Wildcat News

May 16, 2025

Principal Message

Hello to all Washington families! A few things so you stay in the know.

~ The Washington Spring Picnic will be held on Thursday, May 22 from 5:30-7:00. AND...we need a few volunteers. Please take a look at this SignUpGenius and consider signing up for some time slots. Please don't delay as this is next week already!!!

~ Save the Date & Mark Your Calendar: We are again hosting a summer Wildcat Reading Event at Spring Lake Pool on Sunday, June 22 from 6:15-7:45. This event is open to ALL Washington Wildcats and their families. It is FREE, and the pool will not be open to the public during this time, so we'll have it all to ourselves. The concession stand will not be open. We would love to see everyone attend, so mark your calendar. We will send reminders out as it gets closer. Bring the whole family, for what is sure to be a great summer event!

~ Transportation 2025-26 Registration Form: Need busing for the 2025-2026 school year?Transportation Registration is now open and available online. Not sure if your student qualifies for transportation, click here to find out. If your student qualifies for transportation, please complete the form by clicking on this link. If you do not have access to a device, you can visit the Central Registration Office at the Intergovernmental Center (10 Civic Center Plaza) to complete a form. All forms are due by July 10th in order for busing to be available on the first day of school. Students who ride special education busing will have transportation arranged by the Special Education Office and case manager. IF you have NOT yet filled out this form, it's super duper important, so please take the time to fill this out. Thank you!

Thanks for your continued support of our work--your partnership matters to each child's growth and success!

Ann Haggerty

Washington Principal

ahagge1@isd77.org

Panorama Family Survey

Dear Families,

Our district values your feedback! We are surveying MAPS families during the month of May in order to gain insight into your perception of our school and district effectiveness. To ensure we continue to provide high quality, rigorous learning experiences that meet the needs of our learners and prepare them for college and career, we need your feedback. We want to know what you think.

To administer these surveys, we have partnered with Panorama Education to conduct our 2024-2025 Family Survey.

Panorama safeguards your privacy, keeping your responses confidential. The survey shouldn’t take more than a few minutes to complete, and will be a valuable source of information for us as we work to make our schools and district as good as they can be.

You may complete the survey online between May 1, 2025 and May 28, 2025 using a computer, tablet, or smartphone by visiting the website: https://surveys.panoramaed.com/mankato/login and entering your school’s access code: Washington Elementary Access Code: 2655974177

We thank you in advance for your thoughtful responses. If you have any questions about the survey administration, please don’t hesitate to contact Washington Elementary.

Donate Your Gently Used Wildcat Gear!

As we gear up for the Spring Picnic, the Washington PTO is planning a special Garage Sale of Wildcat Gear—and we need your help! We're collecting gently used Washington Wildcat spirit wear of all sizes to make it available to other families at affordable prices. It's a great way to support our school community, clear out those closets, and give your gear a second life!

Donations can be dropped off in the Washington Office. Just send them with your child OR bring them sometime when you are in our building. All proceeds from the sale will go directly to supporting PTO-sponsored activities and events.

Thank you for helping us spread the Wildcat spirit!

Leader In Me Habit #7: Sharpen the Saw

During the month of May, our entire school will focus on Habit #7: Sharpen the Saw. As parents/guardians, your understanding and support of our leadership work in this habit is very appreciated! I have found this language and learning to benefit ALL, not just students!

Habit 7, Sharpen the Saw, from "The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People," emphasizes the importance of ongoing self-renewal and continuous improvement. It involves balancing and nurturing the four dimensions of our nature: physical, mental, spiritual, and social/emotional. This habit, like sharpening a saw, helps us maintain our effectiveness by consistently investing in ourselves.

This habit is called Sharpen the Saw because dull or rusty tools are much less effective than clean and sharp tools. The same is true for us. This habit is about preserving and enhancing the greatest asset we have to deal with life and contribute—ourselves. It’s about balancing the four dimensions of body, heart, mind, and spirit.

As we spend time on each of these four dimensions of self, we create growth and change in our lives. We have the energy and vitality to practice the other six habits. We increase our capacity to produce results and handle the challenges around us.

Without spending regular time on renewal, we’ll quickly find ourselves on the path to burnout and exhaustion.