Prairie Winds Newsletter

Creating a school culture where students feel safe, welcomed, and valued extends far beyond our building and the hours of the school day. When students have positive experiences with their peers—whether in person or online, on the weekends or in the evenings—they return to school on Monday more focused, confident, and ready to learn- free from conflicts that can be a distraction.

Adversely, when students are involved in conflicts outside of school, especially on social media, it can negatively impact the learning environment that they deserve. These challenges can follow students into the school and disrupt their ability—and that of others—to stay focused on their learning.

Please take a few moments to talk with your student about the importance of kindness, respect, and appropriate behavior in all settings. If needed, we encourage you to monitor their social media activity to ensure interactions are positive and healthy.

By working together, we can continue to foster a strong, supportive community where every student feels safe, valued, and ready to learn.

Together we create our school culture. Let's create the best culture we can for our children!

Thank you for your support!

On Thursday, September 18th, we were thrilled to welcome over 15 guest speakers from the greater Mankato area to Prairie Winds for our annual Career Day. Our 8th grade students had the unique opportunity to learn about and ask questions related to a variety of careers, including construction, architecture and engineering, health services, education, and veterinary science.

We are incredibly grateful to each of our guests for taking time out of their busy schedules to join us. Their insights and experiences made a lasting impact on our students, helping them explore future possibilities and spark new interests. Thank you for inspiring the next generation!

As this newsletter is on its way to you, we will be hosting Wacipi Education Day at Prairie Winds! Please watch for highlights and pictures in our October newsletter.

Your student's attendance matters! Our learning happens in-person which means we need your student in every class, every day.

A few things to know:

• We are required by statute to send letters regarding your student's attendance when they have missed 5, 7, and 10 days of school for any reason. These days are counted by class period, not by full or half day. One day equals 8 class periods.
• Once your student has missed 10 full days of school, you will be required to bring a medical verification for any future absences in order for them to be marked as excused.
• Please get a doctor's note anytime that you go to the doctor/dentist/therapist, etc. Verified appointments with notes are not included in your allotted 10 days of absences.
• If you have questions about your student's absences, the best place to check is your Infinite Campus Parent Portal. If you haven't had a chance to set your IC Parent Portal up yet, please follow the directions linked here.

Each year we take a variety of different assessments, academic and social emotional, to measure both academic growth and your student's comfort and happiness here at school. Where you are able, please check the PWMS assessment calendar linked here and avoid student absences during our testing windows.

If you haven’t yet had a chance to read about the upcoming Fall Panorama Survey (sent out on September 15th), we encourage you to do so below.

The Panorama Survey is an important tool that benefits our school community in many ways. It helps us understand how students feel about their experience at Prairie Winds, including their sense of safety, belonging, and whether they have a trusted adult at school. Most importantly, it gives students a voice.

One form. Five minutes. Big impact.

The Application for Educational Benefits takes just a few minutes, and it may unlock valuable support for your family all year long.

Filling out this quick, confidential form may help your family access:

● Summer grocery benefits (Sun Bucks)

● Discounted internet and utilities

● Lower college exam and AP test fees

● After-school and summer programs

● Tutoring and academic support

It also helps schools receive essential funding for programs that support students.

Not sure if you qualify? Have questions? Call Nutrition Services at (507)388-7442 and they would be happy to help walk you through it!

If you prefer a printed copy, please stop in to the Prairie Winds office!

This year, we’re making a focused effort to keep our school clean by ensuring that food and beverages are not brought onto the carpeted areas of the building. Our custodial staff works hard each evening to maintain a clean and welcoming environment, and we appreciate everyone’s help in minimizing spills and snack debris that can make their job more challenging.

With that in mind, we kindly ask that if you’re treating your student to a morning beverage (such as Starbucks, Scooters, or a Bubbler), please remind them to finish it before 8:35 AM. Drinks should remain in the commons area and not be taken into the hallways or classrooms.

Thank you for helping us keep Prairie Winds clean!

The fall dances are quickly approaching! If you are able to chaperone at either dance, please click the link here and sign up!

6th Grade Dance- September 26th, 5:30-7:30

7th & 8th Grade Dance- October 10th, 5:30-7:30

Entrance Cost: $5 per student

Concession Costs: All items $1

A quick reminder of dance expectations:

• All students are required to follow all in-school behavior expectations during the dance.
• Students must leave school between the end of the day and the beginning of the dance. They cannot wait in the building until 5:30.
• All students must be picked up at 7:30pm. School staff are not able to drive any students home.

If you could like to be included on PTO-related communications and future events, please complete the brief form linked here.