Meadowbrook News

January 10, 2025

Text reading explore, create, innovate on a blue background

A stylized H with a gold star above the word Meadowbrook

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From Principal Natalie

Happy New Year and Welcome Back!

We’ve had a wonderful week reconnecting as a community, and students are doing an excellent job adjusting back to our routines and expectations.

Mark your calendar! Our Student Showcase Night is coming up on Thursday, January 23, from 6:00–7:30 PM. This open-house-style event will feature student projects, presentations, and performances, giving you a glimpse into what your child has been learning and creating at school. To make the evening even more enjoyable, our PTO will be hosting dinner options for purchase from 5:30–6:30 PM in the cafeteria. Please note that classrooms will open at 6:00 PM for the showcase. Be sure to join us for this exciting night—you won’t want to miss it!

Pick-Up Reminders:

Please pull up as close as possible to the vehicle in front of you to keep traffic flowing smoothly and avoid blocking the street.
Stay off your phone—it’s all about keeping our students safe!

Thank you for your cooperation and support.

In partnership,

Natalie

2025-26 kindergarten registration is now open!

Open-enrolled families (families who live outside the Hopkins School District): if you have a fall 2025 kindergartner, you will need to complete an Open Enrollment Application for your child by January 15, 2025.
Hopkins School District resident families: please submit a K-12 Student Enrollment form for your fall 2025 kindergartner — even if you are already attending Hopkins Preschool.

Find enrollment forms online, visit HopkinsSchools.org/enroll.

Need Winter Gear?

If your child is in need of winter gear, please contact any member of our Student Support Team:

Nicole Sobanski, School Counselor (Kindergarten)

nicole.sobanski@hopkinsschools.org

952-988-4443

Alex Wyss, School Counselor (1st-2nd Grade)

alexandra.wyss@hopkinsschools.org

952-988-4818

Julie DeGroot, School Counselor (3rd-4th Grade)

julie.degroot@hopkinsschools.org

952-988-5113

Suzanne Pakenham, Student Success Advocate (5th Grade)

suzanne.pakenham@hopkinsschools.org

952-988-5099

PTO Corner

Seeking Donations

The Staff Appreciation committee is seeking out donations in order to provide Sniffle Soother kits to the Meadowbrook staff this winter! Help us bust the boogers by donating via the Amazon wish list. Just order off the list and donations will be shipped directly to us! Otherwise, if you prefer to shop elsewhere, you can drop off donations in the Meadowbrook office. Just put a label on them that they are for the PTO. Please note that you do not need to stick to the exact brands/quantities in the wish list. These are provided just as suggestions and for ease of shopping/shipping. We are looking for the following (regular size, not travel) items:

Boxes of Kleenex/Puff etc.

Hand Sanitizer

Hand Lotion

Hand Soap

Disinfecting Wipes

Individually wrapped masks

Paper Towels

Please order/drop off your donations by January 27th. We welcome all donations, large or small!

Thanks!

Meadowbrook Staff Appreciation (PTO) committee

Yearbooks

It’s time to order your yearbook!

This year, the PTO won’t be able to provide a yearbook for each family, so please be sure to place an order if your child would like one in the spring.

Visit ybpay.com and enter code 14465725 to order. All orders must be placed by April 12, 2025.

Monthly Newsletter

Restaurant Nights

What are Restaurant Night funds used for? The sales from Meadowbrook Restaurant Nights are used for PTO funds. These funds provide many opportunities for all students and teachers. This includes, but is not limited to field trips, equipment for classrooms and the media center, artist residencies, and transportation costs for events and field trips. Since September, restaurant nights have helped bring in $1,923 to the PTO!

The Local - This year Meadowbrook is partnering with the Local in the West End; every Tuesday, mention "Meadowbrook PTO" and a portion of the proceeds will be provided to the Meadowbrook!

How to Help The PTO:

Volunteer with us! Click here to learn about our many volunteer opportunities. There is something for everyone!
Visit the PTO website, MeadowbrookPTO.weebly.com for current info on all things PTO!
Sign up for the PTO’s monthly newsletter to stay in-the-know on all PTO events, activities and opportunities. Sign up here!

Any questions? We’d love to hear from you! Reach out to us at MeadowbrookElementaryPTO@gmail.com or visit us on Facebook , Twitter, Instagram, or our PTO website.

District News & Events

Join Us for Literacy Night

Hopkins Public Schools invites parents, caregivers, and community members to ESAC Literacy Night: Literacy Instruction in Hopkins – Beyond the READ Act, Part 1 on Thursday, Jan. 16, 5:30-7 p.m. in the ESC Board Room. This interactive session will highlight our Hopkins Literacy Plan, the challenges scholars face in learning to read and write, and ways you can support young learners. Save the date for future sessions on February 20, March 20, and April 17 to dive deeper into literacy and math instruction. Full event details are available on our website.

Canvas Information Night for Families:

Tuesday, Jan. 21, 5:30-7 p.m. at Eisenhower Community Center

Canvas is our district-wide learning management system used in grades E-12. It’s the main platform for all secondary courses.

Families, did you know you can access Canvas to stay up-to-date on your student’s learning and progress? Join our district Technology Integration Specialists for an informational session to learn more about how Canvas works, including:

Setting Up Your Parent/Caregiver Account: Get support setting up your Canvas Parent account and pairing it with your scholar’s account.
Viewing Assignments and Grades: Stay updated about what your scholar is working on and how they are performing.
Communicating with Teachers: Easily reach out to educators for any questions or concerns.
Accessing Learning Resources: Find helpful materials to support your scholar’s learning journey.
Q & A: Get all your Canvas-related questions answered.

Can’t make the session? Access these video tutorials to learn about creating and pairing your Canvas Parent account:

Hopkins Ultimate Community Night

Join us for Hopkins Ultimate Community Night on Sunday, January 26th from 5-6:30pm at the North Junior High Structure. Come learn about the sport, our team, connect with current players and families, and enjoy PIZZA! Hopkins Ultimate is open to all in grades 5th-8th (co-ed Middle School League) and 9th-12th grader (male and female matching Varsity).

All new/interested and current players and families are welcome, especially anyone wanting to learn more about the sport of Ultimate Frisbee! There will be opportunities for new players to throw the disc around and for families to connect with current players and current team families. Please RSVP by January 20th by using the link below. And for more information or season registration, check out our website hopkinsultimate.com.

Special Education Advisory Committee (SEAC) meeting

Purpose:
If you are a caregiver of a student with a disability, you are invited to join us for our SEAC (pronounced seek) meetings. We will share Hopkin's Special Education Department updates with you and create space for you to advise us on how to best serve you and the community. https://www.pacer.org/parent/parent-leadership/seac/

Dates:
Tuesday, January 21, 2024, from 5:00 - 6:30 pm
Tuesday, March 18, 2024, from 5:00 - 6:30 pm

Location: Eisenhower Community Center, Board Room #233

If you have any questions, please email Ryan.Simenson@Hopkinsschools.org

Hopkins Education Foundation News

Celebrate and support Hopkins students this January! The Hopkins Education Foundation (HEF) is the Cause of the Month at the Vine Room in downtown Hopkins — 5% of their Featured Wine Flight & 5% of The Vine Shop's Featured Producer and NA fan fave, Dry Wit Drink, support HEF. Shop and support! Join us at the Vine Room on January 18 for VINE-O (wine BINGO) from 2-3p. A portion of BINGO card sales will also support HEF. More info at https://www.vineroom.co/

Tickets are now on sale for our big fundraising gala on Saturday, March 1, 2025, at the Metropolitan Ballroom in Golden Valley. The Royal Bash will celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Hopkins Education Foundation and feature a seated dinner, presentation, entertainment, games, live music from Watson, and more. We will raise funds for our annual special project and Spark Grants for Hopkins teachers. This year, our Outdoor Opportunities special project will help Hopkins students develop outdoor and leadership skills, build community, and experience joy and connection to the natural world with activities like camping, hiking, canoeing, and more. When you join us at the Royal Bash, you'll have a chance to learn about HEF’s 30-year history of helping Hopkins schools and help us acknowledge this milestone! We hope you will join us. Tickets are on sale now. If you can't attend, consider becoming a virtual bidder in the silent auction or donating to our special project. Tickets and info: HopkinsEducationFoundation.org.

Districtwide Parent and Caregiver Group for Supporting Gender Expansive Kids

Are you the caregiver of a child who transcends traditional binary gender roles? We are offering a supportive, ongoing group for parents and caregivers to ask questions, share ideas, and support one another. Some children may identify as transgender, gender fluid, non-binary, gender queer, gender expansive, or simply move through the world in a much more gender-free type of way.

This is for parents and families from all of Hopkins schools -- and from all grade levels (elementary, middle, and high school, and beyond). Laura Jensen, Hopkins Schools LGBTQ+ Community Liaison will facilitate the meetings. This is not a group to debate the issue, rather for parents looking to support their child.

Dates for Remainder of 24-25 School Year:
January 23, 2025 - February 27, 2025 - March 27, 2025 - April 24, 2024 - May 22, 2025 - June 26, 2025

North Middle School, 5-6:30 p.m. Room 506 (use side parking lot, Door R)

Questions? Email Laura.Jensen@hopkinsschools.org

2024-25 District Calendar

Transportation Department

Track late buses, request a change in bus stop, update your transportation address, and so much more!