Vowles Newsletter
October 13, 2023
Calendar of Events
Oct. 18th~ Parent Teacher Conferences from 5:00-8:00 p.m.
Oct. 19th~ Parent Teacher Conferences from 9am-12 pm & 1pm-4pm; No school students
Oct. 20th~ No School for Students and Teachers
Oct. 23rd~ No School for Students and Teachers
Oct. 24th~ School Resumes; Picture Retake Day; Preschool Picture Day
Oct. 30th~ PTO Mtg. @ 4:00- Vowles Conference Room
Oct. 31st~ Fall Festival Day
Nov. 7th~ No School- Election Day- Teacher Professional Development
Mt. Pleasant Public Schools Calendar 2023-2024
Thank You!
We would like to thank the following Viking Parents for your time and energy with volunteering at our Scholastic Book Fair. Whether you helped with set up, student previews, or at one of our sale events, we appreciate you!
Megan McMillan
Emily Moore
Elisha Schaaf
Cody Neumann
Lindsay Engelhardt
Haven Rehor
Katie Bearup
Nikki Hookham
Valerie Faber
Jamie Keeton
Sara Potter
Christina Hickerson
Karlee Herzog
Staff Shout Outs
We appreciate all the staff shout outs coming in. Let's keep this momentum going!!!
Let us know how our staff is doing and help us to recognize them by completing our Staff Shout Out. You can recognize an amazing teacher by filling out a few questions in the link below. We will present them with a Shout Out Certificate that tells what they were recognized for and by who.
Breakfast & Books
Thank you to all our families and special guests that joined us at Breakfast & Books and our Annual Title 1 Meeting. If you did not get a chance to fill out our short survey, please give us your feedback. Use the link below. Thank you!
https://forms.gle/jqV21TY7YycqLxhk6
Parent Teacher Fall Conference Sign Up
October 18- 5 pm-8 pm
October 19- 9 am-4 pm
Monday, October 2nd, you should receive a LINK by EMAIL specific to your child's teacher and their conference schedule. You will be able to click on that link and select from one of our dates and times on Oct. 18th & 19th. It will then go directly to the teacher's google calendar and make a Google Meet Link.
As a parent, you will receive an email confirmation that has your conference time.
*If requested, a phone conference can take the place of an "in person" conference. If you would like to schedule a conference with a Specials teacher (Computers, Art, or Music) or our Counselor, you can do so by emailing them to set up a Google Meet or call the building to talk to the teacher to set up an appointment.
Desserts Needed
We are looking for donations of Desserts for the teaching staff on Wednesday night (4:00) and Thursday afternoon (11:30 am) during Parent-Teacher Conferences. Vowles PTO is covering dinner and lunch those 2 days. If you are willing to make a donation, call our office at 989-775-2280.
Morning Arrival/Dismissal
Hello Viking Families!
We can't say THANK YOU enough for how efficient you have continued to help make our arrival and dismissal time at Vowles. Just as reminders, here are the things you need to know:
Students can be dropped off beginning at 8:20 every morning. Students will not be allowed at school any earlier than that as the playground is not supervised. Please use the parent drop off/Circle Drive located off Watson St. We ask that parents stay in the car and let your children out the "passenger" side of the vehicle onto the sidewalk. Staff and Student Leaders will be there to greet students and direct them where to go.
If your child rides a bus, they will be dropped off at 8:20 am and be escorted into the building by staff.
If you are a neighborhood walker, we ask that you let your child go on their own once they get to our main gates. If you pick up your child at the end of the day by walking to get them, we ask that you wait near our Marqui sign or awning and we can bring your child to you.
Dismissal: This will work similar to morning drop off. Please use our Circle Drive off Watson St. Stay in your car. Staff will bring students to your car. Please plan for your child to enter the "passenger" side of the car.
End of Day Changes- If you are planning to change your child's End of Day plans, we ask that you contact us by 3:00 PM with those End of Day Changes.
Thank you!
Mrs. Bishop
GSRP Preschool Program
Vowles GSRP Preschool
Mt. Pleasant Public Schools is excited to announce that we are adding onto our Preschool programs in our district. Vowles and Rosebush are currently accepting applications for students that are 4 or turning 4 between Sept. 1st-Dec. 1st to enroll in our preschool programs. See the information to the right to sign your child up or share with another family. GSRP can be a free preschool or tuition-based if families qualify for sliding scale with other factors.
Fall Festival- Oct. 31st
Fall Festival Day- Mount Pleasant Public Schools will be focusing on Fall themes for our classroom parties and events! This is in effort to make sure ALL students can economically participate. In light of this, we will not have costumes at school during the day. Instead, please wear something you already have that may fit Fall attire; flannels, plaid, sweaters, cozy hats, or colors of red, orange, yellow, etc.) Our schools and individual classrooms will share with you our fall celebrations and activities and still enjoy our time together. As we get closer, check out your teachers' classroom letter with how you can support with party items or volunteering if it is needed.
Our community also always offers the following evening events for those that want to participate:
https://meetmtp.com/event/pumpkin-promenade/
City of Mt. Pleasant Trick or Treating
CMU groups and Student Organizations for Trunk or Treat
School Safety Drills
During the course of the school year, our buildings are obligated to practice at least 5 Fire Drills, 2 Tornado Drills and 3 Lockdown drills. At times, we do have our YSU Liason or other officers from the Police Department assist in our drills. We cover with our students the locations of where to go for each drill, what to do during specific drills, and how to properly evacuate when it is needed. You can also find this information in your child's Handbook at the front of the student agenda.
During the first weeks of school, classes read the story, I'm Not Scared, I'm Prepared book in their class with their teachers. This book focused on the main components of the safety protocols that we work on with children.
I also encourage you to check out our district website where we have information that pertains to our district school safety. Click here to get to the website.
School Improvement, Food Service, and Sex Ed Advisory Board Surveys
Our District is seeking input on a couple surveys that are part of requirements. With the School Climate Survey, our building team will analyze this data to improve our building, our activities, and our supports.
Vowles Family School Climate Survey link. This says to complete by Oct. 13th but you will have until the end October.
Southwest Food Excellence (food service)- Parent Survey
The District Sex Advisory Board is seeking input. Please take a moment to complete this survey.
Resources for Families
Vowles PTO
Vowles Elementary PTO will continue to keep our online donation platform open throughuot the year. Feel free to share our QR code or this link anytime to make a donation to Vowles PTO.
https://buy.stripe.com/4gw4hy2YYcVA33a001
We appreciate your support!
Extreme Challenge Update~ Your support helped us to raise nearly $5800.
Student Attendance
Student Attendance is important to us. If your child is sick, please call the school Office at 775-2280 before 10:00 each morning to let us know.
For safety reasons, families will soon begin receiving a phone call by 10:20 am for any student that is marked as Absent each morning in Power School. You can deter getting that call from our system by calling us in the morning to let us know of your child's absence and their reason for the absence.
Our codes we use for absences are:
UA-Unexcused Absence
Any absence that has not been reported by a parent or guardian and/or any absence that is not listed as an Excused Absence in Board Policy.
AV-Verified Absence
An absence that the parent verifies or explains. Example: (1) The student doesn’t feel well, and is staying home, but is not visiting the doctor. (2) The family is taking an extra long weekend, vacation, etc.
EA-Excused Absence
Absences that meet the definition of an Excused Absence based on MPPS Board Policy.
*Illness or professional appointments with a doctors note *Death of a relative
*Observance of Religious Holidays
Below are images to our attendance policy but it can also be found in the front of your child's Agenda....
Back to School Paperwork
Please remember to hand in your child's Back to School Paperwork ASAP. The documents would include:
- All Final Forms~ Please do not start an acct if you have already been in Final Forms!
- Educational Benefits Form (if you did not complete online with Final Forms)
- Medication Dispensing form (if you need us to dispense medication to your child at school)
- Agenda/Student Handbook Acknowledgement page
*This is really important as completing your final forms updates Emergency contacts, demographic and medical information, as well as your housing situation.
Transportation Department
To Request for Transportation, use the form linked here:
Other forms linked on the Transportation website:
- Permission to Leave Along
- In City Busing Reduction
If your child is riding a MP School Bus, a driver will reach out to you during the week of Aug. 14th-18th to share route pick up and drop off times.
No School Supplies are needed
There are NO required school supplies for your child. All supplies have been made available through our Project Aware funding. If your child is in need of a backpack or lunch box, those can be provided by the school as well! Teachers always welcome disinfectant wipes and Kleenex throughout the school year!
Back to School Tidbits for Families
Here is a list of Back to School helpful hints that benefit both parents and teachers~
1) Label Everything~ Become the queen/king of a permanent marker. Label your child's name on lunchboxes, school supplies, backpacks, water bottles, child's clothes (utilize the inside tags of sweatshirts, jackets, shoes, and snowpants).
2) Send an extra pair of clothes to stay in your child's locker. Put in a ziplock and label with your child's name.
3) Water bottle- send your child to school with a water bottle to have.
4) Have a regular after school transportation plan.
5) Utilize the School Agenda for writing in transportation changes.
MPPS Building Hours and Locations
Education Benefit Form
Picture Day with Guys and Dolls of Mt. Pleasant
In the next couple of weeks, you will receive an email with your child's Proof, background choices, and directions on how to order online.
Remind Text App
All our JK-2nd grade classrooms will be using the Remind App for their classroom communications. This is a great way for them to communicate reminders, easy building or district information, and pictures of learning. Please view your teacher's classroom code in their most recent newsletter, welcome letter, or flyer that may have been sent home.
Popcorn Fridays
Each Friday we will sell Popcorn for $.50/bag. Students can bring their coins or dollar bills in sandwich baggies or put in the back of their agenda in the clear pocket or a safe zipper. Teachers will collect popcorn in the morning and place the order.