August 2026
Dear Holton Families,
Community Before-School Program
“We want to make families/caregivers aware of a few before- and after-school opportunities available to IJ Holton and Ellis students in our community.”
Youth for Christ (YFC), an independent community organization, operates a before-school program at Bethlehem Church near Ellis Middle School. The program operates from 6:55 to 7:45 a.m. Students who participate walk from Bethlehem Church to Ellis Middle School or I.J. Holton Intermediate School before the school day begins. Youth for Christ operates this program independently and is not sponsored, supervised, or endorsed by Austin Public Schools. Families/caregivers interested in information about the program should contact Youth for Christ directly.
Safety Reminder
Students participating in the program may walk from Bethlehem Church to school. We ask families/caregivers to drive carefully and watch for students near the school parking lot entrance during morning drop-off.
YMCA Teen Center and After-School Transportation
We are also excited to continue to bus our students to the YMCA so they can access the Teen Center, which provides students with a free, supervised environment after school. The Teen Center offers homework help, games, activities, snacks, special events, and opportunities for students to connect with friends in a safe and positive setting.
To make accessing the Teen Center even easier, the YMCA provides free after-school transportation from IJ Holton/Ellis Middle School.
Important transportation information:
The YMCA bus picks up students in Lane 1 in front of Ellis.
The bus can transport up to 18 students at a time and will make additional trips if needed.
A school staff member will supervise students during transportation.
During unsafe weather or other conditions that make waiting outside unsuitable, students will be brought indoors and supervised near Door 26 until transportation arrives.
To ensure a safe and positive experience for all students, riders are expected to follow school and bus expectations and cooperate with staff directions. Students who are unable to meet these expectations may lose transportation privileges.
We would like to thank these community organizations for providing additional opportunities for students and families/caregivers.
Best Regards,
Mr. Schara
Mr. Malo's Shout Out
Dear Families,
We are so glad to have your child with us; welcome to the new school year! I hope you and your family are settling into routines and enjoying the fresh start. We are grateful for your partnership as we work together to create a safe, supportive, and joyful learning environment.
Important Announcements
STAR Reading: Sept. 2 and 3
No School: Sept. 7 — school is closed for the holiday. Enjoy the long weekend!
STAR Math: Sept. 9 and 10
CAPTI Screening: Week of Sept. 14
5th Grade Nature Center Trip: Sept. 22–24
This Week’s Celebrations
- Great start to the school year! Students are learning and practicing our expectations and routines.
- Teachers are already seeing students showing kindness, curiosity, and responsibility in classrooms and hallways.
- We are grateful for families who have helped children prepare; your support is making a real difference.
Arrival & Dismissal Reminders (Safety First)
- Please pull up to the curb for quick drop-off and pick-up; do not stop in the driving lane.
- If you are parked across the street, please walk across to escort your child — do not have them cross alone.
- Your careful attention during arrival and dismissal helps prevent accidents and keeps everyone safe. Thank you for helping with this.
Thank you for your ongoing support in helping our students learn and grow. We appreciate your trust and partnership. Together we will make this a wonderful year. If you have questions or need assistance, please contact the school office or your child’s teacher.
We look forward to working with you and celebrating many more successes this year.
Kane Malo
Hello, Holton Families-
What a weird feeling. Here we are writing our second newsletter of the year and having it only be the beginning of September. I guess a new calendar brings us new experiences. Speaking of new experiences, I hope your child or children have come home excited about the things happening at Holton this year. If your child is a 5th grader, everything is new to them. If your child is a returning 6th grader, their schedule and teachers are new. New brings on excitement, but it also brings on worry and stress. If your child has beginning of the year anxiety, it is perfectly normal. Sometimes adapting takes a little longer for some than others. Trust us when we tell you that your child WILL learn how to open his or her locker. They WILL figure out their schedule and where that classroom is.
Having been in education for way more years than I care to admit, I have learned a few things. Some of those things may help your child adjust to some of the nervousness or anxiousness they may be feeling, especially if your child is entering 5th grade. In my opinion, the biggest obstacle many fifth graders experience is going from the safety and comfort of their elementary where they have the same group of friends from year to year, to the big school where you have students from all four elementary schools. It is completely normal for your child to feel confused and sad when the friends they have had for years suddenly find new friends that have come from the other schools and your child is left out. Encourage and support your child. Let them know that this kind of change is normal, sometimes painful, but frequently very exciting if they are willing expand their horizons. Great rewards are to be found in the unknown!
Who doesn’t love rewards and celebrations? The PBIS Program (Positive Behavioral Interventions and Support) at Holton continues to be a highlight of our school. Perhaps your child has mentioned the frequent teaching of expectations while in certain areas of the school. Maybe they have mentioned the four rules of Holton: Be Respectful, Be Responsible, Be Safe, and Do Your Best. Recently, your child may have found out how we say thank you to the students of Holton for meeting or exceeding our expectations. Our Friday drawings began on August 28thth. This is a chance for your child to win incredibly cool prizes: water bottles, books, posters, and packs of sports cards, just to name a few. (Special thank you to Mike Cunningham at Rail Yard Sports Cards in Austin, for hooking us up with endless amounts of football, baseball, soccer, basketball, hockey, UFC and Marvel Comic cards.) Our first school wide celebration will take place in October. More details to come!
At IJ Holton, we encourage our students to be Respectful, Responsible, Safe, and to Do Their Best! If at any time you have any questions or concerns, please email me david.brown@austin.k12.mn.us or call me at 460-1525. Enjoy the beautiful weather!
David Brown
IJ Holton Dean of Students
The Austin Public Schools have placed a $24.9 million bond referendum on the November 3 ballot.
The proposed funding would address identified facility needs across the District, including:
• Improving safety and security
• Increasing accessibility
• Addressing water infiltration
• Updating aging building systems and finishes
• Completing needed repairs to keep the Ellis Middle School pool operational
Community members are encouraged to learn more about the proposal, review project information, and submit questions through the District’s referendum website.
BARR
IJ Holton Families,
I am excited to continue as the BARR Coordinator at both IJ Holton & Ellis as IJ Holton enters Year 2! The staff completed a full day training from the BARR Center on August 17, 2026. This interactive training experience was titled “Effective Team Meetings in BARR.” The focus was on identifying the elements of an effective team, demonstrating an understanding of the role of Community Connect & Block meetings as a solution-focused process, effectively using collaborative problem-solving within the team structure, and integrating other skills & knowledge of nonacademic obstacles to enhance school effectiveness in promoting success for every student. The BARR strategies are listed below as well as a little information about our I-Time sessions coming up in September. Please always feel free to reach out to me with any questions you have.
Sincerely,
Karen Dunbar, IJ Holton & Ellis BARR Coordinator
karen.dunbar@austin.k12.mn.us
BARR Strategies
Focus on the whole student.
Provide professional development for teachers, counselors, and administration.
Use BARR’s U-Time Curriculum to foster a climate for learning.
Create a cohort of students.
Hold regular meetings of the cohort teacher teams.
Conduct community connect meetings.
Engage families in student learning.
Engage administrators.
U-Time Sessions
9/3/26
Grade 5 & 6 House Rules
All students will learn about BARR and I-Time lessons during Connect time. Then, they will come up with House Rules that will be used for every I-Time lesson.
9/10/26
Grade 5 & 6 Student Questionnaire
Students will complete a student questionnaire. This will allow staff to learn more about their hobbies, interests, favorite school subjects, and dreams for the future.
9/17/26
Grade 5 My Name in Lights
Students explored their hopes and dreams for the future and demonstrated the importance of having a growth mindset. They used color, drawing, and writing to illustrate this concept.
Grade 6 Do You Know Your Neighbor?
This activity helped classes build a community in the classroom by learning their classmates' names and similar information about each other. There was movement involved with a rotation of leaders.
9/24/26
Grade 5 I Am
Students identified positive relationships, self-worth, and self-acceptance. The book, I Am Enough by Grace Byers, was read. Students also drew a picture illustrating the quality of themselves that they wanted to celebrate.
Grade 6 Letter of Understanding
In this lesson, students had the chance to share information with their teacher in the form of a letter. This will help their teacher understand them better. Students were encouraged to share things such as pets, places they had traveled to, activities and hobbies they enjoyed, and hopes they have for the future.
Consistent Attendance Matters!
At Austin Public Schools, we know that showing up matters. Consistent attendance is one of the clearest predictors of a student’s success, not only in the classroom, but in life after graduation. Students who attend school regularly are more likely to achieve academically, graduate on time, and find success in college, careers, or both.
Strong attendance also tells us something important: it reflects how connected students and families/caregivers feel to their school community. When attendance drops, whether for specific groups or across the district, it often signals challenges we can help address, including school climate and engagement, as well as social, emotional, or family barriers.
That’s why we’re focused on building schools where students want to be. Through strong instruction, supportive relationships, and programs that care for the whole child, Austin Public Schools is working to ensure every student feels welcome, supported, and ready to learn each day. When students feel that connection, they show up, and when they show up, they succeed.
Please watch our new video about the importance of attendance.
Please watch our new video about the importance of attendance.
9/2-3: STAR Reading Testing
9/7: No School
9/9-10: STAR Math Testing
9/14-17: Capti Testing
9/18: Homecoming
9/23: Picture Retake Day
9/28: No School for Students (Staff report to work)
9/29-30: Dental Health Services
The start of the new school year is off an running!
