MPES January and February Parent News

Posted Date: 01/09/24 (02:46 PM)

January and February 2024

Principal’s Message

Dear MPES Parents and Guardians,

I hope this message finds you well and that the new year has begun on a positive note for you and your families. As we step into the months of January and February, I wanted to take a moment to share some important updates and information regarding our elementary school community.

Academic Focus: Our dedicated teachers continue to work diligently to provide a nurturing and enriching learning environment for your children. We are focusing on reinforcing core academic skills, promoting critical thinking, and encouraging a love for learning. Please take some time to discuss your child's progress with them and read with them nightly to continue this work at home.

Winter Weather and School Closure Information: With winter in full swing, it's essential to be prepared for potential inclement weather. In the event of severe weather conditions, please stay tuned to our official communication channels (the CCS Website) for any school closure announcements. The safety of our students and staff is our top priority, and we appreciate your cooperation during such situations.

Upcoming Events: We have exciting events planned for the upcoming months, including school events, themed weeks, and other activities designed to engage and inspire our students. Keep an eye on our school calendar for specific dates and details.

Health and Safety Reminders: With winter being a time of increased illness, please remember that if your child is vomiting or has a fever over 100.4, we kindly ask that you keep them at home for 24 hours to ensure the well-being of our entire school community.

Thank you for your continued support, collaboration, and dedication to the education of our students. Together, we can make this school year a memorable and successful one for each child.

Wishing you a wonderful start to the new year!

In partnership,

Alyn Szymanski, Principal

Special Celebrations Coming Up

PTO Sweetheart Dance

We are excited to bring back our annual PTO "Sweetheart Dance" for all MPES students in kindergarten through second grade.

Due to space, this event will only allow for one "sweetheart" per student. Students are welcome to invite any significant adult for this event.

We will host in our cafeteria with a DJ and dancing and flowers, pizza and snacks for purchase. Admission is free but you MUST RSVP through the link in Parent Square.

Parent Connections Series

We are excited to bring you a series of Parent Connection opportunities for parents to join us at school to learn about ways to further their child's development. In February, we will feature a session on developmental stages-- including what to expect at EVERY age, and in April you can be on the lookout for a session on children and anxiety. Please plan to join us!

Upcoming Events

January 15: No School- MLK Day Holiday
January 16: No school for students-- Professional Development Day
January 22-25: CHA Mobile Dental at MPES
January 22: TA Scholarship Drink Sale begins
January 26: 100th day of school
January 30: Class Picture Day
February 1: K-2 FCA
February 5: Progress Reports go home
February 5-9: School Counselor Appreciation Week
February 5-9: "Souper Bowl" Food Drive
February 8: 2nd Grade Field Trip to Greensboro Science Center
February 9: Early Dismissal at 12:00PM, Professional Development Day for staff
February 9: Parent Connections Meeting, 10:45-11:45AM in the cafeteria
February 12: PTO meeting 3:30PM, media center
February 16: PTO Sweethearts Dance, 6-7:30PM
February 19: No School for Students-- Teacher Work Day
February 19: TA Drink Sale Pickup
February 22: Reading Benchmark #3
February 26: 4th Grade Junior Achievement Field Trip
February 27: 5th Grade Science Benchmark #3
February 28: Math Benchmark #3

Reminders

Parent Curriculum Information:

All information about student curriculum has been moved to Canvas. Here is the link if needed.

Car Rider Line Reminder
Thank you for your punctuality when arriving at school for morning drop off and evening pick up of your students. 8:15AM is considered LATE arrival and will accrue as a student tardy. The car rider line closes at 8:14AM and any family arriving after this point will need to proceed to the front office to park and walk their child in to receive a tardy slip. Having students "exit ready" with backpacks on and good-byes already complete by the time they enter the line helps everyone get to school on time. Please be sure to schedule your arrival into our car rider line earlier to prevent students from accruing tardies. We begin allowing students into the building as early as 7:45AM.

Setting Behavioral Goals for the New Year:

Students will be revisiting and setting goals around our School Wide expectations Tiger ROAR for the month of January. (Respectful—Ownership—Awesome Attitude—Responsible.)
We also look forward to continuing to build positive relationships as MP Tigers, including Kindness Week coming in February focusing on bullying prevention.
Here are some helpful links to discuss bullying prevention with your child at home:

Positivity Project:
This year we are continuing our use of the Positivity Project (P2) to integrate character development into daily instruction. To practice and encourage the character strength of integrity with your child, please visit the Positivity Project’s P2 for Families (password: P2), where together you can watch a video, read a quote, and talk about the answers to three questions.

This month, our weekly P2 traits are:

JAN 8-12	Prudence
JAN 15–19**	Perseverance
JAN 22–26	Social Intelligence
JAN 29–FEB 2	Spiral Review
FEB 5–9	OPM – Cheering others’ success
FEB 12–16	Love
FEB 19–23*	Humility