Welcome!
Welcome | Bienvenidos
Greetings, César Chávez Dual Spanish Immersion(CCDSI) families, and welcome to the first issue of The Wildcat Roar Newsletter for the 2023 - 2024 School Year! Timely and clear communication is a major key to a successful school year. At least twice per month, you will receive an issue of The Wildcat Roar Newsletter filled with key updates and information. As we prepare for the start of a new school year in just a few days, we want to make sure you have as much information as possible to plan and prepare our scholars to return to school properly.
Prince George's County Public Schools (PGCPS) is looking forward to the start of the upcoming 2023-2024 school year. Right now, we are approximately 135 bus drivers short of getting to where we need to be. This shortage is likely to cause some transportation delays. We will continue to hold virtual job fairs for bus drivers every two weeks in an effort to close the gap. Also, be aware of the following transportation-related items:
Stopfinder Bus App – Available on Google Play and the Apple Store app. Parents/guardians must have an email address on file with SchoolMax in order to be invited to view the student's bus schedule. Stopfinder invitations will be sent weekly for the SY 2023 - 2024 beginning the week of Monday, August 14, 2023. Stopfinder Help/FAQ: https://stopfinder.com/help/
Information Finder – Parents and schools can locate designated comprehensive bus stops using this site by entering the home address. Information for the 2023 - 2024 school year will be available beginning Friday, August 18, 2023. Please use this link to access Infofinder: https://bit.ly/PGCPSinfoFinderi (Useful if you do not have an assigned bus by August 28 of 2023 or newly enrolling students).
Peak School Bus Information – Information for the 2023 - 2024 school year will be available beginning Friday, August 18, 2023. Wednesday, August 9, 2023 was the last date for registrars to make changes. for students registered with SchoolMax to be assigned a bus for the first day of school; August 28, 2023. The next effective date for transportation will be August 31, 2023 and will continue twice a week. throughout the school year, on Mondays and Thursdays (except holidays).
Transportation Resolution System (TRS) - If you have any transportation related questions or would like to If you wish to report a concern, please complete and submit a ticket to the TRS page at: Transportation Resolution System or you may call our Transportation Telephone Bank at 301-952-6570 (Monday through Friday). 6 am to 6 pm) for immediate assistance. Weekend telephone banking dates August 19-20 and 26-27, 2023 8:00 am to 3:00 pm
During Orientation Day and Back to School Night, our teachers will go into detail about what to expect this school year. In an effort to cover the basics and prepare you for the start of school (Monday, August 28th), please note the following -
School Hours - Cesar Chavez's instructional hours are 8:50 am to 2:50 pm. Students are allowed to begin entering the building at 8:30 a.m. To ensure the safety of all students, please do not plan to arrive prior to 8:30 am. At 8:30 am, staff members will be outside to greet students and prepare for entry. There will not be adult supervision prior to 8:30 am.
School Uniforms - CCDSI is a uniform school. It is our expectation that families adhere to the uniform policy and ensure children come to school dressed appropriately daily. Uniforms can typically be found in stores such as Kids for Less, Burlington, Forman Mills, Walmart, and Target. The policy is linked below.
Note: CCDSO School-spirit wear, such as CCDSI t-shirts and sweatshirts, are allowed as part of the uniform.
Classroom Assignments - Classroom assignments are visible via the SchoolMax Family Portal.
Transportation/Drop-off & Pick-up Procedures - The PGCPS Transportation Department determines transportation assignments based on a student's address and the distance from the school. Bus information should have been mailed by PGCPS on August 14th. If you are eligible for transportation and have not received that information, Transportation Department resources are available in the Resource section below. With the ongoing school bus driver shortage, the district is asking for patience and grace during the first few weeks of school.
We understand that the majority of our students are car riders. For this reason, the parking lot becomes extremely busy and can be frightful. Knowing this, please pack your patience. Drop off and pick up should be done from the car, in the circle. I will be outside daily to observe this in real time and will determine if there is a need to make adjustments. Please keep the safety of our scholars and staff as the top priority during drop-off and pick-up.
School Meals - CCDSI will continue to offer breakfast in the classroom daily to all students at no cost. Breakfast will be available from 9:00 - 9:30. Lunch will be available for purchase for students in the cafeteria. Meals are at no cost to students who are eligible for free or reduced-priced meals. Please complete the lunch application to determine eligibility. The link to the online application is below and is typically processed within 48 hours. Students who are not eligible for free or reduced meals must pay the full lunch price of $2.75. Here is the link for the application - MySchoolApps.com.
School Supplies - The school supply list can be found on the CCDSI website and can also be found in the Resource section below. You can go ahead and purchase the basic supplies and then wait for further guidance from your child's teacher during the first few weeks of school.
Join our School's Class Dojo!- Class Dojo will remain one of the main communication vehicles for CCDSI! Please make sure to join our school community on Dojo to stay connected. Join via this link- https://www.classdojo.com/ul/p/addKid?target=school&schoolID=55807f2f6f0c41f11aa7b11d