MES Communication
March 17-30
Hello BEAR Nation!
Happy St. Patrick’s Day! I hope everyone enjoyed a relaxing Spring Break. In this communication, I would like to highlight our 2023-24 Yearbook Order (On sale through March 31st), SMILE Virginia (a Mobile Dentist visiting Moncure), Bear Season (Spirit Week), PTO Volunteer Information, and many more. I hope you will take a few moment to browse through the many things below. Thanks for your partnership!
Sincerely,
Mr. Machi
Lunch Menu (March 18-29)
FREE Breakfast and Lunch is available daily. Students may decline a meal at any time. Available Everyday: Hummus or Sunbutter & Jelly
Specials Rotation (March 18-29)
Moncure is operating on a six-day rotation this year. Please look for specific Specials information from your child’s teacher!
School Calendar of Events
March 22 – House Celebration
March 22 – PTO Bingo Night
March 23-24 – SCPS Fine Arts Festival
March 24 – LH Egg Hunt at Moncure ES (11-1)
March 25-28 – Bear Season (See below for more information)
March 26 – SMILE Virginia …The Mobile Dentist
March 26 – Panera PTO Spirit Night (4pm-8pm)
March 29 – No School
March 31 – Last Day to Order 2023-24 Moncure Yearbook
April 1 – No School (No Kidding!)
SCPS 2023-24 Calendar
To help you to prepare for the year ahead, I encourage families to access the SCPS 2023-24 School Calendar. Please print or keep this link handy, as it will help you to prepare for holidays or periodic days off.
Order your 2023-24 Moncure Yearbook Online! - $20 Each!
We are excited to offer our 2023-24 yearbooks to families. For $20 plus a .99 cent service fee, you can secure a yearbook that captures images, events, and memories from the past year.
If you wish to order a copy, please click on the Order Here link below. Orders must be made online by March 31, 2024. Limited extra copies will be available after this sale ends. Please reserve your copy today!
ORDER HERE (Link)
Yearbook online pay site: https://shop.memorybook.com
School Code: 229950M
SMILE Virginia …The Mobile Dentist (Mobile Dentist Dates: March 26th and April 4th)
Great news! Our school has partnered with Smile Programs ... The Mobile Dentists to offer dental care at Moncure. Best of all, in most cases there is no cost to you if your child is insured with Medicaid/CHIP! Private insurance and affordable self-pay options are also available. Easy & Convenient!
Having your child seen by the dentist at school saves you valuable time. Top quality care is provided by local, licensed dentists in the familiar surroundings of your child’s school. Dental care includes a complete exam, x-rays, cleaning, fluoride, and sealants when necessary, and in some cases, restorative care such as fillings.
Keep Your Child Healthy! Children who see a dentist regularly may have fewer health issues like:
• Early tooth loss due to dental decay
• Gum disease
• Heart disease
• Impaired speech development
Sign up online now at www.MySchoolDentist.com
(To locate Moncure ES, use Zip Code 22556)
PTO - Bingo / Vendor Night (March 22nd)
Anne E. Moncure Elementary (AMES) PTO is hosting a Bingo Night! Date of event: Friday, March 22, 2024 Time of event: 6:00 P.M. to 9:00 P.M. If you are interested in being a vendor, please click the link below. Look for more information soon from our PTO.
48th Annual Arts Festival - March 23 & 24
Dive into a world of creativity at the 48th Annual Stafford Schools Arts Festival on March 23 & 24, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., hosted at Brooke Point High School. Experience a vibrant display of over 6,000 artworks from 33 schools, including performances by 1,000+ students in choirs, jazz bands, and more. This community-driven celebration invites everyone to join in the artistic spirit, embodying the essence of Stafford as a great place to live, work, and learn. Don't miss this weekend filled with art, music, and community connection!
Ramadan
The Ramadan Holiday begins March 10th and runs until April 9th. Knowing that many of our students may fast between 6AM and 8PM, we have identified a location away from our cafeteria for fasters to spend their designated lunchtime. Please share this information with your kiddos. We are happy to offer this opportunity.
Easter Egg Hunt at Moncure on March 24
LH Ministries is holding their 3rd Annual Easter Egg Hunt at Moncure on March 24 (Date was changed for weather reasons). Children are asked to bring a basket, and they will provide the fun. They will also have Food, Games, Crafts and more available. The events will last from 11AM-1PM. LH Ministries is Excited to share this great family opportunity with our community.
Moncure’s “Bear Season” – Spirit Week (March 25-28)
Mark Your Calendars! Moncure‘s Spring “Bear Season” is coming soon! Please encourage your bear to show their spirit each day.
- Monday, March 25: Book Character Day (Dress like Zoey (From Zoey and Sassafras), Harry Potter, or some other book character)
- Tuesday, March 26: Tie Dye Tuesday Day
- Wednesday, March 27: Workout Wednesday Day (Let’s support fitness and exercise together)
- Thursday, March 28: Vocabulary Day! (Dress as a tourist, lounger, athlete, etc.)
2024-2025 Kindergarten Registration Open
Kindergarten registration for the 2024-2025 school is now open. Parents and guardians of children who are five years old by September 30, 2024 are encouraged to complete the online registration process.
Families with younger children may also apply for the Head Start, Early Head Start, and Virginia Preschool Initiative programs. These early childhood programs are open for 3- and 4-year olds, infants, toddlers, and pregnant women of low-income families that live in Stafford County and meet the federal or state income-eligibility guidelines. Spanish, Dari, Pashto, and Urdu translators will be on-site during the events.
DARE Basketball Fundraiser - March 22
The annual DARE Basketball Fundraising event will take place Friday, March 22, at 6:30 p.m. at Stafford High School. This much anticipated annual events sees our school staff square off against the Stafford County Sheriff's Office. As the game heats up, only the most fearless, skilled, and downright entertaining players will emerge victorious. Who will be crowned champions this year? Grab your foam fingers and join us! CASH ONLY tickets are $5 each or 5 for $20 at the door.
Moncure’s Spring 2024 SOL Schedule
Moncure’s Third, Fourth, and Fifth Grade students will take Virginia’s SOL (Standards of Learning) assessments this spring. The schedule below displays our upcoming testing schedule. To learn more about SOL assessments and how you might support your student, I ask that you mark your calendars for the upcoming April 15th SOL Bear Talk. With approximately 450 students to test, it is important that students are present, fed and well rested for their SOL testing sessions. Thanks for your support!
We are looking for PTO Volunteers!
Moncure has awesome students and a beautiful school. However, the past few years have been very difficult for our Parent Teacher Organization. Currently, we have a small group of volunteers making our PTO possible. We would love to add a few more volunteers to our group. If you are interested in supporting our students, our school, and our community, then serving as a member of Moncure’s PTO might be right for you. We encourage anyone (regardless of home language) to participate. Should you wish to learn more about our PTO, please go to https://ames.ptboard.com or scan the QR code.
PTO News
Please use the link below to read our February PTO Newsletter
PTO Board Positions for the 24-25 School Year
· President
· Vice President of Programs
· Vice President of Fundraising
· Treasurer
· Secretary
PTO Volunteer Opportunities
· Donations to teacher appreciation and Bingo Night
· School Store
· Assisting with Bingo Night
· Assembling spirit grams
Connect with our PTO:
· Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MoncurePTO
· PTBoard: https://www.Ames.PTBoard.com
· Website: https://www.facebook.com/MoncurePTO
Third Quarter Attendance Challenge (The Big Drawing!!!)
Our third quarter attendance challenge ended on March 7th. We look forward to drawing winners during our House Celebration on March 22nd. We are also in the process of creating a similar challenge for the fourth quarter. Look for more information soon!
Chronic Absenteeism (Please keep in mind)
Chronic absenteeism is defined as missing ten percent or more of the academic year, including excused absences, unexcused absences, and suspensions. In a 180-day school year, this equates to approximately 18 days, or 2 to 3 days per month. Our school’s goal for the current academic year is to maintain a chronic absenteeism rate of no more than 15%.
The state has tasked schools and school divisions to crack down on these numbers and involve the court system if necessary. We simply ask that you get your students to school. If your student is sick, keep them home. However, if your student is simply tired, get them up.
Missed instruction, regardless of the reason, can have significant academic consequences. Therefore, our emphasis is on improving attendance for every student. It is crucial to note that, at the current rate, our school’s accreditation will be affected.
We ask for your support in helping us reach our attendance goal. Encouraging regular attendance not only benefits individual students but also contributes to the overall success and well-being of our school community.
The state has stated that attendance plans are mandatory for ALL students with 10 or more absences. If you have any questions or concerns regarding attendance, please do not hesitate to reach out to our school office. We appreciate your partnership in fostering a positive and supportive learning environment for all students.
House Point Standings: (As of March 17, 2024)
Moncure’s Resource Staff
Recent Stafford County surveys have uncovered the need for us to share more about our resource staff. Whether you would like to know more about who to ask for in our office, learn about our counselors, social worker, or instructional coaches, the link below should help. Moncure has a large team to support our large community. When in doubt, reach out!
Help Moncure Participate in a Pop Tab collection through May 17th!
To learn more, please click HERE! Each house team will be competing to see who can collect the most Pop Tabs! House points will be awarded each quarter!
Substitute Teachers Needed
Have you ever considered being a substitute teacher. Stafford County Public Schools is always looking for substitutes to support our schools. To learn about the application and hiring process, access the link below. We are always looking for energetic and positive substitutes to support our school. SCPS Substitute Hiring Information
A Note to School - Communication
Plans change and communication makes everything easier. Should you need to report an absence or adjust your BEAR’S dismissal plan, please contact our school. One way to communicate is by completing our “A Note to School” form and sending it through email to our office and your student’s teacher or by simply sending the form or a note to school. To access digital forms of this note, you can go to the parent portion of our webpage or simply use the link below. Thanks for keeping us informed. The earlier the better.
How to communicate with Moncure:
mefrontoffice@staffordschools.net -or- "A Note To School"
Please include in all emails:
Student's Name, Teacher's Name, and your name
Office Dismissal Hours (“No Student Office Dismissals” after 2:30PM)
It is not uncommon for our office and elementary schools across our county to receive multiple emails each day with dismissal changes from parents. The notifications require our office to contact teachers to prevent students from being dismissed incorrectly. Student office dismissals after 2:30PM only add to this confusion. Please understand that our “No Student Office Dismissal” restriction after 2:30PM is based on student safety. Thanks for your understanding!
“Caught Ya” Citations
“Caught Ya” Citations are a great way for students, parents, and staff to recognize adults in our building! These citations also provide students with an opportunity to earn House Points. Everyone wants to be a member of the “House of the Year!” If you would like to recognize one or more of our staff members, simply use this link. “Caught Ya” – Staff Citation Link Thanks for making someone’s day!