MES Family Update- Week #12
REMINDER: No School for Students November 2nd, and November 3rd! (Monday/Tuesday)
Attendance Challenge!
Our students were so excited for our last attendance challenge, and it garnered such positive feedback, that we decided to run it back! We are currently a week into our second challenge, with it running from October 26th- November 24th. On October 29th, we only had 4 students absent, marking our best attendance day of the year! Thank you for partnering with us to make every day count at MES!
Growing Readers Together!
Families play an important role in helping children become confident, successful readers. Learning doesn't stop when students leave school; everyday experiences at home provide wonderful opportunities to build skills and encourage curiosity. We encourage you to take a few minutes each day to connect with your child, talk about their experiences, and explore new ideas together. Small moments can make a big difference in your child's learning and growth! Check out this month's family literacy resource, centered around Growing Readers Together, for simple ways to support your child at home.
Holidays with Heart
Holidays with Heart is an MES program designed to provide opportunities for MES families for both Holiday Assistance and Holiday Giving.
Thank you so much to the families who have reached out to communicate a need, as well as the many families who have already expressed interest in providing support.
If you are interested in being involved in either part of this program, the deadline for returning forms has been extended until early next week to provide additional time for families to complete the necessary paperwork over the long weekend.
Please return all forms by this Tuesday, October 27th.
Printed copies of the Holidays with Heart form were sent home previously with students. Digital copies of these forms are linked below.
Holidays with Heart (and the Specific Student Needs form, if requesting assistance)
Holidays with Heart (Spanish) (and the Specific Student Needs- Spanish form, if requesting assistance)
If you are interested in participating, but are having difficulty accessing the form or
have any questions, please contact Wendy Mitchell, School Counselor, at wmitchell@rockingham.k12.va.us or by calling the school at (540) 289-3004. Thanks!
Other Announcements/Reminders from the MES Office:
2026-2027 MES Student/Parent Handbook- Certain sections, particularly those including new policies or information, will be highlighted in upcoming family updates.
Open this LINK to see events the PTO has planned for this year.
If you need assistance logging in to PowerSchool, please call the office or contact Heather Derrow at hderrow@rockingham.k12.va.us
If you are interested in hearing more about Special Education in RCPS, or even joining the conversation, please see the information about the SEAC (Special Education Advisory Committee)
If you are interested in reading more about Family Life Education, please see this link.
The Duke Dog Reading Program has begun! Parents, click HERE to log your child’s completed books on the Duke Dog Reading Completion Form for tabulation by JMU Athletics! Students will have until February 6, 2027 to complete their reading requirements and earn their prizes!
Student participants will be able to earn FREE tickets for the following events:
January 9, 2027 — Women's Basketball vs. Louisiana Tech
January 16, 2027 — Men's Basketball vs. Old Dominion
February 6, 2027 — Women's Basketball vs. MAC Opponent
Thank you for joining the program this year! We look forward to seeing your students at The Atlantic Union Bank Center in the near future!
Activities & Events at MES:
November 2 & 3- No School for Students
Parent Teacher Conference Day- November 2 (12-7 PM)
Teacher Inservice Day- November 3 (Election Day)
PTO Meeting (Virtual)- November 7, 7-8PM
MES Veterans Day Assembly- November 11 (9 AM)
House Day #2- November 20, 2026
MES Book Fair- November 30-December 4