eHoot

Dear Parents,

Half-Day Dismissals: Students will be dismissed at 11:30 a.m. on Thursday, October 24, and Friday, October 25, for teachers to prep and conduct parent/teacher conferences.

Halloween: We appreciate your understanding and cooperation in focusing on learning during Halloween. Students cannot bring or wear costumes, masks, colored hair, props, etc., to school. If your child uses hair coloring or face makeup for Halloween, please ensure it is thoroughly washed off before coming to school on Friday, November 1st.

Attendance/Volunteer Letters: Parents, quarterly attendance letters notifying you that your student has been absent more than 10% of the quarter and letters notifying families that they did not meet the five-hour volunteer requirement for the quarter were sent out this week.

Sincerely,

Chris Merrill

Principal

At MTA, we are SMART!

Safe

Mindful

Accountable

Responsible

Trustworthy

MTA…..Where Learning Never Stops!!!

Lunch Duty Start Times

10:30 1st, 10:50 K, 11:15 7th, 11:30 8th, 11:45 2nd, 12:05 3rd, 12:20 4th, 12:40 5th, 12:55 6th

We would like to clarify the expectations for cafeteria and recess supervision, as new parents are taking advantage of this volunteering opportunity, and for seasoned(?) MTA parents, the sign-up slot duration has changed (from 40 minutes last year to 1 hour slot this year), however your volunteer total time will reflect the clock in and clock out time. If you do not show up for your assigned time slot you will no longer be able to sign up.

To ensure a smooth and efficient volunteering experience, please keep the following guidelines in mind:

• Volunteer Schedule: Volunteers should check in at the office and proceed directly to the cafeteria at their designated start time. You will spend the first 30 minutes in the cafeteria, followed by 30 minutes outside.

• Timekeeping: Please be sure to clock in and out promptly at your scheduled times. You will be asked to clock out if you clock in before your scheduled time. This ensures that the volunteer tracking in RAPTOR tracks active volunteering and does not track waiting time.

• Volunteer Duties: Volunteers will be divided into two groups in the cafeteria: those assisting students (4 volunteers) and those cleaning tables (4 volunteers).

• Here is what to expect during your 1 hour time slot: You will first assist students eating, which includes in grades K-4 pushing trash cans and helping collect trash before students are dismissed (20 minutes); once students go outside, you will clean the tables they were sitting at as quickly as possible (10 minutes), then you will go outside to supervise students regardless of the grade that is out there (30 minutes).

• Note that another group of four parent volunteers will be entering the cafeteria to support the next group of students who have entered while you are cleaning tables.

• Maximum Volunteer Capacity: We limit the number of volunteers in the cafeteria to 8 at a time. This helps maintain a safe and organized environment. Again, those assisting students (4 volunteers) and those cleaning tables (4 volunteers).

• NO cell phone use at any time while on campus. Taking photos on campus is NOT allowed.

• Parents can only use the restroom in the Front Office.

BREAKFAST & LUNCH SignUp

In order for you to volunteer for breakfast and lunch you must SignUp. You can not just show up. If you have not signed up you will not be able to volunteer. Please do not show up early as you will not be able to clock in early. Make sure you clock in at your scheduled time.

https://signup.com/client/invitation2/secure/1112580336015/false#/invitation

The FRONT office double doors open at 7:30am.

DO NOT enter through the double doors in the back of the office BEFORE 7:30am to access the waiting area, health office, library, restroom, parent room, teacher's lounge, copy room and admin offices.

Front office parking lot gates are closed promptly at 7:15am and 2:30pm on regular days and at 1:00pm on TCT day. If you want to avoid getting stuck in this parking area during dismissal time do not park in the front office parking area during these times.

We thank you in advance for your cooperation!

EARLY CHECK OUT CUT OFF TIME IS 2:45PM

Kindly reminder to ALWAYS be prepared to show photo ID to sign your child out of school early and to volunteer on campus. We are fortunate to have wonderful subs who help when we are short-handed in the front office but they will not recognize you and CANNOT send a child home with you or allow you onto campus without following this mandatory district-wide safety procedure.

If you haven’t done so already, please pay your student(s) activity fee. Click on the attachment below for instructions on how to pay.

For records request email District Office at Records@madisoned.org

Per the ADHS all students turning 11 and entering 6th grade are due for Tdap and the Meningococcal vaccine. Please email melias@madisoned.org with their updated vaccine record.

Thank you for your prompt attention,

October 2024

• 10-1 to 10-31 Sock-Tober Drive
• 10/23 Parent Teacher Conferences-Evening
• 10/24 Parent Teacher Conferenced-Half Day
• 10/25 Parent Teacher Conferences-Half Day

7th & 8th grade families Save the Date.

The Fall Ball Dance will be Friday, November 1st from 6-7:30pm in the cafeteria. This is a semi-formal dance. Cost will be $5. Permission slips with rules will go home on Monday, October 28th. They must attend the school day from 8 am-2 pm minimum to participate in the dance and have no behavior issues that week. Please read it with your child so they understand the expectations. We need 8 parent chaperones of 7th/8th grade families. We are asking parents to be at school at 5:30 pm to help with setting up the cafeteria (moving the tables) and stay after, til 8 pm to help reset the cafeteria for Monday. You will be getting volunteer hours for all this. When emailing, please email both Mrs. Buskirk abuskirk1@madisoned.org and Miss DiPede cdipede@madisoned.org. We need your legal name in Raptor, your child's legal name and their homeroom teacher. Thank you for your support!

Socktober

MTA will be participating in a Socktober Donation. MTA's goal will be 1750 pairs of socks. That is about 3 pairs of socks per student. If we can raise this many, Mr. Merrill and Mrs. Smith would like to reward the students with a Crazy Sock Day! We would like to warm the feet of many in need. Starting Tuesday, October 1st-31st, there will be boxes in the office where you can drop off brand-new packs of socks of any size. The center where this is being donated is requesting white socks. Student Council and NJHS will work together to count them and let the school know. Thank you in advance for your support!

Regular season ended yesterday. Big shout out to our student athletes who represented MTA this season. Also, please give a big shout out to our coaches when you see them around.

Katie Long - JV girls volleyball

Melissa and Ari Coon - Varsity girls volleyball

Katie Shores - Boys volleyball

Nathan Duty - Boys soccer

Kayla Suarez - Girls soccer

Coach Holcomb - Cross Country

Varsity and JV girls volleyball ending their season undefeated. Both teams placed first in their divisions. They move on to the Semi-Finals on:

Varsity Girls
Date: Monday, October 28th
Site: Raul Castro Academy of Fine Arts
Time: 4:45p
Direction: 2730 N 79th Ave, Phoenix, AZ 85035

JV Girls

Date: Tuesday, October 29th
Site: Raul Castro Academy of Fine Arts
Time: 4:45p

Direction: 2730 N 79th Ave, Phoenix, AZ 85035

Cross Country had a great season improving their times each week. We will have 7 boys and 7 girls representing MTA at the Conference Finals at:

Borman Elementary School

3637 North 55th Ave.

Phx, AZ 85031

Boys volleyball improved each week throughout the season!

Boys and girls soccer also ended their season with a win versus Osborn.

As always, what makes MTA Special is the commitment the parents and families make to their kids and community around them. Thank you!

Let’s Go Owls!

Come out and support your Owls!

All games imformation can be found on the MTA Athletics website. If you need to pay an athletic Fees see below “PAYING A FEE” for link and directions.

MTA 5-8 Chorus Winter Performance

Wednesday, Dec 4th

6:30pm in the MTA Cafeteria

MTA 5-8 Band Winter Performance

Wednesday, Dec 11th

6:30pm in the MTA Cafeteria

We have an Amazon wishlist full of items that have been requested by students or have been very popular at previous stores. You can see the list and send Amazon items directly to the school using the following link on the above button

We would also like to express our gratitude for the generous donations that have already been received at MTA. If you have any extra gift bag or holiday goodies, gently used stuffed animals or Squishmallows that your student no longer needs (tags are not necessary), or gently used books that your child has outgrown, we would gladly accept them. Additionally, snacks and beverages are very popular among our older students, and any donations of these items (excluding candy and soda) would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you for your continued support!

-- The OWL Store Team

MTA Teachers Tutor List

Yearbooks and Happy Hoots!

It's time to order a yearbook for the 2024-2025 school year to guarantee your memories! They are only $22 (including the service fee)! All sales will be online this year to pre-order your memories. This year’s yearbook will include 96 color pages filled with school portraits (Pre-K through 8th), team photos, club photos, different school events, Happy Hoots and pages for autographs. Do you want to send a special message in the yearbook for your student? It's only $5 extra per Happy Hoot (click on the ad and follow the directions).

Please go to buytheyearbook.com to order your yearbook and buy a Happy Hoot to be included. All ONLINE yearbook and happy hoots orders will close MARCH 14th, 2025. (In person cash sales will be available in May if you miss the online deadline for $25 - first come, first served.)

Email rwehrenberg@madisoned.org for questions.

• All parents/guardians must be sign up in Raptor before volunteering is approved and given credit for volunteering hours. Please do not sign up for any volunteer opportunities until you receive notification that your volunteer application has been approved. If you have not been approved, you will not be allowed to volunteer nor will you be credited for hours. You will get two emails, "application submitted", and "application approved". Make sure to have a copy of your driver's license ready to upload. The name on the application must be exactly as the name on your driver's license. For step #4, make sure to check all volunteering functions.
• If grandparents are volunteering on behalf of the family, the grandparent, parents or guardians MUST also be signed up in Raptor.
• MTA's volunteer requirement is a minimum of 20 hours per family during the school year. Each family must must complete at least five vounteer hours per nine-week quarter. Hours are prorated for families whoes child start date is after August. It is the Volunteer's responsibility to track their hours and to seek volunteer opportunities.

• The Guild manages all volunteer opportunities and keeps track of all volunteer hours.

• Teachers, MTA staff, Committee, Chairs, are responsible for electronically submitting your hours for off campus work and when you volunteer at an event.

• Off campus work is always pre-assigned. The Teacher, MTA staff or Committee Chairs, identifies a job and a predetermined amount of time to correspond with that job.

If you feel that there is an error in the calculations of your volunteer hours, please contact the person who arranged the volunteering job with you or MTA’s parent organization, The Guild, at mtaguildboard@gmail.com.

If you are having trouble logging in your Raptor account or or signing in at the front office Kiosk, contact Liz Hernandez at the District office at volunteers@madisoned.org or call 602-664-7580

The Raptor link below is NOT where you can sign up for volunteering opportunities, this is for signing up in Raptor.

• Make sure you log into the MADISON volunteer portal. If you just google it, it won't be the right page. The Madison portal will have our logo, not the Raptor logo on it. The link to this page is also on the District website under volunteers.
• Raptor will not let the same computer log into 2 accounts at the same time. This happens when you have both parents trying to check their hours right after one another.

Complete the application INCLUDING uploading a photo ID that indicates name and DOB.

***!!! Name MUST match EXACTLY what is on the ID or the application will be denied!!**

Once approved, you will receive an email with a link to create a password to the volunteer portal.

Questions? Contact community Education at 602-664-7580 or volunteers@madisoned.org

ABSENT and TARDY PROCEDURES

ABSENT : Call the 24-hour attendance line at 602-745-4021.

All absences must be timely reported to the attendance line, even if you have notified your student’s teacher.

If your student will be absent multiple days, please leave ONE voicemail with the range of dates.

TARDY : Students who arrive late must be signed in at the front office by a parent or caregiver and receive a tardy pass before they are allowed into the classroom.

A student is tardy if they are not in their classroom at 8:00 AM.

REMINDER: MTA is a school of choice. To maintain open enrollment, students are expected to attend a minimum of 90% of the school days for the full-time school is in session. Any combination of tardies, absences, half-day absences, or early sign-outs that add up to more than 10% of the current total of school days (over 4 per quarter) is classified as excessive by the state. Regardless of the reason, excessive absences or tardies may result in the loss of open enrollment at MTA.

TIPS TO SAFEGUARD YOUR OPEN ENROLLMENT:

• Timely report absences to the 24-hour attendance line. 602-745-4021

• Schedule trips and appointments outside of school hours.

• Have your student to school, ON TIME, every day!

Tax Credit Donations: It’s a win-win situation! Tax credit donations are 100% deductible to you, and the school can use your tax credit donations to fund such things as field trips, assemblies, athletic equipment (including uniforms), athletic fees, and student transportation to and from events.

You may submit up to $200.00 for an individual or $400.00 per family. You do not have to have a child attending the school, so let your relatives and friends know about this excellent opportunity. You may also want to check with your employer to see if they will match your donation. Forms and further information is available on the Madison School District website.

Please note: When donatiions are made via the Madison website and not the PowerSchool Parent Student Portal, MTA does not receive receipts for our parents who have paid online, so if you choose (or already have chosen) to donate online, please remember to furnish a copy of the receipt to Monica Ayala at mtaoffice@madisoned.org or you can drop off a copy in the office so we can credit you for the $50.00 per child activity fee that the Madison School District requests to cover school day activities (for example, grade level in-state field trips).

We have a process for parents dropping off items. Below are the Instructions which are also posted in the front office on the black bookshelf.

1. Label the item

Write your student's first and last name on a post-it note and attach to the item.

2. Leave item on the black shelves

If your student was not able to get the item during the school day, please ask them to pick it up promptly after school or before class the following day.

3. Email the Teacher(s)

For 5th -8th, email all teachers in your student's grade, in the subject line, please type: ITEM IN OFFICE, in the email: Child's name and item(s) you dropped off. Below is the QR code link for all Teacher's email addresses. If you email from home, please make sure to include the "time", you will be dropping off the item.

Email: mtaoffice@madisoned.org
Website: https://www.madisonaz.org
Location: 925 East Maryland Avenue, Phoenix, AZ, USA
Phone: 602-745-4000
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mtaguild