September 2026 Newsletter

Welcome to September! Our middle and high school students are off to a fantastic start, filling our hallways with energy, enthusiasm, and a readiness to learn.

As we settle into the rhythm of the school year, I encourage you to reach out to your child’s teachers whenever you have questions or concerns. Open communication is key to student success, and we deeply value the strong partnership we share with our families.

There are also plenty of ways to get involved beyond the classroom this fall. Please join us in supporting our sports teams, clubs, and extracurricular activities—our students love seeing the stands and auditoriums filled with cheering families!

We look forward to the months ahead and the many opportunities they will bring for growth, learning, and celebration. Thank you for your continued support and trust. Together, we will make this a memorable and successful year.

With GIANT PRIDE,

Cindy Schmidt

Middle and High School Principal

I am thrilled to announce that LaRae Ludwig has stepped into the role of Dean of Students for Le Sueur-Henderson Middle & High School.

Many of you already know Mrs. Ludwig, as she has been a deeply valued member of our district for many years. Throughout her time with us, she has served in numerous capacities, bringing versatility, passion, and a heart for student success to every role she has held.

Her extensive experience within our school community and her unwavering dedication to our students, staff, and families make her a phenomenal fit for this position. LaRae understands the culture of LSH inside and out, and her established relationships across the district will allow her to hit the ground running as she supports a positive, safe, and encouraging school climate.

Please join me in congratulating LaRae Ludwig as she officially transitions into her new leadership role!

Dear Families,

We want to make you aware of a social media trend involving “Cat in the Hat” content that has recently affected schools and students in several communities across the country.

The trend has involved disturbing or threatening images, videos, and messages shared through platforms such as Snapchat and TikTok. Much of this content has been AI-generated or digitally altered, and in some cases, posts have referenced specific schools, communities, or individual students. Law enforcement and school officials in several states have investigated reports connected to the trend.

At this time, we have received no reports of any of our students being exposed to or targeted by this trend. We are sharing this information proactively so families can talk with their children about what to do if they encounter this or other troubling content online.

The safety and wellbeing of our students is our number one priority. Please remind your child that if they see or receive a threatening, disturbing, or concerning post or message, they should:

• Not respond, engage with, or repost the content.

• Save evidence of the post or message, such as a screenshot, when it is safe to do so.

• Tell a trusted adult immediately, including a parent, teacher, counselor, or school administrator.

• Report any threat or immediate safety concern to law enforcement.

We also encourage families to talk with their children about responsible social media use and the importance of speaking up when something online makes them feel unsafe or concerned. Even content intended as a joke can cause fear, disrupt schools, and require significant school and law enforcement resources to investigate.

We will continue to monitor the situation and will communicate with families if there is any information directly affecting our schools or students. Thank you for your attention to this important update.

This is a friendly reminder to ensure that your child’s immunizations are up to date as required by state law. Immunizations are essential to protect the health and well-being of all students in our school community.

Please note that students who are not in compliance with the required immunizations by October 15 will be excluded from attending school until their immunization records are updated or appropriate exemptions are filed. If you have already submitted the necessary documentation, thank you!

For those who need assistance or have questions regarding immunization requirements, contact Beth Wagner, School Nurse, at 665-5800 as soon as possible.

We appreciate your attention to this matter and your continued support in keeping our school safe and healthy.

Parents are encouraged to log into the Infinite Campus parent portal to stay informed about their child's academic performance, attendance, and any communications from the school. This portal provides a convenient way for parents to track their child's progress, communicate with teachers, and stay involved in their education. It also allows parents to access important school information and resources, ultimately helping them support their child's learning and success. Additionally, parents can contact the high school office if they need support logging in or navigating Infinite Campus.

During the first two weeks of school, RISE classes work on building relationships. Each class develops a banner that represents their RISE. Students displayed their RISE flags as they walked around the gym during the Opening Ceremony on Thursday. RISE flags are now displayed outside of the classrooms.

If you or a family member has moved across district lines and has worked with crops, livestock, plants, trees, fruit, or meat, your children may be eligible for additional educational services.

If a family can answer yes to the following two questions, there is a good possibility their children qualify for additional services:

1. In the past three years, has your family lived in another school district? This includes other school districts in Minnesota, another state, or country.
2. In the past three years, has anyone in your household had a job working with crops, livestock, plants, trees, fruit, or meat (the list is not exclusive) on a farm, in a field or a greenhouse nursery or factory (not including on your own property)?

Find out if you are eligible by filling out the following form: Recruitment Request/Solicitud de reclutamiento (office.com). Or contact 1-800-890-4853 or www.tvoc.org for more information.

The Families READ toolkit helps Minnesota teachers give families ideas and tools to help their kids learn to read. This resource is designed for flexible implementation, allowing educators to adapt its content to the unique needs of children, families, and partnership settings. Toolkit materials are aligned with Minnesota's developmental standards and assessments for early language, literacy, and reading.

College representatives are beginning to schedule their fall visits to LSH! Juniors and seniors are invited to attend sessions for the colleges they are interested in learning more about. Please have your student see Mrs. Kirschner for a pass to attend.

September 16: Picture Retakes

September 21-25: Homecoming Week

October 7: GIANT SUPPORT (3:30-5:30 pm)

October 14: Early Release

October 15-16: NO SCHOOL MEA Break

October 29: End of 1st Quarter

October 30: NO SCHOOL