Highlights for the week:

• 5th grade had a guest speaker!
• Kindergarten prepares for the 100th day of school!
• ASB student reps made buttons and prepared candygrams as part of their Valentine's Day fundraiser!
• We celebrated Mrs. Lorimer for National School Counselors Week!
• Mrs. Day's 2nd graders learned about Chinese Lunar New Year and did some year of the dragon artwork!
• Mrs. R Brown's kindergartners practiced writing their pathways of ten and place value with 10s and 1s!
• Mrs. Cree's kindergarten scientists started their forces of motion unit learning about pushes and pulls!
• Mrs. Chisholm's students practiced building, breaking apart, and substituting consonant blends!
• Mrs. Beal's students read about whales with teeth!

Read Across America launches next week. Cultivating a love of reading in children is a rewarding endeavor that can shape their lifelong relationship with learning. Reading literature, both fiction and nonfiction, not only enhances cognitive skills and expands knowledge but also fosters empathy, imagination, and a lifelong love for learning. It opens doors to new worlds, builds flexible thinking, gives perspective and helps celebrate what brings us all together and the beautiful differences in our world.

During Read Across America, students will be bringing home a reading log. They'll be challenged to read every day at school and at home. It may be hard for some students, they may come home tired and want to do other things. To help support this work, start by creating a nurturing environment filled with a variety of age-appropriate books that cater to their interests. Incorporate interactive reading sessions, allowing children to ask questions and share their thoughts, fostering a sense of engagement and curiosity. Serve as a positive reading role model, showcasing the joy and value of reading through your own enthusiasm for books. Show genuine interest and excitement, and

actively participate in discussions about the stories. Set aside time to read together, either the same book or reading separately but in the same space. Establish a designated reading time or cozy reading corner, making it a special and routine part of the day.

If you ordered a t-shirt, it should go home today. Reading logs will go home Monday with details on how much to read and the dates. We will also have our launch assembly on Monday to introduce students to the challenge and remind them to be Top Dogs who feel the need, the need to read!

• Please only let your students in and out of the car on the curb side! We've had an increase in students getting out on the street side of the drop off lane. Visibility isn't great and it is unsafe for students and drivers.

• Please remember to send your student with appropriate winter clothing, including gloves and/or hats. While it's been more mild during the day, it is still cold during morning line up!

• Our ASB fundraiser for Valentine's buttons ($2) and candygrams ($1) ends Tuesday February 13th. Get your orders in by then!

• Want to volunteer? We're always looking for approved volunteers to run our end of week prize store for students have shown excellent DIGS behavior! If you're approved to volunteer, sign up here. If you haven't yet been approved, find more information here.

• Chase Family Night for incoming 6th graders will be Tuesday February 21st at 6 pm at Chase. We encourage all families to attend to learn more about courses their child can register for, math options for students, extracurriculars and enrichment activities, meet staff ahead of time.

• We're starting to take in registrations for next school year and planning around that. Can you believe it? If you know you will be moving over the summer and no longer attending Moran Prairie in the fall, please reach out to the office and let us know as soon as possible. We use this information in the spring to plan for staffing, classrooms, and class placement.

• To learn more about the process of weather-related delays and closures, and how this is communicated, visit the district webpage here.

• Wondering when to keep your sick student home? Find information and recommendations at the district webpage here.

• Thank you for continuing to park in other spots in the lot rather than in our bus and Zum zones. We appreciate your attention to this!

Find our new Moran Prairie Instagram and follow us for regular updates of the amazing things we're doing this year!

One Valentine's Day every year, our PTG supports classroom celebrations. Room parents and other parent volunteers work with the classroom teacher to plan fun activities for students from 2 - 3 pm.

If you are planning on sending in valentines for your student's class, we ask a couple pieces:

• Please send in enough for every child in the class
• They do not need to have names on them, they could just say from your child
• If the valentines come with any small token, please make sure it is not candy or food. Pencils, stickers, erasers, etc. are great!
• We have a number of allergies and dietary restrictions in our school, so please do not send in food or candy. Teachers and room parents have already worked out a safe snack for students that meets their needs!

Thank you so much for all of the kind words, notes/pictures, flowers, and other gifts throughout National School Counseling Week. I feel incredibly grateful to be a part of the Moran Prairie community and to have the opportunity to work with such wonderful students, parents, and colleagues.

National School Counseling Week is also a chance to share more about the role of a school counselor and advocate for greater support for school counseling services. Below are some data points to give you an idea of what the school counseling program at Moran Prairie has looked like so far this year. If you ever have any questions, or if I can support your child's social and emotional development in any way, please reach out to me-- I am happy to help!

Once again, thank you for your kindness and support. I am honored to serve as a school counselor in the Moran Prairie community and look forward to continuing our work together in supporting our students' success and well-being.

Spokane Public Schools is running a bond and levy this winter. The bond includes replacements for Madison and Adams elementary schools, modernizations for North Central High School and Garry Middle School, upgrades to Chase Middle School, design work for Balboa and Indian Trail elementary schools, upgrades to some of our option programs, safety and technology improvements and updates to buildings and facilities district-wide.

The levy supports programs and positions not fully funded by the state, including teachers for lower class size, AP classes and highly capable programs, special education services, nursing services, library services, schools support staff, all extracurricular activities including sports, clubs and the arts, and more.

Learn more at spokaneschools.org/bondlevy2024 and remember to vote by Feb. 13.

Watch this week's episode to see highlights of amazing things happening at our feeder school, Chase Middle School!

Will return soon!

• Monday February 12th: Student late start @ 9:30 am for staff collaboration, Prairie Dog Monday, Read Across America assembly @ 2 pm, Mission & Vision workgroup @ 3:10 pm
  
• Tuesday February 13th: German & Chinese clubs after school
  
• Wednesday February 14th: Valentine's Day Parties @ 2 pm, Japanese clubs after school
  
• Thursday February 15th: Spanish and Art clubs after school
  
• Friday February 16th: Semester 1 Report cards sent home
  
• Monday February 19th: No School for President's Day
  
• Tuesday February 20th: Non-student day for staff development
  
• Wednesday February 21st: Class picture day, Japanese clubs after school, Chase Family Night @ 6 pm
  
• Thursday February 22nd: Staff meeting @ 7:40 AM, Spanish and Art clubs after school
  
• Friday February 23rd: ASB Spirit Day (pajama day), February Top Dog Awards
  
• Monday February 26th: Student late start @ 9:30 am for staff collaboration, Prairie Dog Monday, 4th grade guest speaker
  
• Tuesday February 27th: German & Chinese clubs after school
  
• Wednesday February 28th: Japanese clubs after school, PTG Art Night
  
• Thursday February 29th: Leap Day, Spanish and Art clubs after school

You can find the calendar for the 2023-24 school year here. This may help with planning for next year!

PTG approved grants at their last meeting to support bringing the Mobius Planetarium to third grade as they learn about space in science, to support our new ELA curriculum in 1st grade, and for stem materials for the 5th grade roller coaster project!

• Email us: mrnprairie.ptg@gmail.com
• Moran Prairie PTG Website: www.moranprairieptg.org
• Like us: www.facebook.com/MoranPrairiePTG/

Email: katehe@spokaneschools.org
Website: https://www.spokaneschools.org/moranprairie
Location: Moran Prairie Elementary, East 57th Avenue, Spokane, WA, USA
Phone: 509.354.3700