


Husky Highlights:
Mt Vernon Elementary News: December 2023 Edition
From the desks of:
Shelley Nurre, Principal
Keith Manring, Assistant Principal
Website: https://mtvernon.springfield.k12.or.us/
School Hours: 8:35-2:50, M-F (Classroom Doors open 8:30)
Early Release Fridays: 8:35-12:30 (Classroom Doors open 8:30)
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After December 1st...
Inside this SHORT, 1-2 minute survey:
- Provide feedback about parent/guardian conferences
IMPORTANT DATES
- 11/29 (Wed) No School: Grading Day
- 11/30 (Thur) No School: Parent Teacher Conferences
- 12/1 (Fri) No School: Parent Teacher Conferences
- 12/6 (Wed) Fall picture retakes
- 12/8 (Fri) 12:30 pm Early Release; Spirit Day (see below); Winter Craft Fair 5:00-8:00 pm
- 12/9 (Sat) Winter Craft Fair 8:00-5:00
- 12/12 (Tues) PTA Papa's Pizza Fundraiser
- 12/18-1/2 Winter Break
Parent/Guardian Conferences
See you at parent/guardian conferences this week!
Thursday 11/30 day and evening conferences (limited childcare available)
Friday 12/1 morning conferences only (limited childcare available)
Call the school at 541-744-6403 to schedule if you haven't already done so. Spaces are limited.
Your Guide to a Productive Parent-Teacher Conference
This is typically a brief meeting that yields important information to guide the rest of the school year at home and at school. It is a rare event for teachers, parents, administrators, AND sometimes students to be sitting all in the same room at the same time–be sure to take advantage of this opportunity to learn from each other. Each member of your child’s educational team will have unique input to share, and so will you!
Here are some simple tips for parents for before, during, and after your child’s parent-teacher conference:
Before the Parent-Teacher Conference:
- First, GO to the school’s conference! A teacher may have many students and parents to manage, but you are highly valued as parents. Your child’s teachers and administrators WANT you to attend and participate. It can be nerve-wracking, but do make a special effort to participate in person if at all possible.
- If you are not able to come to the school during the scheduled conferences due to work obligations, etc., do speak up and ask for an alternate time or date that accommodates your schedule. To help inform a second parent who cannot attend, you may ask to audio-record the meeting for later reference (always ask politely ahead of time & receive permission to do so).
- Parent-Teacher conferences are meant to facilitate face-to-face communication. They should not be reserved only for times when “problems” arise!
- To that point, your child may worry that his/her teacher called a conference due to a problem, even if all students’ families are attending conferences. Talk to your child before the meeting to hear his/her view of how the year is going.
- Make a short list of your questions before the conference. If you find you need more time than is allotted on that day (most conferences are 20 minutes or less), request an additional meeting time in order to be respectful of other parents waiting. Your child’s teacher may also ask for an additional meeting time–be open to this if needed!
During the Parent-Teacher Conference:
- Listen and take notes (or ask for a copy of the teacher’s notes, if possible–this is often much easier & allows you to give your full attention to the conversation).
- If a teacher uses a phrase or acronym that is unfamiliar to you, ask what it means! In education, we often are quick to use abbreviations and speak in shorthand–forgetting to explain important words, names of tests given, etc. to parents. Ask questions, ask for abbreviations to be spelled out, and ask what scores mean.
- In addition to listening to your child’s teacher describe academic progress, be sure to ask how your child is doing socially and behaviorally. Asking about friendships at school is important and can guide your social activities outside of school. Bonus: Teachers often have humorous stories to tell!
- Ask what can be practiced at home to help support schoolwork (teachers are always happy to provide suggestions, and ALL students benefit from practice at home!).
After the Parent-Teacher Conference:
- After the conference, talk to your child about the comments made by adults. Check for how your child’s perspective matches with what you just heard from teachers and staff.
- Have a short family meeting to review. A parent-teacher conference is often a mystery to a child–share what happened! Praise your child for what has been done well, then speak about any areas that need extra attention or improvement.
- Soon after the conference, follow-up with a brief communication to the teacher (email, Seesaw message, phone call, etc.) to check progress and the status of any action steps decided upon at the meeting. Be sure to thank your teachers for their time–this is also a great time to include any additional questions after you’ve had time to reflect on the discussion.
Adapted from https://mylearnlab.com/
Lost & Found
Our lost and found is growing!! Please stop by during parent conferences to check if your student is missing any belongings. All remaining items will be donated prior to winter break.
SPS Land Acknowledgment
We acknowledge that our District is situated in the traditional homeland of the Kalapuya people, specifically the community that was known as Chifin, the area that we now call Springfield.
Kalapuya people, who have lived in this region since “Time Immemorial” were illegaly dispossessed of their land and forcibly removed to what are now the Grand Ronde and Siletz reservations over several years, but most notably in treaties between 1851 and 1855.
The Kalapuya are now members of the Confederated Tribes of the Grande Ronde and the Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians, and members of the Kalapuya still live, work, study and thrive in this area, and continue to make important contributions here in Springfield, across the land we now refer to as Oregon, and around the globe. This information is shared out of a responsibility to prevent the erasure of Native culture, heritage, and people and to ensure a quality contemporary education for future generations.
December's Spirit Day
Our December Spirit Day is Comfy Day! Students can dress in comfy clothes (no uniform required). Bonus points for comfy clothes that are not pajamas! 😀
Top Picks for Good Reads During Winter Break
Don't lose all of your learning over the Winter Break!
Here's a list of some great books to read together during your time away from school.
Morning Drop Off
Thank you for your cooperation!
Please remember the EARLIEST DROP OFF IS 8:00 am! Students arriving prior to 8:00 a.m. will be asked to remain in their vehicles until 8:00.
Also, please no untended vehicles in the car rider line. Unfortunately, it backs up the line into the street during a high traffic time. Please park in a parking space if you need to walk your student to the door or if you have office business. Together we can keep our husky drop off zone a safe, friendly place!
Parent Volunteers
Looking to volunteer at Mt Vernon? We need YOU! Please complete the following SPS Volunteer application to start the process.
https://apps.raptortech.com/Apply/MzU2ODplbi1VUw==# (English application)
https://apps.raptortech.com/Apply/MzU2ODplcy1VUw== (Spanish application)
Join Our PTA!
Our Parent Teacher Association is comprised of parents/guardians of Mt Vernon students and Mt Vernon teachers/staff. Collaboratively they:
- Plan fun and enriching events for our students,
- Provide funding for student materials and incentives, field trips and assemblies, musical instruments, library technology, PE and playground equipment, and uniform assistance,
- Encourage and boost family involvement in our school.
It's never too late to join! We have four general meetings throughout the year (attendance not required to join, and membership is not required to attend the meetings).
Meetings at 6 pm rotating either in person (at Mt Vernon) or via Zoom.
Check out our PTA Facebook page!
Thank a Mt Vernon Staff Member TODAY
Express Your Thanks To ANY Mt Vernon Staff Member
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Husky Happenings
Family Resource Requests
Need Help?
Phone: 541-744-6403
email: jessica.knight@springfield.k12.or.us
Thank you!
Office Directory
Hours: 8:00-4:00, M-F (Holidays may affect hours)
Fax: 541.744.6405
Shelley Nurre
- Campus community
- Instructional leadership
- Overall supervision and operations
Keith Manring
- Campus community
- Instructional leadership
- Overall supervision and operations
Keryn Wilson
- General inquiries, information
- Administration office
- Enrollment
- Attendance
Tina Antonovich
- Immunizations
- Health records
- First Aid
- Medications
Lovena Benedick
- Student records
- IEP/504 coordination and scheduling
Jessica Knight
- Family outreach
- Resources
- Family engagement
Lora Davis
Amanda Gomez-Zeller
- General inquiries, information
- Attendance