The Montgomery Elementary Schools (MES) PTA E-news
is published weekly and provides PTA updates and information related to Orchard Hill
and Village Elementary Schools of the Montgomery Township School District.
Just keep scrolling....you don't want to miss anything!
**All dates are subject to change.**
If this e-news was forwarded to you and you'd like to subscribe
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WHAT'S IMPORTANT THIS WEEK |
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BACK TO SCHOOL HIT LIST
If you have a student returning to campus for in-person instruction, please consider a small list of reminders to help you prepare:
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First thing in the morning - complete the form! Go on Genesis, log into your child's account and complete the Health Screening Questionnaire. Set a daily morning reminder or put a post-it note on your bathroom mirror.
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School Supplies - double check your child's list, especially protective sleeves for fully charged Chromebooks, Headphones (stored safely in a labeled Ziploc bag), and other items labeled and ready for use.
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School Safety Items - Towel, at least 3 masks (1 to wear, 1 in backpack, 1 to keep at school), a full water bottle as water fountain/water bottle filling station access will be prohibited.
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Label all Jackets, Hats, etc. with your child's name.
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If using the bus, wait 5-10 minutes earlier than expected pick-up/drop-off times. Check your child's Genesis account to ensure changes haven't been made since you last checked.
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If picking up/dropping off your child at school, please double check the school's current procedures. For picking up your child, make a sign with required info such as name, grade level and teacher's name, then keep copies in your car(s) for future pick ups. For reference:
- Map for OHES pick-up/drop-off
- Pick Up/Drop Off Instructions for OHES
- Map for VES pick-up/drop
- Pick Up/Drop Off Instructions for VES (scroll down)
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Snacks - Pack easy to open snacks (friendly to little hands), and avoid peanut, tree nut or other allergy-related foods. Make sure food is substantial to satiate a child getting only a snack, and try to select foods that are easy to consume given time constraints.
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Take Pictures - scroll below and follow instructions to upload your first day of in-person school photos!
Our friends at OHES and VES recently sent out a very detailed and helpful summary in their respective newsletters. Please visit the OHES document by clicking here.
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ALL YOU HEROES, LISTEN UP!
WE NEED ROOM PARENTS!
Are you interested in serving as a MES PTA Room Parent for your child's classroom? Even with the virtual/hybrid format, we intend to organize and assist during the school year with fun activities, virtual events and assisting our teachers to make it a great year!
If you wish to be considered as a MES PTA Room Parent, please review the expectations and information, then complete the Google Form found here.
Deadline to express interest is October 23. An MES PTA Room Parent Coordinator (either for OHES or VES) will be in contact with you shortly thereafter.
Thanks for your consideration!
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WHO'S READY TO BOO?
Well, get ready!
The first-ever MES PTA Virtual Boo Bash is coming, starting Monday, October 19th through our Virtual Boo Bash Finale on Friday, October 23rd!
Online puzzles, games, a self-guided Halloween House Tour and Contest, and a Very Special Virtual Night of Fun! All of this is within the month, so read all about it by clicking here!
Most importantly, to participate in our Virtual Boo Bash Finale on October 23, you must register in advance! Registration will close on TUESDAY, OCTOBER 20 or earlier should we reach our Zoom capacity. There is no fee to participate so please act now, sign up, and get ready for some fun and engaging pre-Halloween fun!
NOTE: Families will be limited to ONE registration per household. This allows us to permit as many households as possible.
Again, to learn more or register please click here! Thanks!
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Thank you to all who joined us for the Open House for Select Hybrid Students on October 8. Some 45 OHES families and 91 VES families visited, taking a "test drive" of walking into school and finding classrooms, the library, etc.
The MES PTA provided information on PTA membership enrollment, answered general questions and offered school and district branded merchandise for sale. Here's to all our volunteers, school staff and administrators that helped put this event together. Every effort helps make the difference!
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MES PTA is a community made up of parents, guardians, teachers and staff whose goal is to enrich the experience of our students at Orchard Hill Elementary School and Village Elementary School.
MES PTA is supported by the generous donations of time, finances and love from our community. Last academic year (2019- 2020), MES PTA raised and provided more than $40,000 of funding for the students for Educational Programs (ex. Character Education, Assemblies), grants for teachers and staff, facility renovations, appreciation events for teachers/staff, etc.
* NOTE: If your family is eligible for free/reduced lunch, please contact your school’s secretary to inquire about a membership fee waiver.
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MARK YOUR CALENDARS
(VIRTUAL) PTA MEETING
IS COMING UP!
Join us on Wednesday,
October 21 at 6:30 pm
to hear about all the ways,
"You can PTA!"
Zoom Link credentials will be sent out the week of the meeting. To stay up to date on all upcoming meetings, please click here.
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A Profile in Resilience
As part of a new initiative to foster more communication, each week the MES PTA will interview a member of our community with questions specific to these unprecedented times.
This week we are visiting with Nora Kobylarz, the first person you probably see upon visiting OHES (she's the receptionist and clerk for the school). She's also a resident and active community member of Montgomery Township.
Miss Nora shares, "I am not saying this will be easy at first but I do trust they will work hard to make it work as always. We are all in this TOGETHER."
Please read our entire visit with Nora in her "Profile in Resilience" by clicking here.
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That’s right, our popular fundraiser
is only available VIRTUALLY this year!
We understand that we aren’t seeing each other in person right now, but our MES PTA is working hard to find ways to bring us together as a community. This is one way to bring our hands together while staying apart because while you shop for gifts for others or maybe for yourself, you are giving back to our children at Orchard & Village.
With over 2,500 gift ideas there is something for everyone on your holiday gift list! Be sure to register for our fundraiser online today and send 10 email invitations to friends & family.
Click HERE or on the gift image above, enter our Organization ID,
and follow the directions to add a participant (the student).
Our Organization ID is: 11663
DEADLINE TO ORDER IS MONDAY, OCTOBER 26
For questions please email:
Jennifer Lafaman - Orchard students
Asma Amed - Village students
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While the Fair will be exclusively held online this year, we still plan on making it a fun and joyous experience for our kids.
Remember, every dollar you spend will benefit
our school directly (25% back in rewards!).
Save these dates and view our school’s Fair site:
Fair Dates: October 19th to November 1st, 2020
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AMAZON PRIME DAYS ARE RIGHT AROUND THE CORNER!
Big deals available on OCTOBER 13-14 Amazon will donate a portion of the price of eligible purchases to the MES PTA!
- Simply visit smile.amazon.com
- Sign-in with your Amazon credentials
- Search for and select "Montgomery Elementary Schools PTA"
- Start shopping!
You can also create a bookmark for smile.amazon.com so future purchases can still help us out!
For more information on Amazon Prime Days, please click here!
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Got First-Day-of-School Photos?
We Have Answers!
The MES PTA yearbook committee wants them!
Please share with us your kids' first day of school photos as long as you grant us media release to place them in the yearbook.
We can’t guarantee to include every single photo submitted, but we will make sure to use a variety from different families. Deadline for submission is October 31st. Please remember:
- Upload only photos with students from that school (ie. VES siblings cannot be with OHES siblings)
- No adults (we are only permitted to include students in the yearbook)
- Make sure your images are clear (we cannot use blurry images)
For OHES:
For VES:
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MES PTA
CALENDAR/INFO/RESOURCES
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OCTOBER Dates/Events
Upcoming Events/Meetings & Related Dates
- November 2, 3, 4 - ALL VIRTUAL SCHOOL DAYS
- November 5, 6 - NJEA Convention (Schools Closed)
- November 11 - MES PTA Virtual Monthly Meeting
- November 19, 20, 23, 24 - Parent-Teacher Conferences
- November 25 - Early Dismissal
- November 26, 27 - Fall Recess (Schools Closed)
For a calendar of 2020-2021 MES PTA Meetings and Events, please visit our website by clicking here.
For the 2020-2021 MTSD District Calendar, click here.
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All The Ways to Follow MES PTA: |
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Post to our profile on Facebook @MES PTA
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For a listing of our Board of Directors please click here.
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To view our MES PTA E-News archive, please click here.
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To view previous MES PTA meeting minutes, please click here.
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OHES LINKS, INFORMATION
AND RESOURCES
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VES LINKS, INFORMATION
AND RESOURCES
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Montgomery Special Education PTA (MSEPTA) |
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The Montgomery Special Education PTA (MSEPTA) is a district-wide organization designed to build strong partnerships amongst teachers, parents, administration, existing PTA’s, and the community so that children receiving special education services of any kind will be better understood, integrated and embraced by our school and community.
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To join MSEPTA and support teachers and students in Special Education, please click here.
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Special Education Parent Advisory Group
(SEPAG) Needs You!
Do you want to have a voice in the policies, programs, and practices that impact services and supports for children with disabilities (students with IEP, 504, or receiving any form of related services) and their families? MSEPTA is forming a committee with parents to work with the school district to address systemic challenges.
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MSEPTA is offering exclusive rights to promote your Business in our MSEPTA school emails, so act fast if you want to feature your real estate business, professional practice, dentist office, etc.!
One ad per business on a first come, first serve basis. ($300 annually)
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FACE MASKS - Last Chance!
Only about 20 left of each!
Black 100% Cotton 3-ply mask
with the cougar logo
*NO RETURNS * NO REFUNDS*
Pick-up for order will be announced once we have a date/time/place.
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Click here to learn about all the exciting things happening at the Mary Jacobs Library in Rocky Hill and the entire Somerset County Library System.
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Montgomery Township News
Below are links to current News, Events and Recreation Information. Check it out!
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Click here to stay on top of what is happening in our school district!
Below are some important links
to have at your fingertips:
UPDATE: Lunch is being provided to eligible students. The lunches are being made in South Brunswick, picked up by our transportation department and then delivered directly to students’ homes. Please click here to view the menu of the day.
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