Principal Update
Greetings James Monroe,
This is principal McNeil with an update!
This week was amazing. It was so fun passing out a new, free, warm, coat to each of our students. Thank you to Operation Warm and our sponsor, Accenture! And thanks to Ms. Watkins for coordinating it all! What a success!
I hope everyone is enjoying the free coffee provided on Fridays in the MPR in the morning. Come a little early on Fridays and enjoy a cup of coffee. This is one more way we are encouraging great attendance! Bring your kids to school on Friday, and get free coffee. We hope you enjoy our new Friday Morning Free Coffee (it's just a small gesture.)
No School Wednesday, Nov. 11th, for Veteran's Day!
*****Families of Students With Special Needs (Students with IEP's) Take Note*****
Thursday, Nov. 12th we will host a Family Dinner/Social Hour for our families of Students With Special Needs (students with IEP's.) We will provide dinner and childcare from 6-7:15pm. Come meet other families, and make connections with the families of the kids in your child's class and in the other classes. Come share some challenges and some successes. Come be an inspiration to other families and share your knowledge and experience. We hope to see you for dinner on this special night. We are ordering dinner from Porky's so it will be Yummy and Fun! Please reply to this post or let Ms. Watkins, principal McNeil, or Ms. J know how many from your family will be attending. We want to have plenty of food!
Parent Teacher Conferences Start Next Week for 4th-5th (This is a correction. Only 4th and 5th graders have extra days for conferences.)
TK-3rd Grade, 11/16-11/20, 12:50 Extra Early Dismissal (for conferences)
4th-5th Grade, 11/12-11/20, 12:50 Extra Early Dismissal (for conferences)
Please note that 4th-5th graders have additional early days due to larger class sizes.
Conferences are very important. Every child needs a conference. Please make sure to attend your child's conference. This is an opportunity to get to know your child's teacher, and to share about your child with your child's teacher. Attending your child's conference every year, helps you support your child and builds the partnership that is so crucial for our kids.
Vision Screening:
The annual state mandated vision screening for all TK, Kinder, 2nd and 5th grade students will be conducted on 11/17 (Tues) & 11/19 (Thurs). If your child does not pass the school-based screening, you will receive a referral for a vision exam by mail. Note - If your child wears glasses, please make sure they bring them to school and wear them on these dates.
Ruby Bridges Day, Nov. 18th:
At James Monroe we celebrate "Better Together." This refers to all children going to school together. About 72 years ago, the Supreme Court ruled in Brown vs. Board of Education, that all students of all races would be allowed to go to school together. Only 72 years ago, that ruling changed the education system. Now, in 2026 all children can attend school together, so we celebrate "Better Together." Ruby Bridges and her family were some of the brave people who first desegregated the white only schools in the American South. However, children and families fought the unfair segregation laws before that landmark Supreme Court ruling. Before Ruby Bridges there was Sylvia Mendez and her family in Southern California. And before that, there was Mamie Tape and her family. Mamie Tape and her family sued the San Francisco School Board to allow Asian children to attend school. Our students will be learning about these brave heroes and their families this month. Everyone wear purple Nov. 18th!
Read A Thon:
On November 20th we will hold our annual Read A Thon. Kids will gather donations for our school. Even $5 helps! On Friday, Nov. 20th kids may wear their pajamas, and bring a stuffed animal, and we will all read together the first hour at school (or another hour during the day.) They will turn in their donations to the office for small prizes. If every child brought $5, we would raise $2,000.00. Imagine if every child brought $10. We will pass out envelopes to each child when we get closer to our Read A Thon! Thanks for your help gathering donations!
No School for Thanksgiving Break, Nov. 23rd--Nov. 27th.
Thank you all for a great first trimester of the school year. Report cards will be available on your Aeries Parent Portal on Nov. 11th.
Also, don't forget to reply to Ms. Watkin's post regarding T-Shirt sizes for your kids. Each Monroe student will be getting a free Monroe T-Shirt before Winter Break as a gift from us to you (thank you PTO!)
Love,
principal McNeil