Messages from Memorial
MARCH 2022
MEMORIAL VIKINGS WITH HEART USE HONESTY*EFFORT*ATTITUDE*RESPECT*TEAMWORK
LOOK WHAT A 480 Person TEAM CAN DO WOrking Together!
Dear Memorial Parents and Guardians,
Happy March! I hope you are as excited as I am about the spring weather on the way. It is a great time to "Sharpen the Saw," the 7th Habit of Stephen Covey's 7 Habits of Highly Successful People. Fresh air and outside exercise are two ways to keep our saws sharp. I have also reminded students that another way to keep sharp is to get a good night's sleep. Research shows that elementary aged students need 9-12 hours a sleep a night.
If you are interested in learning more about the VCS Schools Referendum, which will be on the May 3 ballot, please attend our informational PTO Meeting on Wednesday, March 9 at 3:30 p.m. Dr. McCall will be here to present and answer questions. Additional information may also be found on the VCS Website.
This month is the start of the state assessment season. We will begin in grades 2 and 3 with IREAD3 during the test window of March 7-18. The window for ILEARN for grades 3-5 is April 19 - May 14. Classroom teachers will be able to share exact days/times for the class test schedules, as soon as those have been established. I hope that you will be able to schedule appointments around the test times. Students seem to do better when they take them with their class.
Please be aware that students have been talking at school about their wonders and worries about the war in Ukraine. We understand that there are varying levels of comfort with this topic and we are referring students back to their parents to discuss this at home. Mrs. Seip has shared some tips in this newsletter on how to handle this sensitive topic with your child.
Additionally, as we come to the end of the third grading period, please continue to check grades on Skyward on a regular basis. Third quarter report cards will be available on March 18 through the Skyward Parent Portal. If you need any assistance, please call the Memorial office.
Your Partner in Education,
Mrs. Debra Misecko
Dates to Remember
March
7-18 IREAD3 Test Window (see below for more information)
9 PTO Meeting at 3:30 - come and hear about the referendum from Dr. McCall
9 Promise Porter County will be here to help set up 529 accounts for Kindergarten & Gr. 1
11 End of 3rd Grading Period
15 Memorial night at Chick-fil-A - 4-7p.m.
17 Happy St. Patrick's Day
18 Grading Period 3 Report Cards available on the Skyward Parent Portal
21 - 25 Spring Break
28 School Resumes
31 STEM Night at Memorial 6-7 p.m.
APRIL
8 - 1/2 day for students- Dismissal is at 12:00 p.m.
11 Snow Make-up Day - School in session
13 PTO Meeting at 3:30
18 - May 13 ILEARN test window for grades 3-5
FOR FAMILIES OF Kindergarten and First Grade Students
Kindergarten Enrollment is Now Open!
IREAD3
Tips on talking to your child about the Ukraine/Russian war
Many of our students are noticing and hearing things about the Ukrainian invasion by Russia. Students are bringing this topic up in classes, with their friends, and with their teachers. While this can be a scary time for everyone, regardless of their age, it is important to be able to speak with your child about the recent and ongoing events. Here are some ideas about how to have this difficult discussion.
- Hold space for them to speak and tell you about their thoughts and fears
- Validate their feelings
- Keep it simple, factual, and age appropriate
- Try to not over explain
- If age appropriate, show a map of Europe and the regions
- Limit their exposure to scary images and news - -Tik Tok, Facebook, and Instagram are flooded right now with images, videos, and stories of war
- Reassure them that adults are working hard to resolve this conflict
As always, please reach out to me if you notice signs of anxiety or concerns with any of our Memorial Students. Here are some articles that could be useful as you navigate this difficult discussion.
-Leann Seip, LCSW
Memorial Robotics in Action
Habit #7 - Sharpen the Saw
Memorial continues to focus on sharing The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Dr. Stephen Covey. We will talk about one of the 7 Habits each month. The March Habit is Habit #7 - "Sharpen the Saw." The most important part of habit is "Balance Feels Best." For more information please read more from Dr. Stephen Covey's website.
MEMORIAL PTO
The following people serve on the PTO Executive Board. Their time and talents have been greatly appreciated by staff and students.
President - Kristen Elinkowski
Vice President - Rose Gutshall
Treasurer - Megan Taylor
Secretary - Rae Smedley
Memorial Elementary PTO updates can be found on the Memorial Elementary PTO Facebook page, and the Memorial PTO Website.
Box Tops for Education Continues
Memorial Elementary
Email: dmisecko@valpo.k12.in.us
Website: valpo.k12.in.us/Domain/337
Location: 1052 Park Avenue, Valparaiso, IN, USA
Phone: 219-531-3090
Twitter: @Valpo_Memorial