Main Office Phone: (210) 882-1610

Office Hours: 6:50 A.M. - 3:30 P.M.

Principal: Tanya Mares

https://southsideisd.org/mecc/

Dear Menchaca Families,

We had such a wonderful time watching the smiles and joy at the PK Grandparent Breakfast on Friday. It was a heartwarming event, and we are grateful for everyone who participated. Next up, we will be hosting our Kindergarten breakfast on Monday, and we are looking forward to another delightful morning with our Kindergarten students and grandparents.

Additionally, we are excited about the upcoming Southside ISD Lighting of the "S" and parade on Wednesday, September 11th. It promises to be a wonderful community celebration! This year we will honor our MECC first responders and military families as part of our parade entries.

We also wanted to inform you that our News from the Nest will now be sent out on a bi-weekly basis. This change allows us to continue delivering the same relevant and important information while giving you a little more space between updates. The next newsletter will be published on September 21st, so keep an eye out for it!

Finally, we want to express our heartfelt thanks for your ongoing support of our school. Your involvement and encouragement mean so much to us and help make our school community stronger. We hope you are enjoying the cooler temperatures and that you have a relaxing rest of your weekend.

Regards,

MECC Leadership Team

September 9th

• Kindergarten Grandparents Breakfast
• SPANISH - Parenting Workshop 9AM

September 11th

• Raising Confident Competent Children Parenting Workshop - 9 AM
• Lighting of the S and Parade - 6:15 PM

September 16th

• International Dot Day (Wear Polka Dots)

September 18th

• College, Career, & Military Day (Students are encouraged to wear a college, military, or career/trade shirt to promote the skills, knowledge and abilities needed to succeed in life!)

September 19th

• Talk Like a Pirate Day (Dress like a Pirate, but leave your swords at home.)

September 20th

• MECC Chuck E. Cheese Family Night - 238 SW Military Dr., San Antonio, TX 78221

• Morning Drop Off & Breakfast begins at 6:35 A.M

• All car riders MUST enter the campus at the NORTH GATE. The South / Main Gate (traffic light/guard shack) is for buses, staff, and our Early Childhood Special Education students ONLY.

• Drop-off gates close each morning at 7:10 A.M.

• Students arriving after 7:15 are late for school and MUST be signed in at the front office by a parent/guardian. Please keep in mind that being late disrupts your child’s daily routine and learning time.

• Parking will be available for our grandparents in our front office parking lot as well as the side parking lot which faces 281.

• All grandparents will need their photo ID and will be subject to our security screenings through the metal detectors.

• The entrance to our event will be through our Cafeteria Courtyard. Signs will be posted to help guide them to the correct location.

• Again, we would like to remind everyone that due to the limited capacity of our cafeteria, this event is reserved for grandparents only.

Parenting workshops will be hosted in our Menchaca Library at 9 AM

Joins us for FREE 90 minute Triple P Positive Parenting Workshops here at MECC sponsored by the San Antonio Metropolitan Health District. Receive an HEB Gift Card for each workshop attended.

As part of our parade entries, MECC will be celebrating our First Responders and Military Families. If you are a current Menchaca ECC parent/guardian and are a First Responder or Active Military/Veteran, please contact Ms. Rita Martinez by Sept 10th at 210-882-1610 ext. 4052 for information on how to participate.

• When arriving at our drop off zone (GYM), please DO NOT exit your vehicle. Our staff is ready to help unbuckle and unload your child as quickly as possible. Our staff will supervise students as they enter the building and be escorted to their classrooms.

• To keep our dismissal lines moving, if you need to assist your child with buckling (car seats/ seat belts), we kindly ask that you drive your vehicle to our Designated Buckling Areas. Those areas include the back fence line of our building and both north and south parking lots. Again, please do not exit your vehicles in our student loading area.

Tears and fears are a normal part of early childhood development. Below you will find 8 tips for parents to help kids with separation anxiety at school.

If you any questions, please feel free to reach out to our Early Childhood Counselors at:

celena.hernandez@southsideisd.org or melanie.morgan@southsideisd.org

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) estimate that 20% of American children are considered to be obese. Children with obesity are at a higher risk for asthma, sleep apnea, bone and joint problems, type 2 diabetes, and risk factors for heart disease such as high blood pressure.

To help prevent childhood obesity, the CDC offers the 6 following tips:

1. Model a healthy eating pattern

2. Increase physical activity as a family

3. Set consistent sleep routines

4. Replace screen time with family time

5. Support obesity prevention in early care and education

6. Find a family healthy weight program.

For more information on childhood obesity and these tips, visit the CDC's webpage at https://www.cdc.gov/obesity/family-action/index.html

If you have any questions or concerns about your child's health, you can reach our nurse at: heather.siebert@southsideisd.org

Chronically absent students are more likely to fall behind in reading and math, and they are less likely to graduate from high school. Starting as early as pre-k and kindergarten, chronic absenteeism predicts lower reading abilities.

Don't forget, when a student is absent from school, the student must bring a note signed by the parent/guardian that describes the reason for the absence from school.

For questions regarding your child's attendance, please contact our PEIMS/Attendance Clerks:

lupita.cabrera@southsideisd.org or meranda.zapata@southsideisd.org