Mustang Message, November Edition

Dear Families,

We are thankful for you!

As we prepare to take time off from school from November 22nd-November 26th for the Thanksgiving break, we are grateful for everyone who has helped to restore a routine for showing up to school while supporting students and families.

Daily routines are essential for reducing stress and creating a sense of security, especially after the

chaotic transitions experienced over the last several years.

As long as your child is healthy, please encourage showing up to class when school is in session.

Every day of school is an important opportunity for students to learn as well as connect to peers and their teachers.

At our recent Community Gathering, we encouraged our students to commit to being at school as often as they can be. If we reach our school-wide attendance goal we will have a dance incentive for students on November 27th. We have called this the "atten-DANCE." We are also specifically encouraging attendance at school on November 20 & 21, the two days leading up to Thanksgiving Break.

We thank:

• Our students and their families who do their best to show up to class every day even when it isn’t easy.
• Our teachers who have gone above and beyond to help make school a welcoming learning environment where students can thrive.
• Our office staff who help us work together to ensure we are healthy and safe, feel a sense of community, and experience the excitement of an engaging learning environment.
• Our many, many healers and helpers - the support staff and community volunteers who provide the extra hands and attention our children need.

May these days off be restful and healing.

● If your family or your child needs support, please reach out to Ms. Stephanie Hall shall@smcps.org or Ms. Kim Lutz kilutz@smcps.org for help.

Thank you for partnering with us!

Sincerely,

Josh Lynch,

Principal

November

November 9 @ 10 AM-12:30 PM - Veterans Day Celebration

• Assembly & luncheon for Veteran guests of the MES community.

November 10 - Holiday - Veteran's Day Observed - All Schools and Offices Closed

November 20 - Portrait Retakes for Fall Portraits

November 22-25 - Holiday - Thanksgiving - No School For Students

• All Schools and Offices Closed November 23rd and 24th
• MES Office will be closed on November 22nd

November 27 -28 - attend-DANCE incentive for students

• November 27 - Grades 3, 5 and 2
• November 28 - Grades 4, KG and 1

Looking Ahead to December

December 8 - Two Hour Early Dismissal

December 18 - January 1 - Winter Break. All Schools and Offices Closed

January 2 - Schools Reopen

We are fortunate this year to have been adopted as a school by Deputy Jake Senatore.

The Adopt a School Program matches St. Mary's County Deputies with elementary schools. The Deputies who Adopt a school for the purpose of fostering a positive relationship with the school's students. The Officers will enhance the Law Enforcement service to their schools and act as an advisor to the staff. We will work together to coordinate activities that will promote and support this collaboration.

We are excited that our Veterans Day Celebration at MES is nearing. Our students are excited as well:

• Cohen J. wants to be able to see the Veterans and ask them about their jobs in the Navy, Army, Marines, and Coast Guard.
• Rylee E. is looking forward to greeting the Veterans, welcoming them, and asking them if they need help with anything.
• Hailey T wants to sing for them and make them happy.

November 9 @ 10 AM-12:30 PM - Veterans Day Celebration

• Assembly & luncheon for Veteran guests of the MES community.

Signup to help here.

Contact our PTO for questions or information about donating or volunteering.

mes.pto@gmail.com

Check out our featured article in the Baynet!

If possible, students should wear red, white, and blue colors for the assembly.

Hi MES families! In order for our students to learn, being at school is crucial!

We're encouraging good attendance in October and November by challenging our students to beat last year's attendance rates for October and November.

If they can do it, they will have a grade-level GLOW ATTEN-DANCE (black lights and glow sticks) in the gym after our Thanksgiving break.

All of our students are counting on each other to be at school so that they can earn this super fun incentive.

Spotlight on Special Education: There are so many fantastic things happening in our efforts to support SMCPS students with disabilities. Please use this survey to share your praise, story, or news about successes in your school or department!

Effective communication is critical to the success of St. Mary’s County Public Schools (SMCPS). This will be crucial not only for emergencies but for our ability to communicate with families in general. Online Emergency Information Update Forms are now available through the student’s Home Access Center (HAC). Once logged in, directions to access the online form can be found HERE. A video with instructions is available HERE. It is vital that all information is updated in eSchool. The deadline for the online submission of Emergency Information Update forms is November 14, 2023. Please click here for the Blank Emergency Form. If you have any questions, please contact Tiffany Shreve at tkshreve@smcps.org.

In hopes of reaching more families and in place of school-based flu vaccine clinics, the St. Mary's County Health Department is hosting free flu vaccination clinics for children 18 years of age and younger at different sites throughout the county. English and Spanish flyer links.

• NNAT3 testing for grade 3 students will occur during the month of November. This NNAT3 Parent Letter contains additional information.