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Monroe Messenger

January 17, 2025

Monroe MessengerJanuary 17, 2025

Background Checks for upcoming field trips. Background Checks for upcoming field trips.

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Future Chaperones:

Turnaround times have been up to 6 weeks when submitting to the BCA (Bureau of Criminal Apprehension). Be sure you get your applications in as soon as possible if you have an upcoming trip. You may fill out an application in the office and submit a copy of your valid driver's license. There is a $15 filing fee.

NO SCHOOL NO SCHOOL

MONDAY, JANUARY 20, 2025 MONDAY, JANUARY 20, 2025

Martin Luther King Jr. Day Martin Luther King Jr. Day

Climb2Feed Penny War Climb2Feed Penny War

Great job to all the students who participated in the Climb2Feed BackPack Penny War. Monroe collected over $4200 to support the BackPack Food Program. This money will go towards feeding 820 kids for a weekend. Way to go kids!!

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Kindergarten Registration Kindergarten Registration

If you have a child that will be starting kindergarten in the fall please get them signed up so you will be included in upcoming messages.

January 20-26 - ParaProfessional Appreciation Week January 20-26 - ParaProfessional Appreciation Week

Next week we will be celebrating our amazing Monroe Paraprofessionals, showing our appreciation for their flexibility, hard work, tireless giving to our students, and upbeat attitudes as they move throughout the building each day. We would be lost without them! Monroe is fortunate to have many wonderful paraprofessionals!

The Kindness Club, founded by our amazing 5th-grade students with the support of school counselor Ms. McCarron, had a blast last Friday leading our kindergarten students in a fun and engaging game of Kindness Bingo!


What a wonderful way to spread positivity and teach the importance of kindness to our youngest learners. We are so proud of our students for spreading joy and making a difference in our school community!

Pick up and Drop off Reminders: Pick up and Drop off Reminders:

DO NOT PARK IN BUS ZONES DO NOT PARK IN BUS ZONES

There are bus zones in front of the school on Monroe Ave

and on the side of the school on Center St.

Please keep these areas open for the buses.

NO PICK UP OR DROP OFF IN PARKING LOT NO PICK UP OR DROP OFF IN PARKING LOT

Please park along the curb to drop off and pick up your student(s). For safety reasons, parents are not to use the Staff parking lot to drop off or pick up students.

CogAt Screener Permission CogAt Screener Permission

The Cognitive Abilities (CogAt) Screener testing window will be open from February 3rd thru the 14th. The CogAt will be given to all 2nd grade students and new-to-district students in grades 3-5 who have not yet taken the CogAt.


The CogAt provides insight into students’ abilities and guides educators in making appropriate educational decisions for students. Mankato Area Public Schools use the CogAt in the following ways:

  • to help educators differentiate instruction for the needs and abilities of a student;

  • to understand discrepancies between a student’s ability and achievement; and

  • to use as a measure in identifying students for placement in Talent Development Services, including cluster and Rising Scholar classrooms.


In grade 2, the CogAt is untimed. Students in a typical 2nd grade class generally take less than one hour to complete the CogAt, In grades 3-5, the CogAt will take approximately 45 minutes. The CogAt has three sections: verbal analogies, quantitative analogies, and nonverbal matrices. There will be short breaks between sections.


If you do NOT want your child to take the Cognitive Abilities Screening Form, please contact your school no later than Wednesday, January 29th.

Focus School Registration Focus School Registration

Exciting Updates on Focus School Applications for the 2025-26 School Year!

We’re thrilled to share the next steps in our district’s Focus School initiative, following approval at the November school board meeting. Starting in the 2025-26 school year, our district will expand its elementary school offerings to include:

  • Bridges Community School (Global Studies)

  • Jefferson Elementary (Outdoor/Nature-Based)

  • Rosa Parks Elementary (STEAM- Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, Math)

At MAPS, we are committed to offering innovative educational opportunities that meet the diverse needs of our students. With these updates, families can now choose from three unique elementary school models:

  • Neighborhood Schools foster a strong sense of community, helping students feel connected to the people and places around them. These schools include Eagle Lake, Franklin, Hoover, Kennedy, Monroe, Roosevelt, and Washington.

  • Neighborhood+ Schools blend the neighborhood school experience with additional enrollment options centered on specific themes, enhancing learning and engagement. These schools include Jefferson and Rosa Parks.

  • Community School brings together students from across the district through an application process, offering a specialized, nontraditional public school experience. This includes Bridges Community School.

Focus School Enrollment Timeline
Selecting the right school for your child is an important decision! Here’s what you need to know about the application process:

  • Application Window: November 25, 2024 - January 24, 2025

  • Notification of Enrollment: February 14, 2025

  • Deadline to Accept/Decline: March 1, 2025

If applications are submitted after the window closes, they will automatically be added to a waitlist. Students may be admitted from the waitlist until July 15, 2025.

How to Apply
Applications can be submitted through the Infinite Campus Online Parent Portal now through January 24th, 2025. We encourage families to explore their options by scheduling a tour at the focus schools that interest them most.

To learn more about our focus schools and the application process, visit our Focus School webpage.


We’re excited about this new chapter in our district’s commitment to future focus education.

Like us on Facebook! Like us on Facebook!

https://www.facebook.com/MonroeElementaryPto

***IMPORTANT*** ***IMPORTANT***

⛄ Winter Recess Reminders ⛄ ⛄ Winter Recess Reminders ⛄

Outdoor Recess

  1. All students will go outside daily for recess unless it is raining or the "feels like" temperature is -5 °F or colder.

  2. In cold weather, students should wear stocking caps, mittens/gloves, snow pants and a warm coat.

  3. Children without boots/snow pants are not allowed off the blacktop at recess during snowy seasons. During the mud seasons, children may need to wear boots to leave the blacktop areas.

  4. In the fall and spring, children may still need to wear warm coats in the morning and, as the day warms; they may wish to have a “lightweight” coat to wear at noon.

  5. Coats/Jackets are required when the "feels like" temperature is 32 °F or lower. Students should be prepared by choosing the coat/jacket for the weather and activities they do outside.


**Nearest weather station link: Click HERE

Looking for...

We could use some gently used snow pants. If you have any that you would like donate please bring them to the office. Thank you.

Parents: Please remain outside when dropping off or picking up your students. Parents: Please remain outside when dropping off or picking up your students.

For security purposes all visitors are to remain outside.

Your student can check in at the office to get a pass.

From the Attendance Office: From the Attendance Office:

Please make sure to call in for each day that your student is absent. Please do not email just the student's teacher for an absence. If the teacher is out that day, we do not always get the message and want to make sure that we are as accurate as possible when marking attendance. Also, please let us know ahead of time if your student will be late due to an appointment or if you need to pick up your student early from school. This helps us to be able to avoid unnecessary attendance issues as well as get your student from their classroom in a reasonable amount of time.

Volunteers Needed Volunteers Needed

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LUNCH MENU LUNCH MENU

January 20 - 24 January 20 - 24

Club Monroe Schedule Club Monroe Schedule

(Formerly known as the EXCEL after school program) (Formerly known as the EXCEL after school program)

Looking Ahead... Looking Ahead...

JANUARY

20 - NO SCHOOL - MLK Day

27 - NO SCHOOL - Prep Day

29 - Parents can view Mid-Year Progress Reports on IC


FEBRUARY

3 - 7 School Counselor Week

12 - PLC/2 HR Early Release

14 - 1st Grade - Children's Museum

17 - NO SCHOOL - President's Day

19 - Science Fair

22 - Bus Driver Day

Useful Links: Useful Links:

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Picking up your student during school hours 🏫

Please note that when students have to leave during the day, they will remain with their class until their pick-up person has arrived and either called the office or buzzed the door. Due to confidentiality and students not getting picked up at their specified time, we can not have children waiting in the office. Please understand that if you need them at a specific time for an appointment, you may need to come a few minutes earlier so we have time to get them from their classroom.

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Winter Weather Information

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24/25 Specials Calendar

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24/25 School Calendar

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Arrival and Dismissal

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School Menu

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View Menus (as a guest)

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Food Backpack Program

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Greater Mankato Mental Health Hub

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Staff Contact Info

If you are looking for Teacher/Staff email addresses. You can go to the Monroe Website and click on Staff Directory. You will need to click on the teacher's name, then you will get a popup window with their contact info.

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Cellphone/Smartwatch District Policy

Students are prohibited from using cell phones and other electronic communication devices (earbuds, smartwatches, etc.) during the instructional day. Students also are prohibited from using a cell phone or other electronic communication device to engage in conduct prohibited by school district policies including, but not limited to, cheating, bullying, harassment, and malicious and sadistic conduct. If the school district has a reasonable suspicion that a student has violated a school rule or law by use of a cell phone or other electronic communication device, the school district may search the device. The search of the device will be reasonably related in scope to the circumstances justifying the search. Students who use an electronic communication device during the school day and/or in violation of school district policies may be subject to disciplinary action pursuant to the school district’s discipline policy. In addition, a student’s cell phone or electronic communication device may be confiscated by the school district and, if applicable, provided to law enforcement. Cell phones or other electronic communication devices that are confiscated and retained by the school district will be returned in accordance with school building procedures.

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PHONE NUMBERS

Monroe Office

507-387-7889

Attendance Line

507-387-7889, ext. 2

MAPS Hotline

(school closings)

507-387-6046

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HOURS

School Hours

8:00-2:30

Office Hours

7:30-3:30

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OFFICE

Principal

Steve Johanson

Secretary

Mary Krueger

Clerical Asst.

Lourdes Chavez

Health Asst.

Kim Taylor

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About Monroe

Website:

www.me.isd77.org

Location:

441 Monroe Ave, North Mankato, MN, USA

Phone:

507-387-7889


Facebook:

Monroe Elementary PTO - North Mankato

https://www.facebook.com/MonroeElementaryPto

Monroe Elementary
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