Morton Ranch Elementary eNews

We have loved seeing our Mavs return to campus!

During the first few days of school, our staff worked diligently to ensure that ALL Mavs arrived and dismissed in a safe manner. We will continue to review arrival and dismissal procedures and provide updates in weekly newsletters AND on Class Dojo. Thank you for all of your feedback and patience!

Missed past newsletters? Click here to go back and review what we have sent during back-to-school.

Lunch Visitors at MRE for 2024-2025

Our students LOVE when someone visits them for lunch! We'd like to provide a refresher on our lunch and cafeteria procedures for visitors. Please make sure to read below as well as the rest of this newsletter.

Due to space and safety concerns, lunch visitors are restricted to parents/stepparents/guardians, non-school-aged siblings and grandparents (accompanied by a parent or with written permission from a parent), and campus mentors. The campus schedule for lunch visitors is posted below.

• Visits will be limited to the 30-minute lunch period.
• Due to space limitations at the elementary level, no exceptions to the list of approved visitors can be made and principals can limit the amount of visitors on a given day.
• Lunch visitors do not include aunts, uncles, friends, or neighbors.
• In addition, lunch visitors are limited to three (3) guests per student per day except on days designated by the campus as a special event (i.e. Grandparent Day).
• Unusual circumstances may be approved/addressed by the principal.
• Principals may designate a guest table for lunch visitors (these are the tables near the cafeteria exit doors at MRE)
• Only an authorized lunch visitor and the student for whom the visitor is approved may sit at the guest table.

We ask that you refrain from taking pictures/videos during your visit in the cafeteria:

Due to confidentiality issues related to directory information and to privacy concerns, parents, students, and visitors may not use video recorders, voice recorders, or cameras unless used during a performance open to the public or during a private conference with permission by an administrator. If a recording or photo is taken, the item in question will need to be deleted.

★ sit with their child at the visitor table.

★ only bring in food for their child.

★ not have interactions with students other than their own child.

★ refrain from recording/taking pictures in the cafeteria.

★ only remain in the cafeteria during their child’s lunch period.

Visitors must enter the front office with a valid ID and check in 10-15 minutes before the scheduled lunch time. All visitors will exit the building through the front office.

Thursday, August 22nd

Technology Orientation for 3rd-5th (during Specials, students only)

Friday, August 23rd

Summer Reading Treasure Map due to library

Thursday, August 29th

Spirit Night Hosted by the MRE Parent Teacher Association

Howdy Homemade Ice Cream

5:00 p.m.-8:00 p.m.

Monday, September 2nd

Labor Day-No School for Students/Staff

Thursday, September 5th

Grandparents Day- Hosted by MRE Parent Teacher Association

(PK/1st/3rd/5th)

Friday, September 6th

Grandparents Day- Hosted by MRE Parent Teacher Association

(Special Education/Kindergarten/2nd/4th)

Monday, September 9th

• 1st-5th Lunch Visitors May Begin

Monday, September 9th Meeting Via ZOOM

• Corral/Stampede (for parents/guardians of current 4th and 5th graders)

September 9th-13th

CATCH Week - Students will learn about healthy eating and physical activities

Thursday, September 12th is Back in the Saddle (Open House at MRE)

• Parent Teacher Association Member Meeting @ 5:00 p.m.
• 5:00-6:30- Open House (visit your child's classroom)

Friday, September 13th

9:00-2:00 (or sign up for an hour)

Sign Up Here: Volunteer Work Day

September 17th

Fall Pictures (Individual)

*Information coming soon

*Dress Your Best for Pictures!*

Friday, September 20th

KATY ISD Campus Professional Learning Day

(NO SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS)

September 30th-October 4th

Fall Book Fair in Library

To help improve the flow and ensure timely arrival for everyone, we kindly ask that all cars move to the very right side of the lane.

This will allow our teachers and YMCA students to enter through the middle lane and get to their destinations on time (please see the attached map).

Parking in the front of the building is for designated staff ONLY.

This is also our BUS entrance for students. Please do not drop off students near this area.

You may notice cars traveling through the middle lane of AM arrival.

Please allow STAFF & YMCA AM to proceed through the middle line.

We will begin utilizing signs for vehicles so that we can quickly identify cars that need to enter the staff parking lot.

Thank you for your cooperation!

Please do not block the intersections or driveways of Morton Ranch High School during parent pick-up. This is causing issues with their parent pick-up and staff trying to leave the building.

We appreciate you voicing your concerns and your concerns have been brought to leadership. Please remember to continue to exercise patience as we are less than a week into school and this will continue to improve with time.

Students that arrive as WALKERS may begin entering at gate near the kindergarten driveway (north side along Mason Manor Dr). This will begin on August 21st. We hope this will help our Mavs arrive quickly and safely without having to go around to the cafeteria side.

This is NOT a location to drop children off in a car. This is for students that walk to school from the nearby neighborhood. We have a STAR marked on the map below. This is the same area that walkers dismiss in the afternoon.

A staff member will be at the gate at 7:50 and allow students to travel to the cafeteria for breakfast. The gate will not be open after 8:10.

Please walk to the front to sign your child in if arriving after 8:10.

You may choose to notify the teacher of changes of transportation.

However, you MUST notify the front office following the directions on the flyer below.

• This option is to facilitate changes in case of last minute needs.

• Children thrive on routines and systems put into place for them to follow daily.

• Creating too many changes can be confusing for any child.

• Please consider this when making changes of transportation.

If you have any questions, please call the front office 281-234-0300.

Return the sheet to Mrs.Maddox or Ms.Copeland (in the library) by this Friday, August 23rd!

If you lost the map, just record your reading on ANY sheet of paper and turn that in.

We are proud of you and can't wait to hear about your summer reading!

The Library Media Specialist (Amy Maddox) and Library Clerk (MaryKate Copeland) will check devices out in the system, and campus staff members will assist in labeling devices and chargers and putting cases on each Chromebook. We will have an additional stations where students can log in to check device functionality and to allow their devices to receive updates.

Our campus Classroom Technology Designer will provide a student orientation to review Chromebook care and usage on Thursday, August 22. After their training, students will complete the required quiz in Canvas to demonstrate understanding of their responsibilities regarding district Chromebook use before they are able to take them home.

Click here for more information regarding Class 1:1: https://www.katyisd.org/domain/6152

Parents registering their students for the 2024-25 school year have the option to select the Class 1:1 Device Insurance Option. This option covers your student’s Chromebook device. All student fees, including the device insurance fee, will be sent to our Pay N’ Go system for payment on August 12th. You will be able to pay your insurance fee at that time.

Please note, this only applies to students in 3rd – 12th grades. For further information, please visit our Pay N’ Go website or for more detailed documentation, please view this Pay N’ Go Student Fee article.

If you would like to change your device insurance selection from NO to YES, please email changemyrequest@katyisd.org with your student’s Katy ID, name and campus and we will update your insurance option from NO to YES. Please note, you are only eligible to make this change and pay in full, 30-days after your student’s first day of attendance.

Empower underprivileged Hispanic women through integral wellness education and skills for economic growth to improve their own and their families' wellbeing.

Los cupos son limitados por lo que recomendamos que responda las preguntas y envíe este formulario lo más pronto le sea posible.

Le esperamos para comenzar este viaje de crecimiento y aprendizaje.

School may have started but MRE PTA isn’t ready to say goodbye to summer just yet. Come hang out with your family and friends and support your PTA while enjoying the best ice cream around. Now that’s what we call a WIN-WIN!

Howdy Homemade Ice Cream Katy, TX
Thursday, August 29th
5:00 PM – 8:00 PM
20920 Katy Freeway
(Additional parking in back)

**BE SURE TO MENTION MRE PTA so that 20% of your purchase comes back to us**

By clearly labeling your child's items with their name, you significantly reduce the chances of things getting lost or confused with those of other children. This not only saves time and frustration but also ensures that your little one's belongings find their way back to them promptly.

MRE follows the Mid-Tier start time which means our instructional school day is 8:10-3:20 p.m.

Students may choose to bring their water bottle to school (refillable thermos). Students that enter the campus with coffee, juices, milk, etc. will be asked to finish their drink in the cafeteria. The only "open" drink in classrooms is water.

Students that enter the building with donuts, fast food breakfast, etc. will be invited to finish their food in the cafeteria.

We love our new carpet and want to keep it in great condition by avoiding these treats in the classroom.

What is DI?

Destination imagination is the world’s largest creative problem-solving program for kids. It is a community- based, school– friendly program that builds participant’s creativity, problem solving ability, and teamwork in enjoyable and meaningful ways. This year every state in the US and 42 countries will have teams. Competitions begin at the local level and proceed to state and national level competitions. Go to Destination Imagination for more information.

Who: Students and families interested in Destination Imagination (DI)

What: Informational and team formation meeting about DI

When: August 27, 2024 - Click link to attend meeting

Where: Via TEAMS app

*You will need to download the TEAMS app

Why: To learn more about DI and hopefully join a DI team!

TEAMS WILL BE FORMING ON August 27 AT 4:00pm online

Contact person: Sue Wilson - sueewilson@katyisd.org

Parents can help by:

• Becoming a team manager (training provided)
• Supporting the team manager
• Ensuring their child attends practice sessions and actively participates when instructed by the manager.

The vision shared by these Maverick-Educators has always been focused on three things: Strong Relationships, Authentic Experiences for Children, and a Quest for Lifelong Learning instilled within each and every Maverick. Thank you for joining us on this journey!

Website: https://www.katyisd.org/campus/MRE/Pages/default.aspx
Location: 2502 North Mason Road, Katy, TX, USA
Phone: 281-234-0330
Twitter (X): @MREMavs

School Colors: Purple & White

School Mascot: Maverick

Founding School Year: 2008-2009

Saddled with grit and determination to provide a legendary learning experience for a most deserving group of children, a posse of educators rode into town in 2008, aimin’ to leave their mark on the land called Morton Ranch.

The vision shared by these Maverick-Educators has always been focused on three things: Strong Relationships, Authentic Experiences for Children, and a Quest for Lifelong Learning instilled within each and every Maverick.

Relationships are everything at “the Ranch.” Connections among human beings are at the center of all decisions: who is hired, how teams are formed, how teachers begin their day in every classroom, why administrators spend most of their time engaged with colleagues and children, how community members are welcomed into the building, even how the front office furniture has been arranged. In order to impact others professionally or educationally, we must impact them personally. Until a student feels he/she is cared for in the schoolhouse, academic success is unlikely.

We encourage you to read more about our history!

We are THRILLED about our school theme this year at MRE: "Six Houses: One Ranch."

We cannot wait to share what we have planned for our new House System, ranch style!

maintain and strengthen the promises we have made to our children.

• We promise to read to you daily.

• We promise to make our school a place that is welcoming and safe.

• We promise to provide significant time for rich and relevant learning in all content areas.

• We promise to provide opportunities for discussion in order to grow your thinking.

• We promise to value mistakes as important learning steps, just as we celebrate progress along the way.

• We promise to be passionate about what we teach, modeling the life of a joyful learner.

• We promise to give you honest feedback about your learning.

• We promise to value who you are, where you’ve been, and where you are going.

• We promise to expand your view of the world and support you in realizing your dreams.

• We promise to honor, accept, and welcome who you are and what gifts you have to offer.

• We promise to cultivate positive values to make you a good person, friend, and community member.