Mill Creek Principal Update

Dear Mill Creek families,

Welcome to November! While we may have fewer school days on the calendar, this month is one where teachers do some of their most intense and important work.

We are excited to share your students' growth and learning with you at conferences the week of November 11-15. By now you should have received notification from your child's teacher regarding your conference date and time. We strive for 100% attendance for conferences, so if the date you received does not work for you, don't hesitate to reach out to try to find a new option. We will also offer a book fair during conference week. Please see below for more information.

In July, Columbia Public Schools sent out an email informing parents that there would be some changes to the progress report this school year. For elementary students, rather than seeing numbers (1-4) next to the standards that are being assessed, you will now see words. Please read this handout for more specific information: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1nqCxxWFfvKVA5UJDEDe0-fyx1_U1nDSlumhang_jDyI/edit?tab=t.0#heading=h.3wf7jlfewhv0 Students may earn a "Meeting" or "Exceeding" score this trimester, but may only earn a "Nearing" score later in the year if their demonstration of mastery changes. This is a change. You are welcome to contact us if you have additional questions.

In terms of overall school attendance, we continue to stay above the 90% mark. We have dipped quite a bit in the last month, however, and ended October at 90.8% attendance. If you'll remember from our August newsletter, our goal is to grow from 92% to 94% attendance for our building by the end of May. We need your help to make this happen. Attendance habits are learned in elementary school, so it is vital that children come to school each day unless they are sick. This includes being on time for school. Last Monday, over 40 students were late to school. Students who miss the beginning of their school day are missing out on key learning and social development opportunities. Thank you for your ongoing support with this initiative!

During this month of gratitude, we want to continue to let you know how much we appreciate our Mill Creek families. Your support and dedication to our school are incredibly special, and we value your love for the work we do for our students immensely. We hope you have a wonderful month of Thanksgiving.

Go Cougars!

Amy Rogers & Samantha Adams

November 1, 4, and 5 - No School - Teacher Workdays

November 11-22 - Caring Cougars Humane Society Drive (see information below)

November 11-14 - Literati Book Fair (see hours and information below)

November 11-15 - Parent-Teacher Conferences

November 14 - Fall Picture Retakes

November 15 - No School - Teacher Workday

November 19 - PTA Meeting, 6 pm. - All are welcome!

November 22 - Caring Cougars Stuffed Animal Day (see information below)

November 25-26 - No Adventure Club programming

November 27-29 - No School - Thanksgiving Holiday

Our school Dental Clinic will take place on Tuesday, November 12. Students MUST have a consent form signed by a guardian to participate in this optional clinic. Please contact Nurse Molly at mmatter@cpsk12.org with any questions or if you would like to volunteer.

Families,

It is that time of the year when we host our after school Book Fair. This fall we are excited to continue our work with Literati. Below is some information if you would like to participate in this optional after school Book Fair.

Readers find the most exciting adventures! And book fair gift cards make discovery all the more rewarding. Encourage your students to spot their next favorite read by getting them digital gift cards at https://literati.com/store/gift-cards/

The Literati Book Fair is coming! Explore starfields of stories with books at the fair. Every purchase benefits our school. Online shopping is available from now until Thursday, November 14th https://literati.com/store/?school=mill-creek-elementary-school-columbia-mo Orders purchased online will ship at the end of our book fair week. Please allow approximately 10 business days for orders to arrive at school.

When’s the last time a book took you far away to another place? Look for your next reading adventure at our upcoming in-person fair: Monday, November 11-Thursday, November 14.

IN-PERSON HOURS:

Monday, November 11 3:30-5:00 PM

Tuesday, November 12 3:30-5:00 PM

Wednesday, November 13 3:30-5:00 PM

Thursday, November 14 3:30-6:00 PM

LOCATION: Find us in the Mill Creek Elementary Media Center (library). Student wish lists will be sent home on Thursday, November 7, along with the Literati Book Fair Flier.

VOLUNTEER! Every starship needs navigation support—and we could use you at the helm! Help our students traverse stories and stardust as a book fair volunteer. Volunteering at the Book Fair is the perfect way to stay connected to your students' school and help students find the books they can't wait to read. Sign up now and get ready for a fun and rewarding volunteer experience. *Unfortunately, we cannot allow children to stay with their adults during their volunteer time. This will be an adult only volunteer spot* Use the form below to sign up! https://forms.gle/z1xefwRTHyfq5cwY9 THANK YOU!

Each purchase made at the Book Fair helps fund important programs like ensuring that each student gets a new book on their birthday and adding new books to our school library! Thank you for your support! We look forward to seeing you soon!

-Lynne Byler and Sharon Stemmons (Book Fair Co-Chairs)

Humane Society Drive Nov. 11-22: Please consider donating the following items to support the Humane Society: new or used blankets • new or used towels and rags • Gently used or new pet carriers/crates • New or used harnesses • New cat and dog toys • Laundry detergent (liquid) • Dry dog and cat food • canned puppy and kitten food • food scoopers • litter scoopers • feeding bowls

Spirit Learning Day November 22:

Stuffed Animal Day – bring a small stuffed animal to school for the day

Stock the Lounge

PTA is asking for your help stocking the Mill Creek teachers' lounge so our teachers can focus during conferences from November 11-15! We want to treat our dedicated staff with snacks, drinks, and a baked potato bar from D. Rowe's on Thursday, November 14th.

Please bring items for the teachers' lounge by Friday, November 8th. We’ve included a link to an Amazon Wish List for your convenience, which will ship directly to the school—no need to drop it off. If you prefer, you can also purchase items on your own and deliver them to the Mill Creek office by Nov. 8th. If you opt for the direct shipping, please put your name on the appropriate sign-up genius slot so we know it’s taken care of.

Feel free to contribute snacks or drinks not listed as well. Thank you for helping us make this week special for our hardworking Mill Creek staff!

Sign-up to bring in or ship a snack or drink: https://www.signupgenius.com/.../70A0C48ABAB29A3FD0...

Amazon Wish List (with convenient direct ship to the school): https://www.amazon.com/.../AT3Q6.../ref=nav_wishlist_lists_2

Spirit wear - Store open again

Did you miss ordering spirit wear in September? Need a holiday gift or want to add something new to your MCE collection? Our spirit store is open again! It will be running through Friday, November 8, and will close on Tuesday, November 26.

Place your order now by clicking on this link! http://www.millcreek.deco-apparel.com/?fbclid=IwY2xjawGR2o5leHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHXHDFE0ePB4PHzbQbDCmqGMj4vbVLBB0PnleneeNYCPIZZYncIH4crrbgg_aem_xBHRSImGk2j_jYQv_WQqSQ

PTA Meeting

Join our PTA meeting on Tuesday, November 19 at 6 pm to learn about our fundraising efforts for this year and how we plan to use the extra funding. We'll also discuss open roles for the 2025/26 PTA Board and upcoming events. Please join us in the Media Center!

If you can’t join in person, feel free to join us on Zoom. *We’re working to ensure connections work smoothly this time.

Tuesday, Nov 19, 2024 @ 6:00 PM

Join Zoom Meeting

https://us06web.zoom.us/j/84474757929...

Meeting ID: 844 7475 7929

Passcode: 892636

This is a reminder that students and teachers are not allowed to pass out birthday invitations to students unless their whole class is invited to the gathering. Also, if you choose to bring birthday treats for your child to share at school, they must be left in the Main Office. Your child's teacher will call for the treats when they are ready for them that day. Please do not send balloons, flowers, or gifts to your child at school.

For families who participate in Adventure Club, both before and after school, there will be no Adventure Club programming on Monday, November 25 or Tuesday, November 26. Please ensure your child's teacher knows how your child is going home those two days.

Website: www.cpsk12.org/mce
Location: 2200 West Nifong Boulevard, Columbia, MO, USA
Phone: 573.214.3280