Marshall Messenger
Week of January 25-29, 2021
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Weekly Schedule
Thursday - End of 2nd Marking Period
Friday - Half Day for Students (classes will be held in the morning - no PM Kindergarten). Dismissal is still 11:45 a.m. for AM Kindergarten, but students in grades 1 - 5 will be dismissed at 1:00 p.m.
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Friday, January 29th - Half day for students (classes will be held in the morning - no PM Kindergarten). Dismissal is still 11:45 a.m. for AM Kindergarten, but students in grades 1 - 5 will be dismissed at 1:00 p.m.
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Iowa Test of Basic Skills (ITBS) will occur February 8 - 12th.
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Valentine’s Day Parties - Friday, February 12 @ 2:30 p.m.
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A Quick Message from the Principal’s Office
Our MES students are back in the building! We’ve had such a great week back at school, and we are so excited to see all the little faces of our students. MES teachers and staff have missed them so much, and it is evident that the kids were happy to return. We thank our MES families for all their support and flexibility throughout the uncertainty we experience due to the pandemic. Our goal is to always ensure that the children are happy, healthy, and safe. On behalf of everyone at MES, we wish all of you a happy new year!
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Outdoor Recess
As the temperatures fluctuate during the winter months, it is important that students come to school prepared for outside recess. Students will go outside as many days as possible unless it is raining or when the temperature/wind chill is below approximately 20 degrees.
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Weather Alert: Closings & Delays
Just as a reminder, in the event of a two-hour delay or North Allegheny schools are closed because of snow or other emergency conditions, the official announcement is provided on the NA website: www.northallegheny.org. The information is also communicated on local television stations and through the District’s School Messenger system.
Kindergarten parents – please be mindful of the modified schedule for kindergarten when there is a two-hour delay:
- AM Kindergarten: 11:00am to 12:45pm
- PM Kindergarten: 1:45pm to 3:30pm
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Valentine’s Day
Although our parties this school year may look different, we still work closely with the PFA to explore safe, enjoyable activities for special events like Valentine’s Day. Children will still be permitted to exchange valentines with their classmates, but we kindly ask that parents and guardians do not purchase valentines that require “licking” the envelopes. Please choose the type you can tuck, fold, or simply place a sticker on them to seal. In addition, it may be helpful to complete the valentines well enough in advance so they may sit for a period of time to avoid the spread of any germs or bacteria. Teachers will handle safe distribution of the cards within their classrooms.
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ITBS Testing
Students in grades 2, 3, 4, and 5 will participate in the ITBS (Iowa Test of Basic Skills) during the week of February 8th - 12th. Parents are asked to make sure students are in attendance and on time for these important assessments.
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Yearbook Challenge - Band/Orchestra and Favorite Book
This week we have 2 challenges in 1!
No winter concerts - no problem! Grab a close up of your kiddo practicing hard at home with their instrument of choice (students do not need to wear the MES polo shirt).
For all of our young readers out there - show us a photo of you and your favorite book. If there's a special spot or nook you use just for curling up with that masterpiece, we want to see that too!
Complete one challenge or both, it's your choice! Please click on the link below for more information.
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Upcoming Half Days
There are two scheduled half days for students during the 2020-2021 school year. The first half-day is scheduled for Friday, January 29. School hours for the first half day are:
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Grades 1-5 - 9:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
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AM Kindergarten - 9:00 a.m. - 11:45 a.m.
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PM Kindergarten students will not report on January 29
Students in grades 1-5 will have lunch before being dismissed.
The second half-day is scheduled for Thursday, April 1. School hours will be the same for the second half-day, except PM Kindergarten students will attend school 9:00 a.m. - 11:45 a.m. and AM Kindergarten students will not report.
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Thank You Winter Mystery Readers!
Nice work everyone! The kids and teachers loved your winter mystery reader videos. We were overwhelmed by the response - between MES and NACA over 100 parents, grandparents and older siblings took the time to record themselves reading a winter story. What a special way to make the last week of school before break extra fun! Students and teachers alike loved it so much they’ve asked us to do it again for Valentine’s day since we won’t be able to have parent volunteers in the building. More details as soon, but for now we just wanted to say THANK YOU MES!
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Teacher & Staff Appreciation
Thanks to all who donated a food item to our New Year’s Resolutions themed treat jar for the MES teachers and staff to enjoy this week! We will be doing it all over again next week, and kindly request donations be delivered to MES on the morning of Monday 1/25. Sign-up on our website. Thanks in advance MES!
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Launching Into Kindergarten
Have a child starting in kindergarten next school year? Join us virtually on February 3 to learn all about kindergarten at NA! The meeting agenda and discussion points include:
- A Day in the Life of a Kindergartener
- Is your child ready for kindergarten?
- Registration Information
- Preparing your child for kindergarten
- Kindergarten Orientation (Process and Transitions)
- Curriculum Night
A link to the meeting will be posted on the NA website soon!
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Transitioning from Blackboard Collaborate to Google Meet
Starting in the second semester, teachers will begin to transition to the use of Google Meet in place of Blackboard Collaborate. This transition is occurring to address some of the technical issues that have been experienced by some families when using the Blackboard Collaborate platform.
Your child’s teacher has been working on setting up Google Meet sessions so that they can be securely accessed through Blackboard in a manner similar to how they accessed classes in Collaborate. As a part of Google Meet security, students cannot enter a Google Meet session unless a teacher is in the session. If your child tries to join a class before the teacher arrives, he/she will receive a message that says “You are not permitted to join the meeting“. If this occurs, your child should wait a few minutes and try again to enter the class.
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New Testing Window for the Iowa Test of Basic Skills (ITBS) for grades 2-7
The new testing window for the ITBS will be February 8-12 for students participating in in-person instruction in grades 2-5. Students participating in in-person instruction in grades 6 and 7 will be administered the test on January 27 and 28. Fifth grade students in NACA will have the opportunity to participate during this testing window as well. Students in Grades 2, 3, 4, 6, and 7 who attend NA Cyber will be able to take the ITBS later this spring.
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Kindergarten Registration Now Open
Registration for students who will attend kindergarten in the 2021-2022 school year is now open. Visit our website for more details!
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NASD Free Meal Program Survey
NA continues to be approved to provide free breakfast and lunch for all students. We want you to take advantage of the free meals that are available to students for the rest of the year! Please complete the short survey below to help our food service provider better accommodate you and your family.
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Missed a Newsletter?
All building newsletters are archived weekly on the North Allegheny website. This designated webpage will be updated with links to the previous week’s newsletters at the beginning of each school week by 11:30 a.m. A link to the archive is accessible on the District’s homepage and on each building’s homepage.
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The North Allegheny School District often receives requests for the distribution of athletics and approved non-profit community organization digital flyers. All requests for community flyers to be included in this newsletter must be submitted via email only at flyers@northallegheny.org. Flyers will only be posted and removed from the District website on Friday. Visit our website for details on how to submit flyers.
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Main Office - 724-935-4044
Nurse's Office - 724-934-6075
Counseling Office - 724-935-4044
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