Lester Park School Newsletter - #16

• Jan 16...NO SCHOOL (Teacher Work Day)

• Jan 19...NO SCHOOL (MLK Jr Day)

• Jan 25...PTA Family Skating Party (see below)

• Jan 26...PTA meeting (6pm)

• Feb 2-3...Main Teacher Conference Dates & Meals

• Feb 2-6...PTA Book Fair

• Feb 16-20...NO SCHOOL (Winter Break)

• Mar 2...NO SCHOOL (Staff PD Day)

More events on our Lester Park Calendar HERE

2025-26 District Calendar with 4 Day Specialist rotation HERE

(PD=professional development/NO SCHOOL for students)

Other Helpful Links:

Lester Park Family School Handbook

School District Student Handbook

Lester Park Staff List by Grade/Dept

Previous Lester Park Newsletters

If you would like to order a Personalized yearbook for your child, you will need to order it by January 30. After this date, only generic yearbooks will be available for purchase.

Families are able to order yearbooks through Jostens until the supply runs out. Yearbooks cannot be purchased in the office. Please do not send money to school. Purchased yearbooks will be given to students after Memorial Day.

Jostens emailed parents last month with information on how to order Yearbooks. You can also find this information here: JOSTENS YEARBOOK WEBSITE

Payment Options:

Jostens has a variety of flexible payment options available at checkout! Order your student's yearbook and choose the payment method that works best for you: Apple Pay, Afterpay, Venmo, PayPal or credit card. Terms Apply.

Due to our low number of crossing guards, there will be no crossing guard coverage on the Oneida corners for most of the next several weeks. We will do our best to have coverage at the Glenwood corners. However when we are down to only 2 or 3 in the morning, there will be no coverage at the Glenwood/54th corner.

Please note that crossing guards will not be at their corners when temperatures or wind chills are below -15 degrees. This is the same for outdoor recess. When conditions are -5 to -15 degrees, they will be at their corners for a shorter amount of time.

It's time to start thinking about next school year! If you have a child that will be eligible for kindgergarten this fall, please fill out this form: 2026-27 Kindergarten Contact Form

We have lots of great kindergarten information, and we want to make sure families receive it. One is about our Kindergarten Meet & Greet from 4pm-6pm on Thursday, March 19.

We will also provide enrollment tips such as the 2026-27 Registration opens on February 1. Students already enrolled in Lester's K-5 programs this school year do NOT need to register again. They are automatically enrolled in the next grade level.

The PTA Book Fair is coming up in less than a month, and will again be in the library/media center. Students will have the opportunity to shop with their classmates, as well as on the main 2 conference nights.

Volunteers are needed to help run this fun event. Please click on the link below to find out the classroom shopping times and to sign up. Thank you!

PTA BOOK FAIR SIGN UP (JAN 30-FEB 5)

What do I do if my child is going to be absent from school?

• Email lesterattendance@isd709.org (the office & nurse will both see these emails)
  

• or call attendance line 336-8875 then “3” to leave a recorded message

• Please list any specific symptoms - especially Flu and GI symptoms.

• Teachers may have a preferred way for you to report an absence to them.

• If the office does not know why a student is absent, an automated phone call and an email message will be sent out at sometime between 8:30-9:00. This is for safety reasons.

• If your child is absent, or going to be absent, be sure to leave a reason. If no reason is given, it will be marked as an Unexcused Absence.

• If you have health questions, you can call our school health office at 336-8875 x2654

Many students and parents are frequently concerned about when students should stay home or attend school. The following information is intended to help with this decision.

General practice:

• If a student has had a fever of 100 degrees or more, the student must stay home for 24 hours after the temperature returns to normal without fever reducing medication.
• If a student has vomited two or more times in the past 24 hours and/or had diarrhea, the student must stay home until 24 hours after the last episode.
• If a student has had any rash that may be disease-related or the cause is unknown, check with your family physician before sending the student to school.
• If a student is ill, please call the school daily to report the illness.

When a student is sick, parents often wonder whether or not to keep a child at home from school. If a child stays home and has the care they need when first sick, they will often get better faster. Staying home and resting will help the body fight the sickness.

No Flyers this week.

Registrations can also be found HERE

Lester Staff Directory (firstname).(lastname)@isd709.org

Email: lesterpark@isd709.org
Website: https://lesterpark.isd709.org
Location: 5300 Glenwood Street, Duluth, MN 55804
Phone: (218) 336-8875
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Lester-Park-Elementary-1900216436910729