HES Parent & Family Newsletter

We invite you to join us for Fall Conferences at Houston Elementary School, which will be held on October 14th and 15th from 3:15 pm to 6:00 pm. Please note that conference times and dates may vary depending on the teacher. This is a valuable opportunity to meet with your child’s teachers, discuss their progress, and explore goals for the school year.

Special Note for 6th Grade Families:

6th-grade teachers will hold their conferences in an "open house" style, so no sign-up is required. Feel free to drop by during conference hours to meet with your child’s teachers.

In addition to meeting with teachers, we encourage you to attend a session with the building administrator to review updates to the handbook and discuss the school’s goals and priorities for the year ahead.

Conference Dates and Times:

• Monday, October 14th (3:15 pm - 6:00 pm)
• Tuesday, October 15th (3:15 pm - 6:00 pm)

If you require alternative meeting options, please contact your child's teachers. Be sure to reserve a separate time slot for each of your students' appointments (except for 6th grade).

For assistance, please contact Angela McQuinn at Angela.McQuinn@hsd294.us or call (507) 896-5323, extension #1203.

https://ptcfast.com/schools/Houston_Elementary_School

In an effort to reduce milk waste and manage costs more effectively, we are making some changes to our milk distribution at snack time for students in grades 1-6. Moving forward, we ask that families who wish to purchase milk for their children at snack time complete the attached form. This will allow us to distribute milk more accurately and ensure that funds are collected appropriately.

Please take a moment to fill out the form and indicate which of your students you would like to receive milk during snack time It's important to note that students receive a free carton of milk each day during school breakfast and lunch. However, milk is only free at lunch if the student takes the school meal. Otherwise, students in grades K-6 will be charged $0.60 at lunchtime for their milk.

Milk distribution at snack will begin September 9th, 2024. We will add students to the list and milk will be delivered to students during their scheduled snack times.

Cost per milk $0.60:

• Quarter 1 - 9/9/24-10/31/24 (37 school days) = $22.20
• Quarter 2- 11/5/24-1/17/25 (41 school days)= $24.60
• Quarter 3- 1/21/25-3/21/25 (42 school days)= $25.20
• Quarter 4- 3/31/25-5/28/25 (40 school days) = $24.00
• Total cost for milk = $96.00

Thank you for your cooperation and support as we work to make this process more efficient.

Snack Break Milk Request

Kind regards,
Angela McQuinn
Assistant Principal, Houston Elementary School

• • Monday, September 30th- Lunch is Grilled Cheese Sandwiches
  • Tuesday, October 1st- Happy October! We made it through September.
  • Lunch is BBQ Chicken Sandwiches
  • Wednesday, October 2nd- 1st HOLD drill. See resources below
  • Lunch is Cheeseburgers on a bun
  • Thursday, October 3rd- Lunch is Chicken Potstickers
  • Friday, October 4th- Lunch is Sausage pizza

All school meals are served with milk, vegetable and fruit options. The alternative for the week is at Turkey BLT Salad

Hold Drill social story

Hold information from SRP Website

HOLD IN YOUR ROOM OR AREA.

There are situations that require students and staff to remain in their classrooms or stay out of access areas. For example, an altercation in the hallway may require keeping students out of the halls until it is resolved. A medical issue may require only one area to be cleared, with halls still open in case outside medical assistance is required.

During a Hold, there may be a need for students who are not in a classroom to proceed to an area where they can be supervised and remain safe.

PUBLIC ADDRESS The public address for Hold is: “Hold in your room or area. Clear the Halls.” It is repeated twice each time the public address is performed. There may be a need to add directives for students who are not in a classroom, at lunch, or some other location where they should remain until the Hold is lifted. “Hold in your room or area. Clear the Halls. Hold in your room or area. Clear the Halls.”

An example of a medical emergency message would be: “Students and staff, please Hold in the cafeteria or your room. We’re attending to a medical situation near the office.”

We’re gathering for our first meeting to explore the possibility of forming a PTA or PTO at Houston Elementary School. During this meeting, we will discuss the purpose, structure, and next steps for starting a parent-teacher organization. A representative from Minnesota PTA will join us virtually to provide guidance and answer any questions.

Please indicate your availability and interest by using this link, so we can select a date and time that works best for most participants. We look forward to working together to support our school community!

At Houston Elementary, we're always striving for continuous improvement, especially when it comes to growth and building strong relationships. This week, students have been working together at recess using our new Outdoor Balance Blocks. These blocks are helping students promote coordination, balance, and teamwork as they support one another in mastering the challenge. It’s a fun and active way to grow both physically and socially, reinforcing the importance of working together and building friendships!

In 4th grade at Houston Elementary, students are taking their learning to the next level as part of our commitment to continuous improvement in student achievement. This week, they conducted a science experiment using the scientific method to test which liquid best prevents apples from browning. Through observation, hypothesis, and testing, students are sharpening their critical thinking skills and discovering the fun of hands-on learning!

On Thursday, Houston Elementary 6th graders took a field trip to Winnebago Springs, connecting classroom learning to the real world. As part of our focus on continuous improvement through partnerships and real-world experiences, students explored various stations and learned about energy and the outdoors. This hands-on experience helped deepen their understanding of important environmental concepts while enjoying the beauty of nature!

• October 14 & 15: Fall Conferences (3:15 - 6:00 PM)
• October 17- 18: MEA - NO SCHOOL
• October 25: Picture Retake Day.
• October 31: End of 1st Quarter
• November 11: Veterans Day Celebration

Please check the school website calendar for more information as well as other events/opportunities.