MES Communication

Hello Moncure Community,

And just like that, October has flown by, and we find ourselves at the end of the month. I am pleased to share that my transportation assignment has successfully wrapped up, and I am back in the building, fully focused on our school community once again. I want to extend my heartfelt gratitude to Mrs. Clemente and Mr. Price for their exceptional leadership and dedication in my absence. Thanks to their hard work and commitment, our school continued to run seamlessly.

Did you know that first quarter Grade Reports are now available in ParentVue? Based on our data, we STILL have approximately 249 families who have not activated ParentVue to monitor student data or grade reports. This is a problem! One activation will provide family access (for all registered family members) throughout high school graduation. It is very important that all families monitor student performance. ParentVue is one way for families to monitor, encourage, and support student learning. Let’s get 100% connected!

I’m excited to announce that Zips Cleaners will be providing all students with a new House T-shirt this year—a generous donation! We will soon begin the process of collecting shirt sizes for every student. A big thank you to Zips Cleaners for their incredible support of our community. We hope to have the shirts distributed by January 1st!

As always, please take a moment to browse the topics and events below that impact our Moncure community. Thank you for your continued support!

Best regards,

Greg Machi

Principal

• October 23rd – Chipotle Spirit Night
  
• October 24th - November 1st - Book Fair
  
• Friday, October 25th – Student of the Month Breakfast
  
• Friday, October 25th – Popcorn Friday
  
• Monday, October 28th – November 1st – Red Ribbon Week
  
• Monday, October 28th – Kindergarten House Celebration
  
• Monday, November 4th – PTO Fun Run
  
• Tuesday, November 5th – NO SCHOOL – Election Day
  
• Friday, November 8th – Annual Veterans Day Tribute
  
• Monday, November 11th – NO SCHOOL – Veterans Day
  
• Tuesday, November 12 – PTO Meeting (Library)
  
• Thursday, November 14th – Moncure’s Multicultural Night
  

FREE Breakfast and Lunch is available daily. Students may decline a meal at any time. Available Everyday: Hummus or Sunbutter & Jelly

Moncure is operating on a six-day rotation this year. Please look for specific Specials information from your child’s teacher!

To help you to prepare for the year ahead, I encourage families to access the SCPS 2024-25 School Calendar. Please print or keep this link handy, as it will help you to prepare for holidays or periodic days off.

Your child's grade report is available in ParentVue. Grade reports are a snapshot of your child's classroom performance. Please reach out to your child's teacher with any questions. In Stafford County Public Schools, we use standards-based grading to assess your child's progress. A standards-based grading system allows families to understand what is expected to be successful in learning. This information will allow you to know what your child has learned by measuring their progress according to a grade level expectation. To learn more, click HERE.

Get ready for a fantastic literary adventure! Moncure Elementary is excited to announce the Bedford Falls Book Fair, running from October 24th to November 1st. This is your chance to share a world of books and love of reading in your child. We'll will be offering special evening hours on.

Stay tuned for more details—we can't wait to see you there!

Mark Your Calendars! This national event raises awareness about the importance of staying drug-free. It helps students learn how to make healthy choices and say "no" to drugs in fun, engaging ways.

Let’s show some spirit!

It's time for our first Popcorn Friday of the year! If you would like for your student to participate, please send in $1 for your child to buy popcorn on October 25th, 2024. All proceeds go towards our House System.

Moncure’s PTO Needs your help. Our PTO is small, but they help a lot! They support our school by bringing in assemblies, supporting our classrooms, and supporting our staff. Unlike most schools, our PTO does not run multiple fundraisers each year. They coordinate a Fun Run and offer spirit nights. Through these funds, they support our students. Our Fun Run is our largest yearly fundraiser. This year, our PTO is planning to put these funds towards Recess Equipment, Author and Assembly Visits, and New PE Equipment. Our PTO has set a goal of $15,000 for this year’s Fun Run. This equates to an average donation of $18 per student. Our Fun Runs will take place Monday, November 4. All runs will take place during PE. Donations will be collected through Tuesday, November 12. Please help our PTO support our school.

With Veteran’s Day approaching, Moncure’s staff would like to take a moment to recognize our Veterans and Military Families for their dedication and sacrifice for our country. We are excited to celebrate this special day on Friday, November 8th at 9:30AM. All veterans, active duty, and families are welcome! We Thank our Veterans!

We hope you will mark your calendars to share or celebrate the many cultures that make our Moncure Community special on Wednesday, November 14th (6:00-7:30)

We are looking for participant / contributor sign-ups NOW for families who are interested in sharing their ancestral culture through food, dance, games, activities and traditional attire. We look forward to celebrating Moncure’s diversity together.

MES Multicultural Night - Participant / Contributor Sign-up Form

Based on our data, we STILL have approximately 249 families who have not activated ParentVue to monitor student data or grade reports. This is a problem! One activation will provide family access (for all registered family members) throughout high school graduation. It is very important that all families monitor student performance. ParentVue is one way for families to monitor, encourage, and support student learning. Let’s get 100% connected!

This year, the county also requires all absences to be submitted through ParentVue. If you’re having trouble accessing your account, please reach out—we’re here to help! It’s essential for every parent to stay connected and informed about their child’s progress.

Thank you for your continued partnership! Don’t hesitate to contact our office if you need assistance—we’re always here for you!

Have you received your student’s letter about registering for the RCA House Point App? If not, it should be coming home soon. Please check your student’s bookbag or folder for a letter with instructions. The letter includes a school code and a unique code specifically for your student. If you encounter any issues during the setup process, please don't hesitate to contact our office. We want nothing more than for you to get that exciting notification at work, letting you know your child has earned a house point for being awesome! Thank you for your attention, and we look forward to seeing all parents actively participate in our House System.

To learn more, please click HERE! Each house team will be competing to see who can collect the most Pop Tabs! House points will be awarded each quarter!

As part of our commitment to providing the best possible learning environment for our students, Stafford County Public Schools has standardized its personal/electronic communications policy to encompass all grade levels beginning in the 2024-2025 school year. All students, grades K-12, must keep their phones, smart watches, Gizmo-like and other electronic communications devices off and away for the duration of the school day.

This policy, largely already in place at the elementary level, aims to reduce distractions, boost student engagement, and create a more focused educational setting for all students. We want to highlight the inclusion of personal electronic devices other than cell phones to this policy, as we know that smartwatches have become more commonplace at the elementary level and will no longer be permissible in school.

Key Points of the New Policy:

• Prohibited Use: Students are not allowed to use personal/electronic communication devices (to include cell phones, smart watches, air pods, etc.) during school hours, to include lunch, recess, and restroom breaks.
• Device Storage: Devices must be kept out of sight and silenced or powered off.
• Exceptions: Limited to documented medical needs, pre-approved circumstances, and before and after school activities.
• Consequences: Repeated non-compliance may result in devices being placed in locked pouches that must be retrieved by parents/guardians.

We believe this policy will significantly contribute to a more productive learning environment for all students. We appreciate your support and working with us to reinforce these procedures with your student(s).

For more detailed information, please refer to the attached flyer and our school’s website. If you have any questions, please contact our school.

Moncure has awesome students and a beautiful school. However, the past few years have been very difficult for our Parent Teacher Organization. Currently, we have a small group of volunteers making our PTO possible. We would love to add a few more volunteers to our group. If you are interested in supporting our students, our school, and our community, then serving as a member of Moncure’s PTO might be right for you. We encourage anyone (regardless of home language) to participate. Should you wish to learn more about our PTO, please go to https://ames.ptboard.com or scan the QR code.

Have you ever considered being a substitute teacher. Stafford County Public Schools is always looking for substitutes to support our schools. To learn about the application and hiring process, access the link below. We are always looking for energetic and positive substitutes to support our school. SCPS Substitute Hiring Information

Plans change and communication makes everything easier. One way to communicate is by completing our “A Note to School” form and sending it through email to our office and your student’s teacher or by simply sending the form or a note to school. To access digital forms of this note, you can go to the parent portion of our webpage or simply use the link below. Thanks for keeping us informed. The earlier the better.

How to communicate with Moncure:

mefrontoffice@staffordschools.net -or- "A Note To School"

Please include in all emails:

It is not uncommon for our office and elementary schools across our county to receive multiple emails each day with dismissal changes from parents. The notifications require our office to contact teachers to prevent students from being dismissed incorrectly. Student office dismissals after 2:30PM only add to this confusion. Please understand that our “No Student Office Dismissal” restriction after 2:30PM is based on student safety. Thanks for your understanding!

“Caught Ya” Citations are a great way for students, parents, and staff to recognize adults in our building! These citations also provide students with an opportunity to earn House Points. Everyone wants to be a member of the “House of the Year!” If you would like to recognize one or more of our staff members, simply use this link. “Caught Ya” – Staff Citation Link Thanks for making someone’s day!