Monroe Mustangs' Herd Headlines

Dear Monroe Mustang Families,

As the summer sun begins to set on another season of rest and adventure, our team at Monroe is gearing up for an extraordinary school year ahead.

If there is one lesson experience has taught us, it’s this: our school is at its best when families are at the heart of it. This year, we are intentionally deepening our promise to you. We are building a learning community where every child and every family feels an immediate, and unwavering sense of belonging. We want each of you to feel that Monroe Elementary is a place that truly feels like a home away from home.

Here is what our partnership will look like in action this year:

1. Connected by Design: "It takes a village, and you are our primary partners." We are elevating our school-wide communication to ensure you always feel informed, included, and heard. From classroom updates to community events, we are dedicated to fostering strong, two-way relationships with every family in our herd. To that end, we will be using an application called SeeSaw to streamline this communication. More on that to come!

2. Excellence in Literacy: "Empowering confident, curious readers." This year, we are launching Arts & Letters, a rich new curriculum rooted in the Science of Reading. By pairing proven instructional methods with engaging literature, we’re setting our students up for rock-solid reading success—and we look forward to sharing tips on how you can support this learning at home!

3. Belonging at the Core: "Known, cared for, and valued—every single day." When students step onto campus, we want them to know they matter. We are fiercely committed to creating an environment where every Mustang:

• Feels emotionally and physically safe.

• Is celebrated and respected for their unique identity.

• Feels confident that their voice is heard and valued.

• Builds meaningful, supportive friendships across our community.

We don't just want Monroe to be the building your child goes to for school—we want it to be a community where your family feels anchored, supported, and celebrated.

Thank you for trusting us with your children. Soak up the rest of your summer, and get ready for a memorable year ahead!

Working together,

Mollie Meyer

Principal, Monroe Elementary

At Monroe, creating a safe, welcoming, and nurturing environment for our students is always our top priority. We believe that when kids feel safe, they can focus on what matters most- learning, growing, and having fun!

Here is a quick look at how we support safety at our school and a few updates for the upcoming year.

1. Routine Safety Practice: To help our students feel confident and prepared rather than anxious, we practice our safety routines together throughout the school year. Our scheduled drills include:

• 5 Fire Drills

• 5 Lockdown Drills

• 1 Severe Weather Drill

These practice runs give everyone a chance to learn the routines in a calm, supportive setting so our school feels like a safe haven every day.

2. Visitor Entry & New Security Update: We love welcoming families and visitors to Monroe! As a reminder, all guests should enter through Door 1.

• How to enter: Press the bell on the speaker box at Door 1, and our front office team will happily buzz you in.

• New this year: To give our building an extra layer of protection, guests will now need to present a valid form of ID upon entering. We will share full details on this process soon, but we wanted to give everyone a friendly heads-up ahead of time!

3. Open Communication & Reporting: Safety is a community effort, and your voice matters to us. If you ever have a safety concern, question, or feedback during the school year, please don't hesitate to reach out. You are always welcome to contact your child's teacher, our front office, or the building principal. Additionally this year, you are invited to submit concerns annonymously using the school safety reporting form linked below.

Thank you for your ongoing partnership, trust, and support in keeping Monroe a wonderful place for our students!

It’s official—the wait is over!

Over the past year, our team (that included a parent and student representative) has been working hard behind the scenes to streamline our elementary branding, align our school identities, and secure full licensing ownership for MAPS.

Today, we are so excited to show you what we’ve been working on!

A huge thank you to everyone on the team who helped bring this vision to life. An online merchandise store will be available soon!

To make this school year a success, we need your help! We are actively looking for enthusiastic parents, guardians, and family members to join our PTO team.

Right now, our PTO is powered by just 3 wonderful, dedicated members whose terms are coming to an end. They are eager to pass the torch and onboard new folks this year so our school community can continue to thrive.

Why join now?

• Many hands make light work: You don't have to do it alone! More voices mean more shared ideas and lighter workloads.

• A major focus on connection & belonging: This year, a huge goal for Monroe is developing deep community connections and making our school a true central hub for families and students.

• Flexible involvement: Whether you have an hour a month or an hour a week, your unique talents, ideas, and time will make a direct, lasting impact.

☀️ Save the Dates: Summer Community Events

Keep a close eye on your inbox for upcoming communications regarding two fun summer events we have lined up. We can't wait to see you there to connect and kick off the year together!

• Friends at Fallenstein

• Date/Time: Friday, August 14, 2026, from 5:00 PM – 7:00 PM

🤝 How You Can Help

Big visions take a village! If you are interested in joining the PTO leadership/team, helping us develop our playground effort, contributing financially, or sharing skills and resources to bring our "Hopes & Dreams" wishlist to life, we would absolutely love your support and engagement.

Thank you for partnering with us to make Monroe the best place to learn, play, and grow. Let’s make it a wonderful school year!

Warmly,

Your Monroe PTO Team

Contact us at monroenorthmankatopto@gmail.com to get involved!

Back-to-School Resources
As we get ready to kick off the new school year, here are a few helpful resources to help your family prepare:

• Annual Census Verification in Infinite Campus- this will open up on July 8th. Please make sure that you have access to your Parent Portal through Infinite Campus to update. If you need assistance please email icsupport@isd77.org or CLICK HERE for a parent help guide.

• New Attendance Practices- Coming this fall will be some slight, but important shifts in our attendance practices. With a goal of supporting families, increasing communication, and ensuring each of our elementary buildings are consistent and aligned. Please look for more information as we get closer to the school year.

Important Dates:

• Class Lists: Will be available for families to view MONDAY, AUGUST 24th.

• Entrance Conference Sign-Up: Conference Registration through PTC Fast will be shared on MONDAY, AUGUST 24th as well.

• Entrance Conferences:

  • Tuesday, September 8th | 8:00 AM – 6:00 PM

  • Wednesday, September 9th | 8:00 AM – 12:00 PM

  • School/ Yearbook Photos will be taken during entrance conferences.

• First Day of School:

  • Thursday, September 10th

  • School Start of Day: 7:35 AM- Drop off Begins... 7:50 AM – First Bell Rings... 8:00 AM - Final Bell Rings students should be in their classrooms ready for a great day of learning by 8:00am.

  • School End of Day: 2:30 PM

The Greater Mankato Mental Health Hub has launched! This hub was developed by Greater Mankato Area United Way's Youth Mental Health/Suicide Prevention Committee and is hosted by the Center for Rural Behavioral Health at Minnesota State University, Mankato.

The hub is meant to be a tool for parents and caregivers to easily find information on crisis support, local mental health services, parent education, and more.

Find more information HERE.

• June 2026: Supply List, School Calendar, PTO Updates, Back to School Reminders, ACES registration

Email: mmeyer1@isd77.org
Website: me.isd77.org
Location: 441 Monroe Avenue, North Mankato, MN 56003
Phone: 507-387-7889