Creekside Newsletter

Dear Creekside Families,

It’s hard to believe we’ve reached December! This time of year brings excitement and joy, but it can also bring extra energy and emotions for our students. I’m so proud of how they continue to show perseverance, kindness, and focus in their learning as we close out 2025 together.

In classrooms, teachers and students are working hard to grow as readers, writers, and mathematicians. Our focus on literacy and math remains strong, and we continue to celebrate the small moments of progress that lead to big growth. Thank you for supporting these efforts at home by reading together, practicing math facts, and encouraging curiosity and confidence in learning.

As we move through this season, I also want to recognize the ways our community continues to care for one another. From helping friends on the playground to showing gratitude in classrooms, our Coyotes are truly living out the values of being Accepting, Resilient, Risk-Takers, showing Ownership, and Working Collaboratively—the ARROW Way!

Thank you for your partnership, care, and commitment to making Creekside a place where every student feels they belong and can shine.

Wishing you and your family a joyful December and restful winter break!

Warmly,
Katie Mould
Principal, Creekside Elementary

Creekside Families and Caregivers, we need your help! We are focused on building a positive, safe, and inclusive school community, and an important part of this work is supporting strong attendance so students and families feel connected and school feels good.

Last year, our overall attendance rate was 92.20%. This year, we’re already seeing growth with a current rate of 93.32% for the 2025–26 school year. We’ve included some helpful tips to support strong attendance habits at home. If you have questions or need to reach out to discuss potential attendance barriers, please reach out to your child’s classroom teacher.

Thank you to all that attended our November CAFE meeting! We're looking forward to many great opportunities to support Creekside as we continue a busy school year.

You're Invited: Next CAFE Meeting on Tuesday, Dec. 9

Looking for an opportunity to get more involved at Creekside to support our fantastic students, faculty and staff? You are more than welcome to join our next Creekside CAFE meeting (Creekside's PTA) on Tuesday, Dec. 9, 6:30 - 7:30 p.m. in the LGI room.

Click here to learn more and RSVP.

Seeking a Secretary, New Email Address

If you are looking for a fun and easy opportunity to support Creekside, CAFE is currently seeking a Secretary for our Board of Directors.

The CAFE Secretary is responsible for recording and distributing the meeting minutes once per month during the school year. Perks include free pizza and the inside scoop on everything our teachers and staff are doing to help our students!

If you are interested, please contact us at our new email address (creeksidesco@gmail.com).

We love to help celebrate your student(s) on their special day(s) and are crushed when we have to send beautiful homemade treats home. Please see the Wellness Policy, that we need to follow, below.
When thinking about what to send for a treat, we appreciate single serving treats like cupcakes or cookies, that allows more time for celebrating and less time preparing.

Wellness Policy/Procedure JHK-R

"Baked goods that are served or provided in the classrooms must be purchased, not homemade, and be in a wrapper which contains nutrition information and expiration date"

• We hooped, ran, kicked, stacked and jumped our way through November! We hope that you and your family have found lots of ways to get moving together this month! In PE through December, we will be rocking and ROLLING, with perhaps one of our Coyotes ABSOLUTE FAVORITE units, Inline Skating!

• You’ll have an opportunity to roll with us during our Creekside Family Engagement Night on Tuesday, December 16th. In order to schedule enough time for families to participate, and control the numbers of skaters, we have opened up our skating portion a bit before the event starts. You’ll find sessions at 4:30pm, 5:10pm, 5:50pm & 6:30pm. CLICK HERE and read ALL the specifics before you sign-up.

• Take Your Caregiver to PE Week 2.0 is coming up Monday, 12/15 through Friday, 12/19. If this week doesn’t work for you, no problem, we have skates all of December! You are welcome to pop in any of our other PE classes. CLICK HERE to access your scholar’s PE Schedule. Check below for more specifics on how to volunteer/attend an event at Creekside. You do not need to sign-up or contact us (unless you have questions!) We’d love to see you!

• Volunteering/Attending an Event During the School Day at Creekside: All you have to do is make sure you have your ID to check in the front office and a current background check completed with our district. Click English & Spanish to complete a background check. Background checks are good for 3 years. If you are unsure of your background check status, please contact Kirsten Janssen (kajanss1@sunprairieschools.org/608.834.7702).

Library Book Returns
As we head into the busy winter season, please help your child remember to return their library books each week. When books come back on time, every scholar gets the chance to explore new stories, discover new interests, and continue their reading adventures!

Coding in the Library Lab!
December and January are all about coding in our Library Media Center Lab! Students across all grades will get hands-on opportunities to become creators, problem-solvers, and digital thinkers. This year’s coding experiences include:

Web-Based Coding (Coding.org)
Students will participate in engaging activities designed to build foundational coding skills in a friendly, age-appropriate way.

Robotics Coding
Our older students will bring code to life through robotics! They’ll explore programming with Sphero and Dash, learning how to sequence, debug, and problem-solve.

Early Robotics for Younger Learners
Our youngest scholars will explore Sphero Indi, which teaches early coding concepts without the need for a device. Students use colored tiles to program Indi’s path—perfect for hands-on learninThank you for supporting our library program. Let’s make this winter a warm and wonderful season of learning and creativity!

Thank you for supporting our library program. Let’s make this winter a warm and wonderful season of learning and creativity. Go Coyotes!

In the Art LAB, we use http://www.artsonia.com, a website that serves 3 purposes.

1. It is an online portfolio of your child’s progress from Kindergarten-5th grade.

2. You can share photos with friends & family. It is a safe way for your child to get comments from these people.

3. It is an optional fundraiser for our art program. You can have your child’s art printed on t-shirts, coffee mugs, posters, mouse pads, and more. These make beautiful gifts and keepsakes and can be ordered year-round! A portion of the proceeds are donated to Creekside.

Selected student artwork will be posted here throughout the year. Slips of paper with account login and holiday order information will be sent home after the Thanksgiving Break. Only new students and Kindergarten will need to set up accounts. In the event that you decline permission to have artwork publicly posted, artwork will remain visible only to me. This allows me to keep digital portfolios for assessment purposes. After you create your account, be sure to check your Spam Folder and add Artsonia to your list of safe senders. Please contact Mrs. Kudrle if you need assistance in setting up an account.

PBIS (Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports) efforts continue to be a strong focus with Creekside staff and students. Our Coyotes work hard to practice ARROW and the Coyote Way! They are Accepting of others, Resilient when faced with set-backs, being Risk-Takers in their learning, showing Ownership, and Working Collaboratively.

PBIS MONTHLY THEMES:

November’s theme was, “I am accepting.” Students work to accept each other as they are and share space respectfully, even if they disagree or do not have much in common!

December’s theme is, “I am empathetic and kind.” Students will be working to show kindness and work on perspective-taking to understand others, connect with them, and imagine how they might feel in their situation!

PBIS DATA REVIEW - HOME CONNECTION!

An area of focus at Creekside right now is using appropriate language. Staff have been hearing some disrespectful language, including curse words, racial language, and threats towards others. This language can make people feel uncomfortable or unsafe and can make it hard to focus on learning. We are working hard to reteach and practice using appropriate language in all settings within our school.

At home you can support your student by reminding them that it is okay to be mad, frustrated, or disappointed with themselves, peers, staff, or the situation but it is never okay to be disrespectful or hurtful with our words.

Thank you for supporting these Creekside expectations and life skills at home!

The Creekside Lost n Found is growing! We have piles of beautiful, warm sweatshirts and winter coats. Please take a look to see if your child is missing something and encourage them to look for their lost items. The school is open for other family members/caregivers to come take a better peek anytime during school hours.

Our first donation, to a local community donation site, will be the week before Winter break. We will send out reminders hoping to find owners to the items before they are boxed up.

Fueling Success: Why School Meals are a Great Choice!

It's a busy world, and making sure our kids get a healthy, filling, and affordable lunch every day can be a challenge. But guess what? Your school cafeteria is here to help! School meals offer amazing value, great nutrition, and unbeatable convenience. Let's dive into why choosing school meals is a win-win for everyone!

Positive Nutritional Benefits

School meals aren't just easy on your wallet; they're also very healthy! Did you know that school lunch and breakfast programs must meet strict guidelines set by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)?

• Fruits and Veggies: School meals always include plenty of fruits and vegetables. This helps make sure students get the vitamins and fiber they need.

• Whole Grains: You'll see more whole-grain foods, like whole-wheat bread and pasta, which provide long-lasting energy.

• Lean Protein: Meals include healthy protein sources like chicken, beans, or cheese, which help build muscles and keep kids full.

• Less of the Bad Stuff: School meals are designed to have healthy limits on sodium (salt), saturated fat, and added sugars.

• Fuel for Focus: A well-balanced meal helps students feel alert and focused in the classroom, which is key to learning!

• Complete Meal: The price you pay (or the no-cost benefit you receive) covers a complete meal. This includes an entrée, vegetables, fruit, and milk—all the items needed to meet the requirements for a healthy meal.

Unbeatable Convenience

Think about all the time and effort school meals save you!

• No Morning Rush: Say goodbye to rushing to pack a lunch box before the bus arrives. When students buy school meals, they can spend less time packing and more time getting ready for the day.

• Less Stress: No more worrying about whether your child will have a nutritious meal. You can be confident that the school cafeteria is providing a healthy option every single day.

• Everything is Provided: From the food to the milk and utensils, everything is ready and waiting for your child when it's time to eat.

Yearbooks will be on sale till April 1st

We hope you’re having a great school year! We wanted to take a moment to remind everyone of an important safety policy regarding our school buses. For the safety and well-being of all students, parents/caregivers are not permitted to board the school bus for any reason.

We understand that sometimes it might seem convenient, but keeping the bus environment

secure and on schedule is our top priority. If you need to speak with your child or address

something related to transportation, please contact your school principal or Brinda Thompson at

Kobussen Buses at (608) 825-8700, and they will be happy to assist you.

Thank you for your understanding and support in helping us maintain a safe and efficient ride for

all our students.

December 22 - January 2 , First day back Monday, January 5

Enjoy your winter fun and festivities!

December 8- No School
December 9- CAFE Meeting, 6:30pm
December 15-19- Bring your Parent/Caregiver to PE week

December 16- Community Fun Night

December 17- Orchestra and Choir Concert, 2pm in the cafeteria

December 22 - January 4- Winter Break

• Visit us on Facebook, click here
• Visit the Creekside school website, click here