Munhall Bulletin
December 4, 2020
Munhall Elementary School
Email: heather.miller@d303.org
Website: http://munhall.d303.org/
Location: 1400 South 13th Avenue
Phone: 331-228-2600
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Munhall-Elementary-1459358344296891/
Twitter: @MunhallD303
Principal Note
This year has been anything but ordinary, and it has tested our resolve in many ways. The first week of remote learning for all elementary students didn’t always go smoothly. There were times of troubleshooting, lag time on our synchronous meetings, login and Internet issues, just to name a few. We know these kinds of setbacks can be frustrating, and can cause anxiousness for our students. As adults, especially the Munhall staff, we will continue to problem-solve and try to lead and model The Mustang Way for our students.
One of the core values we have within the Munhall staff is the concept of “Connection before Content”, which emphasizes the social-emotional learning needs of our students. The value speaks to the importance of creating a community and culture within our school and classrooms of belonging and acknowledgement. Clearly, this looks different through a computer screen.
When I think about the next two weeks and beyond, I believe it is paramount that we lead our students in a way that keeps connection and enthusiasm for learning at the forefront. Yes, the content is critical. It is our charge. To get students to learn, in an increasingly accelerated manner, students must feel safe, cared for, loved, and have a sense of belonging. When these feelings exist within our students, they tend to ‘show up’ each day ready to learn.
If you are having issues with your technology, I highly recommend parents access the IT support for families: D303 Instructional Tech for Families
Specifically, for immediate support, use the ‘IT Direct Support’ icon in the top right corner.
Retrieving Fall Pictures
Fall pictures have arrived! If you ordered fall pictures from our Wednesday, November 18th picture day, they are packaged and available for pick-up at the Munhall main office. Parents can begin picking up pictures as earlier as tomorrow morning, and continue into next week. When arriving to Munhall, press the silver buzzer and indicate that you are picking up fall pictures. Be prepared to share your child's first and last name, grade level, and classroom teacher.
For students who had their picture taken, but no picture order was submitted, parents can pick-up a print of cardstock that contains your child’s picture, as well as ordering information.
Winter i-Ready Diagnostic Assessment
Starting today, and continuing into next week, many of our students (Kindergarten started their reading assessment earlier this week) will begin their Reading and Math i-Ready diagnostic assessment for the winter benchmarking period. i-Ready diagnostic assessments are computer-based assessments that adjust to each child’s mathematics and reading ability levels. If your child took an i-Ready diagnostic assessment in the fall, this mid-year check will start with content based on those results and adapt from that starting point. As your child answers each question, the test adapts based upon your child’s responses. The questions become easier if the answers are incorrect and get more challenging as correct answers are provided. This type of assessment individualizes every testing experience so that it more accurately measures your child’s ability.
The assessment data is to help understand where your child is in relation to grade level standards, provide for practice and assignments at your child’s academic level, and monitor academic growth this school year.
Based on our current learning model, all D303 elementary students will be taking this assessment remotely. i-Ready, being an adaptive test, is designed to get difficult for each student, so expect there to be times of struggle for your child. It is important that parents do not help their child during this assessment, which includes reading portions of the assessment to them. One of the outcomes of the assessment data, is your child has an individualized learning pathway identified for them. If the results are invalid, future practice, lessons and assignments presented to students in their individualized learner pathway will not accurately meet them where they are, and could produce activities and content that is far too difficult. If your child asks for support, please encourage them to try their best.
Please let me know if you have any questions, as I can be reached directly at 331-228-6637 or Jarrod.Buxton@d303.org.
Meal Distribution
Throughout our adaptive pause on in-person instruction, meals will be distributed to D303 families. Breakfast and lunch meals are FREE for all children between the ages of 1 to 18. There is no pre-ordering. Meals are available at Cumberland Green from 11:00 AM-12:00 PM and at Munhall from 2:00 PM-3:00 PM on the following dates: 12/7, 12/10, 12/14, 12/17, 12/21, 12/28, and 1/4. On each pick-up date, multiple meals will be provided.
Munhall Giving Tree
One of the many traditions of service at Munhall has been the Holiday Giving Tree. In the past, parents would select an ‘Ornament’ from the Giving Tree during conference time, and supply gifts for families in the community who may benefit during the holiday season. Although the Giving Tree will look very different this year, we want to offer an opportunity for our Munhall community to give, as well as have our Munhall community members benefit from such generosity.
Therefore, if you’re interested in helping out Munhall families during the holiday season, you can drop off gift cards at the Munhall main office. Gift cards can be from any location and monetary denomination. As a school, we will organize all donated gift cards, and get them into the hands of families who will benefit.
Thank you in advance for your generosity.
Have a great weekend!
Jarrod Buxton, Principal