Royal Report

• 10/15 - 10/16 - No School MEA Break
• 10/21 - Unity Day
• 10/22 - Parent/Teacher Conferences
• 10/27 - Parent/Teacher Conferences
• 11/4 - Picture Retakes

WMES Parent Teacher Conferences will be held on Thursday, October 22nd and Tuesday, October 27th.

Pick a Time, our online scheduling tool for Parent/Teacher conferences, is open. Use the link below to set up a conference time if you have not already.

If you need assistance in setting up a conference please contact the ES Office @ 952-955-0300

Dear Fantastic WMES Families,

What a wonderful and energetic week we’ve had at school!

First, a huge shout out to all of our students, families, and community members who participated in this week's Walk, Ride, Roll to School event! Thanks to your enthusiasm, active participation, and community spirit, the event was a massive success. It was wonderful seeing so many smiling faces starting the morning on such a healthy, vibrant note!

This week, our students also enjoyed a special visit from our local fire department to learn all about Fire Prevention and Safety. They learned valuable lessons about emergency readiness, smoke detectors, and safety plans. In addition, as we observe National Bullying Prevention Month throughout October, our classrooms are actively focusing on kindness, inclusion, and standing up for one another to ensure our school remains a safe and welcoming space for everyone.

Looking ahead to next week:

• Monday, October 12th: We will observe Indigenous Peoples' Day. Our classes will engage in age-appropriate discussions and learning activities to explore the rich histories, cultures, and contributions of Indigenous peoples.

• Short Week Ahead: Please note that there will be no school on Thursday, October 15th, and Friday, October 16th.

We hope everyone enjoys the upcoming long weekend with family and friends! Thank you for your continued partnership and support.

Growing together,

Every Friday a student from each grade level and one staff member will be recognized for demonstrating WMES's Royal Expectations. Students and Staff earn Royal Pride Tickets for being caring, being safe and being a problem solve. Congratulations to this week's winners.

This November, all Minnesotans will have a ballot question about one of Minnesota’s oldest sources of public school funding, the Permanent School Fund. This fund was established in 1858 to benefit public education, however, distributions have not kept pace because of outdated constitutional restrictions. Voters this November can vote to increase the fund.

What does this mean?

• Zero tax increase: It does not raise property income or sales taxes. It uses money already sitting in existing investment funds.

• Watertown-Mayer Public Schools would receive approximately $50,000 in additional funding.

• Sends more money to classrooms. The amendment modernizes the formula to increase the annual distribution from 2.5% to 4.5% of the fund's total value, significantly increasing payments to all Minnesota public schools.

What will appear on the ballot?

The ballot title will be “Increasing funding to school districts.”

The question will ask:

“Shall the Minnesota Constitution be amended to increase the funding going to all school districts from the permanent school fund, which is a fund that supports school districts without raising individual income or property taxes, effective July 1, 2027?”

An important voting rule

A constitutional amendment must receive “yes” votes from a majority of all voters participating in the election. If a voter casts a ballot but leaves the amendment question blank, the blank response does not count as a “yes” vote and has the same practical effect on the passage calculation as a “no” vote.

More Information: Permanent Fund Information

Kindergarten's service project is Socktober!!! Please consider donating NEW, unopened socks for children ages 3 months - 13 years old. These socks will go to an agency that services families in Carver County. Socks will be collected until Friday, October 30th. The Kindergarteners will celebrate the completion of their service project with a SILLY SOCK DAY on the 30th. Donations can be dropped off in the office or in the Kindergarten pod.

Thank you Chief Hanson and the Watertown Firefighters who came to WMES and taught us about fire safety. Kindergartners were read a story by Sparky, First Grade learned about all the fire gear and how it works, 2nd grade learned about the fire trucks and what they do when there is a fire, 3rd grade took turns in the smoke house and 4th graders went through an obstacle course.

What a great turnout! Thank you to all the students and parents who walked, rolled or biked to school. We had people walking, biking, on scooters and on rollerblades. What a fun way to start our morning. Thank you to the WMES PTO and Carver County SHIP grant for helping make this event possible.

Thank you Watertown Lion's for the generous donation. Every 3rd grade student received a Dictionary of their own. We are thankful to the Lion's for continuing this tradition year after year.

Join Watertown-Mayer SEAC!

The Special Education Advisory Council (SEAC) connects families with district staff to share feedback, access resources, and support students receiving special education services.

Upcoming Meeting:
*Thursday, October 22nd
*4:00–5:00 PM
*Community Learning Center room 220

Learn about our Early Childhood Special Education Program and connect with other families and staff. We hope to see you there!

• Smart Watch/Phone Policy: - Ideally, smart devices are kept safely at home. The school district is not responsible for lost or damaged property. In the case a child needs a device to stay connected to family, it should be powered off and kept in their backpack during the school hours. Smart devices may be used before or after school. In the event that a student uses a smart device during school hours, staff will ask students to place it in their backpack for the remainder of the day. If a student continues to use smart devices during school hours, staff will collect the device and hold it until the end of the day. After multiple instances, the watch or phone will be held in the office. It may be picked up at the end of the day. In some cases, a parent will be asked to pick up the device. Please refrain from texting or calling your child throughout the day; it is disruptive to student learning. Should you need to speak to your child, email their teacher or call the main office at 952-955-0300. In addition, students may not call or text home from their personal smart devices. Access to school phones is not limited--students may come to the office to call home as needed.

• Drop Off/Pick Up Line: - DO NOT GET OUT OF YOUR CAR. Say your goodbyes ahead of time. This keeps the line running in a timely manner. If your child is unable to get out of the car on their own please pull into the parking lot, park, and walk your child to the office after 7:45am.

• Attendance: If you child will be absent please call the attendance line at 952-955-0321 or email the attendance line at esattendance@wm.k12.mn.us. Please indicate the reason for absence in your message or email (illness, appointment, out of town, etc.)

• Vacation: If you child will be gone for an extended period of time please fill out the Excused Absence for Family Activity/Vacation Form and turn into your teacher or the office. This form is linked below.

• Snacks: Please make sure to pack a snack for your child everyday!

The WM Royal Booster Club is excited to present its new ONLINE APPAREL STORE!!!

Check out our online apparel store (by BSN Sports) where you can purchase personalized Royals apparel and accessories!

• Choose from a variety of different brands, styles, colors, and logos!

• Shipped directly to your home!

• Open year-round to shop at your convenience!

Watertown-Mayer Apparel Sideline Store

Happy Shopping!!!