Happy Birthday, Kansas! This Wednesday is Kansas Day! Waterville Grade School students will celebrate with an afternoon of activities! We will have guest speakers come in to do activities with us. Students are welcome to dress up in "old time" fashion if they would like.

Sign Ups: Keep an eye out on Bloomz for sign ups for Valentine's Day parties and Student Success Meetings. They will both be here before we know it! Student Success Meetings for Waterville students are Tuesday, February 18th and Thursday, February 20th.

Monday, January 27th:

• Colts Round Up

Tuesday, January 28th

• Colts Round Up

Wednesday, January 29th:

• Kansas Day Activities! Students may dress up in "old time" fashion!
• Colts Round Up

Thursday, January 30th:

• Colts Round Up

Friday, January 31st:

• No elementary activities.

Looking Ahead:

• February 14th- Valentine's Day Parties
• February 18th & 20th: Student Success Meetings ( No Colts Round Up!)
• February 21st: No School
• February 24th: No School- Teacher Professional Development Day

It was a great week at Blue Rapids Elementary! The students and teachers will be blessed with a special visit by the king and queen of courts candidates next week on the 30th. A big shout out to the spelling bee winners from the Blue Rapids building (see picture below). These students will represent Valley Heights at the Marshall County spelling bee on the 11th of February in Marysville.

Here are some upcoming dates to remember:

• January 29th-3rd Grade Family Engagement Night 5:45 PM
• January 30th-Winter Formal Candidates Visit Blue Rapids
  
• February 11th-Marshall County Spelling Bee
• February 14th-Happy Valentine's Day 💟
• February 18th and 20th-Student Success Meetings (No Colts Round-Up)
  
• February 21st-No School
• February 24th-Professional Development Day (No School for Students)
  

As always, I want to thank you for the blessing that it is to work with your children. My door is always open if you have any questions or concerns.

-Mr. Staples

Congratulations to Easten, Daegen, Lexi, Aurora, Edison and Elijah for being the top six spellers in the written test of the Spelling Bee at Blue Rapids Elementary. They will go on to represent Valley Heights in Marysville on February 11th. Great job everyone!

This week's Waterville VHS ticket winners were Hadley, Helen, Aiden, and Freyja!

Each week we'll give you a fun question to talk about around the dinner table with your family! Eating together as a family is an excellent time to strengthen relationships and check in with your child and their needs. Enjoy discussing the question of the week!

Community Education has recently sent out a program survey to gather community interests and Ideas to increase programming and participation in activities beyond the school day. We invite you to click on the link below to fill out the survey and give us your thoughts and ideas.

Survey Link: https://forms.gle/KuzPRNFKjXkyEiqf8

We’d like to remind families to discuss a safe route to school with your students. Whether it is on foot, bike, or a car we want everyone to arrive to and from school safely! For students on foot and bike remember that the safest crossings are at Chestnut & Highway 77 in Blue Rapids and Minnesota & Highway 77 in Waterville.

These crossings are monitored both before and after school.

Check out the Schools That Care newsletter below for information on resources available in our community!

Early Head Start 0-3 provides services to infants, toddlers, and pregnant women. It promotes

• healthy prenatal outcomes, healthy babies
• enhances the development of infants and toddlers, and
• promotes healthy/thriving families

NEK-CAP, Inc. receives federal funds for 160 children to operate and provide Early Head Start (0-3) services for infants, toddlers, pregnant mothers, and fathers.

NEK-CAP, Inc. receives federal funds for 238 children to operate and provide Head Start services. Head Start is committed to cultivating partnerships with the community to ensure that children and families receive an array of individualized services focused upon early childhood development, family support, health and education.

Head Start/Early Head Start 0-5 services are available at no cost to children and families. Up to 10% of enrollment may be used to serve children that are over income. Transportation is available at some locations.

Click HERE for more information!

Did you know that even though packaging no longer has box tops on them to cut out, that you can still support your school? Download the Box Tops app and scan your receipt to earn money for schools. This is a simple way to give back to your community! Click here for more details!

Email: judeboer@valleyheights.org tstaples@valleyheights.org sspoonts@valleyheights.org
Website: www.valleyheights.org