OES Monthly Newsletter

PRINCIPAL'S MESSAGE

Hello, Otsego Elementary Families,

Fall is in the air at Otsego Elementary School! Learning is in full swing, and we have several opportunities to build our community this month from conferences to fundraising, from field trips to the Fun Run! There is a lot going on over here!

October is National Bully Prevention Month! During October, we put an added focus on kindness, empathy, and community. Throughout the month, students participate in age-appropriate activities focused on recognizing bullying, including others, and standing up for one another. We encourage you to talk about these activities at home - asking your child what it means to be a supportive friend is a great place to start.

Our theme this year is Kindness is our Superpower! Here is a peek at some of our activities.

Monday, the 5th, is Stomp Out Bullying Day. Staff will be wearing blue or shirts with messages of kindness. Students are welcome to join! We will also welcome students to school with chalk messages of kindness all over the sidewalks. Students will get to participate by adding their own messages during recess.
During conferences, look for the “I” in Kind poster in the hallway. Students can stand in as the Letter "I" while you take their picture.
Wednesday, the 21st, is Unity Day. Staff and students are encouraged to wear any orange to show they stand against bullying. Learn more about Unity Day here.

Don't forget to follow OES on Instagram @otsegoelementary and our PAC @otsegoelementarypac

As always, never hesitate to reach out with questions, concerns, or ideas. My goal is for every family to feel informed, connected, and supported as we work together to make this a wonderful school year for our students. Thank you for being such an important part of the Otsego Elementary community!

Warmly,
Kelly Kudla
Principal, Otsego Elementary

UPCOMING EVENTS AND DATES

October 1: PAC Meeting and Referendum overview

October 5: ALICE Student Drill #2

October 5: Butter Braid and Cookie Dough sales end at the end of the day

October 8, 13, 14: Conferences

October 8 and 13: PAC Meals for conferences. Sign up HERE to donate

October 14-16: NO SCHOOL

October 20: Butter Braid/Cookie Dough Pick Up; 4:00- 5:30, Door 1

October 21: Unity Day

October 22-29: Boosterthon Fundraiser

October 30: Ernie's Fun Run

November 3: NO SCHOOL, Election Day

November 5: PAC meeting at 4:30

November 6: Hats for Change

Veterans Day Flag Ceremony and Assembly is confirmed for Tuesday, November 10th at 9:30. Watch for more information to come and invitations for our families' Veterans.

OCTOBER INFORMATION

ALICE DRILL #2

Our second ALICE drill, which looks more like a lesson that a traditional drill, will take place on Monday, October 5th at the start of the school day. Please see the Family Letter #2 for information about this upcoming drill.

ALICE Family Letter #2: ALICE - I stands for Inform

ALICE Family Letter #1: ALICE - A Stands for Alert

CONFERENCES

The Parent Teacher connection is a valuable part of your child's education. We look forward to the time set aside over the next couple weeks to share and learn about your child(ren)!

Fall conference schedule:

Thursday, October 8th (evening)
Tuesday, October 13th (evening)
Wednesday, October 14th (daytime).

If you haven't signed up for conferences for grades K-4, please do so by going to www.myconferencetime.com/otsego.

See our Conference Letter for more details.

KIRBY - YOU ARE NOT ALONE THERAPY DOG

You're Not Alone (YNA) partners with school districts within Minnesota and beyond, bringing volunteer therapy dog teams into schools to support students and staff in a variety of ways.

Kirby and his handler Laura will visit OES weekly.

CHANGING WEATHER

As the weather gets colder, please be sure students are dressed to go outside for recess and for arrival/dismissal. We go outside unless there is heavy rain, lightning, temperatures at or below 0*, or the windchill is at or below -10*. See here for a fun and helpful guide.

PERSONAL DEVICES

Smartwatches and other electronic devices have become a routine part of our lives and play an important role in communication and entertainment. As device use continues to grow, the distractions and interruptions to learning continue to grow as well. Therefore, we ask for your partnership in reducing these distractions.

Cell phones must be powered off and put away during the school day. This expectation includes the use of smartwatches and AirPods connected to personal electronic devices or cell phones. Here are some ways you can help:

Please talk to your child about the expectations and reinforce them at home.
Consider setting limits or using “school mode” within the device if possible.
Refrain from texting your child during the school day. If you need to contact your child during the school day or make a change to dismissal plans, contact the main office at (763) 241-3494. Office staff will make sure your child and your child’s teacher get the message. Please call no later than 2 PM.
Reinforce with your child that if they need to contact you during the school day they should go to their teacher and let them know.
Consider leaving personal devices at home.
A Health Office visit is necessary to determine if a child needs to go home due to an excused illness. Please encourage students to visit the Health Office.

Please see page 12 of the Elementary Student Handbook on cell phones and electronic devices.

REFERENDUM INFORMATION

ISD 728 Website - Our website is a great source of information to learn more about the referendum.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) - We continue to update our FAQ page as questions are asked and information is provided.

Let’s Chat - We strongly encourage people that want to provide input to do so in the Let’s Chat feature of the page. This allows us to gather all information in one place so we can address questions/concerns.

Community Information Meetings:

Oct 19, 7:00 PM- Zimmerman Middle/ High School
Oct 22, 7:00 PM- Rogers Middle School
Oct 27, 7:00 PM- Prairie View Middle School Commons
Oct 28, 7:00 PM- ERHS Zabee Theater

Referendum Flyer

Otsego Referendum Flyer

FUNDRAISING

PAC and PRINCIPAL FUNDRAISER

BOOSTERTHON AND ERNIE'S FUN RUN!

WHAT: Boosterthon and Ernie's Fun Run!

HOW: Sales take place online.

GOAL: Raise $30,000 for second classroom rugs for math corners, student programs, and teacher technology to enhance instruction (iPads and Apple Pencils).

IMPORTANT DATES TO REMEMBER

Registration Starts: Thursday, October 8th

Boosterthon dates: Thursday, October 22nd- Thursday, October 29th

Ernie's Fun Run: Friday, October 30th

9:45- 10:35 - Grades 3 and 4
1:30- 2:20 - Kindergarten
2:30- 3:20 - Grades 1 and 2

Rain backup will be in the gym following specials schedule.

Link to Flyer

CURRICULUM INFORMATION

MATH CURRICULUM: Bridges and Number Corner

Our new Math Curriculum this year is Bridges in Mathematics out of The Math Learning Center. Each day students participate in a Bridges in Mathematics lesson as well as a mini lesson at the Number Corner. Our new math curriculum aligns with updated Minnesota Math Standards and emphasizes mathematical thinking, problem-solving, and real-world application. Through engaging mathematical games and hands-on learning experiences, students develop a deeper understanding of math concepts rather than simply memorizing algorithms or “math tricks.” Our goal is to build math fluency and automaticity over time, starting with a strong foundation of understanding the why behind the math.

An important key to math success is building a positive math mindset. Check out this quick read on how you can support this at home.

For more information about Bridges in Mathematics and what your child is learning, check out The Math Learning Center. https://www.mathlearningcenter.org/curriculum/family-support

HELPFUL QUICK LINKS

Car Lane Tags

ISD728 Student Handbook (OES Section of the Handbook HERE)

Classroom Donations

Educational Benefits

Meal Menus

Every Meal Program: For more information click HERE.

Otsego Spirit Wear

OES Monthly Newsletter