Mars Area Primary Center Newsletter

I can’t believe we are already a few days into the second nine weeks of the 2026-2027 school year. As we begin the month of November, we will participate in many holiday events at the PC over the next few weeks. In November, I am reminded how thankful I am to work with such amazing students, families, and staff here at the Primary Center. I hope your holidays are filled with love and memories shared with family and friends. Wishing our Primary Center families a very safe and happy holiday break.

~Mrs. Semler

Don't miss the 1st Grade Thanksgiving Feast at the Primary Center with your child!

Tuesday, November 17th - Thursday, November 19th- See the SignUp schedule link for individual class times. Please arrive 5 minutes early. Parking is available in the PC Parking lot and in front of Administration.

You may bring your own lunch or choose to purchase a traditional Thanksgiving Dinner from our cafeteria: Turkey, Mashed Potatoes, Stuffing, Corn, Dinner Roll, Cranberry Sauce, Cookie and a Drink.

ADULTS: $4.00 CASH ONLY will be accepted on the day of the event for parent/guardian meals.

STUDENTS: $2.90

IMPORTANT DETAILS:

*All parents/guardians (NO SIBLINGS) wishing to participate must have their driver’s license scanned at the Primary Center and sign-up by Friday, November 6th.

*When signing up be sure to use the name listed on your driver’s license.

*One SignUp per person. If you would like to sign-up a spouse/guardian, please do so separately so we can account for all participants/meals.

*Students are limited to two (2) guests only.

*To avoid tears, arrive 5 minutes early for lunch!

Sign-Up below by Friday, November 6, 2026.

Parent-Teacher conferences will be held on November 23 & 24. If you have not already scheduled a conference to discuss your child, please contact your child’s teacher ASAP via email to schedule a convenient time for meeting. As conference day is often very busy with so much to discuss, please be prompt and courteous in following the time scheduled for your child/children. If for some reason you are unable to attend your scheduled conference, please call the Primary Center office at 724- 625-1588.

First Grade Report Cards- for the 1st 9 weeks will be posted online through the District’s Skyward website on November 5, 2026.

***Kindergarten does not receive a report card for the first and third nine weeks. Kindergarten students will receive a report card at the end of the first semester and at the end of the year.

Join us in helping Inspired Hearts and Hands provide holiday meals to families facing poverty! The food boxes will include: a $10 Wal-Mart or ALDI gift card for purchasing turkey/proteins; all the elements of a traditional holiday meal; and additional essential meal items. A list of requested donations is listed below. TOGETHER, we can make a difference!

The Mars Primary Center will be collecting any unopened and unwanted extra Halloween Candy in the PC office November 2-6, 2026. The candy will be donated to Harvest Street Mission, a small non-profit organization that provides meals for individuals in shelters or low-income housing with a focus on the North Side of Pittsburgh. Thank you in advance for your support.

Parents please be reminded that if your child is absent for any reason, you are required to provide a written excuse for the absence. No need to call the office. On the excuse, please provide your child’s first and last name, date of absence, classroom teacher’s name and reason for the absence.

If you need to pick up your child during the instructional day, please write a note to your child’s teacher letting them know the day and time you will be picking your child up. A hand written note is needed instead of email because our teachers and staff are busy during the instructional day and may not see the email until after the instructional day. Please include your child’s name on the note. All AM Kindergarten students need to have an early dismissal no later than 11:00 AM and Grade 1 and PM Kindergarten students may have an early dismissal no later than 3:00 PM.

A note of thanks to the Mars Area Community members and PC families for supporting our PC Fall Book Fair. Our proceeds totaling $5,030.43 will support Mrs. Vandevort, our school librarian, in the purchasing of new books for the Primary Center Library. Thank you for your continued support!

Students missing school due to a vacation must obtain a vacation form from the school office. Students may not miss more than 10 school days. Students are not to be excused for more than two vacations/educational trips within a single year. Vacation forms must be submitted to the Primary Center office at least 2 weeks prior to departure. If the proper application is not completed, the absence will be considered an unexcused absence.

Volunteers serving all District Schools must comply with Mars Area School District Policy 916, which clearly defines roles and requirements for parent /guardians and community members interested in volunteering in our schools. Policy 916 establishes the following three categories for volunteers:

1. Assistive Volunteers

2. Independent Volunteers

3. Volunteer Coaches/Sponsors

To view the definitions of each type of volunteer and the requirements to serve as a volunteer, please consult the PC handbook. All volunteers are based on a need by the classroom teacher, not all classroom teachers require volunteers in their classrooms.

Each year, parents must be board approved to be considered an Independent Volunteer.

Any parent wishing to be considered as a first grade field trip chaperone, must submit their clearances by November 1, 2026 and be school board approved at the December meeting.

Teachers will select field trip chaperones during the week of January 4, 2027.

When visiting the PC for school events, parking is available at the Primary Center Parking Lot and Administration. Please do not park on the grass or along the hill connecting the PC & MAE. We appreciate your understanding.

Just a reminder that there are no birthday treats of any kind permitted in the Mars Area Primary Center. If you would like to distribute birthday invitations to students in your child’s class, an invitation needs to be provided for ALL students in the class. Students may also donate a book to the PC Library as part of the “Birthday Book Club.” Please contact Mrs. Vandevort for more details.

Parents, please ALWAYS bring your driver's license when entering the Primary Center. The safety of our students is our number one priority.

The PC students and staff have done an amazing job the first-nine weeks participating in our positive behavior initiative, The Mars Way! Students are turning in their "Caught Being A Positive Planet" tickets to receive a small prize in the office. Our "Principal's Club" boards filled up, and students who hit for a "Bingo" will receive an additional reward, with Mrs. Semler. Once a board is filled, we will celebrate as a school! We celebrated the Principal's Club Boards being filled for the first nine weeks with a "Glow Day" on October 30, 2026.

Also, congratulations to our first grade classrooms: Mrs. Shuck, Miss Wild, Mrs. Davis, Mrs. Detore, Mrs. Diani, Mrs. Huggins, Mrs. McKee, Mrs. Raible, Mrs. Rios, Mrs. Rhea, and Mrs. Shine for earning their first set of 10 Golden Spoons and celebrating with lunch in the classroom with Mrs. Semler for showing The Mars Way in the cafeteria during the first nine weeks. Keep up the great work!

Drop-Off: Parent drop-off will be from 8:35-9:00 behind the school at the cafeteria entrance. Parents will pull up in lane 1 to the drop-off area and your child will exit the car by themselves. Any student arriving after 9:00 will need to report to the front office and will be marked tardy.

AM Kindergarten Pick-up: Dismissal is at 11:40 AM. Please line up along Doc's Way. You may enter off of Brickyard Road, proceed down the hill, past the Elementary School and turn around in the Lefcon Field Parking Lot to make your way back in line along Doc's Way for pickup or you can enter off of Three Degree Road onto Doc's Way. Please do not cut through and line up in the Mars Elementary School's parking lot or block the Elementary School's intersection while in line.

If your child needs help with their seatbelt, please move forward to an open parking space in the parking lot to keep our dismissal running.

PM Kindergarten Drop Off is between 12:30-12:45 PM. Please line up along Doc's Way. You may enter off of Brickyard Road, proceed down the hill, past the Elementary School and turn around in the Lefcon Field Parking Lot to make your way back in line along Doc's Way for pickup or you can enter off of Three Degree Road onto Doc's Way. Please do not cut through and line up in the Mars Elementary School's parking lot or block the Elementary School's intersection while in line. Please have your student ready to go as soon as you make your way to the PC to make our drop off run smoothly and efficiently. Students will enter through the FRONT kindergarten doors located in the front of the building. To ensure the safety of all students, students are to exit all vehicles from the passenger side onto the curb ONLY.

*If you are needing to travel along Doc's Way during kindergarten pick-up & drop-off times, please DO NOT drive around the AM/PM lines into oncoming traffic. Other vehicles may be traveling down the hill, and this could cause a very dangerous situation. Please follow all traffic patterns and procedures to keep you and others safe.

End-Of-Day Parent Pick-up begins at 3:25 PM: If you are picking your child up at the end of the day, you must send a note to school that day with your child. Your child will need to give the note to their teacher. Parents MUST have their large district issued window card displayed to have your child released to your vehicle. If you need a window card, please pick one up in the PC office. Parents without a window card must park their vehicle in a designated parking spot, enter the PC office, and sign your child out. *If you are traveling towards Brickyard Road after car pick-up at MAE, please DO NOT drive around the school buses waiting to line up in front of the PC. Other vehicles may be traveling down the hill, and this could cause a very dangerous situation. Please follow all traffic patterns and procedures to keep you and others safe.