Dear Mt. Peak Family,

As we dive into the festive season, I want to express my heartfelt gratitude for the incredible support and kindness our community shows every day. From the generosity displayed through our Angel Tree donations to the enthusiasm for holiday events, it’s clear that the Mt. Peak spirit is alive and thriving.

Next week, we have some exciting events lined up to celebrate the season! Our 5th-grade performance and PTO meeting on December 10th will showcase the incredible talent of our students. The PTO Holiday Store will also open from December 10th to 12th, giving students a chance to shop for their loved ones. Don’t forget our winter parties on December 18th as we wrap up the semester. We can’t wait to share these moments with you and your families.

Adam Henke

Principal

adam.henke@midlothianisd.org

Hello Mt. Peak,

I’m so excited to be joining the Mt. Peak family soon.

I’ve spent most of my educational career at Longbranch Elementary as a 5th grade math teacher. I was also a SPED Inclusion teacher at Longbranch, so I’ve had the privilege of working with grades K-5 in both reading and math. I worked part-time as a 1st Grade Reading Interventionist/Tutor at McClatchey Elementary and was a long-term Life Skills substitute teacher for them as well. I’m certified in EC-6th, SPED, ESL, and GT. I’m passionate about helping students grow in confidence academically as well as helping them grow in character.

I’ve lived in Midlothian most of my life, and I absolutely love living here! When I’m not teaching, I enjoy using my horses as an avenue for mentoring and discipling kids in the community. I recently started a non-profit organization called Redeeming Grace Youth Ranch. I also enjoy baking, hiking, kayaking, horseback riding, biking, and spending time with my family and friends.

I’m looking forward to getting to know each of you and working alongside you. I’ve heard great things about Mt. Peak!

Sincerely,

Stacy Hull

Holiday dress up hat day was so fun! Monday is hoodies and sweats! We are pumped for that one!

Peak students are having fun finding Henkles and Twinkle Peppermint around campus. They must find them and collect the letter each day to uncover a secret message!

Thanks to our generous Peak community we get to take a second round of donations for the Angel Tree program! Wow! Thank you for your help in making this such an amazing holiday for so many! We appreciate you!

We had so much fun dressing up in our flannel and plaid today! Wear Santa hats, elf ears, or antlers tomorrow!

Help us give our very own, Mrs. Clary, a BIG congratulations for being recognized by our district for Inspiring Excellence today ! We are so thankful to have her at Peak!

Wednesday was our first day of holiday dress up! Jingle bells for everyone!

Mrs. Handlin’s Students are modeling, weathering over “centuries” and determining limitation of this model to improve it for further research!

This week in Mr. Lewiston’s room students are investigating how to model weathering and erosion using sugar cookies.

Thanks to your generosity during the fundraiser we were able to update the zip line!

The Adopt-a-Shelf program is in its first year at MPE and is open for 3rd and 4th grade students. Students are assigned a shelf in the library and they are to check on it throughout the week to make sure the shelf is neat and orderly. This lets student take responsibility and pride in the library, while helping Mrs. Hobbs.

On Mondays, a winner of each section is chosen. Winners each week will be put in to a drawing for prizes, including free books, at the end of each semester.

Mrs. Hobbs is looking for the MPE broadcast team for the Spring 2025 semester! This is open for all 5th grade students, and current MPE broadcast members have to reapply. The application and teacher recommendation is due December 5th.

The broadcast team is responsible for creating and producing the morning broadcast which includes school announcements, the Pledge of Allegiance and occasional special performances. They run the equipment, do the actual broadcasting, and gather news and announcements from around the school. Sometimes team members are asked to help create special productions.

We are excited to share an opportunity to get involved with the school through our Father Figure volunteer group, DOGS. This group steps in to help whenever the need arises, whether it's assisting with the drop-off car line on Friday mornings or giving our staff a break during particularly cold or rainy weather. The commitment is flexible—you don't need to be there every Friday, but when you can participate, the kids and staff truly appreciate it.

We'll also have various opportunities throughout the school year to help out with setting up for school events. It's a great way to make a positive impact, and the kids love seeing the dads and father figures involved.

If you'd like to join, please click [this link] to sign up.

Background Checks

While completing a background check isn't mandatory, it's always a good idea to have one on file in case an event comes up that requires volunteer help inside the school. You can complete the Volunteer Background Check here.

If you have any questions or comments, feel free to email Mr. Henke at adam.henke@midlothianisd.org.

We would love to see a strong group of men involved at Mt. Peak, so please consider signing up!

We would love you to follow along during the week for updates of what is happening at Mt Peak. You can follow along on Facebook There is an imposter site. So, please follow the one with a picture of the school in the header.

The Mt Peak mission statement is the Mt Peak family will make a positive difference in the lives we touch by putting children first and challenging everyone to reach their full potential.

Our staff is working so hard for your kids! We would love for you to share the impact they are having on your child or any special information you would like to share. Please fill out this form for us.

Thank you!

Hello, it has been great seeing everyone back from the Thanksgiving break! This week, I have had the opportunity to meet with PreK, K, 1st, and 2nd grades to begin our discussions about Responsibility. We spoke about what responsibility involves, what it looks like in the classroom and outside the classroom, and how each one of us contributes to our home, school, and community. I enjoyed hearing how examples of how each person has the opportunity to contribute at our school. I am looking forward to discussing this topic with our older students following the winter break!

Wendy Waldroup

Counselor

Mt Peak Family,

At Mt Peak we are committed to providing our students with the best possible environment to thrive and succeed. As we approach the second semester, we would love to hear your feedback on how we’re doing and how we can improve.

We are particularly seeking your insights on implementing Capturing Kids' Hearts and its impact on our school community. Your input is invaluable in helping us create a positive, supportive, and inclusive environment where every student feels valued and empowered to excel.

Please take a few moments to complete the survey linked below. Your feedback will directly influence our plans for the second semester, ensuring we continue to grow and better meet the needs of our students and families.

CKH Family Survey

Thank you for your continued support, dedication, and partnership in making Mt Peak an exceptional place for our students. We deeply value your perspective and look forward to hearing from you.

What is Responsibility?

Responsibility is the willingness and ability to take ownership of our thoughts, words, and actions. We have a responsibility to our school, family, and community to be accountable for our choices and how they impact ourselves and others.

Why focus on Responsibility?

• Responsibility teaches resilience. It is not possible to persevere and achieve our dreams without taking personal responsibility seriously.
• Responsibility empowers us to own our actions. There is great power in being able to make conscious, calculated choices to reach goals and manage those things in our control.
• Responsibility teaches us to manage our time and resources. Responsibly organizing and prioritizing needs is an executive function of the brain that improves with practice.

• Give students roles and responsibilities. When students have a leadership role in class, they are accountable for contributing positively to the classroom culture.
• Empower students with self-management tools. Provide students with tools to help manage stress and impulsivity while motivating them to meet goals.
• Clearly communicate consequences. Empower students to make choices and experience the consequences of their actions, both positive and negative.

Mark your calendars! Check back regularly for updates and new events added

Dec 10: 6:00 PM 5th School Performance & PTO Meeting

Feb 11: PTO Meeting

Mar 6: PTO Meeting

Apr 1: 6:00 PM 1st Grade Performance & PTO Meeting

Apr 17: PTO Auction

May 15: PTO meeting voting for new board members

The YMCA utilizes Mt Peak for after school care on school days! For more information and the weekly newsletter click the button below.

Per MISD Athletics,

• Families should enter through Gate A.
• Free admission is available only for campus students. Parents are required to purchase a ticket.
• Students can either show their student ID or wear a campus spirit shirt for entry.

• MISD enforces a Clear Bag Policy.

• Please note that outside drinks (including tumblers) and food are not permitted.

A campus administrator will be on duty at Gate A to welcome families and answer any questions that may come up. Thank you! It is going to be a fun season, and I cannot wait to see the kids at the big game!

Mt Peak has a great director and would love to serve you. Register here for after-school childcare.

If you believe you have opted into the text alert feature and are not receiving text messages, go to your Skyward Family Access account and click on “Skylert” to verify your contact information. Update information if needed and allow 24 hours for our systems to recognize your changes. You should begin receiving text alerts and emails.

If you unsubscribed to receiving email notification please complete this form (https://forms.gle/3sUmoWnjT7S7cpx27) to re-activate your email notifications.

All Texas school districts are required by law to distribute information to parents and guardians about the safe storage of firearms. House Bill 3, Section 19 added Section 37.222 to the Texas Education Code, which requires the Texas School Safety Center, in collaboration with the Texas Department of Public Safety, to provide information and resources to school districts for the purpose of disseminating the information to parents. The Texas DPS launched a Keep ‘Em Safe Texas website that provides safety resources, materials, and tips for practicing safe gun storage to prevent accidents and keep children safe. Remember, a gun should be stored unloaded in a safe or locked container, with ammunition stored elsewhere. You can learn more and find additional resources from the Texas Department of Public Safety at https://safegunstoragetexas.com.

Below are resources that have been previously shared with parents/students with accessing and logging in to district resources. As we approach mid year we wanted to share them again.

UPDATE this

• 24-25 Quickstart Guide for MISD Students [Grades 4-12]
  
• 24-25 Quickstart Guide for MISD Students [Grade 3]
• 24-25 Quickstart Guide for MISD Students [Grades K-2]
• 24-25 Quickstart Guide for Skyward Family Access
• How to Set Up Parent Canvas Observer Account
  
• 24-25 Student Guide to Canvas in the Classroom

Does your student need MISD school bus transportation? All students must have a current Bus Rider Contract on file for each year. All contracts received by the July 12 deadline will secure route information and transportation for the first week of school. Contracts received after July 12 are being processed on a first come, first served basis and transportation is not guaranteed for the first week of school.

If you have not submitted a contract for your student, please fill one out and return to the Transportation Department by emailing to bus_contracts@midlothianisd.org or by delivering to 601 E. Avenue E, Midlothian. Please remember that your student cannot ride the bus until their contract is processed.

Dear MISD Families,

You may have received this information directly from your campus, but we want to ensure all MISD families know about an update and opportunity from our Child Nutrition Department. Please disregard this message if you have already applied for free/reduced-price school meals for the 2023-24 school year.

Students who participated in the free/reduced-price meals program during the previous school year in Midlothian ISD could continue receiving free/reduced-price meals for the first 30 days of school. This 30-day grace period has now ended, and a new application must be submitted. Students will no longer receive free/reduced-price meals without application approval for the 2023-24 school year.

Please click here to visit the MISD Child Nutrition Department website for more information on school meals and to apply for the free/reduced-price meals program.

If you have any questions or need assistance, you can reach our Child Nutrition Department by emailing mandie.tucker@midlothianisd.org or calling (469) 856-5390.

MISD Communications

Midlothian ISD uses Skyward Family Access for enrollment and to give parents real-time data about their student's grades, attendance, assignments, and more. Alerts can be set to individual preferences and information.

Skyward Family Access: 23-24 Quickstart Guide for Skyward Family Access

September 6th, 13th, 19th, 28th

October 4th, 11th, 18th, 25th, 31st

November 8th, 15th, 21st,

December 6th, 13th, 20th

5201 FM 663

Midlothian, Texas 76065

469-856-6300

https://mtpeak.midlothianisd.org/