Mosier Community School Newsletter

February 1-28 - Read- A- Thon

Thursday, February 5 - Lion's Vision Screening

Tuesday, February 10 - Tiger's Den Meeting @ 2:30 in MCS Library

Friday, February 13 - Skate Night @ 5-8PM

Friday, February 13 - No school for students - Teacher Inservice Day

Monday, Feburary 16 - No school for students or staff - President's Day Holiday

Tuesday, February 17 - MCS Board Meeting - MCS Library @ 5PM

Friday, February 27 - MCS Tiger Rally @ 1:30PM

March 2nd - 6th - Dr. Seuss Week & Scholastic Book Fair

Thursday, March 12 - Skate Night

March 23rd-27th - Spring Break

Thursday, April 2 - MCS Kindergarten Kick Off - Registration for Kindergarten

Dear Mosier Community School Families,

February is a month that invites us to slow down, reflect, and reconnect with one another. As we move through the heart of the school year, I continue to be inspired by the dedication of our students, families, and staff. The sense of community here at Mosier Community School truly makes our school special.

This month, we celebrate both growth and gratitude. Our classrooms are filled with rich learning experiences, from science explorations and literacy projects to hands-on math work that reflects the strength of our multi-age model. Students are building confidence, collaboration skills, and a deeper understanding of themselves and the world around them. Thank you for supporting that learning at home and for being active partners in your child’s education.

February is also a time when we recognize the importance of kindness.. We encourage students to practice empathy, support one another, and contribute positively to our school culture. These values are at the core of who we are as a community.

As always, we are grateful for the continued involvement of our PTO and volunteers. Whether you are helping at events, supporting classrooms, or simply cheering on our students, your presence strengthens our school.

Looking ahead, we are preparing for spring activities and continuing important conversations about our school’s future, including our move to a four-day student contact week and construction of a pavillion to support solar panels. Your voice matters, and we appreciate your engagement and feedback as we work together to ensure the best outcomes for our students.

Thank you for being such an important part of Mosier Community School. I am honored to serve this community and to support the work we do every day for children.

With gratitude,

Michelle Dawkins
Executive Director
Mosier Community School

With colder weather here, we want to remind everyone to make sure students come to school prepared for the chillier days ahead. Please send your child with a warm coat, hat, gloves, and any other layers needed to stay comfortable outdoors.

As temperatures drop, there’s also a chance for bus delays and, on occasion, school closures due to winter weather conditions. To stay informed, we encourage all families to sign up for ParentSquare, where we post timely updates on any changes to schedules or transportation.

Please make sure that your family has signed up for Parent Square. NWASCO will send out delays and closures. If you need help, please contact mosierschools@NWASCO.k12.or.us. Thank you for helping us keep everyone safe and warm this winter season!

Morning Drop-Off & Afternoon Pick-Up Reminders

To help keep our students safe and ensure a smooth flow of traffic, we’d like to share a few important reminders for both morning drop-off and afternoon pick-up.

Morning Drop-Off:
Please have your child ready to exit the car from the passenger side. This allows students to safely step onto the sidewalk rather than into traffic.

If your child needs extra time to unbuckle from a car seat or you’d like a few extra moments for goodbyes, we ask that you pull forward to past the Mosier School sign or park and walk your child in. This helps keep the drop-off line moving efficiently for everyone.

Afternoon Pick-Up:
At dismissal, please follow the same guidelines. If you need to assist your child into the car, move forward past the Mosier School sign before doing so.

For the safety of all students and families:

• Refrain from cell phone use while in the drop-off or pick-up line.

• Use the crosswalks when crossing from the building to the parking lot or sidewalk.

• Keep the crosswalks open for people crossing.

• Please remain attentive and follow staff directions during these busy times.

• Our staff works to connect students with their families as quickly as possible. We appreciate your help and understanding.

Thank you for your partnership in keeping our school safe and organized for all students. Your cooperation makes a big difference in maintaining a calm and secure arrival and dismissal each day.

Mosier Community School is a public charter school and a voluntary school of choice. Enrollment is open to all students, and we welcome families who are interested in becoming part of our school community.

Who needs to apply?

• Students who live within Mosier Community School boundaries are guaranteed admission and do not need to apply.

• Students currently attending Mosier Community School are automatically enrolled for the following school year and do not need to apply.

Students living outside MCS boundaries
Students who reside outside Mosier Community School boundaries may apply for enrollment if space is available. Because Mosier Community School has limited capacity, enrollment may be capped by grade level, class size, and/or overall school enrollment.

Mosier Community School does not limit enrollment based on race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, ethnicity, national origin, disability, the terms of an Individualized Education Program (IEP), income level, English language proficiency, or athletic ability.

Enrollment priorities
If applications exceed available space, priority will be given to:

• Students with siblings currently enrolled at Mosier Community School

• Students previously enrolled in the district’s pre-kindergarten program

• Students who reside within the North Wasco School District

• 
  

Families who are unsure whether they live within Mosier Community School boundaries are encouraged to contact the MCS Office for a boundary map or additional information.

We look forward to welcoming new families and continuing to serve our current students in the 2026–27 school year!

The 2026-27 MCS Application to Attend online form is currently open to complete. If you have a child that is not yet attending Mosier Community School and would like to, please complete the form. If you know someone that would like to join our school community, please encourage them to complete an application.

Please join us for our annual Kindergarten Kick-Off on Thursday, April 2. This event is for families planning to enroll a kindergarten student for the 2026–27 school year.

To be eligible for kindergarten, children must be 5 years old by September 1, 2026.

It is recommended that families who live outside the Mosier School Boundary complete the Application to Attend online form by March 30, 2026. Space is limited for out-of-boundary students.

For more information and to access the application, please visit www.mosier.k12.or.us.

If you have questions, email us at mosierschools@nwasco.k12.or.us.

The MCS School Board met on the evening of January 26th in a special meeting to discuss details of the upcoming 4-day Week for the 26-27 school year.

There will be a survey coming out to families soon asking specifics in regards to next year.

• Start and end times
• Friday options
• Before school care

Please be on the lookout for this upcoming survey. Your feedback is valuable and important to us. If you would like to join our 4-Day committee, please reach out to Michelle or Sarah Grace. Michelle.Dawkins@nwasco.k12.or.us

BendingerS@nwasco.k12.or.us

Mosier Community School invites families and community members to attend an upcoming meeting to discuss the 2026–27 MCS Budget. This meeting will provide an opportunity to review important planning factors that guide how we support our students and staff.

Monday, February 2, 2026 at 5:30pm in the MCS Library

During the meeting, we will take a close look at:

• Student enrollment trends and how they affect classroom planning

• Facility needs to ensure our learning spaces remain safe and effective

• Staffing considerations to support high-quality instruction across all grade levels

Your participation is valuable. We encourage families to attend, ask questions, and share input. This is a meaningful way to stay informed about the financial health of our school and help guide decisions that impact our students’ education.

Together, we can ensure Mosier Community School remains a strong, sustainable learning community for the coming school year.

We look forward to seeing you at the meeting!

January MCS Board of Directors Meeting Highlights

The MCS Board of Directors met on January 20th for updates and discussion.

At the January meeting, Ms. Jen Langley presented on the importance of consistent attendance of all students. MCS is actively working to support each student to show up to school every day (unless sick!) because research shows that students who are chronically absent have lower achievement, increased risk of falling behind, lower graduation rates, and lower feelings of connection at school. At MCS we want each student to learn and grow to their full potential. If you would like to connect about school supports to help your student and family with daily school attendance, please reach out to your student's teacher.

The Board received an extension of our Department of Energy grant! We are moving forward with exploring the possibility of building an outdoor solar energy pavillion that could also serve as a sport court, community resource, and space for kids to learn and play at school on bad weather days.

The Board held a special meeting on January 26 to discuss plans for next year's 4-day school week. A committee has been exploring options for school start/stop times, transportation, Friday enrichment offerings, and clubs. If you are interested in hearing updates or providing input, please reach out to a Board member or Mrs. Dawkins and stay tuned for more information which will be provided soon!

As always, the MCS Board welcomes your engagement and input. To provide comments or explore ways to get involved, email Emily Stranz, Board Chair, at emily.stranz@nwasco.k12.or.us.

Board Members 2025-26

• Chair Emily Stranz - emily.stranz@nwasco.k12.or.us
• Vice Chair Giulia Good-Stefani - goodg@nwasco.k12.or.us
• Secretary - Maria Mourou - mouroum@nwasco.k12.or.us
• Treasurer - Evelia Lachino - lachinoe@nwasco.k12.or.us
• Facilities - Dan Watson - watsond@nwasco.k12.or.us
• Donations and Development - McKenna McKee - mckenna.mckee@nwasco.k12.or.us
• Facilities - Tiffany Stranz - tiffany.stranz@nwasco.k12.or.us

We are pleased to announce an upcoming vision screening event hosted by The Oregon Lions Sight and Hearing Foundation (OLSHF) at your child’s school.

Studies have shown clear and healthy vision is fundamental to a child's education – 80% of a child’s learning comes through vision, and 60% of students considered “problem learners” have undetected vision problems. Through these screenings, we are able to help catch vision issues early and support their educational journey.

There is no cost to families whose children participate. Vision screening will tak place:

• February 5, 2026
• 1:00 p.m.

OLSHF is a non-profit organization which, in partnership with local Lions clubs, provides vision screenings in over 80% of Oregon school districts. The screening utilizes a Baxter Welch Allyn Spot Vision Screener to measure your child’s eyes and determine if they need a comprehensive eye exam. The Spot works like a digital camera and uses infrared light to measure and detect potential vision problems most commonly found in children.

Students’ results will be sent home by the school within a few weeks following the screening, along with a list of resources for eye exams in the community.

Thank you for your support in prioritizing your child’s vision health and overall well-being. We look forward to a successful vision screening event and working together to ensure students’ success.

If you're interested in helping volunteer during our book fair, please use the link below.

Happy February Mosier Community! We have lots of exciting things to look forward to with the Tiger's Den this spring. First, thank you to Casey and her team of volunteers for an amazing Tropical Skate Night. The gym looked just like a tropical island and everyone had a blast. February marks the start of our annual Read A Thon. Please register your students and cheer them on! You can register your student https://mosier.pledgestar.com/Welcome.html. The Tiger's Den is also happy to announce we now have sweatshirts for sale! New Sweatshirts, Hoodies, and T-Shirts!

Please join us for our next Tiger's Den meeting at 2:30 PM in the library on February 10th. We will be planning the upcoming Scholastic Book Fair, and our biggest annual fundraiser, Made for Mosier. Hope to see you!

Peace and Love,
Jess

Ways to get involved:

• March Skate Night SIGN UP HERE TO VOLUNTEER
• Made For Mosier Planning Committee
• Scholastic Book Fair Sign Up: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0B4EAEAC2FA6FBC16-61728775-2026#/
• Made For Mosier Student Art for Auction Committee

Mosier Community School is excited to announce the opening of our new, spacious music room for Mr. Stranz and the MCS music program. This dedicated space provides a welcoming and inspiring environment where students can explore rhythm, melody, and creativity. With more room to move, practice, and perform, the music program can now better support group instruction, instrument exploration, and hands-on learning for all grade levels.

In addition to the new music room, we are incredibly grateful for a generous donation from Main Street Mosier. Their support will allow MCS to begin purchasing instruments for students, helping to expand access to music education and create more opportunities for students to discover and develop their musical talents.

This investment in our music program reflects the strong partnership between Mosier Community School and our local community. We look forward to hearing the sounds of new instruments filling the music room and enriching our students’ educational experience for years to come.

Thank you, Main Street Mosier, for helping our students make music!

Stop by our office to purchase our new MCS SWAG!

Child/Adult Tshirt: $12

Child's Sweatshirt: $25

Adult Crew Sweatshirt: $28

Adult Hooded Sweatshirt: $30

Volunteers are a very important part of running a successful charter school. There are several ways to help out at Mosier Community School!

Here are just some examples of how you can help support MCS:

• Lunchroom helpers – this is a daily need between 10:30am and 12:30pm
• Supporting teachers in their classrooms
• Skate Night volunteer

• After school club helper

• Mosier Holiday Fair

• Teacher appreciation week

• Made for Mosier events

• End of the year field day and celebration

• Teacher wish-lists

We are very grateful to our parent and community volunteers.

Short on time but still want to help?

• Ask your child's teacher what is needed in their classroom
• Purchase items from a classroom Amazon wish list
• Buy a t-shirt to promote school pride! ($10)

We can provide these valued activities and programs because of parent and community involvement.

Contact Daphne Flud for more volunteer information: fludd@nwasco.k12.or.us

Please make sure that your volunteer background check is turned in to the office the first month of school. Forms can be found below. We follow the NWCSD Volunteer Guidelines.

• Volunteer Application

• Criminal History Verification

• Proof of Vehicle Liability Insurance

Mosier Community Preschool is now accepting registration for the 2025-26 school year. Miss Becca is planning for the 2025-26 school year! They have lots of activities and fun plans in-store for children that are three (3) years old on or before September 1, 2025.

Please contact Miss Becca (rebecca.lindley@nwasco.k12.or.us) to secure your child's spot!

Mosier Community School

1204 1st Ave. Mosier, OR 97040

Phone: 541-478-3321Fax: 541-478-2536

✉️ mosierschools@nwasco.k12.or.us

School Hours: 7:30 am - 2:15 pm

Office Hours: 7:00am - 3:00pm

Be sure to follow us on Instagram at mosier_community_school and Facebook.