McGuire Minute

Let us know how our staff is doing and help us to recognize them by completing our Staff Shout Out. You can recognize an amazing teacher by filling out a few questions in the link below. We will present them with a Staffirmation Certificate that tells what they were recognized for and by who.

As October comes to a close, we've got a lot to cheer about! The halls are still buzzing with our students' fantastic enthusiasm, kindness, and curiosity. What's been especially rewarding to see is how they're truly stepping up as independent learners. They're showing impressive initiative, maintaining their focus, and taking real responsibility for their work. These self-direction skills are crucial habits we're proud to be cultivating!

With our continued theme of self-direct for one more week, challenge your student to be a leader and make a goal of making the world around them a better place and affirm those around them with a positive statement. Capturing Kids' Hearts (CKH) says that affirming positive statements are used to build confidence and a sense of belonging. The goal is to foster a positive and uplifting environment for both students and staff by expressing appreciation and highlighting positive qualities. We would love for you to continue to join us in this effort! Affirming students at home could be done by leaving positive notes in your child's lunchbox, a book they will read, included with their snack, written in their agenda for them to see, etc.

Thank you your efforts to support building a positive school culture! Have a great weekend!

Mrs. King

We are thrilled to announce our 2025-2026 Student Council Members that will represent McGuire Elementary!

Check out our students that are knocking our socks off here at McGuire!

Our district and school participated in the GREAT APPLE CRUNCH! Every student and staff member in our district took a great big bite of an apple at the exact same time today! What a fun and easy way to celebrate healthy kids, Michigan farms, and strong communities!

Get ready–the Scholastic Book Fair is coming to our school! Find bestselling series and characters that students love from more than 100 publishers. Plus every purchase benefits our school. We hope you can join us for the Best. Week. Ever!

We are so grateful that Texas Roadhouse partnered with our PTO at McGuire to bring our hard-working staff an amazing dinner before the first round of conferences. We are so thankful that we were able to welcome you all into McGuire for Parent Teacher Conferences and share the amazing GLOWS we see in your children and the hope that we have in them for areas they can GROW before the end of the year. We LOVE sharing your students and are honored to do this most important HEART work with you as we work to help your students be all they can together!

Our very own Christi Konieczka, retired Art teacher, has designed and painted the most beautiful mural at McGuire, reminding our students that being the "I" in KIND is always the answer! Our kids even had a part in the painting!

Please join us and bring all your favorite Veterans so we can honor them at our annual Veterans Day Assembly! We are so excited to celebrate them for all they do and have done for our country!

This month's theme for CKH is Self Direct! We are working to take intentional steps to be independent and make positive choices related to our emotion, attitudes, and actions.

• October 28 - Picture Retakes
• Nov. 3-4 - No School Students/Staff Professional Development

• Nov. 14th- Report Cards Sent Home

• Nov. 17 - Trimester 2 Begins
• Nov. 27-28 - No School-Thanksgiving
• Dec. 12 - PTO Family Night-TBA-6:30-7:30pm

• Dec. 22-Jan. 2 - Winter Break

• Jan. 5 - School Resumes

• Jan. 7 - Hoops for Hunger Women’s Basketball Game Field Trip-10:15-12:45pm @ CMU

Please remember that changes for end of day routine for your students MUST be communicated with the office or in the student's daily communication log that comes home. Teachers will not be able to honor changes communicated over email or Dojo. Thank you for your help with this so we can help your student get to where they need to go!

October 30th is the first official attendance review where McGuire will look at attendance data to ensure that students are consistently attending school. Following this review, truancy notification letters will be sent to families the week after.

• Level I – First Time Reaching the 10% Absence Threshold:
  A Level I Truancy Letter will also be sent via email to inform parents/guardians of the concern.

• Level II – Second Time Reaching the 10% Absence Threshold:
  A Level II Truancy Letter will be sent via email. Additionally, the GIRESD Truancy Officer will contact parents/guardians to schedule a meeting to discuss strategies and set guidelines to improve attendance for the remainder of the school year.

• Level III – Third Time Reaching the 10% Absence Threshold:
  The GIRESD Truancy Officer will notify the Prosecutor’s Office and provide the necessary information for review.

Please note: If no improvement is made in a student’s attendance, the levels will progress, with additional interventions and notifications occurring at each stage.

Thank you for your support in helping ensure students attend school regularly and succeed academically.

All students will receive free breakfast and lunch for the 25-26 school year!

• The McGuire Elementary School spirit wear sale is below! You can order a variety of garments that are delivered to your home in days! Visit https://1stplacespiritwear.com/schools/MI/Mount%20Pleasant/McGuire+Elementary+School?utm_source=shortcode&utm_medium=affiliate&utm_campaign=school-direct

  • Sale Details:
  • Sale Dates: Oct 20th - Oct 26th
  • $5 off all tees with code BOO5
  • Free shipping on orders over $75

Mount Pleasant Public Schools is excited to invite staff, parents, and community members to become part of the Belonging Committee. This Committee plays a vital role in fostering an inclusive and supportive environment for all students, staff, and families within our district.

The Belonging Committee works to promote cultural awareness, equity, and a sense of belonging throughout our schools. Members collaborate to develop strategies, plan events, and implement initiatives that enhance the overall school climate and support the goals of the 2024–2029 MPPS Strategic Plan.

Participation in the Committee offers an opportunity to:

• Contribute to meaningful programs and initiatives that promote inclusion.

• Work alongside educators, families, and community members dedicated to creating a welcoming environment.

• Help shape policies and practices that support student success and well-being.

Meetings are held monthly, and all interested members of the MPPS community are encouraged to apply.

To express interest in joining the Belonging Committee, please apply here:

Belonging Committee Application

For additional information, contact Jennifer Verleger at jverleger@mp.edzone.net or (989) 775-2301. The application deadline is Friday, September 26th at 4:00 p.m.

Your voice and perspective are invaluable as we work together to build a school community where everyone feels they belong! Go Oilers!

Bullying & Kindness

Bullying, whether in person or online, can have serious effects on a student’s well-being. If you are currently bullying someone now, or have in the past, take a moment to put yourself in their shoes. How would you feel if it was happening to you?

Remember, not everyone thinks, dresses, speaks, or has the same interest, and that’s what makes each person unique. If you witness bullying, don’t join in and don’t stay silent. Instead, support the person being targeted by standing with them or getting help from an adult.

Kindness is powerful! It can turn someone’s bad day into a better one. Treating others with respect not only helps individuals but also makes our schools stronger and more welcoming for everyone. Small actions of kindness add up to a safer, happier environment.

The Mt. Pleasant Sex Advisory Board has an opening for a Mt. Pleasant parent.

Please complete this application if you are interested.

SEAB MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION

During the course of the school year, our buildings are obligated to practice at least 5 Fire Drills, 2 Tornado Drills and 3 Lockdown drills. At times, we do have our YSU Liason or other officers from the Police Department assist in our drills. We cover with our students the locations of where to go for each drill, what to do during specific drills, and how to properly evacuate when it is needed. You can also find this information in your child's Handbook at the front of the student agenda.

During the first weeks of school, classes read the story, I'm Not Scared, I'm Prepared book in their class with their teachers. This book focused on the main components of the safety protocols that we work on with children.

I also encourage you to check out our district website where we have information that pertains to our district school safety. Click here to get to the website.

At McGuire Elementary, our school expectations are Be Safe, Be Respectful, and Be Responsible and we are committed to teaching and reinforcing positive behavior expectations in all areas of the school from the classroom to the playground. Each area of our school day, has a focused set of positive expectations that we teach, model, and practice - on what it looks like to be safe, respectful, and responsible.

Our Mustang matrix is at the front of your student's agenda in the pages included for the student handbook, we encourage you to review these expectations at home with your child too.

Daily our students earn Dojo Points for meeting positive expectations, we recognize students with our Mustang Tickets, Weekly Drawings, Positive Office Referrals, Positive Postcards mailed home, and Students of the Month.

We know our students are still growing and developing mentally and socially, so we recognize it is always a work in progress when teaching and reteaching expectations. We utilize restorative practices - including repairing the harm, circle ups, and more.

We appreciate your partnership in supporting our McGuire Mustangs to help make McGuire a great place to be!

Mrs. Erin King and the McGuire Elementary Staff

Student cell phones are not permitted and should remain at home or in a backpack if a child needs it after school. If a cell phone comes to school with a student it should be turned off and stored in their locked from 8:40am-3:49pm. Other electronic devices and toys/trading cards/etc. from home are not permitted.

Hats & hoods are for outside use only. Students are not allowed to wear them inside the school.

November is homeless awareness month. As a way to raise awareness for the homeless community, United Way is sponsoring a fundraiser known as "Coins for a Cause". On Monday, October 27th, classrooms will begin collecting coins for the Isabella Restoration House. The classroom that has the most money at the end of the collection will win a pizza party! The collection will take place from Monday, October 27th to Friday, November 17th.

If your student will be taking medications at school we have a form for that:

https://www.mtpleasantschools.net/o/mpps/page/health-forms

All medications must be brought to the office with the appropriate health form. Please do not send medications to school with your child. This includes inhalers and epi-pens.

All students will be dropped off at the front door and will walk to the west playground entrance at 8:35. When you see the adult supervisor come out the front door, please feel free to begin dropping off if you are within our loading zone, between the McGuire sign in front of the school and the front porch. Come in the east entrance, drive to the front, drop off and exit the parking lot. Use the exit closest to the front door of the school. The first bell will ring at 8:40 and then school will officially start at 8:45. If it is too cold or raining, you will follow the same drop-off time and the student will come in the school at the west entrance.

Afternoon will be very similar to the morning. Dismissal is at 3:49. 3rd and 5th will be dismissed in front of the school and 4th grade has the option to park in the small parking lot in front of the gym to be dismissed. Please remain in the vehicle if you are in front of the school in the line and we will bring your student to you. If you would like to park and walk to the porch area, you are welcome to park in the far west lot and walk over to the front of the school.

Request for Transportation use the form linked here

https://mtpleasantschools.net/district/transportation/

Other forms linked on the Transportation website:

• Permission to Leave Alone
• In City Busing Reduction

Website: https://mtpleasantschools.net/district/transportation/
Phone: 989-775-2323

• PEAK (after school): https://www.mtpleasantschools.net/page/peak-program

• SACC (before school)- School Aged Child Care (Before School Program)- 775-2340

If you aren't currently following us at McGuire Elementary on Facebook, please like our page to you can see our district updates, information about our school, and more.

Like @McGuire Elementary

https://www.facebook.com/McGuireElementary

Have you checked out our website?

https://www.mtpleasantschools.net/

Download the Mt. Pleasant Public Schools app!

Download on the App Store

https://apps.apple.com/us/app/mt-pleasant-public-schools/id1632483662

or Get it on Google Play

*scroll to the bottom of the MPPS website and see Stay Connected and the links to download

McGuire Elementary Mission Statement:

Empower Excellence

Office Hours 8:00-4:00 p.m.

Erin King, Principal

Email: eking@mp.edzone.net
Website: mtpleasantschools.net/McGuire
Location: 4883 East Crosslanes
Phone: (989) 775-2260
Facebook: facebook.com/McGuireElementary
Twitter: @McGuireschool