November 2024

Dear IJ Holton Families/Caregivers and Community:

We are thrilled to share some important updates about the upcoming changes to our school schedule for the 2025-2026 school year. These changes are designed to enhance student learning, strengthen relationships, and support our continued commitment to academic excellence. Here's what you need to know:

Why is the Schedule Changing?

The new schedule reflects our goal to:

• Increase focused instructional time in key areas like reading and math.
• Implement the Minnesota READ Act, ensuring all students develop strong literacy skills with targeted instruction and teacher training.
• Reduce transitions for elementary students, allowing them to interact with fewer staff members daily, fostering stronger relationships, and creating a smoother, more consistent learning experience.

What's New in the Schedule?

The updated schedule balances core instruction, intervention, and enrichment opportunities.

Highlights include:

• 90 Minutes for Reading with teacher-led interventions for personalized support.
• 15 Minutes for Teacher Read-Alouds to build vocabulary and comprehension.
• 75 Minutes for Math with focused teacher support.
• 45 Minutes for Science and Social Studies, alternating on an A/B schedule.
• 30 Minutes for SEL (Social Emotional Learning) and Community Building during our new "Connect" time.
• 45 Minutes for WIN or Music, continuing our commitment to enrichment and intervention.

Programs That Remain Unchanged

We're proud to maintain key programs that contribute to our well-rounded educational experience:

• Project Lead The Way (PLTW) will continue to engage students in hands-on STEM learning and innovation.
• Music Programming will allow students to continue to enjoy high-quality music education.
• Pi Academy will still offer enriched opportunities for students who participate.

How Will This Benefit Students?

The new schedule focuses on improving the learning experience for all students. Key benefits include:

• More targeted instruction in core academic areas to address individual needs.
• Stronger relationships by reducing the number of staff elementary students interact with daily.
• Improved literacy outcomes, supported by the implementation of the Minnesota READ Act.
• A supportive learning environment, with time dedicated to SEL and community building.

What's Next?

We're committed to ensuring a smooth transition to the new schedule. Teachers will receive training and resources to support these changes, and we'll continue communicating updates with families.

We value your input and invite you to share your thoughts at upcoming parent information sessions or by contacting the school office.

Thank You for Your Partnership

At IJ Holton, we are dedicated to creating an environment where every student can thrive. These updates reflect our commitment to providing a stronger foundation for learning and a brighter future for all students. For more information, please visit the Frequently Asked Questions webpage.

Sincerely,

Dewey Schara, Principal

Dear Families,

As the winter chill settles in, we hope this newsletter finds you warm and well. We appreciate your continued partnership and support as we navigate this busy time of year together.

Important Announcements

• Cold Weather Reminder: Please ensure that your child brings hats, coats, and gloves to stay warm during movement breaks.
• Book Fair: The IJ Holton Book Fair will take place from December 2nd to 7th.
• Dental Clinic Day: Scheduled for December 9th and 10th. Please ensure your child is prepared for their appointment.
• Reading STAR Test: This important assessment will be held on December 10th and 11th.
• Math STAR Test: Students will take the Math STAR Test on December 18th and 19th.
• PBIS Incentive Day: We will celebrate our students' positive behaviors on December 20th.
• Winter Break: Please note that winter break will begin on December 23rd and extend through January 1st. We wish you a joyful holiday season!
  
  

Additional Information

We encourage you to engage in family reading time. It not only fosters a love for literature but strengthens family bonds.

We are grateful for your ongoing support in making IJ Holton a nurturing and engaging environment for our students. Together, we can continue to promote a love for learning.

As we look ahead, we are excited about what the new year will bring. Thank you for being an essential part of our school community!

Stay warm this winter season,

Mr. Malo

Assistant Principal

Happy December Holton Families!

Now that the winter months are finally upon us, here are a few reminders about outside recess:

-We go outside every day unless the air temperature is BELOW zero degrees or the windchill factor is more than -10 degrees.

-Students are NOT allowed to go back into the building to get their coat, nor are they allowed to leave the cafeteria to get it. They must grab everything when the teacher lines them up to bring them to lunch.

-Coats, boots, hats, gloves, and snow pants are STRONGLY encouraged. Please speak to your child’s teacher or Mr. Enrique if you do not have any of those items.

-Students are allowed to walk in the snow if they are wearing snow boots.

-Students may play in the snow (build snowmen, build forts, make snow angels, slide down snow piles, etc.) ONLY if they are wearing a coat, snow pants, boots, hats, and gloves.

If dressed properly, winter can be some of the most fun times there are!

IJ Holton is very fortunate to have two Math Corps tutors in our building this year. Karina Olivarez and Karsten Ansorge are this year’s tutors. Math Corps is a specialized tutoring program designed to enhance math skills for students. Math Corps, part of the AmeriCorps network, leverages dedicated service members to support educational initiatives that benefit the community. Currently, our Math Corps tutors are servicing select 5th grade students, using specific academic criteria. Math Corps tutors use established strategies and conduct regular progress assessments, ensuring students are on track to achieve essential math proficiency.
Through this partnership, IJ Holton is offering students critical support to build a strong foundation in mathematics.

In our first three months, we have had

*490 Tutoring Sessions

*21, 930 Tutoring Minutes

*73.3 Avg. Minutes per week/per student

*62 students receive tutoring

At IJ Holton, we encourage our students to be Respectful, Responsible, Safe, and to Do Their Best! If at any time you have any questions or concerns, please email me david.brown@austin.k12.mn.us or call me at 460-1525. Bring on winter!

David Brown

IJ Holton Dean of Students

-We have some changes to our schedule for next year to accommodate more time for Reading and Math as well as reduce the number of staff students must interact with on a daily basis and provide more teacher-led interventions. (see my article in this newsletter for more detail).

-A team of staff from Holton visited two elementary schools in the White Bear Lake school district last month. Each school uses BARR (Building Assets Reducing Risks) as part of their SEL work; we were able to see how they successfully implemented BARR with an elementary schedule.

-Career posters and pathways are almost complete.

-We continue to look for ways to bring reading and math interventions into the classrooms. We will keep using our WIN time to assist with students who need more support as well as our Academic Coaching time.

-We are providing our co-teaching partners support with our instructional coach.

-We will begin our second round of STAR testing this month; we use this data to adjust instruction for classes and individual students.

-Teachers who are in their first three years of teaching, are evaluated three times a year. Teachers in their fourth year or above, are evaluated every three years. Much of our principal staff development over the last two years has been working with the Teaching and Learning Department to consistently administer and review the evaluations across all schools. Teachers are one of our most valuable resources at APS and the evaluation process is critical to each teacher’s growth professionally. We will regularly work with our administrative colleagues to calibrate our evaluations across the district.

Parents, Guardians & Students,

Attendance is one of the most important factors when we look at a student’s academic performance. We encourage all students to be at school every day, all day long.

Both Ellis and IJ Holton believe that academic coursework, along with social and emotional education, helps students to learn and grow. Given such, each building has placed a focus on activities to enhance student social and emotional learning.

This year, Ellis has implemented BARR (Building Assets Reducing Risks) where students are involved in weekly I-Time lessons that help to build intentional relationships and foster the development of good study habits and critical thinking skills. Examples of I-time topics include:

• · A Rainbow in the Clouds – recognizing individuals who provide support and kindness during challenging times
• · Decision Making – recognizing and practicing the decision-making process
• · Flip the Switch – seeing the value in looking at situations from a variety of perspectives
  
  

Meanwhile, IJ Holton students are engaged in the Be Good People curriculum during Advisory/Academic Coaching. Lessons vary by month. Example topics include:

• · Kindness and Responding to Teasing/Bullying
• · Respect and Sensitivity to Others & Empathy
• · Organization and Goal Setting
• · Responding to Peer Pressure & Maintaining Good Relationships
• · Managing Stress and Using a Growth Mindset.

As always, we’re here to support you and your student!

Kirstin Norby, 5th grade (507) 460-1536

Lynn Keenan, 6th grade (507) 460-1533

Zack Langreck, 7th grade (507) 460-1513
Farin Delaney, 8th grade (507) 460-1517

Lea Oelfke, REACH (507) 460-1510

Rebecca Gullickson, SSW (507) 460-8306

Orchestra, choir, and band students are off to a great start this school year! We are very excited to showcase what they have been learning at our upcoming concerts. Please read below for important information about concert dates.

Please mark these upcoming dates on your calendar:

5th and 6th grade band: Monday, December 9th at 6pm (AHS)

6th grade orchestra: Monday, December 9th at 7:15pm (AHS)

5th and 6th grade choir: Thursday, December 12th at 6:30pm (AHS)

5th grade orchestra: Monday, January 16th at 6pm (IJ Holton Gym)

• December 9th, 2024- Art Club 3:05 PM- 4:15 PM (Red Group)
• December 9th-10th, 2024- Dental Clinic
• December 9th, 2024-
  5th- 7th Gr Band Concert Knowlton (6:00 PM- 7:00 PM)
  6th- 8th Gr Orchestra Concert Knowlton (7:15 PM- 8:15 PM)
  
• December 10th-11th 2024- Reading Star Testing
• December 12th, 2024- 5th-8th Choir Concert Knowlton (6:30 PM)
• December 16th, 2024- Art Club 3:05 PM- 4:15 PM (Blue Group)
• December 18th-19th, 2024- Math Star Testing
• December 20th, 2024- Last day of school
• December 21st - January 1st, 2024- NO SCHOOL- Holiday Break
  
  

The lost and found is full. All items will be either thrown away or donated during break. If you notice your child is missing items, please have them double check the lost and found.

Attendance Drives Success

We want to highlight a key factor in student success: attendance!

The Impact

• Students with 90%+ attendance at AHS have a GPA of 3.037 vs. 0.827 for those below 70%
• Those attending 90%+ earn 6.45 credits on average; those under 80% earn only 3.02 credits
• 11th graders with 90%+ attendance score 4 points higher on the ACT than those below 80%
• 3rd graders attending 90%+ score 12 points higher on MCA Reading than those under 80%
• 8th graders attending 90%+ score 11 points higher on MCA Math than those under 80%

The Challenge 32.9% of APS students were chronically absent in 2022-2023. Missing 10% or more of school days can derail academic progress.

Our Response We're working with families to create attendance plans addressing barriers like transportation, housing, and health. Our community partnerships offer added support.

The Progress Our consistent attendance rate rose from 61.5% to 67.1%. This is progress, but there's more to do.

Bottom Line Showing up matters. When students attend, they engage, build connections, and succeed. Together, we can boost attendance and help every student thrive. To learn more, click here.