MPES Connection
October 9, 2020
Message from Mrs. Mamon
Today marks the halfway point of the first quarter. This is when teachers typically send home an interim report so that parents can see how their child is progressing during the first few weeks of school. This year, parents are encouraged to check their child's grades in the PowerSchool Parent/Student Portal. See below or click here for pictures of each step to access grades in PowerSchool.
All students automatically have access to their grades by logging into the PowerSchool Parent/Student portal using the same username and password that they use to log into their device. This link has been added to the CES & MPES Weblinks page that is accessible through every student's Canvas homepage.
During these first few weeks of school, much time has been spent transitioning students to the new school year and to our remote learning environment. Teachers have dedicated time to building their classroom community and helping students learn how to navigate their virtual classroom. They have also been assessing each student’s current skill level in order to better plan instruction. This includes administering the recent Reading and Math STAR assessments. With all of these things happening within the first few weeks, you will likely not see many grades when you check today. Interims and report cards for the remainder of the school year will include more information based on your child’s daily work and progress. Please contact your child's teachers with any questions about how your child is progressing or a specific assignment.
Next Monday, October 12th, is Columbus Day/Indigenous Peoples Day and is scheduled as a holiday for students and a virtual workday for teachers. As it is not a school day for students, homeroom teachers will not be holding their morning class meeting or assigning any independent work for the day. The regular remote schedule will resume on Tuesday, October 13th.
Other Important Notes:
- The school meal distribution will take place on Tuesday, October 13th, next week due to the holiday on Monday. Please see below for the four pick up locations.
- If you missed the chance to pick up a recorder and watercolor paints for your child last Monday, call the office at (703)368-2032 to schedule a time to pick up in the main office.
- Our online book fair begins on Monday, October 12th! Click here to view and purchase books.
- Next week is #MPCougars4Kindness Spirit Week! This is a Manassas Park district wide celebration. We hope you participate in the fun activities planned throughout the week as we promote treating others with kindness and respect! See below for details.
- Is your student looking for some good books to read? Good news! Students can now check out books from our MPES library and pick them up outside our main office! Details on how to do this are in this newsletter.
Don't forget to send pictures of our students learning at home! I love seeing and sharing them in my weekly newsletters (see below). Snap a picture and send it to me at stacey.mamon@mpark.net.
Have a wonderful weekend!
Sincerely,
Stacey Mamon
Principal
Directions to Check Grades in PowerSchool Parent Portal
Learning in Action!
Counselor Corner
Ms. Rose and Ms. Rupert, your MPES school counselors, are excited to announce that next week October 12th-16th we are going to be celebrating #MPCougars4Kindness Spirit Week! This is a Manassas Park district wide celebration!
Monday 10/12: Black & Gold Day – Show your Manassas Park Cougar Kindness!
Tuesday 10/13: Jersey Day – Be a Team Player
Wednesday 10/14: Wacky Wednesday – Celebrate our Differences!
Thursday 10/15: Pajama Day – Be Comfy with Kindness!
Friday 10/16: Rainbow Day – Color the World with Kindness!
Special Event: Monday 10/19: It's Cool to be Kind - Pick up a free ice pop at one of the four lunch/breakfast pick up locations!
To show your involvement post on this padlet: http://bit.ly/MPCougars4Kindness2020
Link to PDF: #MPCougars4Kindness Week
Please remember that if you have any concerns about your student to reach out to your school counselors, Ms. Rose (patricia.rose@mpark.net) and Ms. Rupert (makenzie.rupert@mpark.net). You can also fill out this Parent/Caregiver Referral to School Counselor form about your concerns.
FREE School Meals available on Mondays at 4 locations!
Now you can pick up 5 lunches and 5 breakfasts at a time for your child(ren).
This drive-thru style pick-up will be held at FOUR locations every Monday.
*Pick up will be held on Tuesday for the week of October 12-16 due to the student holiday on Monday*
- 8:30 – 11 am at Cougar Elementary via Cougar Court
- 11:30 am - 12:30 pm at the MP Community Center/Dog Park
- 1:30 - 2:30 pm at Sandstone Way & Manassas Drive
- 3:30 – 6 pm at Manassas Park Middle School
Meals are limited to one set of meals per child, per week.
Please note, the bus distribution sites that were utilized for the past two weeks WILL NO LONGER be used. Meals must be picked up on Mondays only. There are not enough personnel to staff all locations.
Proof of enrollment, or bringing a child(ren) to pick up, is required for parents to pick up meals. Proof of enrollment can include a student ID card, report card, or any other school communication containing the students name(s). If you need assistance with providing proof, the food services department can make an ID badge which you can use for future visits.
If your children are not school aged, our food services team will work with you to provide a proof should you wish to pick up without children in the future. Please talk to them during the pick-up time slots noted above.
We hope that replicating our Summer Feeding Program and adding an additional pick up location and window will permit more families to take advantage of this FREE service.
Learning in Action!
Our Online Bookfair is here!
Thank you to our sponsors!
BELL – the Education Foundation of Manassas Park – supports innovative efforts in our classrooms. While their yearly fundraising event was cancelled, area businesses are still supporting the foundation with a week-long event next week. We continue to thank everyone who is on this journey with us!
Important Health Information
MPCS Returning Forward Learning Plan and Health Plan
On Monday, August 17th, the school board approved the Health Plan and Learning Plan for the 2020-2021 school year. These two important documents are guiding our return forward this year and include many details about what our learning environment will look like.
MPCS Returning Forward Learning Plan 2020-2021
Students can now check out books from our MPES Library!
Tips to Support your Student
- Start letting your student do things on their own, when possible, so they are learning how. Have them try on their own first!
- If you need to speak to the teacher for any reason, please contact him/her by email or phone during office hours, not during a live Zoom class.
- Try not to be on camera if/when supporting your student; build independence. If you need to support them, sit off camera so other students are not distracted.
Need IT Support?
Please email it.support@mpark.net.
Please make sure you include your student's name, the device type, and a detailed description of the problem.
Remember to Shut down your Chromebook!
MPES Office Hours
Contact Information
19-20 Yearbooks
School Board Meetings and Work Sessions Available on YouTube!
Ways to Support the PTO and our schools
Amazon Smile
Start your shopping at smile.amazon.com! All it takes is a Smile to help raise money for our schools! If you are already an Amazon shopper, be sure to link your account to the Manassas Park Cougar Parent Teacher Organization and do your shopping directly on smile.amazon.com. A percentage of your order amount will be donated back to the schools!
Shoparoo Mobile App
Support our schools by downloading the Shoparoo Mobile App to your mobile device! After each of your grocery store shopping trips, open the app and snap a picture of your receipt! That's all it takes to earn money for our schools!
Harris Teeter VIC Card
Do you shop at Harris Teeter? Do you have a VIC Loyalty Card? Helping our schools to earn extra cash is as simple as visiting www.harristeeter.com and following the online steps to link your VIC card to both Cougar and Manassas Park Elementary!
Stay Connected!
There will be many exciting things happening throughout the next school year. I encourage you to stay up-to-date with important information and follow highlights of our learning at MPES and in Manassas Park City Schools.
You can stay connected by:
- Checking your child's Monday Folder each week
- Reading the MPES weekly online newsletters emailed out each Friday afternoon
- Following MPES on Twitter @MPEScougars
- Following MPCS on Twitter @MPCSchools
- Liking and following the Manassas Park City Schools Facebook page
- Checking the MPCS website frequently at www.mpark.net
Be sure to also keep up to date with PTO happenings!
- Facebook - www.facebook.com/ManassasParkCougarPTO
- Twitter - www.twitter.com/ManassasParkPTO
- Email - mpc-pto@mpcschools.et
Upcoming Dates
Columbus Day/Indigenous Peoples Day
No school for students/Virtual Teacher Workday
Monday, October 12
MPCS School Board Meeting
Monday, October 19
6:59 p.m.
School Board Meeting Room (available to watch live on YouTube)
Manassas Park Elementary School
Principal
Email: stacey.mamon@mpark.net
Website: www.mpark.net
Location: 9298 Cougar Court, Manassas Park, VA, United States
Phone: (703) 368-2032
Twitter: @MPEScougars