School Attendance:

These are trying times with Covid and other viruses lingering around! We thank you for keeping your child home when ill, but ask that you make every attempt to have your student present in school. School attendance and academic performance are linked toward your students’ success.

ALICE Drills:

Staff and students have been practicing scenarios using the ALICE system. We will be conducting safety drills in October. Our priority is to keep our staff and students safe. If you any questions or concerns please contact Mrs. Ligtenberg or Mrs. Jutting.

Classroom Snacks/Birthday Treats:

Please do not bring home-baked goods for classroom parties/birthdays. We have many students with allergies and dietary restrictions. Packaged goodies allow our teachers to see the specific ingredients and amounts that make up the product and whether or not certain students can partake. In addition, we are asking all parents of students with allergies and/or certain dietary restrictions to have extra snacks that remain in the classroom for days that your student is unable to partake in a snack brought by another student.

Morning Drop Off Procedures:

Please pull into a parking spot when dropping off your students in the morning in the parents’ parking lot. This allows traffic to continue to flow through and students to safely cross using the cross walk where the Crossing Guard is present. Those dropping off in the breakfast area, this is only curbside drop off. Please pull all the way forward and make your drop off is quick to allow traffic to not get backlogged.

Orange Flag Days:

On days when the weather conditions are rainy, very windy, or in the zero degree range, an orange flag will be placed in a location by the west entrance near the playground, the bus entrance, and the southeast area of the school. When this flag is up, the children are to go immediately from the west parking lot or the buses and report to the following areas: Kindergarten: STEM Room 1st, 3rd, 4th grade: Gym 2nd grade: Cafeteria

Phones and Smart Watches:

We realize that many of our students come to school with communication devices. We ask that these devices stay in their backpack until the end of the day. If there is any emergency, the student will be able to contact you through the school phone.

2023-2024 School Fundraiser:

We want to thank all of you for your support in our recent fundraiser. The money raised goes to field trips, special assemblies, school celebrations, playground equipment and special activities in the classroom. We appreciate all you do for Sturgis Elementary!

Halloween/Fall Classroom Parties:

We ask that students do not wear their Halloween costumes to school. This is to ensure us the ability to still have a conducive learning environment as well as guarantee that their costume is ready for trick or treating that evening. Classrooms will partake in celebrations within their individual rooms. Please contact the teachers directly if you are interested in helping out or donating something for classroom celebrations.

If eating school lunch with your student, please bring the exact amount - $4.85

There is not change available in the lunchroom.

Principals Ligtenberg and Jutting serve ice cream to some of our new Sturgis Elementary students.

Lawrence Diggs is a long-time educator and scholar working with the SD Humanities Council. On Thursday, September 21, he visited with students and staff about the work of Kate DiCamillo and the importance of reading as part of the SD Book Festival and his YouTube program "Brainstorming the Human Connection."

Third graders across the state received a copy of DiCamillo's book The Tale of Desperaux. Our own STEL third grade students were so excited to see the NYT Best Selling author and three-time Newbery Award winner speak on Friday, September 22 at the Lead Opera House.

Photo: Lawrence Diggs, Andrea Williams, Bailey Maine, Ava Williams, Sophie Richter, Sawyer Sigman, Beckett Konvalin, Kelli Stagner and Heidi Kruse.

Use the link below to learn more about the program and Lawrence Diggs.

Unity Day is Wednesday, October 18.

Wear ORANGE to send a visible message that no child should ever experience bullying.

UNITY DAY

A campaign founded in 2006 by PACER's National Bullying Prevention Center that is held during the month of October to unite communities nationwide to educate and raise awareness of bullying prevention.

A one-day event held the third Wednesday of October to come together in one giant, ORANGE

message of hope and support. It’s a day to WEAR AND SHARE ORANGE to visibly show that our society believes no child should ever experience bullying.

Dear Families,

I would like to take this opportunity to introduce myself! My name is Bridgett Sadler and this is my third year as the School Counselor for Sturgis Elementary and my first year being at Sturgis Williams Middle School. I am at the elementary school every morning until 11:30. I teach all 2nd and 3rd grade counseling classes.

My passion for school counseling began during my time as a student at South Dakota State University where I received my Bachelors degree in Human Development and Family Studies and then my Master’s degree in School Counseling. What I love most about the elementary level is the genuine curiosity students have in their learning and the world around them, as well as the opportunity for early intervention support that can have a lifetime positive impact on a child.

My name is Kristi Ortiz and I am at Sturgis Elementary full time and work with students in kindergarten, first grade and fourth grade. I teach weekly guidance classes, provide small group and individual counseling.

As School Counselors, our primary responsibility is to promote the academic, career, and social/emotional development of all students. Many times we get puzzled looks when we say we provide career development at the elementary level, but it is never too early for children to be exposed to the opportunities their futures will hold! We look forward to offering support to the students, staff, families, and community of Sturgis. We will be meeting with students individually and in small groups, conducting classroom counseling lessons including the 7 Mindsets curriculum, meeting with parents, collaborating with teachers and staff, and consulting with community organizations to benefit and meet the needs of all students.

You may have noticed above that we put in bold and underlined the word, “all” students. Sometimes when the term “counselor” is heard, some may perceive that a counselor may only work with a select few students in a 1:1 counseling capacity, but that is not the case! School Counseling programs reach and meet the needs of all students in a school through many various ways, including those listed above. We are here to advocate for all students. If you ever have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact us.

We are so excited to work with your children and get to know you throughout the school year!

Dear Parents/Guardians of Kindergarten bus riders,

Harlow's would like to remind all kindergarten parents that have bus riders that they need to be present at the child's bus stop at the end of the day. If there isn't an adult or older sibling present, the drivers have been informed to not let the younger students off the bus. The drivers have been informed that if they see the parents even from the porch, they can release them.

If someone isn't present to pick up their child, for safety reasons, the driver will immediately contact Harlow's dispatch. The child will be taken back to Sturgis and parent will be responsible to pick them up. Harlow's has indicated they will most likely transport the child to the Sturgis Police Department as they have adequate supervision at this time of day.

If you have any questions, please contact the Harlow Bus Company at 605-347-5066

Did you know that you can volunteer to work in schools throughout the district? Fill out the volunteer form now!

Educating youth takes a community effort, and because of that the Meade School Board is encouraging parents, guardians and other interested patrons to volunteer their time, knowledge and talents.

Members of the community bring new energies and resources into the schools and expand the walls of the classrooms. School volunteers enrich the educational program and strengthen the schools’ relationships with homes, businesses, public agencies and private institutions. All volunteers in the Meade School District do so without pay or employee benefits, except for workers’ compensation. For those interested in volunteering.

Mail to Meade School District, 1230 Douglas Street, Sturgis, S.D. 57785.

Katy Jutting, Assistant Principal

Email: MeadeSESOffice@k12.sd.us
Website: https://www.meade.k12.sd.us/sturgis-elementary/
Location: 1121 Ballpark Road, Sturgis, SD, USA
Phone: 605-347-2386