November 2026 Newsletter

Dear Parents and Guardians,

Welcome to November! As the air turns crisp and our fall routines settle in, I want to take a moment to express how proud I am of the incredible energy and community spirit filling our hallways every day.

Our students and staff continue to foster an extraordinarily positive school environment, lifting one another up, celebrating individual and team achievements, and proving what it truly means to have Giant POWER.

Celebrating Our Giants Across All Activities

Whether on the field, on the stage, or in academic competition, our Le Sueur-Henderson Giants have been giving it their all. We have so much to celebrate across all our programs:

• Athletics: Exceptional dedication and heart shown by our athletes throughout their seasons.

• Arts & Academics: Outstanding effort, creativity, and teamwork in our Unified activities, Fall Musical rehearsals, Knowledge Bowl, Pep Band, and beyond!

Our students put in countless hours to represent LSH with honor and enthusiasm. I strongly encourage all families to come out, fill the stands, attend performances, and cheer on our Giants as we move into the winter season. Your presence in the crowd makes a world of difference to our kids!

Fall Parent-Teacher Conferences

Mark your calendars for our upcoming Fall Conferences:

• Date: Thursday, November 5th

• Time: 3:30 PM – 7:30 PM

Conferences are a vital opportunity to partner with us in your student's growth.

Beyond conference night, please contact teachers if you have questions or concerns regarding your student’s academic progress or behavior. Teacher emails and phone numbers are available on our website, or you may call the main office directly to be transferred. Strong communication between home and school is the foundation of student success.

Reminders & Expectations: Cell Phone Policy

As a reminder, our building cell phone policy requires all student phones to be OFF and stored in student lockers from 8:10 AM to 3:08 PM each school day.

The vast majority of our students have been remarkably respectful and responsible in following this expectation. Because of their cooperation, we have seen a significant decrease in classroom disruptions, leading to increased focus, better peer interactions, and a more engaging learning environment for everyone. Thank you for your continued support at home in reinforcing this rule.

Thank you for your ongoing partnership, encouragement, and dedication to making Le Sueur-Henderson Middle/High School a fantastic place to learn and grow.

With GIANT PRIDE,

Cindy Schmidt

Middle and High School Principal

On October 14th, our district staff actively participated in a comprehensive Reunification Exercise designed to strengthen our emergency response systems and ensure student safety during unexpected events.

Safety is our highest priority, which is why our school and district follow the Standard Response Protocol (SRP) developed by the "I Love U Guys" Foundation. While emergency exercises focus on key response actions—Hold, Secure, Lockdown, Evacuate, and Shelter—this specialized exercise focused specifically on what happens immediately following an incident: safely reconnecting students with their parents and legal guardians.

During the training, staff practiced the structured step-by-step procedures required to manage a full-scale reunification:

• Student Accountable Movement: Ensuring every student is safely transported, checked in, and accounted for at a designated secure reunification site.

• Parent Verification & Sign-Out: Testing our process for verifying parent and guardian identities before releasing students to authorized adults.

• Support & Communication: Setting up dedicated areas for family reception, medical or emotional support, and clear communication channels.

Practicing these standard protocols allows our staff to remain calm, efficient, and coordinated should a real emergency ever occur. We appreciate your continued partnership as we work to keep our school community safe, prepared, and supported.

If a real emergency requires us to activate our Reunification Protocol, your cooperation and patience are critical to keeping all students safe and reunited with their families quickly. Please keep the following key steps in mind:

• Wait for Official Communication: Do not rush to the school campus immediately. Wait for official district notifications via text, email, or phone call for instructions on when and where to go. Rushing to the site can create traffic congestion and delay emergency responders.

• Bring Valid Photo Identification: Always bring a government-issued photo ID (driver’s license, passport, or state ID). Students will only be released to parents, guardians, or individuals explicitly listed as emergency contacts in our student information system, and identity verification is mandatory.

• Stay Calm & Follow On-Site Instructions: When you arrive at the designated reunification site, staff will direct you to the parent check-in area. You will complete a brief reunification form and wait for your child to be brought to you in the designated reunion area.

• Keep Contact Details Updated: Ensure your contact information and authorized emergency release lists are up to date in the parent portal before an emergency occurs.

This statement is attributable to the Minnesota Department of Health.

The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) urges anyone who has not been vaccinated against measles to get vaccinated. MDH is working closely with local public health agencies to follow up on recent measles cases and exposures. Since mid-September, there have been 25 cases of measles confirmed in two unrelated clusters in different parts of the state (6 in Fillmore County and 19 in Todd County). All of the people who got sick with measles in recent weeks were unvaccinated. Given how contagious measles is, the case count will very likely grow in the days and weeks ahead. The current total for measles cases in Minnesota is 42 cases in 2026.

After being eliminated in the U.S. for decades, measles is once again circulating within our country. There have been more than 4,000 confirmed cases in the U.S. this year. In our highly mobile society, that means exposure can occur in any community, in any county. There are pockets of unvaccinated or under-vaccinated people across Minnesota, and anyone who isn't vaccinated against measles is at risk -- especially right now.

Measles can make people very sick, especially infants, young children, pregnant people and people with underlying conditions. Prevention through vaccination is the best thing you can do. The measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine is the strongest defense against measles. The vaccine is safe and well-studied. Now is a great time to ensure you and your family are protected. No matter your age, it’s never too late to get vaccinated. Talk to your healthcare provider for more information on when to get vaccinated.

More information about measles, including current case counts that are updated weekly as well as vaccine information and other resources, can be found on the MDH Measles website.

-MDH-

At Le Sueur-Henderson Schools, we are committed to helping every student reach their fullest potential—academically, socially, and personally. One of the most powerful ways to support that success is through regular, on-time attendance.

Each day of school provides opportunities to learn, connect, and grow. When students are present, they build relationships, strengthen academic skills, and develop habits that lead to lifelong success. As a district, we’ve set a goal to improve attendance across all grade levels this year because we know that every day matters in building a strong future.

Minnesota Attendance Requirements

Under Minnesota law (Minn. Stat. § 120A.22):

• All children between ages 7 and 17 must attend school unless they have graduated.

• Children under 7 who are enrolled in kindergarten or higher are also subject to these laws unless formally withdrawn.

• Excused absences include illness, medical or dental appointments, family emergencies, and other approved circumstances.

• Students with three or more unexcused absences are considered continuing truants, and those with seven or more may be classified as habitual truants, prompting additional intervention and support.

Our Shared Commitment

We understand that life happens—illness, transportation challenges, or other obstacles can get in the way. Our team is here to support families in overcoming those barriers so every student can be present and ready to learn.

Together, let’s make attendance a point of pride for our community. Each day is an opportunity to grow, and every student counts at LSH.

• Eligibility for both:

  • High School (Grades 9–12): Open to Unified Partners & Athletes (students with or without a disability).

  • Grades 6–8: Open to Unified Athletes (students with a disability).

• Unified Basketball:

  • Practices: Tuesdays during RISE (Nov 10 – Jan 20)

  • Competition: January 20 in Shakopee

• Unified Bowling:

• Location: The 300 Club in Le Sueur (Mondays after school, Starting 1/18)

• Transportation: Will be provided to the 300 Club, but parents/guardians must provide pick-up after bowling.

Please note: some teams have number limits, and priority goes to HS students, as we are mainly an HS club.

If you have questions or if your child would like to participate, please reach out to Mrs. Mans at emans@isd2397.org.

Planning for graduation is underway!

Jostens will be on campus on November 5 from 3:30–7:30 PM to help families with cap & gown orders for graduation.

A few important things to know:

📌 Order Online Anytime: Parents can place orders online or create an order, print the form, and bring it to Parent-Teacher Conferences.

💙 Payment Plans Available: We have payment plans to fit ALL budgets!

🎓 Order What You Need: Families can choose only the graduation items they need.

🔗 Place Your Order Here:

We look forward to helping our Giants get ready to celebrate this exciting milestone!

💙💛 Go Giants!

To ensure our students can reliably get to and from our weekly TreeHouse support groups across Scott and LeSueur Counties, we’ve started a fundraiser to cover some recent, unexpected van repairs.

Your generosity allows us to keep serving youth in our surrounding areas without interruption. No gift is too small, and every contribution is deeply appreciated!

🔗 Support Our Van Repair Campaign

Thank you in advance for your incredible generosity and support.

We are thrilled to announce that [School Name] Middle School / High School has been awarded The Next A.C.R.E. grant, generously provided through the Compeer Giving program!

This grant funding will directly support the construction and setup of a new school greenhouse, including:

• A fully equipped greenhouse structure

• A complete climate control system featuring an upgraded ventilation setup, heating elements, and cooling fans

• A solid gravel pad foundation to ensure accessibility and proper drainage year-round

Elevating Ag & FACS Learning

This new addition will transform hands-on learning for both our Agricultural Education (Ag) and Family and Consumer Sciences (FACS) programs:

• In the Ag classroom: Students will gain real-world experience in horticulture, plant pathology, soil chemistry, climate control management, and sustainable farming techniques.

• In the FACS classroom: Students will bridge the gap between farm and table, harvesting fresh produce directly from the greenhouse to use in culinary, nutrition, and meal-planning units.

By pairing modern agriculture with practical culinary skills, our students will gain a firsthand understanding of food systems, sustainability, and local food production.

We extend our deepest gratitude to the Compeer Giving program and The Next A.C.R.E. grant committee for investing in our students, our educators, and the future of agricultural education. We look forward to breaking ground soon and sharing updates as the greenhouse takes shape!

Perhaps you missed the link in the Back to School electronic mailing? If so this is your chance to make a donation to H.A.V.E.! All donations received from this campaign will go for projects in the 2027-28 school year.

We are asking for your donations now because we are in the midst of our fundraising campaign and unfortunately, we did not receive any donations from families whose children are currently attending school in our district. The students are the direct benefactors of the approved projects. The letters for funding requests have been mailed to area businesses and foundations. We have stuffed flyers in staff mailboxes. The letters to past community supporters will be going out next week.

H.A.V.E. is a nonprofit corporation established in 1982 to foster quality programming in the arts and humanities in the Le Sueur-Henderson School District. Our funds are raised each fall and they include donations from students' families, private citizens, former staff and businesses from Le Sueur and Henderson, foundation grants and bequeaths. Staff from all the schools apply for funding of their projects in early Spring for the following school year. H.A.V.E. consists of a board that includes the Executive Director, Treasurer, Public Relations, Publicity and Donations chairpersons.

Thanks to the generous support of said businesses and people, to date, we have provided over a million dollars in humanities related curriculum. This year we were able to fund close to $25,000 for the students in District 2397 schools,

We believe the arts are essential to students' success in schools, their future careers and lives. With your help, we will be able to continue to provide students in our school district with experiences in music, theater, creative writing and art. Please take the time to look at the approved projects list for the current year when making your donating decisions.

Donations may be turned in at the school offices or by mailing to

H.A.V.E.

P.O. Box 190, Le Sueur, MN 56058

For questions contact, Executive Director, Pam Meyer, pamelacmeyer@gmail.com

Elementary/ECFE

Writer-In-Residence, Grade 3, LSH Elementary……………………………………..$3,000

Children’s Theater, Grade 3, LSH & St.Anne’s……………………………...……….$1,453

Storyteller, Nancy Busse, K-5, LSH……………………………………………………$2,500

Art Field Trips, Grades 3 & 4, LSH…………………………………………..………..$1,494

Touch a Truck/Jolly Pops Band/Children ages 0-8& parents………………….………$900

The Maroons, Grades K-5, St. Anne’s (potential LSH & MS).................................$1,410

Stages Theater, Grade 2, LSH…………………………...……………………………....$700

MN Youth Reading Association, Grades 3 & 4, LSH………………………………..….$645

Writer-In-Residence, Grades K-5, St. Anne’s………………………………………….$1,500

Children’s Theater, Unified Class/Club…………………………………………………..$556

MS/HS

Ordway Theater - Musical, Grade 6…………………………..……………………….$1,200

Guthrie Theater, Grades 11 & 12……………………………………………………….$1,250

Poet-In-Residence, Grade 7………………………………………………………….....$3,200

Fall Musical at LS/H, Grades 6-12………………………………………...……………$3,800

Guthrie Theater-A Christmas Carol, Gr 7………………………………………..…….$1,500

Total …………………………………………………………….……………………….$25,108

Click on the picture for each link.

November 5: Conferences 3:30-7:30 pm

November 11: Veterans Day Program 8:15 am HS Gym

November 25: No School - Teacher In Service

November 26-27: No School Thanksgiving Break