McDeeds Monthly Update

September: Let’s Get to Work!

It’s hard to believe that September is already here! We are only a few days into the new school year, but we know what happens next—things start to speed up! September brings new routines, new learning, and some important Beginning-of-Year assessments that help us understand exactly where our students are starting.

Students will soon complete i-Ready Reading and Math and mClass, while our third graders will also take the Beginning-of-Grade (BOG) Reading Assessment.

These assessments are much more than a score. i-Ready helps us identify the skills your child has already mastered and the specific skills they are ready to learn next. mClass gives us important information about foundational reading skills, such as phonics, decoding, fluency, and comprehension, so we can provide the right support at the right time. The third-grade BOG Reading Assessment gives us a statewide measure of reading performance and provides an important baseline as we work toward strong reading growth throughout the year.

We use this information to answer an important question: Where is each student now, and what do we need to do next to help them grow?

But here’s the part we really want to emphasize this year: student growth doesn't begin at 7:30 AM and end at 2:30 PM.

We are craving a true partnership with our families, especially when it comes to reading.

Our children are surrounded by technology at their fingertips every single day. Screens are everywhere. But a love of reading? That starts with us. It starts at home.

We want to encourage more reading at home—not because it is an assignment, but because reading is a gift. Read a chapter together. Talk about the book your child is reading. Ask what they think will happen next. Share a favorite book from your childhood. Read at the dinner table. Talk about characters, problems, ideas, and connections. Let your child see you enjoying a book.

Bring back the joy of reading. Nurture it. Protect it. Celebrate it.

We don't want reading to feel like one more thing students have to do. We want it to become something they want to do.

So, as we begin this new school year, let's make a commitment together. Let's use our assessment data to know our students deeply. Let's provide them with excellent instruction at school. And let's surround them with rich language, conversation, books, and experiences at home.

The goal isn't simply to have students who pass a test. The goal is to build the strongest readers, thinkers, problem-solvers, and leaders our students have ever been.

We are ready.

Let's get to work.

-Mrs. Sovey

Important Dates

September

Tuesday, September 1st- 3rd Grade BOG

Wednesday, September 2nd- 3rd Grade BOG Make ups

Friday, September 4th- McDeeds Creek Spirit Day--Wear your McDeeds gear or colors! Pep Rally!!

Monday, September 7th- No School--Labor Day

Tuesday, September 8th- SCHOOL PICTURE DAY

Thursday, September 10th- iReady BOY testing (Grades 2-5)

Monday, September 14th- Cheer Clinic 3pm-5pm

Tuesday, September 15th- iReady BOY testing (Grade 2-5)

Friday, September 18th- Cheer Tryouts 3pm-5pm

Tuesday, September 29th- Curriculum Night

October

Friday, October 2nd- PJ'ammin for Cancer

Monday, October 12th- No School-Required Teacher Workday

Wednesday, October 14th- MCS Military Fair

Friday, October 23rd- Early Release Day (11:30 am)

Friday, October 23rd- PTA Monster Mash @ 6pm-8pm

Thursday, October 29th- 5th Grade Career Quest Day at UPHS

School Picture Day

MCES Cheer Tryout Information

MCES CHEER TRYOUTS!

Cheer tryouts are happening the week of September 14th! If your child is in grades 3-5 and would like to try out for the 2026-2027 MCES Cheer Squad, please complete the form below:

https://forms.gle/paTZo9Gq4v5wohdp7

All students participating in tryouts must be registered, and the tryout packet must be completed by a parent or guardian prior to tryouts.
We can’t wait to meet our future MCES cheerleaders!

If you have any additional questions, please contact Coach Winters at jwinters@ncmcs.org.

Moore County Schools Calendar

Capturing Kids Hearts-August/September Character Lesson- EMPATHY

- - 💛 Character Focus: Empathy
    What is empathy?
    Empathy means understanding how someone else may be feeling and responding with kindness, care, and compassion. It helps us see things from another person’s point of view.
    Why does empathy matter?
    Empathy helps us:
    - Build trusting and caring relationships.
    - Create a safe, positive school community.
    - Become thoughtful friends, classmates, and leaders.
    🌟 Empathy in Action
    We can show empathy by:
    - Seeing another perspective: “How might they be feeling?”
    - Pausing before judging: “Is there something I don’t know?”
    - Showing we understand: “I hear you” or “It sounds like you’re feeling…”
    🏡 Try It at Home!
    Families can practice empathy by:
    - Ask: “How do you think they felt?” when discussing a book, movie, or real-life situation.
    - Encourage your child to name their own feelings and consider how others might feel.
    - Practice listening without immediately giving advice or solving the problem.
    - Look for one opportunity each day to notice someone’s feelings and respond with kindness.
    Our goal: Help our students RISE Together by becoming people who notice others, care about others, and choose kindness. 💛

PTA

Recess Bin Refill

We’re so excited to share that the McDeeds Creek PTA has supplied brand new recess bins filled to the brim for our students!

From games and balls, to activities that encourage creativity, movement, and teamwork, these new supplies will give our kids even more ways to have fun and make the most of their recess time.

We love being able to use your support to invest directly in our students and make their school days a little more fun!

Thank you, McDeeds Creek families, for helping us make things like this possible!