FOR SCHOOL YEAR 2019-2020 

The Rattlesnake PTA board took notes on the question and answer session during the Kindergarten parent orientation session in May 2019, and we’ve used those notes (as well as the notes and concerns from Kindergarten Roundup in prior years) to create this reference list for the parents of incoming kindergartners. Many thanks to Principal Wright for fact checking this document, and Molly, Leigh, Judith, and Lucia for staffing the PTA presence at Parent Orientation!

CLASS ASSIGNMENTS, TEACHER ASSIGNMENTS, AND SIZES

• All families (K- 5th) should receive their class placement by email during the week ending on August 23rd 2019. If you do not receive an email or text by 5pm on August 23rd, please double check your spam folder, and then call the main Rattlesnake office (406-542-4050). 
• Kindergarten classes up to 20 students have 1 teacher. If 21 or 22 students are in a Kindergarten class then assistants are in the classroom.

START OF SCHOOL 2019 – SPECIAL EVENTS SCHEDULE

• August 20th from 12:30- 1:30pm: School tour for new families of 1st to 5th graders. Siblings are welcome but please note this tour is not designed for incoming kindergarten families. Meet at the front main entry. This is a school event.
• August 25th from 3-5pm: Kindergarten Playdate. Come to the playground and meet other Kindergarten families the Sunday afternoon before school starts! Stop by any time from 3-5pm to jump around on the playground and meet new friends. Hosted by the PTA.
• August 27th TBD (estimated 10am-noon): Kindergarten Orientation for K only. Meet your teacher, see the classroom, get excited for school! This is a school event.
• August 27th 5-6pm: Back to School Night for Grades 1-5 only. Meet your teacher, see the classroom, drop off supplies. Please note that while Kindergarteners are welcome to visit the school with an older attending sibling at this time, the Kindergarten classrooms will be closed and the teachers will not be on site from 5-6pm. This is a school event.
• August 28th 8am- 930am – First Day Welcome Coffee – Swing by the school garden to meet other parents, laugh or cry, and drink some coffee after your child is dropped off for their first day. Hosted by the PTA.
• August 28th – First Day of School – Kindergarten will start with the bell (8:25) and dismiss early (12:40). Please send your Kindergartener with a bag lunch or plan to order a bagged lunch as they will eat in the classroom to keep things less stressful. K only busing available * Note: Grades 1-5 will dismiss at standard times.
• August 29th – Thursday is early out – Kindergarten will start with the bell (8:25) and dismiss early (12:40). Please send your Kindergartener with a bag lunch or plan to order a bagged lunch as they will eat in the classroom to keep things less stressful. K only busing available * Note: Grades 1-5 will dismiss at Early Out times.
• August 30th – Friday! – Kindergarten will start with the bell (8:25) and dismiss early (12:40). Please send your Kindergartener with a bag lunch or plan to order a bagged lunch as they will eat in the classroom to keep things less stressful. K only busing available * Note: Grades 1-5 will dismiss at standard times.
• Find our general Calendar page at https://rattlesnakepta.org/calendar/ 
• * See Bus Schedule First Week Note below *

BUS SCHEDULE AND INFORMATION

• Standard schedule and stops can be found at http://www.infofinderi.com/ifi/?cid=MCPS4CVNG54XW
• Kindergartners often get very excited to ride the bus for the first few weeks. Please remind them to wear their “imaginary seat belt” and stay seated for the whole ride just like in a regular car or like for the city bus. This helps keep them safe, and keeps the bus drivers focused on the road.
• * Bus Schedule First Week Note * – For the first three days of the first week in 2019 for kindergarten only, the half-day dismissal special kindergarten buses take longer and will bus to more than one route. This extended route can prove stressful to kids that are not very excited about being on the bus. If you think your kid might be upset by this, the PTA suggests sending them on the morning buses all week (those are the consistent and regular route), picking up your child at the school for just the half days (August 28, 29, and 30), and then having them ride the bus the following week in the afternoons. This allows them to get used to the normal bus routes while skipping the possible stress of those three first days of extended bus routes.

PREP FOR THE FIRST DAY

• Please don’t bring your child to visit the school to peek through the windows prior to August 27th, when classrooms will be fully set up and your child will be able to experience their new classroom in person. Kindergarten aged kids cannot really imagine how a blank summer cleaned-up room seen through a window will transform into a happy and inviting classroom, so they might be dismayed to see all the cardboard boxes and upside-down chairs.
• It is best to try to stick to talking about drop off and pick up only the night before- don’t build it up too big or with too many fine details.
• Do your best to get your child to bed at a consistent time for at least a few nights before school starts. Sleep is so important at this age!
• If you child will be riding the bus, please review our “Bus Schedule First Week Note” in the paragraph above, so you can make a good choice for your child’s needs.
• See the Supply List page for reference.
• Worried you are forgetting something? Try our Back to School short list of reminders.

DROPOFF AND PICKUP GUIDELINES

• Walk, bike, or bus is best!
• Kindergartners getting off the bus in the morning will be assisted with finding their classroom meeting spot (marked with a traffic cone and sign) and will meet their teacher outside the school each morning.
• See https://rattlesnakepta.org/school-map/ for the map that details car dropoff guidelines
• Kindergartners must have an authorized adult to pick up – they will not be released alone from the school nor off the bus. Kindergartners with no authorized adult at the bus stop at afternoon dismissal will be bussed back to the school to ensure their safety. Please be on time to meet the bus!

DAILY SCHEDULE, REST TIME, SPARE CLOTHING, AND RECESS

• The basic daily schedule is here: https://rattlesnakepta.org/schedule/
• The K day includes rest time in Fall for all classrooms. Rest time in Winter and Spring is figured out per classroom, as needed by class dynamics. Typically your teacher will permit a small blanket and a small soft toy, but this may vary depending on the classroom needs.
• Most classrooms have a space for each child to have a set of spare clothing in case of accidents. It is normal for young children to accidentally pee their pants on occasion. If you are concerned about your child’s needs, please speak to your teacher or the school nurse as soon as possible so they can help.
• Kindergarten has three recesses per day: First Recess, Pre-Lunch Recess, and Second Recess.
• Recess is held outdoors in nearly all weather. It is only held indoors in very specific hazardous weather conditions. Learn more here: https://rattlesnakepta.org/snow-and-weather-policies/

AFTERSCHOOL CARE OPTIONS

• All kindergarten students’ families will be able to indicate how they are dismissed each day in a form from their teacher, to ensure they safely and correctly follow their schedule (i.e. if your child will do Campfire Monday – Thursday, and home on the bus on Fridays, you will indicate that in writing).
• Changes to your child’s routine must always be communicated prior to 2:30pm (1:30 on Thursdays).
• Learn about afterschool programs here: https://rattlesnakepta.org/after-school-programs/

BREAKFAST, LUNCH, AND MENU

• Breakfast is optional before school and is from 8am to the 8:25am bell.
• Lunchtime is a 25 minute period, with the exact time dependent on schedule and grade. Hot and cold purchase options are available, or students can bring their own lunch. There is a nut-free table available for students with a nut allergy.
• Lunch money is put onto an account and each student is assigned a number. Our Menu page includes information on how to add money to your account, as well as the current menu and a few back menus for examples: https://rattlesnakepta.org/menus/

SNACKS, ALLERGIES, AND SCHOOL NURSE

• Most classrooms have food-free celebrations and birthdays – learn more about this approach at the MCPS page Smart Snack initiative 
• Some K classrooms have group snacks, others do not, your teacher will communicate these expectations in the fall.
• There is a nut-free table available in the cafeteria for students with a nut allergy.
• Nut-free or food free classrooms are designated as needed, per classroom.
• If your child has allergies and you have already submitted a completed medical form, you should have already heard from our assigned nurse. If you have not heard from her, please call or email Lisa Flanagan to discuss your child’s needs and ensure the forms were received: ltflanagan@mcps.k12.mt.us, (406) 728-2400 ext. 4511, or (406) 239-9065

CURRICULUM, BEHAVIOR, AND READING EXPECTATIONS

• Highly detailed curriculum descriptions are available at http://www.mcpsmt.org/Page/1827
• Kindergarteners develop important skills in their first year of school such as listening to and following directions, being flexible, and adapting to change. Simple activities like going new places over the summer (for instance, trying a different playground), playing a new board game with unfamiliar rules, or having playdates with a variety of friends and neighbors can help ease the transition into school.
• Kindergarten classrooms at Rattlesnake Elementary begin the year reviewing single letters and their sounds, then they progress to two letter combinations (like “sh” and “st”), then learn to sound out short words and syllables, and finally will work on sight reading short words (such as “the” and “dog”). By the end of kindergarten, some students will have begun to read in full sentences or even books, and some will not- and that’s OK. Please speak directly with your teacher if you have concerns about reading expectations or classroom experiences.

LICE, FEVERS, VOMITING, AND MORE

• Rattlesnake Elementary follows the guidance of the Missoula County Public School district for all health and safety issues. Please review these guidelines each year to ensure you understand the basics for when a child must be kept at home, or not! Find our quick reference here: https://rattlesnakepta.org/sickness-and-lice/

IN CLASS VOLUNTEERING

• For kindergarten, general classroom volunteering typically starts in late October. This helps the classrooms settle into their routines, prior to adding volunteers into the mix.
• If you want to volunteer your particular knowledge for a self-led lesson or classroom experience, talk to your teacher about how to best schedule and plan. 
• In class volunteers (called a Supervised Volunteer) must sign a district volunteer form (see http://www.mcpsmt.org/Page/9033). Volunteers that would be working with students unsupervised are also required to sign more forms plus get a background check- this is less common and isn’t the kind of volunteering that you’d be likely to do with a kindergarten classroom.

STANDARDIZED TESTING

• There is no standardized testing done in kindergarten at Rattlesnake Elementary. In general, district wide Standardized testing within MCPS starts in 3rd grade.
• Teachers use a variety of assessments to guide instruction, some of which are standardized in format (i.e. a consistent assessment is applied to all students). Please note these are not standardized tests, but rather they are evaluation tools to help better understand student and classroom progress.

MANY WAYS TO COMMUNICATE!

• School District:
  • Missoula County Public Schools (MCPS) website: https://www.mcpsmt.org/
  • MCPS App: Search in App Store or Google Play Store for “Missoula County Public School” and you should find it!
  • Administration Building: 215 South Sixth Street West, Missoula, MT 59801, 406-728-2400
  • Emergency notifications are robo-called to parent or guardian phone numbers from the district on an as-needed basis.
• Rattlesnake School:
  • Rattlesnake School website: https://www.mcpsmt.org/rattlesnake
  • School-wide emails: You will receive these frequently. Please note they are addressed from “MISSOULA COUNTY PUBLIC…” in all caps.
  • Rattlesnake School facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Rattlesnake-Elementary-School-296447163854598
  • Rattlesnake School twitter: https://twitter.com/rattlesnakemcps
• Your child’s teacher:
  • During the school year, teachers can be reached via email or phone (find these on Rattlesnake School Staff Listings, https://www.mcpsmt.org/domain/2287) and will send a weekly newsletter via their school email.
  • You will get handouts and other paper format notes in your child’s “boomerang” (or “boom”) folder. The boomerang folder gets its name because it goes back and forth from school each day with your child.
• Rattlesnake School PTA:
  • PTA website: you are on the PTA website right now! https://rattlesnakepta.org/
  • PTA facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RattlesnakePTA/
  • PTA specific email list: You MUST sign up separately for PTA emails to receive them! Sign up at any PTA event, or use the Contact Us form and simply write “please add me to the PTA email list” in your note. Thanks!
  • PTA via US Postal Service: Rattlesnake PTA, P.O. Box 7211, Missoula MT 59807

 

Rattlesnake Parent Boundary Study Meeting
5:30pm-6:30pm 2/20/2019
PTA representative notes (taken by Leigh G, PTA Co-President)

Attendance: 32 parents (best estimate from a quick count), 5 teachers, Principal Wright
Presentation and Q&A leader: Hatton Littman, MCPS Communications Director

The meeting was a full hour long, plus an additional 30 minutes of one-on-one questions, and therefore full minutes were not feasible. Below is a summary of some of the more important facts that were presented, the dominant themes, and particularly relevant questions, according to our abilities and best judgement.

Background as discussed and presented:

The demographic data already available shows that the population of the district will keep growing at least through 2023, at which time it may level out. It is currently thought that the district is likely to add 1000 elementary kids in the 10 year period from 2013-2023. The new demographic study to be released next week (2/25+/2019) should have more accurate and in depth information.

There are several reasons that Rattlesnake didn’t add lots more classrooms during the renovation from the 2015 bond, but the most simple explanation is that the best school capacity from the student, teacher, and district perspective is just under 500 students. This takes into account things like state accreditation standards, state based limits on individual classroom sizes, and the communities’ stated values in the 2013-2015 process to maintain friendly neighborhood schools, not mega schools.

How to get involved (see also our list on https://rattlesnakepta.org/2019/02/19/boundary-study-meeting-and-parent-representative-update/ ):

The meeting schedule is available on the district site (https://www.mcpsmt.org/elementaryschoolboundarystudy specifically page  https://www.mcpsmt.org/Page/13831) and is also posted on the PTA update from our school’s parent rep, here: https://rattlesnakepta.org/2019/02/19/boundary-study-meeting-and-parent-representative-update/ towards the bottom. The next Open House will be Monday, March 4; 6-8 pm at Russell School.

Anyone can comment on the Social Map, which is available here: https://www.mcpsmt.org/Page/13835 and you can comment more than once if you’d like. The “pins” are put where you want them- they don’t automatically show up on your house or anything. Anyone can see the comments, but only the district employees can see the emails that are entered as part of the commenting process.

Reach out to principal Pam Wright (pcwright@mcpsmt.org) and/or our parent representative (kristie.scheel@gmail.com) if you’d prefer to comment that way.

Next steps in the process, in general:

The new demographic data should be released next week (2/25+/2019) and will be put onto the district’s website along with all the other documents.

The next Advisory Committee meeting is 2/28/2019 and our representative Kristie Scheel will be there, as well as our librarian Robyn Nygren (she is also on the committee). At the end of the Advisory Committee meeting there is an opportunity for public comment, if desired, and anyone can attend as an observer and then use that opportunity to make their voice heard.

The next Open House will be Monday, March 4; 6-8 pm at Russell School. You do NOT need to attend for the full two hours, you can just come and look at the posters and talk to people on your own time frame.

After these three things are completed, the various options for the boundaries, and how those boundaries will be rolled out, will be considered by the Advisory Committee. The Advisory Committee will also dive into questions like how long currently enrolled kids will be grandfathered into their current schools. For a short list of how these decisions will be formed and framed, see the information from our school’s rep Kristie https://rattlesnakepta.org/2019/02/19/boundary-study-meeting-and-parent-representative-update/. For the full Framework as written by the district, find that information here: https://www.mcpsmt.org/cms/lib/MT01001940/Centricity/Domain/3808/Framework%20for%20Selecting%20Boundaries.pdf

Towards the end of the process, likely in early to mid April, the Advisory Committee will whittle down all the options and ideas to likely three choices, which they will then work through to produce a final recommendation. They will then present the final recommendation to the elected School Board of Trustees. To learn about the Trustees, please visit: https://www.mcpsmt.org/domain/34

Comments and Questions by Parents and Teachers at the meeting:

There was a question about what grades at Rattlesnake had the most leveling (which is when later enrolling kids have to go to a different school due to high numbers). Hatton and Pam answered that right now, at Rattlesnake, that is grades 1, 3, and 4. Hatton explained that 1st grade is often a pinch point for schools due to kids that go to private kindergartens, and families moving to new homes while the kids are younger. As a whole, Rattlesnake is one of 4 elementary schools at 95% capacity.

Several parents expressed serious concerns along the theme that the middle school boundaries are not being studied and/or altered simultaneously. The conversation around this included the acknowledgement that it would be a lot more difficult to do these studies all at once because of the tremendous complexity, and that the staff time would be immense if they were undertaken simultaneously.  

The time scale of this process was a concern in several ways. One parent expressed frustration that some documents said the changes could theoretically begin as soon as Fall 2019, but other documents and verbal statements were not as clear and no set timeframe is being discussed right now. There was also concern that the process was too rushed- with the three advisory committee and open houses in three months. At the same time, it was mentioned that as each year goes by, more kids end up attending non-neighborhood schools due to capacity issues (“leveling”), and so keeping the process moving in order to help alleviate that is important.

There was some frustration and confusion regarding one of the older (2013) walk-to-school maps that has been used as a reference in this process (specifically, this map:  https://www.mcpsmt.org/cms/lib/MT01001940/Centricity/Domain/1378/ES%20Walking%20and%20BikingMap.pdf ) as the circles appear to exclude the Lower Rattlesnake. Parents were unhappy with the visual implications of the map. This seemed to be mostly confusion on the actual professional intent of the map (1 mile is the practical limit for walking to school as depicted on that map) vs what the other impressions of the map may be (for instance: that the circles are the priority areas, or represent actual neighborhoods, or guaranteed attendance, etc). Someone joked that due to the shape of the Rattlesnake Valley, we deserved an oval, not a circle. Jokes aside, this map was considered visually misleading and frustrating by several parents, as this map seemed to confirm the feeling that some parts of the Rattlesnake School attendance area, especially in the Lower Rattlesnake, were being left out of the big picture of the neighborhood.

East Missoula was a big topic of discussion. The question of when and how Mount Jumbo will return to use as an elementary school does not have an answer nor estimate at this time. The demographic study to be released 2/25+/2019 may shed some light on this topic, or may not, it is impossible to say without the study in hand.

The commute and relative isolation of East Missoula was discussed, especially as it relates to buses driving around the base of Mt Jumbo. At least seven people from East Missoula were in attendance (exact count unknown). The fact that the East Missoula neighborhood has been busing kids for more than 20 minutes since 2005- which is one of the values sets that this study seeks to reduce- was mentioned as important to remember.

The need to improve outreach to East Missoula families was brought up by more than one person. Suggestions included more flyers in Boom folders, posting flyers in community hotspots (the River of Life coffee shop, the Oles, etc), using the leaderboard that the fire department manages, giving a quick update at neighborhood council meetings, and other community based approaches.

The Mount Jumbo facility itself was discussed. Improvements to the front entry security will be needed, but the facility and grounds in general is in good serviceable condition. Once Mount Jumbo is determined to be a priority, these final renovations would be brought into discussion and budgeting by the district.

Prescott School was mentioned briefly in the context that the district will definitely not be reopening that school as a school facility. The renovation and rehabilitation needs of that historic structure are beyond the scope of what the district will engage in. It is also well known by the general community that Missoula International School intends to move to their future facility (roughly, near Osprey Stadium), out of Prescott School, in the next few years.

The various scenarios that parents have been independently discussing via private texts and emails were listed and mentioned- including the ideas of a K-2 3-5 split for Rattlesnake and Jumbo, adjusting the boundary somewhere into the Lower Rattlesnake to attend at Lowell, and others. These scenarios have not been discussed by the Advisory Committee or Administration at this point. Hatton reminded the group that in general, all ideas are being opened up as part of the information gathering process, which means it is theoretically possible these ideas and scenarios could be considered among all the options. After all options are determined and discussed, the Advisory Group will apply the values and framework to evaluate them each. This will take place in the next two months (late Feb, all of March, early April). To remind yourself of the framework, visit:  https://www.mcpsmt.org/cms/lib/MT01001940/Centricity/Domain/3808/Framework%20for%20Selecting%20Boundaries.pdf

“Grandfathering” of kids into schools was discussed on multiple occasions. There was discussion on how, essentially, the more you grandfather in kids, the slower the transition to new borders and more equal attendance will be. The fact that the Advisory Council has a framework with which to make decisions on this was mentioned.

Whether or not future Mount Jumbo district residents will be given the same grandfathering options to Rattlesnake was a stated concern as submitted to the PTA email- Hatton indicated that the scenario of opening Mount Jumbo and creating a new attendance boundary between Rattlesnake and East Missoula neighborhoods would be held to the same grandfathering standards as all other boundary decisions, and not a special case or different process.

For more information, see the PTA’s prior post on this subject: https://rattlesnakepta.org/2019/02/19/boundary-study-meeting-and-parent-representative-update/  or the official district clearinghouse for this study at https://www.mcpsmt.org/elementaryschoolboundarystudy 

The Rattlesnake PTA works with the teachers, staff, and community of our school to provide both funding and in-person support for special events, field trips, students and families in need, classroom materials, and educational enrichment. By donating to the Rattlesnake PTA this holiday season, your dollars directly support the programs that matter most to our students, staff, and community.

• Donate between November 19th and December 31st 2018 to ensure your donation is counted towards meeting our annual goal. Donations received after the deadline are very much still welcome- it is just harder to keep track of our progress after that!
• The suggested donation is $50 per child – this amount is approximately how much the PTA needs in donations, per child per year, to support our programs.
• To donate online, visit: https://www.crowdrise.com/RattlesnakePTA
• To donate with cash or check over Winter Break: Use the pre-addressed green envelope that came home with your child, or any other envelope if you’ve misplaced that one! Donations over winter break should be mailed to the addresses below. Checks should be made out to “Rattlesnake PTA.”

Mail to: 

Rattlesnake PTA, P.O. Box 7211, Missoula MT 59807

– or –

Rattlesnake PTA, 1220 Pineview Dr, Missoula MT 59802

Track our overall progress on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/RattlesnakePTA/

Thank you for considering a donation today!

 

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More Details on the Direct Donate Fundraiser

Background: The PTA’s Direct Donate Drive started in 2015 to allow families to give money to the PTA without having to buy or sell items like chocolates and wrapping paper. The Direct Donate fundraiser has since become the 2nd biggest annual fundraiser run by the Rattlesnake PTA.  Learn more about the Rattlesnake PTA’s major fundraising and event schedule here.

Goals: The net funds raised during the Direct Donation event in 2017 were over $8000. The goal for 2018 is $12,000. We’ve raised the goal this year for Direct Donate so that other community events during the year (such as the Spring Fling) can focus more on the fun, and less on the fundraising!

Get the Word Out: We are committed to minimizing waste during this fundraising event by minimizing paper handouts so watch for email and Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/RattlesnakePTA) reminders that you can share with others. You can also share the Crowdrise link with grandparents, family & friends who might want to support Rattlesnake Elementary.

Please feel free to return any unused green envelopes to your child’s teacher for reuse next year.

Online Fees: Although anyone can donate by check, cash, or online — donations by cash or check “go a little farther” because there are no transaction fees. Donations online via Crowdrise include two fees:

• a 6% (of total donation) fee to use the online platform
• separate credit card processing fee of 3- 4%, depending on size of donation

If you wish to maximize every penny of your donation, please consider sending a check. Make the check out to “Rattlesnake PTA” and send to Rattlesnake PTA, 1220 Pineview Dr, Missoula MT 59802.

Tax Info: The PTA’s legal name as defined by the IRS may show up on your receipt for donating on Crowdrise- that name is the “MONTANA CONGRESS OF PARENTS TEACHERS STUDENTS.” We are sorry for any confusion that might cause. Your donation will reach us!

The Rattlesnake PTA is a 501(c)3 registered nonprofit, tax ID #81-0448185.

If you have further questions about this fundraiser, please email the PTA at RattlesnakePTA@gmail.com