McPherson News for October 4, 2026
Principal's Message
Hello McPherson Families,
We have another busy week ahead at McPherson! This week is Parent Conference Week for our elementary students, which means minimum days for elementary students only. Please note that all ELOP classes and middle school sports practices/games are canceled this week due to elementary conferences and the hot weather. Our PTSA “Get the Ball Rolling” Fall Fundraiser kicks off on Wednesday, and our middle school dance is Friday—please review the dance information and guidelines below. Also, please see the newsletter for important information about our school emergency drills and how we prepare students and staff for different types of emergencies. Thank you for taking a few minutes to read through this week’s updates and reminders!
Have a great week Meteors,
Dr. Godsey, Principal
IMPORTANT ELOP/MIDDLE SCHOOL SPORTS MESSAGE
DUE TO THE EXTREME HEAT and PARENT CONFERENCE WEEK FOR ELEMENTARY, ALL ELOP CLASSES, PRACTICES AND GAMES ARE CANCELLED THIS WEEK - OCTOBER 5 THRU OCTOBER 9.
Elementary Parent Teacher Conference - October 5 through October 9
Parent-teacher conferences for elementary classes are October 5 - October 9. Teachers will send out their schedules directly to parents to fill in a time for their conference. Elementary students will be on a minimum day schedule Monday - Friday, 10/5-10/9. Middle school students are on a regular schedule this week.
Middle School Dance - 10/9/26
This Friday, October 9, will be the middle school's first dance of the year! The theme is "Subway Surfer". Wear streetwear attire or baggy clothes . Tickets will go on sale starting Monday, October 5. They will be sold at lunch and after school, as well as nutrition on the day of. Tickets will cost $7, and a ticket for one slice of pizza will cost $1.50. The dance itself will start directly after school and end at 5:00 PM.
DANCE GUIDELINES
If a student violates the guidelines described below, he or she will lose the privilege of attending the remaining McPherson dances, and parents will be called to pick up their child.
1. Dances are for McPherson Magnet School students only. No guests will be permitted to enter the dance.
2. No student will be allowed to leave the drop-off/pick-up area of the school parking lot or go to any place of business after the dance. All students must be picked up from the parking lot by a parent no later than 5:15 pm (leadership students will be picked up by 5:45pm).
3. Students who are not picked up on time may have their dance privilege revoked for the next dance.
4. Students may not leave the dance until its conclusion unless other arrangements have been made with administration, in advance. In such cases, parents must pick students up at the door.
5. Students who are absent the day of the dance may not attend the dance.
6. Appropriate school attire is required. No formal/semi-formal clothing allowed. Dance Dress code will be enforced. Students not adhering to the dress code the day of the dance will not be allowed to attend the dance.
7. So that every student can enjoy the dance, any student who is dancing in an inappropriate manner, including slamming, pushing, running, jumping, or “freak dancing” will be removed from the dance and not allowed to attend the next dance. Any student removed from the dance must immediately call parents for pick up.
8. No cell phones or electronic devices are allowed in the dance area at any time. Electronic items will be confiscated and returned to the student's parent or guardian. Students bringing electronic items into the dance will be subject to disciplinary consequences.
🏀 LET’S GET THE BALL ROLLING! 🏀
The McPherson PTSA Fall Fundraiser launches this week, and it will take all of us to reach our $40,000 goal! Funds raised will support the elementary P.E. program our teachers have requested, giving students dedicated P.E. time while providing teachers valuable time for lesson planning and classroom preparation, as well as monthly enrichment activities for our middle school students. Students can earn fun prizes along the way, and if we reach our goal, the Principal and teachers from the top-fundraising classes will face off for the Top Ball Trophy! Check out the attached flyer for all the details and scan the QR code—or visi https://tinyurl.com/McPhersonPTSA2026 register and get started. Let’s rally our teams, score some prizes, and get the ball rolling! 🏀⚽🏐
ASTRONOMY NIGHT - 11/10
SAVE THE DATE: SciOly Astronomy Night is Tuesday, Nov 10 from 5pm-7:30pm. In addition to the annual Bake Sale to raise funds for SciOly competition fees, the In N Out truck will be there to make it a full dinner family night.
Pre-order your In N Out meal now for only $8! Yes, a full In N Out meal, hamburger or cheeseburger, chips and a drink for $8 with 75% of the proceeds benefiting the McPherson Education Foundation to support SciOly and all of our other STEM programs.
Quantities and Time slots are limited, so order early for the most options. When we are out, that’s it, we are limited with how many we can sell. There will be no In N Out sales at Astronomy Night as the focus will be on the Bake Sale! More info about the Astronomy Night program and Bake Sale coming soon.
Purchase your In N Out meal here: https://www.jotform.com/form/262255082291051
Parent Message re: Lockdown Drill and Procedures
As part of our commitment to security and safety preparedness at McPherson Magnet School, it is necessary that we practice our emergency and crisis response plans by having drills designed to rehearse our procedures.
This year, we have already practiced both a Fire Drill and an Earthquake Drill. We will be conducting a Lockdown Drill this Tuesday, October 6th. The purpose of this drill is to practice how we can keep our students and staff safe in the event of a dangerous situation occurring on or near our campus, including in the surrounding neighborhood.
A building lockdown requires that all doors are locked and all movement in and out of the building is restricted. The types of emergencies that could require a school to lock down are the presence or possibility of an intruder on campus, a dangerous situation taking place in the close vicinity of the school, a hazardous spill or other type of accident that could pose a threat to the safety of staff and students. As a note, we also have a procedure for a "Shelter in Place". A "Shelter in Place" procedure is different than a "Lockdown". We use a "Shelter in Place" procedure when there may be a possible issue in our surrounding area or something happening on campus that does not pose an immediate danger but we may want students and staff inside. During a "Shelter In Place", we are conducting "business as usual" in the classroom.
Before the drill, teachers will talk to their classes and walk the students through the procedures. When speaking to students about lockdown drills, teachers will talk in general terms, stating that “just like we practice fire drills and have to leave the building, we also need to practice for emergencies that will keep us in the building.”
Emergency preparedness is important at school and at home. We recommend that you talk to your child about your emergency preparedness plans at home in addition to talking with them about the drills at school.
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Dr. Godsey, Principal, or Ms. Manion
LUNCH REMINDERS
Breakfast and lunch are free for all students. Students who forget a lunch will be provided with a school lunch. Facilities are not available for students to heat lunches on campus. Fast Food and Food delivery services (Door dash, Grubhub, Fast Food. Etc.) are not permitted and will not be accepted by the office. Parents/guardians are asked not to deliver fast food lunches to school.
Short Survey Regarding Technology Service at OUSD
Thank you for taking the time to share your experience with Technology Services at Orange Unified School District. As a student or family member, your feedback helps us understand what's working well and where we can improve. We appreciate you completing this short anonymous survey.
https://orangeusd2.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_1ET1FhjYDn1kY5M
📈 GATE Screening Information — New Fall Testing Window
OUSD’s GATE screening window has moved to the fall for the 2026–2027 school year. Please review the information below for your child’s grade level.
3rd Grade — Universal Screening
📅 October 19–23, 2026
All OUSD 3rd grade students will participate in GATE screening in their regular classrooms. No referral is needed. Parents who do not want their child to participate may complete the 3rd Grade GATE Screening Opt-Out Form. Please return this form to your child's teacher if you do NOT want your child to participate.
2nd, 4th & 5th Grades — Screening by Referral
📅 October 26–November 6, 2026
Students in 2nd, 4th, and 5th grades are eligible for GATE screening by referral. Parents, teachers, and staff may refer a student for screening using the GATE Screening Referral Form. Referral forms are due by OCTOBER 9.
2026–2027 GATE Identification Timeline
October–November: Screening
December–January: Data Review
End of January: Parent Notification of Results
🎓❤️ Support Our 8th Graders! ❤️🎓
Help us make the end of the year extra special for our 8th graders! Purchase a beautiful $15 red poinsettia and support their end-of-year events and celebrations.
🌺 15" Red Poinsettia
💲 $15 each
📅 Pick-Up: Wednesday, December 9
We want to give our 8th graders a memorable end to their elementary/middle school journey, and we can’t do it without our amazing school community's support! Every purchase helps us get one step closer to making their celebrations unforgettable. 🎉
Thank you for supporting the Class of 2027! ❤️
PTA Reflections Contest
PTA Reflections Contest: It’s time to call for entries for the 2026–2027 National PTA Reflections program! This year's theme is "What My Culture Means to Me." Students are invited to submit new, original work in visual arts, photography, literature, film, music, or dance. Every submission requires a title and an artist statement (no group projects permitted). Details about submission and due date coming soon!
McPHERSON PARENT VOLUNTEER PROCEDURES
At McPherson, we value our partnership with parents and families, and we encourage you to take an active role in your child’s education. We have an expectation that every family will contribute 10 hours of volunteer time each school year.
There are many opportunities to volunteer throughout the year. However, if you plan to volunteer on campus or with students during the school year—including classroom help, classroom parties, field trips, school events, and other activities—you must complete the OUSD Volunteer Application and approval process.
You may complete the application now, and once approved, it will be valid for the entire school year.
The majority of our McPherson volunteers will be volunteering 5 hours or less on campus, so please complete the requirements listed under #1 and #2 on the links below and select the “5 Hours or Less” Volunteer Application.
IMPORTANT – PLEASE READ
Completing the required trainings alone does NOT mean you are approved to volunteer.
To receive volunteer approval, you must:
- Complete all required trainings.
- Take and upload screenshots of your completed training documents/certificates.
- Complete the 5 Hours or Less Volunteer Application in its entirety.
- SUBMIT the application.
- Receive an email confirming that your application has been approved.
YOU MAY NOT VOLUNTEER UNTIL YOUR APPLICATION HAS BEEN COMPLETED, SUBMITTED, AND APPROVED.
Please do not wait until the day of a field trip, classroom party, or other activity to complete the process. You must receive your approval email before you are permitted to volunteer.
If you have any questions regarding the volunteer application process, please contact Ms. Erica in the McPherson office.
English:
https://apps.raptortech.com/Apply/MjY4OmVuLVVT
Spanish:
PTSA BIRTHDAY MARQUEE
It is always fun to post a special message for your child's birthday. You can purchase Birthday Marquee messages now at - https://mcp-birthday-marquee.cheddarup.com
HELP MCPHERSON EARN CASH WITH BOX TOPS!
McPherson Magnet School participates in Box Tops for Education, which means you can help our school earn cash simply by purchasing products you may already buy!
Each Box Top is worth 10¢ for McPherson! Every scan counts, and everyone’s participation makes a difference. Let’s work together to help provide our students and classrooms with the supplies they need — and see how much we can earn this year!
NEW TO BOX TOPS? EARN AN EXTRA $2.50!
If you are new to Box Tops:
Download the Box Tops app, select McPherson Magnet School, and enter referral code C86O5H22 to earn an extra $2.50 for our school!
Please spread the word to grandparents, relatives, friends, neighbors, and other McPherson families!
HERE'S HOW YOU CAN HELP:
• Download the Box Tops app on your smartphone if you haven't already.
• Purchase participating Box Tops products.
• Scan your receipt within 14 days of purchase. Every eligible Box Tops product on your receipt earns money for McPherson, and your earnings are recognized in the app right away.
• Give your student credit! Be sure to enter your student's name and teacher's name under "Give Credit Memo."
• Refer friends and family! Invite others to sign up for Box Tops. Our school can earn Bonus Box Tops when your referral scans their first qualifying receipt.
• Turn on notifications in the Box Tops app to receive scan reminders and information about special offers, bonus opportunities, and new participating products. Tap the person icon in the upper-right corner of the app to access your Communication Settings.
• Shopping online? You can earn Box Tops with eligible digital and email receipts, too!
MCPHERSON MAGNET SCHOOL
School ID: 227368
MEET OUR NEW BOX TOPS COORDINATOR!
A BIG THANK YOU TO OUR NEW BOX TOPS COORDINATOR, JULIE ALTSTAETTER!
If you have any questions about Box Tops, you can reach Julie at meteorsboxtops@gmail.com. If she doesn't have the answer right away, she will find it for you!
Thank you for supporting the Box Tops Program and McPherson Magnet School. We couldn't do it without you!
UPCOMING DATES
10/5-10/9 - Minimum Day (Elementary Only) for Elementary Parent Conferences
10/9- Middle School Dance
11/10 - Education Foundation Astronomy Night