MES Family Update

The last Making Waves t-shirt order will be made the week after the assembly.

If you would like to order a t-shirt for your child, send $10 in an envelope with your child's name and shirt size.

they have a fever over 100 or have vomited at home or at school. We recommend any ill child with a sore throat, persistent cough, or diarrhea stay home 24 hours or until their symptoms have subsided.

November 7 - Wear your Making Waves in Learning Shirt for our assembly

November 17 - 4K Trip to Carousel Gymnastics

November 18 - 5th Grade Trip to Weidner Center & Neville Public Museum

November 21 - No School

November 26-28 - No School

December 16 - 2:00pm Winter Concert Grades 3-5

December 18 - 2:00pm Winter Concert Grades K-2

December 24-January 2 - Winter Break

Meet Scrump! He is our ‘therapy bunny in training’ at Manawa Elementary School. Scrump is hoping to hop into the hearts of students and staff at his official debut, which will be the week of October 27. Currently, “Scrump” is meeting a few students and learning to live life as an elementary school student.

Scrump is a 10-week-old, neutered male, mixed-breed rabbit who cannot decide if he would like his ears to be up or down. He seems to be born into the job as a therapy bunny, coming from a home that had several children who handled him daily. He is calm, curious, and eager to learn.

The reason we added “Scrump” to the counseling team is that animal-assisted therapy has benefits that human intervention is not able to create. This includes:

• Benefits to emotional and mental health: Bunnies can provide comfort and reduce stress for individuals. Their soothing presence can help people feel calmer and more grounded.

• Increase Positive Social Connection: Interacting with a therapy bunny can encourage social interaction between people and can also serve as a bridge for conversation.

• Help build trust: Because bunnies are prey animals, it takes time and patience to build a bond with them. This process can help individuals reflect on and improve their own interpersonal skills.

• Learn daily living skills: Caring for a bunny, even temporarily, can be a form of occupational therapy, helping people learn to care for themselves by caring for another living being.

Although “Scrump” is in training, he will be:

• Visiting classrooms for lessons on understanding the role of a therapy bunny in schools, on empathy, on regulating emotions, and on caring for yourself and others.

• Used in small groups as a conversation starter, emotion identification, and friendship.

• Used with an individual student who may need to regulate their emotions.

• Used as a reading buddy or work buddy for a slow or reluctant starter.

Eventually, “Scrump” will be looking for a companion!

If you have any questions or concerns, please contact me at (920 )596-5700 or lujazdowski@manawaschools.org

Thank you!

Ms. U

If you send cough drops in with your child, please include a note in the bag with your signature so we have your permission to administer them at school. Thank you for your cooperation!

• Please call or email the office by 2:00 to change the plans for your child after school.
• If your child has a varying after school schedule, send a weekly or monthly schedule to the office.

We have a 4-day rotating schedule for our special classes this year. Students will have music and physical education every other day. Opposite days will rotate between art and library. It will be helpful for your child if they have shoes for phys. ed. that stay at school.

This rotation ensures that your child receives a well-rounded education, balancing core subjects with enriching activities.

Kindergarten - 5th Grade

7:30 - Students may arrive and will be supervised at the front entrance.

7:40 - Students may enter the building. Breakfast is served.

7:50 - Students should be at school getting ready for class to start.

8:00 - Announcements and classes begin.

3:10 - Students are dismissed

4-year-old Kindergarten and Early Childhood Special Education

Classes run Monday through Thursday (No class on Fridays)

Morning 4K - 7:45-11:05

Afternoon 4K - 11:55-3:10

A letter from Kobussen will be sent home the first week of school. Please read this over with your child to review the bus rules so we can all have a safe, happy school year.

If you have questions regarding transportation, please contact the Kobussen office at (920) 389-1500. Thank you and we look forward to a safe school year!

There must be an adult present when students in first grade or younger get off alone. If a sibling is in second grade or older, no adult needs to be present.

We are in need of substitutes for paraprofessionals. Our parapros are an important part of our school community by supporting our students and staff. All you need is a high school diploma and background check to be qualified. Come and make some extra money in a fast paced, fun environment!

If interested, please call 920-596-5700

Students are "allowed" 10 excused absences each school year. These include sick days and other parentally excused days off such as a vacation. Absences can be medically excused by bringing a note from a medical professional (dentist, doctor, etc) stating that the student had an appointment during a school day or has an illness that prevents them from attending school until a certain day or symptoms subside. Medically excused absences do not count toward the 10 excused absences. At the 10th excused absences I will meet with the parents of the student to discuss a plan moving forward and the information below.

After the 10th excused absence all days the student misses are considered unexcused even if we get notification from a parent unless we receive a medical excuse. Students are "allowed" 5 unexcused days per semester before they are considered habitually truant. I will meet with parents again after the 3rd unexcused absence in a semester to revise the plan and discuss what could happen if the student misses more school. We may move toward truancy after the 5th unexcused absence in a semester.

Practicing school lunch at home is a critcial skill for school! Help your child succeed at school by teaching them how to open and each a lunch box meal.

Lunch time is 30 minutes for our students to open, eat, and clean-up from lunch. That is not a lot of time if your child is having to wait for an adult to help open their food. There are 2 adults assigned to lunch duty daily and approximately 100 students in each lunch peroid. It might be 15 minutes before your child could start eating if they are waiting for help.

In my opinion, that is way too long for them to wait, and then way too fast for them to have to eat before leaving the lunch room!

Be mindful when you pack something in your child's lunch that needs to be warmed up that it reduces the time your child has to eat.

Many students would rather eat something warm and parents may like to get rid of left overs by packing microwaveable foods in their child's lunch. While we do have 2 microwaves in the cafeteria, please remember that there are approximately 100 students and 2 adults. The line for each microwave can get long. Last year, we had students who had to wait 15 minutes for a microwave! This didn't leave them much time to heat, eat, and clean up.

We ask that students bring drinks that have no caffeine and as little sugar as possible to school.

Check labels! Many drinks that call themselves sparkling water are filled with caffeine and sugar. Bubbl'r can have twice as much caffeine than a can of coke.

Please reach out to MES if you need anything. We still have school supplies and the Food Pantry is available for anyone in need. We are here year round to support our families. Call the elementary office at 920-596-5700 if you need assistance.

Email: dbrauer@manawaschools.org

Website: www.manawaschools.org
Phone: 920-596-2238