Monroe Messenger
Excellence, Equity, Empowerment. Every student, Every day.
July 28, 2025
Principal Message
Dear Monroe Mustangs,
The summer is certainly flying by! As we get closer to the start of the school year, I’m filled with excitement and can’t wait to meet each of you.
Monroe has been buzzing with activity. Mr. Eggersdorfer and his team have been hard at work deep cleaning and preparing the building—it’s looking absolutely beautiful! We’re incredibly grateful for their dedication and care.
Mr. Carlson has also planted some additional trees on the playground! They look absolutely beautiful! Please come check them out!
Construction on our new secure entry is also moving along. I’ve included a link below so you can check out the progress. Due to a manufacturing delay with the new front doors, we may need to use an alternative entrance at the beginning of the school year. I’ll keep you updated as soon as those plans are finalized.
I would love to hear from you, our families, about your hopes and dreams for the future of Monroe. Your insight, experiences, and aspirations are invaluable as we work together to ensure every student feels a strong sense of belonging and reaches their goals. Please email me at mmeyer1@isd77.org to set up a call or meeting! I would love to hear from you.
Here’s to a wonderful start, a strong partnership, and an exciting road ahead!
With gratitude and excitement,
Mollie Meyer
Principal, Monroe Elementary
Educational Benefits
Minnesota Free School Meals Program – Important Information
The Minnesota Free School Meals Program provides one free breakfast and one free lunch to every student on school days. However, additional items—such as a second milk, other beverages, or extra meal components—are not covered by the program. To purchase these à la carte items, students must have funds in their meal accounts.
Who Should Complete the Application for Educational Benefits?
You should complete the application if:
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Your child is part of a household participating in:
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SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program)
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MFIP (Minnesota Family Investment Program)
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FDPIR (Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations)
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Your child is:
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Foster
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Homeless
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Migrant
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A runaway
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These children qualify without reporting household income.
If your household does not participate in one of the above programs, you may still qualify based on your household income (see the income guidelines on the instructions page).
Why Apply?
The benefits go beyond free meals! Submitting an application can help your child and our school qualify for additional resources and programs, including academic support, technology access, and funding for extracurricular opportunities.
How to Apply
If you believe your household may qualify, please complete and return the Application for Educational Benefits to the Nutrition Services Office or your child’s school.
You can also apply online through the Infinite Campus Parent Portal:
Click on the “More” tab, then select “Meal Benefits.”
Back to School Reminders
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:
📅 District Student Calendar – District Student Calendar
📋 School Supply List – Supply List
Important Dates:
Class Lists: Will be available for families to view on Aug. 11th
Entrance Conferences:
Monday, August 25th | 8:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Tuesday, August 26th | 8:00 AM – 12:00 PM
First Day of School:
Wednesday, August 27th
School Start of Day: 7:35 AM- Drop off Begins... 7:50 AM – First Bell Rings... 8:00 AM - Final Bell Rings (students in their classrooms)
School End of Day: 2:30 PM
Our 2025-26 Staff
Office Staff:
- Principal: Mollie Meyer
- Principal's Secretary: Mary Krueger
- Office Clerk: Lourdes Chavez
- Nurse: Rachel Marnier
- Health Assistant: Kim Taylor
Classroom Teachers:
- Grade K: Janna Hammes, Colleen Geffe-Dahle
- Grade 1: Amber Blasl, Megan Schulz
- Grade 2: Angie Anderson, Sue Scruggs, Stacie VanOverbeke
- Grade 3: Angie Eccles, Rachel Gjerde
- Grade 4: Heather Hoppe, Jeffery Bjork, Diane Peters
- Grade 5: Karen Mehlaff, Jeremy Steffensmeier, Dan Blaisdell
Specialist Teachers:
- Art: Erika Kuhlers
- STEM: Jolene Udermann
- Music: Sarah Payne
- Phy. Ed.: Scott Carlson, Jeremy Burger
Special Education Staff:
- K-1 Resource Teacher: Kaitlyn Jones (Greenough)
- 2-3 Resource Teacher: Mark Gewerth
- 4-5 Resource Teacher: Kelsey Riebe
- K-2 ASD Teacher: Nicole Dwinell
- 3-5 ASD Teacher: Pam Gabrielson
- Assessment Coordinators: Pam Bartles, Katie Westman
- Occupational Therapist: Larissa Christ
- Speech/Language Pathogist: Jacqui Frayne
- DAPE: Dane Ecker
- Para Educators: Christine Parker, Darci Pendergast, Sandra Ordaz, Megan Grant, Ben Harpstad, Michelle Bridges, Natalie Carlson, Desirea Provost, Anna Downs
Social Emotional Support:
- School Counselor: Hanno Botha
- School Social Worker: Lindsey Northenscold
- School Psychologist: Renetta Seys
- Student Succes Coaching: CURRENTLY HIRING- PLEASE APPLY!!
- School Link Mental Health: Mara Maxana (Counseling Services of Southern Minnesota)
- Youth Mental Health Navigator: Megan Schultz
Instructional Support:
- Mentor Coach: Brittany Ward
- Title I Teacher: Renae Satre
- ADSIS Teacher: Tiffany Hagen
- Media Specialist: Karla Giesen
- Media Clerk: Sheryl Gulden
- MLL: Alicia Zimmer, Veronika Rodriquez
- Americorps: Celest Thalhammer, Stephanie Jaquetter, Mia Kitsune
Building Support:
- Custodial: Brad Eggerdorfer, Tyler Leinen, Cole Johnson
- Kitchen: Kara Morness, Loraine O'Brien, Margarita Santillan
- Lunch/Recess Supervisors: Gail Malecek, Chelsie Olson, Parent Volunteers
Reminder: Census Verificataion
Each year, Mankato Area Public Schools asks our families to review and update census information through the online census verification. We are asking that you complete your family's census verification as soon as possible online through your Campus Parent account.
Employment Opportunities
We’re Hiring: Student Success Coaches – Help Us Spread the Word!
Do you know someone who is passionate about supporting kids and making a positive impact in schools? Monroe Elementary is currently hiring two Student Success Coaches—one in our general education setting and one in special education—and we’d love your help getting the word out!
Our Student Success Coaches work closely with our school counselor, teachers, and principal to provide social, emotional, and behavioral support to students. Whether it’s helping students navigate challenges, apply coping strategies, or stay on track with their goals, our coaches play a key role in helping Monroe students succeed.
This is a great opportunity for someone who enjoys working with kids, is calm and caring, and believes in the power of relationships and positive guidance.
To apply, please visit ISD77.org and select careers. Once on the careers page, view the open positions and select student support staff. The application is found toward the bottom of the page.
Position Highlights:
Coaches work on days students are present
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Hours are Monday-Friday, 7:45-2:30
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Starting pay: $17.78–$18.96/hour
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Work closely with amazing Monroe staff and students
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Make a real difference every single day
Minimum qualifications:
Applicants must have 60 college credits, an Associate’s Degree, or a ParaPro Assessment score of 460+.
If you or someone you know would be a great fit, please encourage them to apply! These are incredibly rewarding roles and we’re excited to welcome two new team members to our Mustang family.
Questions? Feel free to email me at mmeyer1@isd77.org. I’d be happy to share more!
Progress Report Reminder
In case you missed it at the end of the year, this is a reminder that your child's Spring Progress Reports are available for you to view under the “Documents” tab. Please make sure you adjust the year to “24-25”.
To access your child's Spring Progress Reports in Infinite Campus, simply log in to your parent portal account using your credentials. If you encounter any difficulties or have questions about accessing or interpreting the data, please don't hesitate to reach out to mmeyer1@isd77.org
ACES Registration
2025-26 Calendar
Elementary School Supply List
Upcoming Dates
August 11: Class Assignment Available in Parent Portal
August 12: PTC Fast Conference Sign-up is Available
August 25: Entrance Conferences
August 26: Entrance Conferences
August 27: First Day of School
September 1: No School- Labor Day
September 10: Early Out
Greater Mankato Mental Health Hub
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.
Contact Us:
Email: mmeyer1@isd77.org
Website: me.isd77.org
Location: 441 Monroe Avenue, North Mankato, MN 56003
Phone: 507-387-7889