Farnsworth Lower Family Update

Dear Farnsworth Aerospace PreK-4 Families,

Welcome to the 2024-25 school year! It was so great to see so many familiar faces during this first month of school. Relationships are the foundation for connecting with students and families! Our school family newsletter will be published bi-monthly. The newsletter will include information for you to be aware of.

I want to share with you some tips on how to help your child by successful this school year:

Please get to know your child’s teacher. The partnership between family and teacher is very important. When the teacher and parent/guardian have a strong partnership, kids do better in school. Send them an email, call them, check in to see how your child is doing.

Ask questions each and every day of school. This shows your child that you are interested in their school and what they are doing.

We have said this over and over again, but it takes a village to raise children. I am committing to ensuring your child receives a premier education. Please do not hesitate to contact me with any comments, questions or concerns throughout the school year. I know it is going to be a great year!

• Dinner will be provided
• Students must be accompanied by a parent/guardian

Contact Allison McQuade at 651-293-8675 or allison.mcquade@spps.org with questions.

COVID 19 Illness Guidance

Staff and students should follow general illness guidelines. Stay home from work and/or school until:

• Symptoms are improving and you have been fever-free for 24 hours without the use of a fever-reducing medicine
• Consider increased hand washing and masking for the next 5 days

This Parent Fact Sheet has been added under our illness section of our public webpage.

Ms. Emily and Mr. Devin are excited for the start of another school year! This year we will be teaching counseling lessons every other week in all K-4 classrooms. Ms. Emily is the primary counselor for 2nd and 3rd grade students and Mr. Devin works with students in K-1 and 3-4. The first unit will focus on social emotional skills and building habits that support learning. In addition to counseling lessons, we will meet with students individually and in small groups to support more specific needs. Each 4th grader will meet with Mr. Devin individually to set a personal goal.

Remember starting the school year off strong makes a big difference in your student’s academic and social/emotional success at school! Attending school EVERY DAY unless your student is sick, celebrating a religious holiday, or has a medical/mental health/dental appointment is vital to ensuring they stay on track to learn what they need to learn each year. Please contact the attendance line at (651) 744-4313 every time your student is going to miss school.

Please feel free to reach out to Ms. Emily or Mr. Devin with any questions, concerns, or requests. Thank you!

Emily Spofford (Grades 2-3)

• Office: 651-744-7257
• Google Voice: 651-603-4669

Devin Peterhans (Grades K, 1, 4)

• Office: 651-744-6737
• Google Voice: 651-424-0859

Aerospace STEM: Students in grades 1-4 have been learning about mission patches and are making personal mission patches. Students are also explicitly learning about the Engineering Design Process (EDP). Students are using the EDP to create a paper airplane to fly the farthest. Ask your student what the steps of the EDP are! Students in kindergarten are learning about space and what is in space. PreK students do some movement activities before we go outside and explore for recess.

Phy Ed: All students are getting to know the rules and routine of being in Physical Education for the 2024-25 school year. The younger grades have been working on learning their locomotor skills (running, skipping, hopping, jumping, galloping etc). We have learned how to be in the big space of the gym while using some manipulatives (bean bags, nerf type balls, scooters and stuffed animals). The older grades have been involved in their mini soccer unit and various non-competitive/cooperative activities.

Science: Students are learning about the rituals and routines of science. Our goal is to learn about science safety. It is a year long process. Our first unit involves learning about different materials and what they are made of. We will also close the unit by determining what sinks and floats. They build a contraption that will float or sink as it travels from one side to another.

Art: Students are learning about different types of lines, warm and cool colors, and the routines of the art room. Each student in the school will create and contribute to at least one item for a space mural displayed outside of their classroom after their first rotation of art.

9:15am- Students enter the building. Cafeteria opens for FREE Breakfast To Go.

9:30am- Students are in their classrooms to start the school day.

3:50 pm- Walkers and caregiver pick-ups go to the Ivy doors.

4:00 pm- Official end of school day (bus students).

Please check out our website at www.spps.org/farnsworthlower. You can find our school calendar, important information, and classroom webpages. You can also find our Family Friendly School Continuous Improvement Plan (SCIP), Title I compacts, and our Family Engagement Plan. These documents are also available in our main office.

Parents/guardians MUST communicate every time a child is absent. Please note not all absences will be excused. Call in or send a note to the main office, state reason for absence, be specific as documentation may be required to excuse these absences.

We have been awarded grant funding to participate in the Fresh Fruits and Vegetables Program for the 2024-2025 school year!

The 2024-2025 FFVP will:

• Be served between October and May
• Be served on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays

PBIS is hoping to start the school year off strongly with consistent attendance, building positive rituals and routines, and creating a safe learning environment for all students. Teachers are working hard to teach students our school matrix for how to be responsible, respectful, and safe during all aspects of their day. They are also teaching students the Zones of Regulation, which helps students identify their feelings by the four zones: Green Zone = calm, happy, ready to learn, etc, Red Zone = angry, mean, mad, etc, Blue zone = sad, tired, bored, etc, Yellow Zone = excited, nervous, scared, frustrated, etc. With the Zones, teachers and staff are teaching students skills for how to manage their emotions to help them get back to the Green Zone and make safe choices.

We will continue with our Rocket Reward incentives this year. The party for the month of September is a stuffy party. Each student whose classroom meets the goal of 45 Rocket Rewards will bring their favorite stuffed animal to school to share with their classmates. Starting in October the student leadership team (Eagle Crew) will decide the Rocket Reward parties for the remainder of the school year.

With your partnership we are looking forward to a great school year!

Please feel free to reach out with any questions about the PBIS initiatives or PBIS team.

Thank you!

Devin Peterhans

School Counselor

Office: (651) 744-6737

Google Voice: (612) 424-0859

FSO (Farnsworth School Organization) serves as the PTO group of Farnsworth Aerospace PreK-8.

The first meeting for both Lower Campus and Upper Campus is on Monday, October 14 at 6:00pm in the UPPER CAMPUS Library. 1000 Walsh Street, Saint Paul, MN. We hope to see you there as we kick off the school year.

The CogAT7 test will be provided to all SPPS students in Kindergarten and in Second Grade, from October 7 – November 6.

Students in grades 1, 3, and 4 also may be nominated for this assessment by an SPPS staff member, family member, or community member. The deadline for submitting nominations is October 11, 2024. Please send nominations to Allison McQuade at Allison.mcquade@spps.org or 651-293-8675.

If parents/guardians would prefer that their student not participate in the CogAT7 testing, they should provide their child’s principal, teacher, and Ms. McQuade with a written note indicating that choice by October 4.

For more information on accelerated services in SPPS, please click here.

For additional questions regarding testing, please contact Allison McQuade.

Parents have the right to request information regarding the professional qualifications of their student’s classroom teachers. Parents who would like to receive this information, should write to the Human Resource Department, Attn: ESEA Teacher Qualifications, Saint Paul Public Schools, 360 Colborne Street, Saint Paul, MN 55102-3299.

September

19 Wear Rainbow (we are helping our youngest students identify colors)

21 Girls in Aviation Day 10-3pm, Register Here

26 PreK Fall Family Day 9:15-10:30 am

30 Bell Museum Exploradome @ Farnsworth for Grades PreK, K, 1, and 3

October

1 Picture Day in Library

1 Bell Museum Exploradome @ Farnsworth for Grades PreK, K, 1, and 3

3 NO SCHOOL: PD Day

7 CogAT Testing Starts (Gifted and Talented Test)

9 STEAM Family Night 5-7pm

10/11 3rd Grade to Belwin Nature Center

14 FSO Meeting @ Upper Campus 6-7pm

17/18 NO SCHOOL: MEA Break

21 Thor/M. Xiong on Field Trip

23 Teske/Young on Field Trip

23 PreK to Tamarack Nature Center 10:30-1:30

25 NO SCHOOL: Conference Prep Day

25 Bell Museum FREE Star Party 7:30-9pm

*Conferences will be on Thursday, November 7 (5pm-8pm) and Friday, November 8 (9am-6pm)

Check out all of these dates and more on our website calendar! www.spps.org/farnsworthlower