School District of Howards Grove

Good Afternoon Parents & Guardians-

Despite today's wonderful weather, Spring Break is officially upon us and we have entered the final quarter of our school year. As you will read in our principal newsletters, this is also a very important assessment time of the year as well with our students taking required state tests to measure their growth and achievement. While these tests are only 1 measure of their performance, it is an important one as determined by the Department of Public Instruction. Your support during our testing schedules is critical to our success as a school district. Here are some tips to support your children during testing:

• Stay Positive: Encourage a calm, positive attitude about the test. Avoid making it seem like high pressure.
• Ensure Good Rest: Make sure your child gets plenty of sleep the night before the test to stay focused and energized.
• Provide a Nutritious Breakfast: A healthy breakfast helps maintain focus and energy throughout the day.
• Stick to a Routine: Try to keep morning routines consistent and stress-free.
• Encourage Regular Breaks: Remind your child to take breaks and stay hydrated during the test when breaks are permitted.
• Reassure, Don’t Stress: Let your child know that tests are just one way to measure progress and not the final judgment of their abilities.
• Promote Relaxation Techniques: Practice deep breathing or mindfulness to reduce test anxiety.
• Monitor for Stress: Be aware of signs of test anxiety and provide support if needed.
• Support After the Test: Celebrate the effort they put in, regardless of the result, and encourage self-reflection on what went well.

Thanks for supporting the School District of Howards Grove and have a wonderful spring break!

Sincerely,

Shannon Kilton

Superintendent

skilton@hgtigers.com

Here are the latest updates on our construction project, along with another video. There are a few audio delays in the video, as there isn't WiFi in the new site yet, so my iPad is paired with my cell phone to create the video. Either way, there are still some exciting updates to show.

March Site Tour Video

Check out the amazing things happening in our schools!

Enjoy!

High School

Middle School

Northview

Healthy Smiles, our district's preventative dental sealant program, will be visiting our district for their Spring dental clinic in April!

This program is funded by the Wisconsin-Seal-A-Smile, a collaborative program of Children's Health Alliance of Wisconsin and the Wisconsin Department of Health Services. A licensed dental provider comes to our schools to provide the sealant program at no charge to you and regardless of your insurance status. The program includes assessment to determine oral health status, place sealants when appropriate, and includes a fluoride treatment to prevent cavity decay. A follow-up letter will be sent home to describe what was completed and what is recommended for future needs. All procedures follow recommendations from the American Dental Association and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's recommendations for school-based dental sealant programs.

If you are interested in signing your child up for this service or need to update your active consent form, please follow this link to find the active consent form that is good for two years: WI Seal-A-Smile Consent Form (Electronic)

Thank you to parents and guardians who have utilized this wonderful school-based health service!

In good health,

Nurse Lydia

Just a reminder that registration for summer school closes TOMORROW, Friday, March 21. If you have not signed up, please log in to Skyward to register.

Summer Tiger Den is available for Term 1 of Summer School from May 27 - June 20 for current Junior Kindergarten thru 4th Grade. You can fill out the registration form and view the handbook or get a copy from the Northview office. Registration forms can be dropped off at the Northview office.

If you have any further questions please feel free to contact any school office or Angie Houston, ahouston@hgtigers.com.

A group of us in the district have read the book The Anxious Generation by Jonathan Haidt

This book is part of the ongoing conversation about mental health in young people and addresses the growing crisis of anxiety, depression, and other mental health issues among children and teenagers.

Here’s a summary of the key points from the book:

• The Role of Social Media and Technology: Haidt argues that the rise of social media, particularly platforms like Instagram and Snapchat, has drastically changed how young people interact and view themselves. The constant comparison, cyberbullying, and pressure to present a perfect version of themselves online is linked to rising levels of anxiety and depression.

• The “Great Rewiring” of Childhood: The author argues that the childhood experience has changed dramatically over the past few decades due to technology, parenting styles, and cultural shifts. These changes have made children and teens more vulnerable to mental health issues. They describe how childhood is increasingly dominated by virtual interactions, a lack of face-to-face socializing, and excessive screen time, which disrupts emotional development.

• Safe Spaces and Coddling: The book discusses how certain cultural shifts, like an emphasis on creating "safe spaces" in schools and the overprotection of children by parents, may inadvertently contribute to mental health issues. The authors suggest that by sheltering young people from discomfort and adversity, they’re not learning how to cope with stress or build resilience.

• A Rise in Mental Health Issues: Haidt shows that the rates of anxiety, depression, and suicide among young people have increased sharply in recent years, especially since the introduction of smartphones and social media in the early 2010s. He ties these trends directly to the changes in how children and adolescents interact with the world.

• Solutions and Recommendations: The author offers potential solutions, including limiting screen time, encouraging real-world social interactions, promoting resilience, and changing how schools approach mental health and student well-being. They advocate for a focus on emotional strength and coping mechanisms, rather than creating environments that avoid discomfort.

Finally, "The Anxious Generation" argues that the mental health crisis among young people is largely driven by the digital age and the cultural shifts that accompany it. The book calls for a reevaluation of how we raise children, interact with them through technology, and how we prepare them for the challenges they will face in the real world.

Thank You!

Family Food Night: Thank you to everyone who joined us at the March Family Food Night at Culvers, where over $600 was raised in support of our amazing students and teachers at the elementary, middle, and high school levels.

Save the Date

• Monday, March 31 – Spring Carnival Planning Meeting: Join us on Monday, March 31 at 5:00pm in the Northview Library for our Spring Carnival Planning Meeting. This meeting is your chance to help plan our biggest annual fundraiser. Be part of something truly impactful – the funds raised at the Spring Carnival enable us to give back to our amazing teachers and students each year. Let’s make this year’s event the best one yet! We hope to see you there!
• Tuesday, April 8: Family Food Night: Stop by our next Family Food Night at Tom’s Drive In (5531 Superior Ave., Sheboygan), where a portion of all sales will be donated back to the PTO. These proceeds help us fund various programs, events, and initiatives such as teacher requests, bussing for field trips, and so much more!
• Monday, April 14 - PTO Meeting: Join us for our monthly PTO Meeting at 5:00pm in the Northview Library. Everyone is welcome! Free babysitting is provided if requested within 72 hours of the meeting. Please contact hgpto@yahoo.com for more information.
• Friday, May 9- Spring Carnival- SEE BELOW

Learn More About the PTO!

Take advantage of the opportunity to give back and support your school community by joining the PTO. Interested in learning more, reach out anytime via email or check us out on Facebook!

• Email: Reach out to Stacey Yager, PTO President, at hgpto@yahoo.com for any questions you may have.
• Facebook: Follow us on Facebook (Howards Grove PTO) for all the latest information!

Friday, May 9: Spring Carnival: Mark your calendars! On Friday, May 9, the PTO will be hosting its annual Spring Carnival with the kitchen opening at 5:00pm for an easy and affordable night of dinner for the whole family. The Carnival will be open from 5:00-8:00pm and will have activities for the entire family, including a 50/50 Raffle, Face Painting, Balloon Animals, Carnival Games, Bake Sale, Raffle Baskets, and a chance to win a highly coveted classroom basket! All district families are welcome to attend! Check out our Facebook page for updates and more detailed event information.

Get Involved!

• Buy Your Tickets Early! We’ll have many opportunities for you to purchase a 50/50 Raffle Ticket as well as a ticket for our highly coveted classroom baskets! Stop by the following locations to get yours before the event: Spring Concert Night at Howards Grove Center of the Arts: April 29 & May 1 (5:30pm – 6:00pm & 6:45pm – 7:15pm)
• Piggly Wiggly: May 8 (4:00pm – 7:00pm)
• Northview Elementary: May 9 (7:00am – 9:00am)
• Donate Toward Our Raffle Baskets: Rather than holding our traditional Silent Auction, we are excited to introduce Raffle Baskets this year! We believe this format will provide our generous donors more visibility and give more attendees the chance to participate by entering to win. The PTO is looking for raffle basket donations to help make the event a success. If you or a local business you are affiliated with would like to donate either a raffle basket or individual items that we will thoughtfully combine with other like-items to create a basket, please click here to sign up! Items must be received no later than Friday, April 25. Questions regarding the Raffle Baskets? Email us at hgpto@yahoo.com.

The School District of Howards Grove does not discriminate on the basis of any characteristic protected under State or Federal law including, but not limited to, race, color, age, sex, creed or religion, handicap or disability, marital status, genetic information, citizenship status, veteran status, military service (as defined in 111.32, Wis. Stats.), sexual orientation, national origin, ancestry.