We hope you enjoy our newsletter! It provides information about important dates and events happening around school throughout the year. Updates will occur at the start of each month. The newsletter will be emailed out and available on our website and social media. If you have suggestions for things we can add, please feel free to email Mrs. Meyer at meyera@okaloosaschools.com .

To access staff contacts, handbooks and more, visit our website at https://www2.okaloosaschools.com/o/destines

Dear DES families, staff and community,

THANK YOU is not even close to the gratitude DES feels for our community support! This year's Boosterthon Fun Run was our most successful ever, crushing our $60,000 goal! I guess you will be seeing myself, Mrs. Brown and Mr. Telatovich with some new face accessories this upcoming week! It's so worth it to see the smiles on our kiddos faces! Over the past few years, we have been able to purchase smart boards for every classroom in our school, acquire supplemental instructional programs for grade levels, provide teachers and students with supplies and update and maintain our school campus through getting new flooring, painting inside and out and landscaping to make our school an inviting and beautiful place to come learn and grow in! We could not do this without our families and community! We plan to continue to replace more flooring this summer with plans to get the whole school done soon. We are also looking to upgrade playgrounds and get more painting completed.

Field days are starting this week. These are a fun tradition at DES and we encourage parents and families to join us on the football field to watch the kids and classes compete and play. The PE coaches and PTO volunteers work hard to make these days organized and fun for all. We ask that parents please stay behind the boundary lines and model good sportsmanship while cheering on the kids! Please do not check siblings out of class to attend field days. We are finishing up the 3rd quarter of school and teachers are continuing to teach in their classes and need their students present. Thank you for your cooperation with this.

We have many fun and educational feild trips coming up! We need chaperones on these trips to help keep everyone safe when we travel off campus. If you volunteer to chaperone on a field trip, please make sure you see the requirements below in this newsletter. It is very important that we follow these rules so that we can continue to offer these experiences to our students. We appreciate all of our parents that give up their time to accompany us on these trips and take responsibility for groups of students. Parents that are not signed up to chaperone following the approved process, may not join the school group on the trip. This is for everyone's safety.

Along with field days and field trips, we have a Mardi Gras parade on Fat Tuesday (no parents for this one), a spring dance in April, and our annual talent show on May 15th!

After the Healthy Schools newsletter below, the rest of this report has repeated information that is there every month for new families or anyone who needs it. A calendar of events for the rest of the year can always be found at the very end of this newsletter. Please reach out to your child's teacher for specifics regarding their classroom activities.

As always, please reach out with any concerns or questions. Your input is important and valued. Consider coming to our PTO meetings if you would like to find out how you can get more involved! I absolutely LOVE this school and our staff and students and families. We continue to LIVE OUR EXCELLENCE every day and acknowledge there is always room to grow which we strive for always!

Warmest Regards,

Amy Meyer

Families may get individual schedules from their kiddos teachers! Parents may join us on the track for field days. We remind our students and parents that while there is a competitive component to field day, it is meant to be a fun experience for all. Parents are asked to stay within the boundaries set and cheer for your student and their class using positivity and good sportsmanship. This is not a time to check out your children in other grade levels from school to attend field day. Teachers are still teaching within the classrooms and kids not participating in field day are expected to be in school with their teacher.

On their assigned field day, your child's teacher will have a sign out sheet with them for anyone wishing to sign their students out at the end of field day. You will receive a pass from the teacher and will not be able to leave the field with your child without this pass verifying you have signed out. Thank you for your patience and cooperation allowing us to enjoy these fun days!

Congratulations to these amazing students who displayed awesome mentorship to their peers during the month of February! (Pictures coming soon!!!)

Thinking about Resiliency and Good Citizenship

March's Resiliency Education focus is on citizenship. We are talking to students about what it

means to be a good citizen. We will be emphasizing that when we value respect, helpfulness,

kindness, and responsibility we can create a school community where everyone feels

empowered. We want each of our students to know that they can make a positive difference.

Of course, when thinking of citizenship, we want to acknowledge that our school community

is home to many military families. Next month in April OCSD will recognize the Month of the

Military Child.

Purple references the joint environment of the military, encompassing all service branches,

Active Duty, Reserve, National Guard, and Veterans. Purple combines each branch’s colors

into one: the Air Force, Navy, and Coast Guard all use shades of blue, the Army uses green,

and the Marines use red. When we think about resiliency and good citizenship, we think

about our military families.

In February and March, we have "Child Safety Matters" presentations for each grade level happening. These presentations are facilitated by a member from the Emerald Coast Children's Advocacy Center and are designed to help keep our kids safe. The program covers topics such as bullying, cyberbulying, child abuse and digital dangers. For more informatioin, please see the parent information letters below. These will be sent home with your students later this month. If you do not want your child to participate, please let their teacher know in advance and we will make sure they have another place to be during the presentations. We have had really great presenters in years past and we feel that students are safer for having participated.

Spring Break! March 14-24 (please note there is no school the Friday before and the Monday following spring break week- students return on Tuesday, March 25th)

Field Days and Field Trips wear your class tshirts

Monday, March 3rd is Dr. Suess's bday celebration- optional

Tuesday, March 4th is Fat Tuesday- Wear your Mardis Gras colors

An amazing opportunity is coming to DES in March! The Children's Volunteer Health Network is bringing dental services to our school! Use the QR to register! It doesn't matter if you don't have insurance, they can help with checkups, cleanings and other needed dental procedures! Check it out!

Parents and caregivers! Reading at home with your kids is the best way to ensure they become proficient readers. Please use the link below to access some resources and strategies to help!

Our theme for the 24-25 school year is "Live Your Excellence" with an emphasis of doing our very best in all that we do, every day!

Visit Squad Locker for your DES apparel! All items can be individually ordered and shipped right to your house! We hope you like it!

You may find bus routes by visiting https://www2.okaloosaschools.com/page/bus-routes. Find the closest stop to your house for your transportation needs. Remember that buses may run a little earlier or later during the first few weeks of school while everyone adjusts to new schedules!

To register for Bus Bulletin, please visit Bus Bulletin Registration. Parents will need their student's school name and bus number to complete the registration process.

Key Features of Bus Bulletin:

• Cost-Free Service: There is no charge for this service.
• Easy Registration: The registration process is quick and straightforward.
• Multiple Notification Options: Choose to receive updates via text messages, phone calls, and emails.
• Privacy Protection: All contact information is stored securely and will not be shared or sold.

By utilizing Bus Bulletin, parents and guardians can stay informed and ensure their students’ safe and timely transportation to and from school.

We are excited and proud to announce that we will be able to continue to provide our students with physical education, music and art classes this school year!

Have you ever wanted to thank a special teacher for the impact they've made on your life? Here's your chance!

HCA Florida Fort Walton-Destin Hospital and the Okaloosa County School District have partnered to celebrate the Okaloosa County School District's dedicated educators! Students, Families, and staff members are encouraged to share their stories about a particular teacher's inspiring actions, supportive words, creative lessons, or just their overall positive impact. Each month of the 2024-2025 school year, one nominated teacher will win $250 from HCA Florida Healthcare and be highlighted on social media.

Nominate the teacher who impacted you by clicking the link below or visit OkaloosaSchools.com, click on "Parents/Students" and select "Thank a Teacher."

https://forms.gle/vp84LbWTaPp4jjin6

@hcafloridahealthcare HCA Florida Fort Walton-Destin Hospital

If you are able, please consider being a PTO sponsor to support Destin Elementary School this year! Thank you to all of our local business partners that help us every year by providing funds to enhance our school and the educational experience for all of our kids!

Our Lost and Found is filling up fast! Parents are free to look through the bins right inside the school. Check in through the front office. Items will be donated at the end of the quarters.

Please consider filling out the application whether you think you qualify or not. There are many benefits beside saving money on meals that can come with filling out the application! Thank you :)

Club registrations with information about age requirements, cost and dates/times will be sent home a few weeks after school begins!

We are still in need of a sponsor/coach for Lego Club and the Drone Club!

Multicultural Club- after school

Drama Kids - After school on Thursdays

Violin - After school on Wed and Fri

Remarkable Arts- After school on Thursdays

Music Club- during the school day, students rotate

Good News Club (all grades)- after school

Library Club (4th grade only) - during school hours

HOPE Squad (4th grade only)- during school hours, students chosen by peers

Safety Patrol (4th grade only)- during school hours

Junior Deputy (4th grade only)- during school hours

Destin Ambassadors (all grades, students chosen by admin)- during school hours

We are thrilled to showcase our school expansion! This will be the new front office which will be located on Beach Dr! To the left of the front office, you can see the new multipurpose building with the classroom additions behind that!

Below is the view of the new, 2-story, 30 classroom addition that will house our 3rd-5th grade classes! There will be more parking and an additional car line for pick up to help with traffic on the main roads!

March

3-Safety Matters

3- Violin performance for 1st and 3rd during specials

4 -Safety Matters

4- Mardi Gras parade @ 2:00

5- Safety Matters

5-4th grade Walk to Destin Water Users (8:30-11:30am)

6-Safety Matters

6- Kindergarten Field Day

7- 1st Grade Field Day- Ellis class will join

10- 4th Grade Field Day

11- 3rd Grade Field Day

12- Link Up! Music field trip with 3rd and 4th

12- 2nd Grade Field Day

13 - End of the third quarter

14-21 Spring Break

24- Teacher Workday

April

1- 4th Grade writes test

2- 4th Grade Field Trip to ECSC 9:00-12:30- Ray, Brown, Buckley

3- 4th Grade Field Trip to ECSC 9:00-12:30- Cox, Patterson, Anderson

3--PTO in media center 7:45

4- 4th Grade Field Trip to ECSC 9:00-12:30- Church, Ketler, Mathews

9-Spring pictures

15-3rd grade Buccaneer Pirate Ship field trip 9:00-11:30: Donatelli, Taylor, Schmidt, Olson

16-3rd grade Buccaneer Pirate Ship field trip 9:00-11:30 Litka, Henry, Douglas

17-3rd grade Buccaneer Pirate Ship field trip 9:00-11:30: Bitler, Williams, Higgs

16-KG Easter Egg Hunt-Turner-KG Playground-9:00-9:45

16-KG Easter Egg Hunt- Schillinger- Grassy area outside office-11:00-11:45

17-KG Easter Egg Hunt- Nelson- Grassy area outside office-9:00-9:45

17-KG Easter Egg Hunt- Howell- Grassy area outside office-11:00-11:45

17-KG Easter Egg Hunt- Luallen- Grassy area outside office-1:45-2:30

18-KG Easter Egg Hunt- Deslauriers- Grassy area outside office-9:00-9:45

18-KG Easter Egg Hunt- Burns- Kindergarten Playground-9:00-9:45

18-KG Easter Egg Hunt- Pisarchuk- Classroom 11:30-12:30

22-Talent Show Auditions Stage 3-430

23-Talent Show Audition Stage 3-430

24- Drama Kids Sword and the Stone performance 5:30 pm

25-KG Fairy Tale Ball- Luallen, Nelson, Burns, Huffman

25- 2nd Grade Emerald Coast Zoo Trip 9:00-1:00

29- 4th Biophilia- Ray, Brown, Buckley, Cox, Patterson, L. Anderson

30- 4th Biophilia- Church, Mathews, Ketler

May

5–9 Teacher Appreciation Week

5-KG STAR ELA

6-KG STAR Math

8-PTO in media center 7:45

12–KG Field Trip Gulfarium–Deslauriers, Huffman, Pisarchuk, Turner, Burns

12- 4th Biophilia - Ray, Brown, Buckley, Cox, Patterson, L. Anderson

12 - Talent Show Rehearsal 3-4 stage

13- Talent Show Rehearsal 3-4 Stage

13–KG Field Trip Gulfarium–Nelson, Schillinger, Howell, Luallen, Ellis

13- 4th Biophilia- Church, Mathews, Ketler

13- 3rd Grade Field Trip to Skating Rink: Donatelli, Taylor, Olson, Schmidt, Bitler

14- 3rd Grade Field Trip to Skating Rink: Litka, Henry, Higgs, Douglas, Williams

14- 4th Grade Field Trip to Blue Wahoos Game (P.E. too)

15- Talent Show 6pm / Art Show 530pm

16- 4th Grade Wax Museum 9-10am

23-EOY Party- Burns-9:00-10:20

23- 4th Grade Graduation at DUMC

23-EOY Party- Ellis-12:00

23-EOY Party- Luallen-1:45-2:30

23-EOY Party- Huffman-11:00

23-EOY Party- Nelson-11:00

23-EOY Party- Howell-11:00

23-EOY Party- Turner-12:00

26- Memorial Day No School

27-EOY Party- Pisarchuk-11:30-12:30

27- EOY Party- Schillinger

29 -Last Day of school

30 - Teacher Workday

June

2-Teacher Workday

3-Teacher Workday

School gates opens at 8:00, classrooms open at 8:15.

Students may purchase breakfast in the cafeteria before class if they choose.

School starts at 8:25. All students should be in their classroom no later than this or they will be marked tardy.

Please make every effort to be on time. Instruction starts at 8:25 and it is uncomfortable for students to enter late and try to catch up on what they missed :). It also disrupts the learning of the other students.

No visitors will be allowed on campus unless they sign in through the front office.

Drop off- Students may ride the bus, come by car or walk/ride bikes to school. Walkers and bike riders have 3 gates they may enter. One is on Beach Drive at multipurpose room (we call this the Beach Drive entrance), one to the left of the front office (we call this the kindergarten gate) and one to the right of the front of the school by the kindergarten playground (we call this the black gate).

Car riders will come through the car line on Kelly St. Please have your students ready to exit the car when you pull up to the drop off point so we can keep things flowing smoothly!

DO NOT drop off students across the street and have them cross traffic or walk in front of the car line to come to school. Any student crossing a street should use the crosswalks! I understand the car line can get long, however, this causes a very dangerous situation and we want our kids to be safe- thank you.

You may park at the Catholic Church on Beach Drive and walk your student to the multipurpose room entrance if you don't want to wait in the car line. Please do not park in the yards/driveways of people who live around the school. We want to be respectful of their property.

Breakfast and lunch are able to be purchased each day. The menu can be viewed by clicking the following link. Keep in mind that there are times the menu changes without notice.

https://okaloosaschools.nutrislice.com/menus-eula

You may access the application for free and reduced lunches with the link below. We encourage everyone to fill out the form whether you think you will qualify or not. :) It helps our school by having more people fill out the form!

https://www2.myschoolapps.com/

Breakfast and Lunch Prices are listed below.

You can add money to your child's account online by creating an account at https://www.myschoolbucks.com/ver2/getmain?requestAction=home

We welcome parents to come eat lunch with your kids any day of the week! Due to limited seating in the cafeteria, we ask that you eat outdoors only at any of our picnic tables or benches around campus. You may bring lunch in to eat with your child or buy lunch in the cafeteria. We do not accept deliveries for lunch such as fast food drop offs or Door Dash orders. Calling classrooms for students to pick up their lunch disrupts instruction and causes much confusion and traffic in the front office. When you come to eat with your child, you may only take your child with you. Please do not invite friends to join you. This is for everyone's safety. Sign in through the front office when visiting, please :)

*Side note about lunch- Students are allowed to purchase ice cream, chips and other treats at lunch as long as there is money in their account, unless you contact the cafeteria and tell them otherwise. When students buy these extra treats, most of the time that is all they eat. The rest of the lunch goes in the trash. We want parents to be aware. If you would like to limit what your child buys, please write a note to the cafeteria or call to talk to them. :)

Early Checkouts: If you need to check your child out early for any reason, please come to the front office to sign them out. We ask that you come no later than 2:15 for early checkouts. Dismissal time gets very hectic in the front office and we need that time to handle transportation changes and make sure kids get to their correct locations to get home.

If your child is needing to change the way they go home, you MUST write a note that includes your child's full name, teacher's name, the date and the way you want them to go home. Please sign the note and send it to school with your child. Their teacher will get it to the office for you. Any transportation change that differs from their regular way home, requires a written note.

Dismissal - Dismissal begins at 2:55 and students are released in waves.

ALL students will be given a tag that is placed on their backpacks. They will be assigned a tag number.

Any parents picking up in car line must have a matching car tag to their students backpack tag. You will be sent to the front office to get your child if you do not have your car tag at pickup.

Kindergartener walkers will be picked up at the kindergarten gate to the left of the front office. Parents of kindergarten walkers only will be required to show their matching tag. Older students may go home as walkers/bike riders without a parent meeting them.

Kindergarteners are walked to their appropriate places for dismissal.

***If you plan to volunteer at school this year, including attending field trips with your student, you must have a current volunteer application on file. You can access this application at the following link: https://apps.raptortech.com/Apply/OTYyOmVuLVVT

When filling out the application, if you choose Coach, Overnight Chaperone, or Mentor options, they require fingerprinting and it's a longer process. You do not need to be fingerprinted to volunteer in the school setting only. If you do not hear back about your application within a week, contact us to check on it for you :)

Destin Elementary School is proud to participate in a campaign to help the Ronald McDonald House. They use the funds from recycling pop tops of aluminum cans to help pay their electricity bills! It is an easy, free way that we can help this very special organization! Our very own Coley Schillinger was blessed to be helped by the Ronald McDonald house when her precious baby girl, Madi, was born at just 25 weeks, weighing 1 1/2 pounds. They provided her and her husband a place to stay, 3 meals a day and emotional support all for free so they could focus on their miracle baby! We are excited to report that momma and baby are doing great!

Please collect these tops throughout the year and send them into school with your child or bring them to the lobby of the front office and place them in the container.

Thank you for helping us support a very special organization that helps families every day!

If you complete your application to substitute, you can provide tutoring to students before, during or after school hours and get paid for your time! You can make your own hours and choose your preferred grade level/subject. $15/hour. Contact the front office for more information!