Lincoln School News

Happy October Lincoln Families,

It’s hard to believe it but we are already halfway through October! We have been spoiled with some great fall weather but the temps will begin to dip and the leaves are already falling! We have had a few different events this year already and we are excited for what is to come! Keep reading for a few reminders and some recaps!

MEA Break

On Thursday and Friday of this week, the state teachers union hosts its annual Educator Conference for all state teachers. MEA is a long standing conference offering professional development for teachers. There will be no school for students on Thursday 10/15, Friday 10/16. The Lincoln office will be closed Thursday 10/15 and 10/16. We will be back to welcome you on Monday 10/19!

Cooler Weather & Lost and Found

We are gearing up for the cool weather Fall has brought us, as it’s starting to settle in. This is a great time to dig through your storage to find your hats, gloves and other winter gear you will plan on needing as we continue to dip into the cooler temperatures. I encourage you to label your clothing in some way so if it is left in our lost and found, we can look for a name or your student can look through and find their name.

Bring Your Parent to PE Day

On September 25th we had our 1st Bring Your Parent to PE Day. I think we might have had a record number of parents/family members attend on this day. I believe we had over 300 parents/family members attend which is AMAZING! It was great to see you all here and to hear kids excited about their family members attending. Thank you for joining us and a huge shout out to our PE Team for setting it all up! We look forward to future events!

Halloween Celebrations

As a district, we want to communicate with families that for a variety of reasons, we will not be holding Halloween parties at school and we would encourage you not to send students to school dressed up in Halloween costumes. As a building and within classrooms, we will not be holding formal Halloween parties. Across the district or in some grades, there may be a Fall Harvest party or some recognition and celebration of fall. These are often tied to academic learning and not the holiday so feel free to engage in these if happening in your student’s classroom.

Fall Conferences

Later on in the newsletter, you will see a link to sign up for Fall conferences. A reminder, our conferences run Tuesday 11/10, Thursday 11/12 and Friday 11/13 (7:40-12:00). **Please note that we only offer 1 time slot per family for conferences unless we are required by court order to offer more than one. If you have questions about signing up, please reach out to the office at 507-444-8100 and we can support you with your questions. During conferences, our amazing PTO hosts a bookfair. This is a great opportunity to learn what books your students are interested in and to purchase them, supporting the PTO. We look forward to connecting and celebrating the early successes of your child(ren).

I again want to thank you for your continued support and collaboration. We are honored to be entrusted with your children and we strive to continue to provide the best learning experiences for them all!

Better Together. One Pack. One Purpose.

Justin Lang

Principal, Lincoln Elementary

jlang@isd761.org

507-444-8100

October 15th and 16th-MEA No School

October 20th-Picture retake day with group pictures, author visit for 3rd-5th grade and Choir 2:40 to 3:30

October 21st-Student council meeting 2:45 to 3:20

October 22nd-PTO Fundraiser delivery in the Flex room at Lincoln from 4:00 to 6:00 and Open gym night in the new gym from 5:30 to 6:30

October 27th-Choir 2:40 to 3:30

October 30th-End of the first quarter

November 2nd-No school teacher work day and PTO will meet at 6:00pm in the Art room

November 3rd-Choir from 2:40 to 3:30

November 4th-Student council meeting 2:45 to 3:20

November 9th-Healthy Husky Kick Off

November 10th and 12th-PTO Read and Feed during lunches at Lincoln

November 10th-Choir from 2:40 to 3:30 and Conferences from 3:00 to 7:00

November 12th-Conferences 3:00 to 7:00

November 13th-No School conferences 7:40 to 12:00

November 16th, 17th and (18th if needed)-Let's Smile Dental Clinic in the Flex room

November 17th-Choir at 2:40 to 3:30

November 18th-Student Council meeting from 2:45 to 3:20

November 19th-Winter Concert at OHS for Choir, 4th and 5th grade at 6:30 at OHS

Parent-teacher conferences are a wonderful opportunity for families and teachers to connect, celebrate student successes, and discuss areas for continued growth. We look forward to partnering with families to support each child’s learning and success.

Please view the PTCFast conference schedule and sign up for one 20 minute time slot per student.

• If you would like to attend the PTO Read and Feed on Tuesday, November 10th or Thursday, November 12th please view the PTO Read and Feed form to sign up.

• We are looking for volunteers to work the Fall Book Fair for Tuesday, Thursday and Friday November 10th, 12th and 13th. Please view the Fall Book Fair form to sign up! Thank you for helping to make our book fair a success!

Lincoln PTO's open gym will take place on Thursday, October 22nd, 2026. All students need an adult to stay with them the entire time.

Time: 5:30-6:30

Where: Large Gym

What: 9 Square

The coffee Truck will be in the Associated Church parking lot on Friday, October 30th from 7:30 to 8:30 for coffee purchases for Lincoln staff and parents.

For more information on what they offer view Travelin' Tom's Coffee Truck website.

Congratulations to the following Lincoln School student council members:

Third Grade:

Mrs. Engel's Class: Kieran Radel, William Bock and Evie Vincelli

Mrs. Sturges's Class: Hazel Kraus and Cora Cox

Ms. Malo's Class: Maudie Kramer and Harper Simmons

Fourth Grade:

Mr. Trautman's Class: Celia Stamp and Landen Boyd

Mrs. Heinz's Class: Tegan Terpstra and Charles Roddy

Mrs. Hawe's Class: Alice McRae and Anora Baird

Fifth Grade:

Ms. Hubley's Class: Oliver Simon and Julia Lindee

Mrs. Nelson's Class: Vivian Smith and Calvin Swanson

Mrs. Robert's Class: McKenna Schmoll and Eliza Williams

Ms. Morrissey's Class: Cora Thorson and Jayna Moore

Get moving, make a difference, and give back to our community! The Healthy Husky Challenge brings our Huskies together to promote physical activity while supporting great causes. We will kick off our Healthy Husky Challenge on Nov 9th during PE class. Please be on the lookout for the Healthy Husky Challenge flyer/envelope. Here is a link to the Healthy Husky Flyer

Dental services will be provided for those who are eligible at Lincoln School on November 16th, 17th and (18th if needed), by Let's Smile Inc.

Please reach out to our school social worker Amanda Griswold at 507-444-8100, if you questions.

The Owatonna High School Theater Department is holding open auditions for the roles of Young Anna and Young Elsa.

Interested students must:

• Be in 3rd-6th grade
• Be 5 feet tall or shorter
• Live within the Owatonna Public Schools boundaries and/or attend school within ISD 761
• Be available for all scheduled rehearsals and performances

• Find audition information.

The Winter Concert will be November 19th at 6:30pm at OHS for Choir, 4th and 5th grade students.

The Spring Concert will be March 23rd at 6:30 pm at OHS for Choir, 2nd and 3rd grade students.

Watch for more information on these events in the coming months.

With the cooler weather here, we are seeing more jackets, sweatshirts, hats and other items making their way into our lost and found. Please help us return belongings to their owners by labeling your child’s clothing and personal items with their first and last name.

We will donate all unclaimed lost and found items on Thursday, October 29th.

Thank you to the Lincoln student council for their help in keeping these items organized.

If you wish to drop off toys for Toys for Tots, the box will be in the Lincoln entry way starting on Monday, October 26th.

We encourage all families to take a few minutes to review the Elementary Student Handbook together. The handbook contains important information about school policies, daily procedures, attendance, behavior expectations, safety, transportation, and other helpful resources. The changes to the handbook for 2026-2027 are listed on the welcome page. Reviewing these guidelines with your child helps ensure a successful and positive school year for everyone. Thank you for partnering with us to support a respectful, responsible and ready to learn environment at Lincoln!

With the fall sports season in full swing at our secondary schools, we

want to communicate some expectations of those who plan to attend to

ensure a safe and enjoyable experience for all.

● Tickets can be purchased in advance using the Bound app (NEW in

26-27). Credit cards are accepted at the gate. NO cash.

● All elementary students in attendance for a sporting event must be

accompanied by a parent or caregiver who must remain with their

student for the entirety of the game.

● OMS students should sit in the OMS section at varsity football games

or with their parents/caregiver.

● If students are found with prohibited items, they will be asked to

leave, and disciplinary action may be taken.

● No backpacks or large bags are allowed into the stadium or gym.

● No footballs can be brought into the stadium.

● No reentry to varsity football games.

● Fans will not be allowed onto the field after the game. Students and

fans must vacate the premises following the game.

● There will be no supervision extended beyond the games.

Additional information regarding Bound ticketing and pricing can be

found at owatonnaactivities.com

To complete the 2026/2027 Meal Benefits Application,
log in to your Infinite Campus Parent Portal account.
The application can be found on the left hand side under "more".

All students enrolled are eligible to receive one breakfast and one lunch at no cost on each in-person academic day regardless of their application results.
Families are still encouraged to complete an Application for Educational Benefits to be considered for additional benefits such as reduced fees for school sports and activities. The application also helps determine state education funding for your children's schools.

Applications may be submitted anytime throughout the school year. Please refer to the district website for more information on Applications for Educational Benefits .

Owatonna Public Schools does not discriminate on the basis of race, color creed, religion, national origin, sex marital status, familial status, status with regard to public assistance, disability, sexual orientation, age , gender identity or expression, or socio-economic status. Students with disabilities are entitled to a free appropriate public education that includes general education, special education and/or related aids and services. Direct reports or concerns to Chris Picha, Director of Human Resources. More information can be found on the district website: isd761.org/nondiscrimination.

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Website: https://lincoln.isd761.org/
Location: 747 Havana Road
Phone: 507-444-8100
Facebook: Lincoln Families Facebook Page