Montgomery City Elementary

Jill Jacob, Principal

Laura Allen, Assistant Principal

Dear MCE Families,

I hope this finds you well! While our bellies are still full from Thanksgiving feasts, the winter holidays are right around the corner. As we approach the holiday season, I want to take a moment to express my deep gratitude for the incredible support our school receives from our community. It is truly a privilege to work alongside such dedicated parents, teachers, and staff who are all committed to the success and well-being of our students.

At MCE, our mission is to develop life-long learners through positive collaboration. This mission is made possible because of the strong partnership between our school and families. Together, we are fostering an environment where students feel supported, inspired, and motivated to grow both academically and personally.

This newsletter showcases some of the fantastic things happening at MCE, as well as the exciting events we have coming up this month. There are many fun activities planned, and we look forward to sharing this joyful time together.

If you have any questions or need additional information, please don't hesitate to reach out to your child's teacher or the school office. We're always here to help!

Thank you for being an essential part of our school community. We look forward to continuing our work together to help all of our students thrive.

Wishing you and your family a joyful and peaceful holiday season!

Warm regards,
Dr. Jacob
Principal, Montgomery City Elementary

We are excited to continue the monthly tradition of highlighting some of our incredible staff members who make MCE such a special place! This month, we're introducing a few of the dedicated individuals who help support our students' growth and well-being. Stay tuned as we continue to highlight more of our wonderful staff members throughout the year!

We would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to all of our parents and caregivers for supporting the PTO Bobo's fundraiser! Your participation and generosity are greatly appreciated and help make a positive impact on our school community.

If you placed an order, please remember that items are still available for pick-up at the MCE office. We encourage you to stop by during office hours (7:30-4:30, but please avoid drop-off and pick-up times) to collect your purchases.

Be sure to mark your calendar for our winter meeting, January 9th at 5:15 PM.

Thank you again for your continued support of MCE and the PTO. We couldn't do it without you!

Congratulations to the Jonesburg Elementary Academic Team for winning this years contest!

Well done to the MCE Academic Team and Mrs. Chisholm for a fun & exciting contest!

This year the Kiwanis Club was able to award nineteen grants, worth $330 each, to assist teachers

with specific projects. All teachers in Montgomery County R-II and Immaculate Conception School are able to submit applications in the fall. The grant program is supported financially by many local civic clubs including: Montgomery City Kiwanis, Jonesburg Lions, Jonesburg Optimist, Jonesburg Lady Lioness, Montgomery City Lions, and Montgomery County Rotary.

The following were awagrants were awarded to MCE:

● Kateryna Henness, MCE 3rd Grade, Educational Games for the Classroom

• Learning games to be used to supplement instruction and during indoor recess.

● Tina Harms, MCE 2nd Grade, STEAM It Up In The Makerspace-

• Additional coding, robotics, and circuits to be used in the classroom’s makerspace.

● Justin Graves, MCE/MCMS PE, Activity Inflatable

• Inflatable gaga ball pit for PE classes.

● Kristal Zerr, MCE PreK, Outdoor Education

• Create an outdoor learning space with tables, chairs and other materials suitable for outdoor exploration and learning.

● Lisa Chisholm, MCE Instructional Coach, Leveled Readers for Literacy Intervention Support

• Additional leveled books to expand resources offered to students.

● Tara Polston, MCE Library, Inspiring Young Readers through an Author Visit with Jonathan Miller

• A visit from author, Jonathan Miller, to inspire our students to be better writers.

Thank you to the generosity of Montgomery City Kiwanis, Jonesburg Lions, Jonesburg Optimist, Jonesburg Lady Lioness, Montgomery City Lions, and Montgomery County Rotary for making these grants possible.

Back Row: Evie Sanchegraw, Lukas Nelson, Adelaide Healy, Kenda Hager, Zane Bishop, Jaslynn Olds, Joseph Strube

Front Row: Trynitey Thurmon, Madelyn Joles, Ivy Skiff, Kennedy Boemer, Emma Clements, Henry Deering, Nate Taylor, Jaelyn Green, Lillian Elder

Pictured Seperately: Brielle See

As we gear up for the holiday season, we’re excited to invite your child to participate in our December Dress-Up Days! These fun days are a great way for our students to get into the festive spirit and celebrate the upcoming holidays together.

Each day will have a different theme, and we encourage everyone to join in the fun by dressing according to the theme. Details about each dress-up day have been sent home in Friday Folders and can be found on the caledanr below.

We hope your child will join us in celebrating the season with some holiday cheer and creativity.

Dates: December 10th-13th

Time: 7:30 AM - 3:30 PM

We’re excited to announce our upcoming Holiday Shop! This is a wonderful opportunity for students to find special gifts for family and friends while enjoying the festive spirit. Thank you to the generous donations of our communty, all students will get the opportunity to purchase a gift!

Donations Welcome!

We are also accepting donations of:

• Holiday bags
• Tissue paper
• Bubble wrap (for protecting glass items)

Your contributions will help us create a joyful shopping experience for our students. Thank you for your support, and we look forward to a festive event!

Warm regards,
Ms. Taylor

We will be following a Friday specials schedule.

Doors Open at 5:30

Be sure to bring a classroom snack to vote for your favorite classroom door decorations.

Concert begins at 6:00

We are excited to let you know that our Classroom Christmas Parties will be held on December 18th. Our teachers will be planning these special celebrations with their students, and they may reach out to request specific items to be sent in for the festivities.

As these activities often take place over the course of the entire school day, not just for one hour,

these celebrations will be for students and staff only and are not open to outside guests.

Teachers will be sending home more detailed information specific to their classroom celebration in the coming days.

Thank you for your understanding and support as we create a joyful experience for our students!

School will dismiss early on Thursday, December 19th.

Bus Dismissal- 12:15

Pick-Up & Walker Dismissal- 12:30

Late Bus Dismissal- as they arrive

We are excited to announce that our 2nd Quarter Awards Celebration is scheduled for Friday, January 10th at 8:30 AM. The 2023-24 high achievers for the MAP assessment will be announced. The MCE cafeteria, gymnasium and library will be renamed based on these scores. All parents are invited to attend and celebrate the accomplishments of our students!

If your child will be receiving an award, their teacher will reach out to you with the details. We look forward to recognizing our students' achievements and hope to see you there!

Attendance Goal: The average daily attendance rate at Montgomery City Elementary will be 95% or higher.

Why is Attending School Important?

School is not just a space for academic learning, it is where children cultivate social skills, form meaningful friendships, and develop a sense of responsibility and belonging that will serve them well throughout their lives. As we progress through the school year, we urge you to prioritize regular attendance to ensure that your child can reap the full benefits of the comprehensive educational experience that our school strives to offer.

Tips and Practices for Helping Support Your Child’s Consistent School Attendance

• Avoid scheduling vacations when school is in session.
• Build regular routines for bedtimes and the mornings.
• Lay out clothes and pack backpacks the night before.
• Talk about the importance of regular attendance and about how your child feels about school.
• Don’t permit missing school unless your child is sick.
• If your child seems anxious about going to school, talk to teachers, school counselors, or your school principal for advice on how to help your child feel comfortable and excited about learning.
• Avoid medical appointments when school is in session.
• Develop back up plans for getting your child to school if something comes up. Ask a family member, neighbor or another family for help.

December

December 5 Fourth Grade (4th Grade) Field Trip

December 12 BOE 7:30 pm @ MCMS

December 16 Monday School in Session (elem. Friday specials)

December 16 Christmas Concert (all grades @ 6:00 pm)

December 18 Classroom Holiday Celebrations

December 19 Kiwanis Terrific Kids (recognized during morning announcements)

December 19 12:30 Dismissal, End of 2nd Qtr/1st Semester

Dec 20-Jan 3 Christmas Break for Students

January

January 7 Students Return

January 9 PTO Meeting 5:15 @ MCE Cafeteria

January 9 BOE 7:30 pm @ MCMS

January 10 2nd Quarter Celebration- 2024 MAP Awards

January 10 2nd Qtr Report Cards Sent home

January 10 3rd Qtr AMI menus sent to parents

January 25 Girls VIP (PTO Event)

January 27-31 Great Kindness Challenge Week

February

February 3 MCR-2 Science Fair

February 3-7 School Counselor Appreciation Week

February 7 3rd Qtr Mid-Term

February 13 BOE 7:30 pm @ MCMS

February 14 Friendship Parties

February 14 3rd Qtr Mid-Term Progress Reports sent to parents

February 15 SRO Appreciation Day - Celebrate on 2/14

February 22 School Bus Driver Appreciation Day - Celebrate on 2/21

February 22 Boys VIP (PTO Event)

March

March 2 Read Across America Day - Celebrate on 2/28

March 2-8 School Social Worker Appreciation

March 3-8 School Board Appreciation Week

March 6 PTO Meeting 5:15 @ MCE Cafeteria

March 12 MCE PreK Screening

March 13 BOE 7:30 pm @ MCMS

March 14 End of 3rd Qtr

March 18-21 Big Smiles

March 19 JBE PreK Screening

March 21 3rd Qtr Report Cards sent home

March 21 4th Qtr AMI menus sent home

March 28 3rd Quarter Celebration @ 8:30

April

April 2 Paraprofessional Appreciation Day

April 2-11 Spring Book Fair

April 3 2nd & 3rd Grade Grands Day @ 12:30- matinee @ 2:00

April 3 2nd & 3rd Grade Fine Arts Night @ 6:00

April 4 School Librarian Appreciation Day

April 7 Make Up Day (if needed)

April 8 Kindergarten & 1st Grade Grands Day @ 12:30- matinee @ 2:00

April 8 Kindergarten & 1st Grade Fine Arts Night @ 6:00

April 10 BOE 7:30 pm @ MCMS

April 11 MCE Kindergarten Screening

April 14 Monday School in Session (elem. Friday specials)

April 17 4th Qtr Mid-Term

April 18 Spring Break/No School

April 21-25 Volunteer Appreciation Week

April 22 Possible Snow Make-Up Day

April 23 Administrative Professionals Day

April 24-May 2 MCE MAP

April 25 Wright City Special Olympics Event

April 25 4th Qtr Mid-Term Progress Reports sent home

May

May 1 School Principal’s Day

May 2 School Lunch Hero Day

May 2 Ag Safety Day

May 2 Hermann Special Olympics Track Meet

May 4-9 Teacher Appreciation Week

May 5 Possible Snow Make-Up Day

May 7 School Nurse Appreciation Day

May 8 BOE 7:30 pm @ MCMS

May 9 Bounce House Day- reward for testing behaviors

May 14 5th Grade Visits MCMS

May 16 Field Day- will move inside if needed- no rain date

May 18 MCHS Graduation

May 19 Monday School In Session (elem. Tuesday specials)

May 19 4th & 5th Grade Grands Day @ 12:30- 2:00 matinee

May 19 4th & 5th Grade Fine Arts Night with 5th Grade Recognition @ 6:00

May 21 4th Quarter Celebration @ 8:30 am

May 22 Elementary report cards sent home

May 22 Last Day of School/End of 4th Qtr (early dismissal)

May 29-June 25 Summer School

June

June 12 BOE 7:30 pm @ MCMS