MES Weekly Scoop

Dear MES Families,

As many of you may have heard, there will be no school for USD 364 tomorrow, Monday, January 26, due to the extremely cold temperatures. While we always want our students in school and learning, the safety of our students, families, and staff must come first. We appreciate your understanding as we prioritize safe travel during these severe conditions.

This Thursday, January 29, we celebrate our beautiful state’s birthday—Happy Birthday, Kansas! 🎉 We are proud to call Kansas home and enjoy sharing this special day with our students.

With the month of February quickly approaching, so are our spring Parent/Teacher Conferences. Conferences will be held on Wednesday, February 18, from 12:30–8:30 PM. Meeting with your child’s teacher is an important opportunity to connect, collaborate, and support your child’s continued growth. Communication between home and school is vital, and we strongly encourage all families to sign up for a conference time. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out to your child’s teacher.

Thank you for your continued support and partnership. We look forward to another great week together once students return safely to school.

Sincerely,

Janine Doebele

Principal

Marysville Elementary

Huge round of applause for all our brilliant spellers at the MES Spelling Bee! Everyone showed incredible focus and courage today.

Special shoutout to our top three finishers: Phoenix – 1st Place Champion! Mia – 2nd Place Treyton – 3rd Place

We are so proud of the hard work and dedication shown by every single participant. You all did an amazing job!

The TOP SIX will move on to the Marshall County Spelling Bee, which will take place on Thursday, February 5 at 9:00 AM at the Marysville High School Auditorium.

Kansas became the 34th state on January 29, 1861. Known as the Sunflower State, Kansas is rich in history, agriculture, and pride. Our state played an important role in the fight for freedom and continues to grow strong through hard work, community, and resilience.

Important Kansas Facts to Know:

• 🌻 Nickname: The Sunflower State

• 🗓 Statehood: January 29, 1861

• ⭐ Order of Statehood: 34th state

• 🏛 Capital: Topeka

• 🚜 Known for: Agriculture—especially wheat (often called the Wheat State)

• 🦬 State Animal: American Buffalo

• 🌪 Famous for: Wide open plains and changing weather

• 📜 History Highlight: Kansas played a key role in the fight against slavery before the Civil War (Bleeding Kansas)

Let’s celebrate our great state and the values that make Kansas a wonderful place to live and learn! 💙💛

We are incredibly fortunate to have Moriah, our Student & Family Liaison, as a cornerstone of the MES community. Moriah’s role is dedicated to bridging the gap between school and home by connecting families with essential local services and providing hands-on assistance with complex applications. Whether a family needs help navigating community resources or simply needs a helping hand with paperwork, Moriah is a tireless advocate for our students' success.

Beyond her administrative support, Moriah manages several vital programs:

• The MES Resource & Hygiene Closets: Moriah maintains a fully stocked resource closet for any student in need of clothing, as well as a hygiene closet filled with basic personal care items.

• The Harvesters BackSnack Program: She facilitates this wonderful partnership, ensuring that participating students receive a weekly backpack filled with nutritious, child-friendly food to take home every weekend.

Moriah’s dedication and care are truly invaluable to our school and the broader community. If you would like to connect with her regarding any of these services, please don't hesitate to reach out to the front office.

We appreciate all of their hard work and dedication to strive for excellence in education in USD 364-Marysville. Together, we are making a difference!

Join us in thanking our fantastic school board members for all they do!

As we kick off another exciting school year, we want to remind everyone about our Personal Student Technology Policy. There has been an increase in students with smart watches (watches that are able to call, text, record). Keeping our classrooms focused and safe is a shared effort—and your support matters! The following policy was copied from our MES Parent Handbook.

Student Belongings

Personal Student Technology

The usage of personal cell phones and other electronic devices (tablets, handheld games, kindles, smart watches, etc.) are not permitted on school property (classrooms, hallways, gym, blacktop, playground, bus line, route buses, etc). If devices are carried to school by students, the devices must be silenced and not visible (in backpacks) prior to entering and exiting the school property. If this expectation is not met, the phone or other personal electronic device may be confiscated and returned at the end of the day. After the first offense, parents will be contacted to retrieve the device. Any subsequent offenses will result in an office referral and a parent meeting with the principal. The ultimate decision will be finalized by the building administrator(s). If a student needs to contact a parent during the school day, they should let their teacher or the office know. If a parent needs to contact their child during the day, they should call the office and a message will be given to the student. Watches and cell phones should not be used as recording devices for any purpose.

To help keep all students and families safe during preschool drop-off and pick-up—and during our regular daily drop-off times—please review the following important parking reminders:

🚫 Do Not Park in Front of the Gate at 10th & Carolina
This area must remain clear at all times. Parking in front of the gate blocks the crosswalk where many students and families need to safely cross before and after school or during drop-off.

Bus Lane Reminders
If you plan to exit your vehicle to walk your child to the building or conduct business in the office, please do NOT park in the bus lane in front of the school.
We must keep this lane open for:

• Morning and afternoon bus traffic

• Mid-day transportation bringing students to and from MES

• 
  

Where You Can Park
For your convenience, parking is available:

• In the stalls along Carolina Street

• Along the south side of the concrete wall (parallel parking)

Gate Opening
The gates on 10th Street will be unlocked no later than 3:10 PM daily to allow students to safely cross from the playground and white top area.

ONE WAY on Alston Street

The one way on Alston Street going east from 10th Street to 11th Street was passed and signs are UP. PLEASE be prepared for this change for the traffic to flow in one direction Alston Street (behind the school building) when we return from break on Tuesday, January 6th.

Safety First
Our top priority is the safety of children and families during the busiest times of the day. Improper or illegal parking—such as blocking crosswalks or parking in the bus lane—may result in tickets or penalties issued by the Marysville Police Department.

Thank you for doing your part to keep our MES community safe, respectful, and responsible during arrival and dismissal!

Our Parent Handbook is an important resource that outlines the expectations, policies, and procedures for the school year. It includes information about academics, attendance, behavior expectations, communication, and ways families can stay engaged in their child’s learning.

We ask that families review the handbook occasionally so that everyone is familiar with our school guidelines. Please continue to reference it throughout the year whenever questions arise. Working together, we can ensure a safe, supportive, and successful school experience for every child.

Want to get involved in your child's education??? Join our amazing PTO crew!

They are also looking for volunteers for Dads At The Door, which takes place every other Tuesday morning at 7:30 AM. Have 30 minutes of your morning to spend with us at MES??? Please see the sign up below!

Our community offers many opportunities for families to connect and engage throughout the year. From local events to school activities, there are a variety of ways to stay involved and build strong connections. We encourage families to keep an eye on school updates, newsletters, and community announcements so you don’t miss out on the many events that bring us together.

Parents of kids in 3rd-8th grades: Voting for the 2025-26 Children's Book Award opens today and runs through April 15. Please encourage your kids to read books on the nominee list, and then vote for their favorite title with their school librarian, teacher, OR here at the Marysville Public Library. Homeschool families are also encouraged to participate.

We have all of the nominated books here, so please encourage your kids to try them.

https://wawchildrensbookaward.com/current-reading-lists

We follow the three R's in our building.

Be Ready

Be Responsible

Be Respectful

AND Be Safe

Character Strong – Perseverance (Week 3)

This week, we focus on the vital character trait of perseverance. Perseverance means continuing to work towards a goal, even when challenges arise and the path seems tough. It's about being resilient, determined, and not giving up when things get difficult.

Why Perseverance Matters:

Perseverance is a key to success both in school and in life. It helps you overcome obstacles and achieve your dreams. When you persevere, you develop grit, which is essential for tackling complex problems and achieving long-term goals.

Examples of Perseverance:

1. School Work: Imagine you have a challenging math problem. Instead of giving up or skipping it, you try different strategies, seek help from a teacher or a friend, and keep working until you find the solution.

2. Sports: You’re training for the upcoming track meet, but it starts to get hard when you're practicing sprints. Persevering means pushing through the tough workouts, even when your muscles are sore, knowing that your hard work will pay off at the race.

3. Arts and Music: You're learning to play a new piece on the piano and initially struggle with hitting the right notes. By practicing a little each day and maintaining focus, you gradually improve and eventually play the piece beautifully.

Encouraging Perseverance:

• Set Small Goals: Break big tasks into smaller, manageable steps.

• Stay Positive: Keep a positive mindset and remind yourself why your goal is important.

• Learn from Mistakes: View setbacks as opportunities to learn and grow, not reasons to quit.

These practices not only help develop perseverance but also lead to personal growth and achievement. Remember, perseverance is about progress, not perfection. Keep pushing forward, celebrate your efforts, and you'll be surprised by what you can accomplish.