GRIMSRUD ELEMENTARY -February 2026-

Greetings Grizzly Families!

Thank you for making the time to schedule a conference with your child's teachers here at school this upcoming week. While conferences are short bits of time, the importance of having a two-way check in to share information as well as find those things to CELEBRATE from home to school are critical! We look forward to sharing with you all of the wonderful progress your learner is making in many areas so that you too can lift them up.

Please take a few moments to complete the short parent engagement survey by clicking the button below. We hope to get some feedback as to how we are doing at communicating and engaging with our families in effort to continuously improve.

Take Care,

~Dr. Brittany Upton

Camp Edventure is a free, four-week, elementary, summer school program that is offered at Bismarck Public schools. Children whose parents live in the Bismarck Public School District and are entering grades 1-5 for fall of 2026 are eligible to attend Camp Edventure. The goal of CampED is for children to maintain or improve their academic skills in reading and math.

DATES: June 1st – June 26th, 2026 (4 weeks)

TIME: 8:00am - 1:00pm

REGISTRATION WINDOW: February 2nd – March 31st, 2026 *Paper forms were sent home with students on February 2nd*

TRANSPORTATION: Busing service is not provided for Camp Edventure. Parents/Guardians will need to provide transportation.

BREAKFAST/LUNCH: CampED meal options will be communicated in May.

ATTENDANCE: Registration is for the entire 4-week session, if your family has attendance conflicts, please contact your CampED school principal to share conflicts.

Mrs. Johnson nominated Ellis for Student of the Week because he truly embodies what it means to be a Grizzly by consistently demonstrating respect, responsibility, and a commitment to safety. He is kind to his peers, hardworking in all that he does, and sets a great example both in and out of the classroom. His positive attitude and dedication to learning make him a standout student and a role model for others. He welcomes challenges and shows strong perseverance in reaching his goals and completing tasks.

Is there an Amazing Grimsrud Staff member you would like to recognize? Please use the button below to give them a "Shout Out." Your words will be printed and their picture is hung in our hallway for all to see and celebrate!

Friendships are a big part of your child’s growth. They’re learning how to share, solve problems, and be a kind friend—all important skills that take practice!

💬 1. Talk About Friendship Skills

• What makes a good friend? Kindness, listening, including others.
• Practice phrases like:
• “Can I play with you?”
• “I didn’t like that—can we try again?”
• “I’m sorry, want to be friends again?”

🧘 2. Teach Calm Conflict Solving

• Use our calm down steps: STOP, Name our feeling, calm down
• Use “I feel…” statements (e.g., “I feel sad when you leave me out.”)
• Encourage taking turns talking and listening
• Role-play what to say and do with stuffed animals or action figures

🤝 3. Model Friendship at Home

• Let your child see you resolving conflicts calmly
• Talk through disagreements respectfully
• Share when you made a mistake and how you fixed it

🛑 4. When to Step In

• Support from the side—but let them try first
• If there's name-calling, exclusion, or repeated hurt feelings, talk to the teacher
• Use it as a chance to grow their empathy and problem-solving skills

💞 5. Celebrate Friend Wins

• Catch them being a kind friend and praise it!
• Ask questions like:
• “Who did you help today?”
• “How did you make someone smile?”

If you need help with one of the following please click the button for more information or a way to reach out for help. If you would rather call or text you can reach Mrs. Schmidkunz about one of the following at (701)934-0826.

The Ronald McDonald Care Mobile will be at Grimsrud the week of February 23rd-27th. If your child is in need of free dental care, please request a consent form from your teacher or the school office. Forms are due by February 20th.

*Forms will also be available at Parent Teacher Conferences*

Grizzlies around the World is coming up! Tuesday February 10th we will be hosting our second annual Multicultural Night, "Grizzlies Around the World." We planned this night as a way for you to learn more about fellow Grizzlies backgrounds and cultures directly from them. Many families are preparing food, games, music and more from a variety of countries. We hope to see you there!

Parent teacher conferences are also coming up next week and we like to make sure our teachers have food to squeeze in between all of their conferences. If you are able, please click this link and sign up to bring an item on one of the conference days. Together, we can put together a couple of nice spreads for them. https://signup.com/go/qLBBZQq

Join us on Facebook for more updates and reminders! https://www.facebook.com/share/g/1aqie8EnaG/

Thanks for all of your help! We can't do any of this without your support!

Grimsrud PTO

The PTO has purchased the school a STEM (science, technology, engineering, math) cart to promote extended learning for all students. Teachers and students are excited to use it but we need some fun supplies in the cart first. Would you look around your house for some interesting trash to get the “cart rolling”? You can send any items to school with your student.

Police officers visited the school to talk with 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade students about their job. The students learned what it takes to become a police officer, what the training is like, and what a typical day on the job looks like. They had the chance to ask many questions, and the officers answered them all. The students were very curious, engaged, and excited to learn more about the role of police officer.

Dear Families,

As we move through February, I am excited to share how we are building math confidence in our kids and supporting students through targeted math interventions.

💖 What’s Happening in Title I Math?

During February, interventions continues to focus on strengthening foundational skills and number sense while helping students feel more confident and capable as math learners. Small-group interventions are designed to meet students where they are and support progress at their own pace.

Our instruction emphasizes:

• Number sense and fluency

• Problem-solving strategies

• Understanding math concepts through hands-on activities

• Building confidence through guided practice and positive feedback

💖 Monitoring Progress

Students’ progress is monitored every other week using a variety of different methods. This allows us to adjust instruction and provide the right level of support to ensure steady improvement and continued success.

💖How Families Can Help at Home

You play an important role in your child’s math growth! Here are a few ways to support at home:

• Encourage your child to explain how they solved a math problem

• Practice math facts using games, flashcards, or everyday activities

• Praise effort and perseverance, not just correct answers

• Remind your child that making mistakes is part of learning. (I have learned more from my mistakes than my successes.)

❤️ Celebrating Growth

We are proud of the effort students are showing and the confidence they are building each day. February is a great reminder that progress takes time, practice, and encouragement—and our students are rising to the challenge!

If you have any questions about Title I math services I would love to meet with you over Conferences 2/10/26 or 2/12/26 to answer any questions you may have.

Sincerely,

Mrs. O'Dell

Email: grimsrud_secretary@bismarckschools.org
Website: https://www.bismarckschools.org/grimsrud
Phone: 701-323-4150