Monroe Messenger

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!

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.

As a parent, you have the right to request information about the qualifications of your child’s teachers. This includes their certification status, the degrees they hold, and any other relevant qualifications. Please feel free to reach out to the school office for this information.

Hello, and Happy Thanksgiving!

I’m excited to share an update on all the wonderful things happening in STEM!

During October, we wrapped up our Digital Citizenship unit. In November, we shifted into life science, with each grade focusing on a unique learning objective:

Kindergarten: Animal Algorithms
1st Grade: Designs Inspired by Nature
2nd Grade: Forms and Functions
3rd Grade: Bee Life Cycle and Survival
4th Grade: Variations of Traits
5th Grade: Ecosystems—Flow of Matter and Energy

From Scratch Jr. animations to animal ear creations, seed-dispersal devices, bee habitats, trait-variation creatures, and photosynthesis models, students have explored it all using the engineering design process.

As we wrap up our life science units through Project Lead the Way, we are beginning our coding work. Students will explore various coding opportunities and start using Indy robots to practice their skills. If you are connected on Seesaw, you may see updates about what we’re working on in STEM class.

As always, please reach out with any questions. It has been a joy watching students showcase their creativity and dive deeper into the world of engineering and science.

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.