Monroe Elementary News

Mission: Monroe Elementary empowers all students to reach their highest potential: socially, emotionally, and academically.

Vision: We will create an encouraging, safe, collaborative community to ensure high expectations, strong relationships, and purposeful learning for every student, everyday.

Our students ROCKED the Mask Up Mustang challenge. During the week of homecoming, students were rewarded with PBIS if they were "caught" wearing a mask. They could then enter their tickets into a drawing for prizes. We had so many entries!! On the Friday of homecoming, Mrs. Braida drew tickets and gave away prizes. Congratulations to all of our ME students, especially our challenge winners!

FACE COVERING REQUIREMENT BEGINS FRIDAY, OCT. 2nd

On Monday, Sept. 28th, the Governor released new guidance regarding quarantining. This guidance can be found here.

As a result, the PCM School District will be mandating face masks to be worn by all students, staff and guests on all school facilities. This includes all school-age children to adults. Face masks will also be required on school buses. *Students who are participating in the school-sponsored activities will not be required to wear a face mask during active participation as long as other mitigation strategies are employed.

The PCM Administration team believes that, at this time, this is the best policy to keep our students and staff safe and learning in a face-to-face setting.

Please see the attached letter for information about the mask mandate at Monroe Elementary.

Parent Letter

Thank you for your cooperation and support!

#maskupmustangs

Parent Teacher Conferences are just around the corner. Conferences will be held virtually Tuesday, October 6th and Thursday, October 8th. Both days will be a 1 hour early dismissal. We will still have a 90 minute late start on Monday, October 5th. If you have not received an email to set up conferences through SignUp Genius, please contact your child's teacher or call the office at 641-259-2314.

Conferences will be held virtually this year. Please click on the Zoom meeting link provided by your student's teacher. After clicking the link, you will be directed to a virtual waiting room until the teacher admits you to the conference. We will try our best to stay on schedule by starting on time and sticking to the allotted 15 minute time slots. We ask that you click on the Zoom link a 2-3 minutes before your scheduled time so we can get started promptly. *If you are unable to participate virtually and would prefer a phone conference, please email me before the date of your scheduled conference.

During the month of October, I will begin lessons focused on topics that will help students to be successful in the classroom.

Kindergarten: listening

• 1st Grade: listening and following directions
• 2nd Grade: identifying strengths and positive self-talk
• 3rd Grade: following directions and positive self-talk
• 4th Grade: growth mindset
• 5th Grade: growth mindset

Small Groups

Your student may be bringing home information on my small groups if they are in grades 2-5. I do offer small groups for Kindergarteners and 1st graders as well, mostly focused on social skills. These are voluntary and NOT required. Small groups are offered to anyone interested in building positive friendships, work on a variety of skills, and have fun doing it! When your student brings home a “Small Group Menu”, please feel free to look through it and email me if you would like to recommend your student to join a small group. If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to reach out! Below is a short description of the small groups I will offer this year:

• Worry Busters- for students who have worried or anxious feelings often learning a variety of coping strategies to better handle these feelings.
• Chilled Out- group for students who want to learn strategies relating to impulse control, coping skills, and self-regulation.
• Fabulous Friends- for younger grades focused on learning about what it means to be a good friend.
• Just Us Girls- for older grades, focused on how to squash rumors, gossip, and how to positively handle disagreements with other students.
• Building Champions- for students who want to work on teamwork skills including sportsmanship and leadership.

Your student's photos are ready to personalize and order!

https://shop.jostenspix.com

Event Code: FE10720

This year, Josten’s has added a security step to the online viewing procedure which requires parents to request permission to access their child’s pictures. The Monroe Elementary secretary will then verify and approve your access. This process is usually completed within 24 hours. Please use the following procedures to view your child’s pictures.

1. Login to Jostenspix.com.

2. Select Find Your Student? on the upper right of your screen. If you are using a mobile device select Find Your Student? on the dropdown menu on the upper right on mobile devices.

3. Search for your student by entering the following:
- School Name: Enter Monroe Elementary then select our school from the dropdown options.
- First Name: Student first name.
- Last Name: Student last name.
- Event Code: FE10720

4. Click Search. Your student’s name will appear below search fields.

5. Click Add Student.

6. A pop up box will appear asking you to enter an access code. Click the orange Request Secure Access Code button.

7. The system will then ask you to enter your relation to the child. Once entered, click Submit. This will send a message to the school indicating parents need approval. Please note this message is only sent once per day so you may not get access immediately.

8. Once you are approved you will receive an email with your code. Follow the above steps to return to the Access Code entry pop up box. Enter your code. You can then view your student’s pictures!

If you have any questions, please call our office at 641-259-2314. Retakes will be October 13th.

HEALTH CONCERNS

Just a reminder, with COLD AND FLU SEASON around the corner, please help stop the spread of illness at school by keeping your child home when they are sick. Children are required to be fever FREE (100 degrees or more), vomiting, and diarrhea FREE for 24 HOURS, without the use of medication, before returning to school. Children will be sent home if they exhibit any of these symptoms OR if it has not been 24 hours. Thank you for your cooperation in keeping our students healthy.

PCM Health Screenings

During the course of the school year, students may participate in various health screenings provided by the school district or area health agencies. These screenings are not intended to replace those services provided by a health care provider.

Student Screenings may include:

1. Vision Screenings

2. Hearing Screenings (Heartland AEA)

3. Dental Screenings

4. Height & Weight

5. Blood Pressure Screenings – 3rd grade

6. Color Blindness Screenings – 3rd grade

Students are automatically screened unless the parent submits a note asking the student be excused from the screening.

If you would NOT like your child to participate in 1 or more of the screenings mentioned above, please notify the office IN WRITING as soon as possible.

Thank You,

Sally Elrod

Monroe School Nurse

• Fire Prevention Week: October 5 - October 9

• PTA Meeting: Monday, October 12th at 5:30 p.m.

• Picture Retakes: Tuesday, October 13th
• Virtual Parent Teacher Conferences: October 6th, October 8th
• No School- October 26th

• Fall Parties: October 30th

District Website- Monroe Elementary

Monroe Elementary Facebook Page

Ever wonder what the PTA is all about?

Come and find out!

Our next meeting will be October 12th, at 5:30 p.m.

Meetings are held on the 2nd Monday of the month at 5:30 in the ME Library.

Fifth grade students were reading stories this month about Braille and how we make accommodations for hearing or visually impaired people. Miss DeJong, ME Special Education Teacher, spoke to the fifth graders and taught them some sign language. THEY LOVED her presentation!!

Please welcome School Resource Officer Adam Choat, who started with the district on October 1. He will be a resource for students, staff, and families and provide safety, mentorship, advice, counseling.

Monroe Elementary students and staff showed their PCM pride during Spirit Week!

Our new librarian Lori Thomas is working hard to expand literacy in our school. Each month she will spotlight an author and plans to incorporate lessons and activities to help our students develop a love of reading.

This month's author in the spotlight is R.L. Stine. October is the perfect month to enjoy a spooky story. Stine wrote many of our favorite bone-chilling books series: Goosebumps, Fear Street, and Mostly Ghostly. Encourage your student to check one of his books out the next time they have library.