Message from the Principal:

Dear Parents,

It is officially winter!  The other day, we measured 12.5 inches of snow at my house.  Here’s a math idea you can share.  Have your child measure the snow at your house and track how much snow increases or decreases as you add or subtract from the total.  This would be a fun way to learn how to add and subtract using real life conditions.  That’s when the best learning happens.

Martin Luther King, Jr., Elementary is Off “The List”:  Yes it’s true,  MLK is off the “Consistently Failing Schools List”.  That means we are making progress in the areas most important to the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) for Washington.  In a nutshell, we demonstrated enough improvement in Reading and Math that we were removed from the “failing schools” list.  That doesn’t mean we are out of the woods yet!  We are still in “AYP School Improvement Status”.  That means we have to continue to make “Adequate Yearly Progress” each year for the next three years by at least 10% in reading and math.  We can do it.  Just look at some of our test results from the most recent MSP below.  Did you know that we have some of the brightest students in the Yakima School District right here at Martin Luther King?  Well it’s true and I’ve got the numbers to prove it.  Please see below: 

4th Grade MSP Writing results improved from2010 to 2011 by 9.5 points

3rd Grade MSP Reading results improved from 2010 to 2011 by 10.8 points.

5th Grade MSP Science results improved from 2010 to 2011 by 12.8 points.

4th Grade MSP Math results improved from 2010 to 2011 by 15 points.

 Reminder to Parents, NO Electronics:  Please make sure your child does not bring any expensive electronic toys like PSPs, Nintendo, MP3 players, cell phones or iPods to school.  These toys are too expensive to bring to school.  These type of electronics will unfortunately get lost, broken or stolen and the school will not be held responsible for any lost, broken or stolen electronics.  We simply cannot afford to replace these items. Thank you for your help with this very important issue.

 Other reminders:

-Parents need to send a note or call the office if your child is supposed to go home with another student.  We cannot take a students word for that change in schedule.  Parents only.

-We have a 4:00 p.m. pick up time Tuesday through Friday.  Any students left after that time will be reported to the Union Gap police department as “Abandoned Children” to be picked up by the police. 

-Parents, please make sure allow traffic to pass by you on 18th street by pulling over to the curb if you are waiting to enter the school parking lot.  If you block traffic, the Union Gap police will write you a ticket for blocking traffic.  The best thing to do is go around the block until the line starts moving so you can enter the parking lot.

 Important Dates:  February 20th, President’s Day, No School

March 26th to the 30th, Conference Week, 12:00 Noon Release

April 2nd to the 6th, Spring Break, No School

Thank You for all your support,

Phil Vasquez, Principal

Martin Luther King, Jr., Elementary

Check Back Backs:  Parents, please remember to check your child’s back packs regularly for notices from school, home work assignments, or library books that might be over due.

Thank You for all your support,

Phil Vasquez, Principal