Panther Digest

Dear Prairie View Families,

Welcome to the 2026–2027 school year! It was wonderful to see so many of our students and families at Open House this week. Thank you for taking the time to join us, reconnect with our staff, visit classrooms, and help kick off another great year at Prairie View!

Our theme this year is Growing Together. Throughout the year, we will focus on the idea that when we support one another, learn from one another, and work together, our entire Prairie View community grows stronger.

On behalf of the entire PVES staff, thank you for sharing your children with us this year. It is a privilege to be part of their learning, growth, and journey. We are excited for all that lies ahead and can't wait to watch our Panthers grow together this year!

Here's to an amazing 2026–2027 school year!

Sincerely,

Valerie Vos
Principal, Prairie View Elementary

At Prairie View, we believe that every child thrives in a school community where they feel safe, valued, and supported. Throughout the year, we will continue to teach, model, and celebrate our three schoolwide behavior expectations:

🌱 Be Respectful
🌱 Be Responsible
🌱 Be Safe

These expectations guide our classrooms, hallways, cafeteria, playground, buses, and all school activities. During the first weeks of school, students will spend time learning and practicing what these expectations look and sound like in every area of our building.

We encourage you to reinforce these expectations at home by talking with your child about how they can show respect, responsibility, and safety each day. When school and home work together, we help every Panther grow into a confident, caring, and responsible member of our community.

As we prepare for a great school year, we'd like to ask for your partnership with one important expectation.

Please keep all squishy toys and similar fidget toys at home. Students should not bring squishies to school, including on the bus, in backpacks, to classrooms, or to recess.

While these items are fun, they often become a distraction to learning and can lead to sharing concerns, lost or damaged items, and disagreements between students.

If a student requires a sensory or fidget tool as part of a documented support plan or as determined by school staff, one will be provided for use at school.

Thank you for helping us create a focused, safe, and positive learning environment for all students. We appreciate your support and partnership!

Picture day is scheduled during the morning of Thursday, September 24th. Pictures will be taken by Network Photography. Picture packets can be ordered and paid for online only, directly to Network Photography.

4-Year Old Kindergarten - 6th Grade:

8:30-3:35 Monday-Friday

Students can start getting dropped off by 8:18 AM. Students need to be ready to learn at 8:30 when the final bell rings.

If you need to leave the car to help your child get out of the vehicle in the morning, please pull off to the side visitor parking spots and help your child cross to an adult.

At the end of the day, parents picking up students must wait outside the designated doors. We do not have a pick up line, all vehicles must be parked in a designated parking space. Please see image below for details. Parents may not enter the building during drop off and pick up.

Thank you for working together with the school on our safety policies!

Bus route information is posted in Infinite Campus. It is recommended that your child be at the appropriate pick-up point 5 minutes early. Buses, in many cases, will not be on time the first week, so please be patient. Any questions regarding busing should be directed to Dousman Transportation at 262-392-2243.

Drivers are instructed to pick up students at assigned stops only. This prevents students from dangerously walking or running along town and subdivision roads to another location. Students have ample time to socialize with friends at scheduled recesses and after school hours. Thank you for following your assigned scheduled bus stop.

At Prairie View we encourage a strong partnership between the home, school, and community, and recognize a positive relationship between good school attendance and success in school. If student learning and growth are to take place, parents, students, and school personnel must recognize their responsibilities to assure regular attendance. We now have two methods available to report a student absence.

New Infinite Campus Parent Portal Feature - Absence Requests

Parents are now able to submit absence requests via the Infinite Campus Parent Portal or Mobile App. School staff can review and process requests to automatically update attendance. Save time and make your absence requests via the Infinite Campus Parent Portal!

School Attendance Line: 262-392-6310 (Then Press 1)

The Prairie View School Attendance Line offers 24 hour voice mail messaging. Please call the main office numbers 262-392-6310 and listen for the prompts. All absences and tardies should be called in by 8:30 a.m. on the day of the absence or tardy. The message should include the child’s name, the teacher’s name, and the reason for the absence. If your child will be late, please include their hot lunch choice (option #1 or #2) OR cold lunch.

The office will contact the parents/guardians of absent children when a student absence has not been received either via phone call or Infinite Campus entry by 9:00 a.m. on the day of absence.

Please note any pre-planned absence exceeding one day, a Planned Absence Form should be completed and turned in to the office PRIOR to the date of absence.

All birthday treats sent to school must be pre-packaged or packaged into easy to serve individual servings. All treats must be sensitive to any allergies within the classroom. Balloons and decorations should be kept at home to celebrate with your family.

Interested in volunteering in our schools? All volunteers must have an approved volunteer application on file before volunteering or signing up for school events.

Important reminders:

• Complete the online volunteer application at least five school days before your first volunteer assignment.
• A Social Security number and birth date are required for the background check process.
• Once approved, you may volunteer in any MASD building.
• Volunteer approval is valid for two years.
• When arriving at school, please check in at the kiosk and select VOLUNTEER (not Visitor) so the proper screening and admittance process can be completed.

To learn more or complete an application, visit the Mukwonago Area School District website under Families → Quick Links → Volunteering or go directly to the volunteer page www.masd.k12.wi.us .

The Prairie View student directory is now available through PTBoard, our PTO's communication platform. If you’d like access to the directory, be sure to sign up! PTBoard is also the best place to stay up to date on PTO events, volunteer opportunities, and school news.

📲 Sign up here: https://prairieview.ptboard.com

Don’t miss out—join today!

Parents will need to put money into their child's lunch account through the Infinite Campus Portal. You may check the balance at anytime by accessing the Infinite Campus Parent Portal. You will receive an automatic low balance or negative balance phone call if your child needs money added to his/her account. Payments may be made online through the Infinite Campus Parent Portal, or paid by check made out to MASD and sent to the school office. The hot lunch price for this year is $3.45 and includes one milk. If a child takes a milk with a cold lunch, they will be charged $0.50

The 2026-2027 elementary registration fee is $61.00. This fee may be paid through your Infinite Campus Parent Portal (preferred method). You may also pay by check made payable to MASD. Please be sure to include your student(s) name on the check and/or envelope to ensure that the payment is applied to the correct student accounts. Fees should be paid prior to the first parent/teacher conference in October.

The district will have a grace period waiving the service fee assessed to parents for online payments made now through September 30, 2026.

The MASD will waive fees assessed only for students whose parent(s) are unable to afford them and such fees are barriers to the educational program. Students are eligible for a waiver of school fee include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Students who qualify for free or reduced breakfast/lunch under the School Free Lunch Program Act.

• Students who are experiencing homelessness (see School Board policy 5111.01 for more info)

• Students whose families have suffered very significant losses of income due to severe illness or injury in the family or unusual expenses including, but not limited to, fire, flood, or storm damage

• Other good and just reasons, as determined by the District.

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Families who may be eligible for free or reduced lunch should submit a free lunch application. This can also be filled out electronically through the Infinite Campus Parent Portal. If a parent does not have Internet access, the school’s front office should make available a print copy of this application.

Parents of students who qualify for free/reduced lunch who want other fees waived, such as athletic fees, must complete the fee waiver questions in the Infinite Campus Annual Update. The waiving of student fees for free/reduced students cannot take place until the food service office has updated the student FRAM waiver tab with the WAIVER YEAR STATUS and EFFECTIVE DATE. If the parent is not able to use the Infinite Campus Parent Portal, they should be directed to FAMILIES / FORMS / K-12 GENERAL FORMS / FRAM WAIVER FOR SECONDARY HOUSEHOLD.

The Infinite Campus Annual Update contains fee waiver questions for parents of students who qualify for free or reduced lunches.

For individuals who do not qualify for free or reduced lunches who cannot pay school fees or fines, they may write a letter/email requesting a waiver of fees to Tom Karthausser, Chief Financial Officer. The letter/email must include the following:

• Name(s) of student(s)

• Name of parent(s)

• Address of parent(s)

• Phone number of parent(s)

• School where student(s) attend

• Reason for request for waiver of fees

The decision of the Chief Financial Officer is final. The email can be sent to karthto@masd.k12.wi.us.

Families who cannot make immediate payment can request to create a payment plan. The option to create payment plans should be communicated to families at open house events at the beginning of each school year, and this form should be made available to those who request one.

1. A payment plan is not in effect until the MASD Payment Plan Form has been submitted to the Business Office and the first payment has been made.

2. Payment plans are considered void once a payment is missed.

3. Payment plans shall not extend beyond the current school year.

4. Payment plans are calculated by the total outstanding amount divided by the number of months remaining in the school year (not including June). The first payment is due at signing and subsequent payments are due on the 15th of the month.

5. School administrative assistants are able to set up payment plans for current year’s fees only, using the MASD Payment Plan Form. The first payment should be deposited by the school, and the completed form sent to the Business Office.

6. Payment plans for previous years’ fees must originate with the Business Office. School administrative assistants should direct parents who are interested in a payment plan for previous year’s fees to contact the Business Office or provide parents directions for immediate payment in Infinite Campus.

Students in 4th, 5th and 6th grade are eligible to join the orchestra and learn to play a stringed instrument (violin, viola, or cello)! Anyone is welcome to join, even if you do not have any playing experience. Orchestra days are Mondays (PM) and Wednesdays (AM). Ms. Kosier will be visiting classrooms during the first week of school with sign-up forms for students to take home, and more information about when large group classes and lesson groups will be meeting. For now, here is a timeline of dates to look out for:

Week of August 31st: 5th and 6th grade Orchestra will begin meeting for large group classes this week. No instruments are needed yet.

Week of September 7th: 5th and 6th graders begin small group lessons with instruments.

September 9th: Instrument Fitting Night at RHES 6:00pm for 4th graders and any other new Orchestra students.

September 10th: Instrument Fitting Night at CES 6:00pm (you do not need to attend both evenings, just pick which one works best for you)

September 14th: 4th grade begins meeting for Orchestra classes! We will not need instruments this week, to allow families time to secure their instrument rentals. 4th graders need to have instruments ready by the week of September 21st.

Please reach out at kosieja@masd.k12.wi.us if you have any questions. It's going to be a great school year!!!

♫ Ms. Kosier ♫

Hello Fifth Grade Families,

I hope you had a wonderful summer and are excited for the start of the 2026–2027 school year!

If your child plans to participate in 5th Grade Band this year, this is a reminder to obtain an instrument or complete the online rental form through White House of Music as soon as possible. Students will need to have their instruments by the second week of school, so if you have not yet secured an instrument or submitted the rental form, please do so at your earliest convenience.

I am looking forward to a fantastic year of making music together! As always, if you have any questions, please feel free to contact me at montare@masd.k12.wi.us.

Thank you for your support, and I look forward to working with your child this year!

Mr. Montanye

We're building a play group where every child can learn, connect, play, and grow friendships in a safe, supportive, and positive environment. sign up today in our Google Form!

Please feel free to reach out to the office staff with any questions or concerns:

Mrs. Valerie Vos, Principal

262-392-6310, ext. 26500

vosva@masd.k12.wi.us

Mrs. Valerie Politoski, Administrative Assistant

262-392-6310, ext. 26501

politva@masd.k12.wi.us

Mrs. Tara Rice, Clerk

262-392-6310, ext. 26502

riceta@masd.k12.wi.us

Mrs. Danielle Jones, Health Assistant

262-392-6310, ext. 26503

fendrci@masd.k12.wi.us