Chief Weekly

Read Across America Week!!!

ZE Readathon OPEN

Monday: D Day. - Good News Club

Tuesday: A Day. Girls on the Run Practice, Prop S Citizens Committee Mtg.

Wednesday: B Day. STEAM Club Session 2: Magazine. Spirit Squad Practice.

Thursday: C Day. Girls on the Run Practice

Friday: D Day.

As part of our Read Across America Week — Numbers Matter: Every Page Counts — we are excited to kick off a schoolwide service-learning project! Mrs. Dryer recently read Beatrice’s Goat to all students — a story about a girl whose life is changed when her family receives a goat. The book inspired our Zitzman students to think about how they can make a difference for others.

Our school will be partnering with Read-A-Thon and Heifer International to turn this idea into action. During the month of March, students will participate in a Read-A-Thon by setting a personal reading goal and asking friends and family members to support their reading through donations. There will be no prizes — instead, 80% of all donations will come back to our school, and homeroom classes will work together to decide which farm animal they would like to purchase to donate to families in need through the Heifer International platform. Reading will truly change lives!

Our school Read-A-Thon begins Monday, March 2, 2026 and is sure to be a fun and meaningful experience for our students.

We understand your time is valuable, and we appreciate your partnership in supporting literacy. Please activate your student’s Read-A-Thon account as soon as possible — it takes less than 5 minutes.

Watch a short video to see how to sign up your reader:

https://youtu.be/12tmuXH8zCg

Activate your student’s reader account here:

https://www.read-a-thon.com/readers/r/SVStqT/1?utm=email

Thank you for your support as we grow readers and help others around the world!

Please join us for sweet moments with grandparents or special guests.

All guests must preregister using the link below (one registration per guest). The form will ask for the guest’s name, the state of their government-issued ID, and the name of the student they are visiting. Name tags will be pre-printed for those who preregister. Guests who do not preregister will need to wait in line with their ID to check in at the office — preregistering will save a lot of time!

Preregister here:

Event Passcode: ZE26GPD

Pre-registration will close on 3/12/26 at 4:00 PM.

Student Checkout

If you would like your student to leave with their special guest, you must complete this form in advance:

On the day of the event, guests will enter through the recess gates and enter through the library (signs will be posted).

Our 4th Grade Navigators will escort guests to classrooms. Once everyone has arrived, we will begin three stations: a classroom game, a craft & photo booth in the gym, and cookies & lemonade at the picnic tables.

We are excited to recognize the following classes for earning all of their CHIEFS Attendance Letters and receiving a class reward last week:

• Mrs.Schlueter's 1st Grade Class

This week, we are excited to recognize students who earned Chief Cheers for demonstrating Zitzman’s and Meramec Valley's Core Values. Congratulations to:

• Citizenship: Liam M

• Responsibility: Olive L, Aurora S, Colton C, Lauren M, Richie P, Kiersten H, Nolan B

We are so proud of these students for modeling positive behaviors and helping make our school a welcoming and supportive place!

Decisions made at the State Capitol in Jefferson City directly impact our classrooms, our educators, and—most importantly—our students. As the 2026 Missouri Legislative Session progresses, several key education bills are currently being debated that will shape the landscape of public education for years to come.

To ensure our district’s voice is heard, you are invited to join our newly formed Superintendent Advocacy Task Force on March 2, 2026 at 4:15pm at our Central Office Boardroom.

Enrollment is now officially open for the Summer Discovery Program at MVR-III!

Summer Discovery is a completely FREE, four-week summer learning experience held Monday through Friday, June 1-30. We invite all incoming K-8 students to join us for a fun-filled month of STEM-based games, exciting field trips, and engaging activities!

What’s New This Year?

To make the process easier for our families, we have streamlined registration. This year, parents will log in to your Parent Portal to confirm information for all students in the household. This single login will prompt you to:

1. Complete the required Annual Update.

2. Register students for Kindergarten (if applicable).

3. Enroll K–8 students in 2026 Summer Discovery.

Completing all three tasks at once saves you time and eliminates the need for multiple separate registrations! To learn more about the program and begin your enrollment, please visit our Summer Discovery website.

On Tuesday, April 7, residents of the MVR-III School District will vote on a general obligation bond issue not to exceed $43 million. This measure will appear on the ballot as Proposition S.

Bond issues require voter approval of at least 57.14%. When approved, we will use the funds to make improvements at every school, enhance safety and security, and ensure our students continue having the learning environment our community expects.

Prop S will not raise property tax rates. Any increases in the amount of taxes paid would likely be the result of higher property valuations, not from an approved bond issue.

You can learn more about the ways Prop S would invest in our schools and students at https://www.mvr3bond.org.

#MVNation

The Meramec Valley R-III School District is proud to launch our Continuous School Improvement Plan, building on our tradition of excellence while looking ahead to a future where every student thrives in our schools!

Our work is guided by four key pillars that drive an incredible educational experience for all students:

• Academic Excellence
• Family and Community Engagement
• Positive Culture
• Attendance

We invite our community to check out the full plan and data dashboards on our website: bit.ly/MVR3PLAN

We are excited to welcome the Class of 2039! Children who turn five on or before August 1, 2026, are eligible to enroll. Registering early helps families receive timely information about screenings, school events, orientations, and important next steps.

How to get started:

• Families new to MVR-III should contact the office of their assigned school Monday through Friday, 8:00am to 4:00pm. School staff will share guidance and a registration link to begin the enrollment process.

• Families with students already attending MVR-III will complete kindergarten registration through the Infinite Campus Parent Portal.

• Families whose children are not enrolled in MVR-III prekindergarten will need to schedule a kindergarten screening. To sign up for a kindergarten screening time, complete the online screening form: https://bit.ly/MVR3KDG

Learn more about kindergarten registration on our website: https://www.mvr3.k12.mo.us/article/2674251

The Bridge Foundation is excited to announce the Shamwalk & Run 5K. Every dollar raised goes directly toward the Annual Back to School Bash, Classroom Grants, and Student Scholarships. Help us invest in our students' success!

It’s time to lace up those sneakers! Registration is officially open for our annual 5K. This isn't just a race—it’s a chance to show your school pride.

Help Your School Win the Trophy! We are awarding a traveling trophy to the school with the highest participation. Whether you run or walk, make sure to select your child’s school during registration to help them take home the bragging rights this year!

• When: Saturday, March 7th at 8am

• Student Perk: Discounted registration is available for all MVR-III students.

• Register here for the race.

Family and community engagement is a top priority for the MVR-III School District. To support this goal, Superintendent Dr. Carrie Schwierjohn is hosting monthly Coffee with Carrie sessions.

These informal gatherings offer a dedicated space for parents and community members to ask questions, share new ideas, and stay informed about district news. We invite you to join us for free coffee and conversation at Little Ireland Coffee, from 9:00 to 10:00 a.m., on the following dates:

• March 10, 2026

• March 31, 2026

• April 14, 2026

• May 12, 2026

We look forward to seeing you there and hearing your perspectives!

Funds raised will support the purchase of a permanent sound system for the Zitzman gym. This will replace our current portable speaker and improve assemblies, performances, and school-wide celebrations.

Contact Us

Email: zitzmanelempto@gmail.com

Facebook: facebook.com/zitzmanelempto

Donations: https://givebutter.com/zitzman-elementary-pto

25-26 PTO Activities

• March 18th - Dine to Donate @ Guffey's
• Mar. 28th - Trivia Night
• May 8th - Dine to Donate @ Little Ireland

Preview our Spirit Wear store! Get yourself some Zitzman or MVR3 gear to show your spirit on purple Fridays or wear our logo around town proudly! Lots of good items and you are able to pick colors and logos to customize to your liking!

This store has a WIDE variety of options and mostly PHS and Athletics based but there are some options where you can choose the Zitzman logo or just the district logo!

• 3/2-3/22 ZE Readathon OPEN
• 3/3 Prop S Citizens Committee Mtg 5pm
• 3/2-3/36 Read Across America Week
• 3/11 Bobo's Fundraiser DELIVERY DAY [come pick up all your items!]
• 3/11 PTO Mtg 4pm
• 3/11 MVR3 Board Mtg 6pm
• 3/12 2nd Grade Musical Performance
• 3/13 Grandparent's Day (2nd, 3rd, & 4th Grade 9-10:30am) (Kdg & 1st Grade 1-2:30pm)
• 3/16-3/20 Spring Break
• 3/23 Dental Safari Day 1
• 3/24 Dental Safari Day 2
• 3/25 Spring Picture Day
• 3/26 26-27 Kindergarten Round Up Night 5-6:30pm
• 3/27 2nd Grade Field Trip - St Louis Science Center
• 3/28 ZE PTO Trivia Night [Name That Era - Decades of pop culture -- one unforgettable night!]

There are some weeks when I sit down to write this and think… where do I even start?

Reading at home. Read-A-Thons. Service learning. Attendance celebrations. Grandparents Day. Safety procedures and how events can run smoothly. PTO events. Community conversations. Prop S information. Summer Discovery. Kindergarten enrollment.

It’s a lot.

But underneath all of it is something beautifully simple: Partnership.

This month, our students are not just reading for points or prizes or even $$ for the school to spend. Through our Read Across America theme — Numbers Matter: Every Page Counts — they are learning that their reading can truly change lives. As shared in this week’s newsletter, our Read-A-Thon is tied directly to our service learning project through Heifer International. Every page turned becomes an opportunity to help another family somewhere in the world. The monies raised through the Read-A-Thon will be donated directly to Heifer International to purchase different livestock for international families. The students actually set a class goal and voted on what animal that want to purchase!

That is powerful.

At the same time, we are celebrating attendance, recognizing students for modeling our core values, preparing to welcome grandparents and special guests into our building, and continuing important planning and perspectives of how to keep safety at the forefront of these events.

It might feel like a busy season — because it is.

But busy doesn’t mean chaotic.
Busy means engaged.
Busy means connected.
Busy means we are doing life together.

When you preregister for events, help your child log reading minutes, attend a PTO mtg or trivia night, lace up for the Shamwalk, talk to your child about their goals, or simply make sure they arrive ready to learn — you are shaping this school alongside us.

At Zitzman, we truly believe:

• Every page counts.

• Every day counts.

• Every child counts.

• And every partnership counts.

Thank you for trusting us with your children.
Thank you for reading at home.
Thank you for showing up.
Thank you for believing in us and in this community.

Leading and learning,

Dr. Sladek