Memorial Elementary News
March 2024
March 2024
Dear Memorial Families,
As you may be aware some students are struggling to make good choices on their cell phones and social media sites. Some students are sharing inappropriate messages and pictures through texting. Other students are finding it is a quick and easy way to say mean things to their peers and about their peers. Many parents are torn between giving their child a phone for safety and also worry about the impact it has on their child.
The information shared on the Wait til 8th and Common Sense Media websites may help you help your child manage the use of phones and social media in a healthy way. One great idea from a parent is to set up a cell-phone parking lot in the kitchen. Cell phones are parked there at 8 p.m. this keeps them out of the bedrooms, supports a better sleep schedule, and protects the child from late night calls and texts from others.
It is also state testing time. IREAD3 was given this week in grades 2 and 3. Results will be sent home after the test window and when the parent reports are available from the Indiana Department of Education. The ILEARN window for grades 3, 4 and 5 begins on April 15 and closes on May 10. The actual test dates will vary for each grade, as we only test one grade a day. As we get closer to the test window each teacher will share the exact test dates for her class. Please do not take vacation days during this test window, as most students do best when they test with their class. Let's set them up for success.
On a lighter note, we kicked off Memorial Reads a Book on Monday, February 26. Thanks to the Valparaiso Education Foundation, each student received their own copy of Almost Super. It is a cute story about a family of superheros. Please read along with your child as we read through the book during March. I would encourage you to read it together and talk about the story at home. Students will be coming up with their own superpowers at school, perhaps you could do that as well.
With Great Respect,
Mrs. Debra Misecko, Principal
ALMOST SUPER REVEAL IN THE GYM
Team Lead performed a skit to reveal the book.
All the students read a few pages together.
The Big Reveal!
CONGRATULATIONS TO MEMORIAL'S SCIENCE BOWL TEAM - #1 in State!
They were recognized by the VCS School Board
Save the Date(s):
March
4- 15 IREAD3 test window
10 Arts-A-Budding Art Show at the Chapel of Resurrection on the VU Campus 1-3 p.m.
12 Grade 2 Music Performanceat 6:30
13 PTO Meeting @ 3:45 p.m.
13 Grade 3 Music Perfomance at 6:30
14 PTO Trivia Night
15 End of Third Grading Period
17 Happy St. Patrick's Day
20 PTO Family Reading Night @ Memorial (5:30-7 p.m.)
20 PTO Family Dinner Night at Chipotle ( 4-8 p.m.)
22 Third Quarter Report Cards Available on Skyward
23 All School Assembly - sponosored by PTO
25-29 Spring Break - No School
April
1 elearning day (snow make-up)
8 Solar Eclipse
9 Math Bowl at 5 p.m.
10 PTO Meeting
10 Grade 4 Music Performance at 6:30 p.m.
11 Grade 5 Music Performance at 6:30 p.m.
15-May 10 ILEARN Test for grades 3-5
23 Grade 1 Music Perfomance at 6:30 p.m.
25 Red Cross Blood Drive 2-6 p.m. (see more information below)
26 Friday Night Live at VHS (grades 4 and 5)
Congratulations to the following Memorial students representing Memorial in the Arts-A-Budding Art Show
Lucas Graber
Wyatt Pfeifer
Ava Cartwright
Miel Gianapolis
Luci Bearden
Reminders from the office:
- If you are dropping your child off for school, please let have students get out of the car on the curbside of the car. Additionally, out of courtesy for all the parents, please allow them to get out of the car if you are anywhere along the sidewalk. You do not need to wait to pull up to the door.
- If you are picking up your child at the end of the day, the safest and most courteous place to do this is along the curb on Milton Street. Picking them up along other side streets often blocks traffic and can put students in harms way of oncoming traffic.
- We go outside to recess when it is not raining and when the feels-like Temperature is above 0 degrees. Please make sure your child has a warm coat, hats, gloves and snowboots (if needed).
- If you need help obtaining winter wear for your child, please call Mrs. Dravet.
- Please keep early releases to a minimum. They are disruptive to the classroom's learning time. There are days when the office interupts learning 3-4 times in one classroom. This causes a lot of stops and starts for instruction and is as disruptive as a tardy.
- Please send a water bottle to school each day with your child.
Save The Date(s) for Memorial Music Performances
Elementary students are to be engaged in a musical performance as part of the Indiana State Standards in Music. Every 2 years the Valparaiso elementary schools hold school music performances in grades 1-5 to fulfill this requirement and to showcase what the students have learned in music. The expecation is that each student will perform and it will be a part of the student's music grade for the second semester. This spring Memorial will hold these performances on the following dates at Memorial at 6:30 p.m.:
March 12 - Grade 2
March 13 - Grade 3
April 10 - Grade 4
April 11 - Grade 5
April 23 - Grade 1
Please add them to your calendar.
Common Sense Media Resource
Common Sense Media has resources related to all types of media, helpful in keeping our children safe. Click on the button below to access the Common Sense Media website. Explore to find the information most relevant to your family.
W.O.W. Students
January's WOW Winners
YEARBOOK ORDERING INFORMATION - final day to order is Friday, March 22
FREE Parenting the Love & Logic Way course will start virtually Monday, April 8
We all love our kids but wouldn't it be great to get a little help with the common parenting struggles we all face? Solutions for whining, back talk, chores, etc? Whether you are new to the course or coming back for a refresher, we would love to have you join us and add some more tools to your parental tool belt.
This course is FREE and VIRTUAL!! Each Monday, participants will be emailed a link with the course content for the week. Links will be live for the entire week allowing participants to watch any time during the week that works best. You can sign up by clicking the link to the right.
Workbooks for the course are also FREE and will be dropped off at your child's school prior to the start of class to be sent home with your child. If you are joining us for a refresher or have taken the course before, the workbook is the same and you can use your previous one. You will be able to let us know if you need a workbook when you register for the course.
We look forward to seeing you in class! Feel free to reach out if you have any questions.
Blessings,
The Our Greater Good Staff
HABIT #6- Seek First to Understand, Then to Be Understood
Memorial continues to focus on sharing The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Dr. Stephen Covey. We will talk about one of the 7 Habits each month. The March Habit is #6 - "Synergy" - Students are taught that this habit means "Together is Better.". For more information please read more from Dr. Stephen Covey's website.
Handbook
As we start to get closer to the end of the year, please be aware of the language from the VCS Elementary Handbook as it relates to placement of students:
"CLASSROOM PLACEMENT: The building principal assigns students to appropriate grades, classes, or groups based on consideration of the needs of the school, the students and the administration of the school. The previous year’s teachers and the principal spend considerable time in assigning students to classrooms. The goal is to balance classes according to boy/girl ratio, academic ability, social-emotional issues, work habits, and special learning needs.
If a parent/guardian feels there is information the principal should have about his/her child, such written communication should be provided to the principal in the spring no later than May 1. This communication should identify specific educational concerns, not a request for a specific teacher."
In order to develop balanced classes, Memorial will be adherring to this policy for the 24-25 school year. Please do not request a specific teacher. If you have a unique need you would like to be considered, please contact Mrs. Misecko before May 1.
PTO
President - Malorie Medellin
Vice President - Tracee McMahon and Amber Strunk
Treasurer - Megan Taylor
Secretary - Casandra Heeren
Stay tuned for more information coming about 23-24 PTO events. They will be shared in the Memorial Newsletter, on the Memorial Elementary PTO Facebook page, and the Memorial PTO Website.
Memorial Elementary
Email: dmisecko@valpo.k12.in.us
Website: https://valparaisomes.valpo.k12.in.us/
Location: 1052 Park Avenue, Valparaiso, IN, USA
Phone: 219-531-3090