Royal Report

Friday, September 25th, 2026

Important Dates:

9/28 - Bus Safety Day
10/7 - Walk, Bike or Roll to School
10/8 - Fire Safety Day
10/15 - 10/16 - No School MEA Break
11/4 - Picture Retakes

Message from Principal Hansen

Dear WMES Families,

Welcome to another fantastic week at Watertown-Mayer Elementary!

We have been busy keeping our school community safe and thriving. Recently, our students did an exceptional job during our emergency drill practice! They listened attentively, followed instructions quickly, and showed great responsibility so that everyone knows exactly what to do to stay safe.

Looking ahead, safety remains our top focus! In the coming week, students will participate in transportation safety lessons covering bus rules, bike safety, and safe walking practices. We are also gearing up for Fire Safety Day on October 8th!

A major highlight we are looking forward to is Walk, Bike, or Roll to School Day on Wednesday, October 7th! This exciting first-time event is a wonderful partnership with the Minnesota Department of Transportation Safe Routes to School program. It has been made possible thanks to the generous support of the City of Watertown, the WMES PTO, and a SHIP grant from Carver County. A special thank you goes out to Superintendent Schuler for his hard work and dedication in bringing this fun community event to our school!

As we move further into the school year, I also want to gently remind everyone how vital student attendance is each and every day. Missing school not only creates a hurdle in learning progress, but it also impacts children socially—routine, classroom connections, and peer interactions are key to their emotional and social growth. Thank you for your partnership in helping your children arrive on time and ready to learn!

As always, my door is open. Please feel free to reach out to me with any questions, comments, concerns, or delights!

Growing together,

Jody Hansen, WMES Principal

Royal Pride Spotlight Award Winners

Every Friday a student from each grade level and one staff member will be recognized for demonstrating WMES's Royal Expectations. Students and Staff earn Royal Pride Tickets for being caring, being safe and being a problem solve. Congratulations to this week's winners.

Walk, Bike or Roll to School Day - Wednesday, October 7th -

Join us! Students and families are invited to participate in this fun morning event to promote physical health, environmental health, street safety skills and community spirit.

Event Summary & Schedule

Date: Wednesday, October 7th
Meeting Location: Evergreen Park
Drop-off & Gathering Window: 7:15 AM – 7:30 AM
Departure Times:

7:30 AM: Bikers, scooters, and rollerbladers start
Shortly after 7:30 AM: Walkers depart

What You Need to Know

Who Can Join: Students, parents, siblings, and strollers are all welcome! Parents may walk with their child or drop them off to walk/roll with staff and classmates. Children who ride the bus to school will be dropped off at school as usual. The drop off line will also be running as usual if you want to drop them of at school.
Accepted Gear: Bikes, non-electric scooters, roller blades, or comfortable walking shoes.
Safety Requirement: Helmets are mandatory for everyone riding bikes, scooters, or roller blades.

Parking & Drop off Zones

Follow the event signs at Evergreen Park for parking or drop-off.
Students and families can head to the waiting zone near the skate ramps for music and fun before we kick off!

Route & Safety

Our route follows the sidewalk from Evergreen Park to Paul Ave, heading straight down Paul Ave to the school.
Volunteers will be stationed at crosswalks to ensure a safe crossing for all children.
School Staff and high school volunteers will also walk with the students.

Arrival at School

Once students arrive at school, they can head directly to their classrooms, enjoy a delicious grab-and-go breakfast snack in front of the school.

WMES PTO News & Notes

Have you noticed the wonderful new sunshades on the WMES playground? Thanks to your support, the PTO helped make these possible! Be sure to also check out the new bench near the main entrance, installed in commemoration of our School of Excellence award. These items are a fantastic example of how fundraising dollars directly enhance our school grounds for our students.

The next PTO meeting will take place on Monday, October 5th at 7:00 PM in the WMES Media Center. All parents and guardians are invited to attend and discover all the ways we support our school, students & staff.

We are seeking volunteers to help hang artwork the day before each class's DQ Art Night, as well as take down artwork at the conclusion of the event or the following day. The students look forward to this tradition, and your help is vital to making it a success! Please sign up using the link below.

DQ Art Hang up & Take Down Volunteers Needed

This week in pictures

Every Meal

Register for Every Meal

Important Reminders, Please Read!

Smart Watch/Phone Policy: - Ideally, smart devices are kept safely at home. The school district is not responsible for lost or damaged property. In the case a child needs a device to stay connected to family, it should be powered off and kept in their backpack during the school hours. Smart devices may be used before or after school. In the event that a student uses a smart device during school hours, staff will ask students to place it in their backpack for the remainder of the day. If a student continues to use smart devices during school hours, staff will collect the device and hold it until the end of the day. After multiple instances, the watch or phone will be held in the office. It may be picked up at the end of the day. In some cases, a parent will be asked to pick up the device. Please refrain from texting or calling your child throughout the day; it is disruptive to student learning. Should you need to speak to your child, email their teacher or call the main office at 952-955-0300. In addition, students may not call or text home from their personal smart devices. Access to school phones is not limited--students may come to the office to call home as needed.

Drop Off/Pick Up Line: - DO NOT GET OUT OF YOUR CAR. Say your goodbyes ahead of time. This keeps the line running in a timely manner. If your child is unable to get out of the car on their own please pull into the parking lot, park, and walk your child to the office after 7:45am.

Attendance: If you child will be absent please call the attendance line at 952-955-0321 or email the attendance line at esattendance@wm.k12.mn.us. Please indicate the reason for absence in your message or email (illness, appointment, out of town, etc.)

Vacation: If you child will be gone for an extended period of time please fill out the Excused Absence for Family Activity/Vacation Form and turn into your teacher or the office. This form is linked below.