INAUGURAL MEETING - Wednesday, April 10th @7pm at TRIO Coffee

Calling all dads! Are you ready to make Friday mornings at drop-off a blast? Introducing the Prairie Trail Padres Dad's Club! Get ready to serve, bond, and create lasting memories with fellow dads as we team up to make Friday mornings unforgettable by welcoming students and families with smiles, high-fives, and positive energy.

It's not just about drop-off duties; it's about being involved in our children's school lives and strengthening our community. Plus, it's a fantastic opportunity to connect with other dads and build lifelong friendships.

So mark your calendars for our informational meeting on Wednesday, April 10th at 7 pm at TRIO Coffee in Flower Mound, and come help us launch something special! Together, let's make Friday mornings the highlight of the week for our kids and families.

CLICK HERE to let us know you're coming!

Can't make it, but would like to learn more? CLICK HERE to let us know!

See you there!

Enter for your chance to win a Ride to School in a FMFD Fire Truck!

Raffle tickets may be purchased on the silent auction website HERE April 9th - April 16th or IN-PERSON at the Spring Fest Carnival on April 12th.

Open to one (1) child over the age of 5. Child’s home (and school) MUST be within the town limits of Flower Mound.

Drawing will be held on April 26th and live-streamed on Instagram @prairietrailpta

SMILE! It's Picture Day!

On Thursday, April 18th we will be taking both class and individual pictures. You can order class pictures online at Lifetouch.com and enter the Prairie Trail code: EVTRP394M (LINK)

Or you can return the flyer that was sent home with your child this week.

Children's book author, Max Brallier will be visiting Prairie Trail's 3rd, 4th, and 5th graders on Monday, April 29th. He is the New York Times, USA TODAY, and Wall Street Journal bestselling author of more than thirty books for children and adults. His books and series include The Last Kids on Earth, Eerie Elementary, Mister Shivers, Galactic Hot Dogs, and Can YOU Survive the Zombie Apocalypse?

If you would like to pre-order an autographed book, please see the order form below or be on the lookout for it in your child's backpack next week.

The Marcus 9th Grade Center is celebrating its 10th year, and in honor of a decade of excellence, they are hosting an art exhibition on Wednesday, May 1st from 5 PM – 7 PM. They want to celebrate with the Marcus community, so their intention is for students PreK-12 from all feeder schools to participate. In order to be part of the show, your art piece must answer the question, "What does excellence mean to you?"

Accepted Submissions:

• Photography
• Sculpture
• Painting
• Sketching
• Digital art
• Anime Drawing
• Original LEGO architecture/design

Submission Criteria:

• Must be original artwork completed by the student.
• Must be on a black mat or board for display.
• Must include the parent permission form with the submission. (QR code below)

All submissions are due to the PTE office or M9 office by 3 PM on Monday, April 22nd.

At the event on Wednesday, May 1st, there will be food trucks, a craft station for younger children, and prizes for art submission winners! There will be a winner chosen from each school.

You showed up in the pouring rain last week and helped raise $522, making last week’s Chick-Fil-a fundraiser our MOST SUCCESSFUL Spirit Night EVER!!! THANK YOU for supporting our school community!

Hello Prairie Trail Families,

On Monday, April 8, Dallas will be the largest city in the path of totality for the once-in-a-lifetime Great North American Eclipse. We are excited to share this milestone with your students, and want to make sure they are able to experience the eclipse in a safe manner. Please keep reading for Lewisville ISD’s plans by grade level:

Grades K-2
It is not recommended that our youngest students view the eclipse outside. Instead, K-2 students will have the opportunity to watch NASA's live stream of the eclipse. We encourage you to view NASA’s other online resources to explain this event to your student.

Grades 3-5
Students in grades 3-5 will have the opportunity to go outside to view the eclipse in the early afternoon on April 8. The Perot Museum has generously donated protective eyewear for each student to wear, and our campus staff will monitor students to ensure the eyewear is on correctly before inviting students outside. The eyewear provided from the Perot Museum is thousands of times darker than standard sunglasses to protect students from the concentrated solar rays. To learn more about safety considerations associated with the eclipse, including skin protection, click here.

If you do not wish for your student to view the eclipse, click HERE to complete the exemption form. Students who do not go outside will be able to watch NASA’s live stream of the event in a monitored classroom.

Many of our staff members have already incorporated this event into their lesson plans to enhance the educational experience for all students. We are excited for our students to experience this once-in-a-lifetime event, and witness science in action! As always, parents are the ultimate decision-makers on whether or not their students will attend school. If you choose to keep your student home to view the eclipse, please notify our school as you would for any absence. It will count towards one of your ten allowable ‘parent note’ absences. Please consider allowing your child to be present as much as possible during the school day. Technically they are marked ‘present’ if they are here at 9:00 am. This is a great learning opportunity to experience together with your teacher and classmates!

If you have any additional questions or concerns, please feel free to contact us at 469-713-5980 or email your child’s teacher.

Thank you,

Wendi Vaughn

Principal

Unit 4 is over Problem Solving. The first lesson in this unit is #16 during the week of Mar. 25th

Here are the links to the overview of the lessons:

English

Spanish

For links to all the lessons for the entire year, CLICK HERE.

If you’ve never attended a Prairie Trail PTA Spring Fest Carnival before, you’re in for a major treat! This community event hosted by our PTA features carnival rides (the BIG mechanical kind - it’s a legitimate carnival!), TONS of bounce houses, games, inflatables, food vendors, concessions and more!

Entry is free, but you’ll need a wristband to enjoy the rides & inflatables. Go online now and get yours today! Skip the will-call line and order by April 8th to receive your wristbands by “backpack” delivery.

April 9th @ 8am - April 16th @ 10pm (with extended bidding!)

Want a sneak peek at some of the exciting items available in this year’s Spring Fest Silent Auction?

Weekend getaways to Broken Bow, a night at the Ritz-Carlton, a vacation to St. Lucia, a complete orthodontic treatment (BRACES - from start to finish!), teacher experiences, class baskets, gift cards, Summer camps (with more to come!), the list goes on and on!

Preview the auction now at www.32auctions.com/PTE2024 - we’re adding new items daily!

Check your child’s backpack next week for tips & tricks for bidding!

It’s hard to believe that we are already thinking ahead to next school year! But it is that time to get ahead of things and knock one thing off your Summer to-do-list by purchasing a school supply wrap pack!

The PTA provides this service to families and teachers to make sure you can get your supplies in an easy, no-stress way. One of the best benefits of wrap packs is that EPI guarantees their products and will replace them at no cost (think headphones!).

Just go to www.educationalproducts.com/shoppacks

And enter code PRA013 (3 letters, 3 numbers) for our school list.

Questions? Email wrappacks@prairietrailpta.org

VOLUNTEERS are the heart of our PTA and school community. This week we’re highlighting one of the amazing volunteers who works tirelessly behind-the-scenes to help our PTA, our teachers, our school & our kiddos: AMANDA HSIA!

Amanda ran the Arts in Education program this year, but she also helped with spirit wear sales, Trunk or Treat, Talent Show, class parties, Family Game Night, Family Movie Night, the Silent Auction…we could go on and on and on. She’s there anytime help is needed. Amanda is a tireless volunteer and wonderful person, and we’re so glad she’s on our team! Thank you for everything you do Amanda!

Help us restock the snack pantry by bringing in snacks like individually wrapped bags of pretzels, goldfish, applesauce pouches, nutri-grain bars, nut-free granola bars or raisins/craisins during the week of April 2nd. You can also shop directly from the snack wishlist at tinyurl.com/PTSNACK and select “Prairie Trail Elementary'' to have it shipped directly.

Join us on Saturday, April 13th as we give back to our Prairie Trail Community! We’ll be sprucing up school & the surrounding grounds to make sure Prairie Trail is looking its best after Spring Fest! So grab the family & bring your rakes, gloves, & anything else you think you might need & join us from 8-10am, Saturday, April 13th!

Everyone is welcome to attend. Service Saturday is also a great opportunity for NJHS/NHS service hours! We’re happy to sign volunteer hour sheets.

During the Texas PTA annual meeting held in July 2023, delegates voted to increase the Texas PTA dues by $0.50, effective August 1, 2024. Consequently, the Texas PTA state dues for each member will automatically change to $2.75, making the total dues for National and State $5.00.

In light of this state-level adjustment and to help offset the general increased cost of goods and services as we strive to support and enhance our school, we are proposing a local dues increase from $7.25 to $8, making the total Prairie Trail Elementary PTA membership dues $13 effective August 1, 2024. This adjustment will ensure that we can continue to effectively carry out our mission and provide valuable resources and programs for our school community.

We will be holding a vote on this proposed dues amendment to our PTA bylaws at the next membership meeting on Thursday, April 18, 2024, at 6:30 pm in the Prairie Trail Elementary Cafeteria. Your attendance and participation are welcomed as we highly value your input, which is crucial to the decision-making process.

Please feel free to reach out to our President, Natalie Smith at president@prairietrailpta.org if you have any questions or concerns regarding this proposed dues amendment. We value your feedback and input and thank you for your continued support of Prairie Trail Elementary PTA.

✋🙋🏽‍♀️🙋‍♀️NEW VOLUNTEER SIGN-UP ALERT!🙋🏻‍♂️🙋🏾‍♂️✋ Click the links below to volunteer during the months of MARCH & APRIL. We can’t wait to see you! :)

📚📚 March/April LIBRARY HELPERS📚📚

📝 March/April COPY ROOM HELPERS📄

🐶 WATCH D.O.G.S. (Dads of Great Students) Spring 2024 🐾

Dad, Papá, Baba, Grandpa, Uncle, Papaw, Father, Abuelo, Daddy…whatever name the special kiddo in your life may call you, Prairie Trail NEEDS YOU!!!

Did you miss the kickoff event? No worries! You can still be a part of the Watch D.O.G.S.

How do you get started?

• Make sure you have an updated Background Check Volunteer / Home
• Background Checks have to be done every year.
• Read through the slide deck from last night's event: Linked HERE!
• Don't forget the Safety and Security slides: Linked HERE!
• Optional - Order a shirt https://shop.dadsofgreatstudents.com/shop-all/

***Need more info? Please email Matthew Kulik watchdogs@prairietrailpta.org or Amber Bearden, VP of Volunteers volunteers@prairietrailpta.org.

For ALL the latest info & more upcoming events, hop on over to our PTA WEBSITE at www.prairietrailpta.org. 🌐👀

Follow us on FACEBOOK or INSTAGRAM for daily updates, fun content, photos & more!

How many years have you been working in education? I've been teaching for 14 years.

What do you love about working at Prairie Trail? I love teaching at Prairie Trail because of our community and school culture. PTE is a very positive and supportive place to work. I love to work in PTE because of the amazing staff, and team, sweet families and students.

Why did you become a teacher? I decided to become a teacher because this profession allows me to make a positive difference in a child's academic success.

What's your favorite way to spend a day off? I love to spend time with my family. I enjoy spending time getting involved in my kids' activities, movie nights, going out to eat, shopping, and traveling.

How many years have you been working in education? 1st year as teacher, 7th year in LISD.

What do you love about working at Prairie Trail? I love teaching at Prairie Trail because of the fantastic group of staff and students that make this school great. We have teachers and admin that really care about their kids here at Prairie Trail and it shows through student achievement and happiness. Prairie Trail is a fun place to be for all!

Why did you become a teacher? I became a teacher because I wanted to 'be the change' that I wished to see in the world. I was not a very good student in school because I struggled to find connection and desire to be in the classroom. It wasn't until my sophomore year in high school that I came across a teacher who genuinely wanted his students to have fun at school while learning. His name was Mr. Horstemeyer. He made the environment an exciting, safe, interesting, and fun place to be every day and I strive to create a similar environment here at Prairie Trail.

Who is someone that is a role model for you and why? One of the biggest role models I have in life is Rita Pierson because she emphasizes the need for building strong and secure relationships with the students that educators serve. In one of her most famous speeches, she said that "Every child deserves a champion, an adult who will never give up on them, who understands the power of connection, and insists they become the best that they can possible be". I love this speech so much because the #1 thing I focus on every single day at school is the relationships that I have with my students.

How many years have you been teaching? I am in my 17th year in LISD.

Why did you become a teacher? The origins stem from my childhood when I adored playing school with my grandmother. I would teach things I learned in my school made of cardboard, ribbon, and buttons. That love followed me into adulthood. I enjoy sharing: my love of art, being an artist, and encouraging my students put themselves in their art pieces.

Why do you love teaching at Prairie Trail? Love, family atmosphere, everyone's helpful nature and their kindness. I also find It truly inspiring to witness the dedication and love the faculty and staff have for our little PTE Texans.

What is something most people don't know about you? This past spring I had my 7th Heartiversary. In 2015 I had a surprise open heart surgery.

How many years have you been working in education? 17 years

What do you love about working at Prairie Trail? I love working with the Dual Language and ESL programs at Prairie Trail. Our dual language program is a two way program which is a mix of students who are learning English and students learning Spanish. As a Spanish learner myself, I get to continue to develop and engage with the language as well as encourage other students to enjoy the process of learning a new language whether it is English or Spanish. I also really enjoy getting to know students from all over the world in our ESL program. Emergent bilinguals or English Learners are the best students in my opinion! It's a joy to work on their behalf.

Why did you want to work in education? I was a Spanish major in college and wanted to continue to engage with the Spanish speaking community in a meaningful way. I went to graduate school to study English second language acquisition in the school setting and have worked in schools ever since as either an ESL teacher or currently as the Language Acquisition Specialist at Prairie Trail.

What is something most people don't know about you? Something most people don't know about me is that I used to scuba dive. I have traveled to various places in the Caribbean and experienced some incredible dives. A few of the incredible dives we did included wall diving in Belieze along a 2,000 ft underwater cliff, swimming through reef tunnels in Cozumel, or even being crazy enough to dive with sharks in the Bahamas. There is literally an entire other world under the ocean and I am thankful I have been able to experience it with my dad and brothers.

How many years have you been teaching? 9 years

Why did you become a teacher? I have always loved working with young children and I love to learn. Combine those two passions and you get an elementary teacher. Getting to be a part of a child's educational journey is so rewarding.

Why do you love teaching at Prairie Trail? Prairie Trail feels like home to me. I've had the privilege to work alongside amazing teammates in First Grade and Kindergarten. The camaraderie I've experienced here is unparalleled.

What is a favorite moment or something you are most proud of in your life? Having my daughter. My dad used to tell me all the time that I was the best thing he ever did. Now that I'm a mother, I truly understand that sense of pride that my father felt about me with my own daughter.

Please click this LINK to see all of the summer camps Marcus High School has available.

Support Marcus HS students as well as send your kids to some really fun activities this summer. They have cooking classes, dance, multiple sports, science, and more.

Some dates are not yet available.

Calling all new students! LISD enrollment for the 2024-2025 school year is now OPEN! Do you have a Kindergartener? Let's help you get them enrolled. The form for Prairie Trail Kindergarten can be filled out HERE!

Recognize Someone submissions are open again! Would you like to recognize a staff member at Prairie Trail or LISD, click here to type a quick note. It will be printed on a nice post card and delivered to that staff member. It is free for you, but worth so much!! :)

https://www.lisd.net/recognize

Have you missed an event that happened at PTE this year? Check out all the pictures from this school year at this LINK. Pictures are sometimes added a little later so you might check back to see if you missed any.

• April Elementary Breakfast Menu

• April Elementary Lunch Menu

To get to your child's meal account: RevTrack link

Check out dates for the school year.

• 29th - School Holiday - No School
  

• 1st - No School - Bad Weather Day
• 5th - Progress Reports
• 5th - Volunteer Breakfast at 7:30 am
• 9th - Spring Fest Auction Opens
• 12th - Spring Fest 5:30-8:30 pm
• 13th - Service Saturday - 8:00-10:00 am - help us pick up after Spring Fest
• 15th - STAAR Pep Rally
• 16th - Spring Fest Auction Ends
• 17th - Reading and Writing STAAR Test for 3rd-5th Graders - Campus closed to all visitors
• 17th - Kinder Field Trip - Crayola
• 18th - Spring and Class Pictures
• 18th - PTA Board Meeting 9:45 am
• 18th - PTA Meeting and 1st Grade Performance - 6:30 pm
• 18th - LISD West Zone Art Show Reception 6:00-7:30 pm
• 19th - Safety Patrol Changing of the Guard
• 24th - Science STAAR Test for 5th Graders - Campus closed to all visitors
• 26th - Early Release Day - 11:45 am
• 26th - Progress Reports

• 2nd - Math STAAR Test for 3rd-5th Graders - Campus closed to all visitors
• 3rd - Thinkapalooza
• 6th-10th - Teacher Appreciation Week
• 6th - 4th Grade Field Trip - Ft. Worth Stockyards
• 10th - Field Day is the End of Year Parties
• 14th - PTA Meeting and Choir Performances
• 16th - Field Day (Rain Out Date)
• 17th - Senior Breakfast - 7:15 am
• 22nd - 5th Grade Celebration (Outside weather permitting) - 6:00-7:30
• 23rd - Last Day of School & Early Release at 11:45 am

• April 12th - Spring Fest
  
• April 17th - Reading and Writing STAAR (3rd-5th grades)
• April 18th - Spring Picture Day (Individual and Class)
• April 24th - Science STAAR (5th grade)
• May 2nd - Math STAAR (3rd-5th grades)
• May 10th - Field Day (May 16th is rain out day)
• May 22nd - 5th Grade Celebration
• May 23rd - Last Day of School

Need some ideas to keep the kind acts going? Check out the Random Acts of Kindness Calendar below. One kind act can change someone's day!

The 2024-2025 School Calendar has been approved by the school board. Check it out at this LINK.

Email: prairietrail@lisd.net
Website: lisd.net/prairietrail
Location: 5555 Timber Creek Road, Flower Mound, TX, USA
Phone: (469)713-5980
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/prairietrailes
X (Twitter): @PrairieTrailES