Mary D. Lang

November is a time to reflect on all we are thankful for, and at Mary D. Lang, we are especially thankful for YOU and your children! It is a joy and privilege to watch our little Lions learn, grow, and shine each day. Your partnership makes it possible to create even more M&Ms (Magic & Miracles) for our students!

Looking for simple ways to support your child's learning at home? Here are three ways to make a big difference:

• Read together every day to build vocabulary, comprehension, and a love of books.

• Talk about your child's day. Ask what they learned, what made them smile, or who they played with.

• Look for letters, numbers, and high-frequency words during everyday activities.

Together, we're building a strong foundation for a lifelong love of learning. Thank you for sharing your most precious gifts with us and for being such an important part of our school family!

With gratitude,

Ms. April Reynolds 💙

Halloween was an absolute blast! From the classroom parties to the festive parade, everyone had a wonderful time. Take a look at some of the fun moments captured throughout the day below.

Mark your calendars! KCSD’s Fall Parent-Teacher conferences will be here soon! Conferences will take place on Monday, November 23 and Tuesday, November 24. Students will not attend school on conference days. Conference scheduling will be live on Monday, November 2nd-13th in Skyward.

For your convenience, we’ve provided information about conference scheduling and resources below:

• ALL KCSD schools will be utilizing online scheduling for conferences through Skyward.

• If you require a translated conference, your child’s teacher will be reaching out to you first to schedule a conference time. Due to interpreter schedules, you do not need to schedule your own conference.

• If you are unable to schedule a conference using the resources below, please schedule directly with your child’s teacher via email or Talking Points.

• Once a conference is scheduled, your child’s school will confirm your conference on Thursday, November 19.

Online Scheduling Resources:

o Scheduling a Conference in Skyward (YouTube)

o Viewing Your Conference Times and Finding Links (YouTube)

o How To Login to Family Portal (PDF)

o Accessing Skyward in the Mobile App (PDF)

I've got spirit—yes, I do! I've got spirit—how about you?! Our students roared with excitement at our first Spirit Assembly of the year! The gym was bursting with pride, laughter, and cheers as we revisited our schoolwide expectations and celebrated what it means to be part of the Mary D. Lang family. The highlight of the day was meeting our very own mascot, Langley the Lion, who brought the energy and smiles to a whole new level🦁💙!

We also had the perfect way to wrap up our celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month with a special dance performance by Alessia’s parents, Dania and Juan Carlos. We are so grateful they shared their culture and talents with our students and made our celebration even more meaningful!

What an unforgettable celebration of culture, community, teamwork, pride, and school spirit!

Our little learners made quite a splash at our Under the Sea Literacy Night! Families enjoyed hands-on activities, including fishing for CVC words, crab-walking to read words, beachside stories, whale-size predictions, and creative storytelling.

It was an ocean of learning, laughter, and family fun! Thank you to everyone who joined us and made the evening whale-y special🐋💙! Together, there's no limit to how far our little Lions can swim!

P Pod had a pumpkin-packed month full of seasonal learning and fun! Our little learners explored the parts of a pumpkin, discovered the pumpkin life cycle, and even got a hands-on look at what’s inside. They counted seeds, investigated the slimy pulp, and used their senses to explore, observe, and learn. Nothing says fall like a little messy, hands-on learning!

The M Pod has been so busy! We jump started the month of October with Fire Safety week with a visit from the Kennett Fire Department. We had an amazing time at our first school spirit assembly where we got to watch some traditional Mexican dancers to wrap up Hispanic Heritage month. We also had so much fun sharing ways to be problem solvers in our guidance class with Mrs. Phillips. As October comes to an end, we are having the best time learning as we explore with playdough, creepy critters, fall leaves, paint, and more. Go EAGLES!

The U Pod kindergarteners had a pumpkin good time exploring and learning all about pumpkins! Each day, the last hour of the day, students visited a different U Pod classroom, where they participated in a fun, hands-on pumpkin activity. From exploring to discovering, our little learners enjoyed a week filled with curiosity, creativity, and pumpkin-themed fun!

With all the Eagles spirit we showed at Mary D., I was certain our Eagles would bring home a win against the Cowboys! Unfortunately, that wasn't the case. Win or lose, we're always proud to show our Eagles pride. Go Birds!

Students are learning a diverse set of skills that form the building blocks of successful reading. These include recognizing and pronouncing common phonemes and understanding vowel-consonant words and consonant-vowel-consonant combinations. Do you want to help them practice but are not sure how? Scan the QR code to learn how to use the UFLI Home Practice Pages to help your child continue to be successful.

*Please send a note in the Red Communication folder for ALL pick-ups or changes in dismissal. Staff may not have time to view an email or Talking Points message during the school day.

*The Food Drive ends 11/14. Please send in nonperishable items for families in need. Flyers are below.

* Parent-Teacher Conferences will be held on Monday, November 23, and Tuesday, November 24. There will be no school for students on these days so that teachers can meet individually with families.

* Please send your child to school with outerwear.

* Don’t forget to send a note to school within 3 days when your child returns after an absence.

Family Tip:

There are many things we can provide our children with that can help to promote healthy bodies and minds!

• Make sure your child is getting a good night’s sleep every night (8-11 hours)

• Limit technology and screen time

• Encourage lots of outdoor play time

• Research shows that outdoor time increases self-regulation and improved attention skills

• Encourage your child to eat healthy foods

• Give your child responsibilities to help around the house

• Sometimes we are so busy, we forget to enjoy our children. Try having fun and laughing with your child.

If your child was absent on Picture Day or you would like their picture retaken, simply return the original photos on November 10th. Please also send your child's teacher a message through Talking Points so they know your child needs a retake.

KCSD is excited to introduce Stopfinder, a new app that gives families real-time information about their child’s school bus. Once registered, you can view bus schedules, track trips, and manage transportation information for all your children in one convenient place.

Check your October 26 email for registration details and go the transportation section at kcsd.org to learn more about Stopfinder.

A very special thank you to Kerri Mangini for providing more than 70 new costumes for our kindergarteners who may have come to school without one. The excitement on our students’ faces as they got to “shop” for the perfect costume was absolutely priceless! Because of your generosity, every child had the opportunity to feel included, excited, and part of the Halloween fun. Thank you, Kerri, for helping create a little extra magic for our Little Lions!

10/14-11/14 - Food Drive for KACS - Send in canned goods, white rice, pasta, cereal, etc. (Boxes will be placed in the pod area)

11/10 - Picture Retake Day

11/13- Spirit Day (Wear Langley T-shirt) & World Kindness Day

11/16-11/20 - American Education Week

• 11/16 - Hat Day

• 11/17 - Dress For Success Day

• 11/18 - Number Day

• 11/19 - Read Me Day

• 11/20 - Blue Color Day

11/23 & 11/24 - No School for Students - Parent/Teacher Conferences

11/25, 11/26, 11/27 - No School Thanksgiving Break