Sandhill E-News

Hello Sandhill Families,

Here are some important updates from Sandhill:

• Legislative Day: We had a really positive Legislative Day at SASD this past week! It was a wonderful opportunity to showcase the great work happening at Sandhill and engage with local representatives. Photos from the event are included below.

• Golden Stella Award Photos: We’re excited to share photos of our latest Golden Stella Award winners—check them out below!

• Family Conferences: Conference sign-ups are now open and the links are below. A reminder that we are only able to accommodate one conference per family, unless there is a court order stating otherwise. If family members prefer not to meet in the same room, we are happy to offer a Zoom conference for one of the family members at the same time.

• Working for Kids Meeting: Our next Working for Kids (WFK) meeting is scheduled for February 10th. We’d love to see you there!

• Second Winter: We’re firmly in the “Second Winter” stage of the 11 Seasons of Wisconsin.

Thank you for your continued support, and have a wonderful weekend!

Bob / Mr. Johnson

Kindergarten:

Ms. Rousseau

Ms. Ott

Ms. Zietsma

1st Grade:

Ms. Albert

Ms. Kittleson

Ms. Weaver

2nd Grade:

Ms. Null

Ms. Girard

Ms. Ross

3rd Grade:

Mr. Dunnihoo

Ms. Kruckenberg

Ms. Paulson

4th Grade:

Ms. Barberino

Mr. Manzo

Ms. Salter

5th Grade:

Ms. Dreyer

Ms. Pierce

Ms. Zweifel

The Sandhill Book Fair will be open soon. Following is the schedule:

Tuesday, February 25th, 3:00 - 4pm

Wednesday, February 26th, 3:00 - 8:00 pm

Thursday, February 27th, 12:00 - 8:00 pm

Dear Parents/Guardians,

This letter is meant to inform you of a social-emotional screener that will be administered to your child three times throughout the 2024-2025 school year. Students in 3rd-12th grade will complete the screener.

The social-emotional screener is comprised of short rating scales that are completed by students. Each assessment takes between 5 and 8 minutes to complete. The focus of the scales is a student’s social-emotional learning (SEL) which includes the CASEL competencies of self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship skills, and responsible decision making. The purpose of these online assessments is as a universal screener given to all students that will identify areas of strength and weaknesses in social-emotional learning in order to inform teachers and school leaders in planning SEL instructional and programmatic supports (i.e. universal instruction such as Second Step) for students.

How will the measure be used?

This measure of students' social and emotional functioning is aligned with most state Social Emotional Learning standards and provides results used to guide strength-focused instruction for all students and potentially preventive support for any students experiencing emotional behavior concerns. This brief rating scale is not a comprehensive diagnostic measure for classification of difficulties or disorders. Rather, it is meant to efficiently “check-in” to help us better understand how our students' social emotional functioning associated with each level can always be improved and thus change over time. Periodic re-screening can be used to continue to monitor students’ progress.

If you consent for your student to participate in this screening no action is needed. If you do not consent, please email bob.johnson@stoughton.k12.wi.us and simply respond that you are opting your child out of the screener with your child/children's names by Monday 2/10.

Dear Families,

As you know, we are using the Second Step program in your child’s classroom. The Second Step program teaches children important skills for getting along with others and doing well in school. It also helps our school be a safe and supportive place where everyone can learn.

To help make our school even more safe and supportive, we are also going to use the Second Step Child Protection Unit. In these lessons, students will learn three types of skills:

• Personal Safety. Students will learn important safety rules, such as safety with guns, sharp tools, and fire, and when riding on wheels or in cars. They will also learn ways to help them decide if something is safe or not.
• Touching Safety. Students will learn about safe, unsafe, and unwanted touches, and rules about touching private body parts. They’ll also learn to say no to unsafe or unwanted touches, and to tell an adult if someone breaks rules about touching private body parts.
• Assertiveness. These lessons will also give students a chance to practice asking an adult for help, telling an adult about an unsafe situation, and being assertive to get out of unsafe situations.

Your child will bring home Home Links to help you understand what he or she is learning about safety at school and to give your child another chance to practice safety skills.

To keep your child safe and protected, everyone at school needs to be involved. So all our staff will get special training in how to:

• Recognize and report suspected child sexual abuse
• Respond to and support children who have been abused or who are facing other challenges
• Use strategies that promote a safe and supportive school climate

If you have any questions about the Child Protection Unit or the Second Step program, please contact me. If you do not want your child to participate in these lessons, please complete, sign, and return the bottom portion of this letter. For more information on our school’s child-protection policies and procedures, check our school website or contact the school office.

Go online to SecondStep.org and log in with the activation key CPUK FAMI LYGK to get more information about what your child is learning in the Second Step program. Thank you for helping us to make our school a safe and supportive place where everyone can learn.

Sincerely,

Bob Johnson

Principal

Opt Out Letter - English

Opt Out Letter - Spanish

Back to School Planning for 2025-26 has begun. Note the following key dates below:

• Grades 6-12 Onsite Registration will be Wednesday, August 13th and Tuesday, August 19th

• Grades K-5 Conferences will be

• Wednesday, August 27th

Get ready for a night of amazing music!🎶The 2025 SHS Pops Concert is happening Monday, February 10th at 7 pm in the SHS PAC!

🎼This showcase features the combined choirs and 21 solo acts accompanied by a professional house band.

🎟️Get your tickets now: https://cur8.com/23157/project/129119

Looking for a meaningful way to give back? Donate blood at the Stoughton High School Auditorium on February 19th (8:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m.) and help our graduating seniors earn scholarships! Your contribution makes a difference in multiple lives. Sign up today at rcblood.org/flurry or come as a walk-in. Enjoy refreshments on us!

You can order a 24-25 Sandhill Yearbook from Lifetouch now until April 6th. Here is the link.

https://ybpay.lifetouch.com/Order/SelectJob

Our Yearbook code is 13445125. They are $12 each.

Butter Braid Fundraiser - HAPPENING NOW!!!

It's that time of year again! Our annual Butter Braid fundraiser is officially open for business! You should have received a paper order form in your child's red folder last week or you can place your order through our convenient online option now through February 24. Please note that Butter Braids will need to be picked up from Sandhill on Thursday, March 13 between 3pm and 6pm. We have limited freezer space to store orders that do not get picked up on time.

• Order your Butter Braids through our online store!
• We are also looking for a couple individuals to help hand out orders on March 13. The orders come already sorted by last name, so it's a super easy task!
• Sign up to hand out Butter Braid orders!

February WFK Meeting - Monday, 2/10

Please consider joining us next Monday, February 10 for our monthly WFK meeting. We will be meeting in the school library at 6:30pm, and free childcare is provided. Agenda items include our upcoming events and fundraisers. Throughout the school year, we are super busy supporting our students and staff and planning events, and it takes a lot of volunteer time to make it all happen. If you are interested in helping out in any way, please let us know!

*We will also have board positions opening up at the end of the school year, so please reach out if you have any questions or would like more information on how you can get involved!*

3rd Annual Sock Hop - Friday, 2/21 - VOLUNTEERS NEEDED!

Mark your calendars and plan on joining us on Friday, February 21st at 5:30 pm for our second annual Sock Hop! There will be a DJ, so wear your crazy socks and be ready to break out the dance moves! Pizza, bottled water, and cupcakes will be available for purchase.

To help make this event happen, we need volunteers! Please check out the sign up genius if you are interested in helping with set up, by handing out pizza and cupcakes, or clean up. Sign up to volunteer with the Sock Hop!

Winter/Spring Scholastic Book Fair

The next book fair takes place Tuesday, February 25 - Thursday, February 27. Working For Kids helps out by providing volunteers to work at the book fair during recess times and during parent teacher conferences. Each time you volunteer, you receive a $5 credit towards book fair items!

Sign up to volunteer at the Book Fair!

Staff Dinner during PT Conferences - Wednesday, 2/26 - VOLUNTEERS NEEDED!

Our fabulous Sandhill staff always work hard for our students and their families. But, during conferences, they really go the extra mile and don't have much time to refuel. That's where WFK comes in! It is our tradition to provide dinner for the entire staff to enjoy on the first day of conferences.

Please consider signing up to donate a food item, help set up, or help clean up as a way of showing our Sandhill staff how much we appreciate them!

Winter Conference Dinner Sign Up!

If you would like to help support our awesome teachers and staff but prefer not to have to worry about ordering food, preparing food, or delivering items to school, feel free to donate directly to WFK through our PayPal account. Please use an apple emoji or clearly specify that your donation is intended for teacher and staff support!

Here is the link for persons interested in donating with ease! :)

Donate to Sandhill Elementary Working For Kids

ON-GOING VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES

Volunteer for Staff Snacks!

We REALLY appreciate all our amazing staff! They show up every day for our kids and go above and beyond for them. As a token of our appreciation, we provide yummy snacks in the TEAM Room on the first Friday of every month. Please take a look at the sign up if you would like to help out with Staff Snacks!

• Sign Up for Staff Snacks - February/March
• Sign Up for Staff Snacks - April/May

• If you are interested in helping, but would rather not bring in items, please consider donating through our PayPal account and use an emoji or leave a comment to indicate your donation is to be used for Staff Appreciation. Donate to Sandhill Elementary Working For Kids

Volunteer for Lunch & Recess!

If you are looking for an easy way to help out at school and spend some time with our students, consider volunteering during lunch and/or recess duty!

• Sign up for February Lunch/Recess Duty
• Sign up for March Lunch/Recess Duty

MARK YOUR CALENDARS

• February 10 / Monthly Meeting
• February 21 / Sock Hop!
• February 24 - 27 / Scholastic Book Fair
• February 26 - 27 / Parent-Teacher Conferences
• February 27 / Early Release @ 11am
• February 28 / No School!

September 9, 2024 September 16, 2024

September 23, 2024 September 30, 2024

October 7, 2024 October 14, 2024

October 21, 2024 October 28, 2024

November 4, 2024 November 11, 2024

November 18, 2024 November 25, 2024 December 2, 2024 December 9, 2024

December 16, 2024 January 6, 2025 January 13, 2025 January 20, 2025

January 27, 2025 February 3, 2025 February 10, 2025

Mr. Eilbes - Dean of Students - 877-5422

Ms. Plank - Administrative Assistant - 877-5402

Mrs. Holverson - Health Assistant - 877-5404

Mrs. Dybevik - School Psychologist - 877-5410

Ms. Lawrence - School Counselor - 877-5406

Ms. McDermot - School Social Worker - 877-5423

Email: Bob.Johnson@stoughton.k12.wi.us
Website: https://www.stoughton.k12.wi.us/sandhill-elementary-school
Location: 1920 Lincoln Avenue, Stoughton, WI, USA
Phone: (608) 877-5400
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/stoughtonschools/
Twitter: @WeAreStoughton