Wildcat News

A few things so you can stay in the know:

~ Title I Math & Reading Night...wow, wow, wow!!!!! What an amazing night! Kudos to Mrs. Cain and Ms. Larkin for planning such a spectacular event. Kudos to all other staff and volunteers who helped with this event AND to all the families who attended!!!!! And a special shout-out to Goldie for making a much-appreciated appearance!!! :-)

~ How is your at-home OKAY Campaign going??? Please help us keep this alive by engaging in this with your kiddo at home. Your support, your modeling, and your engagement really matters!!!

~ Teacher Conference Meals: Spring conferences will be March 17, 18, and 20. As we have done in the past, Washington PTO will be providing our amazing teachers with dinner on the nights of conferences. We are asking for parents to help with conference meals by signing up to bring a beverage/dessert/side or volunteering to help with set-up or clean-up. The sign-up sheet with specific needs can be found at this link. If you would rather make a monetary donation to the Washington PTO to purchase items for conference meals (because honestly, sometimes that's just easier, right?), you can do that at this link.

~Spring Book Fair: The PTO will again host a book fair during conferences. Many volunteers are needed. Please sign up to help using this link. Thank you in advance; the PTO couldn't do this without help from so many of 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

Dear Washington Wildcat Families,

Public Schools Week is February 24-28, 2025, which is the perfect time to celebrate! We are so proud of the teachers and staff at Washington and the work they do every single day to educate our Wildcats!!!

Here in Mankato Area Public Schools, there is so much to celebrate. From innovative learning opportunities that spark curiosity to successful teams and clubs that build leadership skills, our schools are filled with moments of pride that show up on the faces of our kids.

Public schools are strongest when they are supported by the communities they serve, and we are fortunate to have families like yours who care deeply about education. Your involvement—whether helping with homework, attending school events, or cheering on our students—makes a big difference.

Thank you for everything you do that supports your student(s) and the greater school community.

In appreciation,

Ann Haggerty, Proud Principal Washington Elementary

As you may have heard, Washington Elementary was the recipient of a $10,000 prize used to improve the classroom experience for students. A Washington Wildcat grandma entered a sweepstakes, and we were nominated as the winner of a Peter Pan Peanut Butter x Crayola Make More Happen Sweepstakes as the school recipient of the grand prize of $10,000.

The Washington Lighthouse Team reviewed suggestions submitted by staff and students, and currently this Outdoor Learning Space is the idea generating the most traction.

The Lighthouse Team is looking for any feedback or ideas you may have related to the OUTDOOR LEARNING SPACE (see the vision on the tri-fold board).

Thank you for any feedback you might have.

The Washington Lighthouse Team

February 2025

Dear Washington Parents,

Hello to all Washington students and families! The Washington PBIS Team wants to let you know that during February and March, Washington will be explicitly teaching students the importance of being a first time listener, saying “OKAY” when an adult asks them to do something, and then doing it right away. We are finding that this could be a focus area for additional learning for many of our Wildcats. Perhaps you notice this concern at home sometimes?

We are using the following acronym below to teach:

O - One time asked

K - Kind response

A - Act

Y - You’re welcome

We are using this line with students: Say “OKAY” and do it right away!

It is also very important to note that we will do some teaching about those instances when it would be appropriate for a child to NOT be compliant. Our teaching of this centers around the “3 D’s”: Dangerous, Destructive, Disturbing.

We are asking for your support and encouragement with your child(ren). Tomorrow (Thursday) this same letter will come home with your child, along with an “OKAY” card. Each time you ask your child to do something, and they respond with “OKAY” and do the task, please fill in one of the dots. When all of the dots are filled in, CELEBRATE with your child, and then have them return their completed card to the Washington office for a small token of appreciation. They can then grab another card if they wish.

Thank you, in advance, for your support of our Okay Campaign. Together, we can make a big difference.

Respectfully,

The Washington PBIS Team

Dear Washington Families,

Did you know that if your Wildcat misses 17 or more days of the school year they are considered chronically absent by the state of Minnesota? We know that students miss school for many reasons such as illness, vacation, or family emergencies. It is expected that a student will miss a few days throughout the year. However, when students start to miss more than a few days of school, it can be detrimental to their academic growth. As you may be aware, students with greater attendance at school foster better relationships, have higher self esteem, develop independence, and have more academic success than students who are absent more than 10% of the school year. New findings are also indicating that the achievement of all students can be negatively affected by absent classmates. Here at Washington, we want to see our Wildcats in school as often as possible, so that they can continue to get what they need to succeed in school.

Here are some important things to know about how we will be approaching attendance for the remainder of the year:

• Stay below 17 Days Absent: Mrs. Haggerty will be sending a message out to all families who have students on pace to miss more than 17 days of school this year. We have about 14% of students (53 students) who are at this point. Our school goal is to have less than 5% of our students missing 17+ days this year. If you receive that message from me, know that we are looking to partner with you to make a plan for better attendance for the remainder of the year.
• If your child isn't feeling very well: If your child isn't feeling the best, but they seem like they could be at school, I encourage you to bring them to school and have them checked out by our school nurse, Paula Ziegler. She will let you know if your student should stay at school or go home for the day.
• Doctor's Note Needed: We would like ALL students to bring back a note each time your student goes to an appointment (doctor, dentist, therapy, etc.), excusing them from the time they were absent. If they have no note and it is just called in, it will be marked as unexcused until a note comes in verifying the absence. Further, students should be in school both before and after the appointment should it fall in the middle of the day.
• County Involvement: When a student has 7 or more unexcused absences, our school partners with Blue Earth County to support families with a plan to get their students to school more often.
• Here's a GREAT VIDEO about the importance of school attendance.
  
  

Thank you for your partnership around attendance. If you have any questions, please feel free to email me at ahagge1@isd77.org.

Dear Families:

Get ready! The Scholastic Book Fair is coming our way (YAY!). Choosing their own books

empowers kids and inspires them on their journey to becoming lifelong readers. AND—as

always—every purchase at the Fair benefits our school.

Here’s what you need to know about the big event, which will take place from 3:30-8:30 during our conference nights in March--March 17, 18 & 20, 2025.

Say goodbye to cash and hello to eWallet—your child’s digital payment account. Before the

Fair, set up eWallet for worry-free, cash-free purchases. Anyone can contribute! Share each

child’s eWallet so friends and family can add funds and give your kids more books to enjoy.

If you can’t make it to the Fair, then shop at our school’s Book Fair online. All orders ship

directly to your home, and shipping is free for book orders over $25. Every online purchase will

also benefit our school. Visit our Book Fair homepage to learn more and get started with eWallet and online shopping:

[ADD LINK TO YOUR FAIR HOMEPAGE]

The countdown to more Bookjoy is on! Catch you at the Fair!

Happy reading,

Ann Haggerty, Principal

During the month of February, our entire school will focus on Habit #4: Think Win Win. 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 4: Think Win-Win isn’t just about being nice. It’s a character-based code for human interaction and collaboration. Most of us learn to base our self-worth on comparison and competition. We think about succeeding in terms of someone else failing—if I win, they lose; or if they win, I lose. Life becomes a zero-sum game. We start to believe there’s only so much to go around, and if they get a big piece, there’s less for me; it’s not fair, and I’m going to do everything I can to get my share.

These paradigms of scarcity are worth shifting. Win-win is about constantly seeking mutual benefit in all human interactions—about finding solutions that are truly beneficial and satisfying for everyone involved. To go for win-win, we not only have to be empathic, but we also have to be confident. We not only have to be considerate and sensitive, we also have to be brave.

That balance between courage and consideration is the essence of real maturity and is fundamental to a win-win approach to life.

“In the long run, if it isn’t a win for both of us, we both lose. That’s why win-win is the only real alternative in interdependent realities.” - Stephen Covey

Excellence, Equity, Empowerment. Every student, Every day.

Email: ahagge1@isd77.org
Website: https://we.isd77.org/
Location: 1100 Anderson Drive
Phone: 507-345-3059