Burnett Creek Elementary School students explore the land down under.

World champions share their passion and experiences with Texas team.

Deputy Dan McDermott brings experience and a focus on building student connections.

Dr. Scott Hanback named Indiana Superintendent of the Year

Battle Ground Middle School students design, test and launch rockets.

On Tuesday, November 25, 2025, Mintonye’s kindergarten students came together to celebrate a special Thanksgiving-themed feast. The event brought all kindergarten classes together to honor the traditions of the first Thanksgiving in a fun and memorable way.

Students enjoyed a festive snack of popcorn, Bugles, candy corn, and fruit snacks—treats symbolizing the foods often associated with early harvest celebrations. To add to the excitement, children dressed up as Native Americans and Pilgrims, helping them connect with the history and spirit of the holiday.

Each kindergarten class also prepared a song to share. Classes took turns performing for one another, filling the room with music and smiles as they celebrated together.

The feast offered a joyful blend of learning, creativity, and community—making it a Thanksgiving tradition the kindergarteners won’t soon forget.

For more than 15 years, Ms. Delp’s kindergarten class and Mrs. Davis’s second graders have enjoyed a heartwarming tradition: Book Buddy time. Each week, the classes come together for 15–20 minutes as second graders practice their reading skills by sharing books with their kindergarten buddies. Partners are matched at the start of the school year and stay together throughout, allowing wonderful friendships to grow. Teachers often see these buddies greet each other enthusiastically in the hallways, a sweet reminder of the bonds they’re building.

This year, the holiday season brought even more excitement. In the two days leading up to Thanksgiving Break, the Book Buddies met for two extra activities. On Monday afternoon, students gathered in the second-grade classroom to decorate “turkey” cookies, transforming sugar cookies into festive treats with icing and creative toppings. Then on Tuesday, everyone reunited in the kindergarten room to color, cut, and paste their own turkey crafts. There were plenty of messes—quickly cleaned up—and even more smiles as the older and younger students worked side by side to create their artwork.

The Book Buddy tradition continues to strengthen reading skills, foster confidence, and build special connections that last far beyond kindergarten and second grade.

Click this link to see more picture!!

Students in Mrs. Swick’s class have been strengthening their writing skills by learning how to sequence steps and include important details. To put these skills into action, each student wrote step-by-step instructions for making a peanut butter and jelly sandwich.

Once the directions were complete, Mrs. Swick followed each set of instructions exactly as written—from gathering supplies to assembling the sandwich. This led to plenty of laughs and “aha” moments as students realized how clear, precise writing leads to successful results, while missing or vague steps can completely change the outcome.

This hands-on activity gave students a memorable way to see the power of detailed writing and the importance of clear communication.

Mintonye Elementary’s fourth graders presented a fantastic Veterans Day program to honor those who have served our country. Students shared meaningful readings, poems, and songs—including crowd favorites Fifty Nifty United States and the Armed Forces Medley, which paid tribute to each branch of service. Veterans in attendance were invited to introduce themselves and received handwritten notes of thanks from Mintonye students.

Active-duty hero and Mintonye parent Jeremy Boden delivered an inspiring speech, encouraging everyone to make a difference in their own way. The program concluded with a moving performance of Taps by guest trumpeters from McCutcheon High School. Mintonye extends heartfelt thanks to all veterans for their service and sacrifice.

Fall colors aren’t just decorating the trees! Mrs. DeGolyer’s kindergarten class at Mintonye Elementary was filled with excitement during their recent Fall Leaf Day. One of the highlights was a graphing activity where students learned about real graphs using actual leaves they had collected. Each child carefully examined the leaves before sorting and graphing them according to color, shape, and size.

First graders at Mintonye Elementary had an unforgettable day on their field trip to Lafayette Fire Station #5! Excitement filled the air as students got to see a real fire truck up close. The firefighters demonstrated how the siren and horn work, which brought lots of smiles and wide eyes. The highlight of the visit was when each student got a turn to spray the fire hose!

After exploring the fire station and learning about the important work firefighters do to keep our community safe, the fun continued with a picnic at the park. Students enjoyed lunch, played with friends, and shared stories about their favorite moments from the day.

It was a wonderful experience filled with learning, laughter, and lasting memories!