🦅 Eagle Eye 🌧️ April 2026

April is an important and exciting month at Windom Area Middle School as we welcome spring and enter the final stretch of the school year. Students will have Easter Break from Friday, April 3 through Monday, April 6, and we hope this provides a great opportunity for rest and time with family.

Throughout the month, students will also be taking the Minnesota Comprehensive Assessments (MCAs), with Reading on April 15–16, Math on April 22–23, and Science (for 5th and 8th grade students) on April 29–30. These assessments are an opportunity for students to show what they have learned this year, and we encourage families to support their child by ensuring they get a good night’s sleep, eat a healthy breakfast, and arrive at school on time. As we move through the fourth quarter, we are emphasizing the importance of finishing strong by staying focused, completing assignments, and continuing to put forth great effort each day.

Thank you for your continued partnership in supporting your child’s success—we are proud of the hard work our students are showing and look forward to a strong finish to the school year.

As we move into the warmer spring months, we encourage our middle school students to spend more time being active outdoors and less time on screens. Physical activity supports not only students’ physical health, but also improves focus, mood, and overall well-being.

Time outside, whether it’s playing sports, going for a walk, riding a bike, or just enjoying fresh air can make a big difference in how students feel and perform at school. We appreciate families supporting healthy habits by encouraging active play and setting reasonable limits on screen time.

April High School Update

Testing, testing, 1, 2, 3...Man, there are ALOT of tests in April. CAPTI, MCA, ACT, it seems everywhere a student turns there is a test waiting. While April may be the "testing" season, from a statewide or mandated point of view, we are really ALWAYS in the "testing season." Interactions with staff and peers are tests. Waking up and being on time everyday are tests. Showing up for yourself and giving best effort is a test. Studying even when the urge to scroll social media is present is a test. Opportunities present themselves everyday that test us as students and as humans. We don't always get a score, but every opportunity is there for us to learn from. The formal testing season another in the line of tests presented to us - show up, do the work, put your best foot forward, and savor the opportunity to learn about where you are as a student in that moment in time.

The end of April brings about the Cottonwood Jackson CEO Trade Show - held at the Mt. Lake Community Center this year. The trade show is open to the public and I highly recommend you take some time and see what our young entrepreneurs have been up to this year. Students in CEO meet everyday from 7:30 AM - 9:00 AM, dressed in professional attire, in either Mt. Lake, Jackson or Windom. Our co-facilitators Ashley Johnson & Sharon Henning have helped our students through all the highs and all the challenges of pursuing business ownership in a real-world "test" everyday this school year. We are looking forward to seeing all the great business opportunities created this year!

Have a great April!

Bryan Joyce

High School Principal

We don't always get things right the first time, and often times we have to ask for help. Our students have the opportunity for help outside of school hours everyday at Windom Schools. Every one of our teachers makes time to meet with students before/after school and we offer Eagle Elevation hour M, Tu, Th & F 3:30-4:15 as well as Study Table every W. Please encourage your student to reach out for help when needed and if not currently getting the results they hope for, speak to a teacher or any other staff member about looking at the current approach. Let's celebrate process over product and the efforts to grow that will lead to future success for students.

Chronic Absenteeism (missing more than 10% of school days) continues to be a point of concern - thank you to all our families for getting students to school as often as physically possible. Showing up day after day is a mindset and persevering through challenging times is a mark of character. We do ask to have an attendance meeting and have students on attendance contracts at 10 absences (excused or unexcused.) While we love to see overall attendance improve over last year, we would like to see continued improvements in our overall consistent attendance rate. We would like to see 95% of our student body attending 90% or better. We are currently at about 86% of our HS attending 90% or better. Chronic absenteeism does have an impact on academic and social/emotional success. Remember, the world is run by those who show up. Thank you to parents and students for valuing being present in school! Reminder - if your student will be absent, please let our office know by calling 507-831-6910 or by emailing attendancemshs@isd177.com. We now have an office cell phone that you can text/call - the number for the office cell is 507-221-3511. All absences require a notice within 48 hours, at that point the absence becomes unexcused.

Email: bjoyce@isd177.com, dnielsen@isd177.com

Website: https://windomasdmn.sites.thrillshare.com/
Location: 1400 17th St. PO Box 177 Windom, MN 56101
Phone: (507) 831-6910, (507) 221-3511
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WindomAreaSchoolDistrict/
X: @Windom_Eagles