Upper Allen Parent Newsletter
A Learning Community September 27, 2019
Remember to Log on to the Sapphire Community Web Portal
At the beginning of the year, it is required one parent log on to the portal to review and electronically sign your student’s Emergency Information Form. This will ensure we have the most up to date information for your student in the event of a health or other emergency. You can also change address and phone number information at any time throughout the year.
It is recommended each parent have their own login, password and pin for notification purposes due to each parent’s unique contact information (cell phone, work phone, etc.). However, only one member needs to update student information yearly.
If needed, please follow the directions below to create an additional parent portal account.
· Log on to sapphire.mbgsd.org
· Click “Community Portal”
· On the left hand side click “Create a Web Portal Account”
· Review the agreement
· Agree and continue
· Complete form
· Once you have completed the form, you will receive a PIN#
· You will use the login and password you have created along with the PIN# to log on to the system
The Sapphire Community Web Portal also contains the district’s emergency notification system. The Notification Preference Guide, which will help you modify your notification preferences, is located on the Mechanicsburg Area School District website (http://www.mbgsd.org) under “News and Announcements” then click “Sapphire Information System.”
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact Tammy Roberts (troberts@mbgsd.org).
You can call Mrs. Forbes at 717-691-4594, if you need your Login and Pin#.
Important Upcoming Dates
· October 1st - PTO Meeting 7:00 PM
· October 19th - Fall Fair 4:00-7:00 PM
· October 26th - Skating Party at Fountainblu 4:30-7:00 PM
· October 28th- End of Marking Period 1
· November 5th- PTO Meeting 7 PM
· November 12- Parent/Teacher Conferences 3:30-5:30 PM
· November 14th- Early Dismissal 10:45 AM
· November 14th - Parent/Teacher Conferences 11 AM-7 PM
· November 15th- Early Dismissal 10:45 AM
· November 15th- Parent/Teacher Conferences 11 AM-3 PM
· November 22nd - Picture Retake Day
· November 27th - No School for Students (Contracted In-Service Day)
· November 28th-30th - No School - Thanksgiving Recess
PTO
PTO meeting 10/1 @ 7pm
- Operation Wildcat will be there to explain all the services available to families in the district
- Each class, per grade, with the most parents in attendance will earn an extra recess
Anyone interested in helping with the Fall Fair should contact jgreen@mbgsd.org or attend the PTO meeting on 10/1.
Upcoming Events
- Fall Fair 10/19 from 4-7 pm
- Skating Party with Shepherdstown Elementary 10/26 4:30-7
Construction Update
- We got some great news this week. Construction is actually ahead of schedule! Stay tuned next week to see what this might mean for our school.
PSSA Testing for 3rd Graders
PLEASE MAKE EVERY ATTEMPT TO AVOID PLANNING VACATIONS DURING THIS TIME!
English Language Arts: April 20th-24th
Math: April 27th-May 8th
*****PLEASE NOTE: Educational Trip requests will not be granted for students requesting to be absent on dates testing is scheduled to occur
Wanted: Guest Teachers
WANTED: GUEST TEACHERS
Mechanicsburg Area School District is pleased to announce an exciting program where you may be able to qualify as a Guest Teacher in our school district. Guest Teachers serve as substitute teachers in the absence of the regular classroom teacher. There are opportunities across all grade levels.
Why Become a Guest Teacher :
You will have a flexible schedule and the freedom to pick and choose the days that you want to work and the buildings and classrooms where you want to work. Most importantly, you will be sharing in the education of our students.
We are seeking anyone that holds a Bachelors degree such as stay-at-home parents or recent college graduates to serve as a guest teacher.
Qualifications :
To qualify as a Guest Teacher, participants must:
- hold at least a Bachelors degree from an accredited college or university
- complete the districts new hire paperwork packet
- apply for an Emergency Permit through the Pennsylvania Department of Education (this will be completed in the Human Resources Office)
- receive school board approval
- complete the districts Guest Teacher training.
Training:
The 2-day training will be held September 16th and September 17 th OR November 21 st and November 22 nd and will include topics such as:
- general information about the district
- lesson planning
- working with students
- working with students with special needs
- classroom management and professionalism
- the guest teacher in-training will visit a district classroom
Pay :
Guest teachers will receive $105/day for the 2019/2020 school year.
To learn more about becoming a Guest Teacher, please visit our website at www.mbgsd.org , then under District Services choose the Human Resources tab or contact Nicole Thurstin, Human Resources Coordinator at 717-691-3332 or nthurstin@mbgsd.org .
School Assemblies - Moving to the Middle School
Operation Wildcat Volunteer Opportunities
VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES
Mondays 4-6pm at MMS. OW Clean Up with Full Hearts Outreach, the MASH service club. Others are Welcome! Questions contact Melissa Herbein melissaherbein@gmail.com or Meg Brown pmbrown2@msn.com . Sign Up www.ttsu.me/mcvjmm . For more info about Full Hearts Outreach, please contact them at fullheartsoutreach@gmail.com .
Saturday 10/5 10am at St. Paul’s United Church of Christ, 626 Williams Grove Road. Help is needed to load up yard sale leftovers, and unload at the warehouse. Sign up www.ttsu.me/dgwjdu . Any questions, please contact Maureen Ross at mmross4@comcast.net.
October 16 - 19, 2019 Yard Sale Help Needed
Just about 4 weeks until the next OW Yard Sale!
A small, but unbelievably dedicated group of volunteers, has worked tirelessly for the last 5 months sorting, pricing, and boxing donations for the upcoming yard sale. Now we need your help to pull this off!
Sign up to help: www.ttsu.me/4jvjwz
Help is needed at the upcoming yard sale with set-up on October 16th, sorting and organizing items on October 17th and, at the yard sale on October 18th and 19th, and clean-up on October 19th, at Mechanicsburg Brethren in Christ Church (www.mcbic.org).
We need the most help with set-up and clean-up. So, if you can only give a few hours please consider helping during those times. If the slots are filled on the sign-up sheet, please contact Maureen. Please commit to help ASAP. While no help will be turned away no matter how late the hour, your early sign-up gives us a better idea where and when we have gaps in the schedule. This is a great opportunity if you are in need of service hours!
Please email Maureen if you are able to help at time frames other than those listed (i.e. - work the yard sale 10 AM-noon) and she will put you on the master schedule.
For specific questions, contact: Maureen Ross,
mmross4@comcast.netor 717-773-1988
Junior Achievement Volunteers Needed
Miss Stine Grade 3
Miss Peti Grade 2
Mr. Green Grade 2
Mrs. Golec Grade 1
Miss Ernst Grade 1
Want to learn more about Junior Achievement? https://www.juniorachievement.org/web/193773/3
Tami Hertzler | Program Manager
Junior Achievement of South Central PA
717.843.8028 | thertzler@jascpa.org
Birthday Treats/Gifts
Birthday treats need to follow the Nutrition Guidelines outlined by the National School Lunch Program and cannot contain sugar as the first ingredient so that funding is not jeopardized. A list of suggested “approved” snacks and non-food gift ideas will be provided by the teacher at Back-to-School Night and are also listed on the back of the policy found in the parent handbook posted on the MASD web page. One student should not be permitted to bring in a sugary snack over another student. Parents are to notify teachers if they are sending in treats so that they can be arranged around snack time and allergies. Due to the increasing number of allergies, all treats should be store bought. Cupcakes will not be permitted.
Balloons are NOT permitted due to latex allergies.
Around Our School - It's PICTURE DAY!
Student Handbook
The student handbook is a wealth of school related information. Please follow the link below to visit the Student Handbook. The handbook can also be found on the Mechanicsburg Area School District web page under the heading "About Us".
Upper Allen Elementary School
A Learning Community
Inspired to Explore - Empowered to Innovate
Email: jmcintosh@mbgsd.org
Website: https://upperallen.mbgsd.org/
Location: 1790 South Market Street
Phone: (717)691-4594
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/search/top/?q=upper%20allen%20elementary%20pto
Twitter: @jmcintosh_john