Sandhill E-News
Week of 1/6/2025
A Message From Mr. Johnson:
Hello Sandhill Families,
Winter Break is here! Here are a few updates as we wrap up the year:
Thank You! As we head into the holidays, I want to take a moment to thank each of you for your partnership and support. It’s been an incredible first half of the school year, and we’re so grateful to have such an amazing community at Sandhill.
Winter Break Schedule: School is closed from Monday, December 23rd, through Friday, January 3rd. Classes will resume on Monday, January 6th. We hope your family enjoys this time to rest, recharge, and make wonderful memories together
December Celebrations: We have entered the 2024 holiday season, and below is a list of some of the many holidays celebrated this month. Regardless of which holidays you and your loved ones celebrate, we wish you the warmest seasons’ greetings.
December Celebrations:
12/8 - Bodhi Day (Buddhism)
12/21-1/1 - Yule (Pagan)
12/21 - Winter Solstice (Secular)
12/21-12/25 - Pancha Ganapati (Hinduism)
12/25 - Christmas (Christianity)
12/25-1/2 - Hanukkah (Judaism)
12/26-1/1 - Kwanzaa (Secular)
12/26 - Boxing Day (Secular)
12/31 - Ōmisoka (Japanese)
12/31-1/1 - New Year's Eve/Day (Secular)
- January will bring fresh opportunities for learning, growth, and connection. We’re excited to continue working together to help our students thrive. Be on the lookout for updates about upcoming events and programs as we start the new year.
Wishing you and your family a joyful holiday season and a Happy New Year!
Warmest Wishes,
Bob / Mr. Johnson
School Safety and Support for Our Community
Dear Sandhill Families,
In light of the recent school shooting in Madison, our thoughts are with everyone in our community who has been affected by this tragedy, including our friends at Abundant Life Christian School. During times like these, we are reminded of the importance of coming together to support one another and ensuring that our children feel safe and cared for at school.
At Sandhill Elementary, the safety of our students and staff is always our top priority. We have numerous procedures and protocols in place to maintain a secure environment, including:
- Secured Entries and Office Spaces: All SASD schools underwent significant updates in 2020-21 to enhance entry and office security.
- Locked and Monitored Doors: All exterior doors remain locked during the school day, and any opened doors are closely monitored.
- Visitor Management: We use Raptor Technologies software to screen and track all visitors entering the school.
- Security Cameras: Cameras are installed in all common areas to enhance safety and monitoring.
- Collaboration with Local Law Enforcement: We meet monthly with law enforcement and invite them to conduct proactive walk-throughs of Sandhill School to strengthen our partnership and preparedness.
- Staff and Student Safety Training:
- Staff are trained in ALICE (Alert, Lockdown, Inform, Counter, Evacuate) school safety protocols.
- Students participate in age-appropriate ALICE training and read the book “I’m Not Scared, I’m Prepared” to help them understand safety in a calm, developmentally appropriate way.
- School Safety Drills: We conduct two school safety drills annually—one in the fall and one in the spring—to ensure familiarity with safety protocols.
- Threat Assessment and Prevention: We collaborate with the Wisconsin Department of Justice (DOJ) to conduct threat assessments when necessary and implement proactive measures.
- Speak Up, Speak Out (SUSO): Students are trained in the Speak Up, Speak Out program, which empowers them to report safety concerns in a trusted and anonymous manner.
- Reunification Training: Our school and district staff have been trained in the “I Love U Guys” reunification protocol to ensure a safe and organized process for reconnecting students with families during emergencies.
We are committed to continually refining these measures to keep Sandhill a safe and welcoming place for everyone. If you would like to learn more about our school safety procedures, I invite you to join us at our next Working for Kids meeting on January 13, 2025, where I will provide more detailed information and answer any questions you may have.
Thank you for your ongoing support and trust as we work together to care for and protect our students and staff.
Warm regards,
Bob Johnson
Principal, Sandhill Elementary School
Mr. Matt Janisch - Educational Assistant
Ms. Serena Segebarth - Learning Strategist
Library Updates
Thank you for volunteering and supporting this fall's Scholastic Book Fair! Sales were higher than any other year at Sandhill. Proceeds (50% of all sales) are used to support the library's RIF program (Reading is Fun). This week all Sandhill students have been able to choose a free book! There will also be another free book giveaway before Spring Break!
A huge thank you to Sandhill's Working for Kids for their financial support in order to bring in the amazing author Aaron Reynolds! He enthralled the students with his energy and charisma, making books alive and imaginations soar!
Calling all 4th and 5th Graders! We will be taking part in the Statewide Battle of the Books this year! Battle of the Books is designed to promote a love of reading among our students. It encourages students (groups of 3-4) to read a variety of books and remember information about the plots, characters, and settings of the books. Every question asked in a battle is answered by the title and author of the book. It is a fun, academic-based online reading competition that has been very successful in school districts throughout the state in encouraging students to read!
Please see the attached Battle of the Books reading list and perhaps visit the public library over break to get a head start! Reading competitions for grades 2- 3 will take place in the new year.
Update from NextPath
New Enhancement - Improved Caregiver/Guardian Log-In Experience
Caregivers can log into NextPath more easily to access important Documents, complete Glimpses, and acknowledge plans like WI Act 20 Personal Reading Plans.
Why It's Important: This update streamlines the caregiver experience, ensuring families can securely and efficiently stay informed and involved in their child’s education.
How to:
Quick Overview Video: Learn how caregivers log into NextPath and claim their students.
Quick Overview Video: See how caregivers acknowledge WI Act 20 Personal Reading Plans.
Step-by-Step Guide: Share these directions with families to help them claim and acknowledge plans. Available in Spanish, Hmong and English.
With these improvements, caregivers can seamlessly engage with NextPath to support their child’s learning journey.
2025-26 School Calendar
The 2025-26 school calendar has been approved by the school board. Please note the following:
School starts September 2nd.
School ends on June 9th.
Graduation will be June 7th (the 2nd Sunday in June).
Good Friday will no longer be observed as a separate holiday by the district. Families may refer to our policy regarding the observance of religious holidays.
Professional Learning days have been
reformatted slightly. This is to ensure very specific and focused learning days for our staff.
Antiracism Project: Educating for Equity, December Resources
WFK Updates
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! Our next Staff Snacks is Friday, January 10!
Sign Up for Staff Snacks - December/January
- 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
LIKE US ON FACEBOOK
Did you know we're on Facebook? We post information about upcoming events and other information about what's going on at Sandhill. You can find us @sandhillwfk. Tell your friends and family too!
MARK YOUR CALENDARS
December 23 - January 3 / NO SCHOOL
January 13 / Next WFK Meeting
Thanks, again, and have a great weekend!
-Your Sandhill WFK Board
- Kelsey Gleason, Chair
- Maria Wopat, Secretary
- Maggy Adams, Treasurer
- Wesley Thompson, Event Coordinator
- Ali Zietsma, Staff Liaison
- Bob Johnson, Principal
Contact Information
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