John Muir Family Viking Voice

Happy December!

Our students and staff have been working very hard these last few weeks, reading, writing, discussing, learning math, etc. We are looking forward to these next two weeks as we add some holiday fun into our daily routines and learning. When we return from Winter Break, we will begin our winter benchmarking. Again, students in kindergarten and 1st grade will take the Aimsweb Assessment, with students in 2nd, 3rd and 4th grades taking the ELA and Math Map Assessment.

School picture retake #2 is scheduled for this Wednesday, December 11th. Please let your child know if you would like their picture retaken and it would never hurt to send the teacher a message as well.

On behalf of our administrative team, we hope everyone has a relaxing and enjoyable holiday season!

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me via email at mckime@parmacityschools.org or by phone at 440-885-2422.

Mrs. Emily McKim

John Muir Principal

If you have not returned your Winter Holiday Ornament - We invite you to spend some time together to create an ornament that represents your family's winter holiday tradition. All returned ornaments will be used to decorate our bulletin boards as we celebrate the diverse traditions of our John Muir family. If you need a copy of the ornament - please email Ms. K.karabanovsk@parmacityschools.org

This holiday season, we’re spreading joy and kindness with our John Muir Holiday Tree! The tree is adorned with ornaments, each featuring a gift idea to support one of our John Muir Vikings.

We invite you to stop by the office, select an ornament, and help make a student’s holiday season brighter.

🎁 Important Details:

• Please return all purchased gifts to the office by Monday, December 18th.
• Your generosity will bring smiles and joy to our special Vikings!

Thank you for considering this opportunity to make a difference. Together, we can make the holidays a little brighter for our school community.

This year, breakfast is free for all John Muir Elementary School students!

To ensure your child starts their day ready to learn, please remember the following:

• Students must be in their classrooms by 9:30 AM, Ready to Learn.
• If your child plans to eat breakfast at school, they must arrive on time to school.
• Breakfast hours: Students may enter the building starting at 8:55 AM, and breakfast is served until 9:20 AM.
• Grab-and-Go Breakfast: Students arriving between 9:20 and 9:25 a.m. will receive a Grab-and-Go Breakfast to eat in the classroom.
• After 9:25 AM: Breakfast will no longer be available. If your child arrives after this time, please ensure they have eaten at home.

If you have any questions, feel free to contact Ms. K. Thank you for your cooperation in helping our students start their day off right!

Colder Weather and Outdoor Recess Guidelines

With the change in weather, we'd like to share our guidelines for outdoor recess. We use the National Weather Service (NWS) wind chill chart to determine whether recess will be held outside. The wind chill is the temperature it feels on your skin when the wind is blowing. Often stated as the "Feels Like" temperature. The stronger the wind, the colder it feels. At John Muir will keep students inside if the wind chill is at 20 degrees or below. Twenty-one degrees and above will be outdoor recess as long as there are no other factors that require us to stay inside.

Regardless of the wind chill, students who do not have the appropriate winter clothing will not be able to participate in outdoor recess. Families are encouraged to monitor their children’s clothing selections to make sure they are appropriately dressed for cold weather. Students who do not have the appropriate winter clothing will not be able to participate in outdoor recess.

Please use the chart below as a guide to prepare your child for outdoor recess during the winter months. If you need any assistance or have any questions please contact Ms. K.

Please make sure your student has a winter coat, hat and gloves. We will go outside for recess when the “feels like” temperature is 21 or higher.

Our school day runs from 9:30 AM to 3:40 PM. Doors open at 8:55 AM, and students should not arrive on school property before that time. Breakfast is available in the cafeteria once doors open.

If your child arrives after 9:30 AM, a parent or guardian must accompany them to the front desk to sign in.

We understand that occasional absences, late arrivals, or early sign-outs may be unavoidable. However, please keep in mind that when students miss any part of the school day, they miss valuable instruction and learning opportunities. We encourage families to keep students in school for the full day whenever possible to ensure they get the most out of their education.

Thank you for your cooperation in supporting your child’s success!

Our Vikings are showing incredible enthusiasm for our two attendance incentives, and their engagement has been fantastic!

200 Crew: Congratulations to our first 200 Crew, who earned a celebration with ice cream! Keep up the great attendance for more fun rewards.

Cleveland Browns Stay in the Game: Each week, the class with the highest attendance percentage earns a letter. Once a class spells out “BROWNS,” they get to choose a special activity with Mrs. McKim. We’re excited to announce that we’re very close to having our first class reach “BROWNS”!

Thank you for supporting your child’s attendance—it truly makes a difference!

Click here for additional information related to Picture Retakes on December 11th.

https://shop.imagequix.com/g1001172971?code=1001172971+

Our Lost and Found is overflowing! If your child is missing a clothing item, water bottle, or other belongings, please remind them to check the Lost and Found. Parents are also welcome to stop by between 9:40 AM and 3:45 PM to look for any missing items.

Please note: Unclaimed items will be donated to charity after December 13th. Be sure to check before then!

At John Muir our expectations are for our Vikings to be Respectful, Responsible and Ready! We would love to celebrate our Vikings who are Respectful, Responsible and Ready at home and in the community.

If you have some good news about your Viking - please click the link to share information and details - https://forms.gle/D5BgYMkpsz8N77yL7

We will celebrate your Viking at school! Throughout the week, we will share the Good News during the Morning Announcements and celebrate! 🤗🎉

We are looking for people to join our John Muir Team- We currently have a part-time employment opportunity at John Muir. If you enjoy working with children and would like to contribute to our school community, this could be the perfect role for you!

Position: Noon Monitor

• Salary: Starting at $13.20/hour

• Schedule: 2.5 hours per day- 11:45am - 2:15pm

Qualifications:

• Must have a High School Diploma or GED

• Enjoy working with and have the ability to connect with children (parenting skills are a plus!)

• Ability to apply behavior techniques effectively and support school discipline in a constructive manner

• Good physical health and willingness to work outdoors, even during inclement weather

https://www.applitrack.com/parma/onlineapp/default.aspx?Category=Support+Staff&subcategory=Noon+Monitor

Looking for the perfect holiday gift for your Viking or a special family member? Our Spiritwear Shop is having a holiday sale, making it easy to share your school pride! With a variety of John Muir Spirit Wear options, there's something for everyone to show off their Viking spirit this season. Don't miss out on this great opportunity to find the perfect gift for your loved ones!

December 11th

• Picture Retake Day

December 17th

• 4th Grade Field Trip, 9:45-11:30 Normandy HS
• PTA Meeting, 6:30pm Parma Snow Library

December 20th

• PTA Holiday Stories

December 23rd - January 3rd

• Winter Break

Be sure to follow the John Muir Twitter page to stay updated on all the exciting and fun activities happening at our school! Check it out at John Muir Twitter for the latest news, photos, and events. We can't wait to share all the amazing things happening at John Muir!