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MetroWest Elementary School
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  It is hard to believe how fast the summer has come and gone! School begins tomorrow at 8:45 and our MetroWest staff is ready and excited to begin a new year of learning with the best students in Orange County. Each week, I will continue to share my ideas of how we can work together as a team to provide the best possible education for your child. Additionally, you will find important dates, safety reminders, tips from our guidance counselor, and a variety of other information to keep you connected to our school in each community brief. Thank you for your continued support and we look forward to working with you this year! Respectfully, Christine A. Szymanski Principal  |
August 15: First Day of School August 15: Kindergarten parents Boo Hoo Breakfast 8:45 am August 22: iReady Diagnostic Window Opens, 1st-5th grades September 5: Labor Day/No School
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New traffic flow this year due to construction . . .
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Start of the school day
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School begins at 8:45. Your child may arrive no earlier than the supervision time of 8:15 unless he or she is enrolled in our extended day program. We have a new traffic flow pattern this year and we ask that you adhere to the car loop procedures and show patience when entering and exiting our campus each morning. Our car loop gates close at 8:40 to allow our staff to get to classrooms by 8:45 and begin the day. Should you arrive after this time, your child will need enter through Student Services. If it is after 8:45, your child will be marked tardy and you will need to sign them in at the student services office. Our dismissal starts at 3:00 and students exit classrooms according to an announcement for release. On early release days, Wednesdays, dismissal begins at 2:00. Again, please follow the new traffic flow pattern for the car loops and adhere to the following guidelines: do NOT exit your vehicle, do NOT park in the car loop and do NOT park and walk between cars to pick up your child. Students will be released to parents in vehicles. If you have more than one child, older students will meet their siblings at the youngest child's pick up area. Please ask your child's teacher for a car loop hanger to assist with the car loop process. We encourage parents to pick up students by 3:25 or you will have to park and come into Student Services to sign your child out.
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Gilbane Building Company
Thank you to the Gilbane Building Company - Orlando Office for organizing a large donation of school supplies for our students. We are excited to have their construction management firm as part of our MetroWest family this year as they work to reshape and enhance our existing campus in creating a second school site.  Members of the Gilbane Building Company Orlando team on campus(August 2016)
School supplies donated by the Gilbane Building Company
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Here are some things to think about as your child begins the school year.
When you think of parent involvement, do you picture moms and dads volunteering in classrooms? That's one way to help - but research shows that supporting your child's education at home is even more important. Here are four conversations that will help you stay involved.
1. "Let's see what you brought home." Look at completed work to find out what your child is learning and how well she's doing. You could comment on her Social Studies report or Art project, for instance. ("You know a lot about our state's history!") Also, respond to notes from her teacher, and sign her daily planner.
2. "Show me what you have for homework." It's your child's job to do her homework, but you play a role, too. Make sure she knows what she's supposed to do by having her explain the assignments to you. After she finishes her homework, glance over the work to see that it's complete.
3. "Describe a book you enjoyed today." This gives you an idea of what your child prefers to read. Then, build a daily reading habit by asking what she'd like to read tonight. Encourage her reading and listening skills by reading aloud to her and letting her read to you.
4. "Tell me what you learned that you'd like to know more about." Use her interests as jumping-off points for activities to share. If she likes Geometry, you might do tangrams together. If she's fascinated by how animals adapt to winter, take her to the library to research the subject or to the zoo to see live animals.
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 All students will interact with technology as Orange County Public Schools is committed to researching innovative digital curriculum, instruction, and assessment models. Do your students know how to type or just how to text? It is very important that beginning in 2nd grade all students have some experience typing every day. This is because students are required to type some of their responses on classroom assessments, the Florida Standards Assessments for English Language Arts and Mathematics, and some End of Course Assessments. Check out Typing Club! A fun and free resource to help your student prepare learn to type. This year all 3rd, 4th and 5th grade students will work on earning Career and Professional Education (CAPE) Digital Certificates. In order to earn these certificates, students will work through online modules and tests. See the Classlink login information from your child's teacher on how to access K - 5 online Reading, Math, and Science materials available through the OCPS LaunchPad site.
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Free and Reduced Applications Information  Each year ALL applications must be resubmitted to qualify for a free or reduced meal. Please have this done by September 23rd.
It can be done online at www.ocps.net Look for the word ClubLunch. Click on it to open. Then look for the words Free and Reduced Application. Click on English or Spanish and follow the instructions. Reduced Meals
| Full Paid Meals
| Breakfast and lunch daily is 70 cents
| Breakfast and lunch daily is $3.25
| Breakfast and lunch weekly is $3.50
| Weekly for breakfast and lunch is $16.25
| Breakfast only 30 cents per meal
| Breakfast only $1.35
| Lunch only 40 cents per meal
| Lunch only $1.90
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In the Spotlight . . . Welcome Back Laura Markley!
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Laura Markley, 4th Grade Teacher
 We are excited to have Ms. Markley back at MetroWest as a 4th grade teacher. She was born in Jacksonville, FL and has lived in Florida most of her life. Laura went to Stetson University and earned degrees in Elementary Education and Spanish. She loves the Harry Potter series (in my mind, Hermione and I would be best friends) and cats are her spirit animal. Laura loves to travel, run, shop, go to theme parks, and bake. In an ideal world, she would eat Nutella hazelnut spread at every meal. Ms. Markley, 4th Grade Teacher
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About the MetroWest PTA
The MetroWest Elementary School PTA is an organization led by volunteers that are parents, teachers, administrators and community members working on behalf of all the children at our school. Our goal is to unite home, school and community for all students.
Planned Events
The PTA is responsible for numerous rewarding programs throughout the school year. We are planning on supporting our students and teachers, hosting a school wide dance, reading nights, science and math nights, fit club, book club, food drive, Thanksgiving baskets, a service club, color run and many more exciting activities.
Membership
Please make sure you become a member of the MWES PTA. Your contribution helps us to fund these programs. The donation of your time is also integral to helping the students and being able to offer so many important programs to our school. I implore you to think about what events you may be interested in helping with through the PTA. You may include these items on your membership application or by reaching out to me by email at hniemasmwpta@gmail.com
MetroWest ACE
APRENDA INGLES/LEARN TO SPEAK ENGLISH (ESOL)
- Registration is from 5:00-7:00PM in Building 11-108
- Returning: August 15 and 16, $50.00
- New Registrations: August 17 and 18, $35.00
- PAYMENT REQUIRED IN THE FORM OF A MONEY ORDER OR CHECK TO REGISTER FOR CLASS
- PLEASE BRING: Visa valid through January 2017 or U.S. Government Issued ID (example: driver's license)
- Children of enrolled students will receive FREE CHILDCARE age 3 years and up, while their parents are in class!
- For more information contact: Ms. Pagán at agnes.pagan@ocps.net or Ms. Smith at carol.smith@ocps.net
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MetroWest Leadership Team
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This communication may contain information that is legally privileged, confidential or exempt from disclosure,
and intended only for the use of the addressee(s) named above. If you are not the intended recipient, please note that any dissemination, distribution, or copying of this communication is strictly prohibited. Anyone who receives this message in error should notify the sender immediately by telephone or by return e-mail, and delete the message from their computer and any printout thereof. Please note that OCPS utilizes spam and junk e-mail filtration applications in its e-mail systems. That filtering process may prevent or delay delivery of certain e-mail communications. If you do not receive a timely response to an e-mail communication, please contact the intended recipient by phone.
Copyright Notice
 Reproduction of this material, either written or electronically, including the general layout, graphics, analyses, and content topics without the express approval of Target Performance Systems, Inc., a Florida corporation, and Mrs. Christine Szymanski (principal of MetroWest Elementary School) is forbidden without written consent. Thank you for your support of the Orange County Public Schools and especially MetroWest Elementary School.
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