EXPO Newsletter November 8, 2026

Dear EXPO Families,

As we approach our upcoming family-teacher conferences, I want to emphasize how vital these conversations are to your child’s educational journey. Open communication between home and school forms the bedrock of long-term student success. Conferences offer us a dedicated space to discuss academic progress, celebrate growth, and align on personalized goals for the remainder of the school year. Education is a collaborative partnership; when families and educators work hand-in-hand, we create a seamless network of support that empowers our students to thrive both academically and socially. Thank you for your continued engagement and dedication to making EXPO for Excellence Elementary School a vibrant community where every child belongs.

Sincerely,

Principal Craig Anderson

• Monday, November 9
• Regular School Day Pre-K - 5th grade 7:30-2:00
• Tuesday, November 10
• Regular School Day Pre-K - 5th grade 7:30-2:00
• APEX fun Run Fundraiser - Kick Off 1:00 in the Gym
• Evening Conferences 2:30-6:30

• Wednesday, November 11
• Regular School Day Pre-K - 5th grade 7:30-2:00
• Thursday, November 12
• Regular School Day Pre-K - 5th grade 7:30-2:00
• Evening Conferences 2:30-6:30
• Friday, November 13
• No School - Conference Day 8:00 - 12:00

Benefits for EXPO and school activites

• Federal and State funding for academic support, services, and educational programs
• Test Fee Waivers like ACT and SAT
• Activity and Athletic fee discounts
• Scholarship opportunities
• Tutoring and after-school programs
• Discounts from participating community organizations

Benefits for Families

Please visit the provider's website to learn more about available discounts and eligibility requirements.

• SUN Bucks (formerly S-EBT) – Summer grocery benefits for student
• Metro Transit Assistance Program - Reduced bus and train fares
• Xcel Energy’s Income-Qualified Home Energy Saving Program - Electric and Natural gas assistance and savings
• Xfinity Internet Essentials - Low cost internet service
• The Minnesota Telephone Assistance Plan (TAP) - Phone and internet service discounts
• Amazon Prime Access Membership
• Science Museum of Minnesota Adventure Memberships
• The Works Museum - Gateway Program
• Guthrie Theater Gateway Tickets
• Bell Museum Curiosity Membership - Curiosity Membership

Click Here to Apply on-line

The EXPO Elementary book fair will be in the EXPO school library (upstairs) for shopping only during EXPO parent teacher conference hours:

• Tuesday, November 10, 2:30PM - 6:30PM
• Thursday, November 12, 2:30PM - 6:30PM
• Friday, November 13, 8:00AM - 12noon

A portion of all Scholastic book fair purchases will go back to EXPO to purchase new reading material for our EXPO school library.

If you have any questions, please email Krista Evans (krista.evans79@gmail.com).

Fresh, local foods; art and storytelling; and cooking right in the classroom!

Prototyping a rocket, then conducting a test launch, on an air national guard base!

These are some of the special STEM experiences your gifts during Give to the Max and the Apex Fun Run will help bring our students this year!

PreK-Grade 2: Midwest Food Connection

This is EXPO’s second year partnering with the Midwest Food Connection to teach our youngest students about locally-grown produce, healthy food choices, sustainable agriculture, and how different foods are connected to our local communities.

The Midwest Food Connection residency will return to EXPO in the spring.

Grades 3-4: STEM Field Trips

Third and fourth graders will go on special STEM field trips this year. EXPO is still finalizing these opportunities, so stay tuned!

Grade 5: STARBASE Field Trip

This is the first year our fifth graders will enjoy five days of hands-on science, math, technology and engineering activities through STARBASE Minnesota.

Your support will help cover transportation to this day camp-style field trip to the MN Air National Guard base near Fort Snelling in April.

GIVE TO THE MAX TODAY!

Ready to make a Give to the Max donation? Donate here!

If you want to help give EXPO a better chance at winning Give to the Max Golden Ticket prize drawings, consider dividing up your donation into small chunks of $5 or more.

Donate once per day now through Nov. 18, or in different 15-minute periods on Nov. 19, to give us more entries to win in these drawings! (Night owls: Overnight donations on Nov. 19 have an even better chance in drawings!)

Whether you donate through Give to the Max, the Apex Fun Run, or both – THANK YOU for supporting our EXPO students!!

OUR APEX FUNDRAISER STARTS ON 11/10/26!

WE APPRECIATE YOUR HELP RAISING FUNDS FOR

STEM enrichment opportunities for each grade level

ABOUT OUR FUNDRAISER

Our heart is to provide an incredible school experience where every student has the opportunity to learn and grow. That’s why we ensure the leadership and fitness events are open to everyone, regardless of financial participation. If you can help us reach our goal, please know that no gift is too small—it all goes back to our kids!

ABOUT APEX LEADERSHIP CO.

Locally owned and operated, Apex Leadership Co. joins us for two weeks to combine character development and leadership building with a fun fitness event, helping our school secure the resources we need to succeed.

2026-2027 LEADERSHIP THEME

Apex is empowering students to become everyday Super Heroes! Through fast-paced, high-energy lessons, your child will learn to lead by example and lift others up by staying Steady, being an Uplifter, and acting with Purpose. By learning to go the Extra Mile and be truly Reliable students will help us build an inclusive, "can-do" culture where they bring out the best in themselves and their peers. Each lesson builds critical interpersonal skills that align with our school’s vision of cultivating a positive and inclusive focused community.

DISCOVER AND UNLEASH THE SUPERHERO WITHIN!

IMPORTANT DATES:

Pledging Opens: 11/10/26 Event Day: 11/19/26

WHAT CAN YOU DO TO HELP?

When pledging opens, log in to myapexevent.com with your child’s access code or scan the QR code which can be found on their VIP Badge. (They will get the badge on Tuesday at the Kick-off!)

Personalize your child’s page by adding a picture or video, then share to invite friends and family to donate to help Expo For Excellence Elementary School.

Make a flat donation OR pledge a dollar amount per lap that your child completes at the Fun Run event.

Yearbook Orders Open – New Lower Price, New Paperback Cover

Ordering is OPEN for the 2026-27 EXPO yearbook! Order now, and your student’s yearbook will be delivered to their classroom in the spring.

New this year – we’ve switched from a hardcover to a paperback yearbook to help lower prices for families. Yearbooks are now $17, with an add-on option to upgrade to hardcover.

Order here!

We Want Your Photos!

Have EXPO pictures you’d like to see in the yearbook? The earlier you send them in, the better chance they have of being included!

Send pictures from the first day of school, EXPO events, classroom activities, field trips, and life around EXPO to expoyearbook@gmail.com. Please include grades pictured students are in.

Help Tell EXPO’s Story. Be A Yearbook Volunteer!

Do you love taking photos? Want to pick pictures for a page? Have an eye for details? There are several ways to volunteer for the yearbook!

Needs include:

• Photographers: Take pictures at one or more events, either during or after school.

• Assistant editors: Help collect and organize photos. Lay out a few pages.

• Sales assistants: Help promote yearbook sales and distribute yearbooks. Most of this work occurs in April/May.

• Copy editors: Get an early look at the yearbook! Check for errors before it goes to print.

Email expoyearbook@gmail.com for more information or to volunteer!

Pattern Safari: Walk around your house or yard to hunt for repeating patterns (like stripes on a shirt, bricks on a wall, or floor tiles). See if you can find a simple ABAB pattern, or challenge older siblings to spot a complex ABCABC pattern!