Montgomery City Elementary

Jill Jacob, Principal

Laura Allen, Assistant Principal

Dear MCE Families,

October is packed with learning and connection—Book Fair (Oct. 21–30), You Matter/Red Ribbon Week (Oct. 21–24), Fall Harvest Parties (Oct. 24), Parent–Teacher Conferences (Oct. 29–30, evenings only), and No School on Oct. 31. Thank you for showing up for your kids and our staff—your partnership matters.

Quick but important reminders:

• Reporting absences: If your child is sick or will be absent, call 573-564-3711 and follow the prompts to report the absence the morning of the missed day. This keeps our records accurate and helps us support your child.

• Pumpkin-free campus (1st semester): Please see the nurse’s note below—no pumpkin foods, scents, or products at school to protect a community member with a severe allergy.

• Conferences: We’re committed to connecting with 100% of families. Watch for your teacher’s message to schedule a time between 4:30–8:00 p.m. on Oct. 29 or 30.

As always, our mission is developing life-long learners through positive collaboration. Thank you for modeling kindness, responsibility, and consistency at home—it shows at school.

Warmly,
Dr. Jacob
Principal, Montgomery City Elementary

Fall is a wonderful season of cooler weather, colorful leaves, and festive flavors. However, this year we must ask for your partnership in keeping MCE a pumpkin-free environment. For the safety of one of our students with a severe pumpkin allergy, we cannot allow pumpkin products of any kind in our school at this time.

This includes but is not limited to:

• Whole or decorative pumpkins

• Pumpkin flavorings, creamers, or coffees

• Pumpkin snacks (including seeds, candy, and baked goods)

• Pumpkin-scented lotions, body sprays, perfumes, candles, air fresheners, or hand sanitizers

We know pumpkin-flavored and pumpkin-scented items are popular this time of year, but eliminating them from our school is a crucial step in keeping all students and staff safe.

💛 Thank you for your cooperation and understanding as we work together to protect the health of our MCE family.

We’re excited to launch “You’ve Been Boo’d” at MCE this October as a fun way to show our amazing staff how much they are appreciated. Throughout the month, staff are surprising each other with little fall treats, notes of encouragement, and festive goodies to spread cheer.

Families are invited to join the fun too! If you’d like to “Boo” a staff member, you can:

• Send a small surprise with your child (snack, drink, seasonal item, or kind note), OR

• Drop it off at the office and we will deliver it for you!

Need ideas? Here are some simple “Boo” favorites:

• Fun-size candy or snack packs

• Coffee gift card ($5 or less)

• Seasonal pens, sticky notes, or notepads

• Cozy socks or fall-scented hand sanitizer

• A handwritten note of encouragement from your family

⚠️ Please remember: we have a pumpkin allergy in the building. No pumpkin products or pumpkin-scented items, please.

Thank you for helping us celebrate the season and show our MCE staff just how much they are valued and appreciated!

On Wednesday, October 1 and Wednesday, October 15, students are invited to bring $1 and wear a hat all day.

The money collected will go toward a charity of the Student Council’s choosing, which will be determined for the 2025–26 school year. This is a fun way for students to give back while showing their school spirit!

Each month, our teachers select one student from their class who has demonstrated the qualities of a “Terrific Kid.” These students are recognized for their kindness, responsibility, hard work, and positive attitude throughout the month.

On the last day of each month, our Terrific Kids are announced during morning announcements and celebrated by the entire school community. It’s a wonderful way to honor students who go above and beyond to make MCE a great place to learn and grow.

📸 Check out this month’s Terrific Kids below!

Front Row: Samuel Clements, Ryder Hall, Avah Galloway, Willow Hamilton, Samuel Panage, Aurora Vaughn, Finley Nichols, Emma Schmidt, Charleigh Theissen

Back Row: Gage Gotch, Gatlin Hall, Abbi Wasson, Liam Vetter, Alva Powell, Ariel Theissen

Not pictured: Harper Talley

Thank you to all the families who joined us for Family Night Under the Lights! We hope you enjoyed the hands-on learning activities and that the evening gave you a chance to connect with MCE staff and fellow families.

Your participation helps strengthen the home-school connection and shows our students how powerful learning can be when we come together as a community.

MCE is excited to celebrate You Matter Week 2025, focused on overall wellness for our students. Each day will spotlight a different theme to remind us of the importance of balance, self-care, and positivity.

• Peaceful Pajama Tuesday – Rest & relaxation matter! Wear your favorite pajamas.

• Wild & Wacky Wednesday – Laughter is the best medicine! Wear silly, mismatched, or crazy clothes.

• Think Positive Thursday – Positive words and kindness matter! Wear a shirt with uplifting words or bright colors.

• Feel Strong Friday – Movement fuels learning! Wear workout gear or sports clothes.

Throughout the week, students will take part in fun classroom activities, and families are encouraged to join in with simple at-home ideas too. Together, we’ll focus on helping kids feel calm, confident, and ready to learn.

We’re excited to partner with FCCLA for their Fall 2025 “Fill the Box” Community Service Project!

From October 21–24, families are invited to donate new health, hunger, or hygiene items at MCE. Suggested items include:

• Supplies to prepare food at home

• Nonperishable pantry snacks

• New school shoes or clothing

• Shampoo, conditioner, deodorant, and other hygiene products

👏 Thank you for helping us support students across our state!

👉 Click here to watch a short video from FCCLA about this project.

Our Fall Harvest Parties will be held on Friday, October 24. Parents should watch for details in classroom newsletters, as party times will vary by grade level.

What to Know:

• Teachers will be reaching out to parents who are interested in volunteering to help with the celebrations.

• Since this is a special day for your school-age child, siblings are not permitted to attend.

• In line with the District Wellness Policy, classroom parties should support physical activity and healthy eating. If food is provided, it should include:

  • Fresh or dried fruit (no sugar added), and/or raw vegetables

  • Whole grain options

  • Water

• Treats must be commercially prepared/pre-packaged.

Ideas for Contributions:
Parents can provide games, supplies, or small prizes (bracelets, stickers, pencils, bubbles, note pads, trading cards). Snack ideas include: air-popped popcorn, pretzels, whole grain crackers, string cheese, baked chips with salsa, trail mix, and fresh fruit or veggie sticks with low-fat dip.

Classroom celebrations are a wonderful way to bring fun, community, and wellness together — thank you for supporting these special events for our students!

Parent–Teacher Conferences are scheduled for Wednesday, October 29 and Thursday, October 30.

👉 Please note: This year, conferences will take place in the evenings only, from 4:30–8:00 PM. There will not be daytime conference hours.

In addition, there will be no school on Friday, October 31 following conferences.

While the schedule looks different, our goal remains the same: MCE staff are committed to connecting with 100% of our families.

Teachers will be reaching out soon to schedule a conference time. Please be on the lookout for additional details, and thank you in advance for partnering with us to support your child’s growth and success!

There are many ways to support our students, staff, and school community. Check out these opportunities to join in:

• Substitute Teaching – See our flyer for details on how to become part of our MCE substitute team.

• Volunteer Opportunities – Help with upcoming events and activities.

Every effort—big or small—helps make MCE a stronger, more connected community. 💛

Here are the upcoming events you’ll want to mark on your family calendar. Additional details about each event will be shared closer to the date. Please don’t hesitate to reach out to your child’s teacher with any questions.

October

• Friday, October 10 – School Picture Day

• Friday, October 17 – End of 1st Quarter

• Monday, October 21 – Thursday, October 24 – You Matter / Red Ribbon Week

• Monday, October 21 – Thursday, October 30 – Fall Book Fair

• Thursday, October 23 (5:00–7:00 p.m.) – PTO Fall Family Fun Night 🎃

• Friday, October 24 – Fall Harvest Parties

• Wednesday, October 29 & Thursday, October 30 (4:30–8:00 p.m.) – Parent–Teacher Conferences

• Friday, October 31 – No School

November

• Thursday, November 6 (5:15 p.m.) – PTO Meeting

• Friday, November 7 (8:30 a.m.) – 1st Quarter Celebration

• Tuesday, November 11 (2:00 p.m., doors open 1:30 p.m.) – Veterans Day Celebration

• Thursday, November 13 (7:30 p.m.) – BOE Meeting @ MCMS

• Friday, November 14 (5:30–7:30 p.m.) – PTO Girl VIP Night

• Wednesday, November 19 – 2nd Quarter Mid-Term

• Friday, November 21 – Picture Re-Takes

• Friday, November 21 (4:00 p.m.) – Mid-Term Grades Due

• Monday, November 24 – School in Session (Wednesday specials)

• Monday, November 24 (1:30 p.m.) – Academic Bowl @ JBE

• Monday, November 24 – K–2 Career Activity

• Tuesday, November 25 – Kiwanis Terrific Kids Recognition (during morning announcements)

• Tuesday, November 25 – 2nd Quarter Mid-Term Report Cards Sent Home

• Wednesday–Friday, November 26–28 – Thanksgiving Break

Quarterly Celebrations (8:30 a.m.)

• 1st Quarter – November 7

• 2nd Quarter – January 9

• 3rd Quarter – March 20

• 4th Quarter – May 20

Grandparents Days & Fine Arts Performances

• Kindergarten & 1st Grade – tentatively scheduled for March 31

• 2nd & 3rd Grade – April 9

• Preschool – April 10

• 4th & 5th Grade – May 12