Morton Ranch Elementary

Dear Families,

Please be reminded that Monday, January 20th, is a holiday for students and staff. All Katy ISD campuses will be closed.

Looking ahead to early next week:

As temperatures may drop, we encourage you to monitor the weather and ensure your family stays warm and safe.

Enjoy the long weekend!

ALWAYS bring your physical driver’s license or passport with you when you come to school. We are video monitored by the Katy ISD Police Department to make sure we are checking identification for each person that enters the school to ensure the safety of your child and our staff. Therefore, we are unable to let you into the school without proper identification.

Our cafeteria doors open for breakfast at 7:30 AM. and our front entrance doors open at 7:50 AM. We’ve found that having “All Mavs in by 8:10 AM” has been a great help in making sure they are in class ready to learn prior to 8:10 AM. Please have your child ready to exit the car when you are in position to unload. Your child is encouraged to exit on his/her own, if capable. If your child is not in the building by the time the tardy bell rings (8:10 AM), he/she will be sent to the front office for a tardy slip.

If you plan to check out your child early, please do so prior to 2:30 p.m. but after 9:35 am. (This would be considered an early checkout for attendance purposes.) Our schools are funded based on many factors, one important factor being attendance. It is always in the child’s best interest to be in school a full day, but we know that is not always possible. If you need to check your child out for a doctor’s appointment, dentist, etc. towards the end of the school day, it must be done before 2:30 p.m.

Changes of Transportation can be (1) e-mailed to the front office with a copy of the parent or guardian’s driver’s license to MRECOT@katyisd.org (2) hand-written in the front office. Change of transportation requests must be received no later than 2:00 p.m. on regular days and 11:30 a.m. on early dismissal days.

Please report absences online when your child is absent on our Morton Ranch Elementary website under the Absence Reporting link. You may also call our front office on (281) 234-0300. Teachers are busy teaching our Mavericks and therefore not able to relay your phone or email message to the attendance clerk.

We understand emailing the teacher is the easiest form of communication. However, it is not acceptable for changes in transportation, reported absences, or early checkouts. You can always email the teacher a “heads up”, but please know that the teacher doesn’t always have time to check email/Dojo/voice messages before or during class.

Plan ahead for rainy/cold weather by sending jackets and umbrellas. (Please write your child’s name on all jackets and sweaters). Children who are bikers/walkers may want to keep a rain poncho in their backpacks. If your child is a biker/walker and there is a chance of bad weather, please make it easy on yourself by submitting the online change of transportation with your child, making him/her a bus or car rider.

**REMINDER** Morton Ranch Elementary does not have an alternate weather dismissal plan. It is the parent's responsibility to watch the weather forecast, decide if a change of transportation is necessary, and submit a change in a timely manner by or before 2:00 p.m.

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

Our school day begins promptly at 8:10 am.

Compulsory Attendance

A parent/guardian of a school-age child has the responsibility to require that his/her child attend school regularly. When sickness or another reason necessitates an absence, a note signed by the parent/guardian or phone call explaining the reason for the absence is required prior to or when the student returns to school. If a student fails to submit a note from the parent or the school does not receive a phone call from the parent, the absence will automatically be considered unexcused.

Absences for vacations, business trips, babysitting, working, and other such reasons shall be considered unexcused. Read here for more information regarding attendance in KISD.

Timely pick-up ensures that students are not left waiting and helps maintain a smooth end to the school day. The front office is reserved for emergency situations only, so please make arrangements to pick up your child on time. Thank you for your cooperation in helping us maintain a safe and efficient dismissal process.

Today is MRE PTA’s ADVENTURE DASH RALLY DAY and we couldn’t be more excited! Make sure your student gets registered by TONIGHT to earn the ADVENTURE BAND! Once they are registered you will receive an email with their personal donation link that you can share with family and friends.

If they get a donation TONIGHT they will also earn the BE FIRST band allowing them to be first on Dash Day!

Let’s get as many donations as we can by sharing our student’s link with as many people we know through Facebook, Instagram, Email, Text, Etc.

Check out this video for more information! https://drive.google.com/.../1Qoy6ETrmbD5Ipl2NlBO.../view...

Register your child for their own donation site HERE: https://www.gopledge.com/donater_page/?url=MRES25

This month’s Spirit Night will be on Thursday, January 30th from 5pm to 9pm at Jason’s Deli at 380 S. Mason Road.

Come out and support MRE PTA while enjoying a delicious meal and spending quality time with your family and friends. We hope to see you all there!

There's nothing like your school yearbook. Get your hands on the limited edition collection of our stories from the year.

Order Your 24-25 Yearbook before it's too late!

Although orders are due in a few weeks, the books will be delivered to campus at the end of the semester.

Thursday, February 6th

5:30-7:00

MRE GYM/CAFETERIA/SPECIALS HALLWAY

This is our 4th year hosting an international night and we promise, you will not want to miss this event!

Students receive a "passport" and go around visiting tables to learn about other countries, cultures, and customs! We have a few exciting performances taking place that evening.

We will share more details in upcoming weeks regarding ways you can volunteer for this event! Stay tuned!

The book fair will be here at the MRE Library February 3rd through February 6th.

• Families may also shop during International Night 5:30-7:00.

Families may shop online during a longer timeframe -beginning January 29 and ending February 11th. Scholastic can deliver books ordered online directly to the student’s home.

Families may choose to set up a cash-free, worry-free E-Wallet Account. Kids will be able to shop the fair using a printable bar code or staff can look up the name at the register.

E-Wallets can be set up beginning January 29th.

To learn more about how E-Wallets work, please click here.

Morton Ranch Elementary 4th Graders Proudly Present:

Off Their Rockers- A fun-filled one act musical play!

Thursday, January 23rd

MRE GYMNASIUM

Performance for students/staff at 10:40 a.m.

Evening performance for families and visitors at 5:30

As we navigate these cold winter days, we kindly ask for your help in labeling all of your child’s clothing and personal items. Teachers work hard to keep our students organized, but with the many coats, hats, gloves, and scarves in the classroom, it can be challenging to ensure everything gets back to the right child. Proper labeling will help us avoid confusion and ensure that your child’s belongings are returned quickly. Thank you for your support in keeping everything organized and making winter a little easier for everyone!

January 14th

• MRE PTA's Adventure Dash Rally Day Kick-Off

January 16th

• Legacy Parent Academy "Moving Up From Elementary to High School) *Parents of current 5th graders

January 20th

• Holiday for Students & Staff-Campus Closed

January 21st

• "Tooth Fairy" Visits PK/K/1st in LGI

January 22nd

• 3rd-5th Grade Students Take Reading Language Arts Interim
• KISD District Course Selection Fair (Parents of Current 5th Graders)

January 23rd

4th Grade Musical Performance at MRE (GYM)

• Performance for students/staff at 10:40 a.m.
• Evening performance for families and visitors at 5:30

Library Event:

• Books Alive! Performance for Students/Staff in PK/K/1st

January 24

• PTA "DASH DAY"

January 29

• 100th Day of School

January 30

• PTA Spirit Night at Jason's Deli at 380 S. Mason Road. from 5:00-9:00

February 3

• Book Fair Opens in the MRE Library

February 6

• International Night at MRE from 5:30-7:00
• Live Performances!
• Book Fair Open During International Night

February 7

• Dental Hygiene Presentation during specials (Grades 2-5)

February 17th

• Campus Professional Learning Day (No Students)

February 21

• Volunteer Work Day- 'Howdy Helpers"

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