E.C.H.O. Charter School

Greetings! As the new school year begins, we would like to remind you that the new Prairie Five Prepared Meals program is available to our students and families. Please contact them at (320)269-9009 for additional information or to sign up for the program.

The E.C.H.O. Charter School student supply list is located on our website at: www.isd4026.org.

Only 12 days until the start of the new school year! Please join us for Back to School Night on Tuesday August 20th from 4 to 7 p.m. Free will donation Hotdog Fundraiser from 4-6:30 p.m. Hope to see you there!

We are immensely grateful to John Kestner for his generous donation to the preservation project of the E.C.H.O. Charter School archives. This contribution will assist in purchasing frames to honor his late wife, Lynn Varpness, a cherished alumna of Echo High School, Class of 1973. Lynn, who graduated as Valedictorian, was deeply involved in school life, participating in the Annuals staff, Bridge club, Cheerleading, Chorus, FHA, National Honor Society, and Pep Band. She also shone in the Junior and Senior class plays. John fondly recalls the stories Lynn shared about her vibrant days at Echo High, which continue to bring joy and inspiration. Lynn passed away on May 11, 2021, but her spirit and legacy will continue to be celebrated through this thoughtful gesture. This donation not only aids in preserving the rich history of our school but also keeps Lynn’s memory alive within the halls she once walked. Thank you, John, for supporting our efforts to honor the past and inspire future generations. Your kindness and dedication are truly appreciated.

Legacy Lives On: Sickmann Family Donates Historic Letters and Awards to E.C.H.O. Charter School** E.C.H.O. Charter School welcomed esteemed visitors Penny Sickmann Parker, Bonnie Lynn Chadwick, and Cynthia Sickmann Simms from Virginia State today, who made a special trip to donate their father's historic school memorabilia. The Sickmann sisters donated an invaluable collection of letters and award certificates belonging to their father, Hubert "Slug" Sickmann, an Echo High alumnus known for his diverse talents and contributions during his high school years. **Donations Include**: - **Baseball Letters**: 1940 and 1941 - **Declamation-Oratory Letters**: 1940 and 1941 - **Cheerleading Letters**: 1938 and 1939 - **Award Certificates**: Copies of the certificates recognizing his achievements Hubert "Slug" Sickmann was a multifaceted student who excelled in sports, oratory, and cheerleading, graduating in 1942. The letters and certificates donated by his daughters provide a glimpse into his exemplary high school career. After presenting the donations, Penny, Bonnie, and Cynthia were taken on a tour of E.C.H.O. Charter School. They walked the same halls their father did, reminiscing and connecting with the school’s storied past. The E.C.H.O. community is deeply honored by the Sickmann family's generous donation, which will help preserve and celebrate the legacy of Hubert "Slug" Sickmann for generations to come. This significant contribution enriches the historical tapestry of E.C.H.O. Charter School, ensuring that the accomplishments of its past students continue to inspire and motivate future generations.

Help Us Preserve Our School's History! Hello E.C.H.O. Charter School Community, We need your help! We've recently uncovered a treasure trove of class pictures dating back decades. These photos are a vital part of our school's history, but unfortunately, many of them need help. Some pictures have no frames at all, others have frames without the glass, and several have broken glass. Our goal is to protect these precious memories from further damage and to adorn our school halls with these photos to honor the students who came before us. To do this, we need frames in various sizes to fit the pictures properly. The most popular sizes are: - 23x20 - 30x24 - 24x21 - 16x20 - 35x28 We also need one frame each for the following sizes: - 19x20 - 28x22 - 25x22 - 31x25 - 32x20 Your donations of frames in these sizes, or financial contributions to help us get custom frames made, would be greatly appreciated. Together, we can preserve our school's rich history and create a beautiful tribute to the alumni of E.C.H.O. Charter School. If you would like to donate or contribute, please reach out directly to our school office. Thank you for your support! Best regards, E.C.H.O. Charter School

A Big Thank You to Judy Miller! We are thrilled to express our heartfelt gratitude to Judy Miller for her generous donation of the 1967 Echo yearbook. Thanks to her contribution, our collection now proudly houses every yearbook from the 1960s! Judy's donation has brought immense joy to the staff and students at E.C.H.O. Charter School. A Note on Our Collection: Our earliest yearbook dates back to 1938, which we believe might be the first year Echo had a yearbook. If you know of any yearbooks from earlier years, please let us know! We're still searching for more yearbooks! We need yearbooks from the following years to complete our archive: - 1943 to 1950 - 1953 - 1991 - 1993 to 2000 - 2002 If you possess yearbooks from these years and are willing to donate or loan them to the school, it would greatly aid in our historical preservation efforts. Your support is invaluable to us! Thank you again to Judy Miller and to all who consider contributing to our growing collection.

Happy Independence Day from E.C.H.O. Charter School!

Hello E.C.H.O. Charter School community, We're on a mission to preserve the rich history of our school, both as a public and as a charter institution, and we need your help! We are currently seeking to fill gaps in our yearbook archive and are looking for yearbooks from the following years: - 1943 to 1950 - 1953 - 1967 - 1991 - 1993-2000 - 2002 If you have yearbooks from these years and are willing to donate or loan them to the school, it would greatly aid in our efforts. Donations and loans will be handled with the utmost care. For those interested in contributing, please feel free to reach out directly to arrange a donation or loan: Phone: 507-925-4143 Email: tcowell@isd4026.org (Travis Cowell, Coordinator) Your support in preserving our shared history is invaluable. Thank you for considering this opportunity to make a lasting impact on our community!

E.C.H.O. Charter School and Board member Mark Hoeper are ready to spread the joy of reading to Upper Sioux Community students through the school’s Readers are Leaders program.

Happy Memorial Day from E.C.H.O. Charter School.

Congratulations to our graduates Matt Fierro and Autumn Harder!

Join us for the 27th graduation at E.C.H.O. Charter School today Friday May 24th at 7:00 p.m.

Congratulations to our Grades 4 & 5 Award Winners! Great job!

More Award Winners in Grades 3 . Congratulations!

Today was also Awards Day! Highlights of Kindergarten through Grade 2 award winners!

Kindergarten Graduation highlights!

Students, families and staff enjoying warm cinnamon rolls on the last day of school! Kindergarten Graduation and Awards to follow. Thank you Ms. Dawn for the wonderful rolls!

E.C.H.O. Charter School students and staff arriving for the last day of school! It was a great year!

Join us today for final day of our Annual "Art Apart" Show, which showcases our students art talents!