Chief Weekly

Zitzman Artwork is displayed at First State Community Bank for the month of January!

Bobo's Fundraiser Sales OPEN - 1/30-2/13

Monday: SNOW DAY!

Tuesday: SNOW DAY!

Wednesday: SNOW DAY!

Thursday: D Day. STEAM Club Session 1

Friday: A Day. Bobo's Fundraiser Sales OPEN

We are excited to recognize the following classes for earning all of their CHIEFS Attendance Letters and receiving a class reward last week:

• Mrs.Trower's 3rd Grade Class (1st Time!)
• Ms.Titter's 4th Grade Class

This week, we are excited to recognize students who earned Chief Cheers for demonstrating Zitzman’s and Meramec Valley's Core Values. Congratulations to:

• Respect: Charlie A.

• Citizenship: Boyd D.

We are so proud of these students for modeling positive behaviors and helping make our school a welcoming and supportive place!

Family Focus for the Week

This week at school, students are learning how to notice how others feel and include others in kind, meaningful ways. Practicing empathy helps prevent hurtful behavior and builds a strong sense of belonging.

Optional ways families can support at home:

• 💬 Talk About Feelings: Ask your child how someone else might feel in a situation and what they could do to help.

• 👀 Notice & Include: Encourage your child to include someone new during play, activities, or conversations.

• 🎨 Draw or Share: Have your child draw or talk about a time they helped someone feel included.

• ⭐ Praise Empathy: Point out when your child shows kindness, helps others, or notices someone’s feelings.

Small conversations and moments of kindness make a big difference. Thank you for partnering with us as we build empathy and inclusion together. 💜

Our Spring Fundraiser kicks off NEXT FRIDAY!

We’re excited to partner with BoBo’s Fundraising to support Zitzman Elementary. All funds raised go directly into our Student Activity Fund, which supports the fun and meaningful experiences our students love—recess equipment, celebration days, snow cone days, special events, hands-on lessons, and more. These funds help keep our school culture engaging, joyful, and above and beyond for our students.

Students can participate by registering through the QR code on the flyer and sharing their unique link with family and friends. There are fun, cumulative prizes for students as they sell more items—including the chance to earn a Game Truck experience at school!

🗓 Fundraiser ends: Friday, February 13
📦 Delivery: Wednesday, March 11
💜 Checks payable to: Zitzman Elementary

Thank you for supporting our students and helping make school a place they love to be!

Valentine’s Day is just around the corner, and we’re excited to celebrate while keeping the focus on learning! We WILL celebrate on Friday, February 13th, but please remember—it is still a school day, and students will be engaged in learning activities, many with a fun Valentine’s theme.

Here are a few important reminders:

• Next Steps & Teacher Communication – You should be receiving details from your child’s teacher regarding their specific classroom plans. If you haven’t heard anything and have concerns, please reach out to them or me.
• Valentine’s Exchange – Students will be allowed to pass out Valentine’s cards during a designated classroom time. Please ensure your child brings one for each classmate to include everyone.
• No Candy Policy – We CANNOT accept valentines with candy attached. However, small, non-food items such as pencils, erasers, stickers, fidgets, or bookmarks, etc. are great alternatives. I am a parent as well and I understand how hard it is to go to the store and find valentines without food/candy of some sort. If a valentine is brought with anything edible the students will be asked to keep it in their bag/box until they get home for parent supervision/decision on what they can and cannot have.

Thank you for helping us make this a fun and inclusive celebration while keeping our focus on learning. If you have any questions, feel free to reach out! ❤️

Family and community engagement is a top priority for the MVR-III School District. To support this goal, Superintendent Dr. Carrie Schwierjohn is hosting monthly Coffee with Carrie sessions.

These informal gatherings offer a dedicated space for parents and community members to ask questions, share new ideas, and stay informed about district news. We invite you to join us for free coffee and conversation at Little Ireland Coffee, from 9:00 to 10:00 a.m., on the following dates:

• February 10, 2026

• March 10, 2026

• March 31, 2026

• April 14, 2026

• May 12, 2026

We look forward to seeing you there and hearing your perspectives!

Funds raised will support the purchase of a permanent sound system for the Zitzman gym. This will replace our current portable speaker and improve assemblies, performances, and school-wide celebrations.

Contact Us

Email: zitzmanelempto@gmail.com

Facebook: facebook.com/zitzmanelempto

Donations: https://givebutter.com/zitzman-elementary-pto

25-26 PTO Activities

• March 18th - Dine to Donate @ Guffey's
• Mar. 28th - Trivia Night
• May 8th - Dine to Donate @ Little Ireland

Preview our Spirit Wear store! Get yourself some Zitzman or MVR3 gear to show your spirit on purple Fridays or wear our logo around town proudly! Lots of good items and you are able to pick colors and logos to customize to your liking!

This store has a WIDE variety of options and mostly PHS and Athletics based but there are some options where you can choose the Zitzman logo or just the district logo!

• Jan. 30th - Feb. 13th - Zitzman BoBo's Fundraiser Sales OPEN
  
• Feb. 2nd-6th - ZE Kindness Week

Winter has definitely made itself comfortable lately—cold mornings, unpredictable weather, and those pesky germs that always seem to circulate this time of year. As we move through these winter weeks together, thank you for continuing to partner with us in keeping kids healthy, safe, and supported.

We know it can be tricky to balance routines when weather changes and illnesses pop up. We truly appreciate your help with attendance communication, sending students in weather-appropriate clothing, and keeping children home when they need rest. A little extra care now goes a long way in helping our school community stay strong.

Even on gray days, our classrooms are full of warmth, learning, and connection. Your support and communication make that possible, and we are grateful for the teamwork that keeps Zitzman a place where students can show up ready to learn and grow.

Thank you for all you do—at home and in partnership with us—especially during this busy winter season.

Leading and learning,

Dr. Sladek