Winship Family News

Winship Wildcat Family,

As we turn the calendar to February, we are all craving some warmer weather! Students have enjoyed indoor activities, but we are ready to be outside consistently! Thank you for continuing to send winter gear with your child to school each day. If we are able to go outside for recess, it's important that they have everything they need to stay warm and dry.

Parent/teacher conferences are fast approaching. Thank you for returning your conference slip to school so that teachers can make final adjustments to their schedule. Conferences will be held on Tuesday, February 10th from 4:00-7:00pm, Thursday, February 12th from 4:00-7:00pm, and Friday, February 13th from 8:00am-4:00pm. This is an important time for us to connect and share progress, so we appreciate your participation! Don't forget to check out the book fair in the library while you are here. Thank you to our librarian, Mrs. McIntyre, and our library para, Mrs. Johnson, for organizing this event. Thank you, in advance, to our awesome PTO for providing a meal for staff that week.

Students are looking forward to our next school-wide assembly. Our theme will be empathy and kindness, coinciding with Giving Hearts Day (February 12th).

Please don’t hesitate to reach out to the Winship office with any questions or concerns. We appreciate your ongoing support and partnership.

Lori Skattum

Principal

The attached flyer was recently sent out to all families regardless of riding a bus or not. Student who lose their bus tag can call the school and request a new one. There is a $10 replacement fee that has to be paid first.

pdf

insert_drive_file

New Bus Boarding Procedure for All K–12 Student Bus Riders.pdf

Download

563.8 KB

Door 1 is the main entrance to Winship Elementary. Please use during:

Drop off after 8:20am
Pickup during school hours

Door 3 is used for:

Drop off 7:40am - 8:20am
Pick Up after 3:00pm

In order to keep our school secure, all visitors must enter through Door 1 and sign in at the office. Thank you for understanding!

Every year the Winship fifth graders sell suckers for $.25. We will doing this again and will start on Friday, February 6. The fifth graders go to each classroom right away in the morning to sell to students. They will sell until all the suckers are gone. The proceeds for this will be for Classes that Care School Meal Scholarship Fund and the Remove the Barrier Transportation Scholarship Fund.

This information will be distributed across several platforms, including:

PeachJar – email submission to all parents/guardians within GFPS
GFPS Website
District Social Media pages – JPG attached to the email
Email to local daycare centers within Grand Forks
Email to preschool programs within Grand Forks
School Parent Newsletter

Pre-Registration Survey Link: https://form.jotform.com/gfschools/2026-2027-kindergarten-pre-registra

Website / More Information: https://www.gfschools.org/link-2/kindergarten/kindergarten-registration

The Winship office uses several modes of communication to keep you updated with what's happening. If you aren't receiving text message updates or emails, please reach out to Laurie Nelson in the Winship office at 701-746-2325.

Notifications - please look in your PowerSchool account to make sure you have notifications checked "yes." If you have previously blocked these notifications, we need your permission to unblock the phone number or email.

There are still 2 boxes of candy bars left - mix and caramel. The price has been reduced to $1.00 a piece. Please contact the office to purchase. THANK YOU!

We want to ensure our families are aware of our school-wide behavior expectations at Winship. Our staff reviews these expectations regularly with students and revisits them whenever reteaching is needed.

Weather Changes:

Please make sure your students have a jacket, snow pants, hat, and gloves with the weather changing.
There is a lost and found in the school for misplaced items.
Winter gear bags have been handed out to the students who need them. Please have your student keep their winter gear in this bag.

School Delay/Closure:

Notifications - you must have this marked in your PowerSchool to receive notifications. If you do not have PowerSchool access for your student, please contact the office to received your student's information to set up the Parent Portal.
Remote learning bingo cards will be sent home along with expectations. These are for weather related school closure days. Attached is the digital version. A physical copy will be sent home once we've had one weather cancelation.

pdf

insert_drive_file

Remote Learning Kindergarten and First Grade.pdf

Remote Learning Second and Third Grade.pdf

Remote Learning Fourth and Fifth Grade.pdf

Download

44.3 KB

The book fair will be open during the week of parent/teacher conferences. Families are free to browse and shop in the library during the listed dates and times.

Tuesday, February 10, 3pm - 7pm

Wednesday, February 11, 3pm - 4pm

Thursday, February 12, 3pm - 7pm

Friday, February 13, opens at 8am and will close after the last conference

Middle School Summer School

Summer School Registration will be open from February 1st - May 1st with registration link https://bit.ly/GFPSMiddle26

Schroeder & South students at Schroeder (due to construction) will be held June 1-26, 2026 from 8:00-12:00 pm

Valley Middle School RISE Program will be held June 1st -July 1st from 8:00-12:00 pm

Open to incoming 6th, 7th, and 8th grade students

English Language Arts (ELA) and Math

Multilingual program at Valley Middle School this year

Any questions can be directed to Theresa Ostgarden at tostgarden220@mygfschools.org. Questions specifically to Valley RISE can be directed to Nick Pederson at npederson040@mygfschools.org.

Once registered, you will be receiving an email the week of May 25-29 with more information

PowerSchool - make sure you have your student's PowerSchool account activated for Middle School - this is mandatory. If you are unable to log in to PowerSchool, call Laurie in the office for assistance. All electronic files will be flowed on July 1 to the middle schools; after that the office is unable to assist with setting up or changing passwords.

IF you move residence and need your student's records, you must contact the middle school to transfer records. All fifth grade paper files will be transferred to the middle school by June 5.

pdf

insert_drive_file

February 2026 - ND.pdf

__Copy of February 2026 Elementary Lunch Menu.pdf

Download

489.9 KB

February 6 - Parent Teacher Conference Sheets Due to Teacher

February 10 - Parent Teacher Conferences - Evening

February 12 - Parent Teacher Conferences - Evening

February 13 - Parent Teacher Conferences - ALL DAY - No School

February 16 - NO SCHOOL

February 18 - Early Release, 1:30pm

February 24 - Music, 5th Grade Family Program, 6pm - 7:30pm

March 4 - Early Release, 1:30pm

March 6 - Report Cards Emailed

March 11 - NO SCHOOL

March 12 - NO SCHOOL

March 13 - NO SCHOOL

Please take note of the following early release dates.

GFPS ENCORE information

docx

insert_drive_file

Encore 2025 - 2026.docx

Download

32.9 KB

Information from your Winship PTO

The purpose of the PTO is to enhance and support the educational experience at Winship Elementary School, to develop a closer connection between school and home by encouraging parental involvement, and to improve the environment at school through volunteer and financial support.

Everyone is welcome to attend PTO meetings! We encourage participation and sharing your talents! You do not have to attend every meeting, but would appreciate your suggestions and assistance! For questions, please contact winshippto1@gmail.com

Upcoming PTO Meetings:

Tuesday, March 3rd, 7pm (Winship Library)

Scan the QR code below to join our Winship PTO Facebook page or, Search "Winship PTO-Grand Forks, ND" to stay up to date on current Winship events and happenings.

Download the App and scan your receipts! You can use digital receipts on the App! Funds are used for school supplies.

Bring in your labels, and the office will do the work for you!
By buying Our Family brand products – and saving the UPC barcodes from those cans, bags, boxes and bottles you can help purchase school supplies. 500 bar codes = $25.