Stevenson Families,
Welcome back! I am excited for the new school year and honored to lead such a wonderful school community. I hold incredible Fridley pride and cannot wait to see the what our scholars accomplish this year with rich learning experiences and guidance from our staff. During this time of the school year, we work on building relationships, trust, and engaging students in learning from the start. We greatly appreciate your patience as we navigate transportation challenges and get into routines.
Our school-wide theme this year is “The Stevenson Story”. I am part of the story and so are all of you! Our theme aligns with the goals of:
Making each child and adult feel belonging and ownership in knowing they are part of the story.
Connecting to our district-wide focus of reading achievement, as all teachers tied to literacy are immersed in a two year research based LETRS course with high rates of success. As our teachers implement high quality instruction, we believe our scholars will have great academic gains!
Making our school story this year joyful, meaningful, and memorable for our entire school community.
We cannot wait to see how our story develops over the year and all the experiences we will have together.
Please see details below about our big welcome back event, Family Fun Night! We will have The Works Museum back so all of our teachers and families can enjoy the activities together. Feedback from this annual event has been overwhelmingly positive. We cannot wait to see you there.
Have a wonderful week and please reach out with any questions, ideas for our school, or concerns.
Kindly,
Veronica Mathison
Stevenson Principal
763-502-5301
Meet Ms. Jensen!
Hello Stevenson Families,
My name is Abby Jensen and I am excited to introduce myself as the new Assistant Principal here at Stevenson!
Many of you may recognize me, as this is my 9th year here at Stevenson. Before stepping into this role, I taught 3rd and 5th grade in Osceola, WI for 13 years, then moved to Stevenson where I taught the 2nd/3rd grade loop for 7 years as well as served as the math intervention and instructional coach for a year. These experiences have fostered a deep commitment to celebrate the whole child and create a learning environment where each of our scholars can succeed.
As Assistant Principal, my goal is to support our scholars, families, and staff in creating an environment where students feel safe, valued, welcomed, and inspired to learn. Our Stevenson family is committed to ensure that we provide the best possible educational experience for our scholars, and I’m thrilled to be supporting this mission through this role.
I look forward to continuing to build relationships with many of you, as well as getting to know many of you better, as we work collaboratively to support your child(ren) learn and grow. Please feel free to contact me with any questions, concerns, or to introduce yourself. I am here to support you and your child(ren), and I welcome any opportunity to connect.
Abby Jensen
Stevenson Elementary
Assistant Principal
763-502-5305
Looking for More at Home?
Click on any of these links for some easy, at-home
suggestions to help your scholar with reading!
Make the Most Out of Story Time
Attending school daily is critical. School attendance is directly related to success in academic work, benefits students socially, provides opportunity for important communications between teachers and students, and establishes regular habits of dependability important to the future of students.
Examples of UNEXCUSED Absences
- Overslept / Alarm Failure
- Missed the bus / Car trouble
- Staying home to babysit
- Needed at home
- Shopping / Errands
Examples of EXCUSED Absences
- Illness (ex. strep throat, fever). Please note: After 10 or more days of excused illness absences, students will be required to present a provider note for ongoing absences that are illness related.
- Medical, dental or orthodontic treatment or counseling appointment
- Physical emergency condition such as a fire or floor
- Family Emergencies
- Religious Holidays
- Death or Funeral of immediate family member or close friend
Please inform and partner with the school to solve any attendance problems that may arise. If you need support, please call us at 763-502-5304 and we will connect you with our social worker or school counselor.
Student Drop-Off or Pick-Up
The front lot is for buses only from 8:30 am to 4:00 pm.
To keep all children safe, please:
Drive slow and please be patient, the first week will be slower
Remain in the right lane until you have dropped your child off along curb
Only drop off/pick up from curb
Please stay in your vehicle, staff will help with opening doors
Move forward immediately after dropping off/picking-up to move traffic
If you want to walk child in, park in a parking space on the north side
If you would like to walk your child to the front door, please park on the north side or at the train station. We understand many kindergarten families may want to do this the first couple days and we welcome you to do so.
Nutritional Services
Nutritional Services Information
Welcome back families and students. We are looking forward to having you back in the café for breakfast and lunch daily. We hope that your students enjoy our new menu items along with their favorite items. We are continuing to expand our use of locally grown foods.
Completion of Application for Educational Benefits
The Application for Educational Benefits still needs to be completed even with the Minnesota Free School Meals Program. The school district will be mailing households a post card in mid-August encouraging families to complete the application. A copy of the paper applications are available in the schools’ main office or on the District Website at https://www.fridleyschools.org/about-us/departments/nutritional-services/meal-applications Applications can also be completed online at https://fridleymn.infinitecampus.org/campus/portal/parents/fridley.jsp (you will need your Parent Portal username and password). If you do not have a Parent Portal username and password, please contact Kathy Backstrom at 763-502-5021 or your School Main Office. An Application for Educational Benefits must be completed every year. If your family receives SNAP benefits or if you receive Direct Certification letter from the district, you do not need to complete an application. If your income has changed due to job loss or change, please complete an application. Students approved for free or reduced priced meals are eligible for Summer EBT benefits from USDA. These applications also help the district receive additional funding for support staff and teachers. As a household, you may also be eligible for discounted internet services, reduced activity or athletic fees including Park and Rec and reduced metro transit fares. When completing the application, please include all people living in the household including infants or young children, college students, and older adults who may be living with you.
Minnesota Free School Meals Program
The Minnesota Free School Meals Program provides state reimbursement to schools that participate in the National School Lunch Program and School Breakfast Program. Students can have one reimbursable breakfast and one reimbursable lunch at no cost at school.
At breakfast, the student must choose at least 3 items to be counted as a reimbursable meal. The student must choose a ½ cup fruit as part of their breakfast.
At lunch, the student must choose at least 3 components to be counted as a reimbursable meal. The student must choose a ½ cup serving of fruit or vegetable as part of their lunch.
Additional Milk or Milk for Cold Lunch
Students purchasing just milk will be charged $0.55 and must have money in their lunch account. Students are not allowed to have negative lunch balances to purchase these items.
Breakfast:
We provide a grab and go breakfast daily for students to eat in their classroom. We encourage all students to eat breakfast at school, so they can focus on learning and to start their day off in a positive way. Students must take a reimbursable meal including ½ cup fruit.
Lunch:
We do not use pork products in our menus. There are a few items that do contain gelatin. Students are required to take a reimbursable meal which includes a ½ cup fruit or vegetables and two other menu items. Students are encouraged to take all items to ensure they are getting enough to eat and to try different foods. We offer a variety of school prepared items, locally sources products and culturally diverse menu items.
Online Meal Payments
To add money to your student’s meal account please go to Infinite Campus Parent Portal https://fridleymn.infinitecampus.org/campus/portal/parents/fridley.jsp If you are paying online, we ask that the minimum payment be at least $10.00. Money can also be sent to school with your student if you choose to pay with cash or paper check. Please include your student’s name, teacher’s name and lunch pin on the envelope. If you are having trouble accessing the parent portal, please contact your School’s Main Office for someone to assist you. If you want to eat lunch with your student, we encourage you to purchase a school lunch and we accept cash or you can pay online through your student’s lunch account.
Monthly Menus
For an interactive student menus including food allergy information can be found at https://family.titank12.com/menu/PLUZN8 . If you would like to print a monthly menu, those can be found at https://www.fridleyschools.org/about-us/departments/nutritional-services/lunch-breakfast-menus We are continuing to prepare more items from scratch, incorporate more locally sourced items, taste testing new cultural dishes and asking for student engagement.
Food Allergies
If your student has a medically diagnosed food allergy or is lactose intolerant, please contact Renee Arbogast at arbogast@isd14.org or 763-502-5022 to discuss your child’s needs. There are some additional USDA forms that must be completed.
Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program
Both Hayes and Stevenson Elementary Schools will be participating in the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable program. This grant provides fresh fruit or vegetable as a snack to students 3-4 days per week. We try to provide students with new and different fresh produce including papaya, mango, jicama and kohlrabi. Besides the snack, students receive some education about the produce. We encourage all students to try the items, even if this is only taking a bite each time or smelling the item. This grant program will start in October 2024.
If you have any questions regarding Nutritional Services, please contact Renee Arbogast at 763-502-5022 for assistance
Nondiscrimination Statement
In accordance with federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, this institution is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex (including gender identity and sexual orientation), disability, age, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity.
Program information may be made available in languages other than English. Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication to obtain program information (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language), should contact the responsible state or local agency that administers the program or USDA’s TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TTY) or contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339.
To file a program discrimination complaint, a Complainant should complete a Form AD-3027, USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form which can be obtained online at: https://www.usda.gov/sites/default/files/documents/ad-3027.pdf , from any USDA office, by calling (866) 632- 9992, or by writing a letter addressed to USDA. The letter must contain the complainant’s name, address, telephone number, and a written description of the alleged discriminatory action in sufficient detail to inform the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights (ASCR) about the nature and date of an alleged civil rights violation. The completed AD-3027 form or letter must be submitted to USDA by:
1. mail: U.S. Department of Agriculture Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights 1400 Independence Avenue, SW Washington, D.C. 20250-9410; or
2. fax: (833) 256-1665 or (202) 690-7442; or
3. email: Program.Intake@usda.gov
This institution is an equal opportunity provider.
Strengthen Our Community by Volunteering!
There are always opportunities at Stevenson with field trips, classroom teacher projects, Parent Teacher Organization, and school events to help our school.
All Volunteers must fill out the volunteer application and clear a background check through human resources. All information is confidential and at no cost to our volunteers.
We highly suggest adults complete the volunteer process at the beginning of the year to be ready at a moments notice for any event!