Miller Elementary Newsletter
December 2021
A NOTE FROM THE PRINCIPAL
Hello! A few items/updates to share in this busy month:
Shoutout to our Parent Teacher Team for providing a free t-shirt to every Miller student! Our next PTT meeting is Tuesday, December 7th at 5:00 on Zoom. The link will be sent out via ParentSquare on Tuesday. We hope to see you there!
Our next Spirit Day (Pajama theme) is Friday, December 17th. Please send your students in school appropriate pajamas and footwear.
We are collecting nonperishable food items through December 16 to support local families. All food collected will be given to the Marion County Fire District to fill holiday boxes for families in need. Please consider sending in canned, boxed, or bagged non-perishable food items. Classrooms are having a little competition to see which classroom can bring in the most goods. This is a great opportunity for our students to show their generosity!
Our fifth grade student leadership group is in full swing. These students applied to be a part of a team of students that plans to help out the school community in some exciting ways. The team is currently helping with the food drive and providing extra monitoring eyes at the end of the day. After break, these students will be assisting their younger peers master their letter names and sounds. We would like to thank these leaders for taking on this challenge and dedicating time to make Miller great!
Winter holiday assistance is available to qualifying families. If your family is in need of a food box, please call Ms. Rost or Mrs. Hernandez. Food boxes will be supplied by the Marion County Fire District.
We have the Health lessons available to preview. If you are interested in previewing the information and lessons, please schedule a meeting with Ms. Rost.
The month of December is a busy time for many families. Very often our regular routines are disrupted with all the activities of the season. Please continue to make sure your students get enough sleep, are eating healthy, and are limiting their screen time. Additionally, do not drop off or send your child to school before 7:30 (8:30 on Wednesdays) as we do not have supervision before then.
As we close out 2021, I hope the last month is filled with peace, good memories, and positivity. Thank you for your continued support of our staff, students, and community.
Best,
Mrs. Laura Mata
UPDATE TO OUTDOOR FACE COVERING GUIDANCE
Effective Monday, Dec. 6 all students, staff, volunteers and visitors are no longer required to wear face coverings while outdoors. Includes but is not limited to: athletic events, outdoor PE, outdoor music, recess, and arrival and dismissal.
Until additional updates are provided, all physical distancing and other related safety protocols still apply. People who feel more comfortable wearing a face covering while outdoors may continue to do so.
PROTECT THE HEALTH OF YOUR CHILD
CLINICS FOR REQUIRED VACCINES • DECEMBER 3, 7 & 9
DEADLINE FOR REQUIRED SCHOOL IMMUNIZATION
IMMUNIZATION EXCLUSION DAY FEBRUARY 16, 2022
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EMERGENCY CLOSURES AND DELAYS
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NOMINATIONS ARE OPEN!
Nominate Your Teacher or Your Support Professional
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SALEM-KEIZER PUBLIC SCHOOLS LAUNCHES NEW COVID-19 DASHBOARD
With nearly 41,000 students in our schools amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, safety and well-being of our students, families and staff is, without question, our highest priority. Open communication and transparency play critical roles in safety and we want to ensure you have accurate and timely information on how COVID-19 is impacting our schools.
Covid-19 Data Dashboard
We have officially launched our COVID-19 data dashboard for the 2021-22 school year. Please know that this dashboard is still ongoing further development and may continue to have minor tweaks and improvements over the coming weeks.
You can learn more about our COVID-19 investigation and communication process, on our new online dashboard webpage.
Remember, COVID-19 impacts us all daily. It is critical that we follow all recommended health and safety protocols such as vaccination, wearing a face covering, hand-washing and maintaining physical distance both while in school, and out in the community.
Thank you for all of your ongoing support as we continue to improve our processes and work together to keep our students, staff, families and community safe.
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Reminders About Traffic Around Our School
It’s a new school year and a good time to share a few reminders about traffic around the school.
Students, parents, buses, staff and school neighbors all share the same travel routes through the neighborhood to and from the school. Peak travel times can create congestion and increase the need for safe and courteous travel practices.
Here are a few ways parents can help us create a safe, respectful and positive environment when driving near the school:
- Please drive slowly. Remember, the speed limit in a school zone when lights are flashing is 20 miles per hour.
- Please don’t park in neighbors’ driveways at any time, even if the driveway is open.
- Don’t block streets, stop in intersections or crosswalks, and please obey crossing guards’ instructions.
- Remind children to stop and look both ways before crossing streets, and to respect neighbors’ property – for example, don’t make shortcuts through neighbors’ yards.
- When lining up to pick-up or drop-off students, leave at least three feet of space between your car and the nearest driveway opening.
- Avoid lining up early for pick-up or drop-off to help minimize congestion.
- Don’t drive in bus lanes, even if no buses are present.
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SCHOOL CALENDAR
KEY DATES:
- December 3: No School - Grading Day
- December 7: PTT Meeting @ 5pm via Zoom
- December 16: Last day to send in food donations
- December 17: SPIRIT DAY! Pajama theme
- December 20-31: No School - Winter Break
- January 3: Back to School
- January 17: No school - Martin Luther King Jr. Day
- January 31 - February 1: No School - Winter Conferences (Hours are to be determined soon)
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2021-22 MEAL PRICES: FREE!
PANDEMIC FOOD BENEFITS INFORMATION FOR FAMILIES
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PARENTSQUARE
We are excited to introduce ParentSquare, a new two-way communication platform that will streamline and improve communication with families and staff. It has the functions of both Remind and SchoolMessenger and will eventually replace both platforms. It also includes appointment scheduling options, which may be very helpful for conference sign ups.
It is very important that parents keep their contact information current.
Be sure to let your school office know if you have a new address, email or phone number.
The parent or guardian marked as the primary contact in the student information system will receive automated communication.
Messages will also be sent to the student’s home phone number contained in the database, if different from the primary contact phone number.
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OREGON HEALTH PLAN FREE FOR YOUTH
Through the Oregon Health Plan, youth 19 years of age and younger have access to free health coverage, regardless of immigration status if they meet the income requirements.
More information, including income requirements and how to apply for coverage, is available online.
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HOW DO I STAY CONNECTED?
Read our newest format of the school Newsletter via ParentSquare or on the school website!
Download the free ParentSquare App on your phone. ParentSquare - Apps on Google Play
Check your email inbox. Update your email in ParentVUE if it's not accurate.