Wildwood eNews January 30, 2025

Past issues of the eNews are available at www.mahtomedi.k12.mn.us/enews

important dates mahtomedi public schools

Click Here for the Wildwood Calendar

Upcoming Events

Now-February 4: MAEF Hearts of Gratitude Click here to learn more
January 31: 2nd Grade "History Comes to Life" presentation
January 31: MPTO Family Movie Night (Monsters University), 6:00-8:00 pm at OHA
February 3-5: CogAT Testing for 2nd Grade
February 3-13: Book Fair Coin Drive
February 5: "I Love to Read" Dress Up - Red Day
February 5: MPTO Board Meeting, 9:30 am at District Education Center
February 6: 2nd Grade Field Trip to the Ordway
February 10-13: Make-up CogAT Testing
February 11-14 & 18-21: Wildwood Book Fair
February 12: "I Love to Read" Dress Up - Beach Day
February 13: Parent/Teacher Conferences, 4-8 PM
February 14: NO SCHOOL-Parent/Teacher Conferences in the morning/Staff Development in the afternoon
February 17: President's Day - NO SCHOOL

This Issue's Top Highlights

KNOW

PTO's Card Sharks will be beginning soon. It is a great program with lots of fun and learning! Please see below.

DO

Start bringing in coins for our Wildwood Coin Drive.

Consider coming to the Sweetheart Dance on February 21. There will be dancing, face painting, reading, crafting, pizza and a photo booth. See below to register.

Principal's Spotlight

Each month, Principal Scott Briske spotlights learning happening at our school. This month, the Principal's spotlight focuses on Passions.

Adults and positive young adult role models have a big influence on helping students ages 6-9 discover their passions and interests. As students get older, they start figuring out what interests them the most, and they start making choices about classes, clubs, and extracurricular activities. Before, during, and after school are times when this exploration is happening for our youngest learners.

During school, our students have a range of activities that help them start to develop their interests. During literacy and media time, they can access books in the classroom and school library on so many different topics, which starts their imagination for what they like and what they are interested in. Academic projects that let students choose the topic, like writing assignments, also help them start to articulate who they are. Our specialists, guest speakers, and field trips help our students experience new academic areas and hobbies.

Before and after school, we have so many positive role models in our community providing support to students to discover their passions. Our Mahtomedi Community Education offers art, language, and strategy games. Our Elementary PTO offers art adventure, theatre, and card sharks. This year, Ms. Torborg started a running club with fellow teachers and leaders from Mahtomedi High School to get students interested in running and movement. This program supported Wildwood first-grade student Coen Caspers in taking his passion for running and completing his first running marathon using Marathon Kids! We are so grateful for the many ways our teachers and community members support our students to discover and explore their passions!

Mr. Scott Briske
Wildwood Principal
scott.briske@isd832.net

School News

Parent/Teacher Conferences

Winter conference time for Wildwood Elementary is approaching. We will be holding conferences on the following dates:

Feb 13th (4 PM-8 PM)
Feb 14th- (8 AM-12 PM)
Feb 20th (4 PM-8 PM)

We will be using our conference scheduling system PTCFast to facilitate appointments.

To schedule an appointment please use the following:
link to create your WW account. When completing the registration process, please be sure to include the phone number that you would like us to contact you if we need to get a hold of you during conferences.

Sign-up tips:
1. You will not see specialists on the list as you can stop in anytime during conferences for a visit.
2. If you have multiple teachers you want to have a conference with you will have to go through the process for each session.
3. If something does not work or you need help signing up please get in touch with the Wildwood main office.

Book Fair Coin Drive

Check those couch cushions and car mats - the COIN DRIVE starts next week! Wildwood students will collect spare change and dollars in their homerooms to support the Share the Fair Campaign for our upcoming book fair. Donations stay at Wildwood to help build classroom libraries and provide books for students.

Bring donations February 3–13 to the collection containers at the Wildwood entrance or cafeteria. Students are working together to earn a special in-school reward for their efforts!

February is "I Love to Read" Month

Just a heads up, February is "I Love to Read Month". As part if the month, we will have dress up days. The themes were chosen based on the Star of the North (SOTN) 2025 Book Award Nominees.

Feb 5th: Red Day (The Red Jacket)
Feb 12th: Beach Day (Our Pool)
Feb 19th: Places Day (Song in the City)
Feb 26th: Nature Day (The Together Tree)

Each book will be read in Media class and the students will get to cast real votes for their favorite. The winner will be announced in March.

Student Art Show at the Wildwood Public Library

Date: Tuesday, February 4th
Time: 4:00-6:00 pm
Location: Wildwood Public Library, Conference Room 115

Stop by the Wildwood Public Library for an open house celebrating art created by Wildwood and O.H. Anderson Elementary School students.

Admire the artwork hung throughout the building, participate in a scavenger hunt featuring the art pieces, and create some drawings to hang up in the library!

Light refreshments will be provided, as will photo-op props.

Art will be on display through the month of February.

Around the School

This week, first graders explored the celebration of Lunar New Year, which falls on January 29th, 2025, and marks the start of the Year of the Snake. Students learned how this holiday is celebrated around the world.

Students in kindergarten made animal mailboxes in STEM for their upcoming post office unit. Students could choose between a deer, a bear, and a bunny, all animals that live in Minnesota. Each box was decorated with things the animal needs to survive including food, habitat, air, water, and sun. Parent volunteers were a huge help!

The Mahtomedi Scout Troop 89 delivered treats to the Wildwood staff. Each year any extra donations they raise while selling popcorn goes to Everyday Heroes, and this year they wanted to give that to the Wildwood staff. Thank you, Troop 89!

Wildwood Student Runs 26.2 Miles!

Congratulations to first-grade student Coen Caspers, who has taken his love for running and completed his first running marathon using Marathon Kids !

Coen runs and keeps track of his miles at recess and during Mahtomedi on the Move (Wildwood’s after-school running program). Wildwood Elementary School Physical Education teacher Sarah Torborg shared this about Coen, “In the gym, Coen is a leader and encourages others in his class to be their best. Coen has amazing sportsmanship and leadership skills everywhere he goes!”

Marathon Kids is a nonprofit organization that offers a free digital platform to track mileage to help kids set goals and explore the joy of running.

Way to go to Coen and our Wildwood runners this year!

Get Involved

Card Sharks & Strategy Games Sign-Ups are Open!

Does your student love games and friendly competition? Sign them up for Card Sharks (WW) or Strategy Games (OHA) - an enrichment activity designed to challenge minds and build strategy skills while having FUN!

Spots fill quickly, so don’t wait to register!
Bonus: If you volunteer, your child is guaranteed a spot!

Learn more about both and sign up here: mahtomedipto.com/enrichment.

We’re looking for students to join the fun and volunteers to help make it happen. Let’s make this program a win for everyone!