Montgomery City Elementary

Jill Jacob, Principal

Laura Allen, Assistant Principal

We are off to a great start to the 2026–2027 school year! It has been wonderful to welcome our students back to MCE, see our classrooms filled with learning and laughter, and begin building the routines and relationships that will help make this a successful year. Thank you to our families for your patience, support, and partnership as we settle into a new school year!

As we get back into our school-day routines, we want to share a few important reminders regarding student dismissal and transportation changes. These procedures help us ensure that every student gets home safely and that dismissal runs as smoothly as possible.

🚌 Bus Changes
All bus changes must be communicated to the school office before 2:00 PM.

🚗 Early Pick-Up
In accordance with Board Policy, anyone picking up a student early must present a valid photo ID in the school office.

👨‍👩‍👧 Authorized Pick-Up
Students will only be released to parents or guardians listed in the student’s records unless a parent or guardian has contacted the school office prior to pick-up to authorize an alternate arrangement.

Thank you for helping us make student safety our number one priority. Clear and timely communication makes a tremendous difference during dismissal, and we appreciate your partnership in helping us keep our students safe.

We are excited about the year ahead and look forward to all of the learning, growth, celebrations, and opportunities to bring our MCE families together throughout the 2026–2027 school year!

A new school year brings some new faces to MCE, along with a few familiar faces taking on new roles! We are excited about the team we have in place to support our students and families throughout the 2026–2027 school year.

Please join us in welcoming our newest Wildcats:

• Mr. Dave Samuel- Superintendent
• Dr. Stacy Ray- Assistant Superintendent
• Mrs. Arilla Holloway- Director of Special Education
• Mrs. Rhonda Hollenbeck – 3rd Grade Teacher
• Ms. Aaliyah Paul – 3rd Grade Teacher
• Ms. Elisabeth Portillo – Special Education Teacher
• Ms. Jennifer Witte – Daytime Custodian
• Miss Andrea Knapp – Paraprofessional
• Ms. Aubrianna Reeves – Paraprofessional
• Ms. Sophie Wegrzyn – Paraprofessional

Familiar Faces in New Places

Families may also notice some familiar MCE faces in new roles this year!

• Mrs. Shannon Harter has moved with her students from 4th grade to 5th grade.
• Mr. Chris Parker is supporting our students in Music as a long-term substitute, until Mrs. Mabry returns from maternity leave.

Whether they are brand new to our building or simply beginning a new chapter at MCE, we are grateful for each member of our team. Please help us welcome and encourage them as we begin another great year!

Please be aware that OPAA has updated pricing for second helpings/additional entrées.

• First meal: $3.85
• Second helping/additional entrée: $2.50 additional
• Salad bar: Students who bring lunch from home and would like fruit or vegetables from the salad bar will be charged $0.50.

A student purchasing a regular meal and a second helping/additional entrée will be charged a total of $6.35.

If you do not want your child to have the option to purchase second helpings/additional entrées or salad bar access, please contact Ms. Debbie at dbrower@mc-wildcats.org so we can note this for your child.

We encourage families to discuss these options with their children to help avoid unexpected charges to their meal accounts.

On Wednesday, September 2, students are invited to bring $1 and wear a hat all day!

Last school year, thanks to our students’ participation in Hat Days, the MCE Student Council was able to donate $320 to Turning Point Women’s Shelter! We are proud of our Wildcats for making a difference in our community.

Money collected from Hat Days this year will once again be donated to a charity selected by the MCE Student Council.

It’s a simple and fun way for our students to show their school spirit while learning the importance of giving back! 💙🐾

At the start of each school year, students in grades K–5 take part in assessments that help us understand their strengths and needs. These assessments guide teachers in planning instruction and ensuring that every child gets the support they need to grow.

Students in 1st through 5th grade will be completing the i-Ready Diagnostic in the upcoming weeks. This assessment provides valuable information in reading and math and helps us track growth across the year.

For our kindergarten students, the district uses the Kindergarten Observation Form (KOF) as part of a statewide initiative. The KOF is designed to evaluate the readiness of incoming kindergarteners across several important developmental domains, giving us valuable insight into how we can best support each child’s transition into school.

In the effort to be transparent, we want families to know that these assessments may also be used to help identify students who could benefit from additional math or reading interventions. Please remember, these assessments are not about labeling students but about giving teachers the best tools to help every child succeed.

Student safety is always a priority at MCE. During the upcoming weeks, students and staff will practice several safety drills to help everyone know what to do in the event of an emergency.

These may include fire/evacuation, tornado/severe weather, earthquake, and shelter-in-place/lockdown drills.

Please remember that these are practice drills only. If there is ever a true emergency at MCE, families will be contacted directly by the district with information and instructions.

If your child comes home talking about evacuating the building, sheltering in place, or another safety procedure, please do not be alarmed. At MCE, all safety drills are announced and discussed with students beforehand. Teachers explain what will happen and why we practice in an effort to reduce anxiety and help students feel safe and prepared.

Our goal is not to frighten students, but to help them understand that practicing safety procedures is one of the ways we work together to keep everyone at MCE safe. 💙

Our MCE PTO plays an important role in supporting our students, staff, and families throughout the school year! From student celebrations and field trips to family events and teacher support, PTO helps make many of our favorite MCE experiences possible.

Our first PTO meeting is Thursday, September 10 at 6:00 PM in the MCE cafeteria. Families can also join us through Facebook Live. We would love to have you involved—whether you attend meetings, volunteer at an event, make a donation, or simply help spread the word. There is a place for everyone in PTO! 💙🐾

And don’t forget—MCE Spirit Wear is available to order online!