Weekly Update

Halfway Through the 3rd Quarter Already!

It’s hard to believe, but we’re already halfway through the third nine weeks! This is a great time to pause, reset, and help students finish the quarter strong.

Over the long weekend, take a few minutes to:
• wash water bottles
• clean out backpacks and lunch boxes
• restock supplies
• check grades and any missing assignments

Backpacks, especially, might need a little attention. You never know what might be hiding in there — old papers, mystery crumbs, three hoodies they swore they “lost,” or that lunch container from… who knows when. A quick clean-out can work wonders!

A small reset at home can make a big difference in helping students stay organized, confident, and ready to learn.

Let’s finish the quarter strong, Tigers! 🐯

• No School – Monday, February 9
Professional Development Day for staff

• Knowledge Bowl – Thursday, February 12

This will be at Perry, not Hiawatha starts at 4 pm

• Late Start – Friday, February 13

Doors open at 9:30 AM
School begins at 10:00 AM

• No School – Monday, February 16
Student-Led Conferences

Please be sure to sign up with your child’s advisory teacher. Teachers have shared sign-up links, and students have been working hard preparing their presentations. This is a great opportunity to hear directly from your child about their goals, growth, and progress. We hope you can attend and support them!

• 6-8 Band and Vocal Concert DATE CHANGE it will now be – Wednesday, February 25
At the Middle School at 7 pm

To help keep everyone safe and our traffic flowing smoothly, please follow these procedures each day:

Morning Drop-Off

• Please drop students off at the sidewalk/unloading zone on the south side of the school
• Enter through the south parking lot to access the unloading area
• There is plenty of space for multiple cars to unload — please pull forward and keep traffic moving

🚫 No vehicles are allowed in the bus loading zone while buses are unloading

After buses finish unloading (around 7:45 AM), families may pull through the bus zone and unload in the main lot. If you do, please pull all the way forward and stay in line.

Afternoon Pick-Up

• The first 7 cars may park directly in the loading zone
• Additional cars will form Lane 1, then Lane 2, then Lane 3, and so on
• As the loading zone clears, we will move each lane forward one at a time

Staff members will be outside directing traffic:
• One at the entrance to guide cars into lanes
• One at the front to signal when the next lane should move forward

🚫 For safety, please do not pull around or pass other cars that are waiting in line.
Even when it feels faster, it creates safety concerns for students and staff. Staying in your lane helps everything move more smoothly for everyone.

🚫 Please do not park and pick up students in the main school parking lot.
All students must be picked up in the designated loading zone.

We truly appreciate everyone’s patience and teamwork. A smooth, steady line keeps kids safe and actually gets everyone home faster. Thanks for helping us keep dismissal running like a well-oiled Tiger machine! 🐯

8th Grade Parents,

Our annual Job Shadow Day will take place on April 17. Over the next few weeks, I will be meeting with 8th grade students to explain what the day will look like and to gather their preferences for careers they are interested in exploring.

We encourage you to start conversations at home with your 8th grader about possible careers they may want to shadow. Having these discussions ahead of time will help students feel more confident and prepared as we begin planning.

If you are interested in hosting a student at your workplace, we would love to hear from you! Please use the form below to provide more information:

https://forms.gle/JsmFxfnhmmYYVFeXA

As always, we are incredibly grateful for the continued support of our families and community. Your involvement helps make this a meaningful and highly anticipated experience for our students.

Cost for Breakfast is $2.25- we start serving breakfast at 7:30 am

Lunch cost is $3.50-

Extra Milk is $0.50

Are you looking for a fulfilling job that fits your family's schedule? Come make a difference in students' lives by joining our school food service team. Enjoy flexible hours, plus weekends, evenings, summers, and school holidays off!

Contact the Food Service Director for more information. Amber Spiess at amber.spiess@usd340.org or 785-484-2631