The Sunnyside Scoop
School Newsletter -- November, 2022
About Us
Kids Junction: (651) 385 - 4587
First Student (General busing questions): (651) 388 - 8244
Transportation (Bus routing): (651) 385 - 4795
Email: mjpagel@rwps.org
Website: http://redwing.k12.mn.us/sunnyside/
Location: 1669 Southwood Avenue, Red Wing, MN, United States
Phone: (651) 385-4570
Principal's Message...
Happy November! This month is a great time to stop and spend a little time thinking about the things we are thankful for in our lives. I, for one, am thankful for all of our Sunnyside community, and I'm thankful for the positive energy that exists in a kindergarten - 1st grade building. It's great to be back together in what feels like a more "normal" school year after a couple years of COVID.
If you have not done so, please make sure to sign up for our Fall Conferences (11/10 and 11/15). Conferences are a great time to meet teachers, learn about the curriculum, and discuss your student's progress. Please click on this link to sign up for a 15-minute time block. Conferences are in person, but if you are not able to attend conferences in-person, please contact your child's teacher to schedule an online conference.
Mike Pagel
Principal
Dates to Remember...
November:
3 -- Clubs Choice Fundraiser Pick Up
8 - 15 -- Scholastic Book Fair
10 -- Fall Conferences (3:00 - 7:00 PM)
15 -- Fall Conferences (3:00 - 7:00 PM)
16 -- Fall Picture Retakes
17 -- Kindergarten Vision & Hearing Screening
23 -- Two-Hour Early Release @ 12:00
24 - 25 -- NO SCHOOL
December:
22 - 1/2 -- NO SCHOOL
Fall Conferences
Sunnyside's Fall Conferences will be held Thursday, November 10 (3:00p - 7:00 pm) and Tuesday, November 15 (3:00p - 7:00 pm). We are using an online sign-up for conferences called PTCFast.com. We are hopeful this system will allow you to better choose a time that meets your needs.
To sign up, click on the link below or copy and paste it into your web browser. You may also access the link on the Sunnyside School home page. Simply follow the prompts to register and choose a conference time. Make sure to select your son/daughter’s main teacher.
https://ptcfast.com/schools/Sunnyside_Elementary_1
If you need a virtual conference instead of an in-person conference, please connect directly with your child's teacher after signing up for a time, and he/she will provide you with a link to a Google Meet.
As per district procedure, we have one 15-minute conference time available per student. It is imperative that parents/caregivers who are connected to the student are receiving the same information and planning together, as a team, how to best support the student.
Please contact the Sunnyside office at 651-385-4570 if you have difficulty.
Morning Drop Off Plea...
We continue to have a number of students being dropped off in the morning near Sunnyside's bus entrance on Maple Street. I understand that this might be more convenient for those students who line up in the morning near those back doors, but this is a really unsafe and busy area in the morning. I've heard stories from more than one parent already this year of students darting across Maple Street, and there was a student hit by a car back there several years ago. My plea is simple - please do not drop off on Maple Street. Please drop off in the drop off loop in the main parking lot. The walk around the building is not long, and it's certainly not worth risking your child's safety by dropping off on Maple.
Winger Pride Assembly & Celebration
On Thursday, 11/3, we will hold our first Winger Pride assembly of the year. During that assembly, we will draw Winger Pride winners from the buckets full of Winger Pride tickets. Every time a student receives a Winger Pride ticket, part of that ticket is torn off and entered into the monthly drawing. Winners will have the opportunity to select from a menu of fun prizes. During that assembly, we will also announce this month's Students of the Month. Students of the Month are referred by any Sunnyside staff, and are students that regularly show Winger Pride by working hard, helping others, showing exceptional growth, or any number of other great things.
On Friday, 11/4, we will celebrate as a school with "Comfy Cozy Day" here at Sunnyside. Students can dress in pajamas or other comfy clothes, and classes will enjoy a fun movie in the afternoon. Comfy Cozy Day is a way to celebrate all students' hard work to be safe, kind, and responsible.
Fall Scholastic Book Fair
Club's Choice Fundraiser Pick Up
For our fall fundraiser, participants had the option of having items delivered directly to homes or having them delivered to Sunnyside for pick up. If you had items delivered to Sunnyside, pick up will take place on Thursday, November 3rd from 3:00 - 5:30 pm in the Sunnyside gym.
Referendum Information
Election Day is coming up on November 8th. Red Wing Public Schools has placed an operating levy referendum before voters.
The ballot question, by state law, must include the phrase:
Shall the increase in the revenue proposed by the board of Independent School District No. 256 be approved?
The phrase has the potential to confuse voters. Please note that:
- This is a renewal -- not an increase -- of the current $1,650 per pupil funding.
- This would extend the operating levy passed passed in 2018 to run through 2030.
- This will not raise your property taxes. See the calculator below.
To learn more about the referendum, visit www.rwps.org and click the "Referendum 2022" link in the top left.
Winter is Coming...
We've been lucky enough to have a pretty mild fall so far in Red Wing, but I'm guessing we won't dodge winter forever. Given that, it's worth taking this opportunity to remind families of a few winter-related items:
Indoor/Outdoor Recess: If the windchill is zero degrees or above, Sunnyside students will be outside at recess. If the windchill (or temp) falls below zero, students will be inside. Technically, our policy has a stipulation that students may be out for a "shortened time" if the windchill falls between -1 to -10. However, with our primary grade students especially, we find that it takes too long for students to get snow gear on/off to make that a feasible plan.
Winter Gear: As the weather cools, please be sure your child has appropriate winter gear for outdoor recess. A few specific things I've learned during my time at Sunnyside:
- Snow pants aren't just for snow! Even if there is no snow on the ground, they keep kids warm.
- Knit stretch gloves may be considered cool among the K-1 crowd, but they are not a great choice for recess. Kids love them, but those stretchy knit gloves offer little warmth, and act like a sponge once they get wet. Thick gloves or mittens are a better choice.
- If you need assistance providing winter clothing, please contact our school social worker, Liz Kittelson, at eakittelson@rwps.org.
Cancellations: School may be cancelled or delayed when the safety of students is threatened by severe weather or other circumstances. When possible, the Superintendent makes decisions before 6:00 am and notifies parents via phone calls, emails, rwps.org, and the district’s Facebook page. To opt-in for text messages, send a text of “Y” or “Yes” to 67587. Message frequency varies and standard message and data rates may apply. Reply HELP for help and STOP to cancel notifications. See schoolmessenger.com/txt for more information. The district will not be announcing closures, delays, or early releases on radio or television stations. Please do not send your child to school if it is unsafe for your child to reach school due to severe weather. Call your school’s attendance line to let school officials know why your child will be absent from school. A couple other possible scenarios:
- School starting two hours late due to weather -- Generally, if school starts late due to poor weather or other emergency, the School District announces a two-hour late start. In that case, estimated bus pick-up times, entrance bells, and starting times for school will be two hours later than usual, so Sunnyside's student day would start at 9:30 am.
- School closing early due to weather -- If there is a potentially dangerous storm arriving during the school day, school may be released early. It is important for all students to know what to do if school closes early. Please review procedures with your child and update your child’s emergency contact card with contact information.
FREE Money for Sunnyside
Volunteer at Sunnyside!
Community Education Upcoming Classes
To see our new Fall 2022 brochure click here, Please check our registration page for the news list of classes.
Office hours: Our office is open 7:30 AM – 4:30 PM
Upcoming Youth Classes:
Friday, October 7, Pumpkin Splash! Ages 5+ W/Adult
Sunday, October 9, Learn to Skate
Monday, October 10, Winger Fall Volleyball Camp, Gr. K-6
Tuesday, October 11, Winger Fall Cheer Camp, Gr. K-6
Saturday, October 15, Advanced Woodworking Camp (She/They), Ages 12-18
Monday, October 17, Halloween Cookie Fun!, Gr. 5-7
Tuesday, October 18, Billings Tomfohr Hike, Gr. 5-7
Wednesday, October 19, Dodgeball, Ages 8-13
Saturday, October 22, TBMS Recreation Saturdays
Saturday, October 22, Reach for the Sky/Shoot for the Stars
Thursday, October 27, Spooky Animal Talk, Ages 5+, W/Adult
Follow Sunnyside On Social Media!
Sunnyside has it’s own Facebook and Instagram pages! You can link directly to our Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/sunnysideredwing/, and our Instagram handle is @sunnysideredwing. Check out some of the fun things going on at Sunnyside!
Make Sure You're Informed!!!
Be sure to click the links below for important information about Sunnyside Elementary and Red Wing Public Schools. Please pay special attention to the District Handbook and the Sunnyside Expectations & Procedures. Both documents contain important information and are a great reference for many frequently asked questions.