September 1, 2019Thank you so much to all of our parents who attended Montrose’s Curriculum Night! Your partnership with us is the foundation our students'/your child’s success! If you have questions about your child’s day or curriculum, or want to inquire about something in regard to your child, please connect with their classroom teacher. Your child’s teacher knows them, knows the curriculum, the routines, and is the best resource for your child’s educational journey. Thank you!
I try and stay current with educational leadership and trends in education. This week, I came across this from one of my favorites, George Courous, author of The Innovator's Mindset: Empower Learning, Unleash Talent, and Lead a Culture of Creativity. It allowed me to stop, take a deep breath, and appreciate how we build each other up. I encourage you this week or weekend to ask your child, "Who can you build up and inspire in order to create more joy and kindness in our world?".
IMPORTANT LINKS
QUESTIONS & INSIGHT/ANSWERS
Q: Does Bexley City School’s Volunteer Handbook require me to get a background check if I want to chaperone a field trip with my child and his/her class?
A: Parents going on a field trip are not required to get a background check however, if they will not be within eyesight of the teacher on the field trip, it is advisable to pair two volunteer chaperones together with a group of students.
Q: My son shared that students have recess first and then eat lunch. He also said that students are sitting by classroom in the lunchroom. Can you share more about this?
A: As a staff, we have determined that having students sit by class has created a calmer environment for students to eat their lunch. Previously, there was much chaos during lunch with students in loud verbal disagreements, hurt feelings, and physical fighting at lunch time. As a staff, we needed to make some positive changes to help our students have a relaxing atmosphere for lunch. Staff observed that students now have a place to sit and eat community style with their classrooms. Rather than a student being alone if they are unable to find a friend or don't have the opportunity for a friend to ask them to sit with them. We also found that students were creating new opportunities to meet new friends and develop new friendships and closer friendships with people in their class. In addition, students have 40 minutes to play with any friend of their choosing at recess prior to their lunch. The staff along with the Building Leadership Team will continue to monitor and reflect on this practice. The staff have also started brainstorming ways to allow students to sit among their grade level and create some fun days for students to sit with others rather than just by class.
Q: What time can my student come for breakfast in the morning?
A: Students are welcome to come to school to purchase breakfast as early as 7:45 a.m. We have staff ready to greet students and serve them breakfast. Parents, we need your help. If you are dropping off your child off for breakfast, please come prior to 8:10 a.m. Most recently children are arriving at 8:10 to eat breakfast. Please, please back this time up and bring your child earlier, if the are buying breakfast, even as early as 7:45 a.m.. Five minutes to eat breakfast and get to class to be ready for learning at 8:15 is challenging. Let’s set our kids up for success by coming to school for breakfast earlier than 8:10 a.m. Thank you so much!
Q: What time does the school day start this school year?
A: This year, all three elementary schools open their doors to students at 8:10 a.m. The tardy bell rings at 8:15 a.m. Contractual time for teacher begins at 8:00 a.m. Many of our staff members are here prior to that, however, they’re work time does not begin until 8:00 a.m. To give our teachers a few minutes to prep for the school day, there is an agreement that student days begin at 8:10 a.m.
Q: How does the finger scan work at lunch time?
A: Great questions are being asked about the finger scan at lunch time. Please click here to learn more. https://www.bexleyschools.org/FoodServicesEZpay.aspx
Q: I noticed a hornet’s nest on the Remington side of the building. Will that be removed?
A: The hornet’s nest was removed last week and is no longer renting space at Montrose. : )
Q: I’ve seen some families dropping their child off in the morning from their car. They park the car right outside the Remington side of the school. I am concerned because many students are walking there and the bus is unable to park to let off students. Should parents be parking there?
A: During drop off and pick up, it’s important that parents and families pull up to the DROP OFF zone/area on Remington Road and pull all the way to the right (along the sidewalk) to not block traffic. We need to ensure that our students are safe and to ensure we are courteous as a community to all car and bus drivers trying to get our students to school safely. Thank you!
Q: It sounds like there was a bunny nest in the middle of the grassy area of the playground. Are the bunnies okay?
A: As soon as the bunny nest was discovered, cones and signage were put up to keep the bunnies and our students safe. Ms. K-L inquired with the Ohio Wildlife Center and they shared that the Mommy Rabbit would take the bunnies to a new location when it was dark. Surprisingly, that’s exactly what happened overnight!
UPCOMING EVENTS
Labor Day, no school. Monday, September 2nd
Launch Wednesday for Bexley Be Well, September 4th
Schottenstein Theater 6:30-8:30 p.m. Bexley City Schools will provide a screening of the film Angst followed by a panel discussion with experts in the field of mental health.
Community Book Read, September 5th - October 5th
Bexley CSD is inviting our community to engage in a reading of the book What Made Maddy Run by Kate Fagan. Staff and community members may read the book as individuals, families, or join a book club. Books may be purchased at the launch event, at Gramercy Books, or borrowed from the Bexley Public Library.
Parent Institute Sunday, September 22nd
Our first Parent Institute of the year will feature multiple sessions on topics related to our community conversation as well as other topics of importance to our parents.
Disney's Cinderella KIDS, September 26th, 27th, and 28th
Come and see our students in the Fall Musical!
Montrose Picture Day, Friday, September 27th
Info and order forms to come!
Author Visit Sunday, October 6th
Schottenstein Theater, 5:30-7:30 p.m.
Kate Fagan is the author of the instant New York Times bestseller, What Made Maddy Run, which spent a month as the No. 1 New York Times bestseller on the sports list. What Made Maddy Run was long-listed for the PEN/ESPN Award for Literary Sports Writing. Fagan is also the author of the coming-of-age memoir, The Reappearing Act, about her experience coming out while playing basketball at the University of Colorado.
Monday, October 7th - Voter registration deadline
Anyone who is registered to vote in Ohio can cast their vote early at the Board of Elections Office at 1700 Morse Road, Columbus, OH 43229. Early voting starts October 8, 2019, and the hours are as follows:
Oct. 8 - Oct. 25, 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Oct. 28 - Nov. 1, 8:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m.
Nov. 2, 8:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m.
Nov. 3, 1:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Nov. 4, 8:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.
Early votes can also be cast by mail through the absentee ballot/early voting ballot application.
To learn more and to initiate your ballot request, visit https://www.sos.state.oh.us/elections/voters/absentee-voting/#byMail
Visit https://olvr.sos.state.oh.us/ to register to vote. The deadline to register is October 7, 2019.
Tuesday, October 8th - Early voting begins
Tuesday, November 5th - Election Day
STAFF HIGHLIGHT
This week, we are highlighting our Bexley’s Elementary Instructional Coaches. Jana Clarke has been an elementary teacher for the last 14 years in Bexley City Schools and been a part. Instructing others in the areas of reading and writing are her passion! Mrs. Clarke will be serving in the role of literacy coach and looks forward to learning and enhancing the the amazing things that are going on in English Language Arts classrooms at Cassingham, Maryland and Montrose. She sees herself as the thread to pull together all the great work that is happening at each elementary school.
Rachel Niswander has taught in Bexley for 18 years as a 3rd, 4th, and 6th grade teacher. Over the past six years, she has spent half her day teaching students in the 4th grade and the other half as a Teacher Leader. She is excited about the opportunity to transition from the Teacher Leader position to the Numeracy Coach for Kdg - 5th grade. She encourages parents and staff to follow her on Twitter @NiswanderNugget.
Left: Jana Clarke
Right: Rachel Niswander
LAST BUT NOT LEAST
This week, we honored our first Monty Super Stars! If you are new to Montrose, like me, the name of our school mascot is Monty Moose. Monty Moose and staff notice when students display attributes of our Bexley Learner Profile. When this happens, students are awarded a Monty Noticed bright orange certificate and receive positive feedback from staff. Then students can bring their orange certificate to the office to be congratulated and enter a chance to become a Monty Super Star! Students can bring home their bright orange Monty Noticed certificates that same day. However, they have a chance to be a Monty Super Star when we announce them on Friday afternoons. Here are our first Monty Super Stars!
.
Have wonderful and safe Labor Day tomorrow!
Warmly,
Ms. K-L
Melissa Klosterman-Lando
Principal at Montrose Elementary, Bexley City School District
614-237-4226
Montrose Elementary's website
Follow Montrose Elementary on Twitter at @BexleyMontrose
Engage. Empower. Equip.