The Roar of the Mountain Lions
Monterey Elementary - December 2022
Principal's Message
Dear Monterey Families:
The final month of 2022 is here! As we return to school from Thanksgiving break, there are many things that I have reflected on that remind me how grateful I am for our Monterey school community.
I am grateful for our school community and how well we have done through these first four months in school. As we approach the holiday season, I want to encourage all of our families to ensure they send their students to school daily. Our students thrive off of routine and structure and the more they are in school, the more likely they are to feel the success of school. The general feeling at Monterey is upbeat and appreciative of being together and learning. We love to serve our students by meeting their needs daily. The connections and trust built between school staff and students is something we are proud of.
I am thankful for an incredibly hard-working staff who sacrifice day in and day out to make sure our students' needs remain a priority. As with many businesses and organizations around the country impacted by staffing shortages, our school has felt the impact as well. When staff members need to be out of school, we have limited options for substitutes. Our teachers and support staff have gone above and beyond to ensure our students classrooms are equipped and that learning remains the priority.
I am thankful for the school wide support we receive from our community. From school fundraisers such as the Paw-a-thon, to book fair, and attending our school wide events, the support from our families is incredible. I am always blown away at the generosity of our families to help our school succeed.
Again, when I reflect on the school year of 2022, I am grateful for the small things, big things, and everything in between. As we finalize the calendar year this December and embark on our continued journey into 2023, please know we at Monterey Elementary are here for you. Our school mission keeps our students at the forefront in everything we do. Thank you for allowing us to support your child's personal growth, academic excellence, worthiness, and safety. We will continue to be learners today and leaders tomorrow. Together, we will seize the day at Monterey!
Best Regards,
Morgan Strother
Proud School Principal of Monterey Elementary
Transportation
If you need to change your child's transportation at any point, please call the office at 540-853-2933 prior to 1 PM daily to ensure that we have correct information on any needed transportation changes.
Thank you to students, teachers and guardians who continue to remain flexible regarding school buses. Durham Transportation services is working hard to hire enough bus drivers to cover all 6 bus routes at Monterey. When bus delays occur, Durham does their best to send out a robocall/text message to inform the school community. Please continue to be patient with late buses in the morning and afternoon. Safety is a top priority, thank you for your understanding!
School Picture
It is not too late to order your child’s school pictures! You can order online by going to www.stawbridge.net. If you have any questions or need assistance, please call the school office at 853-2933.
Angel Tree Program
If you sponsored a child for the Angel Tree Program or signed up to donate clothing for students (i.e., pajamas, underwear, etc.) please send in the items no later than December 14th.
Attendance Reminders
If your child will not be at school or will be tardy, please call our main office at 540-853-2933. If your child missed school due to a doctor’s visit, please provide the doctor’s note. We will mark their absence EMD (Excused Medical). The only excused absences that do not count towards “truancy” are excused medical notes and court notes. All other absences are considered unexcused.
The Virginia State Compulsory Attendance Law states that after 5 unexcused absences, the parent will receive an attendance letter from our student support specialist, Mr. Anthony Drakeford. After 10 unexcused absences, a second letter will be sent as well as a meeting will be scheduled with administration and the student support specialist. If your child is experiencing any sick symptoms, please call our school Nurse to discuss a plan of action. Thank you for helping our school community prioritize learning and ensuring that your child(ren) is at school daily.
Message From the PTA
THANK YOU!
Thank you to our teachers, students and families for all your support in October and November. Our annual pawathon was a huge success, raising over $9,000! Students who raised at least $25 will receive their book prize this month. We were so excited to be together again for our Pumpkin Palooza this year. Mrs. Potter's class won the most votes with their treasure chest pumpkin and enjoyed a pizza party. We also had the chance to be together for Reading Night and the Book Fair in November. We are grateful for excellent teachers and administrators who go above and beyond to plan wonderful events to support our families.
Why should I join the PTA?
As a member of our PTA, you are supporting your student's school and educational successes. You are also a voting member. When you come to a PTA board meeting you can vote on how we should spend funds or how to improve a program. Please consider joining the PTA. There is a $5 fee for each member that joins. A portion of this fee pays for local and state PTA membership fees and a portion goes directly to our school’s PTA.
Follow these simple steps to join:
1. Go to https://monterey.new.memberhub.store
2. Choose the appropriate membership type (ex. Parent, Student, etc. - all memberships are $5.00**)
3. Fill in contact information
4. Click add to cart
5. Either check-out or add more members
6. You are now PTA'ing!!!
** There is a small convenience fee of 68 cents to sign up through Memberhub.
Monterey Spirit Gear
We are offering school spirit shirts this year printed by a local shop, Fuzzy Pickle in Salem. Prices start at $20. We receive $5.00 for every shirt ordered. The shop offers as a variety of designs for T-shirts, Long sleeve shirts, hooded sweatshirts and more. Spirit Gear is great for your child to wear on school spirit days! Visit the Monterey PTA store at fuzzypickletshirts.com/mes2020/shop/home.
Ways to support the PTA:
Consider linking your Kroger account to Monterey Elementary PTA through the Community Rewards. Kroger will donate a percentage of what you spend to our PTA at no cost to you.
We are always looking for more parent helpers and would love to have your help. Follow the Monterey Elementary PTA Facebook page for information about upcoming meeting and opportunities to help—https://www.facebook.com/montereyelementarypta/
PTA Meetings:
If you would like to attend any PTA meetings, please e-mail Ms. Laughlin at tlaughlin@rcps.info for more info on how to access our meetings.
What's Coming Up?
Monterey Elementary
Anthony Swann~Assistant Principal
Website: monterey.rcps.info
Location: 4501 Oliver Road Northeast, Roanoke, VA, USA
Phone: (540) 853-2933
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MontereyElementary