Welcome Back, July Edition

I’m thrilled to kick off the school year by taking on my new role! For those who know me, I’ve been a dedicated part of the Meramec Valley School District for the past 7 years. Most recently, I’ve worn many hats at the high school — serving as the Marketing teacher, department chair, DECA Advisor (both for the school and District 8), and Student Council Advisor. I originally joined the district as a business teacher and have been inspiring students ever since!

Outside of school, you might know me from the Hawthorne Inn in Labadie, where I’ve been part of the family business for an incredible 27 years. My deep roots in the community and lifelong involvement make me especially excited to build even stronger connections in my new role.

I hold an Educational Leadership K–12 Specialist Degree from Northwest Missouri State University, and I live in Gray Summit with my husband Randy, our daughter Daphne, Frannie the bulldog, and Rosie the tabby cat.

Here’s to a fantastic school year ahead!

☀️ We hope your summer was filled with sunshine and relaxation!

🧘🏻 Found moments to unwind and recharge

📖 Dived into a fantastic book

🍿 Enjoyed a great movie

🎢 Experienced some thrilling adventures

🙉 Now, let's gear up for... the best school year yet!

Here's all the info you need in advance. Excited to see you soon! 👋

The school day begins at 8:35 AM and students will be released at 3:40 PM.

Students should not be dropped off before 8:05 am; there is no supervision available. Students dropped off between 8:05 - 8:20am will either eat breakfast or play on the playground/gym.

*If your child is a morning car rider and will not eat breakfast, we strongly encourage you to drop them off after 8:20am.

SACC is our before and after school care program.

If your child needs morning childcare before 8:05 am, contact the school office at 636-742-2133

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

For more information please see the flyer below:

The success of our goals depends on strong partnerships between home and school. Please check out our website, download the free MVR3 App, and like us on Facebook.

Our Coleman parent newsletter, called Warrior Weekly, will be sent out every Thursday. 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!

Please communicate any Dismissal Changes THROUGH THE MAIN OFFICE! We will be using the Kid Account system to update teachers as you call in.... this includes SACC dismissal too! Our main office needs to know before 3:00pm each day if there is a change in your child's normal dismissal schedule; whether it be they go to SACC, go home on bus or are now a Car Rider.

*We do understand that emergencies and last-minute plans can happen, so if something comes up after 3:00pm please notify the main office immediately. It gets confusing if you go to the teacher first, so for safety, all dismissal changes and communication should go through the main office.

To help students understand and practice their arrival/dismissal routine, we encourage parents to start the year with the routines they plan on using for the entire year. If your student will be a bus rider, we encourage them to ride the bus to and from school on the first day. Students need to meet their bus driver and get into the routine of those normal procedures starting on day one. Help your child be successful and have a smooth transition to school by starting their day off with our friendly bus drivers. On the first day, parents are welcome to meet their student at school after they arrive on the bus and snap a picture outside!!

Your child's bus route, pick-up, and drop-off times can all be tracked with the district transportation app called, BusRight. At Open House we will have a transportation station set up in the gym for parents to talk to our drivers and learn more about bus times and routes, but more information on BusRight is also included below:

It is the goal of the Meramec Valley R-III School District to provide a safe environment for students. The district recognizes that rules regarding dismissal of students are a necessary part of the district’s safety program. All visitors must enter the school through the main office doors. You will present your ID and receive a visitor's badge. Students who are going to be picked up before the end of the school day will be released through the main office only.

We will continue to use Kid Account to dismiss this year. We will be passing out your official Kid Account Card on Monday. Every student gets one card. This card will be scanned at pick up to ensure each child is released to the correct guardian. We will also use Kid Account as students get on the bus each day to ensure all students are released to the correct bus.

Below you will find a picture of our entire dismissal process. There is a lot happening from 3:30-3:50 to make sure that we dismiss safely, efficiently, and timely.

We will use Kid Account at all dismissal locations: SACC, each individual bus, and for the car lane.

• Car Riders - We will come to your car window and scan a Kid Account Card or type your child's last name into your system and log who is picking up your child - Please make sure anyone that is allowed to pick up your child is on their portal and approved by you. This is the safety feature that helps us accurately know to whom we are releasing students to. If an adult is picking up your child and they are NOT listed on the emergency contact, we will be asking for an ID - to keep the line moving we may ask you to pull out of line and move to the front lane by the stairs until we can confirm ID and contact the child's guardian. THE FRONT CAR CANNOT LEAVE UNTIL ALL SIX CARS ARE LOADED. We don't want any moving vehicles while loading students. WE ASK THAT IF YOUR CHILD NEEDS HELP GETTING SITUATED THAT YOU PULL OUT AND PARK IN ANOTHER LOCATION TO GET OUT AND HELP THEM. ALL DRIVERS WILL NEED TO STAY IN THEIR CARS AND WE WILL HELP THE KIDDOS IN.

*** If you have more people that may pick your child up, it also works if you take a picture of the card or we can type in the last name and search for your child. The line and scanning move quicker with the card ready which is our main goal.

The annual online student information update for the 2025-2026 school year was already emailed out - please make sure you take time to complete this process or call the office (636-742-2133) to get some support in completing this task!

During our Open House you are welcome to come to the front office and the secretaries can assist families with the online update.

Additionally, Free/Reduced Meal Applications will be available at Open House and will be sent home in electronic and paper form! It is important that this application is completed by ALL families, even if you think you will not qualify.

Studies show that a healthy breakfast gives children a head start to a successful day. MVR-III is proud to offer FREE breakfast to all students for the 2025-2026 school year!! The cost of lunch is $3.30 per day. Students may purchase extra milk for $.75 per carton. All money to be deposited into your student’s lunch account should be placed in an envelope with the student’s name, grade, teacher’s name, and the amount enclosed. There is also a feature through the parent portal to load money onto your student's account electronically.

MVR-III asks ALL families to complete the meal application to ensure continued funding to support ALL students in our district. Students from households that meet federal income guidelines are eligible to receive free or reduced-price meals. Periodic notices will be sent home regarding meal account balance and can also be accessed through the Infinite Campus Parent Portal System.

A copy of the most updated shot record should be turned into the office as adequate immunizations are required by law. Special health conditions regarding your student should be reported through our Medical Information Form filled out during registration but a follow up with Nurse Calvin but you may follow-up with Nurse Calvin during Open House if you have specific health concerns.

In compliance with our Healthy Generation School goals, Coleman will focus on healthy celebrations. Student birthdays will be recognized on our daily announcements.

To comply with the national health guideline, we do not accept birthday or holiday treats.

*Every student at Coleman Elementary will receive a pencil and a card for their birthday!

(We celebrate 'half birthdays' in order to make sure we get all the kiddos who may have a summer bday!)

As we head into the 2025-2026 school year, our district is focusing on Celebrating Success.

The motto of Coleman Elementary this year is "Warriors Rise: courage to learn, strength to succeed." We will focus on building strong relationships with our students, parents and guardians to ensure they have a successful school year.

• August 2nd - The Bridge Foundation Back-to-School Bash serving MVR-III families will be held Saturday, August 2nd, in the Pacific High School Cafeteria from 9:00 - 10:30 AM. The Back-to-School Bash was created to provide under-resourced MVR-III families with a little extra support before they start school. The event will supply each student with a backpack, hygiene supplies, basic school supplies (based on the student's grade level), a new pair of shoes, and additional resources (while supplies last).
• August 14th - Open House
• PreK-K: 5:30-6:00
• 1st-4th: 6:00-7:00
• August 18th- First Day of School!
• August 26th: Fall Picture Day
• September 1st: Labor Day, No School!
• September 8th: PTO Meeting, Coleman Library @ 4:15

To send me a message, email: tgish@mvr3.k12.mo.us

To call me: 636-742-2133 ext 4000
Or just stop by! I want to hear from you :)