Titan Times 2022-2023
September Newsletter
Off to a great start!- Welcome to the Monthly Newsletter!
OPEN POSITIONS!
OPEN POSITIONS! In search of...
4 hour attendance clerk 8am-12pm
Half time Math Interventionist
2.5 hour lunch monitor 10:30-1:00
3 paraprofessional positions 6.75 hours a day
4 hour lunch time custodian 10:00am -2:00pm8 hour evening custodian- hours flexible
8 hour evening custodian- hours flexible
Crossing Guard AM/PM on Happy Valley
Crossing Guard AM/PM on Happy Valley
Cross Guard PM at Desert Moon
Cafeteria...New Procedures if you plan to eat with your student
2. For safety/security reasons, no additional friends can sit at the table.
3. Food is for you and your student, not for others.
4. Lunch with loved ones is only in the cafe and not during recess time.
5. If you have students in multiple grade levels, for safety/security reasons, you must return to the office between lunch times.
Cafeteria Clean Up Volunteers Needed. :) Do you have an hour to spare?
Only WATER allowed in the Academic Building
Communication- Who should I call when....
Front Parking Lot- Please park at CCV
In the afternoon the long RIGHT hand turn line is preventing our BUSES from entering the BUS BAY. If you are able...Please park at CCV so that our school buses can make the RIGHT into the bus bay in the afternoon.
Late buses into the bus bay equals students waiting, which equals families panicked at home because of late arrivals to bus stops, which equals late busses to other schools for pick up. The dominos that fall are many. Please please park at CCV and use our Crossing Guards on the WEST side of the intersection.
Buses- Strict District Guidelines
Bullying or Peer Conflict?
WHAT IS NOT BULLYING? Adults must realize that not every unkind thing a child does constitutes bullying. For example:
Being left out is not always bullying. It’s natural for kids to have a select group of friends. Although they should be kind towards everyone, it’s unrealistic to expect them to be close friends with every child they know, and be invited to every function or event.
Experiencing conflict is not bullying. Learning to deal with conflict is a normal part of growing up. The key is for children to learn how to solve their problems peacefully and respectfully.
Not playing fair is not bullying. Wanting a game to be played a certain way is not bullying. Children understand the concept of sharing, and should take turns being in charge of the game.
When observing the unkind behaviors your child experiences, be sure to label them correctly. This will help you know how to handle the situation appropriately so that your child can learn and grow from it.
(Ref. Policy JICK, JICK-R, JICK-EA, JICK-EB)
Bullying may occur when a student or group of students engages in any form of behavior that includes such acts as intimidation and/or harassment that:
has the effect of physically harming a student, damaging a student’s property, or placing a student in reasonable fear of harm or damage to property,
is sufficiently severe, persistent or pervasive that the action, behavior, or threat creates an intimidating, threatening, or abusive environment,
occurs when there is a real or perceived imbalance of power or strength, or
may constitute a violation of law
SRR handbook 2022-2023 (pages 2-4)
Extracurricular Activity TAX CREDIT
Now is the perfect time to make an Extracurricular Activity Tax Credit to Terramar and receive a dollar for dollar reduction on your State of Arizona 2022 tax liability. Your school tax credit donations can provide Terramar students with opportunities to participate in after school programs, field trips, music and athletic programs or any other extracurricular activity. The Arizona tax credit program (A.R.S. 43-1089.01) allows a tax credit of up to $200 for individuals and up to $400 for married couples, filing jointly, in support of extracurricular activities. More information and links to donate online are available on the DVUSD website.
Donations made between January 1 and April 15 may be applied to the prior tax year. Payments made from January 1, 2022, through April 15, 2023, can be applied to an individual's 2022 Arizona Taxes.
If you have any questions and/or would like to donation in person, please stop by between 7:30am-4:00pm.
To make a tax credit donation online click here https://az-deervalley.intouchreceipting.com/
Friday Early Release (Professional Learning Community PLC time)- Why do we have it? What do the teachers do once the students leave?
School ends early on most Fridays so that Terramar teachers can collaborate with other teachers at other schools who teach the same subject/grade on best teaching practices to meet the needs of all learners. Our teachers will compare student data with teachers at other schools to discuss best teaching practices.
A Professional Learning Community AKA PLC is the formal name for teachers meeting to share/compare data to make sure that all students receive the best teaching practices to master the standards.
There are four guiding questions that are answered in each PLC as standards are taught. They are:
1. What do you we want students to know and be able to do?
2. How will we know students have learned?
2a. What instructional practices will produce our best results?
3. What do we do if students have not learned?
4. What do we do when students have already shown mastery?
Please visit this website for more information on what is a PLC https://www.dvusd.org/Page/76959
Watch this video for more information:
Link for District Calendar
PLC Success Story Featuring 2nd grade
Early Student Pick Up
If it is necessary to pick up your student during school hours, please report to the school office to sign him or her out. The office will then call your student to the office. The student will not be called to the office prior to your arrival. For the safety and protection of all students: No student will be released to anyone except his/her parents/guardians or the responsible party indicated on the Emergency Card Picture I.D. will be required every time
Technology Challenges 4th-8th grade students
Parents, please partner with us in reminding your students to charge their chromebook daily at home. Think about proving a location in your home that is centrally located to help remind students of their responsibility to come to school with a fully charged chromebook ready for learning.
To purchase the device protection plan:
Upcoming Important Dates
9/5 No School
9/9 Full day Friday
9/13 Softball Home vs DC --Baseball Away at DC
9/15 Fall Pictures
9/15 Softball Away at SV-- Baseball Home vs SV
9/16 Early Release
9/19 Softball Home vs GP --Baseball Away at GP
9/20 Baseball at HL
9/19-9/23 Spirit Week (Theme TBD)
9/22 Softball Home vs WW --Baseball Away at WW
9/23 Early Release
9/26 -No School
9/27 Softball Away at SH-- Baseball Home at SH
9/29 Softball Away at SF-- Baseball Home vs SF
Birthday Treats
Birthday celebrations occur the last 10 minutes of the school day and must be pre-arranged with the teacher to avoid any student allergy concerns. Birthday treats are to be a cookie/cupcake/treat that is a small snack for students. Drinks are not permitted (only water in the classroom) Pizza is not appropriate.
There are two options for treats.
Option 1- Purchase the "Birthday Bucket" (TWO WEEKS IN ADVANCE) from the cafe using the following link https://www.dvusd.org/Page/65635
Option 2- Bring in small store bought peanut free items.
Birthday Items are not allowed to be shared during lunch time.
Cell Phone Policy K8
Parents, as a reminder.
Cell phones for all students are to remain off and in backpacks.
7th and 8th grade students may take them out at lunch ONLY.
No earbuds/headphones are to be worn during the school day.
Smart Watches can only be used for telling time during the school day. No APP or Internet usage during the day.
If you need to reach your student, please call the office at 623-445-7600
If a student uses their cell phone during the school day they will receive discipline according to the SRR handbook for defiance/insubordination.
Students who are not feeling well must report to the Nurse's office for treatment.
Our Social Emotional Learning (SEL) Program- TOP 20
What is TOP 20?- Dinner Discussion Questions
What is TOP 20?
STATEMENT OF PURPOSE
Top 20 Training provides effective strategies and practices to develop potential, eliminate negativity, address challenges, and enhance the culture in schools, at home, and in the workplace through one-of-a-kind, live and on-line trainings, books, journals, and curriculum.
This month in class during our Top 20 time we have been focusing on “Creating a Culture for Learning”. Within the topic your students has had discussions about how we create a culture of learning. For middle school your student should be talking about inside vs outside job and goals to bettering your best. For Kindergarten through 6th grade your child should be aware of communicating “you matter”, helping others succeed, and names are sacred. Below are a few Dinner discussions questions you can have with your child to bring Top20 home and help your child use it in all aspects of their day.
Middle school dinner discussion questions:
What is an inside job vs outside job? How do they affect you?
What goals to better yourself did you set in class?
Kindergarten-6th grade dinner discussion questions:
What does “you Matter” mean?
How are you helping others succeed?
If names are sacred, How are you honoring that?
Library Corner
Looking for Gently Used Books
One way that we get books for our school library is through donations of used books. Thank you to the families that have donated books to our school library! We appreciate you!
Please consider donating any school-appropriate, gently used books to our school library. Your donation will be enjoyed by students at Terramar for years to come. Donations may be brought to the office and are greatly appreciated by the students and staff. If you have any questions, please email tina.figgins@dvusd.org.
Titan Passport- Positive Behavior Intervention System- PBIS
Titan Passport
The Titan Passport was designed to represent a structured behavior program designed for students in Kindergarten through 8th grade. The Titan Passport is a communication tool between school and home that shares positive interactions and infractions on students’ behavior while on campus. Students have the opportunity to earn monthly rewards based on their positive behavior at school.
The TItan passport will be utilized during all classes, to give students the reinforcement of positive behaviors and reminders of school expectations. The passports are designed to travel between home and school, to give parents an idea on how students are performing behaviorally. Each teacher/administrator has the right to use his/her professional judgment to modify this plan for individual students as needed.
Titan Passports are utilized on a monthly basis, students will have the opportunity to restart each month earning positives and infractions. For the first few months students will be given grace and patience with lost and/or damaged cards. After the 1st quarter, students will be charged $0.50 for each replacement card and will also receive an infraction for not being prepared. For every 3 infractions students will receive a lunch detention. If teachers are seeing that students are earning more infractions than positives, they will work with administration to determine if the Passport is right for the student.
At the end of every month, students will have the opportunity to turn their passports points into prizes at the Titan Store. Identifiable points are Positives - Infractions = Final Points. In addition to the Titan Store, some grade levels have identified “extra rewards” for those students who meet a specific point value. The school will also hold random days to celebrate students’ positive achievements.
The Passports will be collected by the school to review any trends, analyze the data, and determine outcomes that can help identify necessary positive interventions for the campus.
Physical/verbal aggression, theft, vandalism, threatening acts, fighting, or any other major infraction listed in the DVUSD Student Rights and Responsibilities Handbook will warrant bypassing the Titan Passport guidelines and will result in immediate consequences.
Titan Weekly/Monthly Winner for showing great character
Titan Monthly Winners: At the end of each month the teachers will meet to discuss which student has exemplified TITAN (trustworthy, integrity, tenderhearted, accountability, noble) character for the entire month. These students are brought to the office to receive a backpack filled with goodies that has been "earned... not given". We post the names of these kids on our website and on the marquee.
Terramar PTSA Information
President: Woody Mason
Vice President: Miranda Woodward Duran
Treasurer- Stephanie Walaszek
Secretary- Morgan Gaertner
Looking forward to a fantastic year filled with community activities while supporting our students, teachers, and staff.
Link for Terramar PTSA Website http://www.terramarptsa.org/
Volunteering Information
We are looking for parents and community members to come and share their time and knowledge with our Terramar community. Anyone who volunteers at our school must attend a one-time volunteer training.
Tuesday, September 20th from 4:00 PM - 5:00 PM there will be an in-person Volunteer Training Meeting in the Terramar Media Center. If you are interested in volunteering, please contact our Volunteer Coordinator: tina.figgins@dvusd.org to reserve a spot at this training. If you have already attended the training, please email our Volunteer Coordinator to update your registration.
Please reference the DVUSD website for specific training dates and locations at other school sites. We appreciate our volunteers!
Standards Based Mindset in Grading
Terramar embraces a comprehensive standards-based mindset and grading system that reports what students know and can do relative to standards by facilitating clearer, more targeted feedback.
This work is accomplished by reporting academic achievement separate from behaviors, tying assessment and grading exclusively to standards, prioritizing the most recent evidence of learning, and allowing for editing and resubmission of work.
Please visit our website https://www.dvusd.org/Domain/12421
and view our Reassessment, Late Work, and Cheating policies
Trouble with the Powerschools APP?
Please be aware that the mobile app does not display the details of tagged standards like the web-based program displays. We are working with the PowerSchools company to see if they can fix the app view to show those details of the standards. We will continue to communicate and provide updates with pertinent information. In the web-based view, if you don't see a number or letter progress, click the "i" to see the details. Thank you for continued patience and support.