Monroe Messenger

Dear Monroe Families,

Thank you for your continued engagement in your child’s learning. We truly appreciate the partnership we share with our families! As we wrap up our NWEA reading and math assessments, we want to share that this testing serves as a comprehensive mid-year check-in on student progress. The results help our teachers identify strengths and plan targeted support as we move into the New Year.

Beginning in the New Year, and as part of our Schoolwide Title I academic improvement plan, all students will have access to Lexia Core5 through their OmniPortal. Lexia Core5 is a research and evidence-based online reading platform designed to support and strengthen literacy skills for all learners. More information will be coming your way in January! Stay tuned!

Please also be sure to read later in this newsletter for important reminders regarding student pick-up at the end of the day. Your cooperation plays a key role in ensuring both student safety and an efficient dismissal for everyone in our Mustang community.

Finally, as we look ahead to 2026, we invite you to watch for opportunities to engage, share feedback, and provide input on school improvement efforts. Our families are our most important partners in supporting student success, and your voice truly matters.

Thank you for being such an amazing part of Monroe. We are grateful for your support and look forward to all that the New Year will bring!

Warmly,

Mollie Meyer

Principal

Subject: An Update on Monroe’s Mustang of the Month

Dear Monroe Families,

Thank you so much for your interest in and care for the traditions of our school community. We have received some heartfelt questions wondering what happened to “Monroe’s Mustang of the Month.” We want to take a moment to share our response with transparency and appreciation.

First, we wholeheartedly understand and value the joy that Mustang of the Month brought to our students and families over the years. It was truly a special part of Monroe, and many of our students.

After thoughtful discussion and collaboration, the PBIS (Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports) team came to the decision to transition away from the traditional Mustang of the Month recognition. This decision was guided by our commitment to continually grow in ways that bring all students together in cooperation and celebration, while also affirming our core school values.

Here’s a bit about the thinking behind this change:

Celebrating Growth and Achievement for All Students.
Research on school climate and inclusive recognition practices suggests that highlighting a broad range of student effort and improvement (rather than selecting only a few) can strengthen a sense of belonging for all learners and support motivation across diverse strengths and interests. Inclusive recognition practices help students internalize values like effort, resilience, and teamwork rather than feeling defined by comparison to peers. This aligns with widely supported findings on growth mindset and supportive learning environments in schools.

Fostering Cooperation Over Competition.
At Monroe, we firmly believe that “we work together to achieve.” When students see themselves and others acknowledged for cooperation, progress, and personal growth, we nurture a culture where every Mustang feels valued and connected. While recognizing individual accomplishments has been important, we want our focus to reflect that learning and character development are collective journeys.

Please know that while the name “Mustang of the Month” may no longer be part of our routines, our dedication to celebrating each student remains stronger than ever. We are excited about new and evolving ways to uplift and honor the effort, growth, and character of every Mustang.

Thank you for your continued partnership, support, and care for our Monroe community.

Sincerely,
The Monroe PBIS Team

Hello families,

With winter upon us, I want to prepare you for our early dismissal plans in the event we have inclement weather. In the future, if weather results in an early dismissal, we will follow our typical dismissal procedures to ensure a smooth and safe end to the day.

Parent pick-up will take place on Center Street at the early dismissal time.
Buses will continue to load on Monroe Avenue.
Walkers will exit through Door 8 as usual.

If you need to pick up your child before the dismissal time, please park in the main parking lot and walk to Door 1.

If we are ever closing early due to weather, we kindly ask that families wait until the dismissal time whenever possible. This allows staff to ensure students have eaten, gathered all of their belongings, and that any individual dismissal changes are communicated and planned for. Please also allow a bit of extra time, as dismissal may take longer than usual.

As a reminder, please check

Thank you for your flexibility and support as we work to keep everyone safe!

Sincerely,

Mollie Meyer

Elementary Principal

NWEA Testing will be done December 1 -19. During these weeks children in grades K-5 will take a MAP Growth test from NWEA. Students take MAP Growth tests to determine their instructional level and to measure academic growth in math and reading throughout the school year and from year to year. Teachers use this to help diagnose student learning needs and skills to work on for the remainder of the school year.

TEST TAKING TIPS

Arrive well rested
Take a deep breath and relax
Read all of the directions and questions carefully
Make sure you understand what is being asked
Look at all of the choices before you answer
Eliminate the answers you know are wrong
Stop and think carefully
Always do your best!

Please help your child to keep their library books safe from water bottles and wet outdoor gear. If possible please send a plastic bag with your child to store their library books in when transporting to and from school. We have had several books come back wet because of this issue. Luckily they have not been soaking wet yet so we are just trying to prevent that from happening. When a book gets too wet it can not be salvaged.

Thank you for your help in keeping library books safe.

December

22- Red vs. Green Clothes Day

23- Pajama Day

24 - 31 NO SCHOOL - WINTER BREAK

January

1 - NO SCHOOL - NEW YEAR'S DAY

2 - School Resumes

14 - PLC/Early Release

16 - Lockdown Drill

19 - No School MLK Jr. Day

20 - No School Teacher Prep Day

February

6 - MAESL 3rd Grade Field Trip

11 - PLC/Early Release

The BackPack and Power Pack Food Programs discreetly provides packs of youth-friendly food for weekends and school breaks. Each food pack consists of breakfast, lunch, and snack for each day out of school. Packs are received weekly.

Youth are eligible for this program if they are in grades K-12 and their parent/guardian are not financially able to provide enough food for them. Your student must attend Mankato Area Public Schools to enroll. This is not a school-operated program, is not federally funded, and has no income requirements.

Here is the LINK to the website, or feel free to use the QR code. If you are having difficulty, please contact Lindsey Northenscold at 507-387-7889 or LNorth1@isd77.org.

Important Winter Weather Information for Families

Winter weather will be here soon, so it’s a good idea to have a plan for your family in case of school closings, early dismissals, or late starts.

Notices for school closings and early dismissals will be posted on the following websites, radio, and television stations. You can also hear a recorded message on the District Notification Line at 507-387-6046.

Other ways to track school closing delays/dismissals/closures:

● www.isd77.org ● katoinfo.com ● mankatofreepress.com ● southernminnesotanews.com ● keyc.com ● KEYC 12 - TV AND MANY MORE.

Click HERE for a copy of the Winter Weather Information.

The yearbook is in need of your school activity photos. Any first-day-of-school pictures, field trips, classroom parties, book fairs, and general fun photos that you take in any school-related activity can be submitted to Amy Demaster at amydemaster@gmail.com.

Standard Response Protocol - Hold

Mankato Area Public Schools follows the I Love U Guys Standard Response Protocol to help keep students and staff stay safe. One of these responses is called HOLD. A HOLD is used when hallway movement needs to be temporarily paused so staff can address a situation such as a medical need or student concern. During a HOLD, classroom instruction continues as normal, students and staff remain in their classrooms, and no additional action is required unless directed. A HOLD is not a lockdown and does not indicate immediate danger; it is a short-term, preventative measure that helps maintain a safe and orderly learning environment.

Mankato Standard Response Protocol