Deer Canyon Echoes

Good evening, Deer Canyon families!

This October, in addition to recognizing LatinX Heritage Month through October 15, we proudly recognize Filipino American History Month. This month is a time to honor the rich history, contributions, and cultural heritage of Filipino Americans, and it commemorates the first recorded arrival of Filipinos in the continental United States on October 18, 1587, marking a significant milestone in our nation's diverse tapestry. At Deer Canyon, we see, value, and celebrate our Filipino American students and families; your stories and experiences enrich our community. We look forward to recognizing the legacy of resilience and achievement that defines Filipino American history.

On Monday, all PUSD staff participated in a Professional Growth Day. Deer Canyon hosted PUSD 3rd grade teachers, the entire Preschool program, and VAPA VISION for professional development. On Tuesday, all Deer Canyon kindergarteners started full school days! It has been so wonderful to have Mrs. Fitz's and Ms. Taylor’s classes on campus for a few more hours of fun and learning. 🙂 I had the pleasure of attending the District Equity Advisory Committee meeting on Tuesday, where I engaged in important discussions around the PUSD Equity Plan with parents, staff, and students. I look forward to continuing to serve on this committee again this school year.

On Wednesday, the Westview Ambassadors joined us for a lunchtime playdate and they returned on Friday for a FUNky Friday performance! Immediately following FUNky Friday, parents joined me for Coffee with the Principal in Room 14. We discussed areas of concern and expressed a desire for educational opportunities and information for parents on how to support their students in making responsible choices in the digital world. In two weeks, I will have a focus on Digital Citizenship in my student messaging and parent communication, in celebration of worldwide Digital Citizenship Week.

Starting with next week’s edition of Echoes, we will be highlighting the names of students who were Caught Being Kind during the previous week! For those who may not be familiar with our Caught Being Kind program, students recognized by a staff member for exemplifying any of the six pillars of character—trustworthiness, respect, responsibility, fairness, caring, and citizenship—are announced over the loudspeaker each Monday morning. These students then come to the office for an in-person message from me, and we take a group photo together! First-time Caught Being Kind students will receive a small prize, which will be distributed by their teacher. I am excited to share with you the many students who are recognized for their kindness each week,

Food and Nutrition reminders:

• School breakfast and school lunch are FREE for all enrolled students, every school day. Meals must still be entered into the cafeteria computer by individual student account.

• Even though meals are free, families are highly encouraged to complete the application for free and reduced-price meal eligibility. School site funding depends in part on the number of students eligible for free/reduced-price meals. Families that qualify for free/reduced-price meals may qualify for other benefits, as well. The meal application is available online at MySchoolApps.com.

• Printer-friendly PDF menus are available on the PUSD Food and Nutrition webpage. At the top of the page, click or hover over School Menus + and then Printable PDF Menus.

Please be sure to bookmark the Deer Canyon school calendar and follow us on Instagram (@DeerCanyonPUSD) for event information, reminders, and celebrations!

As Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, comes to a close, we recognize this time of reflection and renewal that many in our community hold dear. To all who observe, I wish you a meaningful and joyous Rosh Hashanah.

Have a wonderful weekend, Deer Canyon!

Katie Bendix

Principal

This week at Deer Canyon our Fall DC Leaders received their committee assignments. Next week, our Safety and Positivity Teams will have their first meetings, during which we’ll discuss their responsibilities, where they see areas of need on campus, as well as brainstorm ideas for future projects.

In addition to their daily traffic duties, the Safety Team will kick the year off with a digital citizenship project, while the Positivity Team will be preparing for Red Ribbon Week. The Beautification Team will meet next week and plan how to tackle our expanded recycling program, as well as how to make our school look its best. Going forward, each committee will regularly meet twice a month, during lunch.

One of my favorite things about elementary school counseling is teaching Second Step, our social emotional learning (SEL) lessons. I truly believe that these classes teach invaluable skills that will greatly benefit students here on our campus as well as every day forward.

In our first class, 4th and 5th graders discussed the importance of showing respect to others by listening with attention and being empathetic. Our next class will focus on the importance of being assertive and respecting differences.

With our professional training day and other meetings this week, it was more practical to postpone the start date for friendship groups until Monday. These are targeted to new students and those students who need a little guidance in their social interactions. A permission slip will be sent home if your student has been considered a candidate for these weekly, 30-minute sessions.

Please note, PUSD’s Caring Connections Parent Education website has new and exciting courses being offered this Fall. Each term they have different parenting education courses. We recommend periodically checking the website for the new courses offered to parents, families, and our school community. Click HERE to view the CCC Parent Education Fall Courses.