End of the Year Planning

 

End of Year Planning

End of Year Notes:

• May 4 - Leadership and PBIS invites sent for summer work 
• May 7 - PBIS Reward: All School Bingo (3:10)
• May 8 - Young Author's Day
• May 11-15 - Miss Maple's Seeds (One Book/One School activities) - Miss Maple’s Seeds Activity Suggestions
• May 15 - SLOs due (how to presentation)
• May 18 - Family Tours of elementary schools (staff invited to volunteer at new buildings)
• May 22 - PD/Committee Meetings - May 22nd professional learning schedule
• May 29 - All-School Field Trip to Camp St. Croix - 9:30-2:00  (May 28 - rain back up date) 
• May 29 - All School Meeting (start at 2:45)
• May 29 - class placements communicated to families
• May 31 - Community Farewell Party (12:00-3:00) - 5th graders lead school tours, ice cream truck
• June 1 - 5th Grade Farewell
• June 2 - Last Day of School Celebration! Willow Walk and traditional family picnic; teachers need to find 2 volunteers to help with bounce house
• June 2 - Family Farewell (4:00-6:00) - food trucks, bands, family fun!
• June 3 - Check Out
• science supplies -  attached spreadsheet
• June 5 - Teacher welcome letters sent to families (send to Vanessa by May 29)

Notes:

Transition and Packing Guidelines

Archived - linked information

• April 10 - Support Staff Placement
• February 11: Certified Staff district staffing meeting - presentation
• February 25: District-wide Certified Staff placements
• March 27: Support Staff district staffing meeting - presentation

Ending the year...

 

We have worked very hard this year, and have influenced every child in our building.  We've kept our focus on kids, and I have been so proud of your positive attitude and professionalism. The anticipation of the end of year is always a collection of mixed emotions - excitement, melancholy, sadness, happiness - and even more so this year.  It can be exhausting.  Add in an uptick in behaviors, state testing, navigating new curriculum, inside recess days, schedule changes, field trips, packing, and a rollercoaster of weather (and emotions!) - and we may need to stop for a breath.  This is a great time for a reset, and to remind ourselves of why we do what we do.  We are all here because we are passionate about helping students be all they can be - even when it's hard.

Deanna shared this graphic, which has great reminders on how to power through these last six weeks (30 days?!) - here's a quick reminder about the importance of maintaining those relationships with your students - 

especially when days are hard.

Hang in there!  And have a great week!
Sue

Safety Week: April 13-17, 2026

  

April 13-17, 2026

IMPORTANT: Safety Drill Reminders

We are going to have our School Safety Week April 13-17, so here is the information ahead of time.  All staff need to review safety procedures for themselves, and classroom teachers/specialists need to review the procedures with their students for the SEVERE WEATHER and LOCK DOWN drills this week.  I will review each of our drills (Hold, Secure, Evacuation, Severe Weather and Lockdown) on the Raider Report this week as well.  We will try to do a fire drill next week as well, depending on the weather.

Severe Weather

Next week is designated as Severe Weather Awareness week, with a statewide Tornado Drill on Thursday, April 16th (sirens at 1:45 and 6:45).  While we will not be doing an all-school practice at that time, staff are asked to do the following:

Please review:

• Classroom teachers: On Thursday (April 16), at your own chosen time, review the overhead message: Shelter for tornado. Go to your tornado shelter area. In addition, review the crouch position (crouch low, head down, protecting the back of the head with their arms), and visit your classroom's severe weather (tornado) location - 2025-2026 and the Tornado Review procedure.  The state tornado Drill is at 1:45, but teachers/specialists can choose to do their review at any time during the day.

• Specialists: review your location with your students
• Note: I will review lunch/recess procedures on the Raider Report next week: students will go into the hallway between Deanna's and Ryan's rooms, and near the elevator if needed.

Lockdown Drill

Staff will practice the Lockdown Drill Thursday morning (April 16) after the staff meeting.

Classroom teachers and Specialists: Talk through the drill with your students, sometime this week

• Discuss with students that sometimes there are times when our school will have emergency situations like a fire drill, needing to stay in the classroom for a medical situation, or other emergency situations.

• Explain that this announcement would say: Lockdown! Locks, Lights, Out of Sight. You do not need to explicitly discuss active shooters, but most importantly, remind them when a lockdown occurs, all students need to listen carefully and follow the instructions of their teacher.

• Remind students that if they are in the hallway/bathroom, they need to quietly find a classroom door that is unlocked (if they can’t get into their own classroom).

• Please record your drill here: Lockdown Drill Documentation

• Optional: Here's the I Love You Guys presentation.

Building Safety

As always, continue to:

• keep outside doors closed/latched
• keep classroom doors locked so they can be quickly closed and secured
• keep an eye on entry doors (by front office) to make sure they are closed - they sometimes get propped open
• follow up with anyone in the building that does not have a badge or visitor sticker

Thank you to everyone for your diligence to this information and these practices. It is always our hope that we will never have to implement any emergency procedures, but if we do, it's important that we are ready.

Semiquincentennial - 250th Birthday! (April 6-10)

Semiquincentennial - slides from Gail

Semiquincentennial

Per the state requirement, the district is required to do something to honor this day. Directions for teachers: 

1. Read the purpose on slide 3.
2. Share the optional introductory video on slide 4. 
3. Choose at least one option from the 250 choice board to have your class complete.
4. Take a picture of your class completing the activity or a picture of a few completed products. Add the picture(s) to a slide in this presentation. You may need to add a new slide for your pictures.
5. These pictures will be shared on the Raider Report, as well as with the district; please make sure students pictured have permission.

Thank you!