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A PUBLICATION OF THE NORMANDALE PTO

AN ODE TO THIS NEW YEAR

Let's sing it together… School days, school days. Dear old Golden Rule days.

Reading and writing and ‘rithmetic, then out for recess to play real quick.

French immersion on the go. The more we learn…the more we know.

School days, school days. What are we having for lunch days.

Teachers and staffers and ‘ministrators, helping to grow our little graders.

Oh Normandale – how parents missed you. But now you’re back. Bienvenue!  

AUGUST CALENDAR DATES

  • 8/28 – First Day of School!

SEPTEMBER CALENDAR DATES

  • 9/02 – No School (Labor Day)
  • 9/19 – School Night at MN Lynx
  • 9/24 Picture Retake Day


SALUT FROM PRINCIPAL HOLDEN

Dear Normandale Families,


It was great seeing so many smiling faces at Open House and Connect & Assess! Normandale staff have been working hard the past few weeks to make sure this excitement continues throughout the school year. This year, Normandale’s continuous school improvement plan (CSIP) focuses on French, literacy and student engagement. To meet these goals, a number of efforts were undertaken this spring and summer including:


  • The identification and purchase of French decodable books for primary classrooms. This effort to support the science of reading in our classrooms was made possible by the Normandale PTO.
  • The translation and implementation of a new science curriculum, Mystery Science. Normandale teachers are excited to use this engaging new resource.
  • The expansion of Positive Greetings at the Door (PGD).  A number of Normandale teachers piloted PGD last year and more will do so this year.  PGD is a great way for teachers to connect with students prior to the start of the school day.   
  • The continued integration of LETRS (Kindergarten to 3rd grade) and ASPIRE (4th and 5th grade) training into classrooms.  This training is grounded in the science of reading.


As the Edina Vision states, Normandale staff are ready to help students “... discover their possibilities and thrive” this school year!

SCHOOL SUBJECTS

IMAGINATION FAIR

Volunteer Coordinator Needed ASAP!

Looking to get involved at the start of the school year with a fun event? Then the Imagination Fair volunteer coordinator position is for you! Help plan, coordinate and publicize this event that showcases students’ creativity and imagination.


The Imagination Fair will be on Monday, October 1st from 6:00pm - 7:30pm. To volunteer as the event coordinator, please contact our PTO Chairs at pto@normandale.org. Thank you!

CONFIRM YOUR INFO

Normandale Membership Toolkit

If your home address, phone or email address has changed recently, please make sure to update your entry in Normandale's Membership Toolkit linked below.


If you need assistance accessing the Toolkit, please contact Sheri at communications@normandalepto.org.

UPDATE CONTACT INFO HERE

BACK TO SCHOOL GUIDES

Everything you need to know about how things work at Normandale can be found in the following Back to School Guide and Parent/Student Handbook.

BACK TO SCHOOL GUIDE
PARENT / STUDENT HANDBOOK

LUNCH REMINDERS

Here are a few reminders about lunch as we start the school year:


  • Students will have recess before lunch.
  • Breakfast and lunch menus are linked at the bottom of this newsletter.
  • Please help your student learn their ID number and how to enter it on the keypad using the handout from their teacher at Connect & Assess. 
  • Breakfast and lunch are free but if your child wants second helpings (milk or food) they will be charged.

PARENT PASS

ROOM PARENT SIGN UP

Due by Thursday Aug 29th at 12pm

Support your student’s classroom as a Room Parent! Responsibilities include communicating with classroom families, planning and facilitating class parties, and enlisting parent volunteers. Click the button below to sign up to volunteer by Thursday, August 29th at 12pm. This is not a first-come, first-served sign-up. Room Parent positions will be randomly selected from all who submit their names.

SIGN UP HERE

DISCOVERY KITCHEN VOLUNTEERS

First Event is September 12th

Discovery Kitchen is back delivering unique dishes to our kids every quarter in the cafeteria! We need volunteers to help hand out new fruit and veggie recipe samples in the cafeteria during each grade's lunch period.


Click the button to review the available slots by grade and sign up. Thank you!

SIGN UP HERE

DROP-OFF + PICK-UP

Here are a few important notes about morning drop-off and afternoon pick-up from the circle driveway in front of Door 10 (the Normandale main door.)


  • Drop-off starts at 8:25am and pick-up begins at 3:15pm.
  • This circle driveway is for quick drop-offs and pick-ups only. If your student(s) need assistance getting in or out of your vehicle, please use the designated spots in the parking lot and walk them up to the sidewalk.
  • Do not exit your vehicle during drop-off and pick-up.
  • Pull as far forward in the circle as you can while dropping off or picking up student(s).
  • Please follow the traffic arrows and navigators to safely enter the circle from the outside lanes of the lot. 
  • Exit the circle as quickly and efficiently as possible. If you need to check your phone or take care of other tasks, move to the parking lot so you are not blocking the flow of traffic behind you.


For more information, check out the Normandale Traffic Plan below. Thank you.

TRAFFIC PLAN

NORMANDALE APPAREL

Shop New Styles for the New School Year

Start the year off in style with NEW apparel from Normandale. Turn the hallways into French runways and strut your stuff with these exclusive wearables that not only show off your school (and Edina) spirit, but will turn you into bilingual fashion icons. Très Chic!

Proceeds from each purchase supports Normandale.

SHOP ALL KIDS APPAREL HERE
SHOP ALL ADULT APPAREL HERE

NORMANDALE FAMILY NIGHT + MN LYNX

September 19th at Target Center

We want to kick off the new year with an awesome event for our whole school! The Normandale PTO and Chorale Boréale are partnering together to organize a Normandale night out at a MN Lynx Women's Basketball game! Join us on Thursday, September 19th, 6:00 p.m. at the Target Center. ALL Normandale families, with students K-5 are welcome to attend.


Tickets are on sale and if you are interested in sitting within the specific Normandale section that we have secured, please consider buying tickets now.  Since the Lynx are doing so well this season, they will not be able to hold our specific Normandale section past the beginning of September. You can, of course, sit where you would like to in the stadium!


For more information and a link to purchase tickets with our code, click the link below.

LYNX GAME INFO + TICKETS

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES

Interested in getting more involved at Normandale? Sign up here to volunteer for our PTO events throughout the 2024-2025 school year!

VOLUNTEER SIGN UP

NAME LABELS ARE THE KEY

Visiting the Lost + Found seems inevitable. Make it easy on yourself and label children's belongings with NameBubbles and give an in-kind kickback to Normandale!

ORDER LABELS HERE

MERCI BEAUCOUP

Special Thanks & Gratitude

  • To Amanda Moriarty, Kimmy Olson, Sue Beito and Katharine Stofer for a successful Kindergarten Popsicle Social.
  • To Jacqui Hartung and Elizabeth Fulmer for a great Open House event.
  • To Gerry Lukaska for assisting with school pictures and parents who donated beverages & snacks for the teacher's lounge during Connect & Assess.
  • To Cassie Bonstrom, Anne Jennen, Allison Olfelt, Lixia Shi and Adrian Reenshuler for their help during French Intern Orientation last week.
  • To the Kram/Cepek Family for generously organizing and hosting a pool party for our group of French interns.

INTERN INTEL

BIENVENUE TO OUR INTERNS!

These 28 young people arrived from France earlier this month and will spend the next nine months supporting our students and teachers in the classroom. The interns are all enrolled in or have recently finished post-graduate programs in France to become school teachers, so while they provide an invaluable cross-cultural experience for our children, they are also developing skills they can apply to their future classrooms! When they’re not working in the schools, the interns live with volunteer host families in Edina and experience American culture and traditions. Whether it’s attending a sports event, celebrating a holiday meal together or simply watching a movie on the couch, the interns are ready to learn about American life and experience it with our community. Let the adventure begin!

CHAUFFERS NEEDED

Wednesday Sept 4th

We are looking for volunteers to give rides to our interns to go to the social security office on Wednesday, September 4th. Please see the details and sign up below to help!

SIGN UP TO DRIVE

OVERNIGHT CAMPING VOLUNTEERS

September 13-14th

Want to get to know this year's French interns? The French Intern overnight camping event is coming up September 13th - 14th, and we are looking for volunteers to chaperone the event. Chaperoning is a great way to get to know your child's intern and to introduce our fabulous group to a unique Minnesota camping experience.

 

Chaperones are needed to drive interns and supplies to Camp Lakamaga in Marine on St. Croix, MN, stay overnight in heated cabins, and drive interns home the next morning.

 

We will leave Normandale after school on Friday September 13th at 3pm, and will return Saturday September 14th by 1pm.

 

Unable to chaperone but still want to help? We need donations for food and other supplies. Any questions? Contact Anne Jennen at anne.jennen@gmail.com


Click the button below to sign up to chaperone or donate supplies!

VOLUNTEER HERE

NEIGHBOR NOTES

EDINA COMMUNITY EDUCATION

Fall Registration Open

Community Ed Fall Registration is now open! Check out the before and after school enrichment, evening and weekend classes, and non-school day opportunities at the link below.

REGISTER HERE

EDINA GIVE & GO

Gear Swap: September 7-8th

Save the date and gather your gear. The community-wide GEAR SWAP is almost here! Learn more by clicking the button below.

 

All proceeds from the Gear Swap benefit the Edina Give and Go mission. We serve the 20% of Edina Public School students that are economically disadvantaged by helping them gain access to arts, athletic and academic opportunities through advocacy, partnerships and scholarships.

GEAR SWAP INFO

ALLIANCE FRANÇAISE

The Alliance Française is the non-profit French cultural center serving the Twin Cities and is a proud partner of French immersion schools and their families. Alliance Française offers a library, summer camps for children of all ages and levels, French classes for adults, cooking classes, and more than 150 cultural events each year. Learn more about Alliance Française Mpls/St Paul by clicking the button below.

AFMSP WEBSITE

EDINA EDUCATION FUND

The Edina Education Fund is an independent non-profit organization dedicated to the continued academic excellence of the Edina Public Schools.


The Ed Fund secures private, supplemental funding to support valuable education experiences and innovative projects in the Edina Public Schools. Funds raised augment school system revenues that are provided by taxes, state aid, and other parent and student led fundraising efforts. The Ed Fund is necessary to help ensure the caliber of educational programs we have come to expect of the Edina Public Schools. Your support means greater academic opportunities for all students, today and into the future.


We are fortunate to be part of the Edina community that has a strong, valued and well-respected school system. However, to protect and enhance the value of our homes and property and the quality of life we enjoy, we must further invest in our public school system. Edina Education Fund contributes to the development and financial support of district-wide programs within Literacy, STEAM and Mental Health/Wellness Services for all students and staff.

CONTRIBUTE HERE

VOILÀ – MERCI BEAUCOUP!

NORMANDALE LINKS:

HOME PAGE

LUNCH MENU

DIRECTORY

PTO WEBSITE

Normandale PTO | normandalepto.org

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