Friday, August 29, 2025

Sand Lake Elementary Newsletter - August 2025

 

From the Principal: Mr. Meyers

Sand Lake Families:

It was so great to see each of you and our students throughout August for Picture/Registration Day and Open House. We hope that you found Sand Lake to be a welcoming place and are so excited for our adventures ahead this school year!
Our schoolwide theme this year is “Wild About Learning at Sand Lake!” . This theme is set forth by our school's Positive Behavior Intervention and Supports team and is designed as a fun and exciting way to unite our school community. Our talented staff have already spent time decorating the school and their learning spaces with wildlife scenes as we get ready to get Wild About Learning this year!

We are also fortunate to begin the year anew with some exciting changes!
  • We are grateful for the School District of Holmen community for their support with our November 2022 Capital Referendum. As a result of this project, last summer our playgrounds were updated and this summer our Discovery Centers were transformed into STEM Labs. We hope you had a chance to check them out at Open House!
  • We are thrilled to welcome 4K students to our building for the first time. Emily Brekke is our 4K teacher, and she will be joined by Kaitlyn Forester as a 4K educational assistant in the classroom, along with other support staff. Sue Eitland is our District’s 4K principal, and I’ll be working with our 4K students, staff, and families as well.
  • We have a few new additions to our Sand Lake Staff and will be highlighting their roles on our Sand Lake Facebook page throughout September!
Contained within this newsletter, you’ll find some updates, dates, and information needed to start the school year. Our school office will send this newsletter on a regular basis so that you are aware of key events and information happening at Sand Lake. As with past school years, timely information will still come through in individual email messages. The school district is moving towards a new messaging platform called Finalsite, so in the future, you will find the eblasts from our school coming from the email address sandlake@holmen.k12.wi.us. If at any point in the school year, you are concerned that you aren’t receiving this communication, please reach out to Melissa Lacasse at lacmel@holmen.k12.wi.us

In Partnership,

Matt Meyers


Pickup and Dropoff Safety
In the past three school years, we’ve seen significant changes in the volume of pickup and drop-off students, and students who walk to school. New this year, we’ll also have 4-year old students riding our buses to get to and from school. We’ve worked this summer to enhance our safety procedures for pickup/dropoff, within the parking lot, and for students getting off the buses. It is my expectation that our staff are actively working with any drivers in the parking lot to ensure they are being safe and following our procedures. We are confident that if we work together, we can meet our primary goal of keeping all students, staff, and family members safe.

4K and Kindergarten Families
Kindergarten families, please note that your child will have an introductory conference with their teacher on September 2nd. Your scheduled orientation time was given to you on picture day a reminder was provided at Open House. Please reach out to your teacher if you have any questions or concerns.

1st-5th Grade Students
The Board of Education for the School District of Holmen has officially established Tuesday, September 2nd, as the first day of school. The school day at Sand Lake is from 8:40-3:40. We are so excited to begin school next week!

Drop-Off/Pick-Up
Students can be dropped off at school as early as 8:10 AM when our staff is available to supervise. When students are dropped off, they can either go into school to eat breakfast or play outside with staff supervision.

The school day officially ends at 3:40 PM. Please know that we’ll take great care when dismissing students to ensure that everyone is on the right bus or following their designated after-school plan. We will only alter students’ after-school transportation plans if we hear directly from their primary caregivers listed in Infinite Campus. That means you should contact the office and your child’s teacher if the plan changes during the day. Also, as routines are being established and we take time to get students where they belong at the end of the day, it may take a few extra minutes to get our buses on the road at the beginning of the year.

Connection with Caregivers
Communication between home and school is essential for student success. In addition to newsletters, grade level communication, assignment notebooks, meetings, e-mails, and telephone conversations, the Sand Lake staff is extending to you a year-long invitation to visit the school. This may include attending student programs, eating lunch with your child(ren), and/or volunteering. Your partnership in the educational process is extremely valuable.

Support Available
There are a variety of opportunities through the Sand Lake Kidz Kloset or community programs in the event that you need assistance with school supplies, clothing, or other needs for your students. Please contact our school office, our school counselor, Haley Lamprecht (lamhal@holmen.k12.wi.us), or our school social worker, Erin Noll (noleri@holmen.k12.wi.us), if you need assistance at any time.

Transportation Updates

This summer, our transportation department emailed your child’s bus route and information to you. If you have any questions about your child’s transportation, we encourage you to contact the transportation department at 608-526-4752. If you have any questions about transportation safety procedures at Sand Lake, please contact the main office at 608-781-0974.


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


From the 4K Principal: Ms. Eitland

Holmen Public Preschool staff are pleased to welcome you and your child to the School District of Holmen’s 4K Program!

Orientation sessions will be held on September 2nd, during which you and your child will meet with their classroom teacher for a 30-minute session. The first full day of 4K will be on September 3rd.

We look forward to partnering with you in providing a year filled with meaningful opportunities for your child to play, learn, and grow.

4K through 5th Grade School

This year marks an exciting change, as all 4K classes are now housed in each elementary school. As a result, Sand Lake Elementary is considered a 4K–Grade 5 school, and events taking place at Sand Lake are open to 4K students and families.


Family Outreach Events/Staff Collaboration - No School for Students 

In addition to scheduled Sand Lake events, the Holmen Public Preschool Program (4K and Early Childhood) will host several Family Outreach Events designed specifically for 4K children and their families.

Please refer to the Holmen Public Preschool Calendar for the dates of these Family Outreach and Staff Collaboration Days. You can find the calendar by visiting:
holmen.k12.wi.us → Schools → 4K and Early Childhood → Parents → 2025–26 School Year Calendar.

On the calendar, these days are highlighted in light blue with a line through them. Please note that on these dates, 4K and Early Childhood students do not have school. However, staff members will be working and will participate in the Family Outreach Events. All other School District of Holmen students will have school as usual on these days.

Additional details about each Family Outreach Event will be shared with families as the events approach.

September Family Outreach Event

On September 25, all Sand Lake 4K students and their families are invited to Ms. Brekke’s 4K classroom for our Sip and Sculpt Family Outreach Event.

During this event, you and your child will have the opportunity to spend time in the classroom, connect with staff, and create a clay sculpture together to take home. Beverages will be provided—coffee, juice, or water. We look forward to seeing you at this special event and hope you can join us for this informal and engaging time in 4K!

Should you have any questions, please feel free to contact us:

Ms. Brekke – 4K Teacher: breemi@holmen.k12.wi.us 
Ms. Kaitlyn – 4K Educational Assistant: forkai@holmen.k12.wi.us 

Ms. Vanessa – Early Childhood Teacher: jagvan@holmen.k12.wi.us 

Ms. Kelsey -  Early Childhood Educational Assistant: wilkel@holmen.k12.wi.us  

Ms. Katie – Early Childhood Educational Assistant: rutkat@holmen.k12.wi.us 

Ms. Eitland – 4K/EC Principal: eitsue@holmen.k12.wi.us

We are honored to be part of your child’s early learning journey and look forward to an outstanding school year together!


Introducing the Sand Lake Elementary Staff 

for the 2025-2026 School Year!




What's for lunch at Sand Lake? 

Find our September 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.









Monday, June 30, 2025

Sand Lake Elementary Newsletter - July 2025



From the Principal: Mr. Meyers

Sand Lake Families:

We hope this message finds you in the midst of a relaxing and refreshing summer! Summertime brings a chance to plan and prepare for an exciting upcoming school year, and we are so glad that each of you will be a part of our Sand Lake community!

As we begin the year, our staff has worked hard to develop a new mission and vision that rededicates our school community to the great learning that takes place daily.

Our new school mission is Every Student, Every Day. This represents our commitment to each student as an individual, creating relationships and a sense of belonging, and working hard to ensure that each student reaches their full potential.

We are pairing that with a new school vision: At Sand Lake, we inspire, educate, and celebrate every student through engaging, collaborative learning that builds confidence, respect, and responsibility. We believe that our vision sets the foundation for the why, what, and how of reaching Every Student, Every Day. Additionally, it helps provide clarity for the many amazing things that result from our collaborative efforts each day.

Please take a minute to review our summer newsletter update as we prepare for some back-to-school events. As the school year draws closer, a more detailed update will come your way with information about our school day and school year procedures.

In Partnership,


Matt Meyers



Picture/Registration Day
Picture/Registration day will take place on Wednesday, August 6th, from 7:00 AM-7:00 PM. During registration day, we’ll verify that you have everything completed online, our school nurse can visit with you, your child will receive their teacher assignment, and they will have their school picture taken. We’ll have some of our school groups and volunteers present as well. We encourage you to stop by and learn more about the growing Sand Lake Parent/Teacher group and its mission to continue strengthening the valued partnership between the school and parents, caregivers, and families.

Finally, please note that if you are not able to attend registration, you can call the office on or after August 6th to receive your child's teacher assignment. Additionally, picture makeup day will take place on Wednesday, October 8th.

Back to School Night
Sand Lake will host an Open House on Thursday, August 28th from 4:00-6:00 PM. During this time, you’ll be able to meet your child’s classroom teacher, drop off school supplies, and get prepared for the school year. We’re excited to have a great back-to-school celebration!

First Day of School
Grades 1st - 5th: First day of school is Tuesday, September 2nd.
Kindergarten & 4K: First day of school is Wednesday, September 3rd.


Please use the link below 
if you have not yet completed your Annual Registration Update:




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














Printable School Supply Lists can be found on the Sand Lake school website:





Thursday, May 8, 2025

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!

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.


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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!






Tuesday, April 1, 2025

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!

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!