2025-26 Hoffman Highlights

Tuition Programs - Full Day Drop-Off 8:15 AM & Pick-Up by 4:00 PM

Tuition Programs - Half Day (AM) Drop-Off 8:15 AM & Pick-Up 11:15 AM

Tuition Programs - Half Day (PM) Drop-Off 11:15 AM & Pick-Up by 4:00 PM

ADA Full Day Drop-Off 8:15 AM & Pick-Up 3:40 PM

ECSE AM Session - Drop-Off 8:15 AM & Pick-Up 11:15 AM

ECSE PM Session - Drop-Off 12:40 PM & Pick-Up 3:40 PM

As we approach Thanksgiving, the value of caring shines even more brightly across our school community. Our Little Indians are learning that caring can be shown in many ways—by taking turns, welcoming a friend into play, or offering a comforting word when someone feels sad. These small acts may seem simple, but they help children understand the joy of kindness and the importance of looking out for one another.

We also know that children learn caring by experiencing it. The love, patience, and encouragement they receive at home and school become the foundation they use to care for others. Thank you for modeling compassion in the big moments and the everyday ones—it makes a lasting difference.

💜 Rooted in Heart. Driven by Purpose. Thankful for Caring Hearts.

As we move further into fall, colder temperatures are on the way! Please remember to check the weather each morning and make sure your student is dressed appropriately for the conditions. When laying out school clothes for the next day, keep in mind that temperatures can be dangerously low for students.

For recess and other outdoor activities, we follow the St. Louis Children’s Hospital Cold Weather Guidelines:

• 10°F or below: Students will remain indoors

• 10–20°F: Outdoor time limited to 5 minutes

• 20–32°F: Outdoor time limited to 10–15 minutes

• 32–90°F: Outdoor time allowed as normal

Please note that these temperatures include the “feels like” (wind chill or heat index) temperature.

We want all students to enjoy their time outside safely.

If your student needs a coat, please reach out to your child's teacher. We may have an extra we can share!

And don’t forget the hats and gloves — they make a big difference!

Temperatures are falling and with that comes wintery weather. The Meramec Valley R-III School District recognizes the challenges that result from school being canceled due to inclement weather. As such, we want to share some information to keep you informed about our district's procedures for school closings and delays due to weather.

In the case of inclement weather:

1. The district administration will make a decision as soon as they can. In general, school officials will not cancel school based on a forecast. However, there are occasional instances where decisions could be made when inclement weather appears to be inevitable.

2. When possible, the decision to cancel school may be made the night before, usually by 9:00 pm. However, in most situations, a decision isn’t made until the following morning. An early morning decision is typically made by 5:00 a.m. A decision to cancel school will be shared in the following ways: automated phone call, email, text notification through our mobile app, district social media sites, and local news television stations.

3. The district has a 2-hour late start option. This option would generally be used if the weather forecast indicates the conditions present in the early morning hours will be temporary and improved weather/temperatures are expected.

As we look ahead, we ask that all parents:

1. Create a plan for unexpected school closures and share the plan with your student. School cancellations due to weather are unavoidable and will happen at some point.

2. Please watch our district website, mobile app, and social media pages for information related to school closures. We will post periodic updates about the decision making process. We will not respond to questions submitted on social media asking if we plan to have school.

3. Recognize that snow itself rarely closes school. Snow in the forecast is not our primary concern. Rather, safety, visibility, road conditions, ice build-up, and the status of plowing are more important issues to consider. In addition, the capability of our staff to safely travel to school and for our maintenance department to clear sidewalks and parking lots have a large impact on our ability to have school.

As always, the highest priority for our district is the safety of our students and staff, for whom we will always err on the side of caution.

Are you interested in joining our PTO? Our next meeting is Monday, December 1st from 5-6pm at Doris Hoffman. Kellie Cowsert has created a Group Me and is adding members as they sign up. Please download the Group Me App to to receive messages about future details and other information.

Please take a moment to complete this survey and tell us what you think about your child's school's food!

Caring continues to be at the heart of our learning this month! In our classrooms, children are discovering that caring means noticing when someone needs help, using gentle hands, offering a turn, and speaking with kindness. These everyday moments help our Little Indians learn how to build strong friendships and create a classroom community where everyone feels safe and valued.

You can continue nurturing caring at home this week by:

💜 Practicing empathy — ask your child how someone else might feel in different situations.
🤝 Doing a small act of kindness together — help a neighbor, draw a picture for a family member, or tidy up a shared space.
🗣️ Using “kind words” language — talk about what kind words sound like and celebrate when your child uses them.

When children see caring modeled and celebrated, they learn that kindness isn’t just something we do—it’s who we are.

Rooted in Heart. Driven by Purpose. Growing through Care. 💜

This week, try a “Caring Countdown” activity as a family!

Create a small paper chain using strips of colored paper. On each strip, write a caring action your child can try—things like giving a compliment, helping set the table, sharing a favorite toy, or saying “thank you” without being asked.

Each day, let your child tear off one link from the chain and complete the caring action.
By the end of the week, you’ll have a shorter chain and a home full of kindness!

This simple activity helps children practice caring in fun, hands-on ways—and shows them how even small acts of kindness make a big difference. 💜

MVR-III uses the BusRight Parent App to communicate bus routes and times with parents. BusRight is a FREE parent app to allow parents to, in real-time, follow their child’s bus route to and from school, receive notifications when the bus begins and ends its route, view the expected arrival time at your child’s designated bus stop, and receive communication from the Transportation Department.

To access BusRight, please follow these simple steps:

1. Download the App: Download the BusRight app from your mobile device's app store.

2. Create an Account: Use your Infinite Campus email address to create a login.

3. Track Your Student: Begin tracking your child's bus routes immediately.

If you have issues creating your account, you will need to verify with your school building office that you are listed as the primary guardian in Infinite Campus. Find out more on BusRight on the District website under Transportation.

SACC is our before and after school care program.

If your child needs morning childcare before 8:15 am, contact the school office at 636-271-1464

or visit the School Age Child Care Program website to register.

For more information please see the flyer below:

Our goals as a community will be obtained with strong partnerships between the home and school. Please check out our website, download the free MVR3 App, and like us on Facebook.

Our Doris Hoffman parent newsletter, called The Hoffman Highlights, will be sent out on Thursday each week. This is intended to help your family best prepare for the week ahead so you have plenty of time to know about the 'next' thing going on!

Breakfast if FREE! See the link below to see the menu.

If you plan to volunteer, attend field trips, or help at school events, you will first need to complete the background check process. Two background checks are now required, and the process takes up to 10 days to complete. Volunteers should review the links below. Please contact your child's school office if you have any questions.

• Volunteer Process

• Volunteer Handbook

November 24th-28th - No School for Thanksgiving Break

December 1st - PTO Meeting @5:00 pm

December 13th - PTO PJ Party Holiday Event @10 am - 12 pm

December 22nd - January 2nd - No School Winter Break

As we head into Thanksgiving break, I am especially grateful for the caring spirit that fills our Doris Hoffman community. Each day, we see children learning that caring isn’t just something we talk about—it’s something we practice in small, meaningful ways. From offering a helping hand to cheering on a classmate, these moments show us how kindness grows when we nurture it together.

Your support at home plays such an important role in this growth. The way you encourage, guide, and model care helps your child build the foundation for empathy, connection, and belonging. Thank you for partnering with us to strengthen both hearts and minds.

Wishing you and your family a restful break filled with joy, togetherness, and moments that remind you of what matters most. 💜

With gratitude,
Mrs. Amy Huson

If you have any questions concerning the 2025-2026 school year, please contact me at 636-271-1464

or email me at ahuson@mvr3.k12.mo.us.