🦅 Eagle Eye 🦅

A Fantastic Quarter 1

I want to take a minute to recognize our students and staff for an outstanding first quarter! In my four years at Windom Area Middle School, this is the best we have done when it comes to students completing assignments and passing their classes. We are finishing Quarter 1 with fewer missing assignments and failing grades than we have had in any of those four years!

That doesn't happen by accident. Our teachers, paraprofessionals, and support staff have worked extremely hard to help students stay on track. More importantly, our students are putting in the effort and taking responsibility for their learning.

We know there is always room to improve, but this is something worth celebrating! Thank you to our families for the support you provide at home. It truly takes all of us working together.

Quarter 2: Let's Keep It Going!

As we begin the second quarter, our goal is pretty simple: keep building on the great start we have had!

Middle school is a time when students are learning much more than reading, math, science, and social studies. They are also learning how to manage their time, stay organized, complete assignments, and ask for help when they need it. These are skills that will serve them well beyond middle school.

One thing we continue to stress with students is that missing assignments can pile up quickly. We encourage students to use their planners, stay caught up on assignments, and communicate with teachers when they need support.

We had a great first quarter, and I am excited to see what our students can accomplish during Quarter 2!

A Little Support at Home Goes a Long Way

One of the best ways families can support their middle school students is by having a quick conversation about school each day. It doesn't need to be a long conversation or turn into a battle over homework.

A few simple questions can make a big difference:

• What is something you learned today?

• Do you have any assignments you need to finish?

• Is there anything you need help with?

• What is something that went well at school today?

We also encourage families to check Infinite Campus regularly to stay informed about grades and missing assignments.

Our goal is not just to help students earn good grades. We want them to develop good habits, become more independent, and learn to take ownership of their education.

Thank you for being part of our team at WAMS!

Dane Nielsen
Middle School Principal

One thing we continue to work on at Windom Area Middle School is how we treat one another. Middle school can be a challenging time as students grow, develop friendships, and figure out who they are. Along the way, we want to make sure kindness and respect are always part of our school.

We remind students that the little things matter. Including someone who may feel left out, helping a classmate, using kind words, or simply treating others the way you would want to be treated can make a big difference in someone's day.

We also talk about how our words and actions impact others. Joking around is part of being a middle school student, but we want students to understand when a joke goes too far or when their words might hurt someone.

As we head into November and the Thanksgiving season, it's a great time to remind our students to be thankful, show kindness, and look out for one another.

Our goal is simple: Make Windom Middle School a place where every student feels welcome, respected, and valued!

November 2026 High School Update

It is hard to believe we are a quarter of the way through the 26-27 school year! We continue to work everyday to find the best supports for all students. Any help at home, words of encouragement, advocacy and motivation are appreciated greatly.

As we move into November, we approach our annual Veteran's Day program. This year, as in the past, we will gather at 9:30 AM in the Nest Gymnasium on 11/11/2026. The Windom American Legion Post 206 and Commander Dave Cory are so great to work with and it is our highest annual honor to set aside time to honor all veterans, living or passed. This year, we have the special privilege of having a current senior, Mr. Seth Yackley, serve on the Color Guard to post the flag for the program. Seth is a current member of the Minnesota National Guard, having completed Basic Training at Fort Sill, Oklahoma in the summer of 2026. During the school year, Seth attends guards in Montevideo one weekend every month. After graduation in May, Seth will head out to Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri for Advanced Infantry Training in Transportation. Seth will secure his CDL through AIT and will fulfill his contract through the Redwood Falls MN National Guard location. Our Veterans Day theme this year will focus a bit on family and the impact service has on the family unit. Seth mentioned being inspired by his grandfather and great grandfather prior to signing up to serve. The stress of being gone last summer certainly weighed heavy on Seth's family, and he definitely appreciated the letters he received. It meant a lot knowing that Seth's parents and extended family were in his corner during his time at Basic Training. Although Seth's parents were worried, and his younger brother struggled to grasp what Seth's absence from home meant, the family unit pulled together with the purpose of putting service to country before self. Seth, we honor you, and all Veterans in this month of gratitude to armed services. I want to close with a shoutout and thank you to our local National Guard recruiter Staff Sergeant Gabrielle Bullerman. Sgt. Bullerman is so helpful with our students and it is an honor to work alongside the MN National Guard and all Armed Services who help our students.

Bryan Joyce

High School Principal

We have conferences coming up the evening of November 12 & all day on November 13. Here is a link to sign up for conferences with your student's teachers.

Dear Parents/Guardians,

High school students are expected to read increasingly complex texts, understand academic vocabulary, and apply reading skills across all subject areas. As part of Minnesota's READ Act and our commitment to student success, Windom Area Schools recently administered the CAPTI ReadBasix reading assessment.

WHAT IS CAPTI READBASIX? CAPTI ReadBasix is a state-approved reading assessment that measures specific reading skills, including word recognition and decoding, vocabulary, word parts (prefixes, suffixes, and roots), sentence processing, reading efficiency, and reading comprehension. By looking at these skills individually, the assessment helps identify students' reading strengths and areas that may need additional support.

WHY DO HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS TAKE THIS ASSESSMENT? The Minnesota READ Act includes requirements for identifying students who may have reading difficulties, including characteristics of dyslexia. CAPTI helps us better understand students' reading abilities and identify potential challenges that may not always be noticeable through classroom performance or grades.

HOW WILL WE USE THE RESULTS? CAPTI is one piece of information we use to make instructional decisions. Teachers will consider these results alongside classroom performance, grades, and other available information to determine whether additional support is needed. Depending on individual needs, support may include classroom strategies, targeted reading instruction, or additional intervention. Our goal is to strengthen reading skills while helping students successfully access grade-level coursework.

HOW YOU CAN SUPPORT AT HOME Encourage your student to read regularly, discuss unfamiliar vocabulary, and talk about what they are learning in their classes.

For additional reading resources and strategies, visit https://tinyurl.com/SCREDFamilyResources. If you have questions about your student's CAPTI results, please contact your student's English Language Arts teacher.

Thank you for partnering with us to support your student's continued growth and success!

Our attendance rate did climb a bit - 85% of our students are attending 90% of possible days thus far in the high school. Regular attendance helps students engage in positive behaviors toward the ultimate goal of passing classes and progressing toward graduation. Simply put, many of our students are absent far too often, it has become too commonplace. Students who are present do better in classes, and the data supports this. Again, our goal is 90% attending 90% or better of all possible days. We would like to see some continued positive movement on this in November and want to help in any way possible to partner with families in encouraging positive attendance.

Reminder - if your student will be absent, please let our office know by calling 507-831-6910 or by emailing attendancemshs@isd177.com. We now have an office cell phone that you can text/call - the number for the office cell is 507-221-3511. All absences require a notice within 48 hours, at that point the absence becomes unexcused.

Email: bjoyce@isd177.com, dnielsen@isd177.com

Website: https://windomasdmn.sites.thrillshare.com/
Location: 1400 17th St. PO Box 177 Windom, MN 56101
Phone: (507) 831-6910, (507) 221-3511
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WindomAreaSchoolDistrict/
X: @Windom_Eagles