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

Nothing noteworthy to share besides the information included in the newsletter below. So this message is short 'n sweet to start your week 😄🍬

• 10/21: 1st Grade Walking Field Trip (Mandli & Rotunno)
• 10/22: 1st Grade Walking Field Trip (Fröden & Brezenski)
• 10/23: 1st Grade Walking Field Trip (S Davis, Brown & Robbins)
• 10/23: Futura After-School Spanish Program 2:45-3:46 pm
• 10/23: WIS Family Fun Night 4:30-6:30 pm
• 10/30: Futura After-School Spanish Program 2:45-3:45 pm
• 10/24 & 10/25: NO SCHOOL
• 10/30: Futura After-School Spanish Program 2:45-3:45 pm
• 10/31: 2nd Grade Field Trip to see "The Wild Robot" Movie
• 10/31: ECCO Presentation K-2

• McFarland DECA Trick or Can - October 21-31

• School’s Out Days - Lussier Family Heritage Center - October 24-25

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

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

• CEPS Food Drive - November 1-7

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

• Free Triple P Positive Parenting Online Program for WI Families

Every night in the United States an estimated 600,000 people live on the streets. This October, SoulPancake and Kid President want 2 million people to prove that even the smallest acts of love, like donating a pair of socks, can make a big difference in the lives of those who are homeless. For more information, CLICK HERE.

How can we help make good things happen? Let’s get in on this Act of Kindness! From October 1-31, send in NEW socks, any size/gender/color, to be collected and donated to an area shelter and the McFarland Food Pantry. Once the collection drive is finished, we will share our collection totals with families. Thanks in advance for considering this great cause!

This week at CEPS, we practiced a "Medical Hold," which we would call in the event that someone is in need of emergency medical care at our school. A call was made for our Medical Response Team (which is a group of trained staff) to respond to a designated area, and the rest of students and staff across the building went into a hold. In case of a true emergency, this would help keep our hallways clear and give privacy to the student or staff member who may need medical attention. We were especially proud because our Kindergarten students were in the cafeteria and some of our first grade students were about to transition to related arts.

‼️ Please review DHS update regarding increased Pertussis cases in Wisconsin‼️ You can also find information and resources linked in the article. Please reach out to your medical provider with questions, Thank you!

With the cold and flu season in full swing, please review our Guidelines for sending your child to school. Remember, if your child is sick please keep them home and seek medical evaluation as needed. Students will be sent home with the following symptoms:

• 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. If they have been prescribed antibiotics, please see the MSD Health Services Handbook and DHS Wisconsin Childhood Communicable Disease guidelines for when they may return to school. 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!

Public Health Madison & Dane County is partnering with surrounding school districts and SSM Health in a few weeks to offer more school vaccine clinics to get students up to date on their school vaccines in time for the 2024-25 school year. These clinics will take place at multiple locations and dates. Find more information and to schedule an appointment see the attached flyer (English, Spanish), or via publichealthmdc.com/schoolclinics.

In this fast-paced digital era, our children are growing up surrounded by technology and the vast opportunities it brings. While this presents incredible potential for learning and growth, it also raises important concerns about their safety in the online world. In today's society, ensuring our children are equipped with the knowledge and tools to navigate the digital landscape safely has become more critical than ever. On average, kids with a smartphone received it by age 8, and those without one can expect to receive it by age 13 (FOSI Online Safety Across the Generations, 2018).

• Technology agreements. It is important for adults and kids to agree on how personal devices and technology will be used to ensure safe behavior and a positive online reputation. The Family Online Safety Institute offers helpful resources and talking points for families when establishing guidelines for device and internet use in the home.

• Family Online Safety Agreement: Ages 13 and under

• Family Online Safety Agreement: Teens

• Familiarize yourself. Among our student community, the most commonly used apps include Snapchat, TikTok, and YouTube. However, the landscape is constantly evolving with new apps and games emerging regularly. If you have reservations about a particular app or game, take the time to research and perhaps even test it out firsthand before reaching a conclusion. Included below are a variety of resources to delve into when assessing whether an app or game aligns with your child's needs, along with discussion points regarding digital citizenship and online safety.

• Common Sense Media

• Entertainment Software Rating Board

• Family Online Safety Institute

• See something, say something. Lastly, should you or your student come across any possible threat or safety issue on social media, we urge you to promptly report it. You can do so by informing a school staff member, reaching out to law enforcement, or utilizing this provided link, even if you feel it may not be that serious or may have already been reported.

In September, families of students in grades 3-8 and 10 received information about their children’s Forward Exam scores from last Spring. On October 9th, data about Forward Exam scores were released across the state and included in articles like this one from the Wisconsin State Journal.

We know that the Forward Exam is just one measure of what McFarland students know and are able to do, but we do look at the results carefully to find areas of celebration and growth as a District. Our District strategic plan puts literacy achievement front and center with a specific focus on closing gaps between students in various demographic groups (for example, between students with and without disabilities).

When looking at the Spring 2024 Forward Exam results, we noticed:

• More students are meeting or exceeding expectations in ELA, math, science and social studies than in previous years.

• In all subjects and grades, McFarland students perform better than the State average.

• When comparing our results to the rest of Dane County in most grades and all subjects McFarland improved or maintained their ranking in the county.

• McFarland School District had the #1 rank in Dane County in the following areas:

• 8th grade Math, Science and Social Studies (Congratulations Class of 2028!)

• 4th grade Social Studies

We will continue our work to close achievement gaps between students at our school and focus on research-based instructional practices in all subjects to help us meet our strategic plan goals.

If you have questions about your child’s Forward Exam results, please contact your child’s principal. If you have questions about McFarland’s Forward Exam results overall, please contact Melissa Pfohl, pfohlm@mcfsd.org

October is...

• Bullying Prevention Month
• LGBTAIQ+ History Month
• National Physical Therapy Month