Mustang Messenger Volume 4

Dear Families,

My heart remains full! Once again, our school community has shown what it truly means to support and give. Thanks to your generosity, we raised $324 from our Popsicle Fundraiser — every dollar going directly toward our Student Activity Fund, which helps us create more joyful and enriching experiences for our students.

A special thank you to the many parents and staff members who sent in or contributed extra money so that almost every child had the chance to enjoy a popsicle. Your kindness and spirit of inclusion are what make Minadeo such a special place.

Please find below our next biweekly update, filled with opportunities to support the school, engage in family-friendly activities within our community, and stay connected to your child’s learning journey.

With gratitude,

With gratitude,

Principal Mason

Parent-Teacher Conferences are coming up on Friday, October 17, 2025. On this day, there will be no school for Minadeo students.

• Early Childhood conferences: 8:30 AM – 3:30 PM

• K–5 conferences: 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM

Please look out for details from your child(ren)’s teacher(s) in the next week on how to schedule your conference time. These meetings are an important opportunity to connect, celebrate progress, and discuss goals for the year ahead.

To maximize student safety, the playground area must remain clear during arrival and dismissal.

• Vehicle Access: Between 8:55 am and 4:00 pm, the lot may only be used for student drop-off and pick-up.

• No Family Parking: Families will no longer be permitted to park in the lot to wait for playground access after school. If you wish to use the playground, you will be asked to leave and return once dismissal has ended.

• Street Parking: Parking is available on surrounding streets for families who plan to stay.

• Supervision Reminder: Please do not leave children unattended before or after school hours, as staff are not available to supervise outside of designated times.

Thank you for your cooperation in keeping our arrival and dismissal times safe, orderly, and respectful of our school community.

Beginning the Week of October 6 every Tuesday, all students in grades K-2 will receive class presentations from UPMC staff member Ms. Megan Marczynski. Through this partnership, students will engage in the PATHS (Promoting Alternative Thinking Strategies) program which helps children learn to resolve conflicts,handle emotions, have empathy and make good choices. Flyers came home last week with additional information.

Students in grades 3-5 will participate in the Spring.

Families are invited to join Ms. Naomi York-Abdullah, K–5 Literacy Curriculum Coordinator, along with the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh Children’s Services librarians, for an engaging workshop series designed to support our District’s youngest readers.

This workshop will explore PPS’ English Language Arts Curriculum, the Science of Reading, and highlight library resources available to help support striving readers at home. Don’t miss this opportunity to learn strategies and tools that will make a difference in your child’s reading journey!

Beginning next week, our 5th grade students will officially take over leadership of Morning Meetings! They’ll guide us through the opening, pledge, birthdays, and announcements while also spotlighting our brand-new Safety Patrol team. This is a wonderful way to reinforce our PRIDE expectations, introduce new leaders to our community, and give students the chance to build confidence as speakers and role models. We can’t wait to see our oldest Mustangs leading the way and setting the tone for a positive school culture!

A huge thank you to all the families who joined us for September’s PSCC meeting! We were so grateful for the strong turnout and meaningful engagement.

As shared, all students whose families were represented at the meeting earned 5 bonus points for “E – Engaged.” Based on the positive feedback, we will continue this incentive each month.

For your reference, we’ve attached a copy of the PowerPoint presentation from the meeting. Please keep an eye out for more details on our next in-person PSCC meeting, which will take place on Tuesday, October 22. This adjusted date allows us to welcome our new partnership with the Chill Mobile, who will be on-site to support our school community.

We look forward to seeing you there!

Through our Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program, students had the chance to sample eight different produce items over the past couple of weeks! Ask your child what they thought about the new fruits and veggies they tried. It’s a great way to start a conversation about healthy eating and adventurous taste buds!

This month, our focus is on Emotions and Self-Regulation. Students are learning how to recognize their feelings, name their emotions, and practice strategies to calm down or reset when they feel overwhelmed. Building these skills helps children develop resilience, make positive choices, and maintain healthy relationships with others.

Family Activity (K–5):
At home, try a simple “Feelings Check-In” during dinner or bedtime. Ask your child:

• What emotion did you feel most today?

• When did you feel calm? When did you feel frustrated?

• What strategies helped you manage those feelings (deep breaths, counting, talking to someone, taking a break)?

Encourage your child to share openly, and model by sharing your own feelings too. This practice normalizes talking about emotions and builds healthy self-regulation habits.

We are excited to share that our Citizenship Reward Field Trips are finalized! These special trips celebrate students who consistently show positive behavior and meet expectations for citizenship on their report card.

• Grades 3–5: Tuesday, Dec. 9th, 9:30–12:30 – Guided Tour: Beyond Adversity

• Grades K–2: Tuesday, Dec. 16th, 12:30–3:30 – Guided Tour: Many Faces, One City

Students must meet the criteria for citizenship to attend. If a student receives even one “Needs Improvement” (N) in citizenship, they will not be eligible.

The guided tours last 60–90 minutes and provide engaging, hands-on learning experiences. You can read more about the programs on the Heinz History Center website.

We look forward to celebrating our students’ positive choices and commitment to our PRIDE expectations!

Our Texas Roadhouse Fundraiser is officially underway! Support the Minadeo PTO by purchasing the legendary Texas Roadhouse rolls (complete with honey cinnamon butter) or a Texas Roadhouse gift card.

• 1 dozen rolls + butter: $10

• Extra honey cinnamon butter (8 oz): $2

• Gift cards: $10, $25, or $50

🗓️ Order & payment deadline: Monday, October 20, 2025 by 4:00 PM (submit to the Main Office)

📦 Pickup: Saturday, November 22, 2025 | 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM at the Minadeo playground parking lot

Every purchase directly supports PTO events and activities for Minadeo students and staff.

👉 Order forms are available online at: https://bit.ly/2025TXRHform

Families are invited to the 8th Annual Know Your Rights Lunch & Learn Mini Conference on Saturday, October 18, from 10 AM–3 PM at the Pittsburgh Theological Seminary (616 N. Highland Ave., Pittsburgh, PA 15206).

This community-centered event is designed to equip parents and guardians with the knowledge and tools needed to protect and advocate for children’s educational rights. Topics include:

• IEPs & 504 Plans

• Special Education

• School Closures

• Restorative Justice Practices & Healing

• Ending Push-Out

• Immigration in Schools

• Protecting Children from I.C.E.

The day will include workshops, resources, and a special surprise performance. Lunch will be provided.

You can learn more and register by scanning the QR code on the flyer.

Mustang Messenger Volume 3: https://secure.smore.com/n/3b0nz

October 6, 2025: Day 4

October 7, 2025: Day 5

October 8, 2025: Day 6, Progress Report Distribution

October 9, 2025: Day 1

October 10, 2025: Day 2

October 6-17, 2025: Fall Panorama Student Well-Being and SEL Survey Administration

October 13, 2025: Day 3

October 14, 2025: Day 4

October 15, 2025: Day 5

October 16, 2025: Day 6, Picture Day

October 17, 2025: No School, Parent-Teacher Conferences PreK (8:30 am - 3:30 pm) K-5 (9:00 am - 4:00 pm)

October 20, 2025: Texas Roadhouse Fundraiser Deadline

October 21, 2025: Girls Football Championship at Cupples Stadium at 10:30 am

October 22, 2025: October PSCC/Title 1 Meeting at 5:00 PM

October 23, 2025: Boys Football Championship at Cupples Stadium at 10:30 am, Partnering for Parent Literacy Parent Workshop at 6:00 pm

October 24, 2025: PJ Day Fundraiser, Half Day, Dismissal at 12:25 pm

November 6, 2025: Partnering for Literacy Parent Workshop at 6:00 pm

November 7, 2025: Nacho Sale Fundraiser

November 14, 2025: Nacho Sale Fundraiser

November 21, 2025: Nacho Sale Fundraiser

November 22, 2025: Texas Roadhouse Fundraiser Pick Up

The PTO has shirts for sale on-site for $10. There is a $5 additional charge for customization.

We also are continuing the online store! Purchase your gear at https://stores.inksoft.com/PittsburghMinadeoPreK5/shop/home.