As we continue our theme of “My Family and Friends”, this week we will explore friends and friendship. We will think about how friends are alike and different and how to make and keep friends.

This week’s Family Connections activities can be found at
https://portal2.frogstreet.com/wp-content/uploads/prek2/familyconn/ENG-FC-T2-W4.pdf

This week’s storybook, “Yuna and the Paper Cranes” can be found at https://portal2.frogstreet.com/ebook/?bookname=FS20102_YunaPaperCranes_eBook.

Looking forward to an exciting week!
Sincerely,

MREC PreK

PurposeFull Pursuit:

Find a time to sit in a circle together and celebrate all the ways you have seen each other practice Respect. Take turns sharing responses to the following prompts or make up your own! Remember to practice Respect as you listen to each other.

Celebration Prompts:

• How have you shown Respect through listening lately?
• What family member(s) do you want to celebrate for their Respect?

As a parent, you are your child’s first and most important teacher. You and your child’s school have something in common: you both want your child to learn and do well. When parents and teachers talk to each other, each person can share important information about your child’s talents and needs. Parent-teacher conferences are a great way to start talking to your child’s teacher.

What should you expect?

• A two-way conversation. Like all good conversations, parent-teacher conferences are best when both people talk and listen. The conference is a time for you to learn about your child’s progress in school. Find out whether your child is meeting school expectations and academic standards. When you tell the teacher about your child’s skills, interests, needs, and dreams, the teacher can help your child more.
• Emphasis on learning. Good parent-teacher conferences focus on how well the child is doing in school. They also talk about how the child can do even better.
• Opportunities and challenges. Just like you, teachers want your child to succeed. You will probably hear positive feedback about your child’s progress and areas for improvement. Be ready to ask questions about ways you and the teacher can help your child with some of his or her challenges.

What should you talk to the teacher about?

• Progress. Find out how your child is doing by asking questions like: Is my child performing at grade level? How could he or she improve?
• Assignments and assessments. Ask to see examples of your child’s work. Ask how the teacher gives grades.
• Support learning at home. Ask what you can do at home to help your child learn.
• Support learning at school. Find out what services are available at the school to help your child. Ask how the teacher will both challenge your child and support your child when he or she needs it.

How should you follow up?

• Make a plan. Write down the things that you and the teacher will each do to support your child.
• Schedule another time to talk. Communication should go both ways. Ask how you can contact the teacher. And don’t forget to ask how the teacher will contact you too.
• Talk to your child. The parent-teacher conference is all about your child, so don’t forget to include him or her. Share with your child

Forward-Facing Car Seat

1 – 3 Years

Keep your child rear-facing as long as possible. It’s the best way to keep him or her safe. Your child should remain in a rear-facing car seat until he or she reaches the top height or weight limit allowed by your car seat’s manufacturer. Once your child outgrows the rear-facing car seat, your child is ready to travel in a forward-facing car seat with a harness and tether.

4 – 7 Years

Keep your child in a forward-facing car seat with a harness and tether until he or she reaches the top height or weight limit allowed by your car seat’s manufacturer. Once your child outgrows the forward-facing car seat with a harness, it’s time to travel in a booster seat, but still in the back seat.

Booster Seat

4 – 7 Years

Keep your child in a forward-facing car seat with a harness and tether until he or she reaches the top height or weight limit allowed by your car seat’s manufacturer. Once your child outgrows the forward-facing car seat with a harness, it’s time to travel in a booster seat, but still in the back seat.

Please remember to stay in your vehicle and allow our welcoming staff to retrieve students from the vehicle and guide them safely to the designated area.

Parents, please make sure you are on time to pick up and drop off your student. The carpool times are listed below. Please report to the front office if you arrive outside of these times.

• Please email Brittny Borders at brittnyborders@melissaisd.org OR complete the online absence report, if your child is absent
• Here is the link to report an absence:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScZvdidbMVunxtr5YMnuyOj38cbbdVxuLY3v2QFHT21rNE-wQ/viewform

• Submit all doctor or parent notes to the office within 3 school days of the absence

The school nurse will start conducting screenings soon. Please see the attached document for more information.

Please make sure your child returns their red folder daily. This folder is used for communication between home and school. The folder is brought home every night and is returned to school the very next day. It has important information such as school notes, homework, student work, and classroom newsletters. The take home folders are brought home every day and are returned to school the very next day. Any notes from home, money, homework, etc. should be placed in the take home folder so the teachers receives it - because we all know how sometimes things get lost in a child's backpack. 🙂

Please make sure your student has snacks and water. Snacks should be clearly labeled and water bottles should only contain water. Please check with your child's teacher for further snack guidelines.

Please pack an extra set of clothes for your child in case of an accident. Sometimes, accidents do happen. Please include an extra shirt, pants, underwear, and socks. Please ensure student’s change of clothes is seasonally appropriate. If your child uses an item from their change of clothes, the articles of clothing that were used need replacing. Please be sure to label all clothing that comes to school. Unfortunately, we do not have extra clothes here at school.

• 10/23-27 - Red Ribbon Week (Please see the flyer below for dress up days)
  
• 10/26 - Trunk or Treat 5:30-7:00pm
• 10/30 - No School (Parent/Teacher Conference Day)
• 10/31 - Mad Scientist Day at MREC

Sit With Us is a monthly discussion group to address concerns, ask questions and determine ways to collectively work toward solutions with your child’s campus administration. The philosophy of Sit With Us is that Melissa parents are Cardinal Champions who see the best for not only their students but for all students. If it matters to one Cardinal, it matters to all Cardinals.

Be sure to check out your child’s school calendar for upcoming meetings and come "Sit With Us."

Here are some activities that you can do with your child each day. Have fun learning and practicing early literacy skills!

Thank you for everything you do in making MREC an amazing place to be! Remember, we have the incredible opportunity to shape the future through the home and school partnership. Let's work together in shaping the minds of our future.