Montgomery Elementary News
OCTOBER 30, 2020
Contact Us
Dr. Amy Debelak, Principal
Ms. Sally Ganz, Asst. Principal
Office 686-1730
Absence Line 686-1707
FAX 792-6131
School Nurse 686-1733
Cafeteria 686-1735
Transportation 686-1785
Website: http://www.sycamoreschools.org/Domain/13
Location: 9609 Montgomery Road, Cincinnati, OH, United States
Phone: 513-686-1730
Facebook: www.facebook.com/montgomeryelementaryofficial/?fref=ts
Twitter: @Montgomery_Elem
I got to hang out with a really cool group of 3rd graders during our virtual picnic on Tuesday. We played a game of Scattergories and they had me laughing the entire time. It reminded me of how grateful I am to get to spend time with my students every day whether it is in the hallways or on the computer. Thank you for sharing your children with us every day!
Please remember if you are on school property you MUST wear a mask! COVID numbers are rising in our community and we want to keep everyone safe. Thank you for cooperating with this policy.
Have a safe weekend!
Amy
NOVEMBER
6 - PBIS Spirit Day - Wear Blue Shirt to School
9 - Teacher Records Day - No School for Students
19 - Evening Conferences (4pm-8pm)
20 - Day Conferences (8:15am - 4:00pm) - No School for Students
23 - Evening Conferences (4pm - 8pm)
25, 26 & 27 - Thanksgiving Break
Elementary Grade Optional CogAT Testing
When?
Option A: Friday, November 20, 2020 from 9:00 - 12:00
(No students will be in the buildings due to this day being a parent/teacher conference day)
Option B: In the mornings on November 16, 17, and 18 before school starts (Testing 8:00-9:00 for all four elementary buildings). If you choose this option, the student must attend all three mornings to complete the assessment. Families are responsible for transportation for both options.
There will be another testing opportunity in late winter/ early spring.
Where?
Your child’s elementary school
Who? (This test is optional for all virtual students. For any 2nd or4th grader who is F2F and would like to opt out, please email your child’s principal.)
Any virtual student in grades K-4 needs to sign up (even 2nd and 4th)
Any face to face student in grades K, 1, or 3
All 2nd and 4th graders who attend school face to face will take this test with their class during school
How?
Register your child for the CogAT here.
Registration deadline is Sunday, 11/8 at 11:55p.m.
Questions?
Contact Mindy Zellner at zellnerm@sycamoreschools.org
Canned Food Drive
The canned food drive starts November 2nd and will end November 13, 2020. These cans provide needed food for families in our area during the holidays. Let’s all help take care of others by providing food to families who need our support. Please bring in Thanksgiving non-perishable foods starting November 2nd. Other food items always needed are corn, green beans, peas, baked beans, fruit, soup, peanut butter, jelly, tuna, ravioli, beef stew, chili, and cereal.
Thank you!
PARENT/TEACHER CONFERENCES
ALL conferences will be held virtually, for both Virtual Classroom and Face-to Face students. Parents will receive details regarding the conferences as they get closer. Dates are as follows:
Nov. 19 (Thursday) Evening Conferences (K-6)
Nov. 20 (Friday) Daytime conferences (No School-K-8 only)
Nov. 23 (Monday) Evening Conferences (K-4 and 7-8)
MESSER MEDIA NOTES
Join us as teachers (and their pet dogs) from Montgomery Elementary read aloud The One and Only Bob by Katherine Applegate! Click here for a three minute introductory video:
https://www.youtube.com/embed/C5Ex0hRPIKY?feature=youtu.be
We will be sending home daily links for read alouds starting next week!
CLICK ON THE LINK BELOW FOR INFORMATION ABOUT
FACE COVERINGS FROM THE CDC.
Dear Montgomery Families,
We are off to another great school year at Montgomery Elementary and whether your child is attending school face to face or virtually the PTO continues to strive to make sure you are kept up to date with information. Thank you for your patience and please see all the new information below in the S'more and also on the PTO website and Facebook!
The Montgomery PTO is an organization that consists of parents, teachers, and school staff that works together to enhance the education of every child. We support the school and teachers with volunteers, provide a forum for two-way communication, happily fund many school items/teaching tools, and host a variety of events. This year, obviously, looks much different than any other school year, but we want to let you know that the PTO is working hard to provide the same support as we always have.
The Directory should be available in the next day or two (if not already). In light of this unusual school year we have decided to make the Directory Spot App available to ALL our Montgomery families and staff. If you have issues logging on or have any questions please email mtptodirectory@sycamoreschools.org but please make sure that you have not opted out in Final Forms first please.
Thank you also to those virtual learners and fifth grade (last year's graduates) that came out to pick up your yearbook. If you were unable to pick up yearbook(s) during the distribution we will be contacting you very soon in order to arrange a new pickup day/time. Questions about your child's yearbook please contact Kristy Felss (mtpto@sycamoreschools.org). More information about the 2020-2021 Yearbook coming very soon as please be on the lookout!
Please consider (if you are able to do so) making a donation to the PTO for this school year. Our typical membership fees usually only cover about the cost of our yearly DirectorySpot membership! In the past few years the PTO has been fortunate enough to donate a new sound system for the gym/cafeteria, a new kindergarten playground, technology like chromebooks/iPads, and countless activities/programs for our students, such as the Author Visits this past school year. A link for PayPal is available after completing the Google Form and can also be found on the PTO Website if you wish to make a donation. This school year will not have the traditional fundraisers (Boosterthon and Carnival) so we ask that you please take this into consideration as we are not able to do what we do without the generosity of our families. We are brainstorming ideas for additional Hassle-Free donations, in addition to Kroger, Box Tops for Education, and Pipkins (see below for more information) and considering adding a spring fundraiser if possible, but nothing has been finalized.
As always please make sure that you are following updates from the PTO via these three ways:
1) Montgomery Elementary Facebook Group
2) Sycamore District Montgomery Elementary PTO Page (https://www.sycamoreschools.org/domain/648)
3) Montgomery Elementary Weekly Newsletter (S’more)
Building a strong Montgomery Elementary Community for ALL is a goal for the PTO. We are working hard on ways to increase student/teacher support this school year and thinking of ways to still have fun (and some FUN-Draising) activities throughout the year.
I, and the rest of the executive board, look forward to working with you this year as we do our best to make a positive difference for our children, the staff, and our school. Please contact me anytime with questions.
Sincerely,
Kristy Felss
Montgomery Elementary PTO President
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This years Directory is up and running and available through the Directory Spot App! In light of this unusual school year we have decided to make the Directory Spot App available to ALL our Montgomery families and staff. New families should receive an email how to set up your account. If you have issues logging on or have any questions please email mtptodirectory@sycamoreschools.org but please make sure that you have not opted out in Final Forms first please. A special thank you to Wendy Andersen for all of her help with the Directory!
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If you are part of the Montgomery Elementary family, we encourage you to join us in making our school a great place for all of our kids! PTO membership offers you many opportunities to learn about what is going on at the school, to be involved and make some friends along the way. PTO members can vote on the PTO budget and receive access to our directory via the DirectorySpot app. Joining the PTO does not obligate you to volunteer; it's just a great way to show your support of Montgomery Elementary!
Joining the PTO is a simple process! Please just fill out the Membership Form!
General PTO Virtual Meetings:
Wednesday, January 13 @ 7-8:30pm - Link to follow
Wednesday, March 10 @ 9:30-11am - Link to follow
Wednesday, May 12 @ 9:30-11am - Link to follow
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Virtual Family Fun Nights:
January 29 (6-6:45 K-2nd and 7-7:45 3-4) Links to follow
April 23 (6-6:45 K-2nd and 7-7:45 3-4) Links to follow
HASSLE FREE MONEY FOR OUR SCHOOL
KROGER COMMUNITY REWARDS
You can earn money for Montgomery Elementary PTO just by using your Kroger Plus card at Kroger. But first, you must log onto your Kroger account and designate Montgomery Elementary as the organization you want to receive Community Rewards. Here is how…
1. Log onto your Kroger.com account
2. Click “My Account”
3. Click “Community Rewards”
4. Choose Montgomery Elementary PTO (Organization # VP832)
5. You can verify if you are already set-up by looking at the bottom of your most recent Kroger receipt. It will indicate that you have designated Montgomery Elementary PTO as the organization you chose to receive your rewards.
BOX TOPS FOR EDUCATION
GOT CLIPS? Drop off all your unexpired Box Tops at school in the Healthy Drop Box (outside the front doors) between 10am-2pm Monday-Friday! Please make sure they are in plastic ziplock bags and at the school before October 19th!
GOT LABELS? Use the Box Tops app to scan your store receipt within 14 days of purchase. The app will automatically find the products and instantly add Box Tops to your school’s earnings online. No clipping required! NO MORE CLIPPING! SCAN YOUR RECEIPT! SEE HOW AT BTFE.
Click here for a video demonstrating how to scan your receipts and receive credit via the App. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v-bNcykyK5Y
PIPKIN'S MARKET
Anytime you shop at Pipkins Market they will donate a percentage of your spending to Montgomery Elementary PTO. All you have to do is bring your receipt(s) to school just like the box tops!
Bring Box Tops and Pipkins Receipts to school between 10am-2pm in a plastic bag and drop them outside the front doors in the Healthy Drop Box! Please do not send them to school with your child at this time or drop them off during Morning Drop Off or Afternoon Pick Up!
Questions about any of the Hassle Free programs or alternative ways to turn in your Box Tops and/or Pipkin’s Receipts before October 19th please contact Molly Duffey at mduffeyrn@yahoo.com
If you've been wondering about the state of Gifted Education in our local schools and Ohio as a whole, join us on November 5, 2020 at 10am for "Coffee and Conversation with Mrs. Mindy Zellner." Mrs. Zellner is Sycamore's Gifted Education Supervisor, and she's our special guest at this free, virtual meeting. This online event is your chance to listen, learn, and ask your questions about gifted instruction-- what's happening now and where it's going in the future.
Pre-registration is required to obtain the link to this online event and to ask questions or suggest issues that you would like to addressed. Please visit GEAR's website at www.sycamoregear.org. Click on the link button on the homepage, complete the brief survey.