Dear Parents and Guardians,
Welcome back to school! We are excited for another year of learning opportunities and fun activities. We have implemented new policies in the last few years in order to maintain student safety and supervision. We have also formed a Parent Involvement Committee which has been extremely helpful in pointing out our need for greater communication and parent involvement in decision making. Based on these meetings as well as the parent survey results and suggestions, we are making changes to some procedures and also want to make sure that you are notified of our current procedures.
We look forward to working with all of you throughout the 2014-15 school year. Our first parent involvement meeting will be on Monday, September 15th at 5:00. Everyone is welcome to attend. Thanks for your support!
Sincerely,
Joni Spalding, Elementary Principal, Morgan County R-II Schools
Kim Murdock, Elementary Assistant Principal, Morgan County R-II Schools
Welcome back to school! We are excited for another year of learning opportunities and fun activities. We have implemented new policies in the last few years in order to maintain student safety and supervision. We have also formed a Parent Involvement Committee which has been extremely helpful in pointing out our need for greater communication and parent involvement in decision making. Based on these meetings as well as the parent survey results and suggestions, we are making changes to some procedures and also want to make sure that you are notified of our current procedures.
- Student dismissal in the front parking lot will continue as normal. Students are dismissed in small groups and escorted to cars by teachers/administrators. After the first few days, pick up students are all dismissed before 3:30, which is approximately when all buses leave the back lot. Concerns were stated about congestion leaving the parking lot. In an effort to help this concern, high school students will depart campus using the other exit, leaving the front exit for elementary/middle school pickup.
- Parent surveys indicated that parent involvement activities were enjoyed by both parents and children. Several concerns were noted. First, some parents explained the difficulty of getting off work multiple days/times during a single week. They enjoyed being able to attend all of their children’s activities, which was much easier when the activities were spread out over a longer period. This year students will have a fall, winter, and spring activity, so all activities will not have to be during the holiday week. We will also work to allow parents a larger area to congregate before being released to classrooms.
- Students will have classroom parties for Apple Festival, Christmas, and Valentine’s Day. These will not be open parties, but primarily for students. Following the parent involvement committee suggestions, it will be possible for parents to volunteer as parent volunteers to help with parties or other volunteer opportunities. Parents wanting to be a “room mother” will need to get a $15 background check and sign up with their child’s teacher. This follows the parent volunteer procedure from our elementary handbook which has been in place for many years. Parent volunteers for classroom parties will be required to plan all refreshments (organizing and sending home requests to other parents to send in items based on beginning of the year forms) and organize activities & games. They will need to be able to attend the party without younger siblings so that they can be in charge at the party passing out treats and running the games and activities. If multiple parents volunteer for parties, then up to two parents may be chosen for each party.
- Grandparent lunches are highly attended. Some questions surfaced about “parent lunches”. For your information, parents and/or grandparents have always been able to attend lunch any day of their choice throughout the school year. If you want to purchase a school lunch, please call the office to request your choice the day before or early in the morning of your visit. You will sign in at the office and pay for your lunch if eating. You will be allowed to enter the building and sit with your child during lunch time. Many parents/grandparents bring a special lunch for their students. If doing so, make sure the child knows so he/she will not order school lunch that day.
- The elementary will continue to send home monthly calendars with all activities listed. If a change is required, parents will be notified as appropriate and a new/updated calendar will be posted on the MCR2 website. Although some parents wished for a yearlong calendar with all activities noted, it is impossible to make that happen. The parent activities are based upon curriculum and specific skills being taught. It is not possible to know several months ahead when the students will be ready for a particular skill. Teachers will make every effort to plan for parent activities as far in advance as possible. These activities are also always noted in the weekly teacher newsletters. I am sending home a tentative listing of dates for all activities that are scheduled at this time. These dates are subject to change due to weather or unforeseen circumstances.
- The elementary will work to communicate with parents in as many ways as possible. Teachers send home weekly newsletters with classroom information. Monthly calendars with activities will be sent home prior to each month. Principal newsletters will be sent home periodically with important dates and parent information. When information is timely and important for parents to see, the office will send home half or full size sheets on gold paper with the information simply stated. You may sign up for textcaster on our website www.mcr2.k12.mo.us, which will send out important texts from each building informing parents of early release, snow day, sports, activities or other parent needed information. Automated telephone calls will also be made to send out important information. Our school’s Facebook page is another source for valuable information and a listing of activities. Our desire is to always keep you informed of school information.
We look forward to working with all of you throughout the 2014-15 school year. Our first parent involvement meeting will be on Monday, September 15th at 5:00. Everyone is welcome to attend. Thanks for your support!
Sincerely,
Joni Spalding, Elementary Principal, Morgan County R-II Schools
Kim Murdock, Elementary Assistant Principal, Morgan County R-II Schools