Midland Messenger
September 9-13, 2019
Midland Elementary
Email: midland@fpschools.org
Website: http://midland.fpschools.org/
Location: Midland Elementary School, 105th Street East, Tacoma, WA, USA
Phone: 253-298-4500
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Midland-Elementary-Mustangs-112865059416899/?ref=settings
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Dear Parents and Families,
Communication...how do families know what is happening at Midland?
- The Midland Messenger is our newsletter that goes home weekly. This bulletin is designed to be a quick look at what's coming up, with some short articles of information. It goes home through SMORE to your email.
- The Sunday Night phone call from me. I hope you find it helpful about what's happening for the week each Sunday evening.
- Our school website can be accessed through midland.fpschools.org. Our website is updated regularly with important dates and information.
- Classroom emails and information come from your child's teacher. If you ever have a question about that, you are welcome to email the teacher directly!
- Like us on Facebook at Midland Elementary Mustangs for news and information almost daily!
~Mrs. Dawson
Important Dates to remember
September 3 ~ 1st Day for Kindergarteners
September 9 ~ Picture Day!
September 11 ~ 1:50 pm dismissal
September 18 ~ 1:50 pm dismissal
September 19 ~ Open House from 5:30-7:00 pm
September 25 ~ MOJO Assembly at 1:05 pm
September 25 ~ 1:50 pm dismissal
Sept. 30-Oct. 3 ~ 11:50 am dismissal for Conferences
Picture Day!
Welcome Families!
Please plan to attend our Open House on Thursday, September 19th from 5:30 – 7:00 pm. Come meet your child's teacher, see the classroom, and meet our Midland specialists!
Safety First!
The streets around Midland will be extremely busy at arrival and dismissal times. We have endeavored to create areas that are safe and efficient for these purposes. Please help keep our students safe by following these procedures.
Arrival Time: Students should not be dropped off prior to 8:20
• When dropping students off, enter the main gate at the front of the school.
Swing left and drop your children off in the designated crossed lines area. Do not block passage lanes in center of parking lot, or our crosswalk.
Exit through the second gate.
• Please do not travel on 24th Avenue or drop children off in the bus crescent. We are keeping cars and buses separate.
Dismissal Time: Children being picked up will be gathered at the east end of the pick-up area.
• Enter the parking lot and swing left into the designated lined area to pick up your child(ren). Do not block passage lanes in center of parking lot, or our crosswalk.
• Please keep the pick-up area at the crossed lines moving.
· Please do not pick up children in the bus crescent.
• Children who walk home will cross the street at the crosswalk.
Thank you for cooperating in our efforts to keep our students safe.
Bus Procedures
If you wish your child to ride a bus other than the one he/she regularly rides, or to get off at a different bus stop, you must send a note to inform us of the change. This same procedure must be followed if you want your child to walk home rather than ride the bus. Without a note we will not allow students to deviate from their normal mode of transportation home. Detailed bus information is now on line at http://www.fpschools.org/elinkrp/, guest as username and guest as your password.
Bike Riding
Students in grades 3 through 5 may ride their bikes to school if their parents permit it. Bike riding is a privilege that can be revoked if the following rules are not followed:
Parents need to write a note to the teacher/office allowing their student to ride a bike.
• Bike riders must wear a properly fitted helmet. (This rule meets the requirement of Pierce County law).
• Ride safely (ride on the right side of the road, ride single file only, only one child on a bike, etc…)
• Bikes must be walked on school property.
• Bikes must be locked in the designated area.
Once again, it is your decision to allow your child to ride his/her bike to school. Please discuss these rules at home.
Build the Habit of Good Attendance!
Attending school regularly helps students feel better about school- and themselves. Starting in kindergarten, missing too much school can cause students to fall behind. Students should not miss more than 9 days in a school year, and most Midland students meet this important goal. There are new district policies for school attendance, and we will be monitoring attendance closely. Regular attendance is critical for school success, but it is also the law! We want to partner with you to make sure your student is at school and benefiting from important instruction. Communication is key! Please let us know how we can help. We miss your child when they are gone!
Report Student Absences
It is important that we hear from you when your student is absent. Please make sure you contact Midland to let us know the reason for the absence. You may report your child’s absence online at our district’s website. Go to www.fpschools.org, click on Schools, click on Midland, click on Report Students Absences and click on the icon. It will bring up an email window. You may also call our office at 253 298-4500.
Medication at School
The health room is staffed daily with a LPN to provide first aid to students who become ill or injured at school, and to give medications prescribed by state approved medical providers. Our goal is to keep healthy children learning in the classroom, and to get ill children home.
State law allows for students to be administered oral medications at school (including inhalers), ear drops, eye drops, and/or to apply ointments with doctor’s order only. All medications, even over-the-counter products such as pain relievers and cough drops, require an appropriate order from an approved medical provider. We must have a new medication order each school year. Please do not send medication with your child, as it is illegal for them to carry it on school grounds. Do not hesitate to contact our school nurse, Mrs. Stippich, at 298-4523 if you have questions or desire further information.
Kids at Hope at Midland!
At Midland, we have adopted the Kids at Hope framework! We believe
· Children succeed when they are surrounded by adults who believe they can succeed.
· Children succeed when they have meaningful, sustainable relationships with caring adults.
· Children succeed when they can articulate their future.
We say the Kids at Hope pledge daily, so ask your child to say it for you!
School Dress Code
· School Board Policy 5200 (Section 11.9- Student Dress & Appearance) requires students “to observe modesty, appropriateness, and neatness in clothing and personal appearance.” Students are not appropriately dressed if their appearance causes a disruptive influence either to themselves or to others. Students are not allowed to wear clothing or other items that are lewd, profane, or that advertise alcohol, tobacco and/or illegal drugs.
· Hats and caps will be worn outside ONLY. While shorts are OK to wear (hem must extend beyond fingertips when arms hanging at their side) and may be practical on hot days, “short-shorts”, shirts exposing bare stomachs, halter tops, tank tops with spaghetti straps, sagging pants, disconnected straps on overalls, bandannas, and scarves are examples of clothing that are not appropriate.
· If clothing is not consistent with school dress, the student will be sent to the health room for change of clothes or a call home.
PTA Corner
- Please join the PTA. Membership forms are in Midland's lobby.
Email: midlandptapresident@gmail.com
Phone: 253-298-4500
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/midlandmustangs/
Verizon Brings Goodies
Franklin Pierce Schools does not discriminate on the basis of sex, race, creed, religion, color, national origin, age, honorably discharged veteran or military status, sexual orientation including gender expression or identity, the presence of any sensory, mental, or physical disability, or the use of a trained dog guide or service animal by a person with a disability in its programs and activities and provides equal access to the Boy Scouts and other designated youth groups.
Questions and complaints of alleged discrimination should be directed to James Hester, Compliance Coordinator for State and Civil Rights Laws; Wendy Malich, Title IX Officer; or John Sander, 504/ADA Coordinator at 315 129th ST S, Tacoma, WA 98444-5099 or at (253)298-3000.