Sanford Elementary School

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!

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.

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

Stay tuned on our social channels as we answer a frequently asked question about the district's facilities referendum every week until Nov 7. We want to make sure your questions are being heard and answered. This week's question is: Q: How is this facilities referendum different from the last one? A: - Cost Reduction: We've put in the effort to lower the project's total cost by carefully resizing sections of the building while preserving essential improvements. - Career and Technical Education (CTE) is essential to the Montevideo area. Therefore, this referendum proposal revised the new high school to include new woods and manufacturing shops, Ag labs, and classrooms to support the new CTE space and provide our students with the skills and knowledge required for these careers. - Same Vital Improvements: Despite cost-saving adjustments, we're committed to delivering the same essential improvements our schools urgently need. - Community Feedback: We've actively incorporated the valuable input from our community, with a strong focus on addressing concerns related to the overall project cost. This has guided us in creating a more balanced and fiscally sustainable proposal that respects the financial considerations of our residents. #MontevideoForward

Did you know public school funding in Minnesota creates a unique opportunity for the Montevideo Public Schools and our local taxpayers to make extensive improvements to our facilities by capitalizing on significant state equalization funding provided for bond referenda? Learn more on our website: https://www.ehlers-inc.com/microsite/montevideo2023nov/ #MontevideoForward *Chart shows estimated sources of payments for debt service on the proposed bonds over the life of the bonds. Estimates assume no changes in property values, state equalizing factors, or in-state law. “Agriculture Land & Buildings” excludes taxes on the house, garage and one acre of land, which are included with “Residental / Other.”

We will have two questions on the November 7 Special Election Ballot. The change made to Question 1 on the ballot from the last referendum includes reducing the tax impact on taxpayers. Question 2 remains the same as the previous referendum and will only pass if question one is approved. More information on the referendum can be found on our website: www.montevideoschools.org/page/referendum #MontevideoForward

A special election is being held on November 7, and Montevideo Public Schools will have two school facilities referendum questions on the ballot to address district-wide needs. Since the previously failed referendum in the Spring, we've been listening to the community feedback and looking into other options for our schools' facilities planning. With much of the feedback received revolving around the cost of the referendum, we've found an option to reduce the tax impact and scale back spaces while keeping the important learning areas intact. Visit our website for more information on the referendum: www.montevideoschools.org/page/referendum #MontevideoForward

NEW TEACHER SPOTLIGHT We are excited to welcome Jenna Vick to the Thunder Hawk family! Jenna is our new Elementary Music Teacher. Jenna is from Redwood Falls, Minnesota. She attended elementary school in Redwood Falls and middle school and high school at Wabasso Public Schools. Jenna graduated from Southwest Minnesota State University in May with a Bachelor's degree in Music Education. Jenna enjoys spending time with her family, especially her niece and two nephews! Also, in her free time, she enjoys going to the lake, hanging out with friends, reading, and playing with her dog, River. This is Jenna's first year as a teacher, and she is excited to begin this journey at Montevideo Public Schools! Welcome, Jenna! We wish you a wonderful first year of teaching as a Thunder Hawk! #HawkPride

NEW TEACHER SPOTLIGHT We are excited to welcome Ashley Haff to the Thunder Hawk family! Ashley will be teaching third grade at Sanford Elementary School. She is especially excited for this opportunity as she graduated from Montevideo High School and attended Sanford Elementary School as a child. Ashley always knew she wanted to be a teacher. She attended Southwest Minnesota State University and received a Bachelor's degree in Elementary and Early Childhood Education. After gaining a few years of classroom experience, she proceeded to earn her Master's degree in Education from Walden University. Ashley currently lives on a farm in rural Montevideo with her husband, Mike, and son, Carter. Ashley enjoys spending time outside with her family, going to the lake, home improvement projects, and canning vegetables from their garden. Ashley is so excited to start this new adventure at Montevideo Schools, and we are so happy to have her here! Have a great year, Ashley! #HawkPride

REMINDER - Online Registration is open for the 23-24 school year! Please update parent and student information, complete the registration process, and pay your Chromebook insurance fee through your JMC family portal before school open house on Tuesday, August 22nd. If you have any questions, please contact your school office. RECORDATORIO - ¡La inscripción en línea está abierta para el año escolar 23-24! Actualice la información de padres y estudiantes, complete el proceso de registro y pague la tarifa de seguro de su Chromebook a través de su portal familiar JMC antes de la jornada de puertas abiertas de la escuela el martes 22 de agosto. Si tiene alguna pregunta, comuníquese con la oficina de su escuela.