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Stoner Prairie News
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3rd Edition, October 9th, 2023
Welcome to our third Edition
Welcome to the third edition of our Stoner Prairie School-Wide Newsletter! This newsletter will come to you weekly, on Mondays. Below are links to your child's individual classroom teacher newsletter.
Every newsletter will include helpful information from our across our school community including:
- A Principal weekly message
- Information from related arts and the library
- PTO Updates
- Classroom newsletters (included in the next section). This week the daily scoop is linked!
Principal Connection
Thank you for a great launch to Fall conference season. It has been so wonderful to see so many of our families come into the building and meet with teachers and staff. The book fair has been a success and we look forward to welcoming more families and another book fair sale on Tuesday, 10/10.
On Monday we all gathered outside for a whole school photo (stay tuned..for this photo!).
As temperatures begin to drop, before snow and ice become a thing, I want to review our drop off and pick up routines. Over the last month, we have continued to make shifts as needed to support the safe arrival and dismissal of all of our scholars. Thank you for your flexibility and responsiveness. Three considerations in support safety across our community:
(1) Vehicle Drop Off at the front entrance: For the safety of all scholars and staff, please do not park or get out of your vehicle when dropping off. If your scholar requires your support to say goodbye, please park on the sidewalk or in the spots on the end of the drop off lane (facing the buses). For scholars who are prepared to exit vehicles unassisted, staff will open the door for your scholar to leave the car and walk into school. We have a longer line and want to move vehicles through the line safety yet efficiently. For our older scholars, you may also drop them off on the Devoro sidewalk and have them walk the sidewalk to the building.
(2) End of day pick up: For those who pick up walkers, please meet your child by the front entrance. The area by the buses gets very congested so we ask that you wait for your scholar by the front door.
(3) Buses: There have been an increase in bus behaviors reported this week. Please remind your child to be safe, responsible and respectful on the bus. We are honoring our bus drivers in an upcoming scoop as they are working hard to provide this valuable service. We are fortunate to have their support.
Thank you for working with me and our staff in making sure our scholars are ready to learn and grow each and every day at Stoner Prairie.
Teacher Newsletters: Click here to see your child's newsletter
Stoner Prairie Elementary PTO News
Thank you!! The Fun Run was amazing! Community spirit was high, fun was had, and we raised just over $11,500! Prizes of extra recess and freezies will be on Friday, 10/13.
Thank you for stocking your freezers! We raised $288 from the Chocolate Shoppe fundraiser.
The Scholastic Book Fair is here! Stop in Tuesday, 10/10 between 2:30 pm and 7 pm. Shop for your student(s), check out your teacher’s wishlist to buy books for the classroom, or donate to our All For Books fund to buy classroom books. We are working to get books in the hands of all our students! Reach out to Laura Confer, conferl@verona.k12.wi.us to receive a scholarship book. Donate to our scholarship fund here: https://bit.ly/3PUhOgm
Mark your calendars! The next PTO meeting is 10/24 from 6-7 pm. Dine out night at Hop Haus is 10/25 from 2-7 pm. Grab some dinner, some merch or do some early holiday shopping and get some gift cards. Gratitude Glow Night is 11/10 from 5-7 pm. Finally, coming soon, the Rusty Dog Coffee and Tea Sale is another great opportunity to kick start your holiday shopping. Reach out to stonerprairiepto@gmail.com with any questions, concerns, or suggestions.
Important Updates & Upcoming Dates
Attendance reminders:
Please call 608-845-4203 (English attendance line) or 608-845-4200 (Main line with Spanish option) or email sp-attendance@verona.k12.wi.us (English and Spanish) with all attendance changes. Contacting the attendance office directly is important! Stop by the office during conferences for a fridge magnet with helpful information!
Book Fair Tuesday 10/10
There is one more opportunity to purchase at our Scholastic Book Fair on Tuesday, 10/10 from 2:30-7:00. If your family would like a scholarship book, please contact our social worker, Laura Confer, at conferl@verona.k12.wi.us. If you'd like to support our scholarship book program, you can donate money to our eWallet account (click here).
Picture Retake Day: November 2nd
Please note that picture re-take day will be Thursday, November 2nd.
Stoner Prairie Entrance Now Has "Live Picture Frame"
Last week we installed a "live picture frame" in our front entrance. Family photos from our welcome back bash were shared at last night's conference. During the day, we use the monitor to scroll fun facts and math games as well. A shout out to Stoner Prairie alumni and current UW Madison college student, Aiden Updegrove for providing his photography skill and our Stoner Prairie PTO for supporting this initiative. Contact Aiden at aaupdegrove@wisc.edu for family portraits, gathering photos, weddings, etc. Please click the link below to access our family photos from welcome back.
Interested in a part-time job that is the same hours as your kids?
Stoner Prairie is seeking a part-time educational assistant (28.8 hours/week). Duties include supporting teachers by leading small group classroom instruction, cafeteria & recess supervision, clerical, and academic support for students. If interested, find out more at here or reach out to Principal Seidl.
9/15 to 10/15 is National Hispanic Heritage Month
Ms. Kelly and Ms. Renee join in the fun to celebrate!
VASD Celebrates Hispanic Heritage Month!
Click here for Verona Press article on VASD second Hispanic Heritage Month Celebration Article
School Based Leadership Team: What is this?
Every school in the Verona Area School District has a School Based Leadership Team (SBLT). At Stoner Prairie, this team includes a classroom teacher from every grade level, a related arts teacher, support staff members, and coaches from across the school. The team is responsible for writing and implementing our school's Continuous Improvement Plan (CIP). They meet every other Wednesday after school to reflect on the professional development work that we are doing as a school in support outcomes for all scholars. This team then communicates across the school their work to strengthen our collaboration and work as a collective team across the building.
Patrols are coming!
This week we met with our fifth graders about greatness patrol opportunities. ALL fifth graders may serve as patrols and there are a wide variety of jobs for all scholars. Fifth graders are currently considering and applying for positions. New! this year will have a leadership council position - this is a job that will help support the entire patrol team (subbing when needed, meeting weekly to discuss the needs of the patrols, planning end of year celebrations, etc.). This is the only position that requires and application and interview. More information to come next week or look for the bulletin board near the fifth grade classrooms (pictured here).
10/9-10/13 - It's homecoming week!
This week, we will be joining schools across the district to celebrate homecoming. We will have special days across the week:
Monday - Pattern Day (wear strips, polka dots, glitter, etc)
Tuesday - PJ Day
Wednesday - Hat day
Thursday - inside/out day
Friday - Wildcat colors! Join us for the parade at 4:15 (see message below).