MES NEWS

We have had a great start to the school year so far at MES! As a reminder, our monthly newsletter will be sent via email at the start of each month. The newsletter can also be accessed on our school webpage. Each month, we will include important announcements, information regarding upcoming events, and other valuable items to keep you informed about what is taking place at MES.

Communication between home & school is vital for student success. Our teachers & staff have been working very hard to make each every student feel welcome & supported during the start of the school year. All of us at MES are dedicated to supporting our vision statement: "Every student and all staff will be contributing members of society who value the pursuit of learning and service to others by demonstrating critical thinking, communication, creativity, collaboration, and compassion."

Please feel free to contact the MES office if you have any questions.

Sincerely,

Dr. Michelle Cooley

Principal

cooleym@msd19.org.

Use the links below to view the 2026-27 MSD19 School Calendar

2026-2027 School List Calendar

2026-2027 School Grid Calendar

September 3

*BMX No Bullying Assembly

September 4

*MES Bus Drill

September 7

* Labor Day - No School

September 11

* 2nd Annual GrandParents Dinner- Flyer Below

September 11

*MES Fire Drill

September 15

* Picture Day - More Information to Come!

September 24

*MES Booster-a-thon Fundraiser Begins

September 25

*MES Spirit Day

You may or nay not have noticed a sign in the foyer about our Spectacular Staff Shout Out. This is an opportunity for parents to recognize any staff member whom they feel has gone above and beyond for their child at school. When we receive a staff recognition, we will notify staff and recognize them as well. Parents can click on the QR code to be directed to the Shout Out form.

At Mascoutah Elementary School, we pride ourselves on creating a safe and supportive environment where students can grow and thrive. At MES we have 4 Core Values: Be Kind, Be Honest, Be Accepting and Be Safe. We start the school year reviewing these values with all students; but now we are asking for your help to reinforce our values. Attached is our Behavior Matrix that each class reviews daily and can be shared for home. We want to thank you in advance for supporting our efforts to keep MES a safe and nurturing environment for all.

IT’S TIME TO TIE!

Students are required to have P.E. shoes they keep at school in their locker. These do not have to be brand new shoes. They can be a pair at home that fit and can be kept at school. Besides having the proper shoes it is also important to make sure they know how to tie them.

Being able to tie their shoes is a safety concern as well as a life skill and fine motor skill. Practicing this skill with your child/children at home is greatly appreciated.

October 16th, which is the end of the first quarter, we will be implementing a tied shoe laces policy. This means that if your child comes to class with untied laces or their laces become untied during class, they will need to tie them on their own before returning to the activity. Please know that having shoes that have laces is not a requirement. Exceptions and assistance will be taken into consideration on a per student basis. If they do not know how to tie, we recommend velcro or tennis shoes that do not need to be tied.

If you have any questions or concerns, please feel please contact us.

Sincerely,

Mr. Veath and Mr. Underwood

K-5 Physical Education

Mascoutah Elementary

618-566-2152

veathj@msd19.org

underwoodd@msd19.org

Ss a result of Erin’s Law, Public Act 96-1524 enacted in 2013, all Illinois public schools are required to implement prevention-oriented child sexual abuse education for students in pre-kindergarten through 12th grade. Unfortunately, current statistics indicate 1 in 4 girls and 1 in 13 boys experience child sexual abuse at some point in childhood (cdc.gov). Our district school social workers and psychologists have worked to create developmentally-appropriate presentations to teach our students personal body safety and how to ask for help if they find themselves in an uncomfortable situation. The presentations will take place in September.

The concepts that will be discussed include

• Distinguishing safe from unsafe touches

• Safety rules

• Secrets

• Telling a trusted adult

  
  

For more information and resources, you may visit http://www.erinslaw.org/for-parents/ or www.cfchildren.org/resources/child-abuse-prevention/. Our school social workers and psychologist are also available to answer questions or connect you with resources to support your child.

If you have questions or do not want your child to participate in this prevention education session, please contact Megan Vitale- vitalem@msd19.org, Mary DeLeonardis- deleonardism@msd19.org, or Sarah Hendrickson- hendericksons@msd19.org

All students at MES will have their yearbook picture taken on Tuesday, September 15. Mascoutah Elementary will once again partner with Jostens Photography for school pictures. Soon, you will begin receiving email reminders from Jostens with more specific information. Please do not have your child wear green as it will interfere with their "green screen technology." More information will be coming soon!

Parents and families are able to attend lunch at school with your child up to four times per school year. Please check in with the office when you arrive. Please note: It is school handbook policy that no food may be brought it from fast food restaurants during lunch hours. Thank you for your cooperation.

We wanted to reach out to make you aware of our upcoming Parent Advisory Board (PAB) and Quality Improvement Team (QIT) meetings we host to inform everyone on important information, answer questions, and receive feedback on improvements we can make to our program.

Quality Improvement Team

3 September at 1630 at the Youth Center

4691 Patriots Drive, Building 4780, Scott AFB, IL 62225

Parent Advisory Board

7 October at 1100 at the Nightingale Inn DFAC

420 W Winters Street, Scott AFB, IL 62225

We look forward to seeing you!

Respectfully,

Erica Van Leer

Child and Youth Programs Assistant

Scott AFB Youth Center

We love volunteers at MES! When children see their parents involved at school, it has such a positive impact, not only on academics but also on their sense of belonging and well being. There are many ways for parents to get involved from helping in the library, assisting in classrooms, working with small groups of students and making copies to supporting behind-the-scene needs. Whatever your time or talent, we would love to have you as part of our volunteer team!

If you are interested in volunteering, please complete this Volunteer Form by September 11th, 2026. Someone from the school will contact you in the next few weeks. Someone will also be available at the next PTO meeting on September 16th at 6 pm in the MES cafeteria to answer any questions you may have. In the meantime, if you have any questions, please contact Megan Mattmiller, MES Assistant Principal (mattmillerm@msd19.org). Thank you for considering. Your time and involvement truly make a difference for our students and the school community.

Morning drop off - Students can be dropped off in the front circle beginning at 8:15 am. There is not supervision available before that time. If you arrive before 8:15 am, please wait with your child until 8:15 am.

Breakfast At School - Breakfast is available at school from 8:15 - 8:30 am every school day. If you are dropping off your child for school and they need to eat breakfast, please be sure to drop them off at 8:15 am. If you drop them off close to 8:30 am, the student will have very little time to eat breakfast and get to class on time. If your student rides the bus to school, the student goes straight to breakfast after getting off the bus a nd should have plenty of time for breakfast.

Thank you for your help with these things. It is important for students to be on the classroom when the teacher starts the day. Important announcements and the tone for the day is set at this time. Students feel much more settled into the day when they are not arriving late to the classroom.

In September, MES will participate with Booster Fundraising , a nationwide fundraising company. Students will be participating in a Fun Run on to raise funds for student activities at MES such as Week of the Military Child, PTO Activities, Field Day, & Fun Fridays, for students!

When sending in birthday items, please follow the following guidelines from our Elementary Handbook:

-Prearrange with the teacher first

-Food items must be prepackaged and individually wrapped.

-Please do not send flowers or balloons to school.

-We are happy to pass out birthday party invitations in the classroom, but only if all students are invited.

Children who are ill or show signs of becoming ill should not be sent to school. Please follow these guidelines:

• Fever 100 .4 or Above: The student must be fever-free for 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medication.

• Vomiting and/or Diarrhea: No further incidence for 24 hours.

• Strep Throat: 24 hours after the first dose of antibiotic.

• Conjunctivitis (Pink Eye): Antibiotic treatment for 24 hours and no drainage from the eye.

• Lice: Appropriate treatment must be completed. No live lice and proof of treatment must be provided to the nurse.

• If there is any concern of contagious illness, please contact your healthcare provider for further guidance before returning to school.

If it is determined your child needs to go home due to illness or injury, a guardian will be notified and shall provide or arrange immediate transportation. The guardian will ensure that the school office has current phone contact(s). Please report any contact information changes as these occur.

How do I report my student's absence?

Call the office to let us know if your student will be late or not attending at all by 9:00am. You can absolutely let your student’s teacher know as well, but the office manages attendance for the whole school.

What is an excused absence vs. an unexcused absence?

An excused absence is one where the office knows why your student is not at school. If we do not receive notice from the parent, the absence is marked unexcused. After 3 unexcused absences you will receive a truancy letter. After 6, you will need to meet with the district truancy board. After 9, documentation will be sent to the county truancy board.

What time does school start and end?

School begins at 8:35. Students arriving after 8:35 are marked tardy. The school days ends at 3:30 (2:30 on Wednesdays).

Carpool– to drop off car riders in the morning, please proceed to the CARPOOL LANE (RIGHT SIDE) in the front circle drive. PLEASE PULL FORWARD in the yellow zone as far as you can. Staff members will be outside to direct you where to pull. Students will exit the car on the passenger side ONLY, away from traffic Parents are asked to remain in their cars and be prepared to move quickly when students exit the car. Depending on how far a parent is asked to pull up in the carpool lane, a student may enter the building near the 5th Grade hallway at Door #7 and walk through the building to their designated holding location or through the front door. Staff supervision will be provided in the carpool lane and throughout the building to help with the arrival process.

Students walked in by parents -if you would like to park, help your child from the car, hug them good-bye, etc. please pull to the left side of the front circle lane. Park in one of the many parking spots here. Students in this lane need to exit the car on the left side Only, away from traffic. Parents then must walk with the child on the sidewalk to the crosswalk located across from Door #7 or the Front door and deliver the child safely to the sidewalk in front of school. The parent then must again cross at the crosswalk, find their car and wait patiently to pull away using the middle exit lane.

Walkers and Bike Riders - K-2 students will use the bike rack near the PreK building and along with any walkers enter the back of the building through door 22. 3-5 students will use the bike rack near door 10 and along with any walkers enter the back of the building through door 10.

Bus Riders -buses will enter the bus lane from the south and pull to the north. Three buses at a time will unload students. The students will walk together into the building at a designated door. PreK buses will pull to the north side of the building and load and unload on Harnett.

Joining our MES PTO is an incredible way to actively engage in our school community and make a real difference in the lives of our students. Your involvement is not just welcomed, it's valued and appreciated. Together, we can create memorable experiences and provide invaluable support for our school. Let's work hand in hand to foster a nurturing environment where every child thrives. Join us today and let's make a meaningful impact together!