Meadow Brook Parent Newsletter

Our mission at MBI is to attend to and foster positive relationships with all stakeholders, ensure high levels of learning for all students, and show GRIT every day. Our doors are always open and we are here to support your students and our community in the best ways we can.

Mrs. Giblet and Mrs. Thompson

Our Parent/Teacher Conferences are Thursday, February 27 and Tuesday, March 4. From 4:00 - 5:30 our teachers schedule conferences and meet as teams with families they have reached out to, or individually as needed. From 5:30 - 7:00, our doors are open for come and go conferences--anyone can come and meet with any teacher during this time. We limit conferences to 15 minutes per family so that everyone has a chance to converse with teachers. If you would like to schedule a time to meet, please reach out to the teachers you would like to meet with via email.

The bookfair will be open during Thursday night conferences in the library, so be sure to stop by!

For any other questions or concerns, contact Mrs. Thompson at thompsont@mustangps.org or Mrs. Giblet at gibletj@mustangps.org

We are halfway through the year and some students are running low on supplies. Take this time to do a good backpack cleanout and supply refresh! Most essential supplies are pencils and colored pencils; a hand sharpener is also helpful for them to sharpen colored pencils. Don't forget to charge Chromebooks each night. Teachers would always appreciate extra supplies such as pencils, glue sticks, dry erase markers, and Kleenex if you are able to send them! Tis the season for stuffy noses and sicknesses, so Kleenex and Hand Sanitizer donations would be greatly appreciated!

February 3-7: Counselor Appreciation Week

Thursday, February 6: Bronco Benefit Night

Thursday, February 6: 5th Grade GRIT Assembly

Thursday, February 6: 6th Grade PTSO Snacks

Friday, February 7: Last day to turn in late work

Friday, February 7: 6th Grade GRIT Assembly

Friday, February 7: 5th Grade PTSO Snacks

Monday, February 10 and Tuesday, February 11: PD Days--No School for Students

Friday, February 14: Spring Pictures

Friday, February 14: 5th Grade PTSO Snacks

Monday, February 17: MPS Board Meeting

February 17-21: Kindness Week (Shirts on-sale starting January 20)

Friday, February 21: 6th Grade PTSO Snacks

Wednesday, February 26: Kona Ice at Recess

February 24-28: MBI Bookfair

Thursday, February 27 and Tuesday, March 4: Parent/Teacher Conferences

Friday, February 28: 5th Grade PTSO Snacks

Meadow Brook's bookfair will be February 24th - 28th. We'll also be open on February 27th during parent teacher conferences. Click here to shop online or purchase gift cards!

Students will be receiving an opt-out form in the next two weeks. Please fill this out and return it if you do NOT wish for your students to attend the bookfair.

During Kindness Week at MBI, we will have dress up days for that week and be running a food drive. Please see the images below for details!

YEARBOOK UPDATE: Once we have sold out of our pre-ordered books, the link will close but after that we will create a waiting list in the office. Most times, the publishing company will send extra copies, and we use the waiting list on a first-come, first-serve process when the books arrive.

Each month, we will share a helpful, informational article that is relevant to 5th and 6th graders and how the adults in their lives can keep them safe and/or healthy. Click the button below to access this month's article.

Counselor Appreciation Week is February 3-7! Please show some appreciation and love to our counselors, Mrs. Hartzell (5th Grade) and Mrs. Seibert (6th Grade) by sending an encouraging email or card, or showering them with a special treat or gift!

The state of Oklahoma has passed Erin’s Law which requires schools to provide education to children surrounding the issue of sexual abuse, as well as, the trafficking of children and adolescents. Online safety is discussed, as well as, general safety tips when out and about. Meadow Brook Intermediate will be utilizing the STOP, GO, TELL program that is a joint effort between Bethesda, Inc, a United Way Agency and Mustang Public Schools. Bethesda Inc. provides counseling for children who have been sexually abused, and for their non-offending parents.

Mrs. Hartzell, the fifth grade counselor, has been trained to give this presentation by Bethesda Inc. and will be going into the 5th grade counselors the week of the February 17th. If you do not want your child to participate, please fill out the following form and return it to your child’s homeroom teacher or to the office.

If you have questions, please feel free to call Mrs. Hartzell, 405.256.5250 or hartzellm@mustangps.org. To learn more about STOP, GO, TELL, please visit www.stopgotell.com.

PTSO is hosting a Bath Sorbet fundraiser February 6-13. Place your order online or in stores and enter the code: MEADOWBROOK at checkout!

We are entering the time of year where students are wearing jackets or hoodies to school, but during recess or PE they are taking those off--which means our Lost and Found is already growing and collecting items. Please consider writing your student's name on their jackets, lunchboxes, and other belongings so we can get those returned to your student if they are left behind somewhere.

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!

Parents and Guardians,

Please take a few minutes to review district-wide expectations regarding student conduct on buses. In order to provide safe transportation to and from school, it is very important that all students adhere to the following expectations.

STUDENT CONDUCT ON BUSES

Riding a school bus is a privilege and students must maintain safe and respectful conduct to ensure safe travel to and from school. Student safety is our main priority and rules that are enforced at school also apply on the bus. Our bus drivers have the same authority over pupils while riding buses as the teachers have while in school.

The following rules and regulations shall govern the conduct of school bus passengers:

• Students must be respectful of the driver and other passengers at all times;

• All students must stay in their seats from the time they load the bus to the time they exit the bus;

• Students must keep hands and feet to themselves;

• Students must avoid tampering with the windows or the emergency door of the bus unless instructed by the driver to do so.

Disruptive behaviors, which potentially jeopardize the safety of all passengers, will not be tolerated. The following are some examples of disruptive behaviors which may bypass the warning and result in the loss of bus riding privileges:

• Fighting, shouting, profanity, horseplay, using tobacco or electronic cigarettes, extending any part of the body through an open window, throwing objects, refusing to obey the bus driver, *vandalism.

*Students who deface or vandalize a school bus in any way may have bus riding privileges suspended and will not be permitted to resume bus privileges until all damages are paid.

The following items will not be permitted on the bus:

• Balloons

• Glass containers

• Trash from snacks and drinks

WRITTEN CONDUCT REPORT

A written report about a student’s unsatisfactory conduct will be issued by the bus driver and delivered to the school principal for disciplinary action. The action taken by the principal may include short-term or permanent suspension from bus riding privileges and/or suspension from school- depending on the severity of the behavior.

In considering the different forms of disciplinary action, the faculty and the administration of the school district will consider the following; however, the school is not limited to these various methods, nor does this list reflect any order of sequence of events to follow in disciplinary actions

• Warning and Parent Phone Call

• 3 Day Suspension from Bus Privileges

• 5 Day Suspension from Bus Privileges

• 10 Day Suspension from Bus Privileges

• Loss of Bus Riding Privileges- Remainder of the School Year

• Suspension from school

Car riders will need to be dropped off on the west side of campus. Please see the diagram below for our car rider procedures. After the triangle median you can make 2 lines. Then, at the cone, we merge back into one line. This allows us to clear 15th street off. Please be sure to drop your students off at the curb to ensure an expedited and safe drop-off. Reminder: zipper entry into the car loop/school so cars on coming from both directions may get in line!

Thanks again for being patient and kind!

The Mustang Board of Education passed an updated attendance policy in May 2024 reducing the number of allowable absences per semester for students from 10 to 8. Each day a student is absent is a missed opportunity for learning and personal growth. The issue of Chronic Absenteeism has received significant attention recently, and this policy adjustment aligns our practices with State and Federal guidelines.

THANK YOU for your support in this policy! MBI students have done a fantastic job at following the policy of keeping all devices off and in their backpacks and we have already seen a huge positive impact from this procedure!!

Personal Technology Device Policy

Technology can be a wonderful resource in education. However, the use of cell phones and other personal technology devices (PTDs) are incredibly distracting to the learning environment. MPS has the following policy to ensure the least amount of distraction to our students' learning experiences.

All cell phone/PTD practices in MPS grades PreK-6 will follow Mustang Public School district policy #2140. PTDs include but are not limited to laptops, computers, tablets, cellular phones, smart phones, smart watches, gaming devices, earpods/airpods, or headphones. Devices whose primary purpose is gaming, along with any/all portable speakers are expressly prohibited at all times.

Cell Phones/PTDs are not allowed while at school.

• This includes once the student arrives on campus and until they leave the campus.

Standard consequences of violation of school cell phone/PTD policy/contract (actual consequences may vary due to severity of the violation):

• 1st violation: Cell phone/PTD will be kept in the office & picked up by the student at the end of the day;

• 2nd violation: Cell phone/PTD will be kept in the office & picked up by the student at the end of the day;

• 3rd violation: Cell phone/PTD will be kept in office until a parent/guardian picks it up in the office;

• 4th violation: Cell phone/PTD will be kept in office until a parent/guardian picks it up in the office and meets with administrators to discuss further actions.

*These consequences apply to the incidents per student and not incidents per PTD.

*School administration has the discretion to alter the consequences when necessary.

*These consequences apply to the incidents per student and not incidents per PTD.

*School administration has the discretion to alter the consequences when necessary.

*The school and its employees are in no way responsible for any theft or damage of cell phones/PTDs while on school grounds. The school is not obligated to investigate the loss or damage of any cell phone/PTD.

*Any deviation from this plan will be at the discretion of school administration.

Thank you to all of our Meadow Brook stakeholders. We are so grateful for such a supportive community. As always, if you need anything or have questions, please reach out to one of us and we will gladly take care of whatever we can for you. We are looking forward to a great year!!

MBI Administrative Team,

Principal - Jessica Giblet

Assistant Principal - Taylir Thompson

We are GOAL-DRIVEN.

We are RESPECTFUL.

We have INTEGRITY.

We TREAT OTHERS KINDLY.

- Mrs. Giblet and Mrs. Thompson