News and events

November 7 -- Picture Retake Day

November 14 -- PTO Meeting

November 19 -- Reading Night
November 22 -- End of Trimester 1

November 25 - 29 -- No School!

Hello Lincoln Families,

Thank you to all our families for your support during our fall conferences. We had an incredible turnout this October! As a staff, we deeply value the strong relationships between home and school, as they are key to student success.

If you're interested in becoming more involved, please consider attending one of the Lincoln PTO meetings. These meetings are held on the second Thursday of each month at 6:00 PM.

On Friday, October 25, Lincoln students had the opportunity to participate in Anoka Halloween’s “Big Parade of Little People.” This longstanding Anoka tradition is a highlight of the year, and we are grateful to be part of this fun event!

We are also looking forward to our first “Arts Jam” day on November 22nd. This all-school event allows students to explore a variety of arts activities led by our amazing staff. It’s always a joyful day, and I’m sure your children will have plenty to share about it!

There are wonderful things happening at Lincoln. Our teachers and staff are dedicated to ensuring that your children feel valued, safe, and successful. With your continued support, we will keep doing GREAT things for every student.

Thank you!

Michelle Zimmerman

Kindergarteners had so much fun using their 5 senses to explore apples in October! We also enjoyed walking up to watch all the big kids in the Anoka Halloween Parade!

In the next couple of weeks, we will cover the topics: Tools We Use, Shapes All Around Us, and World of Bugs. We are looking forward to learning to read and write more sight words. Words we have learned so far: I, can, we, see, the, a.

In math we will be learning to count by 2s to 20, add 1 & subtract 1 to numbers from 1-10, and compare & order numbers from 1-10. We will also explore even numbers as doubles and write equations to show sums up to 5.

In November, the kindergarteners will learn about gratitude and ways to show how they are thankful for people and things in their lives.

Ms. Johnson, Mrs. Ovitt, Mrs. Peterson, Mrs. Munga and Ms. Beck

October flew by in 1st grade. We implemented our new ketchup and relish and students are doing pretty good with getting work done as well as being kind and respectful. This month was a busy month with the Halloween parade as well as some days off, including MEA break! Hopefully everyone enjoyed a few days off!

This month in math we are focusing on adding and subtracting. We have been doing a lot of practice with dominos, cards, and dice! We also learned how to solve math story problems and create math story problems. We will continue to work on this next month as well.

In ELA, we are really turning our focus from letter sounds to blending letters together to create words and even sentences. Students have also been learning about the floss rule as well as rhyming words. We will continue to practice these things in the next month as well.

A few reminders for the coming months, with chillier weather coming along, please make sure your student is dressed appropriately to go out to recess. Everyone goes outside no matter what! Also please send a snack with your student everyday, if you would like to donate a snack to your student's classroom then we can pass the snack out if students forget. If you do donate snacks, please make sure they are nut free! We have lots of food allergies to nuts this school year!

As always feel free to email your first graders teacher with any questions!

Mrs. Hustad, Mrs. Mehan, Mrs. Skinner and Ms. Walz

Happy October! Our Character Strong word of the month is Responsibility.

In ELA this month we are working on the comprehension strategy of asking and answering questions, the comprehension skill of understanding characters, setting, and events, and practicing the vocabulary strategy of using context clues to better understand words when we don't know the meaning. In writing we will be focusing on friendly letters and personal narratives.

In Bridges we are practicing addition facts such as adding zero, counting on, adding ten, and adding nine to name a few. We are also collecting time in five minute increments or groups and learning about the differences between palmate and pinnate leaves.

Mrs. Coubal, Mrs. Pitzl, and Mr. Robertson

It was so nice to see so many of you at conferences at the beginning of the month. It is always wonderful to talk to you about your child. Thank you for taking the time to join us.

October has been a busy month in 3rd grade. We finished Unit 1 in Math, Addition and Subtraction. We started Unit 2 which is on Multiplication. The students are loving learning about multiplication and the process. We are also learning some shape names in Number Corner. Ask your child what a 5 and 6 sided figure is called. Please continue to work with your child on addition and subtraction facts to 20 as this helps with multiplication.

Indigenous Peoples’ Day was on October 14. We took time during the day to talk about Indigenous people and read a book named Bowwow Powwow by Brenda J. Child. This sparked some great conversations.

We are finishing up Unit 1 in Wonders (ELA) - How Can Learning Help Us Grow? We have read stories about landmarks, Elijah McCoy, Mary Anderson and about family traditions. The discussions have been very interesting after reading these stories. We continue to work in Bridge to Read to continue learning about words.

Mrs. Arendt, Mrs. Luongvan and Mrs. Olson

Hello Fourth Grade Families,

This year is off to a great start! We have completed Unit 1 in math. We are onto Unit 2, where we are working with place value and multiplication. Each class built a "Great Wall of Base Ten", to help us visualize how numbers look as they become ten times bigger. We are working on many strategies to help with our multiplication understanding, as well as learning many workplace games to solidify our basic multiplication and division skills. These games are also available to play at home online via our Bridges Website.

In science we are learning all about the different types of energy (heat, light, sound, and motion). We have started building go-karts and have added a sail this week to harness energy from the wind. We will continue learning about new ways to give our go-karts energy!

For reading, we are working on skills and strategies to understand complex texts in deeper ways. Please be sure to have your student read every day at home. Ask them about things such as the author’s purpose for writing the text, and what they think will happen next. We are writing personal narratives for Unit 1.

Ms. Carlson, Mrs. Gaspar & Mrs. Nye

October was an eventful month for 5th Grade. We are hard at work in math, reading and science. When we aren't hard at work on our usual curriculum we are dancing in our awesome dancing classrooms residency. Ask your student about some of the dances we have learned so far like the foxtrot, tango, meringue, and rhumba.

In November we will be working with fractions in math, continuing our work with matter mysteries in science and in reading we are finishing our personal narratives and starting Unit 2 which is all about the importance of having a plan.

As always, if you have any questions or concerns about 5th grade please don't hesitate to reach out to Mr. Gamache or Mrs. Mercer.

October is a colorful time, and what better way to show off the fall colors than to showcase student art!

To help commemorate Lincoln’s 75th anniversary, students painted rocks to add to our rock garden outside. For some students, this is the fourth rock they have contributed to this all-school art project. Check it out the next time you stop by school!

Kindergarten Line Quilts use a technique called Crayon Resist. All you need is paper, watercolor paints, crayons and your imagination! First graders show off their pumpkins as they practice artistic patterns and math facts. Second grade brings the outdoors in with their birch trees. Make your own winter landscape project at home. Students in our Talent Development program worked with math ratios to create the Land of the Yetis.

5th grade has started their Heart of Dance residency with Ms. Kirstin Nelson, a local teaching artist, dancer, choreographer, director, and so much more. Check out why the work done in this residency is important for our students!

BAND/ORCHESTRA/CHOIR

We just completed our second full week of rehearsals for Band, Orchestra, and Choir, and students are doing AMAZING! Make sure you know how to access Seesaw, as the majority of our communication will go through that. Students are expected to bring instruments home to practice each week, and bring them back to school on rehearsal days. Check out the schedule! Contact Mrs. Whitcomb with any questions (andrea.whitcomb@ahschools.us).

Here are a few stats about this year’s enrollment.

• 37 students in Band

• 31 students in Orchestra

• 49 students in Choir

• 35 students in more than one ensemble

Welcome!

To date, our 120+ volunteers have given 900+ hours of their time to help our students! They worked with students, did clerical projects, organized a fundraiser, cashiered the Book Fair, provided food for Staff Appreciation, helped w/parade and PTO Boo Bash…. As November is a time of giving thanks, Lincoln’s Volunteer Program gives a BIG THANK YOU to all our volunteers! You give your time and energy to this school and our students and you make events happen! Thank you volunteers!

Volunteer Opportunities- Complete 2024/25 Lincoln Volunteer Forms and contact the VSC today!

* Skillbuilder

* Gr 1/2 Reading

* Enrichment- Challenge Reading Groups / Math + Groups / Destination Imagination

* (On call) Art Help

* Lost-n-Found

* Girls on the Run

* Hearing & Vision

* Events- Reading Night / Arts Jam

* PTO Fundraising- Chairs / Box Top Coord. / Apparel Coord.
* PTO Positions- Secretary / Staff Appreciation Coord. / Fun Run Co-Chair / Event Co-Chair

National Parent Involvement Day - November 21

When families, teachers, students and others view one another as partners in education, students succeed! Here are a few ways to be involved-

* Volunteer in the school or at home

* Provide care, safety, good nutrition and proper sleep to a child

* Model a positive attitude toward school and learning

* Help children learn through family activities

* Provide healthy activities for students in the community

* Listen to and talk with others

* Join activities that support students - such as PTOs, boosters, Partnership Teams, etc.

Keep healthy & prevent the spread of illness

* Wash your hands frequently

* Get plenty of rest/sleep

* Engage in physical activity

* Manage stress

* Drink water & eat healthy

* Cover your nose/mouth with a tissue when you sneeze or cough

* Stay home if you’re sick

Weather Closings

* Check District Website, Lincoln Website, District/School’s social media, and local media outlets (such as WCCO, KSTP, FOX 9, and KARE 11)

If you have any questions or need information, please let me know.

Diana Orr / Volunteer Services Coordinator (VSC)
Diana.Orr@ahschools.us / 763-506-3130

Tues. 8a.m.- 3p.m./Wed. & Thurs. 8a.m.-2:45pm.(schedule may vary- Out Thanksgiving Wk)

Volunteer Handbook - Manual para voluntarios / Safeguard Privacy / Field Trip Chaperone Guidelines

Thanks to all the Lincoln Families who supported PTO over the last month with the wrap up of our Record Breaking Fun Run Fundraiser, the Lions Night Out Restaurant Night at Dave’s Hot Chicken, Volunteering at Book Fair, Donating to Conference Meals and Volunteering at the Chalk & Walk and the Boo Bash! We appreciate your support of the PTO!

PTO just launched a new website, where you can find information about upcoming events, PTO meeting dates, volunteering opportunities, and sign up to join our email list and more! Check it out at www.LincolnPTO-Anoka.org. To stay in the loop with all the PTO happenings you can also follow us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/LincolnElementarySchoolForTheArtsPTO.

Upcoming Events

November 5th is a Non-School Day, Election Day, and our next Lions Night Out Restaurant Night at Bakers Square in Riverdale. From 10am to 7pm 20% of sales are donated back to Lincoln! RSVP at groupraise.com/events/290943

Watch for Lincoln Lions Pride Apparel Order Forms to come home at the beginning of November. Orders will be due at the end of November to ensure we have time to get the orders in before Winter Break. Lincoln Apparel makes a great holiday gift for the whole family. This is a fundraiser for the PTO and how you can get more items with that cute Lincoln Lions Pride logo. We are looking at adding some new items this year, so stay tuned.

Upcoming Meeting

November 14th from 6:00-7:30 pm in the conference room at Lincoln.

Childcare is available for potty trained children during the meeting. Enter on South St (door 6) or join us virtually with the meeting code: https://meet.google.com/uzr-oofz-wgt

Hello from Community Education! We are looking forward to our upcoming classes and would love to see your student enrolled. Register now to ensure a spot for one of our many activities including:

• 11/05: FAST Kids

• 11/13: Festive Drawings

• 11/25: Learn to Ride- One Day Horse Camp

• 12/02: Basketball

A number of factors converged in early 2024 that led to the need to reduce district expenditures by $26 million. Anoka-Hennepin acted quickly in the spring to plan a two-phased budget reduction and realignment process.

• Phase 1: $5.1 million in central administration and services were reduced for the 2024-25 budget in an effort to mitigate the impact of additional cuts for the 2025-26 budget.

• Phase 2: The district is currently determining a solution to address a $21 million budget reduction gap. Community meetings were held Sept. 25 - Oct. 10 in combination with a feedback process on two recommendations. A final decision is expected in November.
  
  

Factors impacting the district budget: The elimination of federal pandemic relief funds, higher than budgeted employee contract settlements, the impact of inflation on transportation and other operations, limited new revenue from state and federal sources and new requirements without funding support have developed a need to reduce expenditures by $26 million by the 2025-26 school year.

Proposed solutions: Anoka-Hennepin Schools have followed School Board direction to provide a reduction plan that cuts away from the classroom, particularly for the district’s youngest learners. The draft budget solution recommendations impact central services before schools with 53 percent of the reductions taking place at the district office/central services area, and 47 percent impact at the school level. The board is also studying a plan that would make additional central services and administrative cuts but spare reductions in schools allowing community members to decide on that impact through a levy referendum election in the fall of 2025.

Two options have been proposed for School Board consideration:

• Option 1: $21 million total reduction.

• Option 2: Make additional central services/administrative reductions and authorize an operating referendum election in the fall of 2025.
  
  

Looking ahead: Following robust community feedback for an initial draft plan, draft proposals are expected to be shared at the Monday, Oct. 29 school board meeting and eventually adopted at the Monday, November 25 school board meeting. This timeline is required ahead of key planning decisions on student registration and staffing decisions prior to the 2025-26 school year.

Provide feedback: School Board expectations provide for a process that encourages robust community and staff input prior to approval of the final recommendation. View the presentation from the Sept. 23 school board meeting and provide your feedback for school board consideration using this online form.

Attend a community open house meeting: Feedback will be collected and provided to the School Board through a series of public open house meetings at area high schools in addition to the online feedback form.

• Community Meeting #2: Tuesday, October 1 at Andover High School

• Community Meeting #3: Wednesday, October 2 at Champlin Park High School

• Community Meeting #4: Tuesday, October 8 at Blaine High School

• Community Meeting #5: Wednesday, October 9 at Anoka High School

All sessions will run from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m, with a short presentation at 6:10 p.m. The community meeting that was held at Coon Rapids High School on Sept. 25 was live streamed and archived on the district YouTube channel. The same presentation will be given at the following four community meetings.

Learn more: ahschools.us/budget

As the district reviews and adopts new course materials, it involves staff, students, parents, and the community in the process. This school year, the district will be in its ninth-year of using ‘Reading Wonders,’ the English Language Arts (ELA) materials used in district elementary schools, while it begins piloting potential and studying new ELA curriculum materials for the future.

📚View the timeline and learn more about the process and course materials involved.

Save the date: Families and community members are invited to the ELA curriculum review night on Wednesday, Oct. 23 at the Anoka-Hennepin Schools Educational Services Center located at 2727 N. Ferry Street, Anoka from 4:30-6:30 p.m.

Parent Involvement [PI] Facebook- has info on what's happening in the district and PI (fundraisers, events, volunteering, PI team activities, etc.).

PI Free training workshops- gives parent/teacher organizations, booster clubs & nonprofits a boost as they help support the efforts of Anoka-Hennepin students, schools and community.

The Bolster (subscribe)- a newsletter for PTO’s and Booster Clubs that shares resources, ideas, and tips to improve their organization.

Parent Resource Center (PRC)- is located at the AHSD Educational Service Center (ESC) and lends library materials to parents, families, and staff. Families are welcome to browse our library-

Online: PRC library/Use Library Name: AHPRC (no password required)/ Visit us on the Web / Follow on Facebook and Instagram

Stop-in: Use the self-service check-out and return. Enter Door 1 on the west side of the ESC (2727 N. Ferry St, Anoka, MN 55303)

Phone: 763-506-1587 or 763-506-1278 to discuss your resource requests. Selections can be delivered to your school and sent home with your child.

Lincoln spirit wear is available online for all families to purchase. If interested in purchasing spirit wear, please visit our vendor Innovations Plus. Items are available for purchase 24/7 and can be shipped to your home or to the school.