Ericson Elementary School

Dear, Ericson Families,

We are going to have an exciting week on campus, and I want to thank you for your continued partnership. I am especially proud to share that we are making great progress in reducing tardies schoolwide. Arriving on time sets the tone for learning, builds confidence in our students, and protects valuable instructional minutes. Let’s keep the momentum going! The grade level with the best on-time attendance will be announced later this week and will celebrate with a well-earned ice cream party.

This week is also Eat Breakfast With Your Kids Week! We warmly invite parents to join their children for breakfast any day this week. For $5 (cash only, no change), you can sit together and enjoy a special start to the day. These small moments create big memories, and we love opening our doors to families in this way.

Our Student Council is excited to present Read Across America – Spirit Week 2026! We can’t wait to celebrate the joy of reading with a fun-filled week of school spirit and community connection. Here’s what’s coming up:

Monday (3/2) – Fox in Socks

Crazy Hair or Crazy Sock Day! Let’s kick off the week with some silly style.

Tuesday (3/3) – Thing 1 & Thing 2

Find a twin or even a triplet and wear matching gear!

Wednesday (3/4) – Wacky Wednesday

Wear your clothes backwards, inside out, or upside down — just keep it wacky!

Thursday (3/5) – Pajama Thursday

Yawn, stretch, and read in your favorite PJs!

• 7:50–8:05 AM: Spirit Assembly
• 8:05–8:20 AM: Read Across America – Bring a blanket! Families are welcome to stay and read with their child’s class.

Friday (3/6) – Spirit Gear Friday

“Oh, the Places You’ll Go!” Rep your favorite college or school — wear Viking gear or college apparel.

With Warm Regards,

Mrs. Darius Ashton

Principal

March:

4: CAASPP Parent Informational Workshop, 5:00-6:00 p.m., virtual via TEAMS

https://teams.microsoft.com/meet/24925953491667?p=cZIdTp9Wna0Tnrxx32

5: Spirit Assembly

6: Family Friday

9: Non-Instructional Day - NO SCHOOL

11: ADDITIONAL MINIMUM DAY, Dismissal 12:15 p.m.

23: SSC Meeting from 2:30-3:30 p.m., virtual via TEAMS

24: SGT Meeting from 2:30-3:30 p.m., virtual via TEAMS

23-27: Spring Parent Conferences, MINIMUM DAYS with Dismissal at 12:15 p.m. (Monday-Friday)

30: Spring Break (03/30-04/03) - NO SCHOOL

It has been a dynamic week in the counseling office, filled with everything from real-world adventures to high-stakes teamwork! Our Kindergarteners took their learning on the road for a field trip to the zoo, while back at school. Our 1st graders explored the "Golden Rule" through the book Do Unto Otters, focusing on how manners and empathy build a stronger classroom community. Our 2nd graders tackled the "perfectionist" bug by reading The Girl Who Never Made Mistakes, learning that an "oops" is often just a steppingstone to a great "aha!" moment rather than something to fear.

Moving into the upper grades, the focus shifted toward social communication and mental resilience. 3rd grade students navigated a "Tower of Teamwork" escape room, which required them to use every bit of their problem-solving and collaborative skills to succeed. In 4th grade, we practiced the nuances of respectful conversations and the positive social impact of giving and receiving sincere compliments. Finally, our 5th graders continued their important work on stress management by identifying specific types of negative thinking patterns and learning the vital skill of challenging those thoughts to maintain a healthier, more resilient outlook.

Check out the learning and fun students are having at Ericson.

Jog-a-Thon - Booster Registration is Open!

• Kick Off - Wednesday, March 11

• Jog-a-Thon Event - Thursday, March 19

• Registration Prizes:

• The classes with the highest registration, by the evening of kick off day, will earn 10 minutes of extra recess!
• If 50% of the school registers by March 17, the school will get a PJ day!
• Every child who registers, regardless of donations, will receive a Booster prize.

Inchy Bookworm Vending Machine - Community Input Sought

• The FOE is considering a large purchase for a Book Vending Machine to reward positive behavior and create excitement for literacy.

• The machine would dispense new to like-new books to students with tokens.

• Students would primarily earn tokens through a Positive Behavioral Interventions and Support (PBIS) program as rewards for positive behavior.

• Tokens may also be available for purchase by parents who wish to utilize them for their own positive behavior rewards.

• Books would be sourced through community donations as well as funded and restocked using PTO funds.

• Tokens would be distributed equally to teachers for use at their discretion.

• Funds for purchase of this machine would come out of our general fund as a one-time expense (12.7% of general funds; includes a 6 year warranty) and funds used to stock the machine would be added to our annual budget (estimated 1.3% of annual budget).

• Find out more: https://bookvending.com/how-it-works/benefits

• Submit the needs assessment survey and give us your input on this purchase & on how you’d like to see FOE spend their money/time:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSf1MUvHwxWd0U3qnpsQwNOz2GEMORgoPVPSPTNqwX7wtTYQnw/viewform

Viking Volunteers: Looking to Volunteer?

• The Volunteer Connection Form is open all year.

• If you need more information about what opportunities there are on or off campus, check out our Viking Volunteer Opportunities!

Email or Follow Us:

• Email - General Inquiries - info@friendsofericson.org

• Email - Viking Volunteers - volunteer@friendsofericson.org

• Email - Partner/Donate - partner@friendsofericson.org

• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FriendsOfEricson

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/FriendsOfEricson (for all of your Kpop Demon Hunter & Swiftie needs!)

• Website: www.friendsofericson.org