MPES Connection
November 20, 2020
Message from Mrs. Mamon
On Monday night, the Manassas Park City School Board unanimously in a 4-0 vote approved a return to virtual instruction for all students and a revised rollout to a hybrid model of teaching and learning.
All students will return to a virtual learning environment on Monday, November 23, 2020. The revised timeline for a return to a hybrid model of teaching and learning will remain tentative and conditions-based, and is now scheduled for the following dates:
Cougar Elementary School, PreK-2, SPED
and Level 1 English language learners: January 19, 2021
Manassas Park Elementary School: February 2, 2021
Manassas Park Middle School: February 16, 2021
Manassas Park High School: February 16, 2021
Climbing metrics in the area warranted a reexamination of how many individuals should frequent MCPS buildings. While the division remains confident in the success of its mitigation strategies, the desire to stay ahead of any potential outbreak in the division directed the revision in in-person return dates.
Other Important Notes:.
- You will soon be receiving a link to complete your child's second semester preference of virtual or hybrid learning. To complete the survey, you will need to access and use the PowerSchool Parent Portal. Here are directions to create an account if you have not already done so: Directions to Create a PowerSchool Parent Portal Account
Monday, November 23
Regular, asynchronous (independent) learning day
Class meetings at 8:30 a.m.
Tuesday, November 24
Regular, synchronous (live) school day
Wednesday, November 25 - Friday, November 27
Fall Break - No School for Students and Teachers
Sincerely,
Stacey Mamon
Principal
Learning in Action
Every Day Counts!
STEM
The STEM report card is based on the 4 C's, Communication, Collaboration, Critical Thinking, and Creativity. Levels of scoring in STEM is based on participation in those 4 areas.
The levels within the 4 C’s include:
Novice – student needs assistance in completing most tasks in STEM
Apprentice – student can progressively complete tasks with less assistance
Practitioner – student can complete most tasks without guidance
Expert – student can complete tasks alone and can assist others.
Within the levels there is a scoring system (1-4) that runs in numerical order and progresses toward the next level (ex. P4 would be Practitioner 4 – meaning that the student is completing tasks without assistance).
To check your child's progress in STEM:
- Log in to your PowerSchool Parent Portal account.
- Click on Grades and Attendance
Click on Standards Grades
- Click on STEM
Learning in Action
Counselor Corner
Our students experience a wide range of feelings and emotions. Sometimes, they have a hard time coping with the bored, anxious, sadness, anger, and other not so positive feelings. With healthy and positive coping skills, our students can learn how to better understand the emotions they are feeling and how to express them in a better way. At the beginning of the school year, Ms. Rose and Ms. Rupert used their Counseling Connection lessons to teach about coping skills and how to use them. On your student’s Counseling Connection page, we would encourage you to sit down with your child and explore the pink “Coping Skills” button. Take time to generate conversation with your child about their coping skills and possibly think of more that they would like to try! Coping skills are unique and special for each individual person and sometimes it takes some time to find which coping skills work best.
Article for Parents: Coping Skills for Kids
If you have any concerns about your student, please reach out to our school counselors, Ms. Rose (patricia.rose@mpark.net) and Ms. Rupert (makenzie.rupert@mpark.net). You can also fill out this Parent/Caregiver Referral to School Counselor form about your concerns.
November STEM Challenge - Disguise a Turkey!
Learning in Action
FREE School Meals available on Mondays at 4 locations!
Now you can pick up 5 lunches and 5 breakfasts at a time for your child(ren).
This drive-thru style pick-up will be held at FOUR locations every Monday.
- 9:00 am – 11 am at Cougar Elementary via Cougar Court
- 11:30 am - 12:30 pm at the MP Community Center/Dog Park
- 1:30 pm - 2:30 pm at Sandstone Way & Manassas Drive
- 4:00 pm – 6 pm at Manassas Park Middle School
Meals are limited to one set of meals per child, per week.
Proof of enrollment, or bringing a child(ren) to pick up, is required for parents to pick up meals. Proof of enrollment can include a student ID card, report card, or any other school communication containing the students name(s). If you need assistance with providing proof, the food services department can make an ID badge which you can use for future visits.
If your children are not school aged, our food services team will work with you to provide a proof should you wish to pick up without children in the future. Please talk to them during the pick-up time slots noted above.
Don't Forget to Take a Break!
Important Health Information
MPCS Returning Forward Learning Plan and Health Plan
On Monday, August 17th, the school board approved the Health Plan and Learning Plan for the 2020-2021 school year. These two important documents are guiding our return forward this year and include many details about what our learning environment will look like.
MPCS Returning Forward Learning Plan 2020-2021
Students can now check out books from our MPES Library!
Tips to Support your Student
- Start letting your student do things on their own, when possible, so they are learning how. Have them try on their own first!
- If you need to speak to the teacher for any reason, please contact him/her by email or phone during office hours, not during a live Zoom class.
- Try not to be on camera if/when supporting your student; build independence. If you need to support them, sit off camera so other students are not distracted.
Need IT Support?
Please email it.support@mpark.net.
Please make sure you include your student's name, the device type, and a detailed description of the problem.
Directions to Check Grades in PowerSchool Parent Portal
MPES Office Hours
Contact Information
19-20 Yearbooks
School Board Meetings and Work Sessions Available on YouTube!
Ways to Support the PTO and our schools
Amazon Smile
Start your shopping at smile.amazon.com! All it takes is a Smile to help raise money for our schools! If you are already an Amazon shopper, be sure to link your account to the Manassas Park Cougar Parent Teacher Organization and do your shopping directly on smile.amazon.com. A percentage of your order amount will be donated back to the schools!
Shoparoo Mobile App
Support our schools by downloading the Shoparoo Mobile App to your mobile device! After each of your grocery store shopping trips, open the app and snap a picture of your receipt! That's all it takes to earn money for our schools!
Harris Teeter VIC Card
Do you shop at Harris Teeter? Do you have a VIC Loyalty Card? Helping our schools to earn extra cash is as simple as visiting www.harristeeter.com and following the online steps to link your VIC card to both Cougar and Manassas Park Elementary!
Stay Connected!
There will be many exciting things happening throughout the next school year. I encourage you to stay up-to-date with important information and follow highlights of our learning at MPES and in Manassas Park City Schools.
You can stay connected by:
- Checking your child's Monday Folder each week
- Reading the MPES weekly online newsletters emailed out each Friday afternoon
- Following MPES on Twitter @MPEScougars
- Following MPCS on Twitter @MPCSchools
- Liking and following the Manassas Park City Schools Facebook page
- Checking the MPCS website frequently at www.mpark.net
Be sure to also keep up to date with PTO happenings!
- Facebook - www.facebook.com/ManassasParkCougarPTO
- Twitter - www.twitter.com/ManassasParkPTO
- Email - mpc-pto@mpcschools.net
Upcoming Dates
Fall Break - School Division Closed
November 25 - 27
Manassas Park Elementary School
Principal
Email: stacey.mamon@mpark.net
Website: www.mpark.net
Location: 9298 Cougar Court, Manassas Park, VA, United States
Phone: (703) 368-2032
Twitter: @MPEScougars