Red Oak Reader

Email: kellis@shakopee.k12.mn.us
Website: Click Here
Location: 7700 Old Carriage Court, Shakopee, MN, USA
Phone: 952-496-5952

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4/6: School Resumes

4/8: PTO Meeting (6:30-7:30 - Red Oak Cafeteria)

4/9: 2:00 -1st grade music program

2:45 - 5th grade music program

*For both programs, please park in the lower lot and enter through the gym doors. Doors open 15 mins prior to each performance. If you'd like sibling to attend, please reach out to their teacher by 4/8.

4/14: Kindergarten Round Up (5:30-7:00 pm)

4/15: PTO Spring Social and Bookfair

4/17: Student Council Dress Up Day: TWIN DAY

4/21: 2nd grade music program

please park in the lower lot and enter through the gym doors. Doors open 15 mins prior to the performance. If you'd like sibling to attend, please reach out to their teacher by 4/20.

Follow Shakopee Schools on Instagram, Facebook, X, LinkedIn and YouTube for the latest updates!

5/7: Spring Pictures + K and 5th graduation photos

5/8: NO SCHOOL

5/11: Annual Elementary Art Show (opening reception) 4:30p-6p at the Shakopee Library -- art is on site May 11 - 22

5/12: STEM Night (see info below)

5/13: PTO meeting (6:30-7:30pm)

5/25: NO SCHOOL: Memorial Day

Greetings, Red Oak Families!

Welcome back from Spring Break — and welcome to the 4th quarter! It's hard to believe we're in the home stretch of the school year, but an exciting stretch it is. Between now and June, we have a wonderful lineup of events including music programs, kindergarten and 5th grade graduation ceremonies, and field trips. Watch for announcements so you can get these dates on your calendar — your child would love to have you there!

📆 Coming up Wednesday, April 15: Don't miss our Spring Social and Silent Auction + Book fair! We hope to see you there for a fun evening supporting our school community.

📋 Report Cards Are Available

Before Spring Break, teachers dedicated time to completing report cards so you can see the progress your child is making. Report cards are now live in Infinite Campus — find out how to access them here. Be sure to also check out the online rubrics, which provide additional detail by language, grade, and subject. They're a great companion to the report card.

If you have any questions about a grade or subject area, please reach out directly to your child's teacher — they're happy to help!

Thank you for your continued support, your trust in Red Oak, and for sharing your wonderful children with us every day. It is truly a privilege to be with them daily.

Your partner in education,

Mrs. Ellis, Principal

Please join us for our annual Spring Social/Silent Auction/annual teacher raffle + Book fair will be Wednesday April 15th 5-7p in the School Cafeteria, Gym and 1st grade cluster. We will have food to purchase, activities and all sorts of fun for all ages.

NOT A DROP OFF EVENT - Children must be supervised by a parent/guardian (older than 16 years) during the entire event and stay within the designated areas.

Kindergarten Round-Up will be held on April 14th from 5:30pm-7:00pm at Red Oak Elementary. This special evening is a wonderful opportunity for incoming kindergarteners and their families to:

• Meet the Kindergarten teachers
• Visit and explore the classrooms
• Take a bus ride
• Learn more about what it means to be a Kindergartener
• Participate in other fun activities

We look forward to welcoming our newest students and sharing this exciting milestone with you! No RSVP needed.

FREE, Two-Day Camp Experience in August at Each of Shakopee’s Five Elementary Schools!

Save the Date: August 4 & 5, 2026
AM/PM Sessions available

This free, unique experience is a great way for incoming Kindergarten students to get excited about the upcoming school year while also building relationships and comfort within the school community. Dedicated Kindergarten teachers and building principals will lead each session along with additional support staff.

Kinder Kamp is open to all incoming Shakopee Public Schools Kindergarten families that have a child(ren) who will be age 5 by September 1, 2026. It is a two-day session with AM or PM options (must choose the same option for both days).

Registration opens March 2, 2026.

While the 2025–26 school year is still in full swing, Shakopee Public Schools is sharing information early to help families prepare for Fall 2026. Additional details and reminders will be shared this spring/summer. Click below to view the full Fall 2026 K-12 Planning Guide.

Twin Day on April 17th!

Dress like someone else or wear your MN Twin's gear

The Shakopee Elementary Summer Learning Adventures Program is an invite-only opportunity for rising 1st–5th Grade students, designed to provide an extra boost for the upcoming school year.

Shakopee Middle School Summer Learning Adventures (summer school) is now open for registration for rising students in Grades 6-8 (current 5th, 6th and 7th Grade students). This free summer program is open to any current student.

Registration closes on March 27, 2026. Families can register online in Infinite Campus by clicking here.

• Select the Student Profile of the student from the home screen.

• Select the Summer Program document in the Documents Need Attention list. Select Continue Edit.

• Complete the registration form, be sure to select your transportation needs. Agree to use Electronic Signatures and select sign to sign your document

• Click Submit when finished. The completed document will show in Parent Portal the next day.

Shakopee Public Schools is excited to offer families Stopfinder, a FREE and optional app designed to make school bus transportation smoother and more predictable. If you are not already signed up, please email transportation@shakopee.k12.mn.us for the activation email that can be resent.

Stopfinder allows approved guardians to easily:

• See bus pick-up /drop-off times and locations.
• Track your child's bus location during their active route.
• Get alerts when the bus is near.
• Share access with caregivers, your child and/or family members.

(PreK-12 bus times/locations are also available in Infinite Campus)

BINGO Celebration Success!

Our recent Saber Way PBIS BINGO celebration was a fun-filled success! Students across the school enjoyed playing BINGO together while celebrating their hard work in being Respectful, Responsible, Safe, and Kind.

The excitement was high, the smiles were big, and it was a great way to recognize the expected choices students are making every day.

A special thank you to the families who generously donated prizes—your support helped make this celebration extra exciting for our students!

Thank you for continuing to support our school community and helping our students live the Saber Way each day!

Happy April everyone!

Below is an outline for our overall grade level goals:

K/1: Clay sculptures (a swap of lessons from last month)

2/3: Glazing our clay creations and moving into other 3D arts

4/5: Painting techniques and if time allows, begin our unit on fiber arts

An art show is coming in May and will be happening at the Shakopee Library! Around 60 pieces will be selected from each elementary school. If your students work is chosen, there will a communication sent home. ALL students and families/friends are welcome to attend the show. More information will be posted in May’s newsletter.

Music Fun!

Welcome to the 4th quarter! Spring is filled with so much activity and we are excited to keep experiencing music in an active way! The 1st, 2nd and 5th graders are working hard at preparing a fun music program for you in the month of April.

Kindergarten: We are singing many new songs and learning how to read simple rhythm patterns using different icons. The Kindergarten will perform for their special adults at the Graduation program at the end of the school year.

Grade 1: We are putting together our final touches for our music program which is on April 9th at 2:00.p.m. It is titled, “We are the Stars”. After the program is over, we will begin a unit on the Instruments of the Orchestra using a musical story called, “Peter and the Wolf”.

Grade 2: We are deep into practicing our music program songs so that we can perform on April 21st at 2:45 p.m. The program is titled, “Friends”.

Grade 3, Multi-grade and Grade 4: We are basking in the accomplishment of performing our combined music program. Wow! All of those beautiful voices singing together was so incredible. In the month of April, we will be learning various musical concepts using the famous piece, “Carnival of the Animals” by Camille Saint Saens.

Grade 5: We are finishing preparations for our music program titled, “It’s a Musical World”. This program features music from all parts of the world and highlights regions where our students have family connections. This program will be on April 9 at 2:45 p.m. Following the program, we will dive into playing Ukuleles for the rest of the month of April.

We are busy, busy, busy!! I feel so thankful everyday to work with your children. Thank you for sharing them with us. We can’t wait to see you at their programs! Let’s go!!

Hello everyone!!

​Nice weather is finally approaching (hopefully) as we enter the month of April. This month students will be focusing on two different units, team building and racket sports. Our team building unit consist of multiple student favorite fun games with an emphasis on teamwork and good sportsmanship. There will be throwing games, building games (hula-hoops), kicking games, and possibly even the parachute. Students really have a lot of fun with this unit as we play some of Red Oaks favorite games! After this unit we will start our racket unit (3rd-5th grade focusing on badminton and pickleball, K-2nd working on volleying with an implement in their hands by themselves or in small groups). If weather permits, we will take advantage of some sunshine and go outside for laps around our track as a warmup. We call this our “Mileage Club” where students get a punch card and every lap they finish get a punch. If they fill out the entire card, they get a “toe token and chain” to wear as a neckless or put on their backpacks!

***Please note- Cold and wet weather is still possible, please ask you student(s) what cycle day (1-4) they have PE class and help them come prepared with shoes and possibly an extra pair of pants (if no snowpants). Wet boots and pants are a scary thing in a gym with a bunch of moving bodies so the drier we can keep the floor, the safer it is for all. I have a closet of extra shoes students can borrow at any time, but with your help we can make sure all students come prepared and are ready to be active in a safe and comfortable way!

As always, some of the main goals of physical education are for students to find something physically active that they enjoy and can do for a lifetime, how to work with others (teamwork), sportsmanship (how to handle winning and losing appropriately and respectfully), the importance of being physically active, being safe while moving, and having fun! We will continue to focus on these lifelong skills throughout the month of April in PE at Red Oak!

THANK YOU!!!!!!!

Mr. Gotto

March was an exciting month in STEM! Students explored a wide range of technology experiences, including robots, coding activities, LEGO kits, and more. It has been wonderful to see their high level of engagement as they collaborated with different classmates, problem-solved, and persevered through challenges.

As we move into April, our focus will shift to more hands-on learning experiences. Students will work with a variety of materials to design, build, and problem-solve while continuing to strengthen their teamwork skills. It’s been exciting to watch their creativity and collaboration grow!

We’re looking forward to continuing the fun at our upcoming STEM Family Night! Please see the information below for more details. I can’t wait to see you all there!

Just a reminder, per our student/parent handbook:

Due to allergies, socioeconomic and nutritional concerns, students should refrain from bringing in treats on their birthday. Families may honor their student by purchasing a “birthday book” for the Media Center or by making a donation to the Shakopee Education Endowment Foundation (SEEF) in a child’s name.

Schools ask that students do not bring birthday invitations to school. To respect the feelings of students who have not been invited to the party, invitations should be delivered by some other means. Please do not send gifts of any kind to others at school.

We are in our unpredictable weather, with snow melting, it does get messy outside. Remember to send your child(ren) with clothing that is appropriate for the varying weather throughout the day. It is helpful when their clothing is clearly labeled. Packing extra clothes is a great idea, just incase their clothes get wet from the snow or dirty from the mud.

Please remind your child(ren) of the importance of wearing their outdoor clothing when they go outside for recess.

If you are in need of warmer clothes or winter gear for your child(ren), please contact our social worker, Katie Smith: ksmith@shakopee.k12.mn.us 952-496-5956 or let your child's teacher know.

Learning, Teaching & Equity is seeking membership for the 25-26 District Advisory Council. The District Advisory Council is a group of dedicated community members who collaborate with school district leaders to provide input, share insights, and help make informed decisions around the design, implementation, and evaluation of curriculum to meet Minnesota Graduation Standards.

All meetings are held on Mondays from 6:00-7:00pm at the District Office in Room 201. Tentative dates for the District Advisory Council meetings for the 2025-2026 school year are:

• April 20, 2026

Please reach out to Katie Johnson (kajohnso@shakopee.k12.mn.us) if you are interested.

During the course of the year, please read my monthly newsletters as this will be the primary source for students and caregivers to find out information about upcoming events, newsletters, PTO news, etc.

Families, we want you to be as involved at Red Oak as you can, are able to, or want to be. Our teachers have many volunteer opportunities both within the classroom and outside of the classroom. Some examples of opportunities include (but are not limited to): reading books to the class and sharing your culture and other experiences, going on field trips and even have projects to take home. We want to learn from you and grow with you. Ask your child's teacher how to get involved.

If you'd like to attend a field trip with your child, you must complete and pass a background check.

If you're interested in volunteering, attending a field trip or have some questions about volunteering, please reach out to our volunteer coordinator, Jessica Schmidt. Jschmidt@shakopee.k12.mn.us

Click here to fill out the required volunteer application.

Please only send water to school for your students to drink throughout the day. This is the best drink for them to stay hydrated. If anything else is sent to school (besides for lunch) they will be asked to either drink it in the office or put it away until they return home.

A few reminders worth noting to the beginning and end of the day structures and procedures:

• All doors open at 8:55 a.m. (walkers and bikers, door E [the recess door] unlocks at 8:55).
• Students getting dropped off should remain in their car until the bell rings, not in the building.
• Students who walk to school should wait on the Saber Paw prints outside until the bell rings, not in the building.

Drop off/pick up is in the upper lot.

To make the pick up line as smooth and efficient as possible:

• ALL passengers STAY IN the car. There are adults to help get students out of cars in the morning and into cars in the afternoon.
• Pull forward to help keep the line moving.
• Have your child ready to exit the car (coat & shoes on/backpack zipped)
• Please remain OFF your phone so you can ensure everyone’s safety.
• Do not park and get out of your car to drop off your children. This is for their safety.
• Please have your car sign displayed in the window so we can call your student(s).
• Have younger siblings seated on the driver's side so school-aged students can enter through the passenger side
• If your child needs help buckling, please pull forward out of the line to help them

* Again, please remain in your car in the line and we will help get your child in the car.

• Our drop off/pick up line is secondary to getting the busses in and out of the lower lot. Please be mindful of where you line up to allow for large and small busses to maneuver through.

• Families arriving after 9:05 MUST walk their child(ren) into the building and sign them in.

Thank you for your attention to detail on these for the safety of our children.

Health Services Resources

Health services resources for the 2025/26 school year can be found online here: bit.ly/SPSHealthServices22.

Attendance

Parents/guardians should call the attendance line when a student will be late or absent 952-496-5953. Families can also enter absences into Infinite Campus. Click here for more information and instructions.

Students arriving after 9:05 will need to be walked in by their care giver.

Early Pick Up:

If you need to pick your child up early, please call the office and let your child's teacher know. Children will not be called to the office until their guardian is in the office.

Visitor Reminders

All visitors are required to check-in at the front office and must be screened through the Raptor system during normal school hours.

Change in PM transportation

If your child has a change in how they are getting home, please call the office (952-496-5952) no later than 3pm so we can get the correct information to the classroom teacher on time.

Being Respectful, Responsible, Safe and Kind are the pillars of the expectations at Red Oak. These are known as "The Saber Way". Please review and reinforce these expectations with your child on a regular basis. These expectations are also frequently reviewed at school. Supporting these expectations helps to make the school environment safe and conducive to learning and also increases the success of your child.

Red Oak (and other Shakopee sites) have a critical need for special education paraprofessionals and substitute teachers!

If you're interested (or know someone who might be interested or would be a good fit) in working at Red Oak (or in Shakopee Public Schools), feel free to call me, Principal Ellis at 952-496-5952 so we can talk about options for various jobs. We would love to have you join our team and support our students. Training provided, job share responsibilities and weekend/summer/school breaks off.

Do you love working with kids? Do you need a job that will work around your schedule? Click here for a list of positions and to apply.