It's Spring Break! I hope you all have a happy, healthy spring break!

Calendar Change: Our Lifetouch picture day is not on the correct day on the print calendar. Our picture day is Thursday, March 27th. Ordering packets will be sent home.

Here is a schedule of the week when we return from Spring Break!

Monday, March 24th:

• Colts Round Up
• Board of Education Meeting @ 6:00

Tuesday, March 25th:

• Colts Round Up

Wednesday, March 26th:

• Colts Round Up

Thursday, March 27th:

• Picture Day! Individual & Group Pictures
• Colts Round Up

Friday, March 28th:

• No elementary activities

Looking Ahead:

Do you have a child who will be 3 years old by September 1st or a child who will be 4 years old by September 1st and isn’t currently enrolled in our preschool? If so, we want to hear from you! Soon we will be having a Preschool and Kindergarten Open House and we want to make sure you get invited! Please complete the attached interest form so we can make sure we provide you with the date and time of our upcoming Open House!

Fill out this brief survey here: https://docs.google.com/.../1FAIpQLSf6rl0K7uo.../viewform...

It was a great week at Blue Rapids Elementary! A big shout out to Mrs. Popejoy, Miss. Coleman and the students for an outstanding music concert Tuesday night. The program was a Disney theme and the students definitely shared some Disney magic. On behalf of Mrs. Popejoy and Miss. Coleman, I want to thank everyone who attended and supported the students. Thursday morning the Blue Rapids students and staff went to the high school for a special pep rally for the state bound Lady Mustangs. (see pictures below) The basketball team also stopped on their way out of town to get high fives and cheers from the elementary students. The third quarter of school has come to a close as we all go on Spring Break. I want to wish everyone a restful and relaxing break! As a reminder, grades will be sent out the week we get back from spring break.

Here are some upcoming dates to remember:

• March 17th-21st - Spring Break
• March 24th - First day back from Spring Break
  
• March 27th - 5th Grade Family Game Night
• April 4th - 4th Grade Ag Day

As always, I want to thank you for the blessing that it is to work with your children. My door is always open if you have any questions or concerns.

-Mr. Staples

If you missed the program, we have the recording linked below!

All 4th graders got to listen to Brooke Pfizenmaier from KSDS (Washington, KS) about guide and facility dogs and how they are trained. This went with their reading curriculum last week where they read, "The Right Dog for the Job."

Mrs. Hogan had several activities going on in each building related to Read Across America! She collected all the book reports in Waterville and Accelerated Reader paperwork in Blue Rapids and put together a chain to see if we could stretch across the gym in each building. The students were diligent to read and did a great job of making it across the gym! Waterville students celebrated with an ice cream party and Blue Rapids students got popsicles!

This week's Waterville VHS ticket winners were Lainee and Kali winning lunch with Mrs. deBoer, and Richard and Evelyn winning prizes!

Each week we'll give you a fun question to talk about around the dinner table with your family! Eating together as a family is an excellent time to strengthen relationships and check in with your child and their needs. Enjoy discussing the question of the week!

Community Education has recently sent out a program survey to gather community interests and Ideas to increase programming and participation in activities beyond the school day. We invite you to click on the link below to fill out the survey and give us your thoughts and ideas.

Survey Link: https://forms.gle/KuzPRNFKjXkyEiqf8

We’d like to remind families to discuss a safe route to school with your students. Whether it is on foot, bike, or a car we want everyone to arrive to and from school safely! For students on foot and bike remember that the safest crossings are at Chestnut & Highway 77 in Blue Rapids and Minnesota & Highway 77 in Waterville.

These crossings are monitored both before and after school.

Check out the Schools That Care newsletter below for information on resources available in our community!

Early Head Start 0-3 provides services to infants, toddlers, and pregnant women. It promotes

• healthy prenatal outcomes, healthy babies
• enhances the development of infants and toddlers, and
• promotes healthy/thriving families

NEK-CAP, Inc. receives federal funds for 160 children to operate and provide Early Head Start (0-3) services for infants, toddlers, pregnant mothers, and fathers.

NEK-CAP, Inc. receives federal funds for 238 children to operate and provide Head Start services. Head Start is committed to cultivating partnerships with the community to ensure that children and families receive an array of individualized services focused upon early childhood development, family support, health and education.

Head Start/Early Head Start 0-5 services are available at no cost to children and families. Up to 10% of enrollment may be used to serve children that are over income. Transportation is available at some locations.

Click HERE for more information!

Did you know that even though packaging no longer has box tops on them to cut out, that you can still support your school? Download the Box Tops app and scan your receipt to earn money for schools. This is a simple way to give back to your community! Click here for more details!

Email: judeboer@valleyheights.org tstaples@valleyheights.org sspoonts@valleyheights.org
Website: www.valleyheights.org