It seems strange to think that we are already through 1/4 of the school year! Your children have done fantastically. As we move through November and look to start December, I would like to wish everyone, in advance, a safe and happy holiday season. We have several fun activities planned for our students this month in addition to our daily classroom work. Please feel free to contact the school if you have any questions regarding the planned activities.

Highlighting some of the activities that have taken place at Lake Ripley include, 1st graders taking a field trip to Nelson Farm, Fire safety week and firefighters greeting students as they entered the building, a Veteran’s Day program put on by our local veterans, bus safety training, touch a truck, homecoming dress up days and carnival, the completion of a fundraiser, 2nd grade taking a field trip to Fall Harvest Orchard, Safety Lessons with Officer Nelson, grade level character education lessons, and the first round of FAST testing. The students have continually impressed all staff in their willingness to learn, be respectful, and work hard.

Fall conferences are right around the corner. If you have not already done so, please use the link below to schedule a parent/teacher conference. Parent/teacher conferences are a wonderful way to connect with your child’s teacher and discuss the progress they have made throughout the school year. Conferences are scheduled on the evenings November 21st and November 25th from 4:00-7:00. They will also be held on November 22 from 8:00-11:00. Use the link below to register. https://ptcfast.com/schools/Ripley

Please note that we value student recreation and play. We know that movement helps with focus and learning. Our goal is to have students go outside as much as possible. Indoor recess will be held if the temperature is under 0° (with the wind chill factor). Kindergarten-3rd graders must have snow boots and pants, hats and gloves. 4th graders must have a coat, hat and gloves.

The heart of the cold and flu season is upon us. Please make sure your child is healthy enough for school. children should be kept at home if they have the following:

• Temperature of 100 degrees or over

• Eye infections with discharge

• Cough associated with fever or continuous unrelieved cough

• Cold symptoms associated with other signs of illness

• Communicable diseases (chicken pox, scabies, impetigo, ringworm, head lice - until treated appropriately)

• Vomiting or diarrhea

• Undiagnosed skin eruptions or rashes

*We ask students to be on antibiotic treatment for 24 hours or fever free 24 hours without an analgesic (Tylenol, Motrin) before returning to school. Continue to practice good hand hygiene and keep your student home when they are sick.

As I come to close, I want to thank you for your continued support. Your grace, patience, and flexibility is much appreciated. As we get closer to the holiday season, please take a moment to pause and reflect on the year we have had. Happy Holidays!

Ready or not, welcome to the Holidays! The holiday season brings business, fun and let's be honest - stress! For many families, the holidays bring a great stress of trying to stretch our dollars and make ends meet. We want to take this opportunity to remind you of some great resources for support during the winter months right here in our community!

If you need assistance with warm winter wear for your children, the UCAP (United Community Action Partnership) is once again providing their Winter Wonderland Program where they can provide new or very gently used winter coats, hats, gloves (and limited supply of boots and snowpants) for families. For more information, or to sign up please contact Mrs. Minton or reach out directly to Rochelle Brummond at (320) 693-7911. Once you have signed up, winter wear can be picked up at the UCAP Office at 120 N Sibley Avenue on Tuesdays or Thursdays.

If you are needing assistance with gifts for your children this Christmas and you did not already return the form to the school, you can contact Rochelle Brummond at UCAP directly for support through the Meeker County Holiday Project. Again, Rochelle can be reached at (320) 693-7911.

Finally, the Meeker County Area Food Shelf is always available to support anyone in need. They are located right next to the UCAP office, at 118 N Sibley Ave, downtown Litchfield. The Food Shelf is open Mondays from 11:00-6:00 and Wednesdays-Fridays from 10:00-3:00.

May you and your family be *Happy, Healthy & Safe*.

Mrs. Mahoney

(320) 693-2436 ext. 1415

Mrs. Minton

(320) 693-2436 ext. 1312

Fall conferences

• 11/21 4-7 PM
• 11/22 no school conferences 8 AM-12 PM
• 11/25 4-7 PM

11/27-11/29 No School Thanksgiving Break

12/11 - 3rd grade Winter Program at Bernie Aaker Auditorium at 1:30 PM

12/20- Early Release dismissal 12:10 PM

12/23-1/2 - No School Winter Break

Location: 100 West Pleasure Drive, Litchfield, MN, USA
Phone: 320-693-2436