Dragon Digest- Family Edition
2023-2024 February 2024
A Message from DOES Administration
For the month of February, we will be celebrating kindness and love! See the flyers below for some important events this month that will celebrate our students love of learning and being kind to others at school.
Join us for a special All Pro Dad's on February 21st. Superintendent of Pasco County Schools, Mr. Browning, will be joining us. Word has gotten out about how awesome our ALL PRO DAD's mornings are and he would love to see it in action!
At Denham Oaks Elementary, we have three all encompassing rules: Be Respectful, Be Responsible and Be Kind. We teach and practice what these look like in all areas of the school and on the school bus. In the past month, we have had a large amount of students not practicing these rules which help them focus on learning while at school. At Denham Oaks, we are an all inclusive school and we don't discriminate based on religion, gender, ethnicity or disability. We are asking for you help- we need all families to help. Please talk with your children about using school appropriate language, keeping hands and feet to themselves and being respectful to adults and students while at school and on the bus. We have Morning Meetings in all classrooms to start the school day. In these meetings, teachers and students practice these expectations and focus on Social Emotional Learning. Every classroom also has a calming corner where students can take a needed break to calm themselves down and then go back to work. Students are able to ask for a break and use these areas to self-regulate themselves. When used, we have noticed a difference in how students deal with frustration, anger and other feelings they have. All students will be given a rigorous world class education and we will continue to Delivering Opportunities where Everyone Soars. We appreciate your help and support ensuring that all students can learn, grown and be happy while at DOES.
February 5-9 is FTE Survey Week. This week is very important for school funding. Next week all our students enrollment and daily attendance information is uploaded to the state. Please make sure your child is at school on time and stays all day every day next week. School Starts promptly at 9:40am every day. Please have your child at school no late than 9:35 am so the are in class on time. We have excessive tardies and early check out in January. We need all students in school every day all day so we can teach them everything they need to know to be successful and master the grade level standards. Please plan vacations and appointments outside of the school day. Vacations are not excused absences.
Be sure you are checking your myStudent account daily in case you have messages from your child's teacher and the school. This is the districts main means for communication. Also under your child's Test History Tab, you should be able to see their PM 2 Reading and Math Scores. More information about that will be coming home in the next couple weeks. Your child's 2nd Quarter Report has been uploaded there as well.
CARLINE DISMISSAL UPDATE:
Carline Dismissal is finishing much faster- YAY! Please make sure you are in the carline to pick up your child BY 4:00pm each day. We are out of cars by 4:10pm but still have alot of children left. Lately, We have many kids not being picked up until after 4:20 due to parents not coming on time. Our staff leaves by their contract at 4:10pm each day so please be respectful and responsible and pick your child up by 4:10pm each day- this means they are staying late every day with children and are not getting paid. Please be respectful of our staff's time.
Lastly, please remember we have a Pasco County Schools Dress Code. Students should wear appropriate length shorts, jeans , skirts or other pants. Hats, tank tops, spaghetti strap shirts, half shirts/crop tops and excessively ripped jeans are not allowed- your child will be asked to change. Hoods on hoodie sweatshirts and winter hats are only to be worn when it is cold outside but not in the buildings. Appropriate safe shoes with backs (no slides or slippers) on them must be worn each day as your child has recess every day and PE multiple times per week. Thank you in advance for your help with this matter.
Kelly Wisneski, Principal
Kori Barber, Assistant Principal
School Bell Hours
It is very important that students are in school bell to bell to maximize their learning.
~9:20 am Campus open, breakfast served
~9:40 am Tardy Bell
~3:50 pm Dismissal Bell
DISCIPLINE AND SAFETY
Here at Denham Oaks we pride ourselves on three principles:
Be Responsible – “Doing the right thing even when nobody is watching.”
Being responsible is coming to school on time, being prepared and ready to learn, and using good character. It is important to do what is expected and always try your best.
Be Respectful – “Treating others the way you want to be treated.”
Being respectful is treating self, staff, peers and school property with kindness. Being considerate of others’ feelings and being tolerant of differences in all areas of the school and our community is important.
Be Safe - “Be aware of what is happening around you.”
Being safe is making choices that keep yourself and others free from harm. We work hard on teaching Self Control. This is keeping hands, feet, hurtful words and objects to ourselves.
Parents and families can reinforce these same ideas at home and in the community. When we are all using the same language, a child can truly understand and practice these skills.
CELL PHONES AND SMART WATCHES
**NEW CELL PHONE POLICY for all Pasco County Schools
Grades Pre-K through 5: Students in grades Pre-K through 5 who bring WCDs (wireless communication devices) to school must ensure that they remain on silent mode and completely out of view for the entire school day. Classroom teachers may also provide, and student may utilize, a cell phone storage area in their classroom. Students will need to put their cell phones on silent and their smart watches and put them in the bookbags once arriving on campus each day. Please have a conversation with your child prior to the first day of school so they know that they MUST silence their devices and put them away during the ENTIRE school day- no exceptions. Refer to pg. 17 of the Student Code of Conduct for more details and corrective actions/confiscation of device procedures.
BIRTHDAY CELEBRATIONS
Birthdays are a special time, especially for children. It is important for you to make arrangements PRIOR to your child’s special day with your child’s teacher. All food provided in school for birthdays must be purchased from our school cafeteria- you MAY NOT send in store bought food or treat bags for students. You can contact our Cafeteria Manager at 813-794-1678 to purchase birthday snacks, this must be done 2 weeks prior to the day you are requesting it for. You can also download the order form from our webpage: does.pasco.k12.fl.us.
While every teacher/classroom has a different way to recognize birthdays, it is important to remember that school is NOT a place to hold your child’s party. Party favors/gift bags will not be given out and presents should not be brought to school for a child to open. Please do not have gifts or flowers delivered to school for your child. They will be held in the front office until the end of the day.
Stay Connected with Us!
We have many avenues of communication to stay connected with families. Keep an eye out!
Monthly for Parents Dragon Digest Newsletter
Denham Oaks Website https://does.pasco.k12.fl.us/
School Messenger (Phone and Email)
Denham Oaks PTA Facebook Page Denham Oaks PTA
Twitter/ X @DenhamOaks
Instagram DenhamOaksElementary
Website: https://does.pasco.k12.fl.us/
Location: 1422 Oak Grove Boulevard, Lutz, FL, USA
Phone: (813)794-1600
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DenhamOaksPta/
Twitter: @DenhamOaks