Mesa Weekly News
January 9, 2022
Principal's News
Hello Mesa Families!
Happy New Year and welcome back to a new quarter at Mesa! I hope you had a wonderful holiday with your family and that you were able to find time to relax and enjoy one another. The challenges of 2021 have taught us many things and we continue to be thankful for our Mesa families and the privilege of working with each of you. We are thankful to be in this together!
We are very excited to jump in to the second chapter of this school year and to continue to have the opportunity to have students in-person. During this week, students will participate in opportunities to review routines and expectations as we set off on a new semester. Our PRIDE (persevere, show respect, be independent, be dedicated to keeping Mesa safe, and empathize with others) expectations will be reviewed across all settings of the school building, playground, and entry/exit areas. Our emphasis for the month of January is perseverance. Please feel free to share the ways you and your family are practicing perseverance with your student's teacher. We love to hear from you and to see our Mesa students practicing these skills outside of school.
As noted in communication sent out to all Mesa families prior to break, we will be welcoming Officer Paige as Mesa’s new SRO. Due to a need for Officer Geri’s specific and impressive skill-set at Aragon Elementary, she will be joining their staff. Officer Geri has been an integral part of Mesa for the last four years. Her diligence in building relationships, establishing safety protocols, and loving our kids can be seen in her daily practices. Her huge heart and love for what she does will most definitely be missed by every member of our community. She asked that her most heart-felt thanks be sent out to all of you for the kind words, gifts, and notes she received prior to leaving. While we are sad to have her leave us, we also know she will be an amazing addition to Aragon. We also know that Officer Paige will have the chance to work with the most outstanding kids, families, and staff in our district. Please watch for more information on Officer Paige and look for her at arrival and dismissal.
The final phase of our new building construction is complete! While there are a few closing tasks for our construction crew, the new office, teachers' lounge, and art room are up and running! Due to this completion, car arrival/dismissal will move back to the north side (new main entry on Camino Del Rey) of the building starting on January 10th and our bus students will now be picked up on the west side (old car drop-off/pick-up). The west lot will not be available for any car drop-off or pick-up and will have cones blocking entry as we get this new system up and running. Walkers may enter any door of the building in the morning and will still be met by parents on the east playground at the end of the day. We are very excited to have our beautiful building complete, to get back to as many 'normal' practices as possible, and to have the chance to welcome all of you in for a celebration of the new building in the next month.
Thank you for your ongoing support and flexibility as we maneuver so many changes during this school year. We truly have the best parent community and we value your ideas and your dedication to keeping Mesa safe for in-person learning!
We are looking forward to all that 2022 has to bring and to the many opportunities we will have to grow the success of all of our students! We are so thankful for your support of in-person learning and we look forward to a successful 2nd semester at Mesa
Please be sure to contact us with any needs or questions. We look forward to the opportunity to work with each of you to help our students to Dream BIG, Work Hard and Make it Happen!!
Megan Oleson
PrincipalDrop-Off/Pick-Up Information 2021-2022
Please reference the photo below for guidance on our drop-off/pick-up procedures starting on January 10, 2022.
Car Riders (drop-off/pick-up)
With our main entry now open, car drop-off/pick-up will take place in the north parking lot in front of our main entry doors. The west lot is not a drop-off/pick-up option for car riders. We ask that parents keep traffic moving as quickly as possible by remaining in their vehicles while students exit. If there is a need for a parent to assist with a student exiting, please park in a visitor spot in the north lot. In the AM, parents should pull as far east (closest to the gym) as possible in the lot. Mesa staff members will be there to open doors and welcome students. Students will then enter the building and go directly to class where breakfast will be served each day. In the PM, students will be with their grade level (as indicated in the photo). Parents should still pull as far east as possible. A staff member will check in with you as you pull through the line and will call for your student(s) to come to your vehicle.
If you are using Monterey Way and turning onto Camino Del Rey, please be mindful to not block the entry/exit to the west parking lot (on Monterey Way) as buses will be using this lot and will need enough space to get in and out of the parking lot.
Walkers
Any students who are walking home with a parent will meet on the east playground. Students will be separated by grade level. Parents may approach teachers to pick-up their student(s). Students are also able to walk home without being picked up by a parent. Students walking alone and needing to head west out of the building will be allowed to leave in this direction with the grade-level staff member walking kids out in that direction. Students heading east at the end of the day will be able to access the paved walkway out to Camino Del Rey to then head east towards Fountain Mesa. Please let your son/daughter's teacher know your plan for after school pick-up.
Front Office Access:
Our main office is located on the east side of the building. Parents needing to enter the building should do so at the new, main-entry located at the doors with a large Mesa paw print. Information on volunteering in the building during second semester will be sent out by the end of the first week we return in January.
This Week at Mesa:
Jan. 10th-Feb. 11th: Access testing for students who are English language learners
Jan. 13th: Report cards sent home
Save the Date:
Jan. 17th: No school - Martin Luther King Jr. Day
Date TBD...Mesa's grand reopening celebration!
Mesa Spirit Wear!
Lunch Schedule
Lunch Menu
School Safety with Officer Paige
Parents ,
Thank you for supporting us and knowing the safety of Mesa Elementary students is the top priority of Staff. Please stop and wait for crossing guards to completely clear the crosswalk prior to proceeding through the crosswalk. Even when you are walking without kids, please model for our students by properly using cross walks.
**UPDATE 10/24**Due to the high volume of cars running through the red flashing light and stop signs of school buses, speeding through the school zones and expired registrations; this is an official verbal warning.
Thank you,
Officer Paige
In order to help maintain safe drop-off and pick-up at Mesa, please remember the following tips:
- Please be mindful of the school zone speed limit of 20mph and parking lot speed of less than 10mph.
- Please do not make a u-turn near the cross walk.
- Please pull as far forward in the drop-off lane as possible without blocking the crosswalk.
- It is so important for us to model for our kids with a positive and kind spirit, allowing each other to move in jams as if we were at a concert or sporting event. Please use the courtesy of every other car merging to enter and exit.
- Keep intersections clear: do not block; move forward only if we can clear the intersection at every street and entry.
- The west lot (on Monterey Way) cannot be used for car drop-off/pick-up.
Ask Nurse Janice
MEDICATION: All medication must be brought into the building and picked up from the building by an adult- students are not allowed to bring medication into the building. All medication must be approved by a prescribing physician with the appropriate forms signed. These forms can be found on the district website or by contacting your school nurse.
FACE MASKS: At this time, masks are not required but certainly allowed. At any time you can choose to send your child to school wearing a mask.
FEVER: Fever is defined as a temperature of 100.4 or higher. Students who have a fever should stay home and rest until they have gone 48 hours fever free without the aid of medication such as ibuprofen or Tylenol. If your child has a fever that lasts longer than 48 hours, please reach out to your school nurse to help problem solve what your next steps might be.
Keep up the good work! Our goal is to keep our Mesa community healthy and safe… and in person learning!
About Us
Email: moleson@ffc8.org
Website: https://www.ffc8.org/Mesa
Location: 400 Camino Del Rey, Fountain, CO, USA
Phone: 719-382-1370
Facebook: facebook.com/MesaElementaryFFC8
Twitter: @MesaElemFFC8