PRM School Rocker

Greetings PRM Families,

The 2023-24 school year is off and running! Our staff has been working hard to build relationships, teach expectations and procedures, and provide access to high-quality, on-grade-level Montessori instruction. We are collecting baseline data to tailor instruction to meet the unique needs of each student. Thank you for being excellent partners as we pursue outstanding student outcomes with our learners.

We want to welcome our new Assistant Principal, Ms. Christie Brown. Ms. Brown is a veteran administrator in the District. She comes to us after serving at North Avondale Montessori for the past three years. We are grateful to have her calm spirit and knowledge to support the success of our school community.

Despite the additional obstacles, our arrival and dismissal procedures are starting to smooth out. Thank you for adhering to our guidelines and processes so that we can get students into the building as quickly as possible each morning. Secure a daily dismissal plan with your child's teacher by completing this form and stick to it. Dismissal changes due to appointments must be communicated in writing to the teacher by no later than the morning of the day the change is needed. Please do not call our office during dismissal to have your child's dismissal adjusted. There is no early dismissal after 1:30pm.

School starts promptly at 7:40am and ends at 2:10pm. The doors open for students at 7:30am each morning. Students may not arrive before 7:15am, as there is no staff supervision until that time. The car line must close by 8am each morning to allow for the use of the playground. If you are late dropping off your students at school, you must find a parking spot and walk them into the office. The car line will close at 2:25pm each afternoon. Please be courteous and ensure you have a solid plan to pick your children up from school by 2:25pm. If you are late picking up in the afternoon, you must park and walk to the entrance to sign your child out.

We know dogs make the walk to school a family affair, but we must prioritize the safety of our campus. Please do not bring your dogs to campus with you. We want to prevent any incidents that could occur.

Remember, we are all in this together. Don't hesitate to contact us with your questions or concerns. Please check www.prmrocks.org for announcements regarding school/community events. We value your partnership and are honored to work with you!

Love,

Principal Simpson & Asst. Principal Brown

Email: simpsoa@cpsboe.k12.oh.us
Phone: 513-203-9087

7:40am-2:10pm

Now through September 21 – Mum Sale online at www.prmrocks.org/flowers/

Monday, September 11 to Friday, September 15 – Midterm week

Wednesday, September 13 – LSDMC Meeting @ 3:00pm at PRM (Media Center)

Wednesday, September 13 – PTO/Equity Group Meeting @ 6:30pm at PRM

Monday, September 18 – Outdoor education (garden) starts

Monday, September 18 – ILT Meeting @ 2:45pm at PRM

Wednesday, September 20 – Foundation Meeting from 6:30-7:30pm at CHH

Monday, September 25 – No School – CPS Professional Development Day

Event updates throughout the month will be available on www.prmrocks.org/calendar

*You can also subscribe to the calendar on your device- find the green “subscribe” button on the top right side of the calendar page.

The PRM building expansion is well underway. Phase I of the project involved demolishing our previous parking lot, the corresponding campus green space, and the relocation of the PreK playground. The new upper lot opened on August 15th. A temporary entrance/exit was also constructed for safety and PreK drop-off.

Our project will be ongoing, with a projected completion date in September 2024. We are incorporating progress updates in our classroom lessons and school displays. We look forward to the completion of this project, which will help right-size our school and expand our cafeteria. Please view the plans attached below and enjoy watching the progress.

CPS has updated the Code of Conduct to include more restorative practices, clearer language around offenses, and suggested responses.

We will review this information with students in our Energy Rally assemblies on Thursday, September 14th. Each assembly will be tailored to the age level of the students.

Please review the Superintendent's video and keep the electronic link to the Code of Conduct handy for your records. There will not be paper copies printed this school year.

We are excited to share the SY23/24 Student Progression Plan for Grades PreK-12. The Student Progression Plan provides school staff, parents/caregivers, and community members a guide for how students progress through their academic careers.

The Student Progression Plan clarifies the requirements for moving forward to the next grade level. The plan reflects:

1.) The needs of the whole child in determining academic success

2.) State requirements and expectations

3.) School district policies and administrative procedures

4.) Details pertaining to promotion, retention, academic acceleration, and graduation.

The Grade-Level Progression One-Pager outlines promotion procedures for our students.

If a person (staff or student) tests positive for COVID, as a district, we are no longer tracking individual cases or doing anything extra (i.e.: notifications, advising on return dates). Staff and students testing positive need to contact their own medical provider on when it is safe to return to school/work.

For more information on how the district handles communicable diseases, please refer to the district's Communicable Disease Plan.

Community News: Thank you to everyone who made the Back to School Open House Event a success. Luckily, the rain didn't totally wash us out. Thank you to our Resource Coordinator, PTO, Foundation, and all the countless volunteers who worked to plan and those who stepped in at the last minute.

The Million Father’s March started the year off with a highlight of celebration and hope! We truly love this PRM tradition!

Welcome to the 2023-24 school year! There are a number of leadership groups that host monthly meetings where all voices are welcomed and encouraged to attend. PTO focuses on building community. The equity group meets to discuss diversity, inclusion, equity, and belonging in a safe space with the intention of inspiring unity and building bridges at PRM. Foundation focuses on large-scale initiatives and fundraising. Boosters support our athletic and academic teams. ILT leads on instructional decisions and in school events, and LSDMC makes bigger decisions about how the school runs. There are also various other groups that parents and caregivers help support, so please consider getting involved in a group that supports you and your interests.

PTO & Equity - The first meeting of the year will be on Wednesday, September 13th, at 6:30pm. From 6:30 to 7pm, we will hear PTO updates from Principal Simpson, CLC, LSDMC, and ILT. After 7pm, we will have an ice breaker, an Equity Group speaker as well as group discussions. For the September meeting, we will also have a raffle with multiple winners. Each winner can pick out their choice of one of the items to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month. People must be present at the time of the drawing to win.

Resource Coordinator Appreciation Week is September 17-23: We say a big thank you to Monique Johnson, our CLC Resource Coordinator, for her work!

To stay up to date on all of these groups as well as PRM events, be sure to sign up to receive emails from the PRM Rocks website at: https://prmrocks.org/emailupdates/

Foundation

The Pleasant Ridge School Foundation (the "Foundation") is the nonprofit arm of PRM, which allows PRM to accept tax-deductible donations and fundraise (such as the annual Fall mum fundraiser going on now!). The Foundation is made up of parents/guardians, staff, and community volunteers who develop large-scale initiatives to benefit the school, the students, and the staff. The Foundation meets in person on the third Wednesday of the month at Community Happens Here at 6:30pm. Join us for the first Foundation meeting on Wednesday, September 20th, and don't forget to order your mums today! Please reach out to prsfpres@gmail.com with any questions.

Boosters

The Boosters group works to ensure that all athletes are given an opportunity to participate in extra-curricular sports. We offer a variety of sports throughout the school year and also support our Brain Bowl team. Fall soccer is getting started, with the first games happening this weekend. Up next will be basketball and cheer – those sign-ups will be available soon. Please watch for an email, flyer, and post with the registration link for winter sports, which will go live on or before September 15.

ILT

The ILT is designed to share in the instructional leadership decisions to improve student achievement at PRM. The ILT is composed of at least 60% teachers. A team leader represents each team of teachers. The principal, two parents, and two non-teaching staff members also serve on ILT. During the school year, the ILT makes decisions about issues that impact instruction and events that occur during the school day – items such as proposed changes to school programming or updates to the school calendar.

Important dismissal reminders include:

• Make sure your child has a consistent dismissal plan that has been shared in writing with their teacher. Even if you walk them across the street to the church parking lot to drive home, they are still considered walkers in the dismissal process.

• If you have younger children with car seats in your car who are not attending school at PRM, please consider moving their car seats to the driver's side. All students enter and exit the line from the passenger side to keep them safe.

• If your child needs to be buckled in a car seat, please have them get in your car, sit down, and then you can pull up and over to the side of the front of the loading line. When you are out of the way, you can get out and make sure kids are buckled.

• Staff cannot buckle or unbuckle your child's car seats/seatbelts.

LSDMC

The LSDMC is the primary governing body of our school and is composed of four major constituency groups; parents/guardians, teachers, non-teaching staff, including the principal, and community members. Each group has equal representation and a voice in the decision-making process. The LSDMC sets goals, develops a plan for meeting those goals, and monitors progress toward goal attainment by conducting mid-year and end-of-year assessments. The LSDMC makes school budget decisions, submits changes in the school’s programming, and participates in the selection of the principal.

This month’s Local School Decision-Making Committee meeting will be held at PRM in the Media Center. The meeting will occur on Wednesday, September 13, from 3:00-4:00pm.

Scouts

Cub Scouts: Cub Scouts encourages young people to make friends, be helpful to others, and do their very best no matter the outcome. Understanding honor, leadership, and code of conduct are just a few skills PRM Cub Scouts learn. How to build a proper campsite, performing a flag ceremony, and a proper handshake are all a part of our meetings and our culture.

Our pack welcomes all youth from kindergarten to grade 5. Pack 25 has 5 dens organized by grade level, with activities appropriate for each level.

Every year each den completes 6 badge requirements and 1 elective. These are woven into fun, informative, and learning activities suited for the den. We also have regular pack meetings for bigger events such as our rocket launch, Pinewood Derby, and family campouts.

We meet on the 1st and 3rd Thursdays of the month from 6:00 - 7:00pm during the school year. Interested in Pack 25?

Sign up at https://beascout.scouting.org/list/?zip=45213&program[0]=pack&unitID=336397.

If you have questions, please email us at cubpack25prm@gmail.com.

Girl Scouts: Do you have a girl in kindergarten who is interested in joining Girl Scouts? If so, please contact Diane O'Brian at dianeobrian@gmail.com

3-6 News:

We are off to a great start for the 2023-24 school year. Our littlest learners have been practicing the routines and procedures of our school. We are beginning to develop these habits. Please ensure your students arrive on time to school; the goal is by 7:40am. Please check and empty blue folders daily. Please dress students appropriately for the weather. We go outside twice daily: once in the early morning and once after lunch. Please try to read to your child daily and talk to them about what you are reading. It is vital for language development, early literacy, and so much more!

6-9 News:

The 6-9 team is excited to be settled into the school year and to begin our work with the students. Each classroom has been practicing classroom and building-wide routines and expectations. We will be reviewing these frequently and practicing them throughout the year. Our beginning of the year tests in language and math are coming to an end. Our support staff is so eager to begin their work with students.

The 6-9 students will be participating in a field trip this month to the Cincinnati Nature Center! There has been an update on our volunteer badges. If you want to join your students' classroom on their field trip, please ensure your badge has a purple banner. If you have questions about this process, contact your classroom teacher for more details.

As always, back-to-school illness is traveling around PRM. Please keep your child home if they show any signs of illness so our PRM community can stay healthy.

9-12 News:

Welcome 9-12 families! We are so excited to have your scholars in class this year. We have been hard at work establishing and practicing routines in our classrooms. Doing this helps to create the best possible environment for learning. Classes are in the middle of taking their iReady Math and Reading Diagnostic assessments, which will benefit students by creating personalized instruction. MAP testing for Science will be starting soon. Be on the lookout for your child's teachers for details about testing and dates. Please make sure your child is charging their devices every night and that they are bringing those devices to school each day (including chargers). We are not on our computers all day long; however, many assignments and programs require the use of technology. Please let your child's teacher know if there are any issues with your child's device. Also, students received planners at the beginning of the school year. Students are responsible for writing their homework, as well as any incomplete assignments in their planners to complete for homework daily. These should travel to and from school every day. If your child has lost their planner, new ones are available in the office for $5. Lastly, please make sure you are connected to ClassDojo. Families should have received invitations from your child's teacher.

Academic Updates:

Math: Students are working with place value in the base ten system and decimal operations.

Science: Students are exploring patterns of the Earth and sky. Additionally, students have been exploring the scientific method.

Social Studies: Students are learning why it is important to study history.

ELA: Students are exploring literature circles and synonyms and antonyms. Novel studies will begin soon!

Specialist Team:

Library Update: Exciting Changes Ahead!

I am thrilled to share some exciting news with you regarding our school library. Due to our recent expansion, we have been granted permission to hire an additional specialist this year. As a result, our technology and library departments are now separate entities. After seven wonderful years of teaching technology, I have decided to take on the role of a full-time librarian.

This transition brings a wave of enthusiasm as we embark on a new chapter. My primary goal is to ignite a passion for reading among our students. To achieve this, we will introduce various initiatives, including book reports, book reading contests, and book giveaways. Additionally, my expanded role allows for creative lesson planning that seamlessly integrates multiple subjects, such as science, social studies, geography, and more, into our library curriculum.

For our 9-12 grade students, my focus this year will be on creative writing. We will begin with comprehensive lessons on grammar and sentence structure, gradually leading to a captivating project using Book Creator. Students will have the opportunity to write their own children's books, complete with illustrations. Towards the end of the school year, we will hold a voting process, and the top two books from each grade will be selected for publication. Students will even have the chance to sell their books online to friends and family. The winning stories will find a special place in our library, creating a growing "Young PRM Authors" section.

As a librarian, I am excited about the increased collaboration with teachers to reinforce classroom lessons and provide additional support to our students. Please note that students will be responsible for the books they check out from the library. If a book is lost or damaged, it will be the student's responsibility to replace it before checking out additional materials.

We are always open to book donations, whether they are gently used books from your student's home library or new ones purchased from our Amazon wish list (https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/DYDG2II785NM?ref_=wl_share)

If you have any questions about the library, wish to donate books, or are interested in volunteering, please feel free to reach out to me at churchd@cpsboe.k12.oh.us

Here's to an incredible year of reading and creativity!

Warm regards, Mr. David

Technology with Katherine Dunevant:

In technology class, we will review the Acceptable Use Policy with all students. The 9-12 students will practice tips and strategies for efficiently using Google Classroom and Google Docs. The 6-9 students will learn navigation and troubleshooting strategies for their devices, Google and Clever. All students in 6-9 and 9-12 classes will set typing goals and practice to increase speed and accuracy. The 3-6 students will practice navigation and troubleshooting steps on their iPads.

Outdoor Education:

Imago is again looking forward to starting outdoor ed classes with 3-6 and 6-9 students on Monday, September 18th! This month we will be exploring the garden, cooking up tasty treats using food we've grown over the summer, and learning how to use gardening tools so we can keep the garden looking beautiful.

The Community Learning Center (CLC) is excited to welcome back our students, parents, and community members for another fun and exciting school year. The CLC is here to provide you with various resources and services that you may need. Feel free to contact our Resource Coordinator- Ms. Monique Johnson, at johnmon@cpsboe.k12.oh.us or stop by; we will gladly assist you.

• We have to send out a huge THANK YOU to all of our parent volunteers and partners who helped out during our Open House. We had a wonderful turnout with some very happy and excited families. PRM did not let the rain stop them from making their tie-dye shirts, getting uniforms, signing up for after-school activities, and getting some tasty popsicles.

• Thank you to our fabulous PTO for providing the staff breakfast to kick off the school year. The spread of food was amazing, and everyone enjoyed it all.

• PRM Walking Carpool: We are excited to announce the launch of The Walking Carpool for the 2023 – 2024 school year. CPS bus routes cannot accommodate children who live under 1-mile to and from school. For our kids who live at the 1-mile mark, this can be a far distance to walk alone. As a community, we want to show up and come alongside these families to help get their kids to school safely and on time. At this time, our efforts will be focused on the mornings as many kids have different activities in the afternoon. If you are interested in helping out in this effort, please contact our Social Worker- Allison Quinter, Resource Coordinator- Monique Johnson, or our Parent Volunteer- Lacy Hitman-Mason. Check out the flyer below for more information.

• PRM is gearing up for after-school and extracurricular activities. Make sure that you and your child are getting involved with many of the fun and educational programs.

• TeamWorks is currently accepting applications for any 1st and 2nd graders for a fun-filled Wednesday afternoon event that will include homework help, social-emotional activities such as yoga, fine gross motor skills, and so much more. For more information, contact prpc.teamworks.prm@gmail.com. This is a partnership with Pleasant Ridge Presbyterian Church.

• Girls to Women is a group for any 4th-6th grade girl who would like to empower themself and learn from other girls just like them to Rule the World! Applications were sent out this week, and they will meet every Wednesday from 2:30-3:45 p.m.

• M.O.R.E is a group for any 4th-6th grade boy who would like to

• Webby Dance is currently taking applications for session one for preschool- 5-grade grades. Your child should come home with a colored application form. The applications are due back by September 6th.

• Are you interested in learning Spanish? PRM is happy to bring back our partnership with Cincinnati Spanish Academy. Registration forms will come home with your child in next week’s Wednesday folders.

• Coffee Cup presented by Community Happens Here is ready to serve you. Applications went home to all 4th-6th graders. Applications are due back by Friday, September 9th.

• Look for more after-school activities and events in the coming months.

• Chess Club

• Choir

• Brain Bowl

• Art Club

• Hooked on Fishing

• Sprint Sisters

• PRM Athletics

• CRC After-School Care at PRM and Mayerson JCC is currently full. There is a waiting list at this time for each location. YMCA, CRC main building, and Homebase are still accepting applications.

Community Resources:

• YMCA Camp-ish: This is a program for our Black/African-American families at Camp Ernst. More information about this program is on the flyer below.

• Cincinnati Bengals: It's time for some WHO DEY! Check out the schedule below so you won't miss any of the action.

• FC Cincinnati: The soccer team is on fire, and we want to ensure you can see them light up the field.

• Looking for something to do- Check out Michaels. They have in-store and free online classes for the entire family. Click on the link and see what you can get into. Link: https://www.michaels.com/classes

• Making Strides Breast Cancer Walk will be held on Saturday, October 21, 2023, at Yeatman’s Cove from 8am-12pm. Click on the link to see more information. Breast Cancer Walk link: https://secure.acsevents.org/site/STR?pg=entry&fr_id=100970

• Queen Bee Half Marathon and 4-miler This event is Saturday, October 14, 2023, on Central Parkway by Hard Rock Casino. The half marathon will start at 7:00am and they will have 2 start times for the 4-miler at 7:30am and 8:00 am. Click on the link below to volunteer, register, or see the route map to cheer people on. Queen Bee: https://raceroster.com/events/2023/57890/2023-queen-bee-half-marathon

The required school forms may be completed on paper. Many of our families have received and returned the necessary forms already. If, for some reason, you still need to access these forms, you can complete them online or ask for a paper copy from the front office. Access to the Back-to-School packet with forms can be accessed here.

Spanish / French / Arabic

Online Registration Platform

https://register.cps-k12.org/login

https://register.cps-k12.org/login?source=fcreg

To get started, parents must create an account and log in or simply log in if they have used the online registration system previously. It will take 30–60 minutes to complete the information.

Translations

The online registration platform offers translations in Spanish and French. On the right side is a button marked English; click on the drop-down menu and select the preferred language.

Paper Forms

Paper forms in Arabic, English, French, and Spanish are available in the link above for parents to print, complete, and return to the schools. Some forms are available in Nepali. Paper forms are also available at each school. Complete and Submit by September 12th.

Please complete the online or paper forms by Friday, September 15th.

If you have any questions or need assistance with the student registration system, please contact the PRM office or call our Customer Care department at (513) 363-0123.

Cincinnati Public Schools:

513-363-0123

Child Mental Health Crisis

Cincinnati Children's Hospital PIRC intake line:

513-636-4124

Suspected Child Abuse or Neglect:

513-241-KIDS

Suicide Prevention Hotline:

1-800-273-TALK (8255)

Crisis Textline:

Text 4HOPE to 741741

Disaster Distress Helpline:

1-800-985-5990

Domestic Violence Hotline via Women Helping Women:

513-381-5610

Our Character Program centers around:

Respect, Ownership, Compassion, Kindness and Safety, Safety, Safety!

Below are the three school-wide expectations that we expect students to follow throughout all parts of our learning community. Please support us by reinforcing these at home.

• Be Respectful
• Be Responsible
• Be a Problem Solver

Email: simpsoa@cpsboe.k12.oh.us
Website: www.prmrocks.org
Location: 5945 Montgomery Road
Phone: 513-363-4400