In This Issue
Important Information to Remember
Snowed In Reading Night
From The Counselors
From The Nurse
Huddle Up
Student Technology Award
Weather Related Closures
Important Dates
January 5
School Resumes

January 19
No School K-12
Professional Development Day

January 29
MES Reading Night
"Snowed In"

February 18
K-12 P/T Conferences
4-8 pm

February 19
No School K-12
P/T Conferences
12-8 pm

February 20
No School K-12
Conf. Comp. Day

March 12
End of Term

March 13
No School K-12
Professional Development Day

March 16-20
No School K-12
Spring Break

March 23
School Resumes
Please be aware that school district policy does not allow us to accept flowers or other deliveries to students at school.  Please contact your student's teacher to arrange a time to celebrate a special occasion with treats, etc. 

BOE policy does not allow party invitations to be distributed at school.  Please refer to the Skyward Family Access Student Directory or your classroom directory for student addresses. 

Lost items will be placed in the lost and found located outside the main office.


Feel free to join your student for lunch, all we ask of you is to notify the front office or your child's teacher of the day you are coming.  Lunches are $3.50 for adults; please bring exact change as adult lunches cannot be taken from your child's account.

 

Student lunch accounts can be paid online through Skyward Family Access. Daily lunches are $2.45 each and extra milk is .40 cents. Lunch menus can be found online at usd266.com 

Skyward now has a mobile app!  Users can obtain the free application in the Google Play Store or in the Apple App Store.

Maize Way Spirit Friday!

Friday, January 9 students are asked to wear red or their MES shirt and be ready to hear about our  January  Maize Way word-Self-Discipline

Maize Way

 

Maize Elementary News

January 1, 2015

Volume 32, Issue 05

305 W. Jones

Maize, KS 67101

316-722-8230

 
A Note from the Principal...

 Happy New Year!  2015 promises to be an outstanding year at Maize Elementary, just like 2014 was.  I hope you and your student had a restful and enjoyable Holiday season.  I am so proud of our students' work ethic, positive attitudes and kind hearts.  With character traits like that, our kids are the reason 2015 will be a success.

 

 To get the year started off right, our staff is organizing an event for the entire MES family.  Mark your calendars for Tuesday, January 27 from 5:30-7:30 when we will celebrate our students developing their reading skills at our "Snowed-In" family reading night.  This evening will be full of fun activities for your family such as ice fishing for free books, make-it take-it projects, book review displays, painting, a cozy reading room, Principals doing read-alouds, a photo booth, web-based activities in the computer lab, a chance to MAKE your own snow and a short play! Please make plans to attend.  I know we're taking a big risk being in the state of Kansas and titling our event 'Snowed In'.  Hopefully we aren't actually snowed-in on January 27.....You never know what to expect here in Kansas.  If you don't like the weather, just wait a minute - it will change.

 We are also offering an option dinner opportunity to our families.  We are offering large pizzas by the box for a $10 donation, with bottles of water or cans of pop for 50 cents.  We will take orders via an order form and will have everything ready in our cafeteria from 5:00 - 6:00 that evening.  We are planning for overflow space in the band room.  Our thought was that families could eat dinner together and then enjoy the Snowed In activities throughout the building.  Order forms and more information about Snowed In will be coming home throughout the month of January.  We are hoping this will be a wonderful evening of fun centered around reading skill development and families spending quality time together.

 January 5 is almost here and we look forward to seeing our kiddos again! 

NEW DISMISSAL TIMES AFTER SPRING BREAK
IMPORTANT INFORMATION TO REMEMBER
Our school day starts at 8:45 am every day.  Students who arrive after 8:50 am will be counted tardy.  Students are allowed to enter the building at 8:35 am.  If you need to drop your student off before this time, the YMCA has a latchkey program at MES.  For more information please call the YMCA at 316-264-1610. 

The district dismisses students 40 minutes early every Wednesday to accommodate the Professional Learning Communities (PLCs).  The teachers participate in the PLC to discuss curriculum, instructional strategies, data review, technology training, etc.  School is dismissed at 3:20 pm every Wednesday.  Morning Kindergarten is dismissed at 11:35 am and afternoon Kindergarten begins at 12:40 pm every Wednesday.

Please call the office at 316-722-8230 if your child is going to be absent or if you have a transportation change.  For student safety, please let the office know of a transportation change before 3:30 pm and 3:00 pm on Wednesdays.

If your student is riding a different bus home with a friend, a note is required from both sets of parents.  These can be given to the office for Mr. White to sign and can then be given to the bus driver.  

MES READING NIGHT
SNOWED IN!
  Reading Night at MES
January 27th
5:30 - 7:30 pm



Mark your calendars for our first annual "Snowed In" Reading Night at MES!  We have an evening full of fun for all members of the family including an optional dinner!  Be sure to look for more information coming home soon!

  

 

 

 FROM THE COUNSELORS

 
Counselor lessons in January will be about careers.  Visit with your child about different jobs that you have had over the years. 

 

Upcoming dates for the KS State Assessments! 

Our 3rd and 4th graders will be taking state assessments this spring.  The English Language Arts (ELA) Assessment will be the week of March 30th and the Math Assessment will be the week of April 6th.  The 4th graders will also take the Science Assessment on April 14th and 15th.  Please keep these dates in mind when scheduling appointments. 

 

Welcome back and Happy New Year! 

 

 

Becky Stephens & Bill Slade, MES Counselors

350-2913 & 350-2912

[email protected][email protected]

 

 

FROM THE NURSE 

Is It a Cold or Influenza?   
When to Keep Your Child Home
 

 

Students need to have good attendance for them to learn along with their peers.  Practicing good handwashing and getting their vaccinations helps children keep healthy for school.   Children get about 6-8 colds per year.  Attending school with the sniffles is ok.  Non-stop coughing spreads germs.  Symptoms of Influenza (seasonal flu) may include fever over 100 degrees, headache, general aches and pains, fatigue and weakness, chest discomfort, and can last 5-10 days.  Treatment with antiviral medication can sometimes be used if started within the first day or two of the illness. For more information about the  flu, go to  Flu.gov.  The Center for Disease Control  recommends that
people who are sick with flu-like symptoms should stay home for at least 24 hours after the fever is gone.  Fever should be gone without the use of a fever reducing medication. Help send the message to your children that school is important, but keep them home for fever, vomiting, diarrhea, and continuous coughing.
 
 

 

 

The dentist is coming to Maize Elementary to do screenings in January.  The screening is a quick visual inspection with a flashlight.  It does not take the place of regular dental checkups.  IF YOUR CHILD HAS RECEIVED A CHECKUP IN THE LAST 6 MONTHS, YOUR CHILD DOES NOT NEED TO HAVE A SCREENINGCommunicate with the school nurse if you do not want your child to participate in the dental inspection.

 

 

HUDDLE UP

 

 

 

I hope everyone is having a great Holiday break! If you get a chance, have your kids read some labels and put their foods into the food groups.  We have recently learned some new bones for the 1-2 graders and will continue until the end of February. This month we will be focusing on basketball skills and striking with implements. Happy New Year, and cross your fingers for some snow to sled on! 

 

 

Coach Horn

 

 

OUTSTANDING STUDENT TECHNOLOGY AWARD
On Friday, December 12th, Ethan Benjamin was awarded the Kansas Infinitec Coalition Outstanding Student Technoloy Award.  Ethan is a 2nd grade student at Maize Elementary in Ruth Farrell's classroom.  This award is given out to students throughout the state who have shown that they have embraced the use of technology in their daily life to help them access the world around them.  Ethan is visually impaired and embraces technology by using a variety of CCTV devices to be able to participate in reading, writing and math with his peers.  He has jumped in with both feet with learning to use all of the different technology available to him and has enjoyed getting to learn in new ways beside his peers.  Congratulations to Ethan and keep up the great work!


 


WEATHER RELATED CLOSURES


In the event of school being dismissed because of inclement weather, a phone notification will be sent to the primary residence phone number.  Calls will start going out as early as 5:30 am on the day of the closure.  If a decision is made the night before to call off school, calls will go out until 10:30 pm.  Families and staff may consult other sources of information to determine if school will be closed.  The district's website, www.usd266.com, will be updated as soon as the decision is made to call off school and local media will be contacted in traditional methods.  


 

Maize WayThe Character Trait for January is: 
Self-Discipline 
Practicing self-control...setting long-range goals and achieving them...making good choices.