Hopefully you and your family are well.

This week we are focusing on staying well and continuing MAP make-ups and CLI assessments.

Last week, we focused on finishing MAP and curriculum assessments.

Last week we also had many people become ill. Friday, our attendance was 77%. As a result, our building has been disinfected by the custodial staff. Please help students stay well and minimize the spread of germs by staying consistent with helping students wash their hands regularly, cover their cough, use tissue instead of their hand or clothes to wipe their nose, throw away the tissue, drink plenty of water, wash water bottles daily. You may see more staff wearing masks to keep ourselves well. Parents are encouraged to send their child with a mask to help them stay well or if they are just recovering from a communicable illness.

Please send students to school with a thick jacket or coat for temperatures below 65 degrees. While the cold does not cause illness, the results of the cold temperatures (runny nose, shivers, lower body temperature, dampness/wetness can invite germs that spread illness. We are also encouraging students to keep their distance from one another and not share items.

Please see below for information on our district's February calendar update, feedback requests from our district, transfer/school choice application needs, and winter reading challenge reminders. Also see announcements below and the calendar for the activities we have planned for January & February.

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Please be patient during inclement weather. We are in the elements working to ensure your children arrive and depart safely. If the temperature or wind chill is below 40, we will monitor arrival from inside. We will line students up inside for dismissal and move the line forward to remain under the awning. Thank you in advance for your cooperation and understanding.

Let's make it a great week!

Jessica Linwood,

principal

Curriculum and Instruction is excited to announce an upcoming stakeholder meeting to discuss the adoption of new curriculum resources for our district. This is an important opportunity for parents, teachers, students, and community members to share their thoughts, ask questions, and collaborate on shaping the future of our educational programs. There will be two meeting dates: one midday and one evening.

The Speak Up Research Project, facilitated by Project Tomorrow, gives our students, parents, and faculty the opportunity to share their viewpoints on education at their school. By participating today, you are helping ensure that your voice is heard as we continue to grow and improve our schools. Additionally, your feedback will be included in the increasingly important U.S. national and state discussions on digital learning policies, programs, and funding through Project Tomorrow’s release of national data findings each spring. Since 2003, over 6.3 million K-12 education stakeholders have participated in the annual Speak Up online survey. To learn more about the Speak Up Research Project and data findings, visit the About Speak Up page.

To begin, click the Classic Speak Up Survey image and you will be directed to the survey.

Parents are encouraged to check Skyward for grades at the end or top of each week of school. Students will receive grades based on how they show their academic skills on work completed in class each week. Students will receive grades in reading, grammar, math, science, and social studies. 1st - 4th grade students will receive progress reports every 3 weeks for core classes and progress levels in pe, art, and music. Conduct will be reported in comments as needed. IEP progress reports will go home based on the IEP schedule. Report cards will be published in Skyward each 9 weeks and show final performance for each of the categories above.

Friday, February 14th will be a regular instructional day. We will have class all day from 8:0 to 3:30 pm.

Monday, February 17th is a school holiday and there will be no classes.

We will have mom's week at the same time. More information to come.Thank you very much to all parents, other family, friends, and district partners for coming to help make this Great Read-in a success!

Quote: " The single biggest predictor of high academic achievement is reading to children. Not flash cards, not workbooks, not fancy preschools, not blinking toys or computers, but mom or dad taking the time every day or night or both to sit and read them wonderful books."

Please keep reading and logging your minutes on Beanstack! We are on our way to winning the book vending machine with your help.

FYI - we will celebrate Valentine's Day with a brief celebration on 2/14/25. You will be able to send individually packaged, store bought treats with your child. We are scheduled to be out of school Monday, 2/17/25. More information to come directly from your child's teacher.

Level up into this GREAT opportunity to lead while READING!! Our campus is in competition to win a FREE, fully stocked, book vending machine. We KNOW we have the readers to do it. EVERY time you read to your child, your child reads on their own, or you read to your child, log those minutes into the Beanstack platform. That is the only documentation that will count.

The competition window will go from 12/16/24 through 2/14/25. So this includes any holiday break, weekend, and reading.

If you need assistance logging minutes, please see Ms. Silva.

Lost and found coats will be available again this week. Please encourage your child to look through the coats for any lost jacket, coat or other clothing item. We will donate any left over items in February.

Duncanville ISD offers schools of choice at the elementary, middle school, and high school levels. In this application, students will be able to rank their school and program selections. Transfer students should submit a choice application.

Please note, students only need to submit one application. Multiple applications do not increase the chances of selection during the lottery process. Duplicate applications will be discarded with only the most recent application used for the lottery.

To learn more about school choice and begin the application, click the Become A Champion image.

Compulsory attendance law is in full effect for the 2024-2025 school year. Daily attendance is mandatory for all students PK3 - 4th grade who are enrolled in school. Students who are absent for 10% or more school days are in danger of retention. All absences are taken into account (excused + unexcused). This is different from truancy which considers only unexcused absences. If your child becomes truant, you could face a penalty have to appear in court.

Students will have an opportunity to have their birthday celebrated during the school day with a morning announcement & birthday pencil. We will not host birthday parties during the school day. Parents are allowed to send 1 (one) of the following: ready-made party bags or individual cupcakes to school for the class. If bags are sent, students will not open them while at school to minimize distractions when they return to class. To help with this, all bags should be pre-filled with the items you choose, closed, and ready to take home. Any treat items should be pre-packaged only. If cupcakes are sent, students will have an opportunity to consume the cupcakes during recess. Please send only one (1) of the above so students maximize recess time. Parents and family members are not able to join during this time.

Complete the meals application here at School Cafe.

Information will be updated here soon.

All families regardless of income are encouraged to complete the school lunch application. Your application helps our school even if you don't qualify.

Water fountains will continue to be open for use. However, students are allowed to bring water bottles for hydrating throughout the day. If your child brings a water bottle, please label it with their name, The more unique the bottle that also includes the label the more likely students will bring their bottle back home. If students have similar bottles with no name and there is concern about the owner of the bottles, we will remove them and no one will be able to use the bottles in question. Disposable bottles left behind will be thrown away.

In order to maintain an enjoyable experience and maintain safety for everyone, please adhere to the following:

• Call the main office during the week you desire to come for lunch. We will schedule one week at a time. We will not be able to schedule days in the future beyond the current week. You may schedule on Fridays, or the last day of the week, for the following Monday or first day of the following week. All other days should be scheduled during the week you will be coming for lunch. The office will record your information that you will be coming to eat with your child. This helps keep spaces available on a first come, first served basis and allows you to be sure we have room.

• Some blackout dates will be in effect as the year progresses. We will notify you in the newsletter when blackout dates are approaching. For your immediate information, early release days, the day before a holiday (extended weekend, or break), weeks of state assessments will be some blackout dates. We will not make up or alter the process for shorter weeks (such as a Monday or Friday holiday). There are not very many, so no worries. This will leave plenty of opportunities for lunch with your little ones.

• Please also do the following: enter and exit through the front main door only; wear your visitor tag in a clearly, visible place during your entire visit to the campus;

• Only visit the cafeteria.

• While we anticipate having plenty of space, tables may fill up during busy seasons. If this happens you may be asked to select another day to visit.

• We have reserved seats for families to come and eat lunch. In order to maintain seating for enough families, we ask that no more than 2 people come to lunch with their child.

• You are welcome to reserve a lunch time for more than one grade-level if you have a child in more than one grade-level. However, we may ask that you wait in a designated area until lunches begin if your designated times are not back to back times. This maintains safety, visibility, and seating for each lunch.

• Please arrive on time for lunch as our schedules run back to back without the opportunity for overflow. Most classes have a restroom break and recess right after lunch. Therefore, please be prepared to end lunch with your child on time as they will be expected to leave the cafeteria with their class to stay on their schedule.

• You are welcome to bring something for your child to eat or have your child eat the cafeteria lunch.

• Parents may bring their own food if they also wish to eat or purchase a meal from the cafeteria.

• Parents should remain in the designated spaces and only engage with their child during lunch including sharing food only with your child. This protects against the spread of germs and possible allergens. Please clean your space when you are done.

We are seeing more dress code violations of students wearing biking tights, shorts, skirts, and dresses that are too short; and pants with holes above the knee. Clothes should be free of holes and rips above the knees unless the student is full length wearing tights underneath. Clothes must be free of any inappropriate images or messages. Updates for 24-25 have been provided below.

If your child requires medical attention at school such as taking medicine, following an asthma or allergy plan, diabetes, or other health plan, please meet with the nurse to ensure we have this information and supplies on site. Please also inform your child's classroom teacher.

Students are free to unload from cars once you stop in the car lane. We will open car doors of our youngest students who may have trouble opening their door and unloading on their own. For the safety and security of everyone, please ensure students only walk on the sidewalks or crosswalks and not in the driving lanes at all. Parents who choose to park at Kennemer and walk up with students or send them over to the campus should ensure they stay on the grass and walk around to the gym.

• The school building is opened for students at 7:30am and staff supervision begins at that time.

• No students should be sent walking to school or dropped off at school before 7:30 a.m.

• Breakfast is served 7:30-7:55am and is free for all students.

• Students arriving by car will be lined up at the front of the school.

• PK3 & PK4 students will be dropped off in the back of the building and meet in the cafeteria.

• Parents are NOT allowed to accompany students into the building beginning 8/15 through the rest of the year unless notified due to an event.

• PK3 & PK4 students will eat in the cafeteria with their teacher/para.

• Kinder-4th grade will go to the cafeteria to eat breakfast then report straight to class. K-4 students not eating breakfast will report directly to class. NO FOOD is allowed in the classrooms for breakfast unless otherwise notified by the principal. Everything must be eaten in the cafeteria only. Please ensure your child has enough time to eat each morning in order to arrive to class on time.

• Parents enter the drive from Wheatland then split into 2 lanes after the curve.

• The center lane is not to be used as a passing lane.

• Cones/barricades will distinguish the lanes.

• Ensure your child's seat belt is ready for quick removal, items are packed up and goodbye rituals have been completed before pulling up to the drop off spwt

• Parents will exit by merging into one lane circling around the parking lot and back out the drive.

• Parents will enter the back drive from the gate off Clark Road (behind Walmart) or through the side gate from the front drive.

• Parents will drop off students, with the assistance of teachers, under the awning in the far right lane.

• The left lane will be used as a passing lane for those leaving as well as those parking.

• Parents will exit the drive through the Clark Road gate.

• The middle lane is used for safe separation and is not a through traffic lane. It should not be used for travel.

• Kindergarten - 4th grade students are eligible to be bus riders.

• Only 2nd-4th grade students are eligible to be a “walker,” to Kennemer.

• All car riders will be released from the designated exits.
  

• PK3 = back awning

• PK4, K, 1st= main front doors

• 2nd, 3rd, 4th = side doors on the back

• Sibling car riders will go to the youngest sibling’s dismissal location.

• bus/daycare will dismiss form the cafeteria

• walkers will leave out of the side facing the playground. They will go all the way to the tree near Kennemer.

• Parents of PK4 - 4th grade students should not walk up to the door to get students but should be in the drive with their car tag.

• If there is a concern with the dismissal guidelines we have in place above, me message Mrs. Linwood directly.

Arrival

Students may be dropped of for arrival at the front or back of the campus. We strongly encourage PK3 and PK4 be dropped off at the back so they go directly to the cafeteria to meet their teacher.

Dismissal begins at 3:30 p.m. We began early the first week and a half to help parents, students, and new staff acclimate to the system.

Please have your car tag visible until your child is loaded into the car. If you do not have your car tag, we will ask for you to show you ID, each time. You may have to wait for their dismissal as we look up your information.

To help continue to improve in a safe and smooth dismissal, here are a few reminders:
PK3 (+ all siblings)-pick up at the back by the cafeteria door only.
PK4 through 1st grade (+ all siblings) - pick up in the front lanes.
2nd through 4th (+ all siblings) - pick up in the back lanes.
All students will be with the youngest sibling/student.
For example, if the youngest student you are picking up is in PK3, all students you need to pick up will be in the PK3 area, etc.

Visitors will be permitted to the building after arrival and morning announcements. All persons having business in the building must report through one door, designated as the school's main entrance to properly check in. Visitors will be asked to show their government issued photo ID, be processed through our Raptor system, and state the reason for their visit in order to access the campus beyond the main office. Visitors may be asked Covid-19 screening questions and/or experience temperature checks upon entry. While on campus all visitors must wear their visitor tag in a visible location on the front of their shirt, at the top. Duncanville ISD personnel must check in at the main office first and then may use any door to carry out their purpose for visiting the campus. Reasons for outside visitors may include but are not limited to: picking up a sick child, conducting maintenance on the property, dropping off materials/notes, meetings, volunteering, etc.)

Students leaving for any reason during school hours must use the main entrance for exit and re-entry to document their time off campus. Parents picking up early are asked to provide the information for why your child will be missing part of the school day. The student will be checked out using the provided information from the parent (doc appointment, etc.). Once the forms have been completed, the student will be released through the main door only. They will not be released/admitted through any other door for early departure or late arrival.

Due to supervision and safety guidelines doors will not open before 7:30am. Early departures are not allowable after 2:45pm. to allow for end of the day report completion and dismissal prep.

Join PTA to help our leaders and their families thrive at school. We need volunteers to serve on PTA as well lead in PTA board positions. This year we will request parents to support our school by grade-level and month. House points will be awarded for parent volunteerism.

Meet our parent liaison to sign up for future volunteer opportunities, learn how you can support our campus, and about upcoming family engagement activities.

• Stay up to date with everything happening on campus by having a working phone number and e-mail address on your child's account.
• Make sure all communication information is open to receive messages and not blocked. If it is blocked in any area, your family will not receive calls or any electronic information/notices from the school or district.
• Ensure that anyone you anticipate picking up your child during the year is listed on your child's Skyward account with their full name (as printed on their identification) and phone number.
• Please make sure that you respond to the photo/media release section. We take pictures and videos of things happening throughout the year and post them to our social media accounts and in newsletters. Be sure to let us know in Skyward if you do not want your child's image to be posted to our social media account.

• arrival - how your child will get to school
• dismissal - how your child will go home each day. Pick up your dismissal tags. PK through 1st grade students are dismissed via bus/day care or carline only. PK-1st grade will not be dismissed with the walkers. All siblings will be grouped for pick up with their youngest sibling. Be sure to list them on each other's Skyward accounts for easy linking.
• medical needs - inform the teacher of any medical needs your child will have while at school (also visit the nurse's station).
• school supplies - click the links to see the lists (english) (spanish) below. Label ALL ITEMS w/ your child's name in permanent marker. This is the best time to bring all or as many supplies as possible.
• be patient and remember that dismissal will continue to take time as we welcome more new students. Some ways to make it speed up are to have your current car tag visible in the window from the time you get in line until you have your child. Only parents of PK3 leaders are allowed to walk up to the gym door to pick up their child. They should have their child's car tag with them.
• UPDATE SKYWARD WITH THE NAME OF ANYONE who might pick up your child. Ensure the person brings their photo ID or the car tag for smooth dismissal.

All families wanting transportation must sign up through the app and qualify. It may take between 1 and 2 weeks to get transportation routes settled and moving on time.