SCHOOL PICTURES

Picture retakes will be October 27th for students who were absent on September 17th.

ALL PARENTS

Our amazing PTO has it's own portion of the school website.  You can find the meeting minutes, announcements, fundraising information and much more.  Click here to view it.  The PTO also uses their Facebook page to communicate information to Deer Creek families.  

PTO FUNDRAISER

The Deer Creek Elementary Parent Teacher Organization (PTO) is sponsoring a Walk-A-Thon Fundraiser on Friday, October 1^st. Students will collect pledges/donations from family and friends and then walk a designated course during their Specials Time (times listed below). All money raised will go to the Deer Creek PTO to help fund programs and supplies at our school. This will be our main fundraiser for the year. For more details, click here

LOST AND FOUND

MASK POLICY ON THE BUS

Federal law requires anyone using public transportation, which school buses are considered, to be masked while onboard. If a student boards the bus without a mask, one will be provided to them. If your student is a bus rider, please send them with a mask and/or encourage them to wear their mask consistently and correctly while on the bus. Since the driver is often the only adult onboard, your help in encouraging mask-wearing would be greatly appreciated!

BREAKFAST AND LUNCH

At West Fargo Public Schools, all students receive free meals each day school is in session. Even though all students will receive free meals, the district requests every family complete the online free/reduced meal application for the federal meal program. The amount of funding the district receives is dependent on our rate of free/reduced students, as is our eligibility for additional grant funding. Ensuring our free/reduced rate is an accurate representation of our district is vital in providing a valuable education. Additionally, families eligible for the program receive waivers for fees associated with student activities, college applications, and standardized tests (ACT, SAT, and AP exams).

All children in households receiving benefits from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), the Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations (FDPIR), or the Temporary Assistance Program for Needy Families (TANF) can get free student fee assistance regardless of your income.

MILK BREAKS

All grades take one milk/snack break during the school day.  Families can send a healthy snack to school with their student.  If you would like your student to have a milk, the fee is $36 per semester.  You can pay the milk fee via MySchoolBucks.  

FRESH FRUIT AND VEGETABLE PROGRAM 

Deer Creek is lucky enough to be part of the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program (FFVP) on Tuesday-Friday of each week. The FFVP provides all children in participating schools with a variety of free fresh fruits and vegetables during the school day at times other than breakfast or lunch. It is an effective and creative way of introducing fresh fruits and vegetables as healthy snack options.

The goal of the FFVP is to improve children’s overall diet and create healthier eating habits to impact their present and future health. The FFVP will help schools create healthier school environments by providing healthier food choices, expanding the variety of fruits and vegetables children experience, and increasing children’s fruit and vegetable consumption. 

NEW STAFF  2021-22

Mrs. Brown  Dean of Students

I am looking forward to being a member of the Cardinal community! My undergraduate degree is a Bachelor’s of Science in Elementary Education with a specialty in pre-primary education. I continued my love of learning & obtained a Masters Degree in Educational Leadership. I have been with West Fargo Public Schools since I started in education, beginning as a 1st grade teacher & then taking on the role of instructional coach in the district, working with grades K-5. I have a passion for problem-solving, enjoy working with all stakeholders & believe building relationships is most important. I look forward to working alongside the Cardinal community! #GoCardinals

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Mrs. Braunagel  Grade 3

Hello Cardinals! I am so excited to be teaching 3rd grade and joining the Deer Creek family. This upcoming school year will be my 13th year of teaching and my 4th year in West Fargo. I received my undergraduate degree from St. Cloud State University and my masters degree in differentiated instruction from Concordia St. Paul. I have taught kindergarten, 2nd, 4th and 7th grade science. I love learning, sharing that love of learning with my students and witnessing the “aha” moments. Outside of school I enjoy spending time with my husband, Travis; Tate (10); and Tenley (8); our dog named Boomer and friends. I can’t wait to meet everyone soon!

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Mrs. Murphy  Grade 4

I am Mrs. Murphy! This will be my tenth year teaching, my sixth year in West Fargo. I have taught fourth, fifth, and sixth grade. I am excited to be part of the Deer Creek family! I have a love for reading and hope to instill that in my students. Outside of school I love to spend time with family and friends. I am looking forward to the start of a new school year and meeting my students and their families!

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Mrs. Budd Grade 1

My name is Meghan Budd and I am from Riverton, Utah. Growing up I also spent time in Montana and Washington. I recently graduated from Western Governors University with my degree in elementary education. Since moving to the Fargo area, I have student taught in 2nd grade, worked as a paraprofessional, and taught summer school at Eastwood Elementary. In my free time, I love hiking with my husband, painting, and baking. I am so excited to be joining the 1st grade team at Deer Creek!

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Mrs. Hovick- Reading 

Hello Cardinals. My name is Anne Hovick and I am excited to be working at Deer Creek Elementary. I have been teaching for 14 years mostly in grades 4, 5, and 6. I have an Elementary Education degree from the University of Northern Iowa. I have taught in Iowa, Oklahoma, Minnesota and now I will get to add North Dakota to my list. My husband, Torre is a professor at NDSU and we have two daughters Avery (age 9) and Sawyer ( age 6). We also have Rosie, our golden doodle puppy. Outside of school I enjoy reading, being outdoors, cooking, and walking/running/cycling. I look forward to getting to know you all soon!

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Mrs. Bartnick- Grade 4

I am so excited to be joining the Deer Creek family. To share a little about where I came from, I grew up in Kindred, ND. I received my undergraduate from MSUM and my masters in curriculum and instruction from St. Catherine’s University. I LOVE teaching and learning! I believe teaching is gratifying and energizing, it provides an opportunity to positively shape the future of young generations. I taught 4^th grade in West Fargo for 15 years and spent this last year as an instructional coach. Outside of school, I enjoy cooking, reading, running, and fishing. My husband, Noah (also a teacher) daughter Kendall (12) and son Kylan (9) spend most of our summer time at the lake. I look forward to working with the Deer Creek staff and beginning the next chapter of my career.

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Miss Horne- Grade 2

Hello! My name is Haley Horne and I am beyond excited to be joining the Deer Creek team! I graduated from NDSU and Valley City State University, then worked as a paraprofessional for two years. I have taught second grade and fifth grade. I am currently getting my masters in reading instruction through UND.  In my spare time I enjoy reading, baking, and spending time at the lake. I can’t wait to be a Cardinal! 

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Miss Fode- Kindergarten

Hello Cardinal Family, my name is Kylee Fode, and I am so excited to be a part of this amazing community! I am 25 years old, and graduated from Minnesota State University Moorhead with a degree in Early Childhood Education in December of 2020. I am thrilled to begin my teaching career in the West Fargo School District and put to use all of the things I have learned throughout my education. Some of my favorite pastimes include reading, being outdoors, and spending time with my friends and family. I am so proud to be a part of such a great team. I am delighted to begin the 2021-2022 school year - it's going to be awesome!

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Ms. Varegerg-Special Education CSSP

Hello, my name is Lisa Vareberg, am the CSSP Teacher here at Deer Creek this year. A little about myself- I am currently attending University of North Dakota to obtain my Masters in Education as a Special Education Strategist and a certificate in Autism Spectrum Disorder. I’m so excited to get to know your family. This is my second-year teaching in the CSSP room.  I have a 5-year-old daughter named Piper, and I live in West Fargo. I enjoy golfing, running, and going on walks with my family. I spend a lot of time outside when I can. We like to swim at the lake and visit different places. 

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Ms. Lindemann- Special Education

Hi there!  I am Ms. Lindemann and this will be my 18th year teaching, not including two years as a substitute teacher.  I graduated from Moorhead State University in 2000, the last graduating class before the name changed!   For ten years, I taught 4th-6th grades at Richland Elementary in Abercrombie and the last seven years teaching K-6 Title I math in Lisbon. These experiences led me to pursue a Master’s degree in Curriculum and Instruction with an emphasis of special education from Minnesota State University Moorhead.   In my spare time, I love spending time with my three kiddos, Kiara (24), Kolby (20) and Quinn (17), our pup, Scout, and my life long partner, Mike! We enjoy ATV rides around the farm near Enderlin,  cruise nights with the old ‘36 Ford, golfing, and spending time at the lake.  I am excited to be joining the Deer Creek team and can’t wait to meet my new teaching family!   

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YOUTH PATRIOTIC SOCIETIES

Effective for the 2021-22 school year, North Dakota Century Code requires schools to allow “youth patriotic societies” access to students during school hours. This new law means that representatives from groups like the Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts must be given the opportunity to speak with all students in grades K-5 this fall. To ensure equitable access that does not take away from learning, each group will be given no more than five minutes to share about their organization. These presentations may be scheduled during class time, lunchtime, recess, or as part of an assembly that is already planned; the scheduling will be done at the principals’ discretion, in alignment with the legal requirements.

Once we have established a presentation schedule with a youth patriotic society, it will be shared here in this newsletter and/or SeeSaw. If you would prefer that your child not participate in these presentations, please contact your child's teacher.

PTO INFORMATION

For PTO related information and events, click the PTO quick link found on the right side of this page.

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