Sand Lake Elementary Newsletter - May 2025

 

From the Principal: Mr. Meyers

Sand Lake Families:

Thank you all for your support of our staff as we close Staff Appreciation Week. The gestures, kind words, and gifts mean a lot. As we prepare to embark on the close of the school year, we want to take a minute to thank each of you for your partnership. Our Sand Lake students have grown so much this year because of our work together! We cannot thank you enough for all that you do to support your students and our school community. 

As the school year hits the final stretch, there will be many field trips and special events, and we hope you have time to take part. Here are just a few of our school wide celebrations:

• All School Picnic: All families are invited to our all-school picnic on Friday, May 23rd. If you’ve never had a chance to join us for this amazing event, plan on having a great meal with your student! It’s truly a great representation of our school community. We hope to see each of you there!

• Field Day: Ms. Franzen is working hard to host Field Day for students on Thursday, May 22nd. If you are interested in volunteering, contact Ms. Franzen directly at fraemi@holmen.k12.wi.us

• End-of-Year Assembly: We’ll also be hosting an end-of-year assembly for our students with a recap of the school year, a few awards, and some games! This will take place during the last week of school and will be an exciting springboard to summer for staff and students.

As we get set for the ’25-’26 school year, we want to remind you of a few processes and exciting things happening at Sand Lake:

• Class Placement: Teacher requests are not accepted at Holmen elementary schools. Our teachers and administrators work hard to develop class lists that support all students and each individual child’s needs. Class placement is shared with families at our picture/registration day, which will take place on Wednesday, August 6, 2025.

• Discovery Center/STEM Labs: Over the summer, there will be some construction at Sand Lake. As a part of a successful referendum in November of 2022, our Discovery Centers will be remodeled over the summer to include STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) components.

• Preparation for the 2025-2026 School Year: The Sand Lake office will send timely communication about events that assist in preparation for the next school year. Be on the lookout for communication about picture day and open house as the school year draws closer. As a friendly reminder, the 2025-2026 school year starts on Tuesday, September 2nd.

In Partnership, 

Matt Meyers

Keep up with all of our happenings by following us on Facebook!

Like us @ Sand Lake Elementary

Save the date for the

Sand Lake All School Picnic!

We welcome you to join us for our annual All School Picnic, which will be held on Friday, May 23! Please register any guests on the attached form to ensure enough food is ordered. You do not need to place orders for students who attend school as they will make their choices in the classroom that morning. 

Please use this Picnic Form Link to sign up!

If you have any questions, please contact Danielle Martell at  mardan@holmen.k12.wi.us.

We look forward to spending lunchtime with you! 

From the LMC Director: Ms. Peterson

From the Health Office: Emily Hanes BSN, RN

Medication Pick-up:

All medications, over-the-counter or prescription, need to be picked up by parents/guardians at the end of the school year. No medication will be sent home with students per board policy. Medications that are left in the Health Office after June 13th will be properly disposed of. The office will be open from 8:00 AM until 3:00 PM during June, but please call to confirm someone is available.

Footwear

We highly recommend that children not to wear flip flops or open-toe sandals to school. Children run on the playground and have PE class, wearing this footwear may cause an injury to their feet and make them more likely to roll their ankles.

Fun in the Sun

Remember the sunscreen! 

• Apply sunscreen at least 15 minutes before going outside, even on cloudy days.
• The SPF (sun protection factor) should be at least 15 and should be for broad spectrum protection.
• Try to limit exposure between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. when the sun’s rays are most intense.
• Clothing can offer practical protection from the sun’s rays. Lightweight, tight weave; cotton clothing is cool and protective. Wet clothing is not an effective optical filter. Hats with bills not only provide shade, but also can be cooler and more comfortable than a bare head.
• Remember to drink lots of water! Drinks containing caffeine, such as soda pop, not only provide empty calories but also can further dehydrate.

From the Sand Lake PTG:

A HUGE thank you to the Sand Lake Staff and Parents who helped the PTG bring home $500 in donation funds from the Beer By Bike Brigade Bingo (that's a lot of B's!). We plan to use this money towards a relaxing reward for staff during Staff Appreciation Week, which is coming soon!


ANOTHER huge thank you goes out to everyone who participated in our BINGO Blitz the next day! We know there is so much going on this time of year, and love that our families are engaged in our community builders. We hope you took home some great prizes and please let us know if we should do more events like this.


Don't think we're going away over the summer either - we have a Loggers game scheduled for Friday, July 18! Save the date now, so we can see you again soon!

What's for lunch at Sand Lake? 

Find our May menu here! 

Our menus can always be found on the Holmen School District website 

by first clicking the Menus icon in the top bar of the home page, 

then clicking Sand Lake Elementary.

6th Grade Orientation...Save the Date!

Sand Lake Elementary Newsletter- April 2025

 

From the Principal: Mr. Meyers

Sand Lake Families:

Thank you for all that you continue to do to support your children and our Sand Lake Community. We have made it to the fourth quarter of our school year, which comes with tremendous excitement! This year’s school calendar is unique to accommodate various construction projects in the District, and as such, the school year draws to a close on May 30th. With a later than usual Spring Break, we know you’ll feel the same as us, that the end of the school year will be a blur!

We wanted to take this opportunity to highlight some of the upcoming events that will take place to aid in your planning. Please know that we will send more specific information about each of these events your way, but we wanted you to have the dates in advance.

• April 16th: Earth Day Celebration for students at Sand Lake

• April 24th: Sand Lake PTG Bingo

• May 5th-May 9th: Staff Appreciation Week!

• May 22nd: Sand Lake Field Day

• May 23rd: Sand Lake All-School Picnic

    Inside the school with our normal academic activities, our 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade students are in the midst of or have completed their Forward testing. This provides us valuable information about our students achievement and how we can continuously improve our instructional practices.

    Finally, as we embark upon the final quarter of the school year, we want to highlight our 5th grade students! Our 5th graders will have the opportunity to participate in the 5th grade bash, take a bike trip, and have a final farewell breakfast. We are excited to celebrate the final leg of their journeys at Sand Lake and wish them well in the future. To our 5th grade families, we appreciate you all more than you know. We are here to assist in the transition to middle school and are working hard with our partners at HMS to ensure success for everyone. If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to reach out to myself or our 5th grade team!

 In Partnership,

 Matt Meyers

Keep up with all of our happenings by following us on Facebook!

Like us @ Sand Lake Elementary

From the School Counselor: Mrs. Lamprecht

During the month of April, all students will participate in a classroom counseling lesson focused on keeping themselves safe. The graphic below shows some key discussion points in our lesson. I know we will have great discussions about it! As always, if you have any questions or concerns, please reach out.

Thank you!

Mrs. Lamprecht

From the Health Office: Emily Hanes BSN, RN

Change to Vaccine Requirement for Students
Entering 6th grade in 2025-2026

Tdap

The Wisconsin Student Immunization Law now requires students to receive the Tdap vaccine before beginning 7th grade. This is a change from previous years. Prior to March 2023, it was required before entering 6th grade. This change will allow it to line up with the recommendation for students to receive the vaccine at age 11. For 7th grade, parents will be required to have their children vaccinated or claim a waiver.

Tdap is the adolescent combination vaccine that protects against tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis (whooping cough). Only one dose is required. https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/hcp/vis/vis-statements/tdap.html

Recommended but not required vaccines:
Meningococcal (bacterial meningitis) vaccine

This vaccine is available for students over 11 years of age. Two doses are recommended, with the second dose administered at 16 years of age. This is not a required vaccination at this time, but may be in the future. More information can be obtained from the health office, your clinic, or the following link: https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/vpd/mening/

Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine

This vaccine is now available for both male and female students starting at age 11. It was recently changed from a three-dose vaccine to a two-dose vaccine. The second dose is needed 6 to 12 months after the initial vaccine. At this time, it is not a required vaccination. For more information, contact the health office, your clinic, or follow this link: https://www.cdc.gov/hpv/parents/vaccine-for-hpv.html

Your primary care provider can provide these immunizations, or you can get them from the La Crosse County Public Health Department (608-785-9723). Please feel free to call your school’s health office with any questions. Please inform the health office when immunizations are received so that records can be updated.

From the Sand Lake PTG:

We are excited to announce our BIG BINGO BLITZ this month – two days devoted to BINGO events to help us build more community!

First, Wed. April 23, the Beer by Bike Brigade is allowing us to cohost one of their BINGO events at the Omni Center in Onalaska. We need around 10 adult volunteers for a couple of different shifts – for more information and to sign up to help, visit: https://forms.gle/vyizE9k2t6AhaMUo9

Then, Thur. April 24, we are hosting our own BINGO night! From 5:30-6:30pm, stop by the Sand Lake Cafeteria, play a round of BINGO, win some prizes (all youth go home with something!), and get dinner from our favorite Food Trucks!

Of course, we also need to thank everyone who provided tasty desserts for the teachers during conferences last month. Your help goes a long way in keeping us all connected.

Have questions or thoughts? Check us out on Facebook: Sand Lake Elementary PTG, or email: sandlakeptg@gmail.com

What's for lunch at Sand Lake? 

Find our April menu here! 

Our menus can always be found on the Holmen School District website 

by first clicking the Menus icon in the top bar of the home page, 

then clicking Sand Lake Elementary.

6th Grade Orientation...Save the Date!

Sand Lake Elementary Newsletter- March 2025

From the Principal: Mr. Meyers

Sand Lake Families,

As we make it through our final snowstorm (maybe?), we are anxious to see the spring weather and the many exciting things happening at our schools. March brings many opportunities for our students to showcase their progress and talents with each of you. We are excited to have you here at Sand Lake for our upcoming conferences and concerts.

During the conferences, teachers will discuss student progress, strengths, daily work habits, assessment results, interaction with classmates and areas for improvement. Time will also be provided for parents to ask questions. It would be beneficial to discuss with your child how they feel their school experience is going prior to attending the conference. This information can be communicated to your child’s teacher about what is going well, as well as what type of assistance your child might need. We have great students here at Sand Lake and this can be an opportunity for you and your family to celebrate your child’s progress!

Please also know that our students are preparing for their Forward exams this month if they are in third, fourth, and fifth grade. While this is just one measure of a student’s progress, it does provide important indicators for students and our school. We encourage you to follow communication from your child’s teacher about their testing schedule and ensure that students are filled with positive affirmations, plenty of sleep, and nutritious snacks in advance of testing days!

Please don’t hesitate to contact me if you have any questions or concerns. I look forward to seeing each of you next week as well.

In Partnership,


Matt Meyers

From the School Counselor: Mrs. Lamprecht

We are welcoming Coulee Council to Sand Lake during March and April! Coulee Council will be teaching lessons in all Kindergarten through 4th grade classrooms on topics such as responsibility, refusal skills for healthy drug-free living, and interpersonal skills to resist peer pressure through the Too Good For Drugs Program. You are encouraged to ask your child about what he or she has learned throughout March and April. This program is part of the school counseling and health curriculum.

From the Music Teacher: Mrs. Heerts

Hello Sand Lake Families....

Our Upcoming Concert Dates are:

• March 6: 1st grade concert, Meow, @ 6p.m. and 5th grade A Journey Through Time @ 7 p.m.

• March: 18: Kindergarten Amazing Animals @ 6pm and 3rd grade Education Rocks @ 7p.m.

All concerts will be located in the Sand Lake Cafeteria. Sand Lake Families are asked to arrive 15 minutes before their concert start time. We can't wait to perform for you!

Mrs. Heerts

You can also shop the online book fair through October 18th here:

 https://literati.com/store/?school=sand-lake-elementary-school-holmen-wi

From the Health Office: Emily Hanes BSN, RN

National Sleep Awareness Week starts March 9, 2025

Sleep is a vital need, essential to a child’s health and growth. Sleep promotes alertness, memory and performance. Children who get enough sleep are more likely to function better and are less prone to behavioral problems and moodiness. That is why it is important for parents to start early and help their children develop good sleep habits. Each child is different and has different sleep needs, but the chart presents the recommended hours of sleep by child’s age, including naps for children up to five years of age.

How much sleep should my child get?

Age		Hours Of Sleep
0 - 3 months		14 - 17
4 - 12 months		12 - 16
1 - 2 years		11 - 14
3 - 5 years		10 - 13
6 - 12 years		9 - 11
	Teens                        8 - 10
	Adults                        7 or more

The promotion of regular sleep is known as sleep hygiene. Here are some simple sleep hygiene tips:

• The #1 tip for good sleeping habits in children is to follow a nightly routine. A bedtime ritual makes it easier for your child to relax, fall asleep, and sleep through the night.
• Go to bed at the same time each night, and rise at the same time each morning.
• Sleep in a quiet, dark, and relaxing environment, which is neither too hot nor too cold.
• Make your bed comfortable and use it only for sleeping and not for other activities, such as reading, watching TV, or listening to music.
• Remove all TVs, computers, and other electronics from the bedroom.
• Avoid physical activity within a few hours of bedtime.
• Avoid large meals before bedtime.

Courtesy of https://www.cdc.gov/sleep/about/index.html

From the Sand Lake PTG:

Parent-Teacher Conferences are approaching!

Help us show some appreciation and show off your tasty talents! 

On March 11th & 13th, we will need desserts to help replenish staff energy! If you'd like to provide a treat for Parent-Teacher conferences, you can find a sign up link here. The Sand Lake PTG is also working with Midway Deli to offer the staff dinner during the March 11th conference night. Thank you Midway Deli for being an affordable option of healthy food for our teachers and staff!

We are also having another Toppers restaurant fundraiser on March 18, to spare you having to make dinner on a concert night! The details are listed below. 

Don't forget to follow us on Facebook for quick invites and updates to various activities and opportunities: Sand Lake Elementary PTG. You can also reach out to us at any time at sandlakeptg@gmail.com if you have questions.

What's for lunch at Sand Lake? 

Find our March menu here! 

Our menus can always be found on the Holmen School District website 

by first clicking the Menus icon in the top bar of the home page, 

then clicking Sand Lake Elementary.

Keep up with all of our happenings by following us on Facebook!

Like us @ Sand Lake Elementary