Jefferson Elementary

Despite the heat, our Jaguars showed incredible determination and finished strong—with support from families, MSU athletes, and cheerleaders cheering them on every step of the way.

This event not only boosted our school spirit but also raised an impressive amount of money to support Jefferson students. We’re deeply grateful for our community’s generosity and investment in creating additional learning opportunities for our students and staff.

A big thank-you to all of our Jefferson staff and PTO members who worked hard to plan and pull off this special event!

It was a perfect morning for Bike & Walk to School Day! Our Jaguars kicked off the day with smiles, exercise, and community spirit as they biked and walked to school with friends and family. What a fun way to celebrate wellness and connection at Jefferson!

We’d like to remind families that students should only bring water and healthy snacks to school. Water is always available throughout the day, and students will have a chance to enjoy their healthy snacks during snack time.

As part of our commitment to student wellness, we also encourage healthy options for celebrations and rewards to help promote balanced nutrition and overall well-being.

Please note that carbonated drinks, energy drinks, coffee, candy, and junk food (chips, brownies, cookies) are not in alignment with our school wellness policy, and students will be asked to refrain from having these items at school and will be asked to keep those items safely in their backpacks or with the teacher until the end of the school day.

You can find the full wellness policy tab for your reference. Thank you for helping us support healthy habits for all our students!

https://www.isd77.org/experience/departments/student-support-services/wellness

Mankato Area Public Schools uses a variety of dgital tools to support student learning. Technology vendors and software is utilized to support work as we help all students develop the skills necessary to succeed in an ever-changing world.

We have an inventory of our curriculum, testing, and assessment tools posted on our district website at bit.ly/4835DET (or directly to our Learn Platform page bit.ly/3R9xvRB). This list is maintained and communicated annually to all families at the start of the school year.

Please reach out to your building principal for additional questions regarding the use of the specific digital tools in classrooms. Please reach out to MAPS technology department regarding data, privacy, and vendor inquiries of the specific digital tools.

Sincerely,

Melissa Brueske, Principal and

Angie Potts, Director of Educational Technology

We held our first All-School Assembly of the year! These assemblies are designed to build positive connections and celebrate school-wide accomplishments. Students from different grade levels teamed up for a fun “Minute to Win It” relay race, fostering teamwork and school spirit.

During the assembly, we recognized our Jammin’ JAGS—students nominated for consistently demonstrating our PBIS expectations: Be Prepared, Act Responsibly, Give Respect, and Think Safety First.

We also celebrated our Rock Star Readers, who have shown grit and determination in growing their reading skills.

We wrapped up our assembly by singing the school song together—always a wonderful way to end on a note of Jaguar pride!

As part of our Title I program, we are updating our school–family compact, which outlines how caregivers, students, and staff work together to support learning. Your feedback is very important in shaping this agreement so it truly reflects the needs of our students and families.

In the coming days, we will be asking you to share your thoughts on what’s working well, what could be improved, and how we can strengthen our partnership. This input will help us build a compact that supports every child’s success.

Thank you for taking the time to share your voice—we value your partnership!

Survey Link

At our recent PTO meeting, I shared a presentation highlighting our building-wide Title I programming as well as our work on Comprehensive Achievement and Civic Readiness (CARC). These informational sessions are an important part of our efforts to advise the school board on budget priorities and improvement plans that support student success.

Linked below are the presentations—please don’t hesitate to reach out if you have any questions!

Title 1: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/17EqrZHa0WNQMHqAjUVLBpV85m2HjNZQHE0oK2I6aTE0/edit?usp=sharing

CARC: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1cCiWfYxYkp1ceA5R23ZsHj3_93p96CHeZDFwQTLUUO8/edit?usp=sharing

I wanted to take a moment to clarify our attendance expectations for Early Release days. These days are considered regular school days, and all students are expected to attend unless they have an excused absence.

Examples of excused absences include:

• Illness

• Doctor or dental appointments

Examples of unexcused absences include:

• Oversleeping

• Car trouble

• Weather-related absences (unless school is officially canceled)

We value our partnership with families and appreciate your continued support in ensuring that students attend school consistently—even on Early Release days.

Thank you for helping us make every learning day count!

5th Graders Explore Science Through Mold Growth Experiment

Our 5th graders have been busy putting their science skills to the test! As part of their inquiry-based learning, students conducted a hands-on experiment to explore how mold grows. Each group selected different types of fruit and made predictions about which substances might speed up mold growth.

This engaging activity encouraged teamwork, critical thinking, and curiosity as students observed and discussed their results. It’s always exciting to see our young scientists in action!

Jefferson's Parent Engagement Plan emphasizes the importance of collaboration between parents and educators. We encourage you to participate our school activities, attend meetings, and provide feedback to help us create a supportive learning environment for your child. A copy of Jefferson’s Parent Engagement Plan is available upon request.

One form. Five minutes. Big impact.

The purpose of Title I, Part A under the Federal ESEA Act is to supplement services to students to help them learn what they need to know to be successful on high academic standards. Jefferson is a Title I school, meaning we receive additional funding to provide supplemental interventions or services to students.

Minnesota Free School Meals Program

Families will still need to apply to qualify for more educational benefits.

The Application for Educational Benefits takes just a few minutes, and it may unlock valuable support for your family all year long:

The Minnesota Free School Meals program will cover the cost of one breakfast and one lunch for every student on school days; however, the cost of à la carte items such as an additional milk, other drinks, or extra meal items will not be covered. Students will need to have funds in their meal accounts to purchase any additional food items.

If you believe your household may qualify, please complete and return the application for educational benefits to the nutrition services office or to your child’s school. You can also apply in the Infinite Campus Parent Portal by clicking on the "More" tab, then the "Meal Benefits" tab.

If you need a separate electronic copy follow this link:

https://resources.finalsite.net/images/v1753105907/isd77org/tjwxryjjobr7q3yywo3h/EducationalBenefitsApplication.pdf

Filling out this quick, confidential form may help your family access:

● Summer grocery benefits (Sun Bucks)

● Discounted internet and utilities

● Lower college exam and AP test fees

● After-school and summer programs

● Tutoring and academic support

It also helps schools receive essential funding for programs that support students.

Not sure if you qualify? Have questions? Call Nutrition Services at (507)388-7442 and we’re happy to walk through it with you.

Thank you to everyone who came to the October 7 PTO Meeting. Linked here is the Minutes from the meeting.

🗓️ Thursday, November 6 | 5:30–7:00 PM
Bring the whole family for an evening of food, fun, and books!

📬 More details coming soon — including volunteer sign-ups!

Traditionally, Jefferson has always provided after school child care on site through our ACES program. We are looking to provide that same care before school for our families who need it. If you are interested click on the link below for details.