Cougar Connection
August 5, 2023
From Principal Celeste Barnette
Diegueño's campus is abuzz with activity as we prepare for the best year ever!!
Cougar Camp is on Tuesday!!
All 7th graders and any new 8th graders are highly encouraged to participate in Cougar Camp on Tuesday, August 8 from 9:00 - 11:00 AM. This event is for students only. We promise to take good care of your kids, but it's time to let them start stretching their independence muscles. Take these two hours and do something for YOU, while we help acclimate your kid to our campus, the nuts and bolts of our bell schedule, where to find your friends at lunch, how to make new friends, who to go to for assistance, and more!! It's gonna be a lot of fun. Check-in will be from 9:00 to 9:15 by the front gate.
Parent Cougar Camp
We know that you might be experiencing a bit of trepidation, especially if this this will be your first experience with our school district. Join me (Principal Barnette) on Tuesday, August 8 from 5:30 to 6:30 PM for a virtual "welcome to middle school" event. Here's the Google Meet link. If you can't join us in real time, we'll be sharing the event recording on our website and in next week's Cougar Connection. All will be well!
Staying connected: During the school year you will receive this Cougar Connection newsletter every week. This is an important way to stay updated about what’s happening on campus and to learn how to set your child up for success. Other ways to stay connected include:
Bookmark our school website
Subscribe to the Diegueño events calendar
Follow the official Diegueño Instagram account
Follow the official ASB Instagram account
Mosey Monday - Students and their families are encouraged to join us for Mosey Monday on Monday, August 14. You can drop by anytime between 1:00 & 3:00 PM to get comfortable with the campus layout and to find your classrooms. You’ll be able to access your class schedule in AERIES, including teacher names and classroom numbers, beginning at 10:00 AM on that same day.
Helpful hints for the first week of school: The first day of school will be TUESDAY, AUGUST 15. Students are expected to be in their classrooms by 8:15 AM. For the first week or so, we anticipate that drop off and pick up traffic will be busier than normal, so plan ahead and practice patience please 😊. There are multiple locations for drop-off and pick-up, including the drop-off circle on Village Park Way and the back gate along Avenida La Posta. Due to the very large number of student bike riders (about 200 daily), parents are not permitted to drop-off and pick-up students in the main parking lot. I encourage you to plan to drop-off your student before 8:00 and, if you wait until 3:00 for pick up, most of the bikes and cars will be long gone. Our young bike riders are still learning the rules of the road so please be hyper aware of your surroundings when near the campus.
Reach out with any questions. We're super excited to get this year started!
Kindly,
Celeste Barnette, Ed.D.
Principal
(760) 944-1892 x6683
From our Diegueño PTSA
PTSA MEMBERSHIP IS NOW OPEN!
Joining the PTSA is ZERO Time Commitment yet makes a WORLD of difference for your child AND there is NO EEF request in middle school so those elementary school funds can be re-routed here to support your child's evolving educational and social-emotional needs.
We're excited to announce that when you join Diegueno's PTSA this year, you'll be included in our new PRIVATE FAMILY DIRECTORY. We heard your requests to know more about your child's new middle school friends, including their parents' names and where they live. This is a PRIVATE directory so your information is only shared with PTSA members.
Your membership includes the FREE Membership Toolkit app so you can have all the information right on your phone.
Our PTSA is committed to bringing back Academic Classroom Support in the form of teacher mini-grants, as well as a classroom supplies allotment for EVERY teacher. This includes supplemental curriculum, digital subscriptions, PE equipment, and more.
When our teachers have what they need, our students thrive!
We also host activities for students and teachers to strengthen our DÑO community!
There is a membership level for every budget and you can even make monthly payments this year! All forms of payment are accepted.
Check out the flyer (above) detailing the awesome perks we have for your kids when you join today.
If you have any questions at all, don't hesitate to reach out to our new PTSA President, Staci Valdez: stacilaw@gmail.com or 323-574-4775.
THANK YOU DIEGUENO FAMILIES! We can't wait to get to know you!
Staci Valdez
PTSA President
323-574-4775
School Clean-Up Day on Monday, August 7
Join us Monday, August 7 between 9:00 & 10:00 AM for our first annual SCHOOL CLEAN-UP DAY sponsored by our ASB/Leadership Program. Keep an eye on the Diegueño Instagram and ASB Instagram pages for updates.
Important Policies to Review
"Away for the Day" cell phone policy - Students can bring a cell phone to campus but they must be "away for the day" in their backpack from the starting bell to ending bell. Please review this policy to understand all the benefits of this district-wide middle school policy.
Bike permit regulations - Nothing is more important to us than your child's safety. We need your help keeping student bike riders (and the cars and pedestrians around them) safe. Please review this policy with your student bike rider. Most importantly, we need your help making sure all riders have properly secured bike helmets. Here are some tips for fitting a helmet for maximum safety.
Dress code policy - Before you do your back-to-school clothes shopping, familiarize yourself with our dress code policy. Even though crop tops are in style right now, they are not appropriate for the middle school setting. Thanks for your support with this!!
Upcoming Dates
- Monday, August 7 - School Clean-Up for interested students & family members (9:00 - 10:00 AM)
- Tuesday, August 8 - Cougar Camp for incoming 7th Graders & new 8th Graders (9:00 - 11:00 AM) Check-in will begin at 8:30 a.m.
- Tuesday, August 8 - Virtual Parent Cougar Camp (5:30 - 6:30 PM) Google Meet Link
- Monday, August 14 - Student schedules available in Aeries (10:00 AM)
- Monday, August 14 - Mosey Monday (1:00 - 3:00 PM)
- Tuesday, August 15 - FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL (8:15 AM - 2:45 PM)
- Wednesday, August 16 - Chromebook distribution (through Science classes)
- Monday, August 21 - School Picture Day
- Thursday, August 31 - In-Person Back to School Night (5:00 - 7:00 PM) Adults only please.
Neighboring Schools News
LCC Colorguard is open to current 8th graders. It's a great way for 8th grade students to get an early start working with high school students and it's also a great gateway to dance!