CALA Panther Parent Newsletter

This is when supervision begins. Please do not leave leaders on campus before 7:30 a.m.

Be sure your child arrives on time to school each day. Announcements begin at 8:00 a.m. and instruction begins at 8:05 a.m.

We will begin passing out technology this week. Students will begin setting up/accessing Beanstack accounts where they can keep an account of the amount of books they've read.

All parents are encouraged to apply for device insurance. Information is below.

This week we will begin MAP growth assessments. All students in grades K-4th grade complete the MAP tests. The Measures of Academic Progress or MAP tests are norm-referenced, achievement measures in mathematics, reading, language usage, and science that are delivered to students on the computer and assess and measure growth over time. Students view each question on the computer screen, then select an answer using the mouse or the keyboard. Soon after we finish, students will record their data and begin preparing for fall parent conferences. Be on the look-out for invites to late September data conferences.

• arrival - how your child will get to school
• dismissal - how your child will go home each day. Pick up your dismissal tags. PK through 1st grade students are dismissed via bus/day care or carline only. PK-1st grade will not be dismissed with the walkers. All siblings will be grouped for pick up with their youngest sibling. Be sure to list them on each other's Skyward accounts for easy linking.
• medical needs - inform the teacher of any medical needs your child will have while at school (also visit the nurse's station).
• school supplies - click the links to see the lists (english) (spanish) below. Label ALL ITEMS w/ your child's name in permanent marker. This is the best time to bring all or as many supplies as possible.
• be patient and remember that dismissal will continue to take time as we welcome more new students. Some ways to make it speed up are to have your current car tag visible in the window from the time you get in line until you have your child. Only parents of PK3 leaders are allowed to walk up to the gym door to pick up their child. They should have their child's car tag with them.
• UPDATE SKYWARD WITH THE NAME OF ANYONE who might pick up your child. Ensure the person brings their photo ID or the car tag for smooth dismissal.

Compulsory attendance law is in full effect for the 2024-2025 school year. Daily attendance is mandatory for all students PK3 - 4th grade who are enrolled in school. Students who are absent for 10% or more school days are in danger of retention. All absences are taken into account (excused + unexcused). This is different from truancy which considers only unexcused absences. If your child becomes truant, you could face a penalty have to appear in court.

Water fountains will continue to be open for use. However, students are allowed to bring water bottles for hydrating throughout the day. If your child brings a water bottle, please label it with their name, The more unique the bottle that also includes the label the more likely students will bring their bottle back home. If students have similar bottles with no name and there is concern about the owner of the bottles, we will remove them and no one will be able to use the bottles in question. Disposable bottles left behind will be thrown away.

If your child requires medical attention at school such as taking medicine, following an asthma or allergy plan, diabetes, or other health plan, please meet with the nurse to ensure we have this information and supplies on site. Please also inform your child's classroom teacher.

Students are free to unload from cars once you stop in the car lane. We will open car doors of our youngest students who may have trouble opening their door and unloading on their own. For the safety and security of everyone, please ensure students only walk on the sidewalks or crosswalks and not in the driving lanes at all. Parents who choose to park at Kennemer and walk up with students or send them over to the campus should ensure they stay on the grass and walk around to the gym.

• The school building is opened for students at 7:30am and staff supervision begins at that time.

• No students should be sent walking to school or dropped off at school before 7:30 a.m.

• Breakfast is served 7:30-7:55am and is free for all students.

• Students arriving by car will be lined up at the front of the school.

• PK3 & PK4 students will be dropped off in the back of the building and meet in the cafeteria.

• Parents are NOT allowed to accompany students into the building beginning 8/15 through the rest of the year unless notified due to an event.

• PK3 & PK4 students will eat in the cafeteria with their teacher/para.

• Kinder-4th grade will go to the cafeteria to eat breakfast then report straight to class. K-4 students not eating breakfast will report directly to class. NO FOOD is allowed in the classrooms for breakfast unless otherwise notified by the principal. Everything must be eaten in the cafeteria only. Please ensure your child has enough time to eat each morning in order to arrive to class on time.

• Parents enter the drive from Wheatland then split into 2 lanes after the curve.

• The center lane is not to be used as a passing lane.

• Cones/barricades will distinguish the lanes.

• Ensure your child's seat belt is ready for quick removal, items are packed up and goodbye rituals have been completed before pulling up to the drop off spwt

• Parents will exit by merging into one lane circling around the parking lot and back out the drive.

• Parents will enter the back drive from the gate off Clark Road (behind Walmart) or through the side gate from the front drive.

• Parents will drop off students, with the assistance of teachers, under the awning in the far right lane.

• The left lane will be used as a passing lane for those leaving as well as those parking.

• Parents will exit the drive through the Clark Road gate.

• The middle lane is used for safe separation and is not a through traffic lane. It should not be used for travel.

• Kindergarten - 4th grade students are eligible to be bus riders.

• Only 2nd-4th grade students are eligible to be a “walker,” to Kennemer.

• All car riders will be released from the designated exits.
  

• PK3 = back awning

• PK4, K, 1st= main front doors

• 2nd, 3rd, 4th = side doors on the back

• Sibling car riders will go to the youngest sibling’s dismissal location.

• bus/daycare will dismiss form the cafeteria

• walkers will leave out of the side facing the playground. They will go all the way to the tree near Kennemer.

• Parents of PK4 - 4th grade students should not walk up to the door to get students but should be in the drive with their car tag.

• If there is a concern with the dismissal guidelines we have in place above, me message Mrs. Linwood directly.

Visitors will be permitted to the building after arrival and morning announcements. All persons having business in the building must report through one door, designated as the school's main entrance to properly check in. Visitors will be asked to show their government issued photo ID, be processed through our Raptor system, and state the reason for their visit in order to access the campus beyond the main office. Visitors may be asked Covid-19 screening questions and/or experience temperature checks upon entry. While on campus all visitors must wear their visitor tag in a visible location on the front of their shirt, at the top. Duncanville ISD personnel must check in at the main office first and then may use any door to carry out their purpose for visiting the campus. Reasons for outside visitors may include but are not limited to: picking up a sick child, conducting maintenance on the property, dropping off materials/notes, meetings, volunteering, etc.)

Students leaving for any reason during school hours must use the main entrance for exit and re-entry to document their time off campus. Parents picking up early are asked to provide the information for why your child will be missing part of the school day. The student will be checked out using the provided information from the parent (doc appointment, etc.). Once the forms have been completed, the student will be released through the main door only. They will not be released/admitted through any other door for early departure or late arrival.

Due to supervision and safety guidelines doors will not open before 7:30am. Early departures are not allowable after 2:45pm. to allow for end of the day report completion and dismissal prep.

Students will receive grades based on how they show their academic skills on work completed in class each week. Parents are encouraged to check Skyward for grades each week beginning the 2nd week of school. Students will receive grades in reading, grammar, math, science, and social studies. 1st - 4th grade students will receive progress reports for core classes and progress levels in PE, art, and music. Conduct will be reported in comments. Report cards will be published in Skyward each 9 weeks and show final performance for each of the categories above.

Meet our parent liaison to sign up for future volunteer opportunities, learn how you can support our campus, and about upcoming family engagement activities.

Our Campus Education Improvement Committee (is the same as our SBDM - site based decision making) needs a parent, community volunteer, and community business to share their voice in making educational decisions for CALA. If this sounds like something you are interested in, please contact our office for more information. We look forward to working with you. Our meetings will be held virtually, in the evenings, to accommodate our faculty/staff and volunteer schedules.

• Stay up to date with everything happening on campus by having a working phone number and e-mail address on your child's account.
• Make sure all communication information is open to receive messages and not blocked. If it is blocked in any area, your family will not receive calls or any electronic information/notices from the school or district.
• Ensure that anyone you anticipate picking up your child during the year is listed on your child's Skyward account with their full name (as printed on their identification) and phone number.
• Please make sure that you respond to the photo/media release section. We take pictures and videos of things happening throughout the year and post them to our social media accounts and in newsletters. Be sure to let us know in Skyward if you do not want your child's image to be posted to our social media account.

All families wanting transportation must sign up through the app and qualify. It may take between 1 and 2 weeks to get transportation routes settled and moving on time.

Complete the meals application here at School Cafe.

Information will be updated here soon.

All families regardless of income are encouraged to complete the school lunch application. Your application helps our school even if you don't qualify.

Students will have an opportunity to have their birthday celebrated during the school day with a morning announcement & birthday pencil. We will not host birthday parties during the school day. Parents are allowed to send 1 (one) of the following: ready-made party bags or individual cupcakes to school for the class. If bags are sent, students will not open them while at school. To help with this, all bags should be pre-filled with the items you choose, closed, and ready to take home. Any treat items should be pre-packaged only. If cupcakes are sent, students will have an opportunity to consume the cupcakes during recess. Please send only one (1) of the above so students maximize recess time. Parents and family members are not able to join during this time.

​Click here to read the book online!

Website also includes:

• Instructions to print and bind your own copy of the book

• Inspiring #ActualLivingScientists in their science gear

• A curated list of at-home STEM resources and activities