News and events
March 2, 2026
Upcoming Dates
Thursday, Mar. 5 - Read and Eat, 8:40 – 9:10 am, Dayton Gym
Friday, Mar. 6 - NO SCHOOL - Staff Planning
Monday, Mar. 9 - NO SCHOOL - Staff Development
Monday, Mar. 23 - Spring Picture Day
Monday, Mar 30 - Friday, Apr. 3 - NO SCHOOL
A message from the principal
Greetings Families,
We have much to celebrate at Dayton Elementary-
–Our staff loved being able to connect with many families during our family/teacher conferences in February. Thank you for your ongoing, continued partnership. Whether you just saw us for these conferences, or we missed you during this time, please know we welcome continued conversation and collaboration on how to best support your child’s success. Please reach out any time.
–I Love to Read Month was a great success! We look forward to celebrating with our students and families at our Read and Eat Scones Morning and Book Swap on Thursday, March 5. We hope you can join us! Click here for more information.
–Our students had an absolute blast at the Booster Fun Run! A huge thank you to our amazing families for helping our PTO raise over $40,000. These funds go directly back into our classrooms and programs, making a lasting, positive impact on every student at Dayton Elementary. We are so grateful for your incredible support!
–Thursday, March 5, marks the successful conclusion of our second trimester! To celebrate our students’ hard work and growth, we are thrilled to host our school-wide celebration day. This trimester’s theme is "Dayton Eagles Rock!" We look forward to a day dedicated to honoring our Eagles and all they have achieved.
During the month of March our students are learning about cooperation, or working together to reach shared goals. Learn more about how to support conversations about cooperation in your home with these resources.
Kindergarten Family Connection
Second Grade Family Connection
Fourth Grade Family Connection
Have a great week!
-Mrs. Wippler
Read and Eat
When: Thursday, March 5th
From: 8:40 – 9:10 am
Where: Dayton Elementary Gym
What: Read and Eat Scones Morning
Come and enjoy a scone and juice with your child. Bring a book(s) to swap at our book swap.
Yearbooks On Sale Now - April 24!
Extra yearbooks will not be available for purchase after the sale ends.
ACT NOW!
On sale NOW - Friday, April 24th!
$10.00 per yearbook
Purchase online via SchoolPay (see below)
Yearbooks will be delivered to students during the final week of school
Log in to your ParentVue account at ahschools.us
Click on the dark blue parent or guardian button.
(If you need help finding your login/password, email ACShelp@ahschools.us or call 763-506-4357.)
In ParentVUE, click on the “Fees” tab.
Click on “Pay for Meals/Activities/Fees Here.”
Click on “School Payments.”
Help Every Student Cherish the Memories! Order Your Yearbook & Donate Today.
Spring Picture Day
Monday, March 23, 2026 (Watch for order forms in your child's backpack.)
On Spring Picture Day your child will participate in a:
CLASSROOM GROUP PHOTO (All students in attendance—without a full photo restriction)
INDIVIDUAL STUDENT PHOTOS: Are a buyer's event only. Lifetouch will only take a spring photo if payment is received via mylifetouch.com. Students may also bring their completed order flyer with cash or check on March 23rd.
Order before Picture Day on mylifetouch.com with your school's Picture Day ID:
School Name: Dayton Elementary School
Picture Day Date: Monday, March 23, 2026
Group Picture Day ID: EVTRFVZG9
Individual Student Photo ID: EVT94ZHVX
Specialists Highlights
Art
Project Highlight: Third Grade Matisse Rooms
This trimester, third graders are studying the element of art pattern. They learned about French artist Henri Matisse, and studied the many still life paintings he created that featured patterns. They considered how the elements of art could make their artwork look more realistic (form, value, and shape) and created a space inspired by his painting titled Goldfish.
Explorations
Kindergarten – Marble Run Engineers & Be Prepared
Our young engineers are wrapping up their exploration of motion with their final marble run designs! At the end of March, we’ll transition into our "Be Prepared" unit, where students will learn how different types of weather impact us and how we can stay safe during storms. Can you show me something in our house that rolls, slides, or spins? How does it move?
🦁 First Grade – Animal Reporters
First graders are continuing their journey as Animal Reporters! This month, we’ll dive deeper into how animals communicate through sounds and body language to survive in their environments. How do animals “talk” without words? Can you think of an animal sound or movement that sends a message?
🌋 Second Grade – Save the Island & A Garden for Life
Students are working on their final solutions to "Save the Island" by exploring ways to prepare for and adapt to natural changes in landscapes. Next, we’ll transition into "A Garden for Life," where students will discover how different habitats and biomes support various plants and animals. If our town experienced a big natural change (like flooding or a drought), what could we do to prepare or adapt?
⛈️ Third Grade – Weather Warning HQ
Our young meteorologists are continuing to analyze weather patterns, with a focus this month on lightning and wildfires. Students will investigate how these extreme weather events occur and their impact on the world. What causes lightning or wildfires, and why can they be dangerous? What safety steps should people take?
🗺️ Fourth Grade – Geographical Investigations
Fourth graders are continuing their geographical research by exploring how location influences decisions, such as where to build farms, markets, and other important structures. Students will analyze maps and case studies to understand the reasoning behind these choices. If you were choosing a place to build a farm or store, what geographic features (water, roads, land, climate) would you look for, and why?
🇺🇸 Fifth Grade – The American Revolution
Fifth graders will be starting their study of the American Revolution! This month, we’ll examine key events like the Boston Tea Party and the battles of Lexington and Concord, discussing how these moments shaped the path to independence. If you were a colonist in 1775, would you have supported independence from Britain? Why or why not?
CORE
Kindergarten - Staying Healthy/Coding
Fruits and vegetables, sleep and exercise, oh my! Looking at ways to stay healthy will be the focus for the first half of the month. We will use Seesaw to show and explain ways that we as Kindergartens can stay healthy. The second half of the month we will be focusing on a new application called Scratch Jr. Through Scratch Jr. the Kindergartens will learn what coding is and how they can move objects around with just a few lines of code.
First Grade - Coding
What is coding and how do we use it in our everyday lives? The first graders will learn about coding through the app called Scratch Jr. We will explore how objects move and change with just a few specific commands.
Second Grade - Personal Safety Project and Coding
Second graders will complete their safety research projects created in Seesaw. Next, we will begin our coding unit!
Third Grade - Coding
Third graders will complete their Seesaw posters about ways they have learned to say “NO” to tobacco and alcohol. Next up….coding! Students will enhance their coding skills with Code.org courses.
Fourth Grade - Infectious and Noninfectious Diseases, Coding
In 4th grade we are finishing up the use of Canva and completing our posters on diseases. They have been working hard on their research and creative design to show the differences between infections and noninfectious diseases. Next, students will enhance their coding skills with Code.org courses.
Fifth Grade - Online Safety
Should I click on this website because it has a flashy title? How much screen time is too much? This month students in 5th grade finish talking about the importance of online safety and screen time. Through some fun graphic novel stories on Seesaw 5th graders will answer questions about online safety.
Library
Wow! I Love to Read Month has been a lot of fun in the library! We have been reading a lot of great books together, sharing books with friends, writing our own books, reading with our families, playing Book Fair Bingo, and sharing the amazing tissue box storybook characters that our own Dayton readers made. Check them out here!
Thank you to our amazing families and volunteers for supporting our Scholastic Book Fair! It was so fun to see our students choose great books to read at home. With family donations and funds earned from the fair, we will be able to get books into the hands of many Dayton students, and purchase books, organizational supplies, and makerspace items for the library. We are grateful for your support and commitment to instill a love of reading in our students.
Looking ahead to March, students in K-2 will finish up reading Star of the North nominee books, and vote for the one they think is most deserving of the award. Students in grades 3-5 who read at least 3 of the Maud Hart Lovelace nominees will also get to vote for their favorite book.
Dayton Elementary PTO
🎉 We Did It! 🎉
Our school community showed up in a BIG way — we surpassed our $40,000 goal for the Booster Fun Run Fundraiser!
We are beyond grateful to every family member, friend, and community supporter who donated and cheered on our Eagles. A special thank you to all of the incredible volunteers who helped make the day run smoothly. Your time and energy made this event such a success!
Because of you, we can continue supporting our students, staff, and school in meaningful ways. 💙
📅 Upcoming PTO Meetings (Mark your calendars and join us!)
Monday, April 13
Monday, May 11
Come be part of the fun as we plan events, support our amazing staff & students, and continue building a strong Dayton Elementary community. Whether you’ve been involved for years or are just curious about what PTO does — we’d love to see you there!
Together, we make a difference. 🦅✨
Volunteer
Thank you volunteers! February was a busy month for our school and our volunteers helped make all our events possible! A big thank you to our volunteers that helped with the Booster Fun Run, the workroom, skillbuilders, classroom support, guest readers, book fair and field trips. Dayton volunteers have given over 2,049 hours of their time so far this school year!
If you are interested in volunteering, check our Dayton Volunteer Opportunities Website to view upcoming opportunities.
Individuals who wish to volunteer, including field trip chaperones, must complete both the Volunteer Application and Criminal Record History Release form at each school site, every school year.
Kristin Gow, Volunteer Services Coordinator
(763) 506-2230
Hello Parents,
As we enter winter, illnesses typically increase. Please notify the health office if your student has an illness that requires treatment: strep, impetigo, ringworm, fifth disease, scabies, and lice. If we see a cluster of 3 or more students in 1 class, we will send a notification to the whole class. If you've reported the diagnosis to the attendance line, we do see that, but often diagnosis comes later in the day, and that's when we would appreciate an email or phone call.
Please remind your students to wash their hands! And please let us know if you have any other questions or concerns.
Thank you!
Stephanie Mullinix, Health Para LPN
Katelyn Salwey, School Nurse LSN/RN
763-506-2204
Book Swap
March 5
March 27
April 30
May 29
All dates are subject to change.
Time: 9:15 - 9:30 am
*Donations are always welcome, just drop off books in the front vestibule labeled for the book swap.
Important Security Information
We are a LOCKED facility.
Press the silver button.
Wait for a staff member to respond.
Have your ID ready.
Absences or Late Arrivals
Please report student absences or late arrivals before 10:30 a.m.
To report attendance, use one of the following methods:
Call the school's 24/7 attendance voicemail at 763-506-2206.
- Login on our webpage AHschools.us (Instructions linked here)
- Use the ParentVUE mobile app
Student Arrival
- Please do not drop off your child(ren) before 9:15 a.m., as staff are not on duty to supervise them until then.
Student Dismissal
Parent pick-up starts promptly at 4:00 PM in the Dayton and Rebel parking lots.
Please call 763-506-2200 by 3:00 PM if you need to change a dismissal plan.
Early Dismissals
Early dismissals should occur only in rare circumstances. Please make every effort to schedule appointments outside of school hours. Students leaving even a few minutes early often miss important last minute instructions and/or reminders. Interrupting classes to call students to the office also distracts other students and interrupts classroom routines.
If an early dismissal is unavoidable, allow us ample time to locate your student. We ask that early dismissals are avoided after 3:30 PM. We will call your student down when you arrive.
Daily schedules are available here.
ONLY parents and legal guardians are authorized to pick up. If you need someone else to pick up your child, please call the office at 763-506-2200 in advance to make arrangements.
Dropping off items students forgot to bring?
Pre-K to Grade 3 parenting education and family engagement
Did You Know? Dayton Elementary has its very own PreK–Grade 3 Parenting Educator!
Tawnya Heinsohn is available in person on Digital Day 1 to support families with helpful resources, visuals, and FREE online parenting workshops each month.
Have a parenting question or want to learn more about a topic? Reach out to Tawnya Heinsohn at tawnya.heinsohn@ahschools.us or 763-634-1880.
Check out upcoming workshops at ahschools.us/prektograde3
Dayton Elementary participates in the Box Tops for Education, so please scan your receipts. It helps raise money for our school! Click here for more information.
BOX TOPS + WALMART
Connect your Walmart and Box Tops accounts so you can earn cash for our school when you purchase Box Tops products in-store or online using your saved Walmart payment method — without scanning or submitting your receipts!
Other Important Numbers
763.506.2204
763.506.2213
763.506.2211
If your child's bus doesn't arrive in the morning or they don't get off the bus in the evening (rare), call the bus company directly. Save their number for after-school hours, as they can contact drivers.
First Student Bus Co.
763.421.5785 First Student Champlin (regular routes to/from Dayton Elementary)
763.421.3199 First Student Anoka (students receiving special education transportation)