Mountain Family W.A.G.

Dear Mountain Families, What a week! Full second week in the books. In spite of illness, fatigue & the every day challenges we face, there is always respite. My heart was full yesterday morning when the football team came to high five our students. They were just as excited as our students were. Additionally three of them(#2,8,10) were my former students. The joy and pride you feel in your hearts when we see former students all grown up, nothing compares. Here is to a healthy and smooth week ahead. I know Open House is busy for teachers and families. It is SUCH a busy time of year. We got this and we take a big sigh when it is over and we get a three day weekend. Let's go!!!

Here is a message from our latest support team member Beth Ziomek. She joins Jen and me as an administrator in training. We are lucky to have her on board.

Hello! My name is Elizabeth Ziomek. I taught at Albuquerque Public Schools for eleven years before starting my career with LAPS. This school year is my eighth year teaching at Mountain Elementary and my second year teaching Math Lab–I previously taught fifth grade. Teaching math is a passion for me, and I have extensive experience and training in one-on-one tutoring and small-group interventions in mathematics. In 2021, I received a Master's in Educational Leadership with a concentration in K-8 Mathematics Teacher Leadership. This year, I am excited about the opportunity to join a PED-approved leadership development program to acquire my administrator's license. In the future, I aspire to lead a school as a principal, where I can apply my teaching and leadership skills to create a positive learning environment for all students. I am currently participating in a cohort and internship to develop my skills as a district administrator.

I am excited to start another year at Mountain Elementary! Collaboration between parents, teachers, and students is the foundation of a positive learning environment. Student learning needs and educational experiences are important to me. I am deeply committed to creating an environment where all students feel successful and actively engage in their learning, and I bring this commitment to my work every day.

M 26

T 27 Mountain Open House

See Schedule

27 Fire Drill. 1:40 pm

W 28 3-4 DASH team Library. Mountain Spirit Day Wear Mountain Gear, Black & Red

Th 29 2nd Grade Field Trip 8:20 Farmer's Market 1:20 ish return

F 30 Wear Green and gold to support our Topper Teams, Soccer, Football, Volleyball and Cross Country. Louie Cernicek Soccer Tourney

Learning about our school, classrooms and community partners.

5:00 p.m.- 5:15 p.m. Caregivers will first mingle in the gym learning about our community partners.

5:15 p.m.- 5:25 p.m.Mountain Staff will be introduced. The staff will be dismissed.

5:25 p.m. - 5:35 p.m. Parents will then listen to a brief presentation from Mrs. Lee and Mrs. Schmierer and the PTA president, Ali Hansel.

5:35 Parents will then go to the first session.

5:40 p.m. - 6:10 p.m. First Session

6:15 p.m. - 6:45 p.m. Second Session.

6:45 p.m. Open House ends.

Duplicate sessions are intended for families with more than one child. Since the sessions are short and space is limited, if possible, we ask that parents only attend to help keep sessions focused on the information presented .Thank you and we look forward to seeing you!

PREK families we will have an event coming up soon. Thank you!

Don't forget to order your spirit wear! Some of the proceeds benefit Mountain. Click on picture to order.

We are in search of a yearbook coordinator. Ms. Heft decided she is not able to be the coordinator as planned. Therefore if a staff member or parent wants to please let me know. Mhairi McKay would be happy to help onboard someone. Thanks for considering or thinking of someone who might be a good candidate. Feel free to email me at m.lee@laschools.net

Did you know that reading just ten minutes a day can improve a person's concentration, verbal and analytical skills, decision-making and emotional processing[iv]. While 10 minutes may only seem like a small chunk of time out of each day, life has a way of getting pretty busy.

We are hearing from local physicians that we are seeing an increase of strep and covid. We no longer have separate guidelines for Covid. We are following the CDC guidelines here. Staff and students should be fever free for 24 hours and their symptoms should be improving before returning to school.

Mountain Families, Some reminders for drop off/pick up. The drive way in front of the school is not available from 7:45-8:10 every morning and again in the afternoon between 2:30-3. Buses drop off in the morning and pick up in the PM. Drivers with handicap placards only are able to park in the handicap areas. You may pull beyond the yellow and red marking along North Road to park or drop off. Please cross only at the crosswalk for your safety and others. Your actions matter to keep us all safe. Thank you.

• Mountain has a tricky drop off and pick up for families. For safety, it is important to follow the guidelines below. We highly recommend taking advantage of the Early Bird Program in order to prevent bottle necks and a staggered smooth morning entry.

• Enter/Exit only through designated areas.

• The driveway is a bus lane only from 7:45 a.m. - 3:00 pm each day. If you wish to drop off a student, please pull to the yellow curb along the roadway. If you wish to walk a student to the building, please proceed to one of the parking lots and park your vehicle. Dropping off or parking in the designated Fire Lane or Handicap/Bus Lane is illegal at all times. Use the designated drop off area or park your vehicle. Parking along North Rd. is allowed. Please follow posted instructions.

• Do not drop off students behind parked vehicles in the parking lot.

• There are four Handicap Parking spaces available to persons with a placard. Please do not use the space unless you intend to leave your vehicle and a placard is issued to the person occupying the vehicle. LAPD will ticket vehicles illegally parked.

• Use crosswalks when crossing the street.

• Students must walk bikes and scooters on school property.

A huge thank you to Jackie Reardon who helped last week for lunch. It makes a huge difference. We could use some help at lunch time by helping serve food in the lunch line.

• No background check required
• Sign in at office

Please review the available slots by clicking on the link below.

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/5080E4AACAB2FA7F49-47346785-helping

Thank you for considering!

Here is the link to our preschool handbook. 24/25 PreK Mountain Parent Handbook .docx

Please note that drop off procedures for PREK are the same as last year. Parents are expected to bring the student to the door between 8:00 and 8:10 for start of school. If PREK4 students are here before school with their siblings and you playing, we ask for safety reasons that the PREK4 students play on the preschool playground rather than the bigger play structures on the lower playground. Thank you!

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1LO4s8VetptZWsrCwdXDGuguZZGm0n2NjJeLSa026Nys/edit?usp=sharing

7:30 a.m. Morning Clubs Begin

7:50 a.m. Morning Yard Supervision Begins, Breakfast served at front of school-red table ALL students

7:55 a. m. Buses Arrive

8:00 a.m. PREK 3Y AM class begins

8:05 a.m. First Bell Rings: classes line up in areas.

8:10 a.m. Instruction begins PreK4 -6th grade

8:15 a.m. Tardy Bell Rings/Perimeter Gates are Locked

11:00 a.m. Dismissal PreK3Y AM

11:50 a.m. Arrival PreK3Y PM

10:55-11:50 a.m. Lunch hour for all grades

2:40 a.m. Dismissal for grades PreK4- Grade 6

2:45 a.m. Playground Supervision Ends Buses Leave K-6

2:50 p.m. PreK 3 Dismissal and Buses

What an awesome turn out at the meeting! For $5.50 you can join the PTA and help make a difference at Mountain. The PTA funds classroom supplies, field trips, teacher appreciation, and so much more. Click here to join now or go to www.mountainpta.org to learn more.

Students who participate in the Early Bird Program may come the first day of school. Here is the link to the permission slip. Please drop the following form off in the office.

Mountain24-25 Early Bird Club Permission

24/25Afterschool Clubs permission slip

Here is a list of our before and after school clubs as of now.

24-25Mountain Club List

Transportation Bus Card Sign Up

MOUNTAIN ELEMENTARY ROUTES

Mountain School Supply Lists 2024-25

This resource is a comprehensive guide to an overview of our school and procedures. Please review this with your child so he or she can be successful at Mountain. A few common reminders are: appropriate use of technology, walking on campus rather than running and riding scooters and bikes as well as leaving personal toys and balls at home and not bringing them to school. Our expectations are posted throughout are school and reviewed with the students often in the first weeks of school. If you reinforce these at home this makes a world of difference:)

Mountain Parent Family Handbook 2024-2025

PLEASE PLEASE CONSIDER LINKING YOUR SMITH'S CARD. It matters and helps our school.

Go to: https://www.smithsfoodanddrug.com/signin?redirectUrl=/account/communityrewards/

Organization Name:

Los Alamos Public Schools Mountain Elementary

Organization Number:

YC090

8/20 PTA meeting more info to come.

8/27 OPEN HOUSE, MOUNTAIN ELEMENTARY. 5 -5:15 Community Partners in Gym

5:20 Staff Introductions 5:30-7 Classroom Visits

9/2 LABOR DAY NO SCHOOL

9/6 Family breakfast/Fund run kick off more info to come.

9/27 FUND RUN in AM Homecoming Day for Mountain :)

****************************************************************

2024-2025 LAPS School Calendar