Principal's Corner

Satchel Pulse Social Emotional Screener

Elementary students and teachers will once again participate in the Satchel Pulse Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) Screener, a tool to help us monitor and improve the social-emotional skills of all our students. D181 first utilized this SEL screener in our elementary schools during the 2023-2024 school year after a successful pilot during the 2022-2023 school year. Teachers of students in grades KG-5th will complete the screener about their students, and students in grades 3rd-5th will complete the screener about themselves. SEL skills include developing healthy habits, managing emotions, setting and achieving goals, developing empathy for others, establishing and maintaining supportive relationships, collaborating with others, and making responsible and caring decisions. 

Satchel Pulse is a student-friendly screener with 25 simple questions, which will be administered during October and May. Students and teachers will complete the screener which includes self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship, and responsible decision-making questions.  Information gained from this screener will provide our school teams with additional insight to best support our students’ social, emotional, and academic growth. If you have any questions related to the Satchel Pulse screener, please contact Sara Olson at solson@d181.org.

 

Community Drive: Clean Hands, Big Hearts

As part of the celebration for Unity Day this October, the Kindness Club is organizing a one-day bar soap drive to support HCS Family Services. Please consider bringing a bar of soap to donate. Your small contribution can make a big difference for local families in need. Help us bring unity to our community!

 

Fall Party and Costume Parade Information

We’re excited to celebrate Halloween with a festive Fall Party and a Costume Parade on Friday, October 31st! The all-school outdoor parade will begin at approximately 9:00 AM, right after arrival and attendance. Families are warmly invited to join us outside to share in the fun!

Students should come to school dressed in their costumes and have any makeup applied at home. As a reminder, we kindly ask that costumes do not include excessive gore or blood, and no weapons or weapon-like accessories are permitted at school. Physical education and recess will continue as scheduled. If needed, students may bring a change of clothes to ensure they can comfortably participate in all parts of the school day.

Classroom parties will be held during the day, and we’re grateful to our generous PTO for providing SkinnyPop Brand Popcorn as a treat for all students (ingredient information is listed below). We look forward to a fun and festive day together!

 

Lunchroom Behavior Focus
For the next two weeks, we are placing a special focus on safe and respectful behavior in the lunchroom. Our goal is to create a calm, enjoyable environment where all students can eat and connect with one another peacefully.

We are reminding students to follow these key expectations:

  • Use a Level 1 voice (quiet talking) in the lunchroom

  • Keep a calm, quiet body when entering and exiting

  • Keep hands and feet to yourself

  • Only eat your own food

We appreciate your partnership in reinforcing these expectations at home. A quick conversation with your child can go a long way in helping us build positive habits that support safety and respect during lunch.

 

Pumpkin Smash