Mill Creek Principal Update

Dear Mill Creek families,

We hope you all enjoyed the fantastic weather this weekend. It is so nice to have a break from the frigid temperatures and spend some time outdoors. Our Cougars enjoyed getting outside last week. There were lots of smiles all around!

This month we will be busy with Valentine's parties, Parent/Teacher Conferences, and the Book Fair. You should have received information from your class room parent regarding parties. They will still be held the afternoon of Thursday, February 13. Conferences will be the last week of February. Your child's teacher will send you a reminder about the date and time.

We will have tryouts for our 4th and 5th grade Homeschool Communicator Basketball teams on Tuesday, February 25 from 3:30-4:30 in the gym. Waiver packets will be sent home this week with students who expressed interest. Practices will take place during the month of March, and games will take place on Saturdays starting the first weekend in April. We will send out the times our teams will play in weekly emails so our amazing community can go cheer on our Cougars! Please contact Mrs. Rogers (amrogers@cpsk12.org) or Mrs. Adams (samadams@cpsk12.org) with questions.

Mill Creek's attendance continues to hover around the 92% mark. As of today, our attendance stands at 92.3%. Second grade won the best attendance award for January and enjoyed a popsicle party last week! Please remember, our goal for this year is to reach 94% attendance. We can't make this goal without parent support. This morning we had 18 students tardy to school. Please ensure your students are at school on time each day, unless they are sick. Thank you for your help with this initiative.

As always, don't hesitate to reach out with any questions. Have a wonderful week.

Go Cougars!

Amy Rogers & Samantha Adams

February 7 - Chiefs Spirit Day

February 7 - Early release at 12:50 pm

February 11 - PTA Meeting, 6 pm - All are welcome!

February 13 - Valentine's Parties, 2:20-2:50 pm

February 14 - Early release at 12:50 pm

February 17 - Presidents' Day - No School

February 20 - Instrument Try-it-out Night (5th grade students) - 6-9 pm at Gentry Middle School

February 24-27 - Book Fair

February 24-28 - Parent-Teacher Conferences

February 25 - Homeschool Communicator Basketball Tryouts - 3:30-4:30 pm in the gym

February 28 - Teacher Workday - No School

Tuesday, February 11 - PTA Meeting at 6:00 PM - All are welcome to attend in person (Media Center) or via Zoom. The Zoom link will be sent out in a Parentlink closer to the meeting.

Dear Mill Creek Families,

With cold and flu season taking its toll, here are a few reminders to keep our students and families healthy and safe:

· Hand washing! Hand washing! Hand washing! Good hand hygiene is the best way to prevent the spread of germs. Encourage children (and adults) to wash hands often with soap and warm water or use hand sanitizer.

· Stay hydrated. Drink plenty of water and other clear liquids to avoid dehydration.

· Cover your mouth when you cough and/or sneeze. Use a tissue or the crook of your arm, not your bare hands, to limit the spread of germs.

· If you are sick, stay home. Children who are sick should stay home to prevent spreading germs, but also to allow their bodies to rest and heal. The CPS illness policy states that anyone who has been ill must be fever free (less than 100.4) without fever reducing medications for a minimum of 24 hours before returning to school. Anyone with vomiting or diarrhea also must wait 24 hours from the last episode before returning to school.

An extra day of rest and recovery is never a bad idea! When kids aren’t feeling well, it’s hard for them to focus on schoolwork or absorb new information. Illness can affect their energy, mood, and ability to concentrate, making learning much more difficult.

· Even those who have received the flu vaccine can be diagnosed with the flu. Most people who have gotten the flu shot will have a milder case of the illness if they do come down with the flu. These symptoms can often be treated at home. Please be aware, however, that the flu can cause more serious complications, especially in those who have not been vaccinated or are medically fragile.

· Students may not stay inside from recess without a doctor’s order, nor are they allowed to take any kind of medication at school (including cough drops!) without a prescription or doctor’s order.

· As with anything when it comes to your child’s health, if you have concerns, contact their pediatrician or primary care doctor.

Caring Cougars is sponsoring Heart Healthy Week from February 10-14. Here are the spirit days:

MONDAY

Heart Healthy Tip on the morning announcements.

TUESDAY

SHOW YOUR LOVE FOR BEING FIT!

Wear fitness clothing and do a fitness activity!

WEDNESDAY

HATS OFF TO A HEALTHY HEART!

Bring $1 to wear a hat. All donations will be given to the American Heart Association.

THURSDAY

WEAR RED / PINK / WHITE DAY!

FRIDAY

SHOW YOUR LOVE FOR MILL CREEK!

Wear your Mill Creek gear.

The CPS Fine Arts Department will host three Try-it-out Nights for students in 5th grade that may be interested in playing a band or orchestra instrument in 6th grade. Please see the flyer below for more information.

It is that time of the year where we host our after school Book Fair. This spring 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, February 27th 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, February 24-Thursday, February 27.

IN-PERSON HOURS!

Monday, February 24 3:30-5:00 PM

Tuesday, February 25 3:30-5:00 PM

Wednesday, February 26 3:30-5:00 PM

Thursday, February 27 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, February 20, along with the Literati Book Fair Flier.

VOLUNTEER! The Literati Book Fair is coming, and this one’s bound to be a critical hit among our students! At the Story Arcade, books are packed full of hidden achievements, and readers gain experience with every page turned. All purchases benefit our school. Good luck, have fun, and thank you for your support! 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/7StnZBoUwhWtd6LFA 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)

On November 8, CPS sent families information regarding changes to the school year calendar. Here is information from the email:

The changes for the current 2024-25 school year are as follows:

• February 7 is now an Early Release "D" Day for Elementary and “B” for Secondary
• February 14 is now an Early Release "A" Day
• April 11 is now an Early Release "B" Day

Columbia Public Schools prepares its calendars years in advance to provide families, staff, and the community time to plan around the school year expectations. The current 2024-25 calendar was originally approved by the Board of Education in 2023.

After the 2024-25 school year calendar was developed by the district’s calendar committee and approved by the Board of Education, the state legislature passed new legislation with optional provisions for school districts to receive additional funding. While the funding will not be allocated until 2025-2026, the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education later determined that the current 2024-2025 school year calendar will be used to determine eligibility. The new legislation requires the district maintain a calendar that includes both 1044 hours and 169 days. The district already exceeded the 1044 hours previously required but needed to add additional days to the existing calendar to meet the new requirement.

These changes also mean the district will need to adjust how inclement weather days (snow days) are handled this year. The district will now have Alternative Methods of Instruction (AMI) on inclement weather days. The district will use AMI for up to 36 hours. This will be utilized as 9 four-hour early release days. If all 36 hours of AMI are used, any additional time will need to be made up. This could result in the extension of the school year.

Please note the AMI offered for inclement weather days differs from what was required during the pandemic. Inclement weather AMI will not include the delivery of new content to students and will focus on review and study of material already taught.

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