Adrian Elementary School

We welcomed Julianne Endres, the author of “Little Bug Earns Her Spots” into Kindergarten today as she shared her story and read to the students! Julianne graduated from Adrian and was thrilled to return to the area! We also want to thank her for donating one of her books to the AES library!!

Congratulations to our April Shining Students of the Month!

Thank you to Mr. Johnson and the Adrian FFA for providing our 4th and 5th grade students with some farm safety information!

Here is some info for a Mother/Son event sponsored by the AES PTO!

The PTO has graciously offered to match up to $500 for each book purchased off of our Elementary Amazon Wish List! See fliers below for more information! Thank you AES PTO!

Here are some recent research-based guidelines pertaining to screen time.

Healthy Social Media & Screen Use Guidelines by Age Group

As families, we all want to support our children in developing healthy habits—especially when it comes to screens and social media. Here are some simple, age-appropriate guidelines:

Infants & Toddlers (0–2 years)
The focus should be on real-world interaction and brain development.
Guidance:
- Avoid social media and most screen use (except video chatting with loved ones)
- Prioritize face-to-face interaction, language, and play
- Limit adult phone use during caregiving routines

Preschoolers (3–5 years)
This stage is all about social-emotional growth and learning self-regulation.
Guidance:
- No independent social media use
- Use screens sparingly with adult co-viewing
- Choose high-quality, age-appropriate content
- Start conversations about kindness and safe behavior

Elementary (6–10 years)
Focus on building digital literacy and balance.
Guidance:
- Keep social media very limited and supervised
- Prioritize homework, sleep, physical activity, and friendships
- Use parental controls and shared passwords
- Teach privacy, respect, and how to handle online situations

Tweens (11–12 years)
Begin developing independent decision-making skills.
Guidance:
- Carefully consider readiness before allowing social media
- Create a family media plan with clear expectations
- Limit nighttime use; turn devices off before bed
- Talk about peer pressure and unrealistic online content

Teenagers (13–18 years)
Support independence while protecting mental health.
Guidance:
- Encourage mindful, purposeful use (not constant scrolling)
- Discuss how social media can influence emotions and behavior
- Watch for warning signs (sleep issues, anxiety, withdrawal)
- Encourage breaks and healthy offline coping strategies
- Keep communication open and supportive

Across All Ages: Core Principles
- Quality over quantity matters
- Open communication is key
- Kids learn from adult modeling—our habits matter too

Helping kids build healthy screen habits starts with guidance, consistency, and conversation.

References:
American Academy of Pediatrics. (2025). Screen time guidelines.

American Academy of Pediatrics. (2026). A child friendly digital world: AAP releases new media recommendations.

American Academy of Pediatrics. (n.d.). Kids & screen time: How to use the 5 C’s of media guidance

American Psychological Association. (2023). Health advisory on social media use in adolescence.

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (2025). Social media and youth mental health: Surgeon General’s advisory

Thank you to all the students who participated in the Spring BookFair coloring contest. Winners were announced at Blast-Off this morning and received a poster from the BookFair!

Governor Walz proclaimed last Friday School Library Media Specialist Day. We have one of the best in Mrs. Lichter and want to thank her for all that she does for our students and district!!

In honor of the National Paraprofessional Appreciation Day, we would like to thank our paraprofessionals again for all that they do for our students! We are truly blessed to have you!

Congratulations to our March shining students of the month! (Missing Angel Cornejo)

A huge thank you to all who came out to support their students at Achievement Night. Also thank you to the AES PTO for sponsoring the event, Mitchell Lynn, Nicole Newman and the Rock/Nobles Cattlemen's Association for donating the burgers and doing the grilling, and to all of the volunteers who were able to attend and help throughout the event. It takes a lot of people to make things like this happen, as there is a lot of planning that goes into it before the event takes place. Needless to say, there were a lot of proud students enjoying the moment and opportunity to share some of the products of their hard work with their family and friends.