Greetings and welcome back Longfellow Families! It is so wonderful to be back in session and have our awesome Lions and teachers here to start off another successful year at Longfellow Elementary! The beginning of our school year has brought in about 60 eager to learn and excited Begindergarten and Kindergarten students, in addition to the many new Longfellow families. We look forward to seeing all our families at the various activities that Longfellow staff and PTO put on throughout the year. Our biggest event is right around the corner: Longfellow Decade Disco on Friday, September 22nd!! (see more information in this newsletter’s edition). Raffle sales will run from September 1-15. The students raised just over $16,000 for last year’s raffle. Let’s see if we can meet that goal once again this year!!!

With a new year, also brings with it new staff to Longfellow Elementary. You will see them all listed below.

Longfellow is a place where strong connections are made between the home and school and where all staff members are committed to developing the whole child. As partners, we share the responsibility for our children’s success and want you to know that we will do our best to carry out our responsibilities. We ask that you guide and support your child’s learning by ensuring that he/she:

1) Attends school daily and arrives by 8:00am
2) Reads daily to develops a love for reading and to improve literacy skills
4) Shares school experiences with you so that you are aware of his/her school life
5) Informs you if he/she needs additional support in any area or subject
6) Knows that you expect him/her to succeed in school

Communication is key to an effective partnership. Together we can encourage our learners to make positive choices and to be productive members of the Mitchell community. The staff and I look forward to building positive working relationships with all Longfellow families. Please contact your child’s teacher or myself at 995-3092 if you have any questions or concerns.

Yours in education,

Mrs. Heckenlaible

Dawn Whitley (Miss Dawn) - Administrative Assistant

Lydia Brink (Mrs. Brink) - Librarian

Kaley Wither (Miss Withers) - Kindergarten

Sabra McCarty (Mrs. McCarty)- 1st Grade

Becky Coats (Mrs. Coats)- 5th Grade

Alexis Laczkoski (Mrs. L ) - Paraeducator

Lois Pravecek (Mrs. P ) - Paraeducator

Stephanie Kampshoff (Mrs. Kampshoff ) - Paraeducator

Name Changes

Miss. Haag (Special Education Teacher) is now Mrs. Lowrie

Miss Foster (4th Grade Teacher) will become Mrs. Kramer this fall

To keep up with any school announcements such as weather related dismissals, late starts or cancellations, in addition to reminders about Longfellow Elementary events, please download the Mitchell School District app and sign up for notifications from Longfellow and the school district.

On our app, you will find links to the student handbook, staff directory, news and events, plus more!

The school doors open at 7:30 am. Even if it is cold or raining, we do not have staff in the building to supervise so students will wait until 7:30 am to enter the building. Likewise, our staff leaves by 3:45 and students will need to be picked up before that time. We appreciate you making arrangements to have your children dropped off and picked up within those times.

Building doors open 7:30 am

Breakfast served 7:30-8:10 am

First bell rings at 8:10 am

School begins at 8:15 am (meaning a student is tardy at 8:16 am)

School dismissed at 3:15 pm

If your child needs to leave during the school day or will come late due to an appointment, simply alert the school office at 605-995-3092. If you need to take your child out early, we appreciate you alerting the office ahead of time, if possible. Your child will remain in class until you come inside to sign them out and we will do our best to have them prepared and ready to go as quickly as possible.

Please ask your child if they have headphones for school. If you forgot to send some or they are no longer working, we have some in the office for $5.00. Our lions use headphones daily.

What does it mean to be a part of a den? If you were to ask a Longfellow learner from grades second through fifth, they would tell you that it means you are a part of a community.

We have a K Den, comprised of our kindergarten students. They have been focusing on what their new ‘job’ should look like within the school. Kindergarten teachers have been working on modeling expectations, how to play, being kind to others, how to go through a lunch line, and following directions, to name a few. It is amazing how different kindergarten looks after only two short weeks of school and I have to say, “We have OUTSTANDING kindergarten learners and teachers at Longfellow Elementary!”

Next, we have our 1st grade den. They are recalling everything they learned in kindergarten and have already grown into great role models for our younger learners. Their reading skills are already soaring and they are so eager to share their talents! Our first grade teachers and learners have a very big job and that is to become fluid readers. First grade is where reading really takes off! In addition to all they are learning academically, they are working hard to be safe, responsible, and respectful and they sure are “ROCKING First Grade!”

Finally, we have Dens A, B, and C. These dens consist of Minors, Majors, Masters, and Mentors, in grades two through five. Learners in these dens are building a strong community/family within each den. They are great role models for each other and with the Habits of Mind (HOM) they are learning and applying, they are working together, understanding empathy for others, finding humor in everyday life, and learning what it means to manage their impulsivity, to name a few. These learners are taking the word, COMMUNITY, and really understanding that in order to be successful, you have to learn to work together (INTERDEPENDENTLY would be the word a minor, major, master, or mentor would use if you were to ask him/her. Dens have enjoyed the HOM activities and lessons and it has truly brought the learners together. The den bonds are growing stronger each day and they have been working hard to STRIVE for ACCURACY as they have pushed through their assessments.

So as you can tell, no matter which den you belong to at Longfellow Elementary, you are part of the family tradition that Longfellow PRIDES itself on. We encourage you to consistently ask your child about their successes at school and have them retell you what they are learning about the Habits of Mind and how they are applying them to their educational and life journey! Thank you for sharing your children with us as we continue to work together to build a strong community.

Mrs. Heckenlaible

Please remember that students are NOT ALLOWED to carry any medications on them (even aspirin). It is not safe to have elementary students carrying meds as we don't want them to get into the wrong hands. We are happy to keep OTC medications in the office for your child when/if they need them.

In the next couple of months, we will be screening all K-3rd graders, as well as any new students, for hearing and vision. You may receive a letter or phone call from our nurse if any results are at all concerning.

If your child had any health concerns in the past (milk allergy, asthma, etc.) our nurse may be contacting you via a letter in your child's backpack, mail or phone call to confirm. If your child HAS any health conditions we need to be aware of, please fill out the form below so we can be prepared.

It's that time of year again where lice seem to magically appear. Along with the tips above, you can try these to help keep the little critters out of our lives.

• Keep girls' hair pulled back or braided.
• Use Rosemary spray as a preventative.
• Add several drops of Tea Tree Oil to shampoo and wash hair every other day as a preventative.
• If you do have lice in the household, you will have to pick each person's hair until there are no more nits or eggs left. This will have to be done daily for several days.

If you think you may be eligible for free and reduced lunch, please fill out the application below. When in doubt, fill it out.

WoW! I am so excited to be a part of this school! Thank you all for your patience, help and laughter as I learn everything! Mrs. Coats you are truly an amazing person. Thank you for your continued guidance in helping me learn everything about the library. September is right around the corner, so don't to pick up your September Bingo in the library.

We are just getting started and are so excited help our lions stay active! Remember to wear tennis shoes on PE. Flip-flops, boots, and crocs (or slides) don't work for running. Thank you!