Deer Canyon Echoes

Good evening, Deer Canyon Families:

Happy November! This time of year always brings me great joy because there are so many opportunities to express gratitude and recognize the positive impact that others have on my life. I look forward to the weeks ahead! By now, Trimester 1 has come to a close — can you believe it?! Our students have grown and progressed right before our eyes over these last 12 weeks, and teachers are preparing report cards and gearing up for conferences. The best part, of course, is watching your students grow and progress before your eyes!

Last Friday, we kicked off Halloween celebrations with our annual Monster Mash! It was a smashing success, and I want to express my warmest, most sincere gratitude to our Monster Mash chair, Melissa Doctor, her family, and many members of our DCPSO for putting together such an incredible evening. Events like these are not just plain enjoyable, but they truly build connections among our school community, which is of utmost importance to me. My family and I were so happy to see how many were able to attend; we had a blast! I look forward to more events in the future.

This week, we wrapped up Red Ribbon Week on Monday with an exciting, educational assembly led by the DEA! We learned all about tools and resources available to law enforcement, as well as the importance of Being Kind to our Minds and staying drug free.

On Tuesday, Halloween was Out of this World! Students and staff were thrilled to see our favorite adults cheering us on during the Halloween parade; thank you to the parents/adults that also contributed to our rockin’ class Halloween parties! We also welcomed Westview Women in STEM back to campus this week and learned a ton.

Yesterday, parent volunteers led a lunchtime craft in recognition of Dia de los Muertos. Today, we hosted our November FUNky Friday, celebrating November birthdays, Mileage Club milestones, and learning about respect from Deer Canyon 4th graders and Westview Ambassadors. Check our Instagram for photos of all of these incredible events! (@deercanyonpusd)

Next week is a short week, as we will observe Veterans Day on Friday, November 10 (no school). Veterans Day is a time to reflect on the sacrifices made by those who have served our country. To our Deer Canyon community veterans and all veterans nationwide, thank you for your service, courage, patriotism, and sacrifice! Additionally, next week is School Psychologist Week. Deer Canyon’s school psychologist, intern, and practicum student are not only wonderful people, but they work tirelessly to contribute so much to our campus. Thank you to our dream team and the countless hours you dedicate to supporting our students!

Please join me on campus for “Coffee” with the Principal on Tuesday, November 7, at 5:30pm. My hope is to provide an evening opportunity for families unable to attend morning Coffee with the Principal events. I look forward to seeing you!

Finally, I want to share a few safety and resource reminders with all families:

Fire Season Information and Safety Reminders

With fire season upon us, we want to assure parents and guardians that we have appropriate response systems in place when emergencies arise. Our first priority will always be the safety of our students and staff on campus.

When Deer Canyon becomes aware of any incidents near our school, we will focus first on the safety of our campus while working with law enforcement, emergency responders, and the District for guidance and support for communication. Communication with parents is part of the response plan, but will be secondary to immediate safety. As soon as we can, we will message families with details of school-wide incidents such as lockdowns or evacuations. Please ensure your contact information is up to date in ParentVue in the “My Account” section.

Finally, we have been asked by first responders to remind our families NOT to come to campus in times of emergency – there have been several instances when officers, firefighters, and their ability to respond to emergencies have been hindered by parents rushing to the scene. We will send out messages about dismissal or reunification procedures for families when first responders indicate it is safe to do so.

Free/Reduced-Price Meal Application Information

Please complete the free/reduced-price meal application! Although school meals are now free to all students, the application for free and reduced-price meals is still very important. School funding depends in part on the number of students at our school who qualify for free or reduced-price meals. With all students now eating for free, fewer families are completing the application and our school is at risk of losing much-needed educational funds. Plus, students who qualify for free or reduced-price meals may also qualify for discounts on bus transportation, before and after school care, and home internet!

Income qualifications change annually, so a new application is needed every school year. For school year 2023-2024, children from a family of four are eligible if the total gross (pre-tax) household income is less than $4,625 per month, or less than $55,500 per year. Household income information is confidential and applying online is quick and easy. Apply online at MySchoolApps.com, or pick up a paper application in the school office.

Have a wonderful and safe weekend, Deer Canyon!

Katie Bendix
Principal