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From the Principal

August 28, 2026

Good People,

Please read an introduction from Assistant Principal Miller:

As we begin a new school year, I’m excited to introduce myself and share a little about the experiences and values I bring to Sanford.

Relationships at the Center: I began my career as a school counselor, and that experience continues to inform my approach to leadership. I believe relationships are foundational to everything we do in schools. All students need to know they are seen, valued, and cared for—and families need to know that we see them as essential partners in their child’s success.
A Commitment to Belonging & Growth: Throughout my career as a counselor and administrator, I have been passionate about creating school communities where every student has a strong sense of belonging while also being challenged to grow. Middle school provides a special opportunity for our students as they discover who they are, build independence, and navigate new challenges. I want Sanford to be a place where students know they belong and where our staff help them become the best versions of themselves.
Why Sanford: I am incredibly excited to join the Sanford community as Assistant Principal and to serve students and families in this community. As Principal Naida shared, our focus this year is strong roots and meaningful growth. I look forward to partnering with our students, families, staff, and community to build those roots—through strong relationships, a safe and welcoming school, and a shared commitment to positive outcomes for all students through an equity lens.

I look forward to getting to know you and, most importantly, getting to know your kids! I am grateful for the opportunity to be part of the Sanford community and so excited for the year ahead!

In Partnership,

Naida Grussing-Neitzel, Ed.S.

Principal

Maria Sanford Middle School

Infinite Campus

What Caregivers Can See

- Transportation: Bus schedules and routes
- Grades: Current academic progress and report cards
- Attendance: Daily records, absences, and tardies
- Schedules: See class schedules and teacher information (this will open September 2)

What Caregivers Can Do

Submit Absences: Report excused absences online
Update Household Info: Keep contact and family details current
Manage Emergency Contacts: Add as many trusted contacts as you need (e.g., neighbors or fellow parents) so school staff can quickly verify pickup permissions without calling to confirm

More information regarding Parent Portal: https://mplsk12mnus.finalsite.com/departments/it/family-tech-support#parentportal

Personal Items

With middle schoolers, there are many possible things that they might want to bring to school—we have collectively "seen it all." Please review with your student what is appropriate and necessary for the school day. Keeping unnecessary distractions, valuable items, and personal electronics at home helps ensure a safe, focused environment where all students can thrive. Please note that we are not responsible for personal items and sometimes are not able to recover items that are lost.

Specifically, students are not allowed personal electronic devices and per school board policy there are no cell phones at Sanford (or any Minneapolis Middle School) during the school day. Confiscated electronic devices will be secured at door 12 in a safe until the end of the school day. On the second confiscation, caregivers will be called and on the third time caregivers will have to pick up the item at door 12.

We also do not allow students to continually wear headphones! Students will need a wired pair from time to time in the classroom but these are to remain in their backpacks. If your student is easily overstimulated, we recommend loops to adjust the noise level at school. These allow students to still hear directions, especially in times of safety.

We appreciate your partnership in setting our kids up for success!

Middle schoolers do not need caffeine!

Please do not send your student to school with energy drinks or highly caffeinated beverages (such as Celsius, Alani, Monster, Rockstar, or Bloom). Middle schoolers need proper hydration, but high caffeine levels can lead to health concerns and classroom distractions.

If energy drinks or caffeinated beverages are brought to school, staff will hold them in the main office for your student to pick up at the end of the school day. Thank you for your support and partnership in keeping our students healthy, focused, and ready to learn!

Attendance

Regular attendance is essential to student learning, connection, and success. Being present means more than coming to school—it also means being in class and ready to learn throughout the day.

Class Attendance
Students who arrive 15 minutes or more late to class, leave class early, or miss more than 15 minutes of class time will be marked absent for that class. If a student is meeting with an approved school support staff member (counselor, social worker, administrator, etc.), that staff member can clear the absence so the student’s attendance record remains accurate.

Reporting Absences, Late Arrivals & Early Pick-Ups
All attendance requests must be submitted through the Infinite Campus Parent Portal. This includes full-day absences, late arrivals/drop-offs, and early pick-ups. The Parent Portal is the only way to submit attendance requests. If you need your Parent Portal activation key or assistance accessing your account, please call the Sanford main office.

New Attendance Support through Hennepin County Be At School:
This year, Sanford is one of five MPS schools piloting a partnership with Hennepin County’s Be At School program to provide additional support for students who are struggling to attend school or class regularly. A case manager from Sabathani Community Center will work alongside Sanford staff, students, and families to identify barriers to attendance and connect families with helpful resources. Support may include family outreach, home visits, problem-solving, and transportation to school.

Most importantly, Be At School is designed to be supportive, not punitive. Sanford will only connect a student with these services in collaboration with their caregiver, and families are not required to participate. Our goal is to partner with families early, understand what may be getting in the way of regular attendance, and provide support that helps students feel connected to school and successful in the classroom.

We will continue our Check and Connect Program with students as a supplemental intervention to improve attendance.

School-Based Therapists

We partner with Washburn Center for Children and the Indian Health Board for school-based therapy at Sanford. Returning this year is Mr Noah with Washburn and this year we welcome two new therapists from Indian Health Board: Dr Hopewell Hodges and Michlle Nutlis. If you are interested in School-Based Therapy at Sanford, please reach out to Social Workers Ms Becky or Ms Parker.

Transportation

We have learned that transportation has released bus schedules and stops via email and the myride app. We encourage you to download the app to communicate directly with our transportation department and be able to see your students' bus on the map!

More information can be found at: https://www.mpschools.org/departments/transportation/myridek12

Safety & Security

At Sanford we partner with Mr Tim Blaylark for Emergency Management Safety and Security. He works with our pathway elementary schools as well so many students already know him! Please say hello if you see him or wave at him as he drives between his schools!

Parents and Caregivers are not allowed inside the school building at arrival and dismissal. During the school day, all visitors must go through our security process at Door 12 and have a visitor badge to be inside the school. Thank you for understanding!

We will let caregivers know in advance of all emergency drills through this newsletter. Please speak with your student about these in advance to ease anxiety! We will hold an evacuation drill on the first day of school. We will be intentional and supportive by making sure students stay with their teacher as they leave the building and cross the street. It is important that everyone knows what to do on the first day of school.

from the Parent Teacher Association

School Grounds Clean up on August 31st

The Sanford PTA is hosting a school grounds clean-up on Monday, August 31, from 5:30 to 7:00 pm to get the school looking its best before Open House. Meet in the school courtyard on 36th Street. The PTA will provide materials and some beverages and snacks. Blue Door Pub offers $5 burgers on Mondays for those interested, and we'll bring some gaga balls and basketballs for socializing after the clean up.

Open House on September 2nd

Stop by the PTA table in the Gym at Open House to get more info on the PTA. We will be handing out free yard signs and selling Sanford hoodies. We will also be giving out free ice cream by the main entrance all evening. Hope to see you then!

PTA Email Communication

Want to know more about what is happening at Sanford? You can sign up for our email communications by sending an email to: sanfordmspta@gmail.com.

Our next meeting is September 15th from 6:30p-8:00p in the media center at Sanford. Note this is a new start time.

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