Mott News

Hello Owl Families,

Thank you for supporting our Book Fair last week and helping cultivate a love of reading in our students! If you missed it, the online Book Fair is open until 9/16.

Our Grandparents Breakfast was magical as well. Iit was wonderful welcoming so many families into the school and experiencing the strong, supportive community behind our students every day.

We have a busy and exciting week ahead:

• Tuesday: We’re celebrating Dot Day inspired by Peter Reynolds’ The Dot! Students are invited to dress up in dots.

• Tuesday Evening: Join us for our PTO Meeting at 6:00 PM in the library.

• Wednesday: It’s Tumble 22 Spirit Night! Mention Mott when you order (see the flyer below for details).

• Friday: Picture Day! Be sure to bring your brightest smiles.

The future is BRIGHT,

Valerie Starnes

Principal, VMES

Please Note: Free and Reduced price lunch status from last year will end after this week.Please submit a new application for the school year if you have not already.

We are asking all families to please complete the school lunch form, even if you believe your child may not qualify for free or reduced-price meals.

Completing this form is important because the information collected helps determine resources and support available to our campus. It also impacts how our school is measured and compared with other campuses. Accurate participation from all families helps ensure that Mott Elementary School receives the recognition, funding considerations, and opportunities that reflect our students and our community.

Your participation matters—even if your family does not qualify for meal benefits. Every completed form provides a more accurate picture of our campus needs and helps us continue providing the best possible support for our students.

As a reminder, breakfasts in Pflugerville ISD continue to be free for the school year. This has continued since the 2020 school year and we look forward to serving all students, regardless of socioeconomic status, free breakfast.

Additionally, as part of a state grant we wrote and applied for, all reduced status students will have their breakfast and lunch portion paid for. So their meals are free as well. This grant ends this school year.

Households still have to complete the required forms and submit to our office as they would in prior years

Thank you for taking a few minutes to complete this important form and for partnering with us to support all Mott Owls!

Each year, we require parents, business owners, and community members to serve on our Campus Academic Advisory Council. The council shall meet for the purpose of implementing planning processes and site-based decision making in accordance with Board policy and administrative procedures.

If you would like to be considered for membership in the CAAC this school year, please email Ms. Starnes. valerie.starnes@pfisd.net

If your child needs to be absent for ANY REASON, please report their absence by completing our REPORT AN ABSENCE form. This form can be used in place of a written parent note or you can upload a doctor’s note.

Starting this school year parent notes can be submitted as an excused absence up to five times per semester for an illness or a death in the family. Any other reason will be considered an unexcused absence.

Additionally, all absences should be submitted as they occur and doctor’s notes should be submitted within three days of the students return to school. Any absence reported more than 48 hours in advance of the missed day will not be accepted.

To ensure we are ready to return to school, please complete your PfISD Annual Forms as soon as possible. These forms are required for every student each year.

You can complete the forms through your Skyward Parent Portal. To access the portal, click “here” at the link below.

Click to complete Annual Forms: www.pfisd.net/skyward

If you have not completed the forms but don’t see them in Skyward, please check with other parents/guardians for your children to see if they have them waiting in their account. If you have additional questions, email Skyward support at parentportal@pfisd.net.

Skyward is here to support you. Want to check your student's grades? Turn to Skyward. Curious about any missing assignments? Skyward has the answer. Need to review attendance records? Skyward provides it all. These are just a few of the resources Skyward has to offer. Explore all its features today!

Arrival

• Starting Monday 8/17, students arriving past 7:35 will be marked tardy in skyward.
• For safety and smooth entry for all, students say good bye to their parents outside the front door. We appreciate you not blocking the doors.
• Students must be with an adult to cross the crosswalk.
• If your child needs assistance getting in their car seat that requires you to get out of your car, please pull up to the flag pole past the front doors.

Dismissal

• If your child needs assistance getting in their car seat that requires you to get out of your car, please pull up to the flag pole past the front doors.
• Cars may not pass the loading buses in the back of the school. If you are in a hurry, exit the parking lot from Hodde.
• Parking and walking to the doors is not pick up option.

Thank you for your patience this past week. Being in a hurry at arrival and dismissal is never a good mix for the safety of our students.

The safety of our students is our number one concern! Please put your cell phones away while driving on campus!

Students living in the Ridge at Blackhawk subdivision have the option to walk to and from Mott. Due to the nature of the roads around Mott, only these student have the option to walk.

Students must cross at the crosswalk near Hodde, not the stop sign close to the school as it does not have a crosswalk.

The Mott Elementary Parent-Teacher Organization works as a partnership to support the education of our children.

All Mott parents, educators and staff are automatically members of the PTO. You don’t have to do anything to join.

Please join us for our monthly meetings. We value your input. Whether you can help a little or a lot, we'd love to have you join as we work to help our children.

Fill out this form to get involved and learn about our meetings and volunteer opportunities.

Check out the PTO website for additional information.

August 10- Meet the Teacher 4:30-6:30

August 12- First Day of School

September 8-September 11- Book Fair 📚

September 11- Grandparent's Day @ 7:05am

Sept 16- Tumble 22 Spirit Night!

Want to recognize a staff member who goes above and beyond?

Click here to submit your Pfamily Kuddos google form.

Free Breakfast will be available to all students from 7:05am- 7:35am. Once a student arrives at school they will head to the cafeteria and eat breakfast before heading to class.

NO DOOR DASH, UBER EATS OR OTHER FOOD DELIVERY SERVICE.

Purchasing School Lunch

If your student would like to purchase lunch you have two options. One, you may send cash to school with your student. It will be added to their lunch account. (Change will not be given). Please seal the cash in an envelope and clearly label with your child's name and lunch money. You may also set up an account and add money electronically. You will need to set up an account on Myschoolbucks.com. You will be available to add money as well as monitor what your kids are eating and set limits on what they can purchase.

Free and Reduced Meal Application

Fill out the Free and Reduced application linked below to find out if you qualify. Otherwise, your child will pay full price for cafeteria meals.

As a reminder, breakfasts in Pflugerville ISD continue to be free for the school year. This has continued since the 2020 school year and we look forward to serving all students, regardless of socioeconomic status, free breakfast.

Additionally, as part of a state grant we wrote and applied for, all reduced status students will have their breakfast and lunch portion paid for. So their meals are free as well. This grant ends this school year.

Households still have to complete the required forms and submit as they would in prior years for free and reduced lunch.

• The students are expected to follow the dress code, click here for the PfISD dress code. Students are strongly encouraged to wear tennis shoes on days that they have PE.
• Students may bring disposable or refillable water bottles with a secure lid. We have bottle fillers throughout the campus that can be used to refill their water bottles.

We love our volunteers!
We truly appreciate everyone who comes on campus to work with students and help with projects around the school. Before volunteering, please remember to complete the district’s volunteer form — this must be done each school year.

If you’re interested in volunteering specifically in the library, please contact Mrs. Shellenberger at pam.shellenberger@pfisd.net. Fall Book Fair Volunteers can sign up here!