Rocket Review
Week of September 7, 2018
First Week of School is Complete!
We also ran three days of lunch this week and managed to stay close to our schedule. At the beginning of the school year, we flex our lunch a bit to make sure students have time to eat, clean up, play outside and return to class for an afternoon of instruction. Our kindergarten students are becoming more familiar with the lunch time routine and learning their way around the building as they visit Music, Art, Physical Education and Media Center classes.
It's going to be a cooler weekend, which brings fall to mind. Saturday is supposed to be the nicer day with rain on Sunday. Enjoy the sunshine with your children and take advantage of all this area has to offer as we head into our fall season: cider mills, hay rides, apple picking, donuts, bike rides, walks and so much more!
Have a great week!
Mrs Lasky
Lunchtime Supervisors Needed!
Volunteers
Morgan Open House
Curriculum Night
Curriculum Night is an ADULT ONLY event. We will host two 20-minute sessions in classrooms for teachers to review their grade level curriculum, procedures, and classroom routines with parents. We will switch between sessions for parents to visit a second classroom or visit our specialists teachers: Art, Music, Physical Education, Media Center, or our special education teachers: Mrs. Simmons, Mr. Coleman and Mrs. Nagy.
Open House will begin promptly at 7 PM. See you there!
Welcome Back Week!
Student Arrival
Kindergarten Classroom
Mrs. Smith's Class
2nd Grade
3rd Grade
4th Grade
Music News from Miss Q
Arrival and Dismissal Procedures
Parking Lot Safety
If your child is not eligible for bus transportation, or you elect to drive your child to school instead of using the bus, please keep these guidelines in mind:
- There is a drop off/pick up lane that is reserved for buses. It has yellow, diagonal lines in the lane and is close to the curb.
- UCS buses ALWAYS have the right-of-way in the drop off/pick up lane. Parents MUST move out of the way of the bus for student safety.
- Once buses have moved out of the lane, parents may drop off their child. DO NOT LEAVE YOUR CAR in the drop off lane. You will be asked to move your vehicle.
- If you feel more comfortable walking your child to the front door, please PARK your vehicle in a designated parking spot in the lot and walk with your child for safety.
- Please NO NOT allow students to walk across the parking lot unattended to reach the sidewalk. Keep their safety in mind.
- During pick up time, please park your vehicle in a designated parking spot and walk to the sidewalk to meet your child and escort them back to your vehicle.
- Please be considerate of our handicap parking spaces. You do need a handicap license plate or placard hanging from your rear-view mirror showing your legal permission to use those spaces. Anyone parked illegally in a handicap parking space will be asked to move their vehicle.
- Please be considerate of the cross walk that is located on the West side of the parking lot, near the gym doors. It should be clear of vehicles at all times so students may cross safely.
As our parking lot is small and our buses large in number, Morgan is very fortunate to have some wonderful neighbors to our south with another, larger parking lot. St. Kieran's church is often used by parents to drop off students by the sidewalk that connects from the St. Kieran parking lot to the Morgan sidewalk. Some parents also choose to park in a designated parking spot in the church parking lot and escort their child to the Morgan sidewalk.
During pick up times, parents have also elected to use the church parking lot to park their vehicle and meet their child on the sidewalk or other arranged location, then escort their child back to their vehicle.
Please note that the church parking lot is not connected to Morgan in any way and is not supervised by Morgan staff. The Morgan parking lot is supervised by Morgan staff during arrival and dismissal time.
Transportation Reminders
Where is the Bus?
Please be patient as the bus may drop off later than anticipated. Per transportation guidelines, students should arrive at their designated bus stop 15 minutes before the bus is scheduled to arrive. As the drivers perfect their routes, they may be able to give you a smaller time window for arrival and drop off. This usually takes a couple of weeks to get running.
Bus rules, per the UCS Elementary Handbook:
• Obey the bus driver, show respect to the bus driver and fellow passengers
• Remain seated at all times
• Eating, drinking and gum chewing are not allowed
• Keep bodies and other objects to themselves and inside the bus
• Hold all carry-on items, such as backpacks, musical instruments, etc. in your lap
• Board and exit the bus in an orderly manner at assigned bus stop
• Name calling, vulgarity, profanity, abusive or derogatory comments or gestures, bullying, harassment, hate speech or threats of violence are prohibited
• Use of electronic communication devices, (cell phones, cameras and pagers) is not permitted
• No preferential seat assignments – although bus driver or administrator may assign seats
• Only students eligible for transportation may ride home with another student. The students must have a permission note from both sets of parents and signed by the principal. Seating space is reserved for assigned riders.
Any questions/concerns regarding bus stops and time of arrival should be addressed to the UCS Transportation Department at: (586) 797-7100.
Lunch Schedules for Morgan
What Time Does My Child Eat Lunch?
First Shift: 11:30-11:50
Grades: K, 5, 6 & AIM
Recess for Grades: 1-4
**Kindergarten and AIM classes will arrive in the lunchroom at 11:20 AM with teacher support until 11:30 AM to allow for additional time to eat and clean up.
Second Shift: 11:50 - 12:10
Grades: 1-4
Recess for Grades: K, 5, 6 & AIM
Lunchroom expectations per UCS Elementary Handbook:
• Eat quietly and use good table manners
• Remain seated until dismissed by an adult supervisor
• Place all trash and recyclable items in proper containers
• Leave the table in a clean condition for other students
• Show respect for others
Glass containers and knives are not allowed. Students are not permitted to take food or beverages outside the lunchroom without approval.
UCS News and Updates
School Meal Prices for 2018-2019
School meal prices for students will remain unchanged for the 2018-2019 school year.
2018-2019 Meal Prices
Elementary, Lunch $ 2.75
Junior High, Lunch $ 2.90
High School, Lunch $ 2.95
All Grades, Breakfast $ 1.75
Breakfast is Served!
A healthy, nutritious breakfast is a critical ingredient to the success of our students. To help our students succeed, the school breakfast program is available in all of our schools. Healthy choices include cereal, whole-grain breakfast bars, yogurt, fruit and milk in the elementary buildings. Those choices, along with fresh-made hot breakfast sandwiches and other favorites are featured in the secondary buildings. Fresh-made fruit smoothies are also available in the high schools. Breakfast is served in the cafeteria prior to the start of the school day. For menu information and serving times at your student’s school, please check the schools website or on the Utica Community Schools Mobile App.
Utica Community Schools Bond Proposal
Safety, technology and infrastructure improvements highlight Nov. 6 Bond Proposal
The Utica Community Schools Board of Education has unanimously (7-0) approved placing a $155 million bond proposal on the November 6 ballot to address safety and security, technology and infrastructure improvements identified through the district’s strategic, long-range facility improvement program.
“The bond proposal will allow us to continue providing an environment that supports the academic excellence for students that our community expects and deserves,” Board of Education president Gene Klida said. “The bond projects address safety and security and infrastructure priorities that directly impact our classrooms. The projects also provide our teachers the tools they need to drive learning and develop the job skills that businesses need to build our economy.”
Voter approval of the bond proposal has been structured to keep the tax rate at or below the current level.
The bond proposal will affect each UCS student and every UCS school and school facility.
The ballot proposal states that that the bond proposal will provide for:
1. making safety and security improvements, including cameras and door-locking systems;
2. equipping, furnishing, re-equipping and refurnishing school district buildings, facilities, and structures, and acquiring school buses and technology equipment;
3. constructing additions to and/or remodeling school district buildings; and
4. improving and developing sites, including playgrounds, athletic fields, facilities, and structures in the school district.
“Safe and secure schools are a top priority for our community and our district,” Superintendent Dr. Christine Johns said. “The improvements in this bond proposal are a key piece to our collaborative efforts with local law enforcement to continue to keep our schools safe places for students and staff.”
Technology improvements provide students and teachers the resources to support learning, including key areas of Career and Technical Education (CTE) and the integration of skills that ensure success in college and career.
The infrastructure projects also support the district’s long-range improvement programs in key areas of roofing, paving and the replacement of buses.
Board of Education Treasurer Dr. Robert Ross emphasized that voter approval of the bond proposal has been structured to not increase the current tax rate.
“Through solid fiscal planning, this bond issue has been designed to ensure we can address our facility priorities at or below our current millage level,” Dr. Ross said.
Dr. Ross added that the improvements will allow the district to extend the life of current school buildings and protect the investment the community has made in its facilities.
“Area realtors are clear that the strength of Utica Community Schools protects property values and draws new families and businesses to the communities we serve,” he said.
Dr. Ross noted that by law the bond revenue will be used only for capital improvements and may be not used for operating expenses, such as salaries or utilities.
“It is important that our taxpayers know that all revenue must be used for the purposes that are specified in the bond proposal and the expenditures are independently audited,” he said.
More information and an overview of projects are available on the district’s website at http://www.uticak12.org/2018bond.
Bagel Orders due September 12!
Morgan Elementary
Mission: Morgan is dedicated to developing lifelong learners through the working relationship of students, staff, and community.
Email: sue.lasky@uticak12.org
Website: http://morgan.uticak12.org/
Location: 53800 Mound Road, Shelby charter Township, MI, USA
Phone: (586) 797-5800
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ucsmorgan/
Twitter: @MorganElementa3