Lincoln School News

June 2024

Lincoln Families and Friends,

As we reach the close of another successful school year, it is with a mix of joy and bittersweet emotions that I write this final letter to you. After eleven incredible years as the principal of Lincoln Elementary, I will be retiring from this position. It has been an honor and a privilege to serve this wonderful community.

I want to extend my deepest gratitude to our amazing students, dedicated staff, and supportive families for making this the most fulfilling career imaginable. Each day at Lincoln Elementary has been a joyfully challenging adventure, and I have cherished every moment.

I must give special thanks to our extraordinary staff. Our office staff, teachers, and support personnel are truly second to none. Their hard work and dedication have been the driving force behind our accomplishments over the past years.

As I step into the next phase of my life, I am delighted to introduce Mr. Lang as the new principal of Lincoln Elementary. He is stepping into an excellent group of educators, and I am confident that he will continue to lead our school with the same passion and dedication that has defined our community.

In my retirement, I am looking forward to spending more time with my family – my husband, our three children, and our two grandsons. They have been eagerly awaiting this new chapter, and I am excited to create new memories with them. I am fortunate to be able to continue my career in education and step into a district-wide position supporting teachers and principals.

Thank you once again for the incredible journey we have shared. Lincoln Elementary will always hold a special place in my heart, and I will forever cherish the memories we have made together.

Wishing you all a wonderful and restful summer.

With heartfelt gratitude,

Mary Hawkins

Principal, Lincoln Elementary School

Dear Lincoln Elementary School Community and Staff,

I hope this letter finds you in good health and high spirits as we begin an exciting new chapter at Lincoln Elementary. It is with great pleasure and excitement that I introduce myself as your new Principal, Justin Lang.

Having served in various educational roles over the years, I bring with me a deep commitment to fostering a supportive and inclusive learning environment where every student can thrive academically, socially, and emotionally. I believe firmly in strong partnerships between the school, families, and the wider community as essential in ensuring the success of our students.

I am honored to join the Lincoln Elementary family and am eager to work collaboratively with each of you to build upon Lincoln’s strong sense of family, while embracing new opportunities for growth and innovation. Together, we will continue to uphold our shared mission of Inspiring Excellence in EVERY Learner, EVERY Day. We will continue to ensure all children receive a high-quality education, preparing them to be college, career and life ready.

As we embark on this journey together, I am committed to fostering open communication, transparency, and mutual respect among all members of our school community. Your input, insights, and support are valuable to me, and I welcome your feedback and ideas as we work together to fulfill our shared mission of providing a world-class education to ALL at Lincoln Elementary.

To the staff, I am encouraged by your dedication, passion, and unwavering commitment to student success. Your hard work and dedication will not go unnoticed, and I look forward to getting to know each of you better in the months ahead.

To the parents, guardians, families and community members, I am excited to collaborate with you and continue to build on the already strong foundation of family engagement.

In closing, I want to express my heartfelt appreciation for the warm welcome I have received thus far. I am truly honored and humbled to serve as your Principal, and I am excited about the incredible journey that lies ahead for us all.

Please do not hesitate to reach out to me if you have any questions, concerns, or ideas you would like to share. My door is always open, and I am here to support you in any way I can.

Thank you for entrusting me with the privilege of leading Lincoln Elementary School, and I look forward to a successful and rewarding school year together.

Warmest regards,

Justin Lang

June 5th-Last Day of School

August 29th-Before School Interviews Kindergarten - 5th Grade

September 3rd-Before School Interviews Kindergarten - 5th Grade

September 4th-Before School Interviews 1st Grade - 5th Grade

September 5th-First Day of School

The 2024-2025 School Supply List is available on the Lincoln Website. You may order school supplies on this website https://www.teacherlists.com. Supply lists will not be available in the stores. This website allows you to shop electronically through Amazon, Wal-Mart, Target, and Office Max/Depot to purchase you school supplies. We have noticed the website may default to a more expensive product, please watch for this and adjust for your preference.

The school district is forming a Transportation Safety Advisory Committee. The general purpose of the Transportation Safety Advisory Committee is to serve as an advisory committee that ensures that student transportation service is safe.

The committee will consist of the superintendent, a school board member, a representative from Owatonna Bus Company, staff members, and parents representing elementary and secondary school sites.

Please apply by filling out this application form. Members must be able to attend all meetings. The committee will meet from 5:30-6:30 p.m. on the following dates:

June 20, 2024
July 29, 2024
November 12, 2024
April 8, 2025

The application deadline is June 10.

Reading Corps Tutor Position

Reading Corps helps kids become stronger readers by training people just like you to be effecting reading tutors. No experience is needed, we provide all the training and ongoing support. Our evidence based program works and has already helped more than 275,000 students nationwide. To find out more information, please visit Join.ReadingandMath.org or call the Lincoln Office, 444-8100.

We wish the following staff good luck as they won't be at Lincoln next year:

Mrs. Hawkins-Principal

Mrs. Holzerland-Kindergarten teacher

Mrs. Pelton-Librarian

Mrs. Brown-School nurse

Ms. Peters-2nd grade teacher

Ms. Marcinkevich-3rd grade teacher

Mrs. Hinkel-EL teacher

Mrs. Kruger-Teaching and Learning coach

Ms. Donovan-Reading Interventions

Ms. Ellis-Reading Corp

Ms. Mensing-SST Support

Mrs. Weber-E.A.

Ms. Adams-Reading Corp

Mrs. Grubish-Special Education Teacher

The following staff will join Lincoln next year, welcome!

Justin Lang-Principal

Kelly Velske-Librarian

Joanne Harmsen-Teaching and Learning Coach

Lifetouch will be taking school pictures on Monday, September 9th and picture re-takes will be on Thursday, October 3rd.

Owatonna Public Schools is committed to creating strong student and family relationships and fostering a positive first experience. Students in grades K-5 will start next school year on Thursday, September 5th to allow time for before school interviews to take place.

Before school interviews allow teachers to meet individually for 30-40 minutes with students and parents before the start of the school year. All kindergarten students will sign up for an individual 30-minute interview conference time on either Thursday, August 29th or Tuesday, September 3rd. All students, grades 1-5, will sign up for an individual 40-minute interview conference time either on Thursday, August 29th, Tuesday September 3rd, or Wednesday, September 4th.

Students will meet one on one with their teacher for approximately 40 minutes to learn more about them and assess their reading level. Parents will complete paperwork during this time. Following the teacher meeting, students will stop at stations to complete a FASTBridge reading assessment. Students in first and fourth grade will also complete their vision and hearing screening. The teachers are looking forward to getting to know your child better at the beginning of the year.

Watch for an email to be sent on August 8th with your child’s teacher's name and a link to sign up online for an interview time. If you have questions about signing up for a time, please contact Lincoln Elementary at 444-8100.

Please return all library materials to the library by Thursday, May 23rd.

Lincoln School is part of Buffalo Wild Wings Home Team Advantage program. Lincoln PTO will receive 10% of your total sale when mentioning Team “L” to the server or cashier (dine-in or take-out) anytime you are dining at BWW. Don’t forget to mention that you are supporting Lincoln PTO or Team L and Buffalo Wild Wings will take care of the rest. Thank you for your support!

PTO Meeting Minutes

PeachJar

School Board Meetings

District Calendar

Lunch Menus

Website: https://www.lincelemowatonna.portal.rschooltoday.com/
Location: 747 Havana Road
Phone: 507-444-8100
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LincolnLeader/
Twitter: @LincRoadRunner