MIGHTY MASCOUTAH
FEBRUARY EDITION 2024
MES FAMILIES
Happy Spring..I think! LOL March is a busy month at MES. Please take some time to view the information below to stay connected!
Communication between home & school is vital for student success. Our teachers & staff have been working very hard to make every student feel welcome & supported while at school. We all at MES are dedicated to keeping in mind our vision statement: "We want to be a nationally recognized elementary school of choice whose staff goes above and beyond all students.
Please feel free to contact the MES office if you have any questions.
Sincerely,
Dr. Michelle Cooley
Principal
We need your help! Each year at this time, the Illinois State Board of Education releases the 5Essentials Survey for parents, students and staff to complete. This anonymous survey provides our school and district with important feedback that we use to guide our ongoing efforts to improve our school and continue to offer our students a supportive environment and excellent education. Your participation in the parent survey will help us understand your perspective of MES and guide improvement. We will share the link with everyone via email when it is available from the Illinois State Board of Education. Please take a few moments to fill out this anonymous survey on behalf of Mascoutah Elementary School. Thank you for your support and thank you for your time!
Dental Safari, a professional mobile dentist service, will be at Mascoutah Elementary School on Monday, March 16. Licensed, experienced dentists, hygienists, and assistants provide services including an exam, cleaning, fluoride treatment and sealants for any students in Pre-K through 5th grade if needed. They bill Tricare insurance and do not charge anything over. They will also work with you if no dental insurance is available. This exam qualifies to fulfill the state’s dental exam requirement for Kindergarten and 2nd grade students. If you would like to use this service please register online at www.dentalsafariforms.com. More information on the program can be found at www.dentalsafaricompany.com. Please call or email Nurse Katie at lillardpiercek@msd19.org if you have further questions on this program.
Children who are ill or show signs of becoming ill should not be sent to school. Please follow these guidelines:
Fever 100° or Above: Student must be fever-free for 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medication.
Vomiting and/or Diarrhea: No further incidence for 24 hours.
Strep Throat: 24 hours after the first dose of antibiotic.
Conjunctivitis (Pink Eye): Antibiotic treatment for 24 hours and no drainage from the eye.
If any concern of contagious illness, please contact your healthcare provider for further guidance before returning to school.
If it’s determined that your child needs to go home due to illness or injury, a parent or guardian will be notified and shall provide or arrange immediate transportation. Please check Skyward to make sure that the emergency contact information for your child or children is up-to-date.
It's has been two weeks since your last arrival process, please refresh your memory on how we drop our students off in the morning:
Carpool– to drop off car riders in the morning, please proceed to the CARPOOL LANE (RIGHT SIDE) in the front circle drive. PLEASE PULL FORWARD in the yellow zone as far as you can. Staff members will be outside to direct you where to pull. Students will exit the car on the passenger side ONLY, away from traffic. Parents are asked to remain in their cars and be prepared to move quickly when students exit the car. Depending on how far a parent is asked to pull up in the carpool lane, a student may enter the building near the 5th Grade hallway at Door #7 and walk through the building to their designated holding location or through the front door. Staff supervision will be provided in the carpool lane and throughout the building to help with the arrival process.
Students walked in by parents -if you would like to park, help your child from the car, hug them good-bye, etc. please pull to the left side of the front circle lane. Park in one of the many parking spots here. Students in this lane need to exit the car on the left side Only, away from traffic. Parents then must walk with the child on the sidewalk to the crosswalk located across from Door #7 or the Front door and deliver the child safely to the sidewalk in front of school. The parent then must again cross at the crosswalk, find their car and wait patiently to pull away using the middle exit lane.
Walkers and Bike Riders - K-2 students will use the bike rack near the PreK building and along with any walkers enter the back of the building through door 22. 3-5 students will use the bike rack near door 10 and along with any walkers enter the back of the building through door 10.
Bus Riders -buses will enter the bus lane from the south and pull to the north. Three buses at a time will unload students. The students will walk together into the building at a designated door. PreK buses will pull to the north side of the building and load and unload on Harnett.
Be Kind, Be Honest, Be Safe, Be Accepting
Our March Character Word of the Month is Cooperation!
Cooperation means working together to reach a common goal. At school, we will be focusing on helping students understand the importance of teamwork, listening to others, sharing responsibilities, and supporting one another. When students learn to cooperate, they build stronger friendships, improve problem-solving skills, and create a more positive learning environment for everyone.
You can help us emphasize cooperation at home by:
Encouraging your child to help with family chores and work together to complete tasks.
Playing board games or participating in team activities that require turn-taking and teamwork.
Modeling cooperative behavior by demonstrating respectful communication and compromise.
Talking about the importance of listening to others’ ideas and working through disagreements calmly.
Praising your child when they show teamwork, kindness, and a willingness to help others.
When school and home work together, we help our children develop the character traits they need to succeed both academically and socially.
Thank you for your continued support!
From March 23-April 17 (with Spring Break mixed in), all 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade students will be taking the state assessments known as the Illinois Assessment of Readiness. Students will be tested in ELA & Math. 5th Grade students will also be taking the Illinois Science Assessment (ISA). More specific information will be shared in the near future.
We have an amazing PTO at MES that plans a large number of fun activities throughout the school year. If you are interested, please follow the "Mascoutah Elementary PTO" Facebook page for information and details.
We've got spirit, how about you!? The PTO has launched the Mascoutah Elementary spirit apparel store! Both adult and youth sizes are available with several different options of short sleeve, long sleeve, and/or hoodie. Purchases are available for shipping or in-store pickup. Additionally, a portion of the proceeds go back to the PTO and into funding future events that benefit and support our students and staff!
If you’re interested in buying apparel, the Mascoutah Store can be found here: Mascoutah Store
Principal
Michelle Cooley
Assistant Principal
Sandra Litteken
Assistant Principal
Megan Mattmiller