MPE Panther eNews

MPE Families,

We had a wonderful time at the Book Character Parade last week! I hope everyone enjoyed the three-day weekend—the weather was beautiful!

As we welcome a new month and adjust to the time change, we’re looking forward to a busy few weeks ahead. We have three weeks of learning before we head into Fall Break. This week, there are several after-school activities taking place on campus, and next week we’ll come together for our Veterans Day Program. As always, we’re here to support you!

With gratitude,

Nelly Vaccaro

Principal

Memorial Parkway Elementary

THIS WEEK:

Tuesday, November 4th

• Tutorials after school

Wednesday, November 5th:

• Tutorials after school

Thursday, November 6th:

• Read Deed Run after school
• 5th grade chocolate sale! Bring $3 to lunch to buy a chocolate of your choice!

Friday, November 7th:

• 5th grade chocolate sale! Bring $3 to lunch to buy a chocolate of your choice!

NEXT WEEK:

Monday, November 10th:

• DHH Field Trip to HEB
• 5th grade chocolate sale! Bring $3 to lunch to buy a chocolate of your choice!

Tuesday, November 11th:

• Wear red, white and blue
• Veterans Day Program @ 9:00am
• 5th grade chocolate sale! Bring $3 to lunch to buy a chocolate of your choice!

Wednesday, November 12th:

• Staff kids picture day
• PTA school store during lunch
• 5th grade chocolate sale! Bring $3 to lunch to buy a chocolate of your choice!

Thursday, November 13th:

• Kaleidescope Chior Concert at Talyor HS
• 5th grade chocolate sale! Bring $3 to lunch to buy a chocolate of your choice!

Friday, November 14th:

• wear your house colors
• 5th grade chocolate sale! Bring $3 to lunch to buy a chocolate of your choice!

Student Drop Off in the Morning:

Reminder: Student supervision begins at 7:30 a.m. each morning. For the safety and well-being of all students, please do not drop off or leave children unattended before this time, as no staff will be available to supervise.

Thank you for your support in helping us maintain a safe and secure environment for all students.

NEW: Late Arrival Procedure
If your child arrives late to school, a parent or guardian must follow the procedure below:

1. Park and Enter the Building – Curbside drop-offs are not allowed for late arrivals.

2. Park in a Visitor Parking Spot – Please do not park in the fire lane or bus lanes.

3. Sign In at the Front Office – An adult must check the student in for the day.

4. Bring a Government-Issued Photo ID – Identification is required to sign in a student.

For the safety and accountability of all students, late arrivals must be accompanied by an adult into the building.

NEW: Late Pick-Up Procedure:
Effective immediately, all parents/guardians who are picking up their child late after school must follow the updated process below:

1. Park in a Visitor Parking Spot – Please do not park in the fire lane or bus lanes.

2. Enter the Building – Proceed to the front office.

3. Bring a Government-Issued Photo ID – Identification will be required to release a student.

4. Present Your Transportation Tag – This tag helps us ensure a safe and efficient dismissal.

No Pets on School Property:

For the safety of our students and staff, dogs or other pets are not allowed on school property during arrival and dismissal. Please help us keep everyone safe by following this rule.

Grades 1 – 5 will use the Park Tree Lane entrance from the west just past Park Knoll. Follow the designated parent drive lane. This is in yellow on the map.

Grades Pre-K, Kindergarten, and all Teacher Assist will use the Park Wind entrance from the north and follow the designated parent drive lane. This is in purple on the map.

The front drive is for Daycare buses only.

Parent drives will close at 7:50AM to allow our staff to return to their classrooms. Please bring your child to school on time.

Procedimientos para estudiantes que llegan en coche

Estudiantes de grado 1 – 5 entran por la calle Park Tree del oeste pasando la calle Park Knoll. Siga el carril designado para padres.

Estudiantes de grado Pre-K, Kindergarten, y Ayuda Designado entran por la calle Park Wind de norte. Siga el carril designado para padres.

La entrada de coches al frente es solamente para autobuses de guardería.

Los carriles para padres cierran a las 7.50am. Por favor de traer a sus hijos/hijas a tiempo.

Dear Parents & Guardians,

Safety is our top priority, and we appreciate your help in keeping our car rider line safe and efficient for everyone. Please keep these important reminders in mind:

✅ Wait for the Door to Close – Please ensure your child’s door is fully closed before driving off.
✅ No Phone Usage – Stay off your phone while in the car line to remain alert and focused.
✅ Speed Limit – Please adhere to the posted speed limit to keep our students and staff safe.
✅ Seated Safely – Students should be seated in their designated seats, not in the front of the car or standing before exiting.

✅Traffic Signs- Adhere to traffic signs. It is the LAW. ex: No left turn, stop sign and speed limit

Thank you for your cooperation in making drop-off and pick-up a smooth and safe process for all!

You MUST complete the RSVP Form.There are 12 parent spots per lunch period. All lunch visitors will be allowed on first come, first served basis. When the cafeteria tables fill up, you will not be able to eat with your child that day even if you completed the form the day before. You need to arrive early. Please plan to ONLY eat with your child one time per week to allow other parents to eat with their children. We need to share the space and time in the cafeteria. This will be monitored closely.

Lunch visitors are restricted to parents/stepparents/guardians, non-school-aged siblings and grandparents (accompanied by a parent or with written permission from a parent), and campus mentors.

• Lunch visitors do not include aunts, uncles, friends, or neighbors.

• Only an authorized lunch visitor and the student for whom the visitor is approved may sit at the designated visitor’s table.

Lunch visits will be limited to the 30-minute lunch period.

• Please exit the cafeteria 5 minutes before the end of lunch so teachers/students can prepare to dismiss.

Parents/Guardians:

• Are only allowed to have lunch with their child(ren).

• May bring food for their children to eat.

• Must sit at the designated tables when eating with their child(ren).

• Cannot provide food for any other children besides their own.

• Should respect the cafeteria rules, expectations, and directives of the MPE Staff on duty.

• Should NOT take pictures or videos during lunch.

The campus administrators have the authority to exclude from the school premises any person who disrupts or appears likely to become a disruption to the educational program. Any such individual shall be directed to leave the school premises immediately and law enforcement authorities will be called if necessary.

All school visitors must comply at all times with the school expectations.

We are excited that the The Texas Department of Agriculture has designated Memorial Parkway Elementary a CEP campus for this upcoming school year. This means that all students will be eligible for free breakfast and lunch! Students will be able to receive these free meals regardless of the income status of the home. We ask that parents complete this information during their Power School update, as it may also ensure other benefits for our students.

Special Distributions for Neighbors Experiencing SNAP Benefit Interruptions - Houston Food Bank

Houston Food Bank has launched several special food distributions to support neighbors whose SNAP benefits have been interrupted or federal employees who are not receiving paychecks. These distributions provide quick access to healthy groceries for families who may be struggling during this government shutdown.
Even if benefits or pay have not been interrupted, those in need are welcome to access help through our regular partner network. Please visit our Find Food map or call 211 to locate the nearest partner site.
If your SNAP benefits or pay have been interrupted, you may register for support below.
Important Notes:
Please register for the site nearest to you.
Bring your confirmation code and a photo ID, if available, when you arrive. @everyone

https://www.houstonfoodbank.org/blog/special-distributions-for-neighbors-experiencing-snap-benefit-interruptions/

Special Distributions for Neighbors Experiencing SNAP Benefit Interruptions - Houston Food Bank

Houston Food Bank has announced several special food distribution sites to support neighbors whose SNAP benefits have been interrupted

Beginning this school year, Katy ISD campuses and facilities will be transitioning to an online payment model. This initiative supports our ongoing efforts to enhance student and staff safety by removing cash transactions from schools, providing families with 24/7 access to convenient online payment options, and reducing administrative tasks for teachers and campus staff, allowing them to dedicate more time to student instruction and support.

Katy ISD will continue using Pay N’ Go for online payments, while also incorporating select approved vendors for specific types of transactions.

For families requiring a cash payment option, Parent Pay Hub stations will be accessible at the following locations:

North: Katy ISD Law Enforcement Center
20370 Franz Rd, Katy, TX 77449
Hours: Accepting Payments 24-hours Monday - Sunday

South: Katy ISD South Transportation & Police Center
3151 Falcon Landing Blvd. Katy, TX 77494
Hours: Available during Katy ISD business hours

We appreciate our families' support as we make this transition together, all with the shared goal of creating a safer, more convenient, and supportive school experience for our students and staff.

For more information about student fees that are eligible for online payment, as well as transactions where cash is still accepted, please visit the Pay N’ Go FAQs webpage or the Pay N’ Go website for instructions and additional information.

Please be sure to sign up for Remind to stay connected! I will use it to share important information such as our weekly newsletters, rainy day procedures, and other key campus updates.

Thank you for staying informed and involved!

Nelly Vaccaro- Principal

Karina Hernandez- Assistant Principal: Pre-K, Kinder, 1st and 3rd grade

Talya Robertson- Assistant Principal: 2nd, 4th and 5th grade

April Richardson- Counselor

Veronica Martinez- Bilingual Counselor

Tess Hall- Principal's Sectretary

Maria Araujo- Instructional Coordinator