Dear Trails Families,

Happy New Year! We hope you had a joyful and restful holiday season. As we step into 2025, we’re filled with excitement and anticipation for the wonderful opportunities and events ahead. Here are some important reminders and dates to keep in mind as we start the year together:

Important Reminders

• Weather Preparedness: As winter weather moves in, please ensure your child is dressed appropriately for outdoor activities, including recess. Also, please keep the Distance Learning Packet handy if we miss school due to inclement weather. The packets were sent home in November.

• Volunteers Needed: We’re looking for parent volunteers for upcoming events. If you’re interested, please get in touch with Mrs. Billen at trailsptso@outlook.com. We would LOVE the extra help!!

Upcoming Events

• Report Cards go home: Friday, January 10th - Be on the lookout for your child's report card.

• Kona Ice: Wednesday, January 15th - Notes will be sent home soon.

• Skate Night: Come to Yukon on Wheels and skate with us on Thursday, Jan. 16th, from 6-8pm.

• Martin Luther King Jr. Day: Monday, January 20th - In observance of this day we will not be in school.

• Pickles and Popcorn: Wednesday, January 22nd - Notes will be sent home.

• Bronco Stomp: School-wide Bronco Stomp for December will be held on Jan. 31st. A student from each classroom will be recognized for the Bronco Leadership Code of Respect.

Grade-Level Highlights

• PreK: We hope you all had a wonderful and restful winter break filled with joy and special memories! We’re so excited to welcome your children back to the classroom for an exciting new year of learning and growth. Here are some ways to extend our learning at home:

  • Read winter books together and talk about the characters or setting.

  • Practice counting objects around the house or outdoors, like icicles or footprints in the snow.

• Kindergarten: Kindergarten had a great first semester! We are so proud of our students and the gains they are making. It was evident in our December star early literacy test scores that students are working hard and applying what they’ve learned! We look forward to a great second semester of learning new skills such as last name writing along with beginning to add.

• 1st Grade: First grade had fun learning about Holidays Around the World by "traveling" to different countries like Germany, Australia, England, Mexico, and the Netherlands to learn about their winter holiday traditions. It was fun to compare and contrast how they relate to our own family traditions. We worked on skip counting by 2s, 5s, and 10s so don't forget to practice at home! We also finished up learning how to read short vowel words with digraphs and we are now ready to move onto long vowel words!

• 2nd Grade: Wow, it is hard to believe that the first half of second grade is already over! As we begin the 2nd semester we will begin to incorporate more of the science and social studies standards across the curriculum. Our writing focus for the 3rd quarter will be opinion writing, so be on the lookout for some great writing! Students will continue learning strategies for 2 digit addition and subtraction with regrouping. This is an essential skill when entering 3rd grade. If your student needs extra help or practice please reach out to their teacher for suggestions. We are looking forward to an awesome 2nd semester!

• 3rd Grade: Third grade has had a busy, eventful month! Students have explored Earth and its neighbors using our non fiction texts and also practiced writing an informative piece ourselves. We finished up the month doing engaging holiday centers and activities in our classrooms.

• 4th Grade: Happy New Year! In January, fourth graders will continue looking at the specific genres of realistic fiction and biographies. We will learn about the reason why authors write what they do and dig out the meaning as a reader. We will also apply strategies to approach the meaning of any unfamiliar words by looking for context clues and checking the word parts, such as suffix meanings. Our grammar study will be all about verbs. In math, we will continue with fractions by adding and subtraction with like denominators. In the latter part of the month, we will introduce decimals by relating them to fractions.

  
  

• Library News: A lot will be happening this month in the Library!!

  PRE-K and Kindergarten: Winter theme books include Arctic animals and their habitats. Review author, illustrator, main character, fiction, and non-fiction.

  First and Second Grade: An introduction to this year’s Redbud books. Students will be able to vote as they finish a book.

  Third and Fourth Grade: Review Sequoyah book challenge details. Set a new year reading goal! Introduce different genres for students to discover!

• P.E. News: In the month of January, all grade levels will be learning the sport of hockey. Students will begin with drills and learn how to dribble and pass the puck with a hockey stick. 2nd-4th grade students will learn the different positions and get the chance to rotate through each one. All grades will end the unit by playing a hockey game.

• Music News: This month in music we will be continuing with winter activities and learning a little bit about lunar new year in grades 2-4! We will take some time to review the different notes we learned in the fall as well.

  
  

• Art News: PreK & KG: we will dive into pastel art and multi-media creations!

  1st-4th grade: we are glazing our sculpture ceramic pieces and will enter in our collage unit!

A Fresh Start

The beginning of a new year is an opportunity for reflection, goal-setting, and growth. We’re committed to fostering a supportive environment where every child can thrive academically, socially, and emotionally. Your partnership plays a crucial role in this mission, and we’re deeply grateful for your continued support and commitment to your child(ren)'s education and well-being.

Let’s make 2025 a year to remember! If you have any questions or need assistance, don’t hesitate to reach out to us at 405-324-0016.

💗 Mrs. Hasty and Mrs. Coffey

Jami Hasty

Principal, Mustang Trails

hastyj@mustangps.org

Lindsey Coffey

Assistant Principal, Mustang Trails

coffeyl@mustangps.org

Jan. 6th - NO School - Professional Development Day

Jan. 7th - NO School - Professional Development Day

Jan. 8th - 1st day back from Winter Break! 😃

Jan. 10th - Report Cards go home

Jan. 10th - Healthy Snack Friday

Jan. 15th - Kona Ice

Jan. 16th - Trails Skate Night 6-8pm

Jan. 17th - Healthy Snack Friday

Jan. 20th - NO School - Martin Luther King Jr. Day

Jan. 22nd - Honor Choir starts back up after school

Jan. 22nd - Pickles and Popcorn

Jan. 23rd - Art Club begins

Jan. 24th - Healthy Snack Friday

Jan. 31st - Healthy Snack Friday

Jan. 31st - Bronco Leadership Code - Respect

Meet Rex, a gentle and affectionate Great Pyrenees with an impressive resume as a therapy dog. Rex holds the AKC Canine Good Citizen (CGC) and Urban CGC certifications, which reflect his exceptional training, obedience, and adaptability to various environments. Certified and insured through H.A.L.O. (Human Animal Link of Oklahoma), Rex is more than just a beautiful, fluffy presence—he’s a skilled therapy companion dedicated to spreading comfort and joy. With his sweet and calm nature and love for cuddles, Rex thrives in his role, providing emotional support to those who need it most. Whether easing stress or lifting spirits, Rex’s warm-hearted companionship makes a difference wherever he goes.

If you have any questions or concerns about Rex, please feel free to reach out to Mrs. Brown, the school counselor. She can be reached at brownta@mustangps.org or at 405-324-4838

Do you plan on attending a field trip?

Are you interested in volunteering?

Please use the following link to get your background check. You must have a background check to attend a field trip or volunteer.

https://securevolunteer.com/mustang-public-schools/home

Links are sent out via Seesaw by all teachers prior to Bronco Stomp, class parties, and field trip meetings. We send links prior to each event. You will avoid having to wait in line, scan your license, and wait for approval just by clicking on the link and signing up early. 😃

At Mustang Public Schools, we believe in fostering safe and productive digital environments for all our students. To achieve this, we use Linewize by Qoria, a comprehensive platform that supports student wellbeing and digital citizenship both in and out of the classroom.

Our partnership with Linewize allows us to implement several powerful tools:

• School Manager: Filters and monitors online activity, ensuring students are protected from harmful content.
• Classwize: Provides teachers with real-time classroom management tools to keep students focused and engaged in their lessons.
• Monitor: Offers 24/7 human-moderated protection by detecting online behaviors that may signal students at risk.

We are now excited to offer families access to Qustodio, an easy-to-use tool that helps parents monitor and manage their child’s online activity beyond the school day. Qustodio gives you the ability to:

• Extend protection to personal devices (optional);
• Set time limits and manage internet usage outside of school hours;
• View detailed reports of your child's online activity (2nd-12th grades).

Technology makes a direct impact on children, their families, and their learning environment. For children to learn and grow as digital citizens in our increasingly connected world, we must first lay out the foundations of online safety, digital literacy, and wellbeing. Through our partnership with Linewize, our online safety and wellbeing provider, we are able to extend visibility and safeguarding controls on to parents and guardians.

We're happy to invite you to join us in this world of digital wellbeing by giving you access to the Qustodio Parents App. This will provide you with full visibility on how your student is using their school devices. Simply create your account to see your personalized dashboard.

https://resources.finalsite.net/images/v1727965668/mustangpsorg/gea9lkg9g6ynak8z1hmn/2024-08-SchoolConnectMultiparentOnepager1.pdf

We have close to a hundred lost coats and jackets!! Please have your child(ren) go by lost and found to find their missing items. Also, we LOVE when coats, hoodies, lunchboxes, etc. are labeled with the child's name. We can get it back to them immediately. 🙂

Health and Medicine

Parents must complete a clinic form in order for prescription or non-prescription medication to be administered at school.

DO NOT SEND MEDICATIONS TO SCHOOL WITH THE STUDENT.

You must get the Official School Form from the school’s nurse for all prescription and non-prescription medicine and return it with the medicine. The nurse or the principal’s designee will be the only individual allowed to give medicine. If your child becomes ill at school, we will contact you immediately. If we cannot reach you, we will use the emergency contact information you have provided.

Lori Knowles, RN School Nurse

Trails Elementary 405-324-4837

Cafeteria Info and Free/Reduced Lunch Application

Mustang Public Schools is encouraging all families to complete a free and reduced meal application this year. It is more important now than ever before.

Please help our site remain a Title I school by completing the application below, even if you don't believe you will qualify. Many qualify, so we encourage everyone to fill it out. Thank you!

Free and Reduced Lunch Application Direct Link

Registering for MySchoolBucks.com

• Click here to go to MySchoolBucks.
• Click Sign Up and enter the required information.
• Click Finish to complete the initial registration process.

Add Students to Your Family Account

• When you log in you will be taken to the homepage.
• Click MyKids from the main menu OR from the blue navigation bar above.
• This is a listing of the students in your account. It will be empty on your first visit to the site.
• Click Add Child and enter the required information.
• Click Add (next to your child’s name) to continue.
• Click Add Child to repeat the process for additional children.
• NOTE: Your child’s transaction history report will not display information during the initial account set up process.

How to Make a Deposit

• Click Deposit Money located next to Add Student.
• Enter an amount in the Deposit column next to your child’s name.
• If you have more than one child, enter the amount you wish to deposit into the column next to each child’s name. DO NOT deposit money for your entire family into ONE child’s account.
• Click Calculate.
• Click Make Deposit.
• You will be directed to the PayPal web site to enter your payment information.
• You have the option to use your existing PayPal account or a major credit card to make your payment.
• If you are using your PayPal account, enter your email address and PayPal password to continue.
• If you are using a credit card, enter the required information. For your protection, MyNutrikids.com will not store your financial information.
• Click Pay Now when finished.
• Click Pay once again to finish the process.
• *E-CHECKS WILL TAKE UP TO A WEEK TO PROCESS!

Transportation - MPS Buses Are Safest Way To School

Mustang Public School’s buses are the safest way to get to and from school each day. Statistics from the School Bus Information Council show that buses are safer for students than airlines, passenger trains and passenger cars, which have the highest injury rate.

Mustang’s bus drivers go through strict training, which includes written tests as well as driving instruction and a driving test. New bus drivers will have a minimum of 15 hours on-the-road training with Mustang transportation department staff before they begin transporting children. Training is provided in-house.

Besides the benefits of safety, when more students ride the bus it significantly reduces congestion around the schools. It is also means a gas savings for parents.

ROUTE INFORMATION

• Routes - To access route information, simply go to elink.mustangps.org. Be sure to uncheck the box next to “Authenticate using Network Credentials.” Then enter the username of mustang, and the password is guest.

• If your address is NOT populating in the finder, please call our district office for assistance at (405)376-2630.

• As always, we appreciate your patience with our team each year as our school district continues to grow and new neighborhoods are established.

• Safety - Please take a moment to review this to view an Infographic on Oklahoma Bus Laws. Drive Safely!

Procedures for Car Riders

*When dropping off or picking up students, all vehicles MUST use the car rider lane located off of Czech Hall road. The front drive of the school is for school buses, daycare vans, and handicapped students. If you do not have a PINK handicapped tag you will be stopped when trying to enter the front drive during arrival (7:15-7:45) and dismissal (2:15-2:45).

*All vehicles MUST go through the drop off/pick up line. Vehicles SHOULD NOT park unless you are going into the school with your child. If you need to park, please park on the east side of the school in a parking place.

*Morning Drop off begins at 7:15 AM. No supervision is provided before then.

* The entry from Czech Hall will remain one lane. Two rows of traffic will be formed after entering the car rider drive. Duty teachers will direct parents as to when students should exit their cars. Please be aware of what is going on around you as multiple cars will unload at the same time. Watch for a staff person to direct traffic to move forward with a Stop/Go sign. The left lane of traffic will turn left out of Trails, Right lane will turn right. There will be no crossover of traffic.

*While in the car rider lane, parents should remain in vehicles. There will be staff members on duty if a child needs help entering/exiting a vehicle. ALL STUDENTS MUST EXIT ON THE DRIVER SIDE OF THE CAR FOR SAFETY.

*At 7:40 am, the K- 4th grade car rider lane will be closed and used for Pre-K drop off only (from 7:50-8:00). At that time, parents must park and walk your child in the main doors and check them in through the office as your student is considered tardy. (We will not count tardies for the first week of school to give everyone time to get used to the procedures and to allow our car line to move more quickly.)

*During afternoon dismissal, if you do not have your car rider tag, you will be asked to come into the office and show ID before a child is released. This is for the safety of our students. Our Office closes at 3:00. All children should be picked up by 2:50pm.

*At no point should children be dropped off and left unescorted by an adult when coming to school. (late check ins, doctors appts, etc)

Please have coats on, backpacks ready, lunch boxes in hand and kisses and hugs completed before time to exit the car. This will help make our car line more efficient.

Thank you for helping to keep our students safe.

BRONCO CLUB - IT'S NOT JUST A DAYCARE!

Mustang Parents - Are you in of need child care after school? Our elementary program is designed for children in grades Pre-K through 4 and is geared to meet the needs and characteristics of our elementary children. Children will participate in carefully planned activities that encourage optimal physical, mental, and social development, while fostering each child's positive self-image and sense of independence. Follow this link for more information https://www.mustangps.org/families-students/bronco-club

Bullying means any pattern of harassment, intimidation, threatening behavior, or physical act, directed toward a student or group of students that results in or is reasonably perceived as being done with the intent to cause negative educational or physical results for the targeted individual or group and is communicated in such a way as to disrupt or interfere with the school’s educational mission or the education of any student.

Reporting

There are three ways to report bullying.

• A student may report bullying to a teacher, counselor, or school administrator

• Once submitted and received, the investigation process will begin. Keep in mind, this process can only be as thorough as the information provided.
  

To review our school district’s policy on bullying, you can view our policies and procedures here:

https://www.mustangps.org/fs/resource-manager/view/a958095b-da49-43d3-a67b-def99fa31b54

The policy addressing bullying is MPS Board Policy- #5110

12025 SW 15th St

Yukon, OK 73099

Phone: 405.324.0016

Website: https://trails.mustangps.org/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MustangTrails?mibextid=b06tZ0