As we near the end of the school year, we would like to take a moment to reflect on the year. It has been a year filled with growth and many achievements for our students.

We would like to thank our staff members who have worked tirelessly to ensure the best year possible for our students. Their dedication, expertise, and commitment to the success of every child have been instrumental in shaping our school's culture.

We are excited about the opportunities that the next school year will bring. Next year we will have a few new faces and a few faces will not be here. See below to say goodbye to our departing staff and welcome our incoming LA Mustangs.

In preparation for the upcoming summer break we encourage you to enjoy your quality time with your children, engage in reading, and enjoy the simple joys of your child.

We wish you all a safe, restful, and joyful summer break.

It is that time again to register for the 2023-2024 school year! Every student needs to be registered in the PowerSchool Parent Portal. This ensures that we have your correct information such as; address, emails, phone numbers, emergency contacts, etc.

Click here for the link to the Parent Portal.

If the Parent Portal is tedious on your phone and you don't have access to a computer you may call/text Ms. Drayah, our Student & Family Liaison at 701-317-3278 to set up a time that she can help you at the school.

Please let the office know if your student will not be returning for the 2023/2024 school year. If you have any questions, please call the office at 701-746-2275.

MySchoolBucks.com is a handy way to pay for your child's lunch. Just a reminder that free lunches did not go through the state this year. Also, if your income would change throughout the school year you can fill out a new application. It is also good idea to check on your child's lunch account balances.

Grand Forks Public Schools will once again use TeacherLists to share 2023-2024 school supply lists information with our families! This free tool allows families to find and shop their student's supply list easily with the convenience of one-click shopping or in-store pickup from several national retailers, including Target and Walmart. If you'd rather complete your shopping in person, just visit the TeacherLists website to view/print your student's supply list.

The following staff members are retiring this year. They have been an important part of our school community for many years and will be greatly missed. We wish them all the best in their well-deserved retirement.

Additionally, we would like to announce the following staff members who will be leaving us for new positions within the district. They have all been valuable members of our team, and we are grateful for their contributions to our school community. We wish them all the best in their new role and schools.

In addition, we are excited to welcome the following new staff members or current staff members in a new role!

Tips for Being a Good Listener.
As a parent/guardian, sometimes you may feel as though your child does not listen to you. It is important that you communicate your needs and feelings to your child in an effective way. A simple suggestion to improve communication between you and your child is to use “I” messages rather than “You” messages (which often create an oppositional situation). For example, instead of
saying, “You always leave your dirty dishes on the table. Can’t you pick up after yourself?” say, “When you leave your dishes on the table, I get frustrated because it makes extra work for me when I get home and I’m trying to make dinner.” Visit www.parentslead.org for more information

Talk with your child about friendship.
Explain to your child what it means to be a good friend and that true friends protect, look out

for one another, and have each other’s back. True friends do not ask each other to do things that
they know are wrong and will get them in trouble, or things that are harmful. Talk often to your child about who their friends are and the things they do with their friends. Encourage them to stick to their beliefs and values and look for friends who share those values.
Source: www.parentslead.org

Listening is a powerful parenting tool.
You may not always know what to say but by listening carefully, with interest, and with empathy, you send the message that you care, are emotionally available, understand and accept. Kids sometimes feel that their parents “don’t understand” or “don’t listen” which can lead to a feeling of disconnection from parents. Good listening involves reflecting back or paraphrasing what your child has said so they know that you fully heard. Responses like, “It sounds like you are pretty angry at your coach” or “From what you are saying, it sounds like you feel she isn’t being a very good friend to you. Is that right?”
For more information and resources, visit www.parentslead.org