GRAND AVENUE NEWSLETTER

Principal - Craig Trautsch

craig.trautsch@saukprairieschools.org

Dean of Students- Erin Smith

erin.smith@saukprairieschools.org

Website: www.saukprairieschools.org
Location: 225 Grand Ave, Prairie du Sac, WI 53578
Phone: (608) 643-1900

Spanish Instrucciones de traducción para boletines informativos S’more

1. Mire a la derecha del boletín.

2. Busque un cuadro negro en la esquina superior derecha y haga clic en ""Traducir boletín informativo"".

3. En el cuadro que aparece, selecciona el idioma que desea.

4. Su boletín está ahora traducido.

Dear Grand Avenue Families,

The school year is off to a fantastic start! We are so grateful for your continued support in helping make the first week of school smooth and successful. Your partnership is truly what makes Grand Avenue such a strong and welcoming community for our students.

Pick-Up and Drop-Off Reminder
Thank you for following our procedures to keep everyone safe. Please remember that Grand Avenue (the street) is the designated pick-up and drop-off location for students. The parking lot is reserved for buses only, so we ask that families avoid using it for student drop-off or pick-up.

Early Dismissal – Wednesday, September 17
A reminder that we will have an early dismissal at 1:30 PM on Wednesday, September 17. Please plan accordingly for your child’s afternoon pick-up.

Grand Gallop – Friday, September 26
We are excited to host our annual Grand Gallop Fun Run at the high school football field! This is a wonderful event to cheer on our students as they run with their grade level. The schedule is as follows:

• 3rd Grade – 8:45 AM

• 4th Grade – 9:45 AM

• 5th Grade – 10:45 AM

We hope you will be able to join us in supporting and celebrating our students during this fun tradition!

Thank you again for your continued partnership. Let me know if you have any questions.

Craig

Band lessons start on Monday, September 15th

If you have any questions, email Mr. Williams at:

jeff.williams@saukprairieschools.org

or Ms. Knitt at:

rebekah.knitt@saukprairieschools.org

September

Tuesday, Sept. 2- First Day of School

Monday, Sept. 8-School Board Mtg. 7:00 (TR)

Thursday, Sept. 11- DPI -Sept. 11 Observance Day

Tuesday, Sept. 16- DPI- Mildred Fish Harnack Observance Day

Tuesday, Sept. 16- GSPie Mtg. @ Bridges 6:30 PM

Wednesday, Sept. 17- DPI- U.S. Constitution Day & DPI Wisconsin Day

Wednesday, Sept. 17- Early Release 1:30

Thursday, Sept. 18- Picture Day

Friday, Sept. 19- DPI- POW-MIA Recognition

Monday, Sept. 22- First day of autumn

Monday, Sept. 22-School Board Mtg. 7:00 (MCS)

Wednesday, Sept. 24- DPI Bullying Awareness Day

Friday, Sept. 26- DPI Frances Willard Day

Friday, Sept. 26- Grand Gallop Fun Run

October:

Monday, October 6- PDS Fire Department visits Grand Avenue

Thursday, October 9- DPI Observance Day- Leif Erikson

Friday, October 10- Fun Run rain date

Monday, October 13- DPI Observance Day- Columbus Day

Monday, October 13- School Board Meeting -7:00 PM @ Grand Avenue

Wednesday, October 15- Early Release 1:30

Thursday, October 16- Picture retakes at Grand Avenue

Tuesday, October 21- GSPie Meeting- 6:30 PM @ Grand Avenue

Friday, October 24-Grade 5 to RAC for MS Musical Performance

Monday, October 27- School Board Meeting- 7:00 PM @ RAC

Thursday, October 30 & Friday, October 31- No School

You can place your orders online at mylifetouch.com or send in the order form/envelope with your student before or on picture day.

Orders after picture day must be placed online

SCHOOL CODE: EVTR98XRZ

Sauk City Fire Department

Please join us on Wednesday, October 8th from 6:00-8:00pm for our annual Fire Prevention Open House. This year, the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) theme is "Charge into Fire Safety: Lithium-Ion Batteries in Your Home." We invite you to join us for a night of fun and learning. We will have fire truck rides, station tours, free handouts and treats. Weather permitting, UW Med Flight is scheduled to land on the ground near the station at 6:00pm, and our firefighters will be doing a live fire demonstration starting around 7:00 pm. We will also be raffling off a fire truck ride to school to one lucky student in the Sauk Prairie School District! Enter your name into the drawing, and we will call the lucky winner when the Open House is over. The ride to school will be on Friday, October 10th. Hope to see you there!

Prairie du Sac Fire Department

Join us for our Annual Open House on Monday, October 6th from 6:00-8:00 pm. This family-friendly event is a great opportunity to learn about fire safety, meet firefighters, and see the fire station up close. We will have station tours, fire truck rides, hands-on activities, and food trucks. It’s always one of our favorite events of the year, and we can’t wait to welcome the community for a night that’s both fun and educational. We hope to see you there!

Merrimac Fire Department

Join us for our Open House on Sunday, October 5th from 10am-2 pm to kick off Fire Prevention Week! Come check out our brand new Pumper Tender Fire Truck and take advantage of our first ever Merrimac Fire Department Fundraiser Calendar Drop! Participate in demos, activities, giveaways, and a photo booth for the kiddos. You don’t want to miss this! See you there!

Every year, many children start school with mixed and often conflicting feelings about the unknown, based upon past experiences. The beginning of the school year is a time marked with many positive and negative predictions regarding the experiences to come from both themselves and their significant caregivers. For example, a new teacher(s), new classmates, a new schedule/routine, a new room (maybe a new school), new expectations, and possibly a new set of friends will need to be made.

During this adjustment time, children can experience and display their negative feelings by having physical symptoms, such as a stomachache, headache, irritability, crying and loss of sleep. However, some children will ask their parents, teacher, school counselor, or other trusted adults in their lives for ideas about dealing with those feelings. In any case, it is important for those adults to listen to the child’s concerns. Even though the concerns may seem minimal to adults, any concern a child has is a big deal to the child at the time.

The school counselor is available to all students in all classrooms at Grand Avenue Elementary School, while also offering individuals an opportunity to ask for help privately. If a student would like to receive help from the school counselor at any time throughout the year, they can ask their teacher or other adult to communicate their request via the telephone or email listed below. The school counselor will meet with the student in a timely manner. If these concerns are more complicated than situational and/or developmental changes, the student’s guardians will be contacted and a further plan developed.

All classrooms will have Guidance lessons 3 times each month, for a total of 27 lessons, as well as a weekly video introduction to the character trait we are focusing on each month. In September, all Grand Avenue learners will be continuing to develop their KINDNESS and RESPECT traits, while also practicing skills that supplement each trait.

WE look forward to spending the year with our Grand students and strive to support them on their successful educational journey!

“Miss Sadie” (Sadie Sutter)

Grand Avenue School Counselor

(608) 643-1969

sadie.sutter@saukprairieschools.org

Thank you for continuing to support your children and our schools!

GSPie (said G - S - Pie)

Your Parent-Caregiver Organization

The PTO/PTA at Bridges and Grand Ave

Tuesday, September 16 at 6:30 PM at Bridges Elementary

Welcome back, families! We’re so excited to kick off another fun-filled school year. GSPie has lots of great plans ahead and can’t wait to share the adventure with you and your children! Keep an eye out this fall in the school newsletters and in your child's folder for information on our fall and winter social events, GSPie meeting dates and times, and more! If you would like to be added to the GSPie email list, please email us at gspie2@gmail.com.

Grand Gallop

Mark your calendars! The Grand Gallop is happening on Friday, September 26. This is our only fundraiser of the year—and it’s always a day full of energy, school spirit, and fun for the kids. We can’t wait to see everyone cheering them on! For more information, check out the Grand Gallop newsletter.

Get Involved - Your Way!

Join us for our upcoming GSPie meeting and see how you can be part of our amazing school community! Whether you have a little time or a lot, there’s a place for you. Come learn what we’re about—no pressure, just connection! Our first meeting of the school year is Tuesday, September 16 at 6:30pm at Bridges Elementary. We would love to see you there!

If your child is ill, going to an appointment, or will be late to school, please call the attendance line before 8:15 am (608-643-1991). This phone line is available 24 hours a day. If you e-mail or call the teacher, you still need to contact the office. It is essential that the school is aware of your child's absence. If a child misses more than an hour in the morning or afternoon, they will be marked absent for half a day. Students leaving early will be marked with a Q code, which is similar to a tardy.

If you call your child in with an illness, we would like you to, please let us know the symptoms, i.e., a fever, sore throat, headache, cough, etc., that your child may have.

In addition, if your child usually rides the bus, please call Lamers to let them know if your child will not be riding the bus. They can be contacted at 608-460-7050.

To ensure the safety of students and allow for adjustments in bus routes, a parent/guardian must complete this form prior to their child riding a bus route that is different from the child's regular dismissal plan documented in Skyward.

The district strongly encourages all requests to be submitted prior to 11:00 AM on the day the change is needed. This form applies to all students in all grades (4K - Grade 12).

CLICK HERE TO COMPLETE FORM​​​​​​​

When dropping off or picking up students, please be sure to use the Grand Avenue main entrance doors that face Grand Avenue. Please do not use the parking lot as this is for busses and staff only. In addition, to improve the traffic flow, please pull up toward Marion Park instead of stopping directly in front of the main entrance. This will help prevent traffic issues at the stop signs. You can also drop your child off near the crossing guards who can assist with crossing the street. Additionally, please have your child exit the vehicle closest to the sidewalk rather than onto the street.

We appreciate your cooperation in helping keep everyone safe.

​

Eligibility for free and reduced-price meals is based on Federal income eligibility guidelines

or participation in other programs including Food Share, W-2 Cash Benefits, Food

Distribution on Indian Reservations, and some Medicaid programs. Households are

encouraged to apply for free or reduced-price meal benefits before the start of the school

year.

Free & Reduced Food Service Applications

To apply for free or reduced meals, the Food Service application must be completed every

year. Applications may be completed at any point during the school year as income may

change. You can choose to print the forms or complete the forms online.

The cost of school meals varies by grade level. These prices apply to students who do not qualify for free or reduced-price meals.

If you have questions, are unsure of your child(ren)s eligibility for free or reduced-price

meals, or would like to request an application, please contact Tammy Smith at 608-643-

5983 or tammy.smith@saukprairieschools.org

We invite all parents and guardians to explore the exciting catalog of enrichment and lifelong learning opportunities offered through a collaboration between Sauk Prairie Schools Community Education and the Sauk Prairie Recreation Department. From youth programs to older adults there’s something for every age and interest. Whether you and/or your child are eager to try something new or you're looking for ways to engage in the community, we encourage you to browse the catalog and discover all the ways to learn, grow, and connect in Sauk Prairie.

• Are you looking to purchase tickets for high school events this year? See this link:25/26 TICKET INFORMATION

As a reminder- staff and their school aged immediate family have free admission when the family members arrive at the gate together. The employee just needs to show their ID badge. If family members (school aged students) do not come with their parents, they need to purchase a pass. (The exception is if the school employee is currently working the event or coaching). Contact the athletic office if you have questions.

• If you are in need of some new Eagle apparel, here is the link to our school store: https://sideline.bsnsports.com/schools/wisconsin/prairiedusac/sauk-prairie-high-school

• I am sharing the stadium expectations for spectators: STADIUM EXPECTATIONS. If you have questions, please reach out to the Athletic office.

The Sauk Prairie School District wants to make sure your child/family is included in mailing lists and communications once your child is old enough to register for 4K or Kindergarten classes. If you have a child who is age 5 or under and have not previously completed a SPSD Future Student Form, please complete one today! Use the link below to access the form or pick up a form at the SPSD District Office (440 13th Street, Prairie du Sac). If you have any questions, please email Stephanie Tarnutzer, the District Registrar, or call 608-643-5984. Thank you!

Future SPSD Student Form - English

Future SPSD Student Form - Spanish