Happy Spring, Lower School Families,

With daylight saving time here and sunny yet unpredictable weather, it truly feels like spring in Minnesota. It’s that time of year when we’re tempted to pack away the snow gear and shovels—yet we know we might still need them!

The Lower School is buzzing with excitement for spring and, of course, the upcoming spring break. Even with the anticipation of time away, our students remain active, engaged, and focused on learning. This past week, our reading team reviewed our most recent Believe and Read data and were once again beaming with excitement and pride. Our students are making significant growth toward their reading goals, and Visitation students are scoring remarkably higher than our peer schools. We are so proud of each child and their dedication to learning.

We are also incredibly proud of the compassion and service our students show to others. Last week, third graders participated in a special service trip to support Feed My Starving Children. This act of service beautifully reflects our mission and our focus during the Lenten season. The third grade students also deepened their understanding of Lent by visiting Saint Thomas Academy campus and participating in Stations of the Cross.

Building friendships and a strong sense of belonging is another important part of life in the Lower School. Fourth and fith graders participated in a kindness retreat last week. With the leadership of Visitation School and Saint Thomas Academy seniors, students learned, grew, and bonded while focusing on how to love and support one another. Kindergarten through third grade students will have their special retreat tomorrow, and we know it will be a wonderful experience.

Fifth grade girls also celebrated an exciting milestone this week during their Move Up Day for Middle School. They had the opportunity to meet Middle School students, faculty, and staff as they begin preparing for their next adventure here at Visitation.

We truly appreciated the opportunity to connect with each of you during conferences this week. Taking time to celebrate your child’s academic and social growth and to strengthen our partnership with families is a gift. Conferences are about much more than reviewing a report card, they are about recognizing each child’s unique strengths and working together to support their continued growth.

When we return from spring break, we look forward to celebrating all learners during our first-ever Neurodiversity Week. Students will engage in readings, videos and guest speakers that highlight and celebrate “All Kinds of Minds.” On Wednesday, students are invited to wear their class color shirts as we represent a beautiful rainbow of learning styles and perspectives. After break, we will also hold our March assembly to celebrate our Salesian Stars and recognize Women’s History Month.

There is always so much to celebrate and appreciate here at Visitation. Thank you, as always, for your continued love, support and partnership.

With gratitude,

Jessica Hallin