Ramsey Elementary School

STAFF SPOTLIGHT Let’s get to know our Thunder Hawk staff! This week's spotlight shines on Melissa Erp. Melissa has been a Title One teacher for the school district since 2013. Melissa is from Montevideo and is a Montevideo High School graduate. She received her college education and degrees from Willmar Community & Technical College and Southwest State University in Marshall. Melissa has two children, Meghan and Justin. Her daughter Meghan is in her 4th year at NDSU, and her son Justin is a junior here at Montevideo High School. Melissa has been a Minnesota State High School League Dance Team Official since 1999. This keeps Melissa busy and in the stands during the winter months, and it allows her to do a little something extra with her daughter as she is a dance team official too. In the summer months, you can find Melissa back in the stands again, as she and Bryce attend many racing events at area racetracks cheering on her son who is a race car driver. Go #32J!! A fun fact about Melissa is that she loves 80’s TV shows, movies and music! We are proud to have you on our team, Melissa! Thanks for all that you do! #StaffSpotlight #greatemployees #staffappreciation

Montevideo Public Schools will be open for early voting this week Monday-Wednesday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the district office located at Montevideo Middle School. The district office will be closed on Thursday and Friday due to MEA Fall break. There are 2 weeks left of early voting, please take advantage of this opportunity to cast your vote.

Question of the week! Q: If both referendum questions pass, how much will the State of Minnesota pay towards the referendum? A: If both referendum questions pass, the State of Minnesota will pay approximately $25,137,100 towards the total referendum amount of $61,310,000. In addition, don't forget to join us for our community information sessions being held tonight and tomorrow! Tonight at 6:00 p.m. @ Talking Waters Tomorrow at Noon @ the Community Center #MontevideoForward

SCHOOL CALENDAR REMINDER No School - October 18-20, 2023 October 18 - Staff Development Day October 19 & 20 - Fall Break

Congratulations to the MES Super Hawks from last week. Mission Monday is a new addition to our Hawk Pride at MES. Each Monday we get a new mission to focus on for the week. Families can help at home by discussing this mission with your child. This week's Student Mission : Give a high five to a new person each day this week.

SCHOOL CALENDAR REMINDER Friday, October 6th is an Early Dismissal - Staff Development Day for the Thunder Hawks. Early dismissal times are: Ramsey 1:15 pm Sanford 1:20 pm MHS 1:25 pm MMS 1:30 pm

A BIG shoutout to our custodial and maintenance staff at Montevideo Public Schools! Today we celebrate National Custodian Day!✨ While many may not see the magic you work behind the scenes, we do! Your tireless efforts to keep our learning spaces at their best do not go unnoticed. On National Custodian Day, we want to thank you and tell you how much we appreciate you and value your dedication and contributions. You are a vital part of our school family! #HawkPride

Question of the week! Q: When and how can I vote on the referendum questions? A: There are three ways you can vote: - In-person, absentee/early voting at the District Office in the Montevideo Middle School, 2001 William Avenue, Monday-Friday, 8:00am-4:00pm now until November 6 - Request an absentee ballot by calling the School District Office at 320-269-8833 or E-mail: election@montevideoschools.org - In-person voting on November 7 Election Day at the National Guard Training and Community Center between 7:00am-8:00pm #MontevideoForward Investing Today In Our Community's Tomorrow

Our MES students are busy practicing their Hawk Pride! Congratulations to last week's Super Hawks!

Please take a moment to watch Mr. McKittrick's latest Superintendent's stream with important information on the upcoming referendum. https://youtu.be/DDdSJEHYAe8 Have a great day! Go Hawks!

STAFF SPOTLIGHT Let’s get to know our Thunder Hawk staff! Meet Derek Webb, 2nd grade teacher of seven years at Ramsey Elementary School! “I lived in Graceville, MN until I was 10 years old, then moved to Ada, MN, and that is where I graduated from high school. I graduated from SMSU with a degree in Elementary Education (and 5-8 Mathematics Endorsement) in 2014. After graduation from SMSU, I was a graduate assistant basketball coach at South Dakota School of Mines. During that 2-year span, I earned my Master’s degree with North Dakota State University in Leadership in Physical Education and Sport. Marissa and I have been married for 5 years and we have two beautiful children. Baylor (2) and Maverick (5 months). They definitely keep us on our toes, but we are so incredibly happy! Almost all of my hobbies revolve around sports and/or competition of some kind. I am a major sports junkie and a die-hard Duke Blue Devils and New York Yankees fan! I know what you may be thinking, but I promise there is a credible backstory on why I cheer for those teams! I will also be entering my 7th season as the head boys’ basketball coach at Montevideo, and this upcoming spring will be my first year coaching junior high baseball! The thing I love the most about Montevideo and the Thunder Hawk community is that small-town love for one another. Your close friends turn into family, and everyone is rooting for one another to succeed. I would be nowhere without the advice and/or help from my colleagues (past and present), and I don't think that happens in every district. My family and I are so grateful to be a part of such a wonderful school district and the community of Montevideo!” We’re proud to have you on our team, Derek, and we appreciate your work and dedication to your students and the Thunder Hawk community. #StaffSpotlight #greatemployees #staffappreciation

Bravo to our MES Super Hawks from last week! @HawkPride

Join us tonight to learn more about the upcoming Montevideo referendum. Visit our website for details on the upcoming community info. sessions and to learn about the facilities referendum questions.

STAFF SPOTLIGHT Let’s get to know our Thunder Hawk staff! Today’s weekly staff spotlight shines on Lauren Blenker! This is Lauren's first year as a Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant at Ramsey Elementary School. Lauren is from Cold Spring, Minnesota. She enjoys reading, painting/drawing, and spending time with her friends, family and her cats. A fun fact about Lauren is that she likes to hike, and she has hiked the highest point in the Black Hills of South Dakota. Welcome, Lauren! We are happy to have you on our team! #StaffSpotlight #greatemployees #staffappreciation

Happy National IT Professionals Day! Today we celebrate our Tech Team who keep our systems running smoothly, protect our data, and enable us to thrive in the world of technology. Their dedication and expertise ensure that our schools run efficiently and individuals stay connected. We appreciate our Chief Technology Officer Scott and our Building Techs: Serena, Jordan, Wendy, Mary, Dan, Monica and Grace for all they do. Thank you! #ITProfessionalsDay

Question of the week! Q: How do I learn more about how this referendum will affect my tax amount? A: Visit the property tax information page on our website and use the calculator feature to determine your tax impact https://www.ehlers-inc.com/microsite/montevideo2023nov/. #MontevideoForward

Congratulations to this week's and last week's MES Super Hawks! Keep up the positive behavior!

Stay informed on the district's facilities referendum by attending a Community Info Session: September 21 at 5:30 p.m. @ the High School October 16 at 6:00 p.m. @ Talking Waters October 17 at 12:00 p.m. Noon @ the Montevideo Community Center October 26 at 6:00 p.m. @ the High School Mark your calendar. We hope to see you there! #MontevideoForward"

SCHOOL CALENDAR REMINDER Friday, September 15th is an Early Dismissal - Staff Development Day for the Thunder Hawks. Early dismissal times are: Ramsey 1:15 pm Sanford 1:20 pm MHS 1:25 pm MMS 1:30 pm

STAFF SPOTLIGHT Let’s get to know our Thunder Hawk staff! Today’s spotlight shines on Kathy Jessen! This is Kathy’s second year in the district and her first year at a new position as an ELL teacher at Ramsey Elementary School. Kathy grew up on a farm west of Clarkfield and currently lives on a hobby farm between Montevideo and Clarkfield with Rick and their two dogs. Kathy loves spending time outdoors, where she enjoys her garden and dogs. She also enjoys fishing and upland hunting. Kathy says being a part of the Thunder Hawk community has been a great experience for her this past year, and she has truly enjoyed meeting so many wonderful staff and students. Thank you, Kathy, for your hard work and dedication to Montevideo Public Schools! #StaffSpotlight #greatemployees #staffappreciation