MPES Connection
February 12, 2021
Message from Mrs. Mamon
We are looking forward to welcoming some of our MPES students back into our school building in March! Please be sure to read the flyer at the top of this newsletter for important dates and information regarding this return.
It is important to note that these return-to-building dates are only for those students whose families have selected the hybrid learning option. As a part of the hybrid learning option, students will attend school in person two days a week. The days that a student will attend in person will be based on his/her address. Check your address zone here. If your address does not appear, you are a zone 3.
Families/students who have elected to remain in a virtual model of instruction will do so for the remainder of the school year.
In the upcoming weeks, we will have a lot of information to share with families whose child(ren) will be returning to in-person, hybrid learning. It will be very important for families to continue to read the newsletter each week and pay careful attention to all emails and text messages from the school. We are also planning an online parent informational night through Zoom to discuss details of our hybrid return and answer any questions. Be on the lookout in next week's newsletter for the date and time of this event!
Monday, February 15
Presidents' Day - School Division Closed
No morning class meeting or assigned independent work
No school meal distribution (moved to Tuesday, February 16)
Other Important Notes:
- We are excited to share that our Girls on the Run program is returning to MPES this spring in a virtual format! Please see below in the newsletter for information on how to sign up. Registration is open now through March 9. Please contact our head coach, Mallory Winner, at mallory.winner@mpark.net with any questions about the program.
- Please remind your student to shut down his/her Chromebook at the end of each day. This will allow for important updates to go through on their device and keep all of the programs we use running smoothly.
Don't forget to send pictures of our students learning at home! I love seeing and sharing them in my weekly newsletters. Snap a picture and send it to me at stacey.mamon@mpark.net.
Sincerely,
Stacey Mamon
Principal
Learning in Action
WIDA Access Testing Reminders
The families of Zone 2 students who will be testing 2/17 – 2/19 received an email on 2/10 with those details. The families of Zone 1 students who will be testing 2/22 – 2/24 will be receiving an email in the next few days.
Students who will be returning to in-person, hybrid instruction in March will be testing during school hours on a day they are scheduled to be at school.
On your scheduled testing days, please help your child to remember to bring his/her Chromebook, charger, and bookbag. Teachers will meet your child at the bus loop. Parent drop off is located in the Brandon Street parking lot and a teacher will meet your child there.
The morning session is 8:00 AM – 11:00 AM and the afternoon session is 12:30 PM – 3:30 PM.
Our ESOL teachers are excited to begin the WIDA testing and see your students!
February STEM Challenge
Girls on the Run is coming this spring to MPES!
Registration is Now Open
Counselor Corner
February is Black History Month. During the next two Counseling Connection lessons, all students are participating in lessons to celebrate this important month. As part of these lessons, students are learning to respect and celebrate the differences in people; identify what makes them unique and special; and identify similarities and differences between themselves and others. Students will practice skills of compassion, empathy, and respecting diverse groups.
Parents can teach tolerance by setting a good example in addition to many other things.
Things to try:
1. Show an attitude of respect for others.
2. Be aware of the way you speak about others who are different from yourself.
3. Answer questions children have about differences with honesty and respect. This demonstrates that it is okay to notice and discuss differences as long as it is done in a respectful manner.
4. Recognize and respect differences within your own family. Value the uniqueness of everyone in your family— their individual abilities, interests, etc.
5. Emphasize the GOLDEN RULE—Treating others the way that you want to be treated.
6. Help children to build their self-esteem. When children value and respect themselves, they are more likely to treat others with mutual respect.
7. Create opportunities for children to work and play with others who are different from them.
We hope everyone has a safe and happy Valentine’s Day and President’s Day this weekend!
Ms. Rose and Ms. Rupert
If you have any concerns about your student, please reach out to our 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.
STEM and Specials
Students receive either a G (meets expectations) or an N (does not meet expectations) in art, P.E., music, instrumental music and library. Your child will receive a G if he/she attends at least two live Zoom classes during the quarter and completes at least one independent assignment for the quarter.
Important Health Information
Remember to Shut Down your Chromebook every day!
Students can now check out books from our MPES Library!
Directions to Check Grades in PowerSchool Parent Portal
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.
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
MPES Office Hours
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.net
Upcoming Dates
No School - President's Day
Monday, February 15
MPCS School Board Meeting
Monday, February 22
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