We will have our second annual New Year's Celebration on January 6, 2025! As part of our PBIS initiative this year, we will have an assembly to review The Mars Way and celebrate our success of being "Positive Planets." Students are encouraged to wear their best clothes and show their fancy side!

As we approach the end of the first semester, the PC staff would like your input on how our PBIS initiative is going. We would appreciate your feedback participating in the poll below.

In order to continue to provide positive reinforcement prizes, we would love your help! An Amazon "Wish List" has been created to support the PC students in being "Positive Planets." We will also accept any donations of items you have at your home that you would be willing to donate for prizes. Donations can be dropped off in the main office. Help us reward our students for doing a fantastic job at school. Thank you!

What is a Remote Learning / Flexible instruction Day?

On a Remote Learning / Flexible instruction Day, students will be able to connect remotely to their classes during the school day. Note: This school year, all schools will run on a Two-Hour Delay Schedule on a Remote Learning / Flexible instruction Days to better enable both teachers and students to prepare for the school day.

What will be expected of students on a Remote Learning / Flexible instruction Day?

On a Remote Learning / Flexible instruction Day, students will need to connect remotely to their classes during the school day. Students will be expected to log on to each class to participate in live instruction throughout the school day. Assignments and other instructional materials will be available via the Schoology learning management system, which may be accessed via the District website, www.marsk12.org.

ELEMENTARY — At the elementary level, students will login with their homeroom teacher to verify their schedule for the day, which may vary. (Note: The Two-Hour Delay Start Time for AM Kindergarten as well as for Grades 1-6 is 11 a.m. The delayed start time for PM Kindergarten is 1:45 p.m.)

When a remote learning day is called, all buildings are closed to students, as well as all after school events. When referring to the local television and radio stations, please continue to check for updates regarding delays and remote learning days. Our schools may start out as a two-hour delay but change to an official remote learning day if the weather continues to worsen throughout the morning. If you have any questions regarding a two-hour delay or remote learning day, please check the district website www.marsk12.org.

Two-Hour Delays: No child may enter the school before our delayed starting times. A two-hour delay means buses will pick up children two hours later than normal and parent drop-off will be 2-hours later than usual. Our official entry time for students to enter the building is 10:35 AM on a two-hour delay schedule. Afternoon kindergarten students can be dropped off no earlier than 1:30 PM.

No breakfast is offered on a 2-hour delay.

The end of the second nine weeks and first semester will be on January 17, 2025. In addition to core content grades, students will be receiving grades for the special area classes as well. Special area class grades will appear on your child’s 2nd and 4th nine weeks report card for the school year. Report cards will be posted to Skyward on January 28, 2025.

We believe outdoor recess is an important and valuable part of our students’ day. Fresh air, exercise and time spent outside afford students a break from the structure of the classroom. As we approach the winter season, please make sure your child is dressed appropriately for the weather. Students will go out to the playground when the temperature is 32 degrees or warmer.

When visiting the PC for school events, parking is available at the Primary Center Parking Lot and Administration. Please do not park on the grass or along the hill connecting the PC & MAE. We appreciate your understanding.

Students buying lunches may pay for them by the day, week, or month for the entire 2024-2025 school year. The cafeteria accepts cash and checks made out to the Mars Area Cafeteria Fund.

Beginning with the 2024-2025 School Year, parents/guardians will need to log on to SchoolCafé to view a student's purchase and payment history, meal account balance, and to set up low balance alerts.

A SchoolCafé account must be set up in order for parents/guardians to view their child(ren)’s meal account activity and/or to be able to make payments electronically. Once a “parent account” is created, you will need to add your student(s) to the account. When all students have been added, parents/guardian will be able to see account balances, a transaction history, and menus, as well as to set up low balance alerts.

Once an account has been set up, any specific questions regarding the use of SchoolCafé may be directed to Mrs. Kris Barr, Registrar, at kbarr@marsk12.org.

RevTrak

To ADD FUNDS TO A STUDENT’S MEAL ACCOUNT ELECTRONICALLY, parents/guardians must set up an account through RevTrak, the District’s new webstore, which integrates with SchoolCafé and the Skyward student information system. The webstore is available at https://marsk12.revtrak.net/.

A RevTrak account must be set up in order for parents/guardians to make electronic meal account payments. (Note: Checks that are sent in with students will still be accepted.) The webstore offers a secure, user-friendly and convenient way for parents/guardians to pay student fees as well as to manage and add funds to a student's cafeteria meal account. The system also offers e-mail notifications and receipts for all purchases.

There is a fee to prepay using your credit card. There is no fee if you prepay to the school cafeteria.

Cafeteria Prices:

Breakfast with Milk: FREE for K-6 Students

Lunch with Milk: $2.90

Milk Only: $0.65

Parents please be reminded that if your child is absent for any reason, you are required to provide a written excuse for the absence. On the excuse, please provide your child’s first and last name, date of absence, classroom teacher’s name and reason for the absence.

If you need to pick up your child during the instructional day, please write a note to your child’s teacher letting them know the day and time you will be picking your child up. All AM Kindergarten students need to have an early dismissal no later than 11:00 AM and Grade 1 and PM Kindergarten students may have an early dismissal no later than 3:00 PM.

Parents, please always bring your driver’s license when entering the Primary Center. The safety of our students is our number one priority.

If a student arrives after 9:00 AM or 12:45 for PM kindergarten, they are considered tardy. If the student is tardy an inordinate number of times without a note from a doctor, truancy procedures will need to begin. Please be sure your child arrives to school on time.

Students missing school due to a vacation must obtain a vacation form from the school office or the district website. Students may not miss more than 10 consecutive school days. Students are not to be excused for more than two vacations/educational trips within a single year. Vacation forms must be submitted to the Primary Center office at least 2 weeks prior to departure. If the proper application is not completed, the absence will be considered an unexcused absence.

Just a reminder that there are no birthday treats of any kind permitted in the Mars Area Primary Center. If you would like to distribute birthday invitations to students in your child’s class, an invitation needs to be provided for ALL students in the class. Students may also donate a book to the PC Library as part of the “Birthday Book Club.” Please contact Mrs. Vandevort for more details.