Matthews Elementary PTO

Good afternoon, MES families! A linktree has been added to our bio. Links include CMS volunteer form, PTO membership form, spirit rock forms (including application), and other important information you may need throughout the year. As always, if there is something that you need, you can always send us a Facebook message or email us at [email protected].

Have a great week!

Thank you to everyone who came out to our Kindergarten ice cream social! We loved meeting you!

Just a reminder! Rising K ice cream social is TODAY from 10-12p on the Matthews Elementary School bus lot (behind the school). We hope to see you there!

Check out this opportunity for girls in grades 1-5. Use the QR to register!

This is not sponsored by the PTO.

Hello to all rising Kindergarten families! Matthews Elementary and the PTO will be hosting an ice cream social on August 13th from 10-12p. Local Scoops will be providing ice cream to all rising Kinders! This is a great way to meet other Matthews Elementary families, and help to ease any nerves before the start of the school year.

Kindergarten teachers will not be present at this event.

Please note: all other ice cream orders will be available to purchase.

We hope to see you there!

Good evening Matthews Elementary families! Below is a message from Mrs. Crisp regarding class placements for the 26-27 school year. Hope everyone is enjoying their summer!

Good afternoon, Matthews ES Families! Infinite Campus Parent Portal will open on August 1st. If you do not have your Parent Portal set up yet, you may set up your account starting tomorrow. If you have an existing account, you will use your login information from last year to access your Parent Portal. All families may begin completing their 26-27 Back to School Forms in the Parent Portal on August 1st. As school does not start until August 25th, you have time to complete the forms so do not feel rushed.

Please note the following reminders.

If you are able to see or access the name of your child’s teacher, please be reminded that class placements will not be final until August 17th. We are not sending class placement letters this year to students in grades 1-5 since the teacher name can be accessed through Infinite Campus. We will send letters to students in kindergarten.
You will need your student’s ID number to create a Parent Portal account. You can locate the ID number in Parent Square.

Infinite Campus Website: Campus Parent
Information regarding logging into Infinite Campus can be found at the following link: Infinite Campus - Student Information System

Directions for setting up your Parent Portal can be found at the link below (other languages can be found at the link listed above):

English - Set Up Your Infinite Campus Parent Portal
Spanish Version - Set Up Your Infinite Campus Parent Portal
Russian - Set Up Your Infinite Campus Parent Portal.pdf
Portuguese - Set Up Your Infinite Campus Parent Portal.pdf
Ukrainian - Set Up Your Infinite Campus Parent.pdf
You will need to be on a laptop or computer to initially set up your Parent Portal. You will not be able to do this process on your phone.

Families will need to sign all Back to School Forms in the Parent Portal. Create or access your account. Once in your account, you can scroll down and click on “Online Registration Update” to complete these required forms for your child as soon as possible. Select "Complete Back to School Forms" and follow the onscreen prompts. Please try to complete all forms by the first day of school.

If you have questions or issues completing these processes, please email Vicki Ciganek, [email protected]. She will be the only staff member in the front office next week so emails will be answered in the order received.




Penni Beth Crisp

Principal

Matthews Elementary, a CMS School

980-343-3940

980-343-3944 (fax)

Courier #447

Hi Everyone! Below is a summer update from Mrs. Crisp. I hope you are all having a great summer so far!

_______________________________________________________________________

Good evening, Matthews ES Families! This is Penni Beth Crisp with some reminders/updates for all families. We hope you all are having a great summer!

All families should have access to ParentSquare, including kindergarten families. I periodically send invites to families who have not registered so that all families can receive messages.

We will not be mailing class placement information this year to students in grades 1-5. Families will access teacher placement in Infinite Campus on August 17th. While you may see a teacher placement before this date once Infinite Campus opens in August, class placements are not final until August 17th.

We will do mailings for our kindergarten families as many may not be able to navigate Infinite Campus. Mailings will go out on August 14th, but if kindergarten families can access Infinite Campus, teacher placement will be available on August 17th.

Kindergarten information for the first week of school: Kindergarten students will have a staggered start. The assigned days are as follows based on the first letter of last name: Tuesday (A-H), Wednesday (I-M), Thursday (N-Z). All kindergarten students will come on Friday, August 28th. Kindergarten families will check-in at the door to the left of the front door and will not walk K students to class until Friday. All kindergarten families can walk their child to class on Friday, August 28th.

Families of students in grades 1-5 may walk students to class during the first week of school only after signing in through Raptor with a photo ID. The last day for families to walk students to class will be Friday, August 28th. As always, the line to sign in will be long the first day and on Friday. Please be patient and have your ID ready. No exceptions will be made.

All beginning of year forms, letters, and information will be sent through Parent Square during the week of August 17th.
Infinite Campus will not be accessible to families until August 1st to complete forms.

Open House/Meet the Teacher will be held for all families, K-5, on Thursday, August 20th, 4:00-6:00 PM. This event is a drop-in event. Mr. Franzone and Mrs. McEwan will be available for transportation questions. A Spanish and Portuguese interpreter will be available.

Bus Transportation: If your child needs bus transportation, be sure to complete the Intent to Ride form at the following link by 8/11: https://www.cmsk12.org/operations/transportation-services/about-transportation.

Here Comes the Bus will be replaced with AlphaPortal next year. Please click on the following link for more information: https://www.cmsk12.org/operations/transportation-services/alpharoute-tutorials-and-step-by-step-instruction.

Ice Cream on the Playground will be held for incoming kindergarten students and families on Thursday, August 13th, from 10:00 AM-12:00 PM. This is an opportunity for families to meet the administrative team, PTO members, and other families. Teachers will not be at this event.

All dates for next school year have been loaded onto the Matthews ES website. Click on the calendar for all PTO and school events for next year: https://matthewses.cmsk12.org/

The Car Rider/Walker google form for the 2026-27 school year is live. Feel free to complete and signs will be in classrooms at Open House or during the first week of school: https://forms.gle/qnAeu1QhJKp1sL6c6

Spirit Rock: New guidelines for the Spirit Rock were distributed last week. Please be reminded that both links must be completed to paint the rock.

SignUp Genius: Spirit Rock Sign Up 2026-2027
Google Form Application: https://forms.gle/XwETEA1ifwdEjEiu7
QR codes for Families: https://canva.link/js435e1tni56112

We will continue our google form through which families can highlight staff members who provide the CROWN experience or positive experiences at the school.

Link to Google Form: https://forms.gle/WFkDiASqv89eVDcv6

School Hours During the Summer: Monday through Friday, 7:30 AM-1:00 PM, 2:00 PM-4:30 PM, closed on Fridays

2026-27 C.R.O.W.N. Experience Feedback Please complete the following form to highlight positive customer service or a person who provided you with the C.R.O.W.N. Experience. Thank you for recognizing our staff members for their positive work!

Good evening Matthews Families!

Below is a message from Mrs. Crisp regarding the Spirit Rock policies for the 2026-2027 school year. Hope you are all having a great summer!

Best,
Alex Johnson & Kristy Blake
Co-Presidents PTO

Matthews ES Families-

Link Spirit Rock SignUp Genius: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/5080949AAAB22A7FF2-64687311-spirit #/

Link to Spirit Rock Application: https://forms.gle/qaqqfQdfb1YkTnjo8

*Please read all information below before signing up for the Spirit Rock. This year, families must also complete the application (google form) before painting the rock. The policies and procedures related to the Spirit Rock are new due to new CMS Board Policy so please review carefully. The sign up link and google form are live.

Due to a new board policy, parents and students who want to paint the spirit rock must complete an application. The spirit rock for Matthews ES can only be used to celebrate student birthdays and announce school events or school celebrations. Painting for school events will be done by school staff. Only families of students or a company/person hired by a family of a student may paint the rock. The rock is in front of the school near the sign. Please complete the application at least 10 days prior to your assigned date. If the application is not completed, you will not be able to paint the rock. If there is a concern with the application, an administrator will reach out to you. Policy and procedures are listed below as well as a link to the policy. Please read carefully.

Link to Board Policy: https://go.boarddocs.com/nc/cmsnc/Board.nsf/goto?open&id=DUWJFP4CFC10 #

1. No student/family proposal that is within published parameters will be rejected based on viewpoint, including religious or political perspective. Any application that complies with all published parameters and that does not contain restricted student speech must be approved.

2. Families of students must provide all supplies.

3. No painting on sidewalks, trees, groundcover, or other areas that are not part of the area available for decoration. Only the spirit rock may be painted.

4. Families or hired artists cannot use scaffolding or ladders, which increase risks of injury.
5. Only parents/guardians of enrolled students may submit an application for decorating the spirit rock, and all participants (including any third-party artists) must be listed on the written application.

6. Applications must be submitted through the google form linked in the Sign-Up Genius created by PTO. Applications will be reviewed by Mrs. Crisp or Mr. Franzone and must be submitted 10 days prior to your assigned date. Families will be contacted if there is an issue with the application.

7.The rock is reserved on a first-come/first-served basis through the PTO Sign-Up Genius and a completed application.

8.Please note the board policy above and be clear that nothing in the school-based policy should be interpreted to contradict it in any way.
9. The spirit rock may be painted over if this policy, the school-based policy, or any other school system policy is violated.
10. The rejection of any application to decorate the spirit rock may be appealed per applicable policies and procedures found in S-SCOM.

Feel free to reach out to the school with any questions.

Spirit Rock 2026 - 2027 Would you like to do something special for your child's birthday? Tell them Happy Birthday by painting the Matthews Elementary Spirit Rock in their honor! ***Please read this in its entirety. By signing up, you are AGREEING TO THESE TERMS.*** Due to a new board policy, parents and students who want....

Here's what's in this week's PTO Newsletter:

-Yearbook Delivery
-End-of-Year Celebrations
-School Supply Kits
-PTO Volunteer Opportunities

MES PTO Newsletter_25-26 Check out this design designed by Lindsay Rutherford.