MES Communication
January 3-13
Hello BEAR Nation!
Happy New Year! It’s hard to believe that we are already half way through the 2023-24 school year. While our weather is unseasonably warm as I write communication, cold and snowy weather will most likely interfere over the next few months. Should this occur, it is important to know that Stafford County Public Schools does not intend to have any virtual or asynchronous days during weather days this year. If you wish to have your student do anything academic during a weather day, I recommend for students read something that appeals to them.
The second half of the year will begin with a fury, as many of our students will take mid-year assessments. In a few weeks, our 3rd-5th Grade students will participate in their mid-year SOL growth assessments and all of our ESOL students will take their annual WIDA assessments in February and March. Apart from all of these assessments, we also have many things to teach and learn. When available, we will share assessment results.
Please take a moment to read about our Third Quarter Attendance Challenge below. At our current Chronic Attendance Rate, we are in jeopardy of losing school accreditation for next year. We are hopeful that this challenge will improve our chronic absenteeism and provide families with opportunities to win fun activities and prizes. Together, let’s make 2024 special.
Happy New Year!
Mr. Machi
Lunch Menu (Jan. 4-12)
FREE Breakfast and Lunch is available daily.
Students may decline a meal at any time.
Available Everyday: Hummus, or Sunbutter & Jelly
Specials Rotation (Jan. 4-12)
Moncure is operating on a six-day rotation this year. Please look for specific Specials information from your child’s teacher!
SCPS 2023-24 Calendar
To help you to prepare for the year ahead, I encourage families to access the SCPS 2023-24 School Calendar. Please print or keep this link handy, as it will help you to prepare for holidays or periodic days off.
Grade Reports (Available on January 10th)
The end of the second quarter was December 20th. Second quarter Grades Reports will be available in ParentVue on January 10th. Contact our office if you are having difficulty accessing ParentVue.
Third Quarter Attendance Challenge
This quarter (January 8–March 7), we are rolling out a school-wide attendance challenge. Students who demonstrate perfect weekly (full day) attendance will earn a ticket. Students will be able to use these tickets to enter into drawings for items such as family 4 packs of Fun Land tickets, Monster Golf tickets, Sky Zone tickets, Urban Air tickets, and a few other options. For example, a student with perfect attendance this quarter will earn a total of 9 tickets to enter into a drawing(s) of their choice.
Important Attendance Information
Chronic absenteeism is defined as missing ten percent or more of the academic year, including excused absences, unexcused absences, and suspensions. In a 180-day school year, this equates to approximately 18 days, or 2 to 3 days per month. Our school’s goal for the current academic year is to maintain a chronic absenteeism rate of no more than 15%.
Current breakdown of Chronically Absent student rates by grade level (Second Quarter):
• Kindergarten: 37.75%
• First Grade: 33.08%
• Second Grade: 35.26%
• Third Grade: 26.43%
• Fourth Grade: 27.08%
• Fifth Grade: 22.30%
The state has tasked schools and school divisions to crack down on these numbers and involve the court system if necessary. We simply ask that you get your students to school. If your student is sick, keep them home. However, if your student is simply tired, get them up.
Missed instruction, regardless of the reason, can have significant academic consequences. Therefore, our emphasis is on improving attendance for every student. It is crucial to note that, at the current rate, our school’s accreditation will be affected.
We ask for your support in helping us reach our attendance goal. Encouraging regular attendance not only benefits individual students but also contributes to the overall success and well-being of our school community.
The state has stated that attendance plans are mandatory for ALL students with 10 or more absences. If you have any questions or concerns regarding attendance, please do not hesitate to reach out to our school office. We appreciate your partnership in fostering a positive and supportive learning environment for all students.
Cell Phones and SMART Watches
With the recent holiday, it is not uncommon to see an uptick of Cell Phones and Smart Watches at school. As a reminder, Stafford County Public Schools has a clearly defined their expectations for the use of these devices at the elementary level. Please review the expectations below with your students. Refusals by students to comply with SCPS guidelines will be addressed by school administration, utilizing the Code of Conduct. Thanks for your help!
ELEMENTARY SCHOOL - Elementary school students shall not be permitted to use or display such personal devices while on school grounds unless expressly authorized by staff or as outlined in Rule 6, which allows all students to use cellular phone/electronic devices with headphones while on the school bus. Otherwise, students shall be required to store such devices in their backpacks or in other school containers.
- Posting, distributing, displaying, or sharing inappropriate material or literature, by any means, is prohibited.
- Authorized use of a personal cellular phone/electronic device is a privilege that may be taken away up to indefinitely as a disciplinary consequence. Notice must be given to parents/guardians, teachers, and the student.
- Parents/guardians are responsible for regulating their children’s use of personal cellular phones/electronic devices during non-school hours. In school or school-activity related misconduct arising from such use during non-school hours shall be subject to this Code of Student Conduct.
- The school division is not responsible for safeguarding personal cellular phones/electronic devices.
PTO General Meeting (January 9th)
Hello all, Anne E. Moncure Elementary School PTO is having a general meeting in January. This meeting is open to everyone who has a student at the school and wants to learn more about what the PTO does. This invite extends to teachers and staff that want to be involved as well. We would like to get more involvement as many of our members will be leaving us next year. Come out and get information regarding the upcoming events and what positions will be opened for next school year. We will be reaching out to get translators to assist us that night.
Meeting Date: Tuesday, January 9, 2024
Meeting Time: 4:00 P.M. to 5:00 P.M. (We are shooting for this time but if the time changes for any reason we will update it on our calendar to reflect the correct time.)
Meeting Location: School Library
We are looking for PTO Volunteers!
Moncure has awesome students and a beautiful school. However, the past few years have been very difficult for our Parent Teacher Organization. Currently, we have a small group of volunteers making our PTO possible. We would love to add a few more volunteers to our group. If you are interested in supporting our students, our school, and our community, then serving as a member of Moncure’s PTO might be right for you. We encourage anyone (regardless of home language) to participate. Should you wish to learn more about our PTO, please go to https://ames.ptboard.com or scan the QR code.
2022-23 Yearbooks (We have a few left for $10 each)
We have a limited number of yearbooks remaining from the 2022-23 school year. While supplies last, we are offering our remaining copies for $10 each. If you are interested, please contact our office.
House Point Standings (As of January 3)
Moncure’s Resource Staff
Recent Stafford County surveys have uncovered the need for us to share more about our resource staff. Whether you would like to know more about who to ask for in our office, learn about our counselors, social worker, or instructional coaches, the link below should help. Moncure has a large team to support our large community. When in doubt, reach out!
Help Moncure Participate in a Pop Tab collection through May 17th!
To learn more, please click HERE! Each house team will be competing to see who can collect the most Pop Tabs! House points will be awarded each quarter!
School Calendar of Events
January 4 – First day of Second Semester
January 9 – PTO General Meeting
January 10 – Grade Reports go live in ParentVue
January 15 – MLK Jr. Day- No School
January 24 – 24 Night
January 25 – Barn Hill Assembly
January 26 – Rising 6th Grade Orientation
January 30 – MES Crumble (PTO Spirit Day 3-6PM)
February 13 – STREAM Night / One Book, One School Kick-off
Substitute Teachers Needed
Have you ever considered being a substitute teacher. Stafford County Public Schools is always looking for substitutes to support our schools. To learn about the application and hiring process, access the link below. We are always looking for energetic and positive substitutes to support our school. SCPS Substitute Hiring Information
A Note to School - Communication
Plans change and communication makes everything easier. Should you need to report an absence or adjust your BEAR’S dismissal plan, please contact our school. One way to communicate is by completing our “A Note to School” form and sending it through email to our office and your student’s teacher or by simply sending the form or a note to school. To access digital forms of this note, you can go to the parent portion of our webpage or simply use the link below. Thanks for keeping us informed. The earlier the better.
How to communicate with Moncure:
mefrontoffice@staffordschools.net -or- "A Note To School"
Please include in all emails:
Student's Name, Teacher's Name, and your name
Office Dismissal Hours (“No Student Office Dismissals” after 2:30PM)
It is not uncommon for our office and elementary schools across our county to receive multiple emails each day with dismissal changes from parents. The notifications require our office to contact teachers to prevent students from being dismissed incorrectly. Student office dismissals after 2:30PM only add to this confusion. Please understand that our “No Student Office Dismissal” restriction after 2:30PM is based on student safety. Thanks for your understanding!
“Caught Ya” Citations
“Caught Ya” Citations are a great way for students, parents, and staff to recognize adults in our building! These citations also provide students with an opportunity to earn House Points. Everyone wants to be a member of the “House of the Year!” If you would like to recognize one or more of our staff members, simply use this link. “Caught Ya” – Staff Citation Link Thanks for making someone’s day!