MCES Family Updates

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1O253ZMF83uEIRruVkYycInj19eyZNy3c/view

December 2 - Student's return from Thanksgiving Break

December 3 - Manhattan Pizza Spirit Night - 4:00 p.m.-8:00 p.m.

December 6 - Spelling Bee 9:00 a.m.

December 13 - MCES Chorus Performance at Ting Park at 5:00 p.m.

December 16-20 - Spirit Week (details below)

December 23-January 26 - Track Out

January 4 - MCHS Winter Cheer Clinic (details below)

January 27 - Students return from Track Out

January 28 - McDonald's (Ten Ten/Kildaire) Spirit Day - 7:00 a.m.-7:00 p.m.

February 27 - MCES PTA's 2nd Annual Colts Around the World Festival

What an incredible month we’ve had at Middle Creek Elementary!

🍂 Fall Fun and Run was a huge success! From the exciting laps around the course to our Stable Hands teaching about the science of sports, to the community cheer! Thank you to everyone who participated and volunteered to make this event memorable.

🎤 COLTS Got Talent Show brought the house down! Our students shined brightly, showcasing their unique talents—whether singing, dancing, or amazing us with creative acts. A standing ovation to all who took the stage! A special thank you to Ms. Farrell, Ms. Parr, and Mrs. Montgomery for organizing this event.

Thank you for continuing to make Middle Creek Elementary such a special place. We look forward to more fun and learning together in the coming months!

Our students can begin entering school at 8:00 a.m. The school day starts at 8:30 a.m. Our classroom teachers begin instruction at 8:30. When students are late, they miss valuable instruction. Tardies not only disrupt the individual learning but also impacts the entire class. When students are late, teachers often have to pause and go over material that they've already covered which can cause delays in learning for the other students. Being in class, ready to begin the day at 8:30 is important to each child's success. Arrival after 8:30 a.m. is considered tardy. Our school day ends at 3:00 p.m.

If your child is late to school, signed out early, or is absent, then they miss out on valuable instruction. There are no student sign-ous after 2:30 p.m. to avoid disruption to the classroom during the end of the day and our dismissal process.

We are excited to announce that the Science Olympiad program is gearing up for another fantastic year, and we are looking for volunteers to serve as coaches! This is a wonderful opportunity to bond with students, share your passion for science, and inspire the next generation of problem-solvers.

Whether you have a background in science or simply want to help students explore new topics and challenges, your involvement can make a huge difference! Coaches play a key role in guiding students through events, teaching new concepts, and fostering a love for learning and teamwork.

The NC Science Olympiad is a great opportunity for our 3rd - 5th grade students to be exposed to various aspects of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) education.

Last year, Middle Creek Elementary had two teams (Varsity/JV1) to compete against other Wake County schools at the NC Science Olympiad Tournament and the students and coaches had so much fun! Our school's Science Olympiad Program cannot happen without volunteers.

Here's a little more of what to expect as a volunteer:

* A typical team will consist of 6-7 students.

* Coaches can meet with their event teams weekly at Middle Creek Elementary from 3:15-4:15 pm after school or at a parent's home on the weekends.
* Event meetings kick off in late January and conclude with the Regional Tournament in late March.
* Coaches will plan and teach event materials based on the NCSO Rules provided.
* Coaches will prepare a practice tournament (test/stations/set up) for their event at our Mock Tournament on March 15,2025 (Middle Creek Elementary School). (Coach/proctor required)
* Coaches must be available for the Regional Tournament on March 22, 2025 from 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. (Chapel Hill)

Any questions, please contact:

Darshana Shyamsunder at darshana.shyamsunder@gmail.com or

Linda McCullough at lindamccullough77@gmail.com

If interested, please fill out the form below and we will be in touch soon!

MCES Science Olympiad Coach Registration Deadline to Apply - November 25, 2024

* NOTE: All Science Olympiad coaches and volunteers need to be a registered Wake County Volunteer.

Full link to NCSO website - https://ncscienceolympiad.ncsu.edu/resources/elementary/

We are adding two pieces of new playground equipment thanks to the success of last year's Mane Event Fundraiser. A special thank you to the PTA for their work to have these two additions installed. Install is expected during January so the equipment will be ready for student use when we return from track out.

The Triple Nature Bowls will be added to the K-2 playground, where kids can play with sand, water, or dirt, creating terrariums or displaying natural “found” objects.

The Triple Shoot Ball Game will be added to the 3-5 playground and is a child favorite for all ages! This game can be played with 1-10 kids+, where children throw the balls in the top of the Triple Shoot and the balls come out 1 of 3 openings. It is a great way for them to develop hand eye coordination while getting exercise!

The MCHS Cheerleaders are hosting their first Winter Cheer Camp on January 4th from 9am-12:30pm! The cost is $70 per athlete, which includes a shirt, bow, poms, snack & instruction from the Mustang Cheerleaders.

After the camp on January 4th, the athletes will then cheer next to the cheerleaders in the bleachers during the January 10th Middle Creek Men's Basketball game- they will go out during timeouts and then perform at half time.

If interested, please fill out the form below! 📣❤️🐎

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScUBRE4zU7BZlOIF4LLU3UyMqYT6_QC1VLpHg1y5pBLkId1gg/viewfor

Photos by Lifetouch are available and there's still time to view them! Simply click on the link below and follow the steps from our school's landing page.

Link to photos: https://my.photoday.com/s/LTBW/235100

If you have questions, you can contact Lifetouch at 877-791-1676 or email bwarea@lifetouch.com

Prospective families are able to sign up for school tours using the link found on our school website. These tours will take the place of our kindergarten specific tours typically hosted in February/March.

https://www.wcpss.net/middlecreekes

Here Comes the Bus translates GPS data into an easy to use customizable map that works on a computer, tablet or smartphone. The app allows you to see where the bus is and how close it is to your stop.

Get started with Here Comes the Bus at https://herecomesthebus.com/parents/get-started/. You will need the district code and your student’s ID number to sign up. For your smartphone or tablet, download the Here Comes the Bus app from the App Store or Google Play.

The WCPSS school code for Yellow Bus is 67500. The WCPSS school code for Vendor Transportation Services is 67501. Learn more about Here Comes the Bus for Vendor Transportation Services.

When entering your student’s last name on the app, spell it as it appears on your Home Base/PowerSchool account. If there is a hyphen in the name, make sure you include it. Only enter the first 18 characters of your student’s last name. If your name is, Yellow-School Bus Wake, you will enter Yellow-School Bus in the last name field.

Once activated, you can customize or edit features, including how the app will communicate with you and the size of the notification radius.

Bus route information can be found here: https://webarchive.wcpss.net/school-directory/bus-routes/494.html

Parents can anticipate a stop time based on the route start time, estimating 3 minutes between stops for neighborhood routes and 10 minutes for express routes. The exact stop time will vary during the first weeks of school. Students should be ready and waiting for the bus at least 10 minutes before the bus is expected to arrive.

Information for school meals can be found here: https://www.wcpss.net/Page/1848

Breakfast cost - $1.75 per meal

Lunch cost - $3.50 per meal

It is highly encouraged that you pre-pay for school meals using www.myschoolbucks.com or calling (855)832-5226 to create an account. You will need your child's Power School ID number to create an account. Once your account is established you may:

• Securely deposit funds to your child's account
• Check balance
• Set spending limits

For families needing assistance, please use this link to apply for free or reduced meal options for your family.

The daily menu can be easily be found on the MCES PTA app.

Our teachers have created Amazon wish lists to enhance their classrooms with engaging resources and supplies. If you'd like to support a teacher or classroom, please consider browsing the list and making a donation. Every little bit helps our teachers create a more enriching educational experience for our students. Thank you for your generosity and support!

Link to Wish Lists

Families who were approved to volunteer in the 2023-24 school year received an email on June 1 outlining the simple volunteer renewal process for the 2024-25 school year. Encourage families to renew their volunteer status during the renewal window, July 1-Oct.1 Review details at wcpss.net/volunteers.

The purpose of this section is to provide updated information to families about the use of personal devices which aligns with district policy - smartwatches, cell phones, etc. on school grounds. Board Policy 3225 Technology Responsible Use states:

Students are expected to comply with the Code of Conduct and the applicable “Rules for Use of Technology Resources” set forth in this policy when students use a personal device on school property, at school-sponsored events, on school-based transportation, or anytime a personal device is connected to school system technology resources. As an example, students using a personal device on school property, at school-sponsored events, on school-based transportation, or when the device is connected to school system technology resources, shall not engage in creating, intentionally viewing, accessing, downloading, storing, printing or transmitting images, graphics (including still or moving pictures), sound files, text files, documents, messages or other material that is obscene, defamatory, profane, pornographic, harassing, or abusive.

Recently, more and more students are wearing Smartwatches or similar items to school. Smartwatches are allowed only if put on Airplane mode in order to disable text messages and phone calls from being received by the watch/device. The watch is considered a cell phone UNLESS airplane mode is activated. Cellphones should also be in Airplane mode or off at school. All students have access to district issued devices and cellphones are not needed for instructional purposes.

The school system and school assumes no responsibility for personal technology devices brought to school.

At MCES, if a smartwatch or phone is a distraction and a teacher/staff member has to ask for the device to be put away more than once, the device is collected and stored in the office for an adult family member to pick up. Cell phones should be stored in student back packs during the school day.

Support our school and get involved by joining the PTA today! A portion of your contribution pays for state and national PTA dues. The remaining dues stay at Middle Creek Elementary to support our programs and students.

PTA programs only happen with volunteers like YOU! We have opportunities to fit every schedule and experience level. Commitments vary from one-time events to joining a committee or leading a program. Every bit helps. There is no wrong way to volunteer!

Click HERE to join the PTA, connect to the MCES PTA app (Middle Creek Elementary), or contact Emily Penny, MCS PTA President (mcespresident@gmail.com).

Please email Roxanne Carter, Data Manager, rcarter@wcpss.net if your email address(es) or phone number(s) have changed. We rely on the information in PowerSchool to contact you for emergency situations and to send you school messages.

Email: cmiller6@wcpss.net
Website: https://www.wcpss.net/middlecreekes
Location: 110 Middle Creek Park Avenue, Apex, NC, USA
Phone: 919-773-9555
Facebook: facebook.com/MiddleCreekElementaryPTA
Twitter: @middlecreekes