Memorial Messages
Memorial Elementary School Newsletter
"No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted." - Aesop
Save the Date (s):
February
KINDNESS CRUSADE - all month long (see below for details)
2 Saturday Night Live Meeting at 6 p.m. (see below for details)
5 Student Council begins Snifty Pencil sales
4 & 18 Kindness Keepers, 11:30 a.m.
8 & 23 Student Council meets at 8 a.m.
9 PTO Meeting at 3:30 p.m.
11 Valentine Day Celebrations/Parties
14 Happy Valentines Day
12 & 15 Mid-Winter Break - no school
25 MATH Bowl, 6 p.m. in the Valparaiso High School's Gym
29 ISTEP+ Part 1 window begins today - March 11
MAY
3 All School Music Program for all students in grades 1-5 at Valparaiso High School
MATH BOWL meets Mondays and Thursdays afternoon until 4:10 p.m. Competition is February 25.
AFTER SCHOOL SPORTS - Follow this schedule - After School Sports
Congratulations to Memorial's first Science Bowl Team! They won Fourth Place in the state!
Join the Kindness Keepers in the Kindness Crusade
The Kindness Keepers/Team Lead students will be promoting the "Kindness Crusade" for the entire month of February. They will be making posters and promoting it on the announcements. Acts of Kindness can be added to this Padlet page. We will also have a graffiti wall in the hallway to display Acts of Kindness.
You may view kindness on the following videos, Kindness Boomerang and Revolution of Love from the organization Life Vest Inside.
Kindergarten Round-Up
ISTEP+ NEWS
Part 1 is the Applied Skills portion of the test and will be taken using paper and pencil. Part 2 is the Multiple Choice portion and will be taken online. If you are interested in more information about ISTEP+ and the Indiana College and Career Ready Standards you will find resources on the Indiana Department of Education's website.
The Department of Education has released this information for ISTEP+ Part 2:
The IDOE is pleased to announce the ISTEP+ “Experience” opportunity is now available through Pearson! The purpose of Experience is for students, educators, parents, and community members to see how test items similar to those on the ISTEP+ Part 2 assessment are presented in the online system.
You may access the "Experience" through the IN DOE website at this link: Experience.
Parents of third and fourth graders received an access code for the Indiana Parent Network in November. If you need help accessing your child's scores from the 2015 ISTEP+, please contact the Memorial office. We can print you an access code for the Indiana Parent Network. If you have any questions about ISTEP+ you may contact your child's teacher or Mrs. Misecko.
PICK-UP and DROP-OFF Reminder
Additionally, if your child is a walker and you are now picking up during the winter, please let the school know and we will have your child in the car-rider line. The line of parked cars on Park Avenue after school often blocks the traffic on Center and Park and causes congestion.
Car Line Procedures
January 5, 2016
As we get ready to begin the second half of the school year, we would like to remind you of the Memorial Car Line procedures.
Please do not get out of the car during the car line. Your child needs to be able to get into the car and buckle his/her seat belt independently.
Once your child is in the car, please proceed forward. If you need to stop for some reason, please pull into the parking lot on Milton Street. Especially as the weather changes, we want to get the kids into their cars as quickly as possible.
Please have your child’s booster/car seat on the passenger’s side of the vehicle. We do not want children getting into vehicles on the driver’s side because traffic on Milton Street is not stopped during dismissal. If the car seat must be on the driver’s side for some reason, your child needs to be able to get in on the passenger’s side and climb over to his/her seat independently.
Please pull all the way forward so that you are right behind the car in front of you. When the snow and ice come, the sidewalk going uphill can be a little slick.
Please make sure that you have your sign in the window. If you need a new or additional sign, please let your child’s teacher know or contact the office.
Thank you so much for following these procedures. It will make the car line run more smoothly which helps us get all of the children home in a more timely manner. Please share this information with anyone who may pick your child up in the car rider line.
Miscellaneous NOTES & REMINDERS:
- If you are planning on helping with the Valentine's Day Party in your child's classroom you will need a completed background check. If you let your child's teacher know you are coming to help in advance, we can verify that you have a completed background check on file.
- Follow Memorial Elementary on Twitter @Valpo_Memorial.
- Please note that, as per VCS policy, students will go out to recess any time the air temperature is above 0° F (factoring in the wind chill). Students should be bringing warm hats, gloves, and boots. If it is snowy, they will need snow pants to play in the snow.
- For the well-being of others, please keep students at home 24 hours after the symptoms have passed, if they have had a fever or have vomited.
- Please send a note, or email Mrs. Molnar, in the morning with all changes in transportation. When calls are made during the busy school day, there is a chance that the message may get delayed and/or not delivered. If you have an emergency during the day, which merits a change in transportation, the best way to send the message is to Mrs. Molnar's email: kmolnar@valpo.k12.in.us.
- Please remind your child to check the Lost and Found for any missing clothing or winter wear items. It is growing daily. You are welcome to come look through it as well, as sometimes the students do not look as thoroughly as adults.
- If you need a copy of the New Wellness Policy, please ask in the office. There is a list of acceptable birthday/classroom treats. The teachers appreciate pre-packaged and pre-portioned treats.
- A Background Check Application is required to be completed by school visitors and volunteers each school year. Anyone coming to help with holiday parties must have one completed a week in advance.
SUB AIDES NEEDED!
PTO News
Memorial is a 2015 National Blue Ribbon Award
Memorial is designated as an Indiana Four Star School
Valparaiso Community Schools are AdvancED Accredited
Memorial Elementary
Email: dmisecko@valpo.k12.in.us
Website: www.valpo.k12.in.us/Domain/337
Location: 1052 Park Ave.
Phone: (219) 531-3090
Twitter: @Valpo_Memorial