Mrs. Cochran's News

I hope this newsletter finds you doing well!! My goal is to communicate with you through this newsletter once a week, either on Friday OR Monday.

Your child will be bringing home their take home folder on Monday, January 27. This folder has ALL of the work that they did this week. PLEASE look through their papers to see how well they are progressing. PLEASE sign your name in the square that says "1/27" and have your child return it on Tuesday EMPTY.

PLEASE make sure your child dresses appropriately for the weather. We WILL go outside for recess if it's NOT raining or snowing and the temperature FEELS LIKE is above 20 degrees and lower than 95 degrees.

PLEASE let me know if you ever have any questions or concerns. I believe if we all work together: you, me, and your child...we'll have a GREAT 3rd grade year!!!! Open communication is key. The best way to communicate for me is through email. I can reply to emails faster than I can return phone calls. I don't make phone calls when students are in the classroom, but I CAN email.

I do NOT assign homework by my definition. Homework by my definition is me handing an assignment to the students as they walk out the door. The only homework that I assign is any work from that day that your child did not finish here at school. Whenever we move on from one subject to the next, I have students put any unfinished work in their homework folder. Their homework folder is supposed to go back and forth from school to home DAILY. In this folder should be a paper copy of their spelling words for the week. IF your child is coming home with "homework" a lot, I would talk to him or her about IF they are using their class time wisely. Also, you will know when he/she turns in an assignment late because I write "Late" at the top of the paper.

• Reading: We have gone over AND the kids have taken notes over ALL five different text structures. They are: problem and solution, cause and effect, compare and contrast, chronological/sequential order, and/or description. Next week they will put their notes to use when we start looking at different passages. They will have to figure out how each one is "built" or set up.
  
• Writing: This week we went back to writing one paragraph over a single topic where I give them a sentence starter. The paragraph has to have at LEAST 8 COMPLETE sentences INCLUDING the introduction sentence and the closing sentence. I wanted to gradually get them back into writing again. Our next BIG writing piece will be an informational piece.
  
• Math: We will be finishing up Topic 6 next week, so the area test will be towards the end of next week. Yesterday, we started using Distributive Property by breaking up a square or rectangle into two smaller parts. This was difficult for some students. Today we worked with finding the area of IRREGULAR SHAPES. THAT tends to be difficult for kids as well. They need to remember that area is what makes up the INSIDE of a shape. They know that if the shape has unit squares, all they have to do is count the squares inside the shape to find the area. They also know that the formula for finding the area is length x width. If you REALLY want to help your child in Math, go over their math assignments that have been checked and come home in their take home folder on Mondays. Go over the problems they missed so they can SEE what they did wrong. That is the BEST way to help your child.
• Life Skills: We are working on classroom, hallway, lunchroom, recess, etc. behaviors. They were introduced to the Compass Expectations on the first day. We are using the phrase "ALL IN". A = Achieve, L = Learn, L = Lead

Lesson 21 Words:

both, ago, almost, hold, comb, gold, hello, open, most, over, road, toast, loaf, boat, cocoa, coat

Challenge/Bonus Words:

tough

remains

insects

treat

***Students are supposed to be bringing their spelling lists back and forth from home to school EVERY day!!!*** They get a paper copy of their list on Mondays.

Spelling tests are every Friday.

Make sure your child wears tennis shoes on PE days!!!

Our specials rotation for next week is:

• Monday - Library
• Tuesday - PE
• Wednesday - Art
• Thursday - Music
• Friday - PE

• February 7: Friendship Party at 2PM
• February 10-14: Pirates ROCK Character Warms the Heart Week
• February 13: 3-hour early dismissal, Spring Parent/Teacher Conferences
• February 14: No School, Professional Learning Day
• February 17: No School, President's Day
• March 7: End of 3rd Quarter
• March 14: Report Cards Go Home
• March 24-28: No School, Spring Break

The Matt Madill Memorial Golf Foundation is excited to announce that we are able to host our 2nd youth golf camp (8-12 years old) this summer free of charge! Here is the link to register each child in your family! Each child will receive a camp t-shirt and receive 4 hours of golf instruction . We only have space for 60 golfers! Get registered now….spots fill up quickly! One child will win a free set of golf clubs!

Matt Madill Memorial Golf Foundation 2025 Summer Youth Golf Camp Registration Form

Daily Camp Schedule

One of Compass’ favorite nights is returning on Friday January 24th…Bingo Night! This will be a fun-filled family event in the Compass gym. Doors open at 5:30, the games start at 6:30pm. Scan the QR code or click the link below to grab your discounted tickets. A pizza meal deal will be available for $5!

*Please indicate how many Bingo Cards and Meals You Would like to Purchase*

Ex. 6 bingo cards, 4 meals

We need your help to make this night a success. Please follow the link below to sign up!

Click here for information on school cancellations/modifications due to inclement weather, how the District will notify parents, as well as information on recess, Y Club, and Inclement Weather Virtual Learning Days. For the 2024-25 school year, PCR-3 will implement Inclement Weather Virtual Learning Days for the first five canceled school days. These days will not need to be made up. Any additional canceled school days may be waived, or may need to be made up (added to the academic calendar).

Additional Reminders:

Clothing and Recess

Please make sure that your children come to school dressed for the weather – winter coats, hats, gloves when necessary. There will be no outdoor recess when the "feels like" temperature is at 20 degrees or below. During times of year that temperatures can be unpredictable, dressing in layers is preferable.

Cancellation/Notification

In the event of school cancellation or delay, we will get that information to you as early as possible through automated phone calls and text messages, our District website, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, the District Hotline (816-858-2752), and local media. The message will identify what type of Inclement Weather Plan we will be implementing:

• Plan A (Inclement Weather Virtual Learning Day)
• Plan B (Two-Hour Delayed Start)
• Plan C (No School and No Remote Learning)
• Plan D (No School, No Y-Club, No Remote Learning)

Y Club

If we cancel school, our school-age child care programs generally will remain open for those families that are already signed up through YMCA (www.kansascityymca.org). School sites where child care is offered are consolidated to one or two locations. Mention of Y Club program cancellation or consolidation will be included in the District’s communication.

Pirates R.O.C.K. (Raising Outstanding Character Kids) is a program designed to surround our families with examples of strong character traits through school experiences, at home, and reinforced in their community. Each month our community focuses on a specific character trait and students are recognized for exhibiting these traits: Self Confidence, Pride, Responsibility, Citizenship, Compassion, Individuality, Self Control, Integrity, Perseverance, Respect, Honesty, and Cooperation.

February's #PiratesROCK trait is SELF CONTROL: displaying your emotions & behaviors in a positive way.

Leader in Me Connections to SELF CONTROL:

• Habit 1: Be Proactive - You are in charge of you.
• Habit 2: Begin with the End in Mind - Know what you want before you do it.
• Habit 3: Put First Things First - Do the important things first.
• Habit 5: Seek First to Understand, then to be Understood - Listen first, then talk.
• Habit 7: Sharpen the Saw - Take care of yourself.

CharacterStrong Connections to SELF CONTROL:

• Self-Management, Responsible Decision-Making, Patience, Respect, Forgiveness

Safety is our District's top priority. PCR-3 has a system of safety and security measures in place, including trained security staff (now at every building following the passage of the Prop C Waiver/Levy Transfer), secure entryways, ongoing monitoring, and partnership with local law enforcement.

To help safeguard our school community, our District uses Safe Schools Alert, a tip reporting service by Vector Solutions, that allows students, staff, and parents to submit safety concerns to our administration.

You and your child can easily report tips on bullying, harassment, or any safety issue you're concerned about through this online reporting system. On the homepage of the District website (www.plattecountyschooldistrict.com) and on each school building's homepage there is a Safe Schools quicklink which links to the reporting tool. Every tip Vector Solutions receives about our District is immediately logged in the system and our administration is notified so that they can investigate and take appropriate action. Tips may also be submitted anonymously if you prefer. Together, we can make our District a safer place to learn.

Parents can use Parent Portal (www.plattecountyschooldistrict.com/parents/parent_portal) to keep up to date on grades and assignments (for students in grades 6-12), attendance, as well as access to active links to meal payments and fees. New parents who did not receive their new PowerSchool Access ID and Password at registration days or back-to-school nights can either pick theirs up at future back-to-school nights (PCHS, PCMS, Platte Purchase) or look for them to come home with the elementary student.

• Click here for Guide to Parent Portal.

K-12 Payment Center is now Linq Connect, where parents can deposit money for meal transactions. Parents can access Linq Connect through this link or when signing in to PowerSchool Parent Portal. In addition to allowing for better and faster service to students during meal times at school, the online portion of this system allows guardians to set up scheduled meal deposits or deposits to accounts when falling below a certain amount. A transaction fee will be applied based on the amount of funds added. The Fees are 3.95% of the transaction total with a $2.85 minimum to be paid by the parent/cardholder.

To set up your student's account, you'll need their student ID number, which can be found on your Parent Portal. Parents can still deposit money for meal transactions by sending payment via check or cash to their child's school.

Compass Elementary

Email: cochrant@platteco.k12.mo.us
Website: www.plattecountyschooldistrict.com
Location: 401 Kentucky Avenue, Platte City, MO, United States
Phone: 816-858-0172
Twitter: @CompassElemPCR3