January Newsletter 2024

JANUARY

1/3 School Resumes

1/4 Robotics Competition Team Practice

1/10 Report cards are posted

1/10 PTO Meeting

1/11 3rd & 4th grade Talent Show Auditions

1/15 MLK, Jr Day - No School

1/16 School Spelling Bee

1/22-23 2nd Grade Field Trip to Brooklyn

1/24 Talent Show Dress Rehearsal

1/25 Talent Show

FEBRUARY

2/1 Robotics Competition Practice

2/5 Aladdin Musical Auditions for Kdg and 1st grade

2/6 Aladdin Musical Auditions for 2nd, 3rd, and 4th grades

2/7 PTO Meeting

2/9 Cookies & Canvas

The 3rd grade classes visited WCBK and sang christmas carols live on the radio. Next stop, singing to the residents at the nursing home.

*3rd and 4th grade only*

AUDITIONS/TRY OUTS:

Thursday, Jan. 11th at 6:00 pm

Be sure you have your music, act, costume with you so you are prepared to try out on stage. Families are welcome to stay and watch!

DRESS REHEARSAL: Wednesday, Jan. 24th at 6:00 pm

SHOW: Thursday, Jan. 25th at 6:00 pm

Please put your child’s name inside their jacket/coat. We have several students’ jackets turned into the lost and found weekly. We would love to be able to return these items to their owners.

IREAD 3: Grade 3

March 4-15

ILEARN: Grades 3-4

April 15-May 10

Good attendance is very important. Please avoid scheduling appointments during this time.

Our Family School Pantry is held from 11:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m. as a drive-through at the back of John R. Wooden Middle School. MSD of Martinsville's 2023-24 school year pantry dates are on Thursdays: 1/11, 2/15, 3/14, 4/11, & 5/9.

Inclement Weather

As we begin a busy season of school and holiday activities, I would like to make you aware of our procedures and communication plan concerning the possibility of inclement weather:

● Weather decisions are made by our team who monitor conditions closely.

● When determining a delay, early dismissal or cancellation of school, countywide weather conditions are reviewed. In addition, we utilize the National Weather Service website @ www.nws.noaa.gov/om/cold/wind_chill.shtml

Communication

Before school, a decision will be made by 5:30 AM and communicated to you and your family in the following ways:

1. Staff/ parents will be notified through an all-call using School Messenger. (Telephone numbers are generated from our Skyward database. At your convenience, please check Skyward to ensure your telephone number is up-to-date for this academic year.)

2. Communication will be added to the district's website and social media accounts: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, MSD of Martinsville

3. Communication will be sent to the following radio and TV stations: WCBK, WISH 8, WRTV-6, WTHR-13, Fox-59.

4. This information can also be found on our website, https://www.msdofmartinsville.org/safety/.

Early Dismissal

As weather conditions in our area can change quickly, an early dismissal may be necessary. We will make a decision concerning dismissal as early as possible then call parents through School Messenger and communicate information to our website, social media and local media.

I encourage you as a family to develop a weather plan. For example, if parents or guardians work, where should your child go if there is an early dismissal or a two-hour delay?

I hope this information is helpful as we work together planning for inclement weather events.

Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions.

Sincerely,

Eric Bowlen

Superintendent

When school is on a two-hour delay, students may enter the building at 10:25. The tardy bell will ring at 10:40. The end of the day dismissal times will remain the same.

Lunch schedule on two-hour

delay days:

11:00-11:30 KDG Lunch

11:10-11:40 3rd Grade Lunch

11:40-12:10 4th Grade Lunch

11:50-12:20 1st Grade Lunch

12:20-12:50 2nd Grade Lunch

Note:

There will be NO breakfast on two-hour delay days.

Click this link to apply! Applying has benefits for the school and your family. If you have questions, check out the video.

Meet the PTO Board

Co-presidents: Ky Sumner and Katie O’Neal

Vice President: Amy Purkey

Treasurer: Jami Dougherty

Secretary: Amanda Thomas

Upcoming PTO Events

1/10 PTO Meeting

Meeting Times

PTO meetings will be held on Wednesdays at 4:30 p.m. in the library. Meeting dates are as follows:

Jan. 10, Feb. 7, Mar. 6, Apr. 3, May 1.

Everyone is invited and welcome. We hope many will participate.

Follow us on Facebook:

Smith Fine Arts Academy PTO

All visitors to MSD of Martinsville Schools during the school year will be required to have a Limited Criminal History Check. Completed background checks are confidential and will be kept in the school office. A valid driver’s license or state-issued ID will be required for the background check. Please complete the Background Check Form, available in the office, and present your ID to the office at least a week prior to visiting or volunteering. In order to keep our students safe, individuals who do not have a valid driver’s license or state-issued ID will not be allowed access to our building or our students. Please note: If you have a misdemeanor conviction within the last 5 years or a felony conviction within the last 10 years, you will not be allowed to visit/chaperone during school hours. Thank you for your understanding and cooperation as we keep student safety a priority!

The building opens at 8:25 a.m. Students should not arrive before that time since there is no supervision. Please monitor the time your child leaves for school to make certain he or she does not arrive before 8:25 a.m. We ask that you call the school office (342-8488) by 9:30 a.m. if your child is going to be absent or tardy. If we have not heard from you, you will receive a phone call informing you that your child is not in attendance. A note is necessary the day your child returns if you do not call the school.

· Please share our dismissal procedures with any friends and/or family members who will be responsible for picking up your student.

· To change your student’s dismissal procedure, please call the office at 765-342-8488 ext 3 before 3:00 p.m. We may not be able to accommodate dismissal changes after 3:00 p.m. Please do not leave a message when making a dismissal change.

· If your child is a car rider, please stop by the office to pick up a green sign to place in your car during dismissal.

· Car riders, bus riders, and daycare students will begin dismissing at 3:30 pm. Walkers will be released at approximately 3:45 p.m., after all buses and car riders have departed.

· Students who are being picked up early must be signed out in the office by a parent, guardian, or emergency contact.

If your child wishes to celebrate their birthday at school, please make arrangements with the teacher prior to the celebration. If you choose to send treats to school, please choose treats that are commercially prepared. We ask parents to send only edible treats, not drinks. Students have access to water. Convenient individual portions should be sent since teachers do not have knives or plates to serve treats. Homemade treats are not permitted.

Menus are available at the beginning of each month and can be found at: artiescafe.org .

Lunch payments may be made, and meal/textbook assistance forms may be completed, online at artiescafe.org.

Student Lunch: $2.75

LUNCH SCHEDULE

1st Grade

2nd Grade

3rd Grade

4th Grade

The goal of the clinic is to keep everyone safe and healthy.

The school nurse encourages everyone to get their flu shot. Contact your doctor or go to your local pharmacy to get a flu shot. We also would like to remind you that if your child has a temperature of 100 degrees or higher, they will not be permitted to stay at school.

Students must be fever FREE for 24 hours without medication to return to school. They must also be vomiting and diarrhea FREE for 24 hours to come to school.

Please talk to your children about hand washing and personal hygiene.

If your child borrows clothes from the clinic, PLEASE wash the clothes and return them to school.

It is the responsibility of the students to maintain a healthy and respectful-looking appearance while attending school and school activities. Specific regulations of the dress policy:

· Clothing and/or accessories which are indecent or displaying/inferring offensive or lewd words, sayings, and/or pictures is considered a violation. Clothing and/or accessories may not display any forms or references to alcohol, tobacco products, and/or illegal substances.

· Short shorts, halter tops, net shirts, tank tops with spaghetti straps, and midriff tops are not permissible.

· Shoes should be appropriate for safety and comfort. Flip flops and shoes with wheels are not permitted at any time. Students must wear tennis shoes to Physical Education. High heels, and sandals without backs are not permitted.

· Hats and sunglasses are not to be worn in the school building except on designated days.

· The wearing or displaying of any gang related article of dress or adornment is not allowed at school or any school activity.

· Any attire that disrupts the educational process or puts a student at risk, such as clothing that does not fit appropriately, or leaves underwear exposed, is not permitted.

The Smith F.A.A. (Fine Arts Academy) Event Calendar will be updated with important school events throughout the year. This calendar can be found

at: www.msdofmartinsville.org/charles-l-smith-fine-arts-academy/calendar/. Be sure to bookmark it or make it a favorite so it will be easy to access!