Primary Press

Address: 6009 Johnson St. McFarland, WI 53558

Main Phone: 608.838.3146

EC-2 Principal: Greg Nelson

K-5 Associate Principal: Brooke Hauser

Building Administrative Assistant: Lyndsey Niebuhr

Online: Website & Facebook Page

Meeting the needs of every learner, every day

THANK YOU for participating in fall parent-teacher conferences. This touchpoint is so important for families and teachers to connect now that the year is up and running and we are working on building upon your child's strengths and supporting their areas of growth. The stronger the partnership between home and school on this venture, the better of our students will be. If you were not able to make conferences, it's not too late! Email your child's teacher and they will work with you to find a date/time that works.

👏We have finished 10 weeks of school already; can you believe it? From our kindergarteners through our second graders, our students have settled in to routines and learned our school and classroom expectations, In fact, this month's theme at CEPS is "self-control." We will be looking to identify super Spartan Star students who are role models for safe behavior, and will be giving them special recognition at an upcoming assembly.

❤️💛💙💚Our students work on "following the group plan," thinking of the "size of the problem" and if their reaction fits the size (small, medium, big), identifying which "zone" they're in (green-calm, yellow-nervous/excited, blue-sad/tired, red-angry/etc.), and how to manage their emotions, take perspective of others, and apply these skills in all settings. Once students reach the age where they begin kindergarten, we typically look for them to increase their independence with managing their emotions without meltdowns, but we also acknowledge that, just like academic skills, our job as parents and educators is to meet all learners where they are at. This means that some students need more direct teaching and support in learning and applying these SEL skills. We know that both our staff here at CEPS and our families at home do a great job of this!

📰If you're interested in reading more about emotional regulation (what it is, what it looks like, why some students struggle, how to teach, and more), THIS ARTICLE from childmind.org is a great resource, includes multiple links if you'd like to dive deeper, and also has the option for you to listen to the article aloud.

📖🎒And...since we have you...here is our plug to read daily with/to your child, and to remember to get your child to school on time. Thank you!

Greg Nelson, CEPS Principal

Brooke Hauser, CEPS/WIS Principal

• 11/13: Futura Spanish Class 2:45-3:45 pm
• 11/20: Futura Spanish Class 2:45-3:45 pm
• 11/26: Fandom Day (celebrate whatever you're a fan of)
• 11/27-29: NO SCHOOL, Fall Break

• McFarland Music Boosters’ Fruit, Kringle, and More Fundraiser - October 28-November 10

• McFarland High School Presents: Elsewhere - November 1-3

• CEPS Food Drive - November 1-7

• Oregon Lacrosse - Try Lacrosse Event - November 17

• Badger Bots School Day Off Camps - October 24-December 31

• E.D. Locke Library Grades K-2 Magic Tree House Book Club - September-May

• Free Triple P Positive Parenting Online Program for WI Families

MSEC is a collaborative group that meets monthly to provide feedback to the district with the goal of enhancing equity and fostering positive experiences for all students and families. If you’re interested in advocating for improvements to our school community or learning about important district topics, we invite you to join our upcoming meeting on November 20th from 6:00 to 7:30 PM at WIS in the Multi-Purpose Room. Everyone is welcome!

Athletic Director, Paul Ackley will be joining us to provide an update on student participation and what is being done to combat harmful language followed by a Q&A.

To Submit A Question Use This Form

To receive more detailed information about MSEC, join our mailing list by completing this form.

Nothing new this week...

On Wednesday, November 13th the Lions Club trained vision screeners in conjunction with MSD Health Services will be conducting screening on all Kindergarten and 2nd grade students for vision difficulties, by classroom. This is a simple, non-invasive test using a tool supplied by the screeners that takes a close up picture of their eyes and measures for signs of possible vision difficulties. Families will be notified if the results show any variance from normal range. Please remind your student to bring their glasses or wear their contacts to school that day, if they have them.

If for any reason you wish your child not to be screened (i.e. your student is already screened by an ophthalmologist regularly) or have any questions, please email District Nurse, Stephanie Peplinski at Peplins@mcfsd.org.

U.S. households are eligible to order four free COVID-19 tests through the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services at COVIDTests.gov. The COVID-19 Tests will detect current COVID-19 variants and can be used through the end of the year.

Many COVID-19 tests have extended expiration dates, so you may be able to use your COVID-19 tests after the expiration date that is printed on the box. To find out if your test has an extended expiration date, check the FDA’s list of extended expiration dates.

Per WI DHS and CDC Mycoplasma pneumonia (M. pneumoniae or walking pneumonia) activity is increasing nationwide and in Wisconsin. Every three to seven years an increase in M. pneumoniae cases are identified in the United States. People of all ages are at risk for getting M. pneumoniae infection, but it is most common among young adults and school-aged children. There is no vaccine to prevent M. pneumoniae infection. For moderate to severe cases, antibiotic therapy can be prescribed by a clinician. Please view the CDC website for additional information and resources. If you have a cough, fever, run down/extremely tired, difficulty/painful breathing we recommend that you contact your healthcare provider.

Please review our Guidelines for sending your child to school and MSD Health Services Handbook. Remember, if your child is sick please keep them home.

• Temperature above 100.4°F

• Vomiting or diarrhea

• Frequent uncontrollable cough

Your child should remain at home until fever, vomiting/diarrhea has stopped for 24 hours without the use of medication. As well, please notify the School/Health Office if your student has tested positive for a communicable disease such as: Influenza/Flu, Covid 19, Pneumonia, Strep Throat, RSV, Hand Foot & Mouth, Pertussis, etc.

Thank you for your partnership as we work to keep our students and staff healthy and safe each day!

Learning more about serving on the school board including how to run during an informational meeting at 6 p.m. on November 18. See this flier for more information.

211 Wisconsin is the state’s most comprehensive and trusted directory of community resources, professionally curated by trained specialists across eight regional contact centers. This invaluable service connects fellow Wisconsinites to the local resources they need, whether for housing, food assistance, mental health support, or other essential services.

We’re excited to announce that each of our schools now has a dedicated iPad kiosk for families to access 211 Wisconsin and explore the many resources available. Here are the locations of the kiosks: CEPS–main office, WIS–Main Office, IMMS–Student Services Office, MHS–Student Services Office and by the Pool Office.

The Wisconsin Board for People with Developmental Disabilities (WI-BPDD) has awarded the McFarland School District a 2024-25 Sparks grant to enhance community connections and inclusion for people with disabilities. Sparks grants fund efforts that create meaningful social connections, help organizations build inclusive programs, and encourage community members to develop a greater understanding of people with disabilities.

The McFarland School District, in collaboration with McFarland Recreation, Aquatics, and Play, will establish a local advisory board that includes people with disabilities, their families, and community members. The advisory board will offer input on recreational activities, ensuring they are more welcoming and accessible, and it will guide the creation of accessible resources, including an updated brochure, website, and registration process. Planned programming includes expanding activities for all ages, with a focus on those under three and over 18. This grant will ultimately enhance programming, improve access to adaptive equipment, and engage the entire community. More information is available at WI-BPDD’s website.

November is...

• Native American Heritage Month
• Veterans and Military Families Month
• Youth Homelessness Awareness month

November 11 - Veterans Day

November 11 to 15 - School Psychology Week

Looking for more things to do?

McFarland Recreation Aquatics & Play (MRAP) and the McFarland Performing Arts Center (MPAC) offer a wide variety of recreation and aquatics programs for community members of all ages. To learn more, visit MRAPNews.com

Questions about specific MRAP or MPAC programs?

Reach out to the staff contacts listed below:

Stu Schaefer, Director of Community Services

schaefs@mcfsd.org | 608-838-3168

Kayla Eliasson, Aquatics Supervisor

eliassk@mcfsd.org | 608-838-3168

Alisha Fix, Recreation Supervisor

fixa@mcfsd.org | 608-838-4666

Zachary Franczak, Performing Arts Supervisor

franczz@mcfsd.org | 608-838-4461