Upcoming Dates to Remember
Upcoming Dates to Remember
October 26
Futures Committee 3:30 pm
October 29
Día de los Muertos
Glow Night (PC Fundraiser)
November 1-2
NO SCHOOL - Parent Teacher Conferences
November 2
MSCS Board of Directors 6:00 pm
November 8
School Accountability Committee 6:00 pm
November 16
MSCS Board of Directors 6:00 pm
|
|
Nurturing Our Spirit Nature |
“We can find nature outside us only if we have first learned to know her within us. What is akin to her within us must be our guide. This marks out our path of inquiry.”
Children who take care of plants learn to connect water with growth. They associate cause and effect as they experiment with too much or too little.
Here at Mountain Song, you’ll see living things not just in the garden, but in every classroom. You’ll see students gently tending to their plants and growing alongside them.
|
|
Celebrating Día de los Muertos |
This week the students have learned the reason why Mexico and other countries celebrate Día de los Muertos. The festival, an ancient tradition from Mexico, honors the lives of loved ones who have passed, while also celebrating the gift of life.
Families and communities create colorful ofrendas (offerings) in honor of deceased loved ones, decorating them with photos, flowers, candles, and their loved one's favorite food. These ofrendas become meeting places for people to come together and share fond stories and remember those we cherish who have passed on. Students are welcome to contribute to our in-school ofrenda, located at the top of the stairs upon entering the main entry of Mountain Song Community School.
We will observe Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) in school October 25-29. We begin celebrating by making Día de los Muertos crafts; grades 3rd-6th will decorate sugar skulls while grades 1st-2nd make hot chocolate. Next Friday, we will have an in-school assembly with performances from our middle school students.
|
|
Please be sure to check-in with the Main Office upon entering the school. As per school policy, our Administrative Assistants will assist you after 8:15 a.m. to check your child in and out of school, to confirm meeting appointments, to pass a message onto your child(ren), to drop off missing assignments or lunches, and other school day needs. Parents / guardians may drop off their student(s) and/or school supplies until 8:15 a.m.
Parent-teacher meetings should be scheduled in advance when possible. Teachers will share meeting times with the front office staff. All parents and guardians are asked to wait in the Main Office area until the teacher is ready to see you. Please do not walk the school without checking in first with the Main Office.
All visitors, parents/guardians, and volunteers must sign-in to the building at the main office and to receive a visitor's pass. Thank you, your cooperation is highly appreciated.
|
|
Absences and New Daily Attendance Form |
To excuse your child’s absence, please fill out the new Daily Attendance Form, found by clicking on the green button on the top right of our website’s landing page. This must be done by 9:30 a.m. the day your child will be absent from school. You can also call the front office at 719-203-6364 by 9:30 a.m. to excuse your child.
Please see the Attendance Policy in the SY21-22 Parent Handbook for a list of excusable absences. Absences that fall outside of the listed reasons may be excused on a case by case basis by the MSCS Administration. Students who are habitually truant (4 or more unexcused absences in a year or 10 in a month) or who are chronically absent (missing 10% of the year or more) must meet with the Director of School Performance and will be placed on an attendance plan. For more information about the required hours for attendance in a school year and consequences for absenteeism, please visit https://www.cde.state.co.us/choice/homeschool_attendancelaw.
|
|
Check Your Homes for Library Books |
At the time we transitioned to remote learning at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, many library books were checked out that did not make it back to the MSCS library. We would love to offer new students the opportunity to read these books. If you could so graciously check your homes for lost books and please send them back with your children, we would be ever so grateful. |
|
We have many found items that are looking to return to their rightful owners. Every Friday, our Lost and Found items will be brought outside after school between 3pm-3:30pm. These items will be located by the rock wall in front of the school.
|
|
Parent-Teacher Conferences:
November 1-2
No School
|
Parent-teacher conferences will be held on November 1st and 2nd. Classes will NOT be in session during the parent-teacher conferences. Child care will not be provided during this time. Teachers will send information about how to sign up for parent-teacher conferences. Parents/guardians, please check your emails for additional information, or contact your child's teacher directly with any questions about the conferences.
|
|
Mountain Song could be eligible to receive Federal Impact Aid funding based on the number of qualifying forms we receive back from parents by December 6th. Federal Impact Aid funding is dedicated to providing quality education to our federally connected children.
Children at Mountain Song who are federally connected include:
- Students who reside on federal property (ex: military base)
- Students whose parent or guardian serves in the military (ex: active duty)
- Students whose parent or guardian works for the federal government or works on federal property (ex: military base, National Forest land, VA Medical Center)
If your family meets one or more of these characteristics as of October 1, 2021, please complete and return the online Impact Aid form by December 6. One form should be completed for each student.
|
|
Funding Equity for CSI Schools |
Charter School Institute (CSI) public schools, like Mountain Song, face funding inequities with no access to local tax revenue, receiving on average 25% less funding compared to traditional public schools. This results in fewer resources to support staff, facilities, and transportation. The Mill Levy Equalization efforts aim to take action to support equitable funding for CSI schools.
|
|
Please refer to our website and/or pick up an application at the front office.
|
|
Agricultural Arts Volunteers Needed! |
We are looking for garden volunteers to help out on weekends and breaks throughout the fall semester. Duties include watering garden beds and feeding our animals.
Mr. Adam Wright
Agricultural Arts Coordinator and Teacher
|
|
2021-2022 Calendar and Schedule |
|
Please find the 2021-2022 school calendars and daily schedule for grades 1-8 at the links below.
|
|
Mountain Song Community School | 2904 West Kiowa St, Colorado Springs, CO 80904 |
|
Looking for past issues of the Songbird or to sign up new recipients click here.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
