Mott News

Hello Owl Families,

It’s October, and the fall weather is finally here!

As we step into this new month, you’ll notice our staff and students wearing Pink on Mondays throughout October in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month. We invite our entire school community to join in and wear pink each Monday to show our support!

Here are a few important calendar reminders as we head into the next couple of weeks:

• Friday, October 9th – No School for Students: Friday is a Staff Workday and Parent-Teacher Conference Day. If you haven’t already done so, please make sure to sign up for a conference time with your child’s teacher.

• October 12th–16th – Fall Break: School will be closed all week for Fall Break. This is the very first year PfISD has included a fall break in our school calendar, and we hope this dedicated time off brings your family some extra-special memories and relaxation!

Thank you for your continued partnership and support. We hope you all have a wonderful week!

The future is BRIGHT,

Valerie Starnes

Principal, VMES

IMPORTANT NOTE: We have an exciting announcement regarding one of our favorite annual traditions! We are shifting our Literary Character Parade to the first week of March, aligning it directly with Read Across America Week. Please stay tuned for specific parade dates, times, and costume guidelines as we get closer to March!

The Pflugerville Independent School District Gifted and Talented Program Parent Referral Window is open from Oct. 5-30, 2026. All students, K-5, can be referred for testing. Screening results will be

available in Spring 2026. Please click this link and complete this form if you would like to refer your student for the 2026 Gifted and Talented screening process: https://pflugerville.projectedu.net/home/CustomGTParentReferral

If your child needs to be absent for ANY REASON, please report their absence by completing our REPORT AN ABSENCE form. This form can be used in place of a written parent note or you can upload a doctor’s note.

Starting this school year parent notes can be submitted as an excused absence up to five times per semester for an illness or a death in the family. Any other reason will be considered an unexcused absence.

Additionally, all absences should be submitted as they occur and doctor’s notes should be submitted within three days of the students return to school. Any absence reported more than 48 hours in advance of the missed day will not be accepted.

To ensure we are ready to return to school, please complete your PfISD Annual Forms as soon as possible. These forms are required for every student each year.

You can complete the forms through your Skyward Parent Portal. To access the portal, click “here” at the link below.

Click to complete Annual Forms: www.pfisd.net/skyward

If you have not completed the forms but don’t see them in Skyward, please check with other parents/guardians for your children to see if they have them waiting in their account. If you have additional questions, email Skyward support at parentportal@pfisd.net.

Skyward is here to support you. Want to check your student's grades? Turn to Skyward. Curious about any missing assignments? Skyward has the answer. Need to review attendance records? Skyward provides it all. These are just a few of the resources Skyward has to offer. Explore all its features today!

The Mott Elementary Parent-Teacher Organization works as a partnership to support the education of our children.

All Mott parents, educators and staff are automatically members of the PTO. You don’t have to do anything to join.

Please join us for our monthly meetings. We value your input. Whether you can help a little or a lot, we'd love to have you join as we work to help our children.

Fill out this form to get involved and learn about our meetings and volunteer opportunities.

Check out the PTO website for additional information.

September 24- National Day of Respect, Wear Blue

October 9- NO School

October 12- October 16 Fall Break

October 20- PTO Meeting 6pm

October 21- PTO Spirit Night @ Chipotle

October 23- PTO Movie Night 5:30

October 30 - Boosterthon Fun Run

Want to recognize a staff member who goes above and beyond?

Click here to submit your Pfamily Kuddos google form.

Free Breakfast will be available to all students from 7:05am- 7:35am. Once a student arrives at school they will head to the cafeteria and eat breakfast before heading to class.

NO DOOR DASH, UBER EATS OR OTHER FOOD DELIVERY SERVICE.

Purchasing School Lunch

If your student would like to purchase lunch you have two options. One, you may send cash to school with your student. It will be added to their lunch account. (Change will not be given). Please seal the cash in an envelope and clearly label with your child's name and lunch money. You may also set up an account and add money electronically. You will need to set up an account on Myschoolbucks.com. You will be available to add money as well as monitor what your kids are eating and set limits on what they can purchase.

Free and Reduced Meal Application

Fill out the Free and Reduced application linked below to find out if you qualify. Otherwise, your child will pay full price for cafeteria meals.

As a reminder, breakfasts in Pflugerville ISD continue to be free for the school year. This has continued since the 2020 school year and we look forward to serving all students, regardless of socioeconomic status, free breakfast.

Additionally, as part of a state grant we wrote and applied for, all reduced status students will have their breakfast and lunch portion paid for. So their meals are free as well. This grant ends this school year.

Households still have to complete the required forms and submit as they would in prior years for free and reduced lunch.

• The students are expected to follow the dress code, click here for the PfISD dress code. Students are strongly encouraged to wear tennis shoes on days that they have PE.
• Students may bring disposable or refillable water bottles with a secure lid. We have bottle fillers throughout the campus that can be used to refill their water bottles.

We love our volunteers!
We truly appreciate everyone who comes on campus to work with students and help with projects around the school. Before volunteering, please remember to complete the district’s volunteer form — this must be done each school year.

If you’re interested in volunteering specifically in the library, please contact Mrs. Shellenberger at pam.shellenberger@pfisd.net.