Freedom Flyers Newsletter

August flew by with excitement and high expectations for a fantastic school year ahead! Our educators have been hard at work building strong classroom communities and teaching our three school-wide rules: Be Safe, Be Respectful, and Be Responsible. This month also brought one of our favorite milestones—the arrival of our littlest learners, the Kindergarteners. Their joy and energy filled our halls, and it has been wonderful watching them begin their school journey. Across the building, we have already seen so many acts of compassion, empathy, and service from both staff and learners in grades 1–5

Please remember that there will be no school on Monday, September 7th. This is a month that will be busy for Educators as they take formative data on each learner. This information helps us understand where each student is starting and allows us to best support their growth throughout the year. If you have questions about your learner’s progress or experiences, we encourage you to reach out directly to their classroom teacher—we value strong partnerships with families as we guide each child’s success.

As September continues, families may notice that the “honeymoon phase” of back-to-school begins to fade. Routines are settling in, expectations are becoming clearer, and learners may need extra support at home as they adjust. Families can help by setting aside a consistent time each evening for reading or quiet practice, sticking to regular bedtimes to ensure children are rested, and taking time to talk about their day with open-ended questions like, “What was the best part of your day?” or “Who did you help today?” Encouraging simple calming strategies, like deep breathing or stretching, can also help children unwind after busy school days. Most importantly, celebrate your child’s efforts and reinforce the values of being safe, respectful, and responsible, not only at school but also at home.

We are so grateful to have such a strong community of learners, staff, and families. Together, we will continue to build a positive and successful year for every child at Freedom Elementary

9/7 NO SCHOOL - Labor Day

9/11 PTA Spirit Night with Code Ninjas

9/18 NO SCHOOL - Professional Learning

9/24 SCHOOL PICTURE DAY

10/2 PTA Spirit Night with Code Ninjas

10/8 PTA Meeting 7:00 PM in library

10/15 NO SCHOOL - Professional Learning

10/16 NO SCHOOL

10/22 Boo Bash Dance 6:00-8:00 PM

Meet Officer Skwiera!

Hello, families! 👋

I’m Officer Skwiera, and I’m excited to be your child’s School Resource Officer (SRO)! I serve your child’s school, along with four other elementary schools in the district. I’ve been with the West Fargo Police Department for 14 years, and this will be my third school year as an SRO.

As an SRO, my job goes far beyond helping keep our schools safe. I’m here to help students and staff feel safe, support positive behavior, teach important safety lessons, and—most importantly—build relationships with the students. Along the way, I often find myself wearing many different hats: informal counselor, lunch buddy, gym partner, reading friend, problem-solver, cheerleader, and so much more! Those relationships are one of the biggest reasons I absolutely love what I do.

When I’m not at school or work, I love spending time with my family—my husband, our two kids, and our four dogs! I also enjoy traveling, making greeting cards, doing 5D art, and watching sports. Football is my favorite, so naturally… SKOL, Vikes! 💜🏈

🐾 New This Year: Safety Tips from Officer Skwiera & K9 Clover!

Keep your eyes peeled for safety tips, helpful information, and other fun resources from Officer Skwiera and Comfort K9 Clover in upcoming newsletters. We’ll be sharing information that we hope will be useful for both students and families throughout the school year!

Meet Comfort K9 Clover! 🐾

This is Comfort K9 Clover, your friendly, four-legged school staff member!

Clover is a 3-year-old Chocolate Lab who has been working alongside me in the schools for the past year and a half. She absolutely LOVES kids and, if given the choice, will often pick them over adults!

Clover’s most important job at school is simple: make people smile! 😊

She has many important roles, including:

• Helping students who are experiencing big emotions or a crisis
• Being a quiet companion for students or staff who simply need someone to listen
• Serving as a reading buddy for students who aren’t quite sure they love reading yet
• Cheering on students who need a little extra encouragement
• Greeting students and staff with a friendly face (and wagging tail!) in the hallway
• Celebrating students when they accomplish something awesome
• Providing a little extra motivation and comfort when it’s needed most

Clover is so excited to welcome everyone back to school and is ready for another year of making smiles, spreading joy, and being everyone’s favorite furry coworker! 🐶❤️

🐕 What Does Clover Do After School?

When she’s not busy working, Clover continues to impress us by passing her trainings and certifications and learning new tricks to show off!

This summer, she learned how to give high-fives! ✋🐾

She also loves running around the yard with her three “brothers” and embracing her role as a typical mischievous puppy—especially once her harness comes off! 😉

We can’t wait for another great school year, and we hope to see you at the school’s family events through the year!

See you soon!
Officer Skwiera & Comfort K9 Clover 🐾

Freedom PTA Membership dues renew annually! Only $7 per person! Get connected with and SUPPORT our PTA today!

Join our PTA for the 26-27 school year! https://freedomflyers.givebacks.com/shop/items/d15815ccfa

West Fargo Public Schools Food Service Dept has upgraded to a new online menu platform, MealViewer, that allows parents and students to see pictures, nutrition facts, and allergen information for all scheduled items for breakfast and lunch.

To view the new online menu platform, go to:

schools.mealviewer.com

Parents and students can also access the information by downloading the ‘MealViewer’ mobile phone app from their app store.

Click the link below on how to view and print online menus.

MealViewerHowTo.pdf

School Times

Learners should NOT be at school before 7:30 AM. We do not have supervision before then and the building will still be locked.

Learners should be dropped off by 7:50 AM. At this time, our first bell rings and students head to their lockers and classes to start their day.

The final bell rings at 8:00 AM and attendance is taken at that time. Students who are NOT in class at 8:00 will have to check in at the office for a tardy pass.

School dismisses at 2:30 PM.

We are Nut Aware

Reminder: Freedom Elementary is a Nut Aware School. Please do not bring snacks and/or bag lunches with peanut butter or nut items.

Pick Up & Drop Off

Please PULL FORWARD all the way and STAY IN YOUR VEHICLE when dropping off or picking up your child. This keeps the car loop moving and allows for learners to exit and enter vehicles quickly and safely.

Lost & Found

Our Lost & Found can be found in the school's commons area. Items most frequently left are sweatshirts, jackets and water bottles. PLEASE LABEL YOUR CHILD'S ITEMS!! Even initials help us find who something belongs to. Items not claimed will be donated at the end of each month.