Principal Hitchens's Notes
Winter is Coming 🥶
Principal's Corner
Dear Maxfield Families,
Thank you to all the families that attended Conferences. If you have not connected with your child/ren's teachers please reach out to them as I know they are eager to connect with you.
Parent Pick Up Changes
- Please call the office 651-293-8680 and speak to front desk staff. All changes need to be made prior to 1:00 PM. Do not leave a message on attendance line for changes to afternoon student pick up. All scholars will be in the parent pick up area if you do not pick up your child before 1:40pm.
- Parents in the Paren Pick up Line: Please remain in your vehicle. When you choose not to follow the process it makes it difficult on those who do and impossible for staff. Everyone has some place to be. We have procedures in place for safety as well as flow. Do not walk up to the get your child. You will be sent back to your vehicle. Thank you to the families that consistently follow the procedures. We appreciate you. The Maxfield Parent Pick Up Crew
Cold Weather Guidelines ⛈️
- Families are encouraged to monitor their children’s clothing selections to make sure they are appropriately dressed for cold weather. Our students have daily recess except in extreme weather conditions such as rain or severe cold/wind chill. Students will have indoor recess on any day with a wind chill or actual temperature that is below zero. As weather changes, sweaters and layers are needed! Please consider these factors related to weather as you and your child make decisions for winter clothing. Students must have a WARM coat, hat, and mittens/gloves for outdoor recess. Visit Saint Paul Public School Weather page for more information. To prevent lost Clothing please Label students' names on clothing.
Attendance
Our school hours are 6:00 am - 3:30 pm. If your child is going to be absent it is your responsibility to inform us. We also know that the phone lines in office can be very busy at times, so, we do encourage you to leave a message on the attendance line.
November is Give to the Max month
If you are looking for an organization to Give to the Max this November, consider donating to our community. Maxfield Give To The Max!
Please check our school website regularly maxfield.spps.org for information and updates. You can also check out our 2024-25 School Year Calendar . If you have questions the website doesn’t answer, please call the front office at 651-293-8680.
Yours in partnership,
Dr. Leslie Hitchens
Principal
Celebrating One of Our Own
Our very own, Mrs. Pottle was honored last week and received the Excellence In Education Award, Dr. Artika Tyner and Planting People Growing Justice. Mrs. Pottle has been a long time educator in Saint Paul but specifically here at Maxfield. Read more about her here.https://www.spps.org/news-details/~board/brag-board/post/maxfield-elementary-teacher-wins-excellence-in-education-award
- Tommie Tuesdays: We are encouraging our scholars to wear their purple collaborative shirt on Tuesdays!
- 11/01/24 | American Indian Heritage Month
- 11/28/24 and 11/29/24 Holiday Break | No School
- 12/23/24 - 1/5/24 Winter Break | No School
Maxfield C.A.R.E.S.
Hey Hey Listen Up! We continue to demonstrate our use of PBIS C.A.R.E.S. all year. C.A.R.E.S. stands for Cooperation, Assertion, Responsibility, Empathy, and Self-Respect. We are moving into Assertion for the months of November and December.
Attendance
Attendance
Attendance is an important part of scholar success. Missing less than nine days of school each year helps students to stay engaged, experience success in their schoolwork and keep on track to graduate on time. We recognize there are many reasons a student may be absent from school. If your student is ill, check SPPS’s illness guidelines at spps.org/studentwellness. Please call the main office 651.293-8680 at your earliest convenience if your child will be absent. Communication between home and school is vital to a positive school experience. More information about consistent attendance can be found at spps.org/attendance.
If you have questions or concerns with getting your scholar(s) to school please contact school counselor Kary Kuenzli, 651-744-7644 or text 612-405-9477 or principal Dr. Hitchens 651-744-4534. We are here to support you and your family!
Breakfast and Lunch Menus
Student Wellness
Please check in with your healthcare provider to ensure your child’s immunizations are current before school starts in the fall. Visit spps.org/studentwellness or call our school nurse for more information.
Transportation
SPPS Bus Information
- If your family moved over the summer, update your address at spps.org/onestop.
- If you believe your student is taking the bus but did not receive a postcard at the end of August, please call your child's school.
- Please arrive at the bus stop five minutes before the bus is scheduled to pick up your child.
- Track the status of your child’s bus on your school’s website or the Bus Status app linked below.
- For your up-to-date bus pick-up and drop-off times, log on to your Campus Parent account and click on the Transportation tab.
TRACK YOUR BUS WITH THE BUS STATUS APP
The Bus Status app reports buses greater than 10 minutes late and displays up-to-date bus information for SPPS families and students.
Notice: Bus Status has a new and improved app just in time for the new school year! The Bus Status app currently installed on your phone will not update automatically to the new app, and will end notifications after September 29. Download the new Bus Status app for free at the Apple App Store and via Google Play.
Nutrition Services
Nutrition Services
All students are eligible to receive free breakfast and lunch under the Minnesota Free School Meal program. As students arrive at school, they can grab their breakfast and eat in class. Hot and cold breakfast options are available.
Application for Educational Benefits
While all in-person students will receive free breakfast and lunch under Minnesota’s Free School Meals program, it remains critical that all families complete an Application for Educational Benefits each school year. These applications determine how much funding your child’s school receives for educational programs and supports. Additionally, eligible families can qualify for other benefits. The application can be completed online at schoolcafe.com/spps. Paper applications are available at school.