Wildcat News

Principal Message

Happy November! A few reminders for the week:

~ School of Excellence Awards Presentation: What an amazing celebration we had last week celebrating all that makes our school excellence. If you haven't seen the links from last week that showcased our amazing day, here are a few artifacts from our celebration:

Here is an adorable 1st grade video talking about why Washington is an excellent place to learn and grow. We also asked students and parents to share what makes Washington excellent, and here is what they said. We also were recognized in the media. Check out the KEYC story and the Mankato Free Press article.

~ Washington Open House: Washington will be hosting a community Open House on Tuesday, November 25, 2025 from 5:00-6:00pm to show off our new safe and secure entrance and office area remodel. This is a great opportunity to show others what a safe and welcoming space we have at Washington.

~ Ask your child about the 1000 Acts of Kindness Challenge that we launched last week at our rally in honor of World Kindness Day. Since our theme is KINDNESS this year, we are working actively to keep that alive in our everyday words and actions!

~ Culver's Fundraiser: The Culver's fundraiser is from 4:00-7:00pm at the Culvers on Madison on Tuesday, December 2nd. The PTO will get 10% of all sales during that time--no need for a flyer or a code. And...Mrs. Haggerty (with other volunteers) will be bussing and wiping tables...how fun is that?! If you'd like to sign up to take a shift to help, here's the Sign UpGenius link.

~ Stuff-A-Truck: Tomorrow, November 21, is the last day to donate items for the ECHO Food Shelf. Thank you for your support of this vital service project.

~ PTO Meeting: Thank you to everyone who attended Monday's PTO meeting. We are still on the hunt for a secretary. If you are at all interested in considering this, please reach out to me. It won't be terribly difficult as we have the format all set.

~ Bedtime Story: I'll be reading another story virtually this Sunday, November 23, 2025 at 7:30pm OR you can watch past recordings here. This is another way that your kiddo can earn reading minutes. Simply click on this link to watch me read this week's story. (If I am a few minutes late, I apologzie in advance--so just sit tight if I'm not logged on right at 7:30).

~ Reminder: We DO have school next Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday. There will be NO SCHOOL on Thursday, November 27 and Friday, November 28.

Enjoy next week's Thanksgiving break! I have immense gratitude for the opportuity to lead in such a special place--thank you for the role you play in the success of our students. Go Wildcats!

Ann

Ann Haggerty

Washington Principal

ahagge1@isd77.org

What do the students at Washington call you?

Mr. Jim

What is your job at Washington?

I’m a K-3 reading tutor with Reading Corps.

How long have you worked for Mankato Area Public Schools?

This is my 5th year working as a reading tutor at Washington elementary.

What is one of your favorite things about your job?

Working with the kiddos and watching them improve their reading skills and being excited about their improvement.

What is an interesting fact about you?

I’m an exercise nut who likes to read while riding a stationary bike. I also played over 300 rounds of golf in one Minnesota season.

Tell us about your family.

I’ve been married for 57 years to Gail; we have two daughters and one granddaughter.

Where did you go to elementary school?

I attend K-8th grade at St John's Lutheran Elementary School in Lake City, MN.

Anything else you would like to share with families?

I enjoy watching individuals use the skills they have no matter how limited or talented they might be to improve themselves at whatever they have chosen to do.

Thank you for always being so generous with the bookfair! We are so blessed to have a PTO that supports the literacy of our students!

Parents and Guardians,

This December, students will be taking the NWEA MAP Growth Assessment. This assessment is a simple, effective tool that helps us measure your child's academic knowledge and growth.

The scores help teachers check student performance by measuring achievement and growth and can be used to tailor classroom lessons and set goals for students. Your child's teacher will share specific dates and times that your child will be testing.

NWEA Growth Assessments are unique and adapt to your child’s responses to measure your child’s knowledge. If your child answers a question correctly, the next question is more challenging. If they answer incorrectly, the next one is easier. These results will provide a more complete picture of where your child is on their learning journey—regardless of whether they are on, above, or below their grade level.

Since NWEA Growth tests provide immediate and accurate information about your child’s learning, it’s easy for teachers to identify students with similar scores in similar skills and topics and then plan instruction accordingly.

Sincerely,

Ann Haggerty

Regular attendance is key to your child's success, and as a school, we've set two clear goals for the 2025-26 school year, listed below. Each month, District 77 tracks consistent attendance at each building. Washington's data through October 31, 2025:

Goal #1: Increase consistent student attendance to 92%.

How are we doing on Goal #1? As of October 31 we are at 89.96% of students who are consistently in school. So, we are below our goal of 92%.

Goal #2: Decrease the number of students who are chronically absent from 45 to 30 or fewer.

How are we doing on Goal #2? As of October 31, we have 32 students who are considered chronically absent. Our goal is to have 30 or fewer students, so we are also needing to improve in this area as well.

Anyone who has missed more than 4.4 days of school thus far are considered chronically absent.

We know that achieving these goals is a team effort, and we need your help. Here are some simple, yet powerful, ways you can support your child's attendance:

Prioritize school attendance. Schedule family trips and vacations during school breaks, not during the school year.
Schedule appointments wisely. If possible, book doctor and dentist appointments for after school hours or on non-school days. If your child must miss school for an appointment, have them come to school before the appointment and return to school as soon as it's over.
Create a consistent routine. A predictable schedule for bedtime and waking up helps ensure your child is well-rested and ready to start the day on time.
Make sure they're prepared. Pack backpacks, lay out clothes, and prepare lunches the night before to reduce morning stress and delays.
Communicate with us! If your child is sick, please call the school office to let us know. We understand that some absences are unavoidable, and we want to work with you to support your child's health and learning.

Together, we can make this the best school year yet for our students. Every day your child is here, they are building a brighter future for themselves. We are so proud to partner with you and look forward to celebrating our progress throughout the year. Thank you for your commitment to our students and our school.

What should my child wear outside in colder weather? We do follow this chart closely. We use actual temperature, mostly, but factoring in the "feels like" temperature is also quite important, especially for the younger students. YOUR help in following these guidelines really matters, so thank you in advance!