Montezuma Creek Elementary School

Montezuma Creek Elementary School Montezuma Creek, UT 84534 Dear Student(s) and Families, Montezuma Creek Elementary school is expecting all students to attend school daily in person. School starts Thursday, August 18, at 8:25 am! Good attendance improves learning outcomes. So please make sure that your student is here on time daily to get the most out of each day of learning. Here is some important information: • Our entire campus will be closed on August 15th as all staff will be at a district training. • Registration may be accomplished online starting August 1st. If you need assistance, call 435.678.1261. Parents who have an aspire account will receive an email with the registration link. The Aspire Registration link will also be posted August 1st on the school website and on our facebook page. •We are hosting on campus Registration August 8-11, from 9 am-2 pm. • If you need to meet with the counselor, principal, and/or assistant principal as part of Registration, please visit campus on August 10-11. • We encourage all families to read and discuss the contents of the Handbook, especially the Behavior Expectations prior to school starting on August 18, at 8:20 am. Parent handbook is available on our school website and a paper copy can be picked up at registration Aug 8- 11th. • School Community Council nominations are needed. Interested parents should call 435-678-1261 or sign-up at Registration. Voting will occur during CCR Day on September 14th. More information will be sent out about this. • It is entirely possible that the Navajo Nation will continue with a mask mandate. We will continue to inform families about this mandate via our website. • Be sure you download San Juan Apptegy wherever you get your apps, if you have not already, so you can get alerts and updates. Go to your phone’s play store and type in San Juan Apptegy to find the free app. Reading is an essential part of learning. It is important for families to set up expectations about reading outside of school. We are expecting students to spend 10 to 30 minutes reading per night. This can be done individually, as a family, or with a partner. We want to be partners with parents in helping our students to learn all that is possible! You can call and talk with the principal or counselor and if needed we can set up a time for a face to face meeting. Please reach out with questions. We are excited to have you as part of our learning community. Sincerely, Anita Jacobsen, Principal ajacobsen@sjsd.org 435.678.1822

Online registration for Pre-K - 6th grade at Montezuma Creek Elementary will begin August 1st. A registration link will be posted on the school website and on the school facebook page. Parents needing help with registration August 1st - August 5th can call 435-678-1261. For parents wanting to register in person, registration will be August 8th - August 11th

I am looking for several part-time (20 hours per week) math mentors. These hours would be from 11 am to 3 pm daily. The mentors would be working with individuals or small groups of students in grades 4th - 6th. Please call or email to get more information.

I am looking for 3 paraeducators. Please call or stop in to find out more information about these positions.

Parents of students who will be in preschool or kindergarten in the fall. Sign your kids up for the Waterford Upstart program. There is a link in the flyer to get more information. This a great opportunity for your child to lear The program builds academic skills and routines so your child is ready to be confident and successful at school. On average, graduates enter kindergarten reading at almost a first-grade level.

Shoe Drive! Free shoes for children Pre-K to 2nd Grade Only. Saturday June 18, 2022 @11AM Whitehorse High School Parking Lot First come, first serve! Face-Masks Required

We have moved to lockout as a precaution from law enforcement due to a safety concern in the community. We are safe inside of our building. We will let you know when we are back off lockdown. We have not further information at this time. Please do not call the office and tie up the line.

A strategy to help kids remember what they read The best way to teach kids is to use real books. Read a short section aloud. Cover what you read with your hand. Think aloud as you remember what you read. Retell what you just read. Here is a link to the full article: https://www.themeasuredmom.com/reading-comprehension-strategy-help-kids-remember-read/

It’s Teacher Appreciation Week! Thank you to our teachers and staff for helping make this year successful. Thank your teacher(s) today!

Attention Parents: We need your help. We are testing Pre-K to 6th grade students during May. This testing gives us information that will guide instructional decisions as we plan for next year. Please make sure that your students are here to do their best on their tests. These tests take time and we need your students here every day. Any student who misses a test due to illness will be tested when they return. Our testing window is May 2nd - May 20th for all grades.

MOTIVATING STRUGGLING READERS What is this secret? It’s simple really. And it’s something to be applied to all kinds of learners, not just struggling readers. This one simple secret is choice. CHOICE IN WHAT THEY READ There are 4 simple resources that help me provide choice for struggling readers. 1. Their interests. This is where I always start. People are naturally going to stick with things longer if there’s an interest. It’s the same with struggling readers. I ask myself questions like: What does the child like to do? What subject interests him the most? What hobbies does he have? 2. Use Online reviews & book lists to help find quality books that your struggling reader may be interested in. 3. Check out books from the library for your struggling reader so that your struggling reader can have options at no cost to you. 4.Give your struggling reader a “sneak peek” by reading the first part of the book out loud. This can do two things: 1- pique interest and 2- introduce the characters, setting, and typically a problem. If he’s interested from the intro, he can pick up where you left off. I really liked this article. If you would like to read the whole article, use the link below. https://thisreadingmama.com/mo...

Parents, we are concerned about the video game Huggy Wuggy. Numerous students at our school are viewing these violent videos that were created for adults, not for children. "The main character can be easily viewed on YouTube channels and is a teddy bear with razor-sharp teeth that sings worrying songs about hugging and killing." 1 "The results of the studies show that on-screen violence can cause children to: become “immune” or numb to the horror of violence, gradually accept violence as a way to solve problems, and/or start to imitate the violence they observe." 2 Please monitor your child's screen time and find appropriate activities for them to participate in. Students are bringing stuffed animals from home to represent Huggy Wuggy. Toys are not allowed at school because they distract from learning. Please check your student's backpack and make sure that toys and stuffed animals are not coming to school. Toys and stuffed animals will be taken by staff members when seen. Parents can come to pick them up from the principal. Thanks, Anita Jacobsen Montezuma Creek Elementary Links to articles quoted: 1-https://www.forbes.com/sites/danidiplacido/2022/04/12/the-huggy-wuggy-youtube-panic-explained/?sh=581feb0336be 2-https://www.lifespan.org/lifespan-living/screens-violence-and-impact-children#:~:text=The%20results%20of%20the%20studies,imitate%20the%20violence%20they%20observe

​Why You Should Still Read Aloud to Your Struggling Readers 1. It shows them that the struggle to learn to read is worth it. 2. It improves their vocabulary. 3. It improves comprehension (understanding). 4. It helps develop background knowledge. 5. It’s fun. ​Here is the link to the full article. https://www.themeasuredmom.com...

Parents at MZC we putting a major focus on reading improvement from now until the end of the year. Over the next 6 weeks I am going to share a strategy each week for parents to their help struggling readers with common reading challenges. Please go to the link below to see an article about how to teach your child to visualize a story. https://docs.google.com/document/d/1x-Stto6_jOhEdaIhMg7PKlVx4Iaw0U7wbVgd2Nsx8-I/edit?usp=sharing

We made it to 4th quarter. Please make sure that your students are attending unless that are sick. It hard for students to learn if they do not attend regularly. We are focusing on improving reading this quarter. By showing improvement in reading students will earn points to get free books at our in school book fair at the end of April. Please have your child read at home nightly. Each grade level has chosen a focus area. Teachers will be sending information home with activities for parents to use to help their child improve their reading.

Parents, in the March 9th, SJSD board meeting, the SJSD Board of Education will be discussing school fees and spend plans for the 2022-2023 school year. These proposed fees and spend plans must be available at least twice for public input and must be officially approved before April 1st. This is the third opportunity for public input and the last opportunity to be approved before April 1st. These fees are included in the agenda which can be viewed by going to the district website. (www.sjsd.org) Anyone wishing to make a comment regarding the proposed fee schedule, can do so in next Wednesday Board Meeting either in person or virtually. Your input is greatly valued.

Notice: Due to COVID precautions and the Navajo Nation remaining in the 'RED" status, the March SJSD Board Meeting, previously scheduled for March 9th at Monument Valley High School, will be held at the District Office in Blanding Utah, and broadcasted to the public. A link to stream the meeting will be available early next week on the district website . Thank You

We were expecting a delivery from Toys for Tots today. We are not sure why we did not receive one. We have no control over this. There is a possibility of a gift for each child in January but we will have to wait and see what happens.

Parents here is the link to with step by step instructions for students to get into Core 5, Lexia, or other school programs. https://docs.google.com/document/d/1cfamh0adLeTvXy1sw6_oHRb_viC-9M9Me3-6du8dgM0/edit?usp=sharing

Parents here is the link to with step by step instructions for students to get into Core 5, Lexia, or other school programs. https://docs.google.com/document/d/1cfamh0adLeTvXy1sw6_oHRb_viC-9M9Me3-6du8dgM0/edit?usp=sharing