Elementary Rustler Newsletter

We welcomed 2025 along with the cold temperatures! Please send your child to school each day with hats, gloves/mittens, a winter coat, snow pants, and snow boots. Even if there is minimal snow on the ground, snow pants help children stay warm at recess. If your child is in need of any of these items, please don't hesitate to call Laela or Mrs. B-K at 605-853-2711.

Thanks to your generosity, we were able to donate 1,540 items to the Lions' Christmas Basket Program! What an amazing way to support people in our community!

Once again, I was amazed by all of the musical talent we have in our elementary school! The concerts were full of vocal and instrumental music that was so good and warmed my heart! Thank you to Mr. Iverson, Mrs. Kleinsasser, and Mr. Otteson for guiding our students and bringing out such awesome music ability!

At our in-service last week we looked at our reading standards and chose power standards. Each grade level has a set of standards that teachers must teach throughout the school year to help students prepare for the next grade level. Each set of grade level teachers discussed which standards may be more important than the others with teachers from the grade level below and the grade level above. We had great conversations about the preparation of students from grade level to grade level, and it was a good opportunity for teachers to visit about standards and curriculum.

We also held our data dig to look at our AIMS Web scores and used this information to have grade level meetings. At our meetings we determined how we will continue to assist students who are not at benchmark or grade level. We also held meetings in grades Kindergarten through Third Grade to discuss our TEAM Time (the 30 minutes each day that students are put into groups based upon their reading strengths and needs).

Here are our date comparisons from Fall to Winter-

District Reading-71% were proficient in the fall-80% are proficient now.

District Math-67% were proficient in the fall-80% are proficient now.

When I looked at the data for our students in town, 88% of our students in Kinderstart through 6th grade are proficient in math and reading at this point. Our goal for the end of the year is 90%, so I am excited to see these results. I am very proud of our students for working hard and of our teachers and paraprofessionals for all of the hard work they do each day. Way to go, Elementary Rustlers!

The Office of Special Education Programs is accepting nominations for the 2025 Special Education Staff of the Year!

Parents/guardians can submit their nomination at the below link by January 17, 2025:

https://centerfordisabilitiessouthdakota.wordpress.com/nominations/

If you would like to donate snacks for children, you can drop off items such as goldfish, Rice Krispie bars, cereal bars, pretzels, fruit snacks, crackers, etc. at the school office. We greatly appreciate your generosity!

January 20 No School

January 31 100th Day of School if no school days are missed this month

February 7 Midterm

February 13 Dismissal at 12:30 pm and Parent Teacher Conferences from 1:30-8:30 pm

February 14 No School

February 17 No School

February 28 No School

The second edition of our 5th-6th grade newspaper is available on the school website at https://www.miller.k12.sd.us/page/elementary-school. I am very proud of the newspaper staff. They are a dedicated group of students who are very creative and eager to share information.

Kessler's Grocery Store believes in the power of community and supporting local schools.

When you shop at Kessler's please do the following-

1. Save your receipt.

2. Drop your receipt off at the Elementary Office or in the box at Kessler's.

3. Kessler's will donate 1% of the total receipts back to our school!

It's an easy way to support our students. Thank you, Kessler's!

Our first day of semester two was a great one! Students were eager to share what they did over the break, etc. We were happy to see their smiling faces and loved listening to their December adventures. I hope the new year is treating you and your family well. As always, please contact me if you have any concerns or would like to share good news! Happy New Year!

-Mrs. B-K