Capitol Hill Headliner

Tuesday, November 5: Election Day

Thursday, November 7: Elementary and Middle School Conferences, 5-8pm

Tuesday, November 7: Fall Bookfair, 5-8pm in the library, more info below

Friday, November 8: NO SCHOOL

Friday, November 8: Elementary Conferences, 8am-3pm

Friday, November 8: Fall Bookfair, 8am-3pm in the library, more info below

Monday-Thursday, November 11-14: Middle School Play auditions, 4-6pm

Monday, November 11: Co-ed Wrestling and Girl's Basketball begin

Tuesday, November 12: Picture retake Day, 9:30am-noon

Tuesday, November 12: Elementary Conferences, 5-8pm

Tuesday, November 12: Fall Bookfair, 5-8pm in the library, more info below

Thursday, November 14: GLOW Q-Quest trip, 9:30am-3pm

Tuesday, November 18: Newsies Practice begins, 4-6pm

Tuesday, November 18: PTO Meeting, 6-7:30pm

Monday, November 25: Juniper Trio performs for band classes, 11am-1:30pm

Thursday and Friday, November 28 & 29: NO SCHOOL, Thanksgiving Holiday

Thursday, December 5: Doing Good Together, 5:30-8pm, more info below

2nd graders went to the State Capitol to support their Citizen and Voting social studies learning.

-Underwear sizes 4, 5, and 6

-Long pants

-Long sleeved shirts

-Socks

-Gloves

If you would still like to order a book, Red Balloon has extended the deadline for ordering! All books will be signed, but can no longer be personalized. https://redballoonbookshop.com/jeffrey-brown-capitol-hill-magnet-school

Join us at Lake Monster Brewing for some afternoon fun with the Eisner Award-winning, New York Times bestselling cartoonist Jeffrey Brown, who will treat us to a presentation on his new release this fall: Kids Are Still Weird And More Observations from Parenthood. In this book for readers of all ages, Brown offers sweet and surreal anecdotes from his life as a parent, comics that capture how curious, hilarious, and yes, weird, kids can be. When he was a kid, Jeffrey dreamed of growing up to draw comics for a living, and now he’s living that dream! Don’t miss this afternoon of fun with a comics legend.

Book sales of Kids Are Still Weird and other titles by Jeffrey Brown will be available onsite and Brown will sign books in a reception after his presentation. This event is free and open to the public!

Jeffrey Brown is the bestselling author of the Darth Vader and Son and Jedi Academy series, as well as numerous other books, including middle grade comics (his Lucy & Andy Neanderthal was 40,000 years in the making), humorous superhero books (most recently Batman and Robin and Howard), relatable observational comics (Cats Are Weird), adult graphic memoirs (Clumsy, Unlikely), irreverent parodies (Incredible Change-Bots), and imaginative tributes (My Teacher Is A Robot).

If you are available, join Ms. Warde (school librarian) at this event!

Early registration for co-ed wrestling and girl's basketball is open now. Sign-up sheets are located outside the large gym.

Co-Ed Wrestling and Girl's Basketball will begin on Monday, November 11. Practices will be held Monday-Thursday from 4 to 6pm. Parent pick up will be at the green doors at 6pm.

Boys Basketball will begin Monday, January 20, 2025.

An activity registration start- up guide for families is provided on the athletic website.

Athletes can still join! To register online: middle school athletic registration form document

District Athletic Website: SPORTS.SPPS.ORG

If you have questions, please email our athletic director, Ms. Bergstrom. nadine.bergstrom@spps.org

Support our Technology Specialist class! We will be working on exciting projects where students will be creating their own movies. To bring these creative ideas to life, we are in need of plastic animals. I already have a few snakes and the students love using them!

We would greatly appreciate any donation of little animals you can provide. Your contribution will directly support our students in their creative endeavors and help make their projects a success.

Thank you for considering our request. If you have any questions or would like more information, please feel free to reach out.

Ms. Walsh

Fourth grade scientists have been learning about static and magnetic electricity.

All 1st, 3rd, 5th and 7th graders will have a vision screening at Capitol Hill by Phillips Eye Institute's Early Youth Eyecare (E.Y.E) Community Initiative, part of Allina Health on Tuesday, November 5th and Wednesday, November 6th.

Hello families! This year the PTO is providing all the funding needed to feed our amazing teachers on the evening of parent teacher conferences (November 7th).

While we are no longer looking for financial donations, we are still hoping to have families bring desserts as a gesture of thanks and appreciation. If you are able to bring a dessert, simply drop it off in the main office anytime on November 7th; noting relevant dietary details (nuts; dairy; gluten; etc). And if you’re comfortable; leaving your student’s/family’s name.

There is no need to formally sign up! If you are planning to bring something, please just send us an email so we can keep track and know what to expect (jen_a_knudsen@yahoo.com).

Thanks in advance!

Jenny and Jeff

This year we will have a fall book fair! It will run during the same hours as our elementary conferences (middle school families are welcome to attend as well!). The book fair also has an online purchasing option.

In-Person Hours:

Thursday, November 7th 5pm-8pm

Friday, November 8th 8am-3pm

Tuesday, November 12th 5pm-8pm

Book Fair Location: Room 1517

Online purchasing: https://literati.com/store/?school=capitol-hill-gt-magnet-school-saint-paul-mn

Books purchased online will be delivered to school at the end of the book fair and will be given to your student in their classroom.

In addition to the books available at the in-person and online fairs, over 10,000 additional popular books and activities will be available for purchase exclusively online. Shop titles like Dog Man, Elephant and Piggie, Magic Treehouse, I Survived, The Bad Guys and The Baby-Sitters Club!

These online exclusives will be available at literati.com/store throughout the book fair and throughout the school year.

Note: Online exclusives ship directly to your home!

Teacher Wish Lists will be available at our in-person fair! You can shop for books for your child's classroom as well as your home.

Interested in volunteering to help with the book fair? Volunteers receive a 20% discount at the in-person fair! (Discount cannont be used for online purchases).

Contact school librarian Ms. Warde with any bookfair questions or to volunteer! katherine.warde@spps.org

Calling all Middle School student artists, designers, doodlers, creators, and readers!

• Paper or digital designs will be accepted in:

• C O L O R or BLACK & WHITE

• 2” X 7.25”

• Fine tip markers on heavy paper

• Cardstock available from Ms. Warde or Ms. Bustos

• .pdf, .eps, or .jpg file types, 300 dpi

• No more than 2 submissions per artist (or group of artists)

• Include your name(s)

• Title of your art

• Grade

• Foundations

• Submit your design by 4:00 on Monday, November 18 to

• Ms. Warde OR

• capitolhillreadathon@gmail.com

Join the Team: Volunteers Needed

The PTO is looking for helping hands to support events and behind-the-scenes activities. Want to get involved? Sign up today and get involved in our school community!

Support Your School

Support Capitol Hill through the PTO's Direct Drive! This ongoing initiative lets families make an immediate impact by funding essential resources like field trips, special events, and other important school needs. It's an easy way to help enrich our students’ experiences! You can donate today via cash, check, via GiveMN or PayPal (treasurer.capitolhill@gmail.com). Every dollar counts, and together we can make a big difference!

PTO Meeting

Mark your calendars – November 18th, in person!

Other scheduled meeting dates are January 13th, March 24th, and May 19th

Capitol Hill Cougar Read-A-Thon bookmark contest

• Designs are due by Monday, November 18.

• Create paper or digital art, by solo or group artists.

• Get more information here – we can’t wait to see your art!

2025 Capitol Hill Read-A-Thon will be February 3rd – 17th.

Families and friends: subscribe today to receive all Read-A-Thon communications directly to your inbox.

Thank you to everyone who has volunteered to support Capitol Hill. Thank you to all parents and guardians who have already submitted the volunteer background checks paper form.

Due to a policy/procedure change, from our human resource department, there is a new volunteer background check process.

A volunteer background check electronic form must be complete before volunteering. It is now the responsibility of the staff members leading the event to send the volunteer background check link out to families. We recognize that the this change in the process and understand that this change came weeks after the paper forms were sent to families.

For those who have submitted the paper form you will need to submit an electronic form. Our HR department is no longer accepting paper forms. If you have turned in a paper form, we will shred it for you.

We apologize for the inconvenience, and we look forward to seeing you soon.

Thank you,

Marcus

Capitol Hill is working on acquiring Title I status and we need your help! Being a Title I school would mean additional funding that could pay for multiple staff at our school next year. Attaining Title I status relies heavily on the Application for Educational Benefits (commonly known as the application for free and reduced price lunch). Every family MUST complete this form, even if you think you do not qualify for benefits, and even though meals are now free for all students. Why? These forms provide important data that determines both our compensatory and Title I funding for the following school year (2025-26). We are still missing forms from many families at our school! Forms can be completed online here or you can contact school for a paper form. Unsure if you filled the form out or not? Log into your School Cafe account and check! Only one person in the household needs to complete the form. The forms are due by December 15!

Additional information:

Income Guidelines for the Application for Educational Benefits from MDE

Questions? Reach out to school, or any of the following district staff:

Stacy Koppen, Director of Nutrition Services: stacy.koppen@spps.org

Lynn Broberg, Assistant Director of Nutrition Services: lynn.broberg@spps.org

Anne McInerney, Director of the Office of Federal Programs: anne.mcinerney@spps.org

The Capitol Hill visitor policy was made with the health and safety of students, staff and our Capitol Hill community in mind. Parents and guardians will need to make an appointment prior to meeting with a staff member at Capitol Hill. Also, families will no longer be able to walk their student(s) to their respective classes. Families can drop their scholar off at the main office and then the student will be able to walk to class by themselves. Lastly, families are more than welcome to come and pick their child up to have lunch, but families will not be able to eat lunch in the cafeteria with students.

Thank you for your partnership and commitment in keeping all of our students, staff and Capitol Hill community safe.

What is Doing Good Together? It is a treasured school tradition where students learn about kindness and the value of giving back through simple, fun, hands-on service projects and educational experiences. If you're looking for big hearted people to connect with this fall, this is the place! You’ll leave with a warm, fuzzy feeling and the knowledge that you made a real difference right here in our community! This event is a great way to connect with families at our school, so if you’re new to Capitol Hill, this is a wonderful event to get involved with! Some examples of service projects we’ve done in the past are: making snuffle mats for MN Pitbull Rescue, making bird toys for MAARS, and making joke cards for children at Masonic Children’s Hospital. We've also had fun learning about and visiting with service dogs, exploring the U of M touch tank, and MUCH MORE!

Save the date: Doing Good Together will be on Thursday, December 5th from 5:30pm-8:00pm. We will start with a FREE community dinner in the cafeteria at 5:30, and then proceed with projects and activities from 6-8.

Note: We will once again be collecting food for the food pantry at Hallie Q. Brown Community Center, located right behind our school. If you are able, please bring one (or more!) non-perishable food items to the event. For December, Hallie Q. Brown especially loves receiving canned vegetables, and other holiday foods.

If you would like to get involved, or just want to learn more, you can sign up here. Questions? Email Abby Heuckendorf: agrodin01@gmail.com

The Capitol Hill Gifted and Talented Magnet school policy about the use of electronic devices, including, but not limited to, cell phones, mp3 players, headphones & earbuds, and personal gaming systems, is as follows:

1. ALL electronic devices that are brought to school are to be TURNED OFF & STORED in students’ backpacks or lockers from the time students arrive on campus until they are off campus after 4PM.

2. Cell phones and other non-district devices should not be used in classrooms (including the gymnasiums/locker rooms), the library, lunch room, restrooms, or hallways.

3. Students who violate this policy must turn over their electronics/equipment to staff upon request.

4. The following consequences are in place for students who are in violation of this policy.

1. 1st offense – Teacher and student will discuss and problem solve how to eliminate the distraction.

2. 2nd offense – Teacher will hold the item until the end of class.

3. 3rd offense – The phone will be held until the end of the day and an Administrator will call home.

4. 4th offense – Parent/Admin/Student Meeting to pick up the device.

Note: A Parent or Guardian may come to the school at any time to reclaim the confiscated item and take it home with them.

Why don’t we allow cell phones in class/lunch/bathrooms/halls during the school day?

1. We prioritize real human interaction. We believe that learning the skills of in-person communication and collaboration are much more important. Students are already good at using electronics -- they do not need social media practice or gaming practice at school. One of the most important skills our students will learn at Capitol Hill is how to get along and work well, face-to-face, with a variety of people.
   
   

2. Electronics are disruptive. Cell phones ringing and buzzing disrupt both the student and the class. We want students focused on the lesson, not who’s calling or texting them.
   
   

3. They cause drama. Students tend to say things online that they would never say out loud. We don’t need extra drama at school.
   
   

4. They get lost and stolen. Unfortunately, as wonderful as our Capitol Hill students are, phones are lost and stolen. While we try to help students problem-solve, the school is not responsible for lost or stolen items.
   
   

Students don’t need them. Every student at Capitol Hill is given an iPad for academic use.

Office Hours: 9:00 - 4:30.

Morning Drop-off Time

We want to ensure each child is safe when arriving for school. Staff

supervision begins at 9:15am. Please do not drop off your child

any earlier than 9:15

Dismissal

Please send a note or email your child's teacher, if you are picking up your child early or letting your

child go home any other way than their normal route. For early pick up, we do not call your child to

the office until you arrive to sign them out. Elementary students will always need confirmation for

changes. Students are NOT allowed to ride a bus home that is not assigned to them. This means

that your child may not ride the bus home with a friend or relative that has a different bus than your

child.

It gets extremely busy in the office at the end of the day. For any changes to your normal

dismissal process, please make sure to call the office no later than 3:00 pm, at 651-325-2500,

as this allows time for the message to be received/delivered. To guarantee that all students

make it home safely, changes and messages will not be delivered after 3:00pm.

Sign In

We always welcome parents and visitors to our school. If you choose to come during teaching hours,

please make sure you have an appointment or a planned visit with the respective staff member.

Please make sure you always stop by the office to check in, sign in, and get a visitor's badge.

Attendance/late arrivals:

Please make sure to always report your child's absences. You can do this in two ways:

· Dial the attendance line directly at 651-325-2599 -OR-

· Email us at capitolhill.attendance@spps.org.

Please include your child's name (spell their name if calling), grade, the reason for their absence,

your relationship to the child, and a return phone number that you can be reached at if we should

have questions.

Questions about SPPS Attendance Policies?

Please click on this link. https://www.spps.org/attendance

Health Related Absences:

If your child is ill, you may receive a follow up call from our nurse or

nurse designee.

Calling Your Child

When calling the school to speak to your child, the office staff will deliver your message to have your

child call you back. We will not transfer calls. Teachers are teaching during the day and we are trying

our best to lessen the interruptions during instructional time. Thanks for understanding.

Capitol Hill Arrival Procedure:

• Parents/guardians drop off students on Concordia Avenue.

• Please follow the cars lining up.

• Please wait your turn and do not go in front of other cars already in line.

• Students can get out of the car after the entrance to the parking lot.

• Pull up as far as you can to Mackubin Avenue, behind the car in front of you, without leaving gaps between cars (please do not stop at the stairs if you have room to pull forward)

• Students get out on the right side (curb). Use the FULL drop-off Zone.

• Parents/guardians stay in the car.

• There will be staff there to assist if needed.

• When your student(s) is out of the car, please safely pull out of the line and follow traffic on Concordia (no right turns onto Mackubin Street).

Capitol Hill Dismissal Procedure for Elementary students:

• Parents/guardians will get out of their vehicles and line up on the sidewalk on Mackubin and let staff know the name of the student(s) being picked up.

• Parents/Guardians of students with last names starting with A – G will be located between the far MLK driveway and the corner of Mackubin and Marshall

• Parents/Guardians of students with last names starting with H – O will be between the MLK driveways

• Parents/Guardians of students with last names starting with P – Z will be between the MLK driveway and the Green Doors

• All Students are to remain inside the school until outside staff have radioed that their parent/guardian has arrived.

• Inside staff will call the student’s name they will walk outside to meet their parent/guardian. Parents/guardians wait for student(s) on the sidewalk.

• Middle School sibling(s) cannot pick-up Elementary sibling(s).

• Parents and/or Guardians are the only ones allowed to pick-up Elementary students.

• At 4:15, any student still left will be escorted to the main Office and the parent/guardian will be called.

Capitol Hill Dismissal Procedure for Middle School students:

• Students will exit the building through the Green doors and go to their assigned bus, walk home, or meet their parent/guardian.

• Middle School students cannot pick up their Elementary sibling(s).

• Middle School students can meet their Elementary sibling(s) outside.