TOMAHAWK TRIBUNE
MVR-III School District News - October 2023
MVR-III Long-Range Master Planning
Creating a long-range facility master plan to optimize district funds while ensuring educational excellence for all students is a goal for the district. Involving stakeholders and gathering feedback is crucial for a successful and collaborative planning process. Here's a step-by-step guide on how the district will approach the goal:
- Establish a Planning Team: Form a diverse planning team that includes representatives from various stakeholder groups, such as parents, teachers, administrators, students, and community members.
- Define Clear Objectives: Clearly communicate the goals of the long-range facility plan. Ensure that the plan aims to optimize district funds while improving educational quality and access for all students.
- Data Gathering and Analysis: Collect data on current facilities, enrollment trends, academic performance, and budget constraints. Analyze this data to identify areas of improvement and potential cost-saving opportunities.
- Stakeholder Engagement: Engage stakeholders through a variety of methods, including focus groups and facility walk-throughs. Encourage open and transparent communication to gather their input and concerns.
- Educational Excellence Framework: Develop a clear framework that outlines what "educational excellence" means for MVR-III. Including specific goals and benchmarks related to curriculum, teacher quality, student support services, and extracurricular activities.
- Facility Options: Present stakeholders with different facility options, such as renovating existing buildings, building new facilities, or repurposing schools. Explain the advantages and disadvantages of each option.
- Financial Considerations: Provide stakeholders with a detailed financial analysis of each facility option. Show how each option aligns with the district's budget constraints, long-term financial sustainability, and educational excellence framework.
- Host Collaborative Workshops: Host workshops or meetings where stakeholders can work together to brainstorm solutions and prioritize goals. Encourage them to consider trade-offs and make informed decisions.
- Drafting the Plan: Based on stakeholder feedback and data, develop a draft of the long-range facility plan. Ensure that it reflects the district's commitment to educational excellence and financial responsibility.
- Final Plan Approval: Present the final plan to the school board for approval.
- Implementation and Monitoring: Once the plan is approved, begin implementation. Continuously monitor progress, regularly update stakeholders, and make adjustments as needed to ensure the plan's success.
- Communication: Maintain transparent and ongoing communication with all parents, staff, and community stakeholders throughout the implementation process. Keep them informed about milestones, challenges, and successes.
Missouri Quality Prekindergarten Grant Awarded
Pre-K Class Opening at Coleman Elementary
Coleman Elementary will open a PreK classroom in November 2023 due to the district being awarded the Missouri Quality Grant. Funds may be used to cover salary and benefits, supplies, purchased services, equipment, furniture, and instructional supplies. Students must be age four by July 31, 2023 and students enrolled must qualify for the free/reduced lunch program. Doris Hoffman Early Learning Center will be contacting families on their wait list to assist qualifying families to enroll in the new program.
Missouri Scholars Academy
Two PHS Students Honored
Morgan Cole and Dylan Stout qualified for the Missouri Scholars Academy during the summer 2023. Missouri Scholars Academy, or MSA, is a three-week residential summer program held on the University of Missouri campus in Columbia, Missouri for 330 of Missouri's gifted high school juniors. MSA exists to enrich and expand gifted education for individual students and gifted programs.
Grant Program for Missouri Families
Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education and Odyssey Launch the Close the Gap Grant Program
Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) and Odyssey, a platform that helps states connect families to public funding and education services, announced the launch of the Missouri Close the Gap Grant program. This is a one-time grant of up to $1,500 for parents/guardians who reside in Missouri to use for allowable education expenses. Applications are now open and must be submitted by October 25, 2023.
To be eligible for the grant, students must be a Missouri resident and be enrolled in grades K-12 in a Missouri public school district or charter school. Per state statute, the distribution of funds will be prioritized for families whose income is below 185 percent of the federal poverty level. If sufficient funds are available after those below 185 percent of the federal poverty level receive funds, families at or above that poverty level may receive funds.
Program Details:
· Parents/guardians will need to create an Odyssey account to submit an application.
· If the system is unable to verify income level or residency through an automated process, parents/guardians will be requested to submit additional information.
Allowable educational expenses include
· Instructional resource materials;
· Tutoring;
· Academic day or summer camps;
· Computer equipment;
· Internet connectivity;
· Before- and afterschool educational programs;
· Course fees and textbooks;
· Online access for an academic app or subscription;
· Education, learning, or study skills services;
· Arts-related day or summer camps; and
· Art enrichment.
District Food Service Update
Free or Reduced Meal Information
Kids need great tasting, nutritious food to do their best in the classroom, so we take great care in every meal we serve, and we work to ensure every child has access to delicious, healthy meals throughout the year. Getting students correctly certified for free or reduced meals can cut down on unpaid meal debt for students without funds to pay for meals during the year. In addition, free and reduced rates can be tied to other funding for the district, and can also make schools eligible for additional programs, like afterschool and summer meals, or more grants, such as USDA’s Fresh Fruit and Vegetable program or equipment grants.
Applying online is easy, just log in to your Infinite Campus Parent Portal, click on the Menu button (the three lines in the top left), scroll down to "More", and click on "Meal Benefits" to begin the application process. If you need any assistance with the application process, please call your child's school office.
Student Information System
Infinite Campus a Parents Way to Stay Connected
MVR-III encourage families to create a parent portal account to access Infinite Campus. The parent portal will give you access to your students grades, lunch account, attendance, and other important district announcements. Download the infinite Campus App in your App Store by searching Campus Parent.
Use Campus Student & Campus Parent - Study Guide for support in using the student information system.
Control push notifications in Infinite Campus by setting your preferences on campus alerts.
If you need assistance creating an account or need a password reset, please contact your students building secretary.
Read, Lead, Succeed for MVR-III Students
Supporting Early Literacy
MVR-III recognizes that early reading skills are strong predictors of lifelong academic success for our students. Our teachers dedicate significant instructional time to supporting students in developing literacy skills. Students in grades 1-3 will be screened in reading three times during the year and kindergarten students will be screened in December and at the end of the year in order to meet Missouri’s Read Lead Succeed Plan (SB 681).
How schools will support reading success:
Grades 1-3 parents will receive i-Ready reading assessment reports three times per year
Kdg. parents will receive reading assessment reports twice a year
Communicate regularly with parents/guardians of students who are reading below grade level
Inform parents of reading supports provided to their child at school
Increase systems of supports for students at risk
Develop a Reading Success Plan (RSP) for students needing support
Consider any student not demonstrating reading proficiency growth for retention
Summer School will be available for students with an RSP
We are honored to have the privilege to work with you and your student to build his/her skills as an independent reader across the curriculum. Together we can create strong readers!
100 Book Challenge 📚 Home & School Partnership
We challenge students across MVNation to read 20 minutes each day to support literacy growth.
Meramec Valley Elementary Libraries are supporting literacy growth by hosting a 100 Book Challenge. Each class will have the option to keep track of the books they have read trying to reach a goal of 100 books before the end of the school year. It will be fun to see how many thousands of books our students read this school year.
Homecoming 2023
The Happiest Week on Earth
MVR-III is pleased to announce details for the 2023 Homecoming festivities. Friday, October 13th is a half-day, which will allow all students, staff, and school groups the opportunity to participate in the Homecoming Parade at 2:30 PM that afternoon. Pacific High School (PHS) is featuring Tailgating activities, which will include food trucks, obstacle courses, and community vendors starting at 5 PM directly behind PHS, followed by a 7 PM football game kickoff versus the Hermann Bearcats.
Other Homecoming activities will include the district-wide spirit week, junior and senior powderpuff football game, and the high school dance.
October 13th Timeline of Events
- Early Release Day
- Grades 5-12 release at 12:00 PM
- Grades K-4 release at 1:10 PM
- Float Line Up Time: 1:30 PM
- Participant Bus Drop Off Time: 2:00 PM
- Parade - Start Time 2:30 PM
- Participant Bus Return Time: 3:45 PM
- Tailgating - Start Time 5:00 PM
- Football Game - Pregame Introductions at 6:30 PM & Kickoff at 7:00 PM
Tailgating Food Truck/Vendor Sign Up - Contact Dean Penberthy at (636) 271-1414
Homecoming Parade Theme - Once Upon A Homecoming
School Bus Safety
Tips to Keep Students Safe
The third week of October is National School Bus Safety Week. Each year, the MVR-III Transportation Department holds bus safety drills at each school. We ask parents, students, motorists to join forces and promote bus safety in the community. Here are tips to keep students safe at the bus stop.
Getting Ready for School
- Children should put items in a backpack or school bag so that they won’t drop things along the way.
- Make sure children leave home on time so they can arrive at the bus stop before it is due, ideally at least five minutes early. Running after or in front of a bus is dangerous.
Walking to the Bus Stop •
- Walk young children to the bus stop or encourage children to walk in groups. There is safety in numbers; groups are easier for drivers to see.
- Practice good pedestrian behavior: walk on the sidewalk, and if there is no sidewalk stay out of the street. If you must walk in the street, walk single file, face traffic and stay as close to the edge of the road as you can.
- Stop and look left, right and then left again if you must cross the street. Do the same thing at drive -ways and alleys.
At the Bus Stop
- Have children wait in a location where the driver can see them while driving down the street.
- Do not let children play in the street.
Getting On and Off the Bus
- Warn children that if they drop something getting on and off the bus, they should never pick it up. Instead, they should tell the driver and follow the driver’s instructions.
- Remind children to look to the driver for permission to cross in front of the bus.
Behavior on the Bus
- Stay in your seat keeping head, arms and papers inside the bus, and talk quietly
- Keep aisles clear of books and bags
- Be respectful to others
Chick-fil-A Food Truck Visits Little Ireland
Monster Fest - October 28
Little League Volleyball Night - October 5th at PHS
PHS Students Present Cyber Seniors
Oasis Training - Wednesday, October 18 from 9 a.m. - 1 p.m.
Annual Sports Club Dinner Auction - November 4th
Upcoming Events & Activities
October
- National Bullying Prevention Month - All Month
- National Principal Month - All Month
- Secondary Parent Teacher Conferences (Grades 5-12) - October 2-6
- School Custodian Appreciation Day - October 2
- Walk and Bike to School Day - October 4
- National Coaches Day - October 6
- Fire Prevention Week - October 8- October 14
- Columbus Day - October 9
- Homecoming/Early Release Day - October 13
- Fall Break/No School - October 16
- Professional Development Day/No School for Students - October 17
- National Boss's Day - October 16
- National School Bus Safety Week - October 16- October 20
- Missouri Day - October 28
- National Red Ribbon Week - October 23- October 31