Mustang Round-Up

**To view this newsletter in Spanish, click on "Translate Newsletter" and select language.

Para ver este boletín en español, haga clic en "Traducir boletín" y seleccione el idioma.**

Dear Howard Families,

January is right around the corner, and it’s a fresh start for all of us. It’s hard to believe we’re already halfway through the school year! Thank you to everyone who participated in WinterFest, Coffee with the Principals and the Winter Sing-along Assembly, and other various December activities. This month, we hope to see you at SEL/Math Night on January 15th. We are excited to keep learning, growing, and having fun with your children in the new year.

January is a great time to think about goals. Many of you talked about goals during Fall Conferences, and now is a good time to check in on them. You play an important role in helping your child reach their goals. Encourage them to try new things, build on their strengths, and tackle challenges with a positive attitude.

Our teachers and staff are looking forward to welcoming everyone back after the break. If you have any questions, concerns, or ideas, please let us know. We’re here to help and support your family.

Thank you for being part of our Howard community. Let’s make this a great January and an amazing year!

Sincerely,

Ms. Deirdre Pearson

Principal

Hello Families,

As we wrap up our final newsletter of the year, I want to take a moment to reflect on the importance of empathy and kindness during this special time of year. Our students have shown tremendous growth not only academically but also in the way they support and care for each other. It’s heartwarming to see the spirit of compassion that fills our school community.

With winter break just around the corner, I hope everyone enjoys the two-week vacation ahead. It’s a well-deserved break for our students and staff, a chance to recharge and spend quality time with loved ones. As we look forward to the new year, let’s carry the lessons of empathy, understanding, and kindness with us.

Wishing you all a joyful and peaceful holiday season. We’ll see you in the new year!

~Mrs. Elrod

Phone: 541-842-3760

Email: howard@medford.k12.or.us

Location: 286 Mace Road, Medford, OR, 97501

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/howardmustangs549c/

Website: https://howard.medford.k12.or.us/

PTO Meetings: Our PTO meetings are held on the 2nd Monday monthly. We will now be rotating between a 5:15pm and 2:45pm meeting. Our next meeting will be Monday January 13th at 5:15pm!

We Need You! We currently have a vacancy on our PTO Board! Our team is looking for a secretary to complete our Board. If you are interested, please reach out to the PTO Board via email at: MSDHowardPTO@gmail.com or by cell: Amber Fletcher (President) 541-973-8608 or Kaylee Fugate (Vice President) 541-621-3498.

LIKE US ON FACEBOOK: Follow up on Facebook to stay connected on upcoming events and fundraising.

Safety and Security Updates - Part One

On last year’s Family YouthTruth Survey, some of our Howard families shared that Safety and Security is a concern. This is part one of a two-part series to update you with steps we are taking to address your concerns.

As far as protecting from outside threats:

• Our new entrance vestibule was added over the summer. This is an added layer of security for guests entering the building. Visitors must be buzzed in at the front door and screened via our online system before they may proceed beyond the vestibule. Remember that all visitors must have photo ID.
• We continue to practice our Standard Response Protocols (SRP) in case of emergency. You can learn more about SRP on the attached handouts.
• We practice monthly Evacuation Drills. We practice the other SRPs, such as Shelter (Earthquake), Secure, and Lockdown, on a regular basis.
• You may remember that there was an earthquake in California recently. Medford School District is connected to the early response earthquake system, and last month we had an unexpected earthquake drill when the alarm went off with no prior warning to staff! It was amazing how the students went right into their “Shelter” routine with no problem. It is great to see how our practice pays off when it is the real thing.
• Something new we are working on is our Reunification Plan. This is a process for quickly and efficiently getting students to their parents and guardians when a large number of families want to pick up early. For example, this might happen if there was a weather event such as a snowstorm. Please note that if there is any type of emergency that causes our campus to become a crime scene, all students and staff would be bussed to another school district site, to be picked up there.
• One of the best preventative measures we can have is a positive school climate where students feel comfortable and safe speaking up. A school goal this year is that all students will have an increased sense of belonging at Howard. We are moving forward with strategies and action steps toward this goal.

The other part to Safety and Security is our anti-bullying efforts. Bullying is something we take very seriously here at Howard. Next month, part two of our Safety and Security Updates will share more details about our ongoing efforts to identify and stop bullying.

Monday, January 6th - Students return from Winter Break

Monday, January 13th - PTO Meeting starting at 5:15 pm.

Wednesday, January 15th - SEL/Math Night, 4:30 - 6:00 p.m.

Friday, January 17th - End of Quart 2

Monday, January 20th - Martin Luther King Jr. Day - No School

Tuesday, January 21st - Teacher Grading Day - No School

Wednesday, January 29th - Next year 6th graders - Family Information Night at McLoughlin

Thank you RAVE Orthodontics for sponsoring the QR Code giveaways in the student's take home folders! Did you know if you scan the QR code for the month, you can enter your students class in a drawing for amazing giveaways? Some students even got some swag bags even though they didn't win the big giveaway!

https://my.peachjar.com/district/33779/flyer/2782662