Congdon Park Weekly News 10/9/2024

Hello Congdon Park Families!

PLEASE LABEL YOUR CHILDS OUTERWEAR - IT CAN'T BE RETURNED TO YOUR CHILD IF WE DO NOT KNOW WHO IT BELONGS TO!

Cooler weather is here. Please be sure to send your children with what they need to be outside for recess. Label all outwear!!!

Next week is a short week.There is NO school on Monday, Thursday and Friday.

The immunization deadline is looming! If you have received a letter from the health office stating your child is not compliant with immunizations, you must turn in updated immunization information or exemption by Oct 21st. Students will not be able to come to school if they do not show proof of immunization or exemption.

It's Socktober! Did you know that one of the most needed items by families in need are clean socks. Please consider making a donation of socks. All classrooms have a collection box.

**The 5th graders leave for Wolf Ridge this Friday! We sent home a packing list with your child yesterday, so please reference that. If your child did not give the list to you, the list is on the Wolf Ridge website. All kids will need to bring a sleeping bag and pillow packed in a garbage bag along with a duffel/suitcase for their other belongings. Please label all bags! Your child is also allowed to bring some spending money for the Wolf Ridge store.

**Remember absolutely NO ELECTRONICS can be sent with your child. Including cell phones and watches that make calls and texts.

**Please drop off your child’s items at the Congdon gym on Friday from 7-7:30am.

We will be leaving for Wolf Ridge at 2:45 on Friday and returning on Sunday by 3pm. Please be at the school on time to pick up your child.

**If your child will be taking scheduled medications during the trip, you will need to bring the medications in on Friday between 7-7:30am and speak with our volunteer parent medic.

We are looking forward to a super fun and memorable weekend with the 5th graders!

The School Climate Survey is a multi-dimensional set of anonymous surveys used to identify school climate issues within Congdon Park. The data collected from the surveys will be used to identify

perceptions of school climate issues within our school. School staff use the results to inform our efforts at improving our school climate.

Your feedback is needed! Please click on the link below to complete the School Climate Survey for Families when it is convenient for you. The family survey will take approximately 10-15 minutes to complete. Your responses are critical to gaining a comprehensive view of perceptions surrounding Congdon Park School’s climate. If you choose to participate, please complete the survey by Friday, October 18th , 2024.

Congdon Climate Survey: Families

Thank you so much for working with us to make our school a great place to be!

The dates have been set for MCA testing. Please do not schedule vacations or trips during this time. This is an important testing time for your students. Here are the dates:

Reading- April 15-17 grades 3-5

Math- April 22-24 grades 3-5

Make-ups April 28-May 2 grades 3-5

Science- April 28-May 2 grade 5

Science make-ups May 5-9 grade 5

Students are NOT allowed to ride a different bus even if the family sends a note, they can only ride the bus they are assigned to.

Students are NOT allowed to get off at a different stop (even if it’s the same bus.)

Students are NOT allowed to ride a bus if they are not assigned to a bus.

Important things to know from the Health Office:

1) The deadline for your child to be compliant with immunizations is October 21st. The exclusion date for immunizations is Oct 28th. If your student is non-compliant with their immunizations, the health office has already reached out to you. If you have any questions please call the health office 218-336-8825 ext 1845

2) The health office DOES NOT PROVIDE over the counter acetaminophen, ibuprofen, cough drops, over the counter antihistamines, sunscreen, bug spray or lice treatment. Students are allowed to keep cough drops in their desk or locker.

3) For a medication to be administered at school, either over the counter or prescription, the meds must be provided by the family along with a doctors orders to be administered. Meds cannot be expired and must be in original packaging with student's name on it.

4) If your child is injured and has limitations placed on their acitivty and/or if they are on crutches, in a boot or cast the Physical Activity Recommenations/Restrictions form must be filled out by a doctor and signed by both doctor and parent. See form below

5) Covid no longer has any guidelines, it is treated like all other flu like illnesses. If your child has a fever, vomiting or diarhea or just overall does not feel well, please keep them home.

6) There is no exclusion for pink eye or head lice. Pink eye is still very contagious and common sense should apply. Head checks at home for head lice are also a common sense practice. Once a week, take a peek.

7) Watch the weather and dress your student for the weather. We do not have enough extras to accomodate those who don't plan.

8) Please label your students clothing, especially their outwear. Please try to avoid buying black as 80% of the school has black outwear, making it very difficult for a child to find what they lost. Hats and mittens especially need to be labeled. After Bentleyville we end up with 50 of the same hat in the lost and found and no idea who it belong to. Please also label water bottles.

Name...

Christina KenKnight

Position...

Math Corps Tutor for grades K-3

How long have you been at Congdon/District...

This is my first year serving as a Math Corps Tutor at Congdon. I have 2 kids that have attended/are attending Congdon.

Tell us about your family...

I hope to help students I work with to increase confidence in their own abilities and to have fun learning new math skills!

Congdon Park Student Council is running a new sock donation drive during the month of October - Socktober! Adult sock donations will be given to CHUM and children's sock donations will be given to Kid's Closet. While all new socks would be great, warm winter ones that are longer than ankle length would be best. Students can bring in donations to their classrooms throughout the month of October. Collection boxes will also be available in the lobby during conferences. Thanks for caring for our Duluth community!

Did you know there are about 700 books checked out from the library at any given time? Help your child remember to return or renew books on their Media Class Day:

Day 1: Novak, Velander, Francisco, Forbort, Kelley (first grade), and Chumich

Day 2: Boyson, Cuneo, Ardren, Hietala, Renier, and Kolar

Day 3: Geissler, Huibregtse, Kelley (third grade), Gates, Fisher, and Pederson

Check the little circles in the middle of the days on the DPS Specialist Calendar

Invitations were sent out Friday, Sept 27, from your child's teacher to sign-up for a time to meet with the teacher for conferences. The sign-up will be through Signup Genius. Conference dates are October 8 and 10. We will also be having the Scholastic Book Fair during conferences.

Tuesday, October 8th - open 8 am to 7 pm, student previews all day from 8-2

Wednesday, October 9th - open 8 am to 2 pm

Thursday, October 10th - open 8 am to 7 pm,

Volunteers are needed for the book fair. It's super easy!! Please sign up for a shift. https://signup.com/go/DhHDcjD

Last week a Fire Prevention Contest form was sent home with every student. Please do not send completed Fire Prevention Contest Entries back to school. They are to go to a Fire Hall or the address on the form or listed below. Any that we receive will be sent back home with the student.

Life Safety Office

615 W. 1st St

Duluth, MN 55802

Do NOT turn it into the school. The completed form is due on October 14th, not post marked Oct 14th. The winners will be contacted on 10/17.

Just a reminder that Pokemom cards are not allowed at school. If cards are brought to school they will be brought to the office to be picked up at the end of the day.

We have some volunteer needs coming up in the next two weeks at Congdon!

The Scholastic Book Fair is next week! Help is needed to set up, operate cash registers, and tear down. Sign-up to help here: https://signup.com/go/DhHDcjD

Congdon teachers and staff work so hard! During conferences, our PTA loves to support them on these long days by providing dinner. Sign-up to provide part of the meal or to help set-up or clean up: https://signup.com/go/tDhEOKJ

October 10th is Apple Crunch Day! Sign up to help during lunch at this fun celebration of eating local: https://signup.com/go/WAbRhbA

Other volunteering opportunities:

Kindergarten and 1st grade lunch help: https://signup.com/go/tVGgadD

Congdon Park Garden Care Volunteering: https://signup.com/go/sSEWZQA

Thanks for considering and helping to make our Congdon community great! If you haven't joined as a member yet this year, you can sign up here: https://congdonparkpta.givebacks.com/

Teachers have many needs for their classrooms. Our PTA helps to gather those requests and create a sign up for those parents that would like to purchase something for a teacher. Here is the sign up:

https://signup.com/go/zWeXbtH

Each school year, the Congdon Park PTA provides a directory for families. This is a great resource for connecting with other families. This year's directory will provide the following information: Student's Name, Grade, Teacher, Parent Name, Phone Number, and Email Address. If you DO NOT want some or all of this information printed in the directory, you must return the following form, which will also be sent home with students. Thank you!

24-25 Directory Opt-Out Form

Apple Crunch celebrates National Farm to School month allowing students to crunch into delicious local apples. Duluth District is planning to participate in Apple Crunch again this year! The date of the Crunch is Thursday, October 10 during lunch shifts in the school cafeteria. The Duluth District Nutrition Department ordered MN Grown Apples from Westcott Orchards. Volulnteers are needed to hellp distribute apples during lunch.

Congdon Elementary is looking for a Math Tutor for the 2024-25 school year. You can take action in our community by giving your time and talent to help students succeed with math.

Tutors work with pairs of students during school hours throughout the school year to provide extra practice and skill-building. Whether you’re a recent grad, career changer, stay-at-home parent or retiree, you can make a great tutor and help kids build essential skills. No experience? No problem. With training and on-site coaching, our tutors are prepared to help kids succeed.

The part-time position is available beginning on January 13th, 2025. Tutors receive a paycheck every two weeks plus up to an additional $5,100 for college tuition or loans (tutors 55+ may gift the education award to their child, grandchild, stepchild or foster child).

Ready to put your passion in action to help students multiply their future opportunities through math? Learn more and apply at Join.ReadingandMath.org. Questions? Email join@ampact.us or call 866.859.2825.

Direct Job Link: https://join.readingandmath.org/careers-home/jobs/46894?lang=en-us

Mikayla Karels

Recruiter

Direct

Mobile

Click Here to schedule a meeting with me

Kids Closet has free clothes for early childhood-5th grade school children who are in need. They outfit your child for school - gym shoes, socks, underwear, school outfits and winter outerwear, including boots. All donated locally for local children, they have both new and good quality used items.

Families will need to first obtain a referral from the school social worker. Congdon Families should contact:

Corinne McMahon

Congdon Park School Social Worker

218-336-8825 X 1270

We have a list of staff and their extensions that you can access by clicking HERE. You can also find this on our website. Click on "About Us" then look for link on the right side of the page directly under the Classrooms title.

On the list you will also find their full name to use for an email:

email: (first name).(last name)@isd709.org

Chester Bowl is a family friendly alpine hill nestled right in the middle of Duluth! If your family has wanted to learn to ski or snowboard, or further develop your skills if you have already been on the slopes, Chester Bowl is an incredible community to join.

Our equipment season rental model is to get you your skis and snowboards in November- and then you keep them with you until April, using them at Chester Bowl as well as any other ski areas you go to. We offer free group lessons to anyone with a season or day pass. Other programs include our Alpine Race Series, Freestyle Fridays, and Girls Shred. And while we are best known as a great place for children to learn, it is a fantastic place to grow up at too, with many of our tweens and teens first becoming volunteer Cadets and then paid staff. Plus, dozens of adults learn to ski or board for the first time each winter too!

Our prices are designed to be affordable to most families, with the lowest rates around for season passes and rentals. But because we know that these fees can still be a barrier to many families, we also have $27,300 to award in scholarship support this winter for families that could not otherwise afford to participate.

Does this sound like a great fit for your family? If you are looking to rent skis or snowboards for the season and/or request a scholarship, the first step is to register by October 13. In the week after registration closes, we will send out sign ups for equipment fittings and scholarship awards for those that requested them.

You can find out all the details and register at https://www.chesterbowl.org/uncategorized/chester-bowl-winter-registration-open-through-october-13/ We hope to see you on the hill this winter!

Kathi Kusch Marshall - Principal

ISD709 SCHOOL DISTRICT UPDATE CENTER

Website: https://www.isd709.org/congdon-elementary
Location: 3116 E. Superior St
Phone: 218.336.8825
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cpsduluth