Welcome to February!!
When I think about our winter so far one word comes to mind…unexpected. It’s February but feels like late March, even April!. My Norwegian blood yearns for more snow before spring comes in earnest.
The temperate weather is having the effect of wanting to be outside more and more. The fresh air and physical activity our students get at recess and flex time impact our students’ ability to focus on learning. With the warm weather we are also gearing up to return to our nature center just north of the school.
Safety is always our highest priority. To ensure student safety we have created safety protocols and expectations for staff when leading students in outdoor learning. Working with teachers and District Leadership, we have put together these HRE Nature Center Expectations. Please look them over so you are aware of the steps we are taking so students can safely enjoy environmental learning. Thank you to the HRE staff who were involved with thinking through these expectations and to Hayley Heidelberg, our District Emergency Preparedness
and Response Coordinator, for her insights and advice around safety.
As always, please reach out to me if you have any questions or ideas.
Your partner in education,
Mr. Fredrickson
Kindness Week is, February 12-16! We devote a week to celebrate friendship and kindness. This year, students at Hamilton Ridge will be WILD About Kindness! We will have fun dress up days and opportunities to demonstrate friendship skills throughout the week. Please refer to your child’s teacher’s newsletter for more information to come.
Prior Lake-Savage Area Schools' kindergarten enrollment for the 2024-25 school year is now open. Visit our website to enroll your child: click here.
The following are some resources you may find helpful as you prepare for your child's entrance into kindergarten at PLSAS.
- View our Kindergarten Information Night December 12 recording.
- Click here for ideas to help prepare your student for kindergarten.
- Check out our kindergarten brochure with helpful information.
- Sit down with your soon-to-be kindergartner and watch our new video that highlights the fun learning that lies ahead at PLSAS!
Policy Highlights
Students are allowed up to 10 total absences a year, or 5 days in a row, due to illness. A doctor’s note must be provided if there are more than 10 illness days.
5 Days vacation are allowed
Five unexcused tardies are equal to 1 day unexcused absence.
Students under 18 years of age who have any combination of 7 unexcused absences will result in a referral to Scott County Human Services for educational neglect.
If your child has missed 10% or more days in a given time period you will receive a letter in December, February, and April. This letter is informational and meant to keep you up to date as to the status of your child's attendance.
Call the Dean of Students, Kristin Stier, at 952-461-7809, if you have any questions or concerns about your child's attendance.
2nd Grade Music Concert
Thursday, April 25th at 10:00 a.m. in the Hamilton Ridge Gym
3rd Grade Music Concert
Thursday, April 25th at 2:00 p.m. in the Hamilton Ridge Gym
1st Grade Class Performances
Week of April 29, during music class (1:15-2:05 p.m.)
Choir Concert
Tuesday, May 7th at 7:00 p.m. in the Hamilton Ridge Gym
(only 4th and 5th grade students that are participating in choir through Community Ed)
5th Grade Graduation May 31 at 10:00 a.m., HRE Gym
Kindergarten Graduation May 31 at 2:30 p.m., HRE Gym
Upcoming Meetings:
February 6 @ 6:30 Facebook Event
We had originally moved this to accommodate conferences but then conferences moved so we are back to 2/6. Sorry for any confusion. We hope to see you there!
Butter Braid Fundraiser: Butter Braids are back! Butter Braids are great for the freezer, and are a popular treat! We continually raise funds for the PTC to help host family events like movie night, Spring Fling, and "Donuts with Grown-ups." We also purchase items for the school and staff like our new projector (being installed this month), equipment and other needs.
The sale is open from Feb. 1 - 22.
Flavors: Strawberry & Cream, Apple, Cinamon, Blueberry & Cream Cheese, Raspberry, Carmel Rolls, Cinamon Roll w/ Cream, 4 Cheese & Herb and Bavarian Creme w/ Chocolate icing.
They will be delivered to the school and ready for pick up on March 5.Thank you for your help!
Conference Dinners: As a thank you to our wonderful teachers and staff, the PTC will be providing dinner on the conference nights that run later. February 15 will be a catered meal and February 22 will be a variety of soup options and sides donated by families. If you are interested in donating for the meals please see the link to sign up. THANK YOU!
Yearbook: Don't forget to order your yearbook! The deadline to order is April 5.
Go to www.strawbridge.net, choose Order Pictures and Yearbooks, and use the online ordering code YB28300.
We would also love your help uploading your own photos to be added to the yearbook.
Just visit this link, upload your photos, enter our student's info, and done!
Examples of good pictures are first-day-of-school pics, homework pics, playing with friends on the playground, or snow day pics (if we get any!).
Donuts with Grownups:
March 8 - 5th Grade
Legacy Book Club
Dear Hamilton Ridge Families,
Hamilton Ridge is offering an option for families to purchase books in honor of students and help our library grow! It is called Legacy Book Club. This is a positive way for your child to give a unique gift to all students at Hamilton Ridge.
If your family chooses to purchase a book to donate to the Hamilton Ridge Media Center, we will place a book plate in the book with your child's name, and he or she will be the first student to check out the new book. Click here for more details.
Thank you,
Amy Schwingler
Check out all of the amazing classes, activities and events available by browsing our digital catalogs. The summer catalog is now live online! Summer swim registration opens March 1. Click on the class below for more information or to register.
Youth Classes
Adult Classes
Upcoming Events
Dance with Me Ball - Saturday, February 24 from 6:30-9pm
Duck Cup Memorial: Stories Over Stigma (Free Event) - Wednesday, March 13 from 7-8pm
3.21 Fun! (Free Event) - Thursday, March 21 from 4-7pm
Early Childhood Family Education (ECFE) offers a variety of classes for families with young children, including evening and Saturday classes. ECFE is for everyone and the classes are designed to strengthen families and support children’s healthy growth and development. Meeting other families and spending time with your child are other benefits!
Our Semester 2 classes are starting this week. There is still room left in our Time with Baby, ESTEM Learners, Preschool Discovery (evening class), and Art Party Classes. There are some evening classes that are one-time events such as Mindful Mondays, ESTEM Events and our Cultural Music Events. Check them out here- ECFE Registration
Always feel free to email me with questions about ECFE-
vspieler@plsas.org (Vicki Spieler, Early Learning Assistant Coordinator)
Early Childhood Screening is FREE and includes growth, development, and
immunization checks. Children are assessed in preschool concepts, communication skills, motor skills and social-emotional skills. The screening is most valuable soon after children turn three and gives families an early connection to PLSAS. If you know families who would like information about screening, please share our phone number 952-226-0975 or signup online
https://priorlake-savage.ce.eleyo.com/courses/category/ecfe/230/early-childhood-screening
Circle of Friends Preschool Registration is open for everyone on February 1st. There will be a Tour and Talk on Thursday, February 15th at 1:00 pm and 5:00 pm. RSVP is required. Come see Edgewood and hear about our great early learning programming. Our Nature Preschool will have an Open House on February 13th from 4:30-6:00 pm. Stop by Jeffers Pond that evening to get all your questions answered by our expert nature teachers.
Community Education Advisory Council
Make a difference in your schools and community, join the PLSAS Community Education Advisory Council. For more information visit our website.
Questions
For questions about our programs, please call 952.226.0310 or email communityed@plsas.org.