Project Joy is a charitable, non-profit organization that provides holiday gifts to children and families in need throughout Brookings County, made possible by generous donations from individuals, businesses, and organizations. This year, Project Joy is working to help more than 900 local children celebrate Christmas.
Dakota Prairie Elementary families generously contributed numerous toys to this year's effort, helping ensure children in the community would have gifts for the holidays. Toy donations were collected and delivered by the December 3rd deadline in preparation for the Project Joy store, which opens Saturday, December 6th, where families can select gifts for their children.
The donation drive reflects Dakota Prairie Elementary's ongoing commitment to supporting the Brookings community and teaching students the importance of giving back during the holiday season.
For more information about Dakota Prairie Elementary's community initiatives, contact the school at (605) 696-4900 or visit their website.
Dakota Prairie "Fill the Bus" event
Our third grade ambassadors helped announce our special guests and say, “Move That Bus!”
10 of our 40 students who earned Prairie Praise referrals held the second sign to “Fill Our Bus” today with donations.
Students enjoyed decorating these signs throughout the week and donating items to help our community.
Check out our video! https://youtube.com/shorts/T-iuCU5r7fY?si=TUP7_aVXhiBotn9u
We had a wonderful morning celebrating the generosity of our families for the Fill The Bus event at Dakota Prairie.
Donations can happen all day today until 5pm. Thank you! More pictures/videos to come.
Important Online Safety Events This Week!
Parents, we have TWO valuable opportunities to learn about keeping our kids safe online:
Wednesday, Nov 19 - Snapchat & Instagram Teen Risks
Discover why disappearing messages and secret accounts appeal to teens and learn simple ways to guide and protect your child online. (Teens are welcome to join too!)
Thursday, Nov 20 - Understanding Social Media's Impact on Teens
Learn about social media's impact and get practical steps to help your child navigate online spaces safely.
https://www.smartsocial.com/event/snapchat-instagram-teen-risks-live-session-3?org=brookingsschooldistrict&ref=tanna.stadler@k12.sd.us
Both sessions are FREE and LIVE! Click the links below to register:
https://www.smartsocial.com/event/understanding-social-medias-impact-on-teens-bonus-event-2?org=brookingsschooldistrict&ref=tanna.stadler@k12.sd.us
Don't miss these important conversations! 💙
Dakota Prairie will host Fill That Bus this Thursday from 7:45 AM to 5:00 PM.
Convenient Drive-Through Drop-Off Available:
Morning: 7:45–8:15 AM
Afternoon: 3:45–5:00 PM
During these times, high school student volunteers will be outside ready to collect your donations directly from your vehicle. Simply pull up to the drive-through lane, wave to a volunteer, and they'll take care of the rest!
Let's show our DP spirit and FILL THAT BUS!
This week is an opportunity to celebrate the work our staff does each day. From teachers and specialists to support staff and everyone in between, it takes a team to make our school such a special place.
We invite you to take a moment to recognize someone who has made a positive impact on your child. Please fill out the short form below to share a note of appreciation for a staff member.
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSexCGmJsP724VqJ7GUqxDkmsW2BlXVVwRlWzPhGoFINw7phFg/viewform?usp=header
Thank you for helping us celebrate the dedication and hard work of our amazing staff! Your kind words go a long way and mean so much to our team!
Today, we conducted safety drills to ensure our preparedness in emergency situations. These routine drills are part of our commitment to maintaining a secure environment for all. The students and staff did a wonderful job with the practice today.
Thank you,
Mrs. Bolstad
Show Your Gratitude This November!
November is the perfect time to pause and show appreciation for the wonderful staff who make a difference every day at Dakota Prairie.
If you’d like to say thank you to your child’s teacher or another staff member who has had a positive impact, please take a moment to fill out our Thankful Notes Google Form. Your kind words mean so much and help brighten our staff’s days!
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSexCGmJsP724VqJ7GUqxDkmsW2BlXVVwRlWzPhGoFINw7phFg/viewform?usp=header
**It works best if these items are labeled, so staff can return lost items to their owners.
Please continue to watch those morning temps. It will warm up this week, but the morning temps remain very cold.
If you need assistance providing these winter items for your child, please reach out to our counselor, Mrs. Holm at Carleen.Holm@k12.sd.us
Thank you to Dakotaland FCU for their delivery of 250 Kleenex boxes to Medary, Hillcrest, and Dakota Prairie Elementaries!
This week, we’re celebrating National School Psychology Week and recognizing the vital role our school psychologists play in supporting the success and well-being of all learners. Thank you to Nicole Anderson (Hillcrest & Camelot), Kelli Olson (Dakota Prairie & BHS), and Lauren Gruenhagen (Medary & MMS) for their dedication and impact across our district.
Jan from Sanderson Gardens is bringing pumpkins for families to take if they would like starting at 2:45pm. She will park in the smaller West lot and families can pick up pumpkins before or after dismissal. If you want pumpkins, please get them before 3:10 or after 3:30 to avoid congestion during a busy dismissal time.
Thanks and Happy Fall!
Our Veterans Day program will be on Tuesday, November 11th. Your learner will bring home this paper that has details of ways to participate as well as activities to do at home.
*If you have a veteran in your family, please return the completed squares by Friday, Oct 31st.
*You can also email a picture of your veteran to alex.sogn@k12.sd.us. We will include this picture in our video presentation.
