Murray Elementary School

Dear Families,

We are off to a strong start this school year! Students are diving into their learning, building new skills, and showing great growth already. It’s wonderful to see the excitement in classrooms as they work hard, ask questions, and support each other as learners.

Thank you for the ways you support your child at home—it makes such a difference. Together, we are helping students build not only knowledge, but also confidence and curiosity that will carry them through the year.

Here are a few simple ways you can support learning at home:

• Ask about their day. Encourage your child to share something new they learned or a favorite part of the school day.

• Read together. Even a few minutes each night of reading (or being read to) builds vocabulary and a love for books.

• Create routines. A regular time for homework, play, and rest helps students feel prepared and focused.

• Celebrate effort. Praise persistence and hard work just as much as the final result—it builds resilience.

We’re looking forward to all the learning and milestones ahead. This is going to be a fantastic year!

We are thrilled to share that the recent Niche Report recognized our school as #1. This incredible honor reflects the hard work, dedication, and passion of our students, staff, and families. It’s a testament to the supportive learning environment we have built together, where every student can thrive academically, socially, and emotionally. Thank you for being a part of what makes our school truly exceptional!

Get Ready for Our School-Wide Read-A-Thon!

As part of this year’s Family Reading Night, we are excited to host a school-wide Read-A-Thon from September 30th through October 8th. Our goal is to read 30,000 minutes over 9 days!

Every reading ticket you return will be entered into a drawing for K–2 and 3–5 students for a chance to win fun prizes. The more tickets you turn in, the better your chances of winning!

Let’s read, have fun, and reach our goal together!

Murray Families,

Please join us on Thursday, October 9th for an evening to learn and celebrate the joy of reading and writing! Families will have the opportunity to see our reading curriculum in action, better understand the learning progression across grade levels, and engage in meaningful reading experiences with their children.

Schedule for the evening:

• 5:30 – Welcome in the library

• 5:45–6:15 – Grades K–2 in classrooms / Grades 3–5 enjoy pizza dinner

• 6:15–6:45 – Grades 3–5 in classrooms / Grades K–2 enjoy pizza dinner

We look forward to sharing this special evening of literacy, learning, and family fun with you. We hope to see you there!

Fall Conferences – October 13 - November 4

Fall conferences are an important opportunity to learn more about your child’s educational journey and how they are doing socially, emotionally, and academically.

Please watch for information from your child’s teacher on how to sign up for a day and time. Don’t miss this chance for one-on-one conversations to better understand your child’s progress and how to support their learning at home.

We look forward to connecting with you!

No School – October 13 & 14

Please note that school will not be in session on Monday, October 13, and Tuesday, October 14. Enjoy the long weekend!

Please check out the school calendar for all other school events: https://mes.k12albemarle.org/about/calendar

Join us on Friday, October 31st for our School Wide Moring Meeting led by our Student Council. Remember to wear green or your Murray spirit wear! The story book costume parade will follow the School Wide Morning Meeting.

Annual Costume Parade – Thursday, October 31

Join us for our annual Costume Parade at 8:30 AM on the track! Families are welcome to attend and celebrate with us—come have fun and enjoy the creativity of our students’ costumes!

Important reminder: Please do not include masks or any weapons (real or pretend) as part of costumes. Safety comes first, and we want everyone to have a fun and safe experience.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1TLbUDmzT_OVT9QKFUxkjLwF_QV2VG9yR/view?usp=sharing

October Safety Drills

We will have two safety drills this month to help keep our students prepared:

• Earthquake Drill: Thursday, October 17

• Fire Drill: Wednesday, October 23

These drills are an important part of school safety, and our students practice them regularly to know what to do in an emergency.

Hello Murray Community,

We are proud to partner with Lions Clubs International in their global mission to restore vision and improve eye health for millions. As part of this effort, we are collecting used eyeglasses to be cleaned, sorted, and distributed to people in need around the world.

If you have old or unused prescription glasses or frames at home, please consider donating them. A simple act can make a life-changing difference!

Drop-off Location: Collection box available in the main lobby at Murray.

Thank you for your support!

https://mes.k12albemarle.org/

Check out our school events on the Murray Calendar!