Albertville Primary School

Greetings Albertville Primary Families:

On behalf of the staff at Albertville Primary School I would like to welcome you to kindergarten. Albertville Primary is a friendly, positive, and secure place in which to learn and work. Together, staff members and families will partner to create an enriching environment where children can grow intellectually, physically, socially, and emotionally. It is a cooperative and happy environment where parents and teachers work together as partners in the education of your child.

This is my eighth year as the proud principal at Albertville Primary School. I have had the privilege of working in education for the past 27 years at various levels and positions: as a classroom teacher, peer observer/instructional coach, assistant principal, and now as principal. I started my career in the Big Lake School District teaching 1st grade. Prior to working at STMA, I spent 2 years as the Assistant Principal at Delano Elementary School. I am excited to continue to bring my wide-range of experiences to Albertville Primary and to work with your son/daughter and you, as partners in education.

Along with the staff at Albertville Primary, I will work hard to continue the tradition of excellence established by building strong relationships with parents, students, staff, and community partners. Our focus will continue to be building relationships with students, fostering a nurturing, safe environment for children and providing exciting and challenging learning opportunities for all students. I anticipate a highly successful year as we work together to support academic, social, and emotional growth for your child at Albertville Primary.

Over the course of the year, it is my hope that we can work together to provide ALL students at Albertville Primary with the best possible opportunities in preparing them to be good students and citizens. I welcome your input. Please feel free to reach out to me to discuss any suggestions, concerns, or ideas to help make the school year a success.

Sincerely,

Mr. John McDonald

johnm@mystma.org

September 3 & 4: Kindergarten Orientation Days

September 5: First Day of Kindergarten

September 17: Constitution Day - Students: wear red, white, and blue!

September 23-27: STMA Homecoming Week

September 26: Students wear YELLOW for the Character Strong Trait of Respect

SCHOOL HOURS - 7:45 AM - 1:50 PM

Students who do not ride the bus are encouraged to arrive BETWEEN 7:20 - 7:35 AM.

Breakfast 7:20-7:40 AM.

School Phone and Absence Line: 763-497-2688

Help your child show their Knight’s pride by sending him/her to school wearing blue and gold or STMA gear each Friday.

Parents of Primaries (P.O.P.’s) is the parent organization at Albertville Primary School. The goal of P.O.P.’s is to support and encourage the students, parents and staff of Albertville Primary.

Parents/guardians of Albertville Primary students are welcome to attend any or all of the meetings. Meetings are held in the Albertville Primary Media Center and begin at 6:00 p.m.

Meeting dates are:

· Tuesday, October 8

· Tuesday, December 10

· Tuesday, February 11

· Tuesday, April 8

Parents are also encouraged to attend a PTO meeting at one of the district's three elementary buildings. Meeting dates, times, and locations can be found on individual school web sites.

If you have any questions, please contact Mr. McDonald at johnm@mystma.org.

We will begin welcoming lunch guests for kindergarten students on Monday, October 21. We don't invite lunch guests into school until after the first 6-weeks of school. This allows our kindergarteners to have ample time to learn lunchroom routines and expectations. If you would like to join your child for lunch at school, PLEASE contact the office by 9:00AM on that day or the day before (you may also email your child's teacher). It's like making a reservation at your favorite restaurant! By asking families to call ahead, this ensures that we have ample space in our lunchroom and hallway.

Please note: we will not be able to accommodate lunch visitors on “special” school occasions. I.E. early release days, field trip days, last week of school, etc. Thank you!

The Character Strong curriculum is utilized in grades pre-K through 4th grade.

Be Kind. Be Strong. Be Well.

Monthly Character Traits and colors for students to wear are as follows:

September: Respect (students wear Yellow on Thursday, September 26)

October: Responsibility (students wear Orange on Thursday, October 31)

November: Gratitude (students wear Teal on Thursday, November 21)

December: Empathy (students wear Purple on Thursday, December 19)

January: Perseverance (students wear Pink on Thursday, January 30)

February: Honesty (students wear Dark Blue on Thursday, February 27)

March: Cooperation (students wear Green on Thursday, March 27)

April: Courage (students wear Red on Thursday, April 24)

May: Creativity (students wear Light Blue on Thursday, May 29)

"Click" the link below to download the Character Strong Respect Newsletter for this month.

Please note our school policy on birthday treats. See below wording from our Student Handbook:

Birthdays are important days and some families like to share a treat with the class. Due to the increase in food allergies, please do not send food as birthday treats. If your child would like to share something, please send a non-food treat for the class to enjoy.

Students are expected to be able to tie their own shoes by the time that they enter kindergarten. If your child is unable to tie her/his own shoes yet, please help them practice. Thank you!

The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) issues Air Quality Alerts when air conditions are forecasted to reach unhealthy levels on the Air Quality Index (AQI). The MPCA advises that sensitive groups, including individuals with lung or heart conditions, children, and the elderly, may be affected by these conditions.

During school hours, students participate in various outdoor activities such as recess, wellness breaks, and physical education, which are essential for their development and academic success. However, the safety and well-being of our students are paramount. Therefore, STMA Schools adhere to the following guideline regarding outdoor activities during air quality alerts:

• AQI 201-300 (Very Unhealthy - Purple): All students will remain indoors during recess, physical education, and wellness breaks.

Please contact the building principal or health office if you have any questions or need further information.

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