Miller Elementary Newsletter
September 2021
MESSAGE FROM PRINCIPAL MATA
Hello Families!
Hello! I hope you’ve had a HEALTHY, wonderful summer filled with family fun and great memories. The Miller staff is excited to welcome students back to our building full time, five days a week. If you’re just joining us, we are looking forward to meeting you and showing you how we MOVE TO GREATNESS!
In June, we sent one of our teachers off to retirement (Mrs. Skokan) and several more off to new adventures in and out of the district. This year, in addition to hiring staff to replace those who left, we also were able to add more staff back to support our enrollment growth. Please join me in welcoming the following staff members to Miller:
Hannah Hallock - 1st grade Michelle Templeton - 2nd grade
Monica Brillig - 2nd grade Ashley Green - 3rd grade Haley Lapanowski - 3rd grade
Jocelyn White- 4th grade Jamie Keene - 5th grade
Kelsey Adrian - Speech Language Pathologist David Lewin - Music Teacher
Maria Hernandez Reyes - Bilingual School Office Specialist/Community School Outreach Coordinator
Michelle Buchholz- Instructional Assistant Wendy Clark - Instructional Assistant
Please plan to join us for our Meet The Teacher Event on Thursday, September 2nd. You'll be able to see the classroom, drop off supplies, and ask any last minute questions. Due to safety reasons and trying to limit the number of adults we have in the building, please come by last name during your scheduled time:
4:30-5:00 A-F
5:00-5:30 G-L
5:30-6:00 M-Z
Adults and children over the age of 5 will be required to properly wear a face covering over their nose and mouth the entire time. Adults will sign in and out for contact tracing purposes. Please be respectful of physical distancing too.
I recognize the wide range of feelings in our community regarding all the COVID safety precautions. I appreciate your help and patience as we all work together to keep kids and staff in school full time, five days a week. We will not be able to allow visitors or volunteers into our building once students begin, including the first day of school. Please take those pictures outside, say goodbye, and wave as your child walks in our front doors trusting we will take good care of them.
In addition to our bell schedule changes, late starts on Wednesday, and continued COVID safety rules, we are also implementing a dismissal process change. More details will be shared in a separate message to try to ensure everyone pays careful attention to this change. We hope it will result in a calm, safe dismissal for all.
As always, if you have any questions or concerns, please don't hesitate to call our office.
We’re looking forward to seeing you soon to kick off a safe, healthy, successful school year together.
With appreciation,
Mrs. Laura Mata
Principal
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IT'S TIME TO COMPLETE ONLINE REGISTRATION & ENROLLMENT VERIFICATION
It’s time to complete the registration/enrollment verification process for the 2021-22 school year! Completing this process early ensures our district can best prepare for staffing, program offerings and more.
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COMPLETE REGISTRATION FOR BUS SERVICE FOR THE 2021-22 SCHOOL YEAR!
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KINDERGARTEN REGISTRATION
Kindergarten registration is still open for the 2021-22 school year!
Enrolling your child in school early allows our school to prepare for the best possible education. Although the district will not know how school may look next fall, enrolling early, your kindergarten students are sure to thrive with the support of trained educators with in-person and online learning options.
Children who will be 5-years-old on or before September 10, 2021 are eligible to register for free, full-day kindergarten with SKPS. Learn more about how to complete online registration on our district website.
To complete registration, you will need an updated record of your child’s immunizations, proof of residence and your proof of age with you to register.
We welcome all students, regardless of nationality or place of birth. To learn more about kindergarten registration, how to prepare your child for school and Salem-Keizer Public Schools, please visit our district website.
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BELL SCHEDULE CHANGES
For the past several years, we have heard from our families and educators that they want a later start time for older students and an earlier start time for younger students. Research shows many benefits of later start times for middle and high school students and we needed to align our elementary schools to a similar schedule.
We believe that the new bell schedule will better serve the needs of students across the district and lead to improved outcomes at all levels.
All schools will start one hour late on Wednesdays to give school staff a regular time for collaborating and planning support for students.
If you have any questions about bell schedule adjustments for the 2021-22 school year, please contact your child’s school.
SCHOOL CALENDAR
KEY DATES:
First day of school dates 2021-22:
Grades 1-5
- September 8: First day for Grades 1-5 (*Because this is a Wednesday, this is a late start day)
Kindergarten
- September 8-10: Kindergarten reading assessment
- September 13: Kindergarten transition last name begins A-L
- September 14: Kindergarten transition last name begins M-Z
- September 15: Kindergarten first day for ALL students (*Because this is a Wednesday, this is a late start day)
The full updated academic calendar, including a breakdown of key dates for parents and guardians, is available on our district website.
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SALEM-KEIZER PRESCHOOLS REGISTRATION FOR 2021-2022
Salem Keizer Preschools Registration for
2021-2022
Open Enrollment!
Your child must be 3 or 4 years old on or before September 10, 2021.
Preschool Office
1850 45th Ave NE • Salem, OR 97305
503-399-5510
For more information on tuition, fees, times:
FREE PRESCHOOL FOR QUALIFIED FAMILIES 2021-22
Community Action Head Start and Salem-Keizer Head Start offer free preschool for qualified families from Marion and Polk counties.
Applications are now being accepted for the 2021-22 school year.
Head Start offers preschool education, health, nutrition and family services to low income families. We have part-day classes, mornings or afternoons, or all year classes with longer hours and bus service. Also, working families may qualify for full-day full-year at no cost. No proof of citizenship is required.
Applications are now being accepted
Download the application on Salem-Keizer’s website on the Head Start webpage or on the Mid-Willamette Valley Community Action website.
Call 503-581-1152 or 503-399-5510 to have an application mailed to you.
Stop by a Head Start office to pick up an application.
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GUIDELINES FOR FACE COVERING
As more students and staff return to in-person learning, face coverings are required when in a Salem-Keizer Public Schools building, with situational exceptions. All employees, students and visitors must continue to wear a face covering indoors, this includes sporting events.
All students, staff, volunteers and visitors are not required to wear face coverings outdoors. This includes, but is not limited to: athletic events, outdoor PE, outdoor music, recess and arrival & dismissal. Until additional updates are provided, all physical distancing and other related requirements still apply.
If a student needs a face covering, the school has them available for students.
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PANDEMIC FOOD BENEFITS INFORMATION FOR FAMILIES
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School Communication
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?
Follow us on Facebook @MillerMammoths
Follow us on our school website: https://miller.salkeiz.k12.or.us/
Check your email inbox. Update your email in ParentVUE if it's not accurate.