole student.
Provide professional development for teachers, counselors, and administration.
Use BARR’s U-Time Curriculum to foster a climate for learning.
Create a cohort of students.
Hold regular meetings of the cohort teacher teams.
Conduct community connect meetings.
Engage families in student learning.
Engage administrators.
Review of U-Time Sessions in February
2/5/26
Grade 5 Be Comfortable in Your Own Boots Students discussed how being confident in yourself takes away the power of bullying behaviors. They read the story Wierd! A Story about Dealing with Bullying in Schools by Erin Frankel. Then, they decorated a pair of boots on a handout in a way that was unique and made them feel happy and strong.
Grade 6 Lollipop Moments Students learned that simple interactions affect others and that compliments & appreciation help to grow a relationship. They watched a TED Talk by Drew Dudley called Everyday Leadership. Then, they wrote a note (with a lollipop attached) expressing gratitude to a person who has had a positive effect on them.
2/12/26
Grade 5 Stand Up Students discussed and practiced the skills needed to be an upstander. They read the story Zach Stands Up by William Mulcahy. Then, they practiced being an upstander by participating in role plays.
Grade 6 Positive Self-Talk Students recognized their strengths through self-reflection. They wrote down 3 things that they are good at. Then, they wrote about 4 different experiences: being creative, a good friend, a problem-solver, and talented.
2/19/26
Grade 5 I’m That Too Students shared 10 of their individual strengths with the rest of the classroom community by creatively completing a handout using words, drawings, and color. They read the book Be You! By Peter H. Reynolds.
Grade 6 The Power of Words Students learned that negative experiences can be used to empower us. They did this through a powerful activity where the teacher read a story about a girl who was new to the school and had a very hard day.
2/26/26
Grade 5 Clap, Snap, Laugh Students identified what makes them different from others and what they have in common. They learned about themselves and their classmates through a fun game involving clapping, snapping, and laughing.
Grade 6 Feelings Juggle Through an interactive activity, students learned to understand different feelings as they arise in various situations. They also learned to name adults who can help them manage their feelings when overwhelmed.
BARR Center | Same Students. Same Teachers. Better Results.
- School Social Worker Week - 3/2-3/6
- Robotics - 3/3
- 6th Grade Math Masters Competition - 3/5
- Robotics - 3/5
- Dome Day 3/6
- Spring Break - No School 3/9-3/13
- PD Day - No School - Teacher Workday - 3/16
- School Resumes - March 17
- Group Pictures - March 18 (wear your music t-shirts)
- Robotics - Last Day, 3/19
- School Dance - 3/20, 3:30-5:30
- 3/24 Medical Detectives Field Trip
- End of 3rd Quarter - 3/27
- No School - 4/3-4/6
- 4/7-4/8 - MCA Reading
- 4/14-4/15 - MCA Math
Mrs. Mitchell Is one of the Bruin's biggest fans!
The Bruins visit Mr. Schwenn's Phy-Ed Class
Hockey Rules, Ask the USA Olympics
PI- Probability Carnival
