Mitchell elementary schools newsletter roundup: Schools dive into March with more activities

MITCHELL — Students at elementary schools in Mitchell are heading into March with an eye toward reading, music events and organization meetings. It remains a busy time of year as students and teachers dive headlong into more activities and events.

The Mitchell Republic reached out to the five local elementary schools — Gertie Belle Rogers Elementary, L.B. Williams Elementary, Longfellow Elementary, John Paul II Elementary and Mitchell Christian Elementary — in an effort to provide a brief rundown of events, activities and announcements from each school on a monthly basis. The Mitchell Republic will publish this information online as information is made available from the schools.

This month’s roundup features students from Longfellow Elementary School and their thoughts on learning dens, the amount of snow Mitchell has received and their thoughts on the school’s Reading Madness event. The video, captured by Adam Thury, Mitchell Republic photographer, can be viewed below:

• The school is observing Reading Madness throughout the month of March. Students at the school are taking on a reading challenge to qualify to become players on a student team that will take on a team of Longfellow Elementary teachers in a basketball game that will be played in front of the student body. Also to be featured will be performances by band and cheer students, along with appearances from several “celebrity” coaches and referees. The event is being held to help encourage the habits of reading and of setting goals.
• Due to circumstances beyond the school’s control, the date for the fifth grade show choir is being moved again as there is another conflict with March 21. Organizers are working together with the PAC manager to find a date that will work and will update families as soon as possible.
• Bingo Night at Longfellow Elementary School will be held Friday, March 31. Food will be available from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. and bingo will be held starting at 6 p.m. and will continue through 7 p.m.

The full Longfellow Elementary School March newsletter can be read here.

• This past weekend Donna DeLine, fourth grade teacher at Mitchell Christian Elementary School, attended a science conference in Huron over a span of three days. This science conference was for teachers all over South Dakota. The state paid for their travel, hotel, and class costs. The conference taught valuable information. One of the main things was teaching students how to better discuss in small groups. Overall for this conference, “It was very good, very informative, lots of good ideas and things to use in the classroom,” DeLine said.
• There will be no school for spring break beginning March 27 and continuing through March 31.
• The Kindergarten class presented a play on the Good Samaritan for chapel. Second grade students helped with the songs.
• Other activities at Mitchell Christian will include kindergarten screening on March 14 and 15 - parents should contact the school to set up a time. Academic Showcase will take place for grades K-4 on March 23 for grades 5-12 on March 21. Each student will present their fine arts presentations to friends and family. The fourth grade class will attend Ag in the Classroom on March 14.

• The date for the L.B. Williams Elementary School PTO meeting has been changed. It will not take place Monday, March 6 at 5:30 p.m. at Blarney’s. Everyone is invited to attend to help plan the organization’s next big event — the L.B. Williams Elementary Pork Feed and Fine Arts Night, which is scheduled for April 27.
• There are several music events taking place at the school during the month of March. Makerspace in the library will have music activities and experiences. The Festival Choir will be featured March 6, The Flying Pans Steel Drum Band will hold an assembly for students on March 12. The fifth grade concert will take place March 14. And the Festival Band will perform March 28.
• All third through fifth grade students will be taking our state test in April. As a reminder, all parents in these grade levels were given information to write positive notes to our students that they will read before their first test. Please return those items to your classroom teacher by Wednesday, March 16. Also, a detailed classroom schedule for testing will be coming home with your child soon. Please avoid scheduling any appointments or trips during that time if at all possible.

The full L.B. Williams Elementary School March newsletter can be read here.

Matt Gade/Mitchell Republic

• Student Council activities are set for the month of March. The service project this month is to collect new or gently used stuffed animals, board games and card games to be donated to the Abbott House. We will collect items from March 21 to March 31. A dress-up day for March is to dress up as something that starts with the first letter of your first name on Thursday, March 14.
• The Presentation Sisters Catholic School Scholarship and the South Dakota Partners in Education Scholarship are both ways to assist with tuition expenses. Information has been sent home with guidelines for both opportunities. If you have any questions, please call the school at 605-996-2365. You are encouraged to apply for scholarships if your family meets the requirements. Please note there are due dates so please move quickly.
• The students and staff at the school thank the public for purchasing Catholic United Financial raffle tickets during the fundraising efforts. Donations surpassed the goal of $15,000, with an actual donation amount of $22,290.

• The PTA will hold a Let’s Glow Dance Friday, March 10 from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. at Gertie Belle Rogers Elementary School. Raffle tickets may be purchased for themed classroom baskets. Winners will be drawn the night of the dance. There is an admission fee and concessions will be sold. 
• Caring Kernel students for the month of January included Saylor Fosness, Ensley Arneson, Victoria Garrastegui-Jiminez, Jayla Gebel, Harper Nelson, Elyse Dikoff, Ava Cody, Lucy Claussen, Eli Washburn and Emelin Gomez-Lima. Caring Kernel students for the month of February included Liv Larson, Juleysha Padilla Quinones, Harlow Hilton, Aliyana Espinosa, Maci Wudel, Piper Hofer, Porter Radel, Lauren Ruml, Sibyl Claussen and Corbin Lee.
• Congratulations to the students listed below who had digital artworks submitted to the Youth Art Month competition - First Grade: Ava Miranda, Erica McCormick, Becket Norden; Second Grade: Olivia Murray, Ella Leighton; Third Grade: Dallas Goldammer; Fourth Grade: Paxton Harris, Janessa Chavez-Antoine, Ayden Miller. The ART Room could use some white paper plates, newspapers, and masking tape if anyone has extra of these items. Please just send them with your student or drop them off in the office.

The full Gertie Belle Rogers Elementary School March newsletter can be read here.

All school events, including dates, times and locations, are subject to change. For the latest information, contact your child’s school. The events included in the roundup above do not entail a comprehensive list of all monthly activities.

Some events listed under the three public elementary schools — Longfellow, L.B. Williams and Gertie Belle Rogers — may be open to all public elementary school students. For more information, check with your student's particular elementary school.