DECEMBER NEWSLETTER

Dearing Eagle Parent Newsletter 2024-2025 Issued: December

Notes from the Principal

December has arrived! As we approach the holiday season, I want to express my gratitude for your continued support in making our school a nurturing and thriving environment for all students. December is packed with exciting activities, and we’re eager to celebrate the season with you while maintaining our focus on learning. We’re so grateful to have such a supportive and engaged school community. On behalf of our entire staff, we wish you a season filled with love, laughter, and learning.

I strongly recommend to all of you to make sure your child reads over break. Reading stimulates their imagination and expands their understanding of the world. It helps them develop language and listening skills and prepares them to understand the written word. We cannot stress enough the importance of reading for the developmental growth of our kids! The same goes for Math! Practice, Practice those math facts. Math games are a fun way to practice math skills, and they can help kids feel less anxious about math.

Wishing you and your family a joyous holiday season and a wonderful start to the new year!

Shawn Joseph

Principal

“In the joy of others, we find our own.”

UPDATES AND ANNOUNCEMENTS

Family Movie Night Friday, December 6th from 6pm-8pm

DEARING 3RD GRADE MARKET DAY 2024

3rd grade will be hosting a Market Day on Tuesday, December 17th. We are currently working on a financial literacy project in Social Studies which involves starting a classroom business from scratch and creating / selling a product to the other grade levels. Each 3rd grade class is completing a unique project and will sell their products on December 17th. 100% of the profits made during our project will be donated to Down Home Ranch in Elgin! Down Home Ranch is a non-profit organization which offers social, educational, residential, and vocational opportunities to people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. We are so excited to be able to support this great organization!

We will be pre-selling tickets to our Market Day from Monday, December 9th to Friday, December 13th. One ticket is $1.00. Students will use these tickets to purchase our class products that will be sold for $1.00 each. Please attach cash only to this order form and return to your child’s homeroom teacher. Students will also be able to buy tickets the day of the Market Day at the entry of the 3rd grade hallway. There will be NO REFUND on tickets not spent.

THE COUNSELOR'S CORNER

GT

This month students who have been referred for GT testing will take the CogAT test. Results will be sent home in the Spring. Please complete the SIGS and return it to school by December 13th. This information is used during the GT interview and decision making process.

School Supplies

We had a generous donation of school supplies and backpacks. Please reach out if your child needs any supplies for the classroom.

Leslie Atherton

School Counselor

512-594-4526

FROM THE NURSE

Can you believe it’s December already?! ‘Tis the season for tummy aches, sore throats and coughs. Please remember that in order to minimize the spread of illness students are required to stay home if they have had a fever (100°+), vomiting or diarrhea. They must be free of symptoms for 24 hours without the use of symptom reducing medication before they return to school. Some rashes and other conditions may also require that your student remain at home.

Also, this is another reminder that it is against PfISD policy for students to carry medication (including cough drops) at school. Whenever possible, medication should be given at home instead of school, however, if your child needs medication during the school day, it must be kept and administered in the clinic. Please contact me for the appropriate form(s). All forms must have a physician's signature or order, medication must be in the original container, and prescription medications must have the prescription label dated within the last year.

State mandated screenings are underway. Each year, Texas requires that we perform certain health screenings throughout the school year.

Vision and hearing screenings on all PK, K, 1st, 3rd, 5th, 7th and those new to PfISD
Acanthosis Nigricans on 1st, 3rd, 5th and 7th
Scoliosis on 5th grade girls and 7th grade boys (notification will go home prior to this screening, check your child’s Wednesday folder!) 5th grade girls will be screened on December 5th & 6th, whichever date lines up with their PE class.

These screenings are not diagnostic and only determine that your child may require further evaluation by a medical professional. If your child does not pass a screening, a referral letter will be sent home to notify you of the results. Once your child has been seen, please return the referral form with the noted plan of care. ***If your student is uninsured and needs a vision exam, please contact me and I will help provide you with a voucher.***

As always, if you have any concerns about your child’s health or care at school, please contact me at 512-594-4535 or samantha.vano@pfisd.net.

I hope everyone has a healthy and safe holiday season!

Nurse Sam

Pre-k & Kinder Readiness Parent Workshop

ENRICHMENT FRIDAYS

Hello Parents!

Friday Enrichment schoolwide deployment has been a great success! Students are having a great time exploring their enrichment activities.

REMINDER: Enrichment takes place on Fridays from 7:45am-8:15am. Students who come in tardy (after 7:35am) on Fridays will not be able to participate in that Friday's enrichment time. Please make sure your students are getting to school on time.

LOST AND FOUND

We have a lot of lost jackets and sweat shirts from our students! They all need a home! Please remind your children to pick up their lost clothing! We have a lot, and we want to make sure your children are warm during the cold weather. Thank you!