Mt Peak Family,

We are so EXCITED to welcome your children back next week! After lunch today, you will receive a phone call from your homeroom teacher. If you do not receive a call, it means your enrollment process is not yet complete. In that case, please contact the Mt Peak Registrar at registrar.mpe@midlothianisd.org. Kindergarten parents, you will also find a letter from the Kinder Teachers (below) explaining the start of your school year.

Monday is Meet the Teacher Night. All the details are in the flier below. ECSE, ILS, and ABLE students, please join us from 6:00 to 6:45 PM. Remember, this is a come-and-go event—come meet your teacher, drop off school supplies, and then make room for more families and the next group.

We have a few new teachers, and some familiar faces have moved to new grade levels. Scroll down to meet the new staff members and see where everyone is on the Mt Peak Staff graphic.

Adam Henke

Principal

adam.henke@midlothianisd.org

Hello Mt. Peak Kinder Families,

We’re so excited for the start of your students' educational career here at Mt. Peak Elementary. This year, we will be implementing our first ever Kinder Camp! Students will check in at their Homebase each day. After getting settled in, there will be a structured, collaborative learning time with all of Kindergarten in the library. This will be a fun time of socializing and getting to know one another, while learning about school expectations. We do this to observe dynamics, numbers, and ratios, so that, if needed, we can make some class roster adjustments to best suit your student and where they will learn and grow best!

At the end of the week, students will know who their Homeroom teacher is. On Monday morning, your student will come in and get settled in their Homeroom Class. If your student were to change Homebase colors, you will receive a phone call on Friday afternoon letting you know which Homeroom Class they will be with. This is a great way to help us find the perfect fit for your students' first year of Elementary.

Please bring your students’ school supplies to Meet the Teacher, on Aug. 12th from 6:00 to 6:45, if at all possible. Your student will place their personal belongings in a cubby in their Homebase. If your student’s Homebase changes, their personal belongings will also be moved over for them, helping to make any transitions easier.

Kinder Team

Howdy! I'm Joy Cheshier, and I am excited to be returning to Mt. Peak for the 2024-2025 school year as a 3rd grade teacher. I grew up in Duncanville and graduated from Texas A&M University in 2005. I am married to my wonderful husband, Kasey, and we have three children: Reid (8th grade), Lilly (6th grade), and Eliana (2nd grade). My children keep me busy, but I also enjoy crafting, cooking, and reading in my free time. I have worked with children and families for 17 years in church ministry and public education with 5 years in Midlothian ISD. I have a passion for teaching and inspiring young children to be creative thinkers and goal getters. My family and I love Mt. Peak, and I can't wait for the new school year to begin!

Hello Mt. Peak staff and families! My name is Kelsey Stephenson and I’ll be joining the 2nd grade team this upcoming school year. This will be my 4th year in MISD as I’m transferring from McClatchey in order to be closer to home. My family includes my husband Collin, our foster son, 3 cats, and 2 lizards. I’m excited to be joining the Mt. Peak family and I look forward to getting to know and grow with everyone in the future!

My name is Michelle Sesker, and I am thrilled to introduce myself as your new colleague at Mt. Peak Elementary in Midlothian ISD. With 9 years of experience in public education and a background as a former director at a private school, I am dedicated to creating a safe and engaging learning environment for our students.

I hold a Bachelor of Science Degree in Kinesiology from the University of North Texas and a Masters Degree in Curriculum and Instruction from LeTourneau University. When I'm not at school, I enjoy reading, hiking, cooking, and cheering on the Texas Rangers Baseball team. At home, I have two cats, Ari and Harper, who always keep me entertained.

I am looking forward to collaborating with you and the rest of the staff to support our students' growth and success. Please feel free to reach out if you have any questions or need assistance. Thank you for welcoming me to the Midlothian ISD family.

"Hey y’all! I’m Chelsea Perez, and this is my 11th year in education and my first year in Midlothian ISD at Mt. Peak! I started as a missionary in Rwanda, developing a special education program at a school there. After returning to the states, I earned my master's degree to become a diagnostician while teaching Resource Special Education at an elementary school. I then transitioned to teaching a self-contained alternative curriculum for high school students with behavioral needs, and later served as an Adapted PE teacher before transitioning to a diagnostician role. This will be my third year as a diagnostician, and I'm thrilled to be at Mt. Peak Elementary! I'm married to my husband, Justin, and we’re currently dog parents to 3 crazy rescue pups. In my free time, I enjoy kickboxing, board games, and reading. I became a diagnostician because I'm passionate about bridging the gap with parents and teachers to meet the needs of our students with special needs in the classroom, and I look forward to working with y’all at Mt. Peak this year!"

My name is Leigh Ann McVey and I am excited to be joining you at Mt. Peak Elementary. This will be my 21st year in education and I have taught math for a majority of those years in 4th-8th grade. This year I will be teaching 5th grade math. I am looking forward to supporting the educational needs of students in collaboration with their families. On a personal note, I am a mom to two children. My daughter is 13 years old and my son is 19 years old. My daughter will be in 8th grade and my son attends TSTC. This is going to be an amazing school year and I am looking forward to meeting all of you.

Hi, my name is Tracey Jouett and I'm excited to be joining Mt Peak this year. This is my first year in Midlothian ISD, my 19th year in education, and 7th year as a diagnostician. My undergrad is in Literature, and I thought I'd be a librarian, but somewhere along the way I felt the pull toward special education and found my passion. My favorite part of my job is helping students, parents, and teachers understand the sped process.

I grew up in the Dallas area but recently moved to Midlothian; my husband and I love it here! We have two grown daughters and two spoiled little dogs. In my free time I like watching crime shows with my husband, crocheting, and reading.

Hi! I'm Jill Pratt, and I am excited to be joining the Mt. Peak family for the 2024-2025 school year as a 5th grade teacher. I grew up in Fairfield and graduated from Texas A&M University-Commerce in 2009. I am married to my wonderful husband, Jacob, and we have three children: Charlee (7th grade), Dax (7th grade), and Luka (kindergarten). My kids keep me busy, but I also enjoy writing, reading, and spending time with family and friends. I am in my 13th year in education and have an extensive background in ELAR and dyslexia instruction. I have a passion for teaching and inspiring children with learning differences to grow into successful and confident learners.

Parents of Bus Riders,

There is now an app to track your student bus riders! This new mobil app is replacing the Parent Portal (web access). All the information for the app can be found in the information provided below.

We would love you to follow along during the week for updates of what is happening at Mt Peak. You can follow along on Facebook There is an imposter site. So, please follow the one with a picture of the school in the header.

The Mt Peak mission statement is the Mt Peak family will make a positive difference in the lives we touch by putting children first and challenging everyone to reach their full potential.

Our staff is working so hard for your kids! We would love for you to share the impact they are having on your child or any special information you would like to share. Please fill out this form for us.

Thank you!

Welcome Back to the Peak for the 2024-2025 school year! I hope that everyone has had an amazing and restful summer! We are looking forward to a great year, and I wanted to take a moment to share with you about the Counseling Program here at the Peak and how I will be interacting/working with your students!

1. Classroom guidance lessons - I will be seeing each class, about once a month, in order to discuss various topics from our Capturing Kids Hearts program that is utilized district wide including the topics of: empathy, self-direct, teamwork, responsibility, good choices, respect, perseverance, courage, and kindness MISD counselors also have the Character Strong curriculum to enhance our lessons! These topics are also included in the TEA requirements in order to offer a comprehensive program for all students.

2. Small groups - Small groups will be offered in the Fall though our district sponsored program provided by REACH Council! These groups will meet once a week, at student lunch times, during the Fall semester. We have had the opportunity to participate in this program for over 3 years now. In addition, I will be working with staff to identify areas that additional support is needed.

3. Check In Program - This program was held the past several years and seemed to be well received by students and teachers! This program is utilized for individual and small groups of students who are in need of extra support for behavior, completing and turning in classroom assignments, etc.

4. Individuals - I will be available to meet with individual students as well upon teacher,

admin, or parent request. In addition I will also meet with students in crisis situations.

Please let me know if the need arises for me to meet or check in with your student due to

a particular situation or concern.

*Please let me know if I can be of help or answer any questions that may arise! Thank you so much for your support and partnership in helping your student to be successful!

Sincerely,

Wendy Waldroup

Mt. Peak Counselor

682-856-6300

wendy.waldroup@midlothianisd.org

We are excited to display our Capturing Kids' Hearts National Showcase

Mark your calendars! Check back regularly for updates and new events added

Sept 12: 6:00 PM - PTO Meeting (Pizza and Open Gym), Boy Scouts Attending

Oct 8: 6:00 PM 6:00 PM 3rd School Performance & PTO meeting

Dec 10: 6:00 PM 5th School Performance & PTO Meeting

Feb 11: PTO Meeting

Mar 6: PTO Meeting

Apr 1: 6:00 PM 1st Grade Performance & PTO Meeting

Apr 17: PTO Auction

May 15: PTO meeting voting for new board members

Returning student registration and PreK/Kinder enrollment are now open online in Skyward for the 24-25 school year.

If you have any questions requarding enrollment, please email your campus registrar using the email below:

- Midlothian High School - registrar.mhs@midlothianisd.org

- Frank Seale Middle School - registrar.fsms@midlothianisd.org

- Dieterich Middle School - registrar.dms@midlothianisd.org

- Mt. Peak Elementary - registrar.mpe@midlothianisd.org

If they are having an issue with logging into your Skyward Family Access, please email skyward.student@midlothianisd.org

Thank you for your help during this busy time for us!

Heather Shelton

PEIMS Coordinator

If you believe you have opted into the text alert feature and are not receiving text messages, go to your Skyward Family Access account and click on “Skylert” to verify your contact information. Update information if needed and allow 24 hours for our systems to recognize your changes. You should begin receiving text alerts and emails.

If you unsubscribed to receiving email notification please complete this form (https://forms.gle/3sUmoWnjT7S7cpx27) to re-activate your email notifications.

All Texas school districts are required by law to distribute information to parents and guardians about the safe storage of firearms. House Bill 3, Section 19 added Section 37.222 to the Texas Education Code, which requires the Texas School Safety Center, in collaboration with the Texas Department of Public Safety, to provide information and resources to school districts for the purpose of disseminating the information to parents. The Texas DPS launched a Keep ‘Em Safe Texas website that provides safety resources, materials, and tips for practicing safe gun storage to prevent accidents and keep children safe. Remember, a gun should be stored unloaded in a safe or locked container, with ammunition stored elsewhere. You can learn more and find additional resources from the Texas Department of Public Safety at https://safegunstoragetexas.com.

Below are resources that have been previously shared with parents/students with accessing and logging in to district resources. As we approach mid year we wanted to share them again.

UPDATE this

• 24-25 Quickstart Guide for MISD Students [Grades 4-12]
  
• 24-25 Quickstart Guide for MISD Students [Grade 3]
• 24-25 Quickstart Guide for MISD Students [Grades K-2]
• 24-25 Quickstart Guide for Skyward Family Access
• How to Set Up Parent Canvas Observer Account
  
• 24-25 Student Guide to Canvas in the Classroom

Dear MISD Families,

You may have received this information directly from your campus, but we want to ensure all MISD families know about an update and opportunity from our Child Nutrition Department. Please disregard this message if you have already applied for free/reduced-price school meals for the 2023-24 school year.

Students who participated in the free/reduced-price meals program during the previous school year in Midlothian ISD could continue receiving free/reduced-price meals for the first 30 days of school. This 30-day grace period has now ended, and a new application must be submitted. Students will no longer receive free/reduced-price meals without application approval for the 2023-24 school year.

Please click here to visit the MISD Child Nutrition Department website for more information on school meals and to apply for the free/reduced-price meals program.

If you have any questions or need assistance, you can reach our Child Nutrition Department by emailing mandie.tucker@midlothianisd.org or calling (469) 856-5390.

MISD Communications

Midlothian ISD uses Skyward Family Access for enrollment and to give parents real-time data about their student's grades, attendance, assignments, and more. Alerts can be set to individual preferences and information.

Skyward Family Access: 23-24 Quickstart Guide for Skyward Family Access

5201 FM 663

Midlothian, Texas 76065

469-856-6300