The Mata Memo
April 26, 2022
Principal's Message
Greetings Mata Family!
Can you believe we have about 8 instructional days and 21 school days left? We've come far and we are focused on finishing strong! There is so much going on at campus right now.
We are gearing up for our end-of-year exams. Check out the Calendar below to find out which dates your child may be testing. Also, next week is Teacher Appreciation week! Our teachers give their all to your children every day and we appreciate all they do. Join us in telling them "Thank You!".
I would also like you to Please remind your child to bring their devices and chargers to school daily. This is very important. Students are practicing in order to be ready and there are scheduled tests throughout the month of May.
Also, please join us tonight in our first in-person PTA meeting tonight at 6:00 PM! Elections will take place.
As always thanks for your commitment to Mata Montessori! We are grateful you partner with us!
Check out the rest of the Mata Memo for important updates! If you are interested in summer camps and programs, pay special attention to the end of the newsletter. New camps are added every week!
Tomeka Middleton Williams
Principal
P.S. Follow us on Twitter and Instagram @MontessoriMata
Calendar at A Glance
April 26-27 - 6th-8th Grade End of Year MAP Assessments
April 26th - General PTA Meeting
April 29th - Talent Show Audition Forms Due - It has been extended!
April 27-28th - Theatre Performance - "Three Doors to Death"
April 28th - Dress Pass Day
April 29th - Inclement Weather Day - No School
April 30th - Rainbow Run, Walk and Roll!
May 2nd-6th - Teacher Appreciation Week!
May 5th - Orchestra Concert
May 5th - CICC Meeting 5:00 PM - On Campus
May 13th - Field Day
Administrative Professionals Day is Wednesday, April 27th!
Check out some of the ways Mata Montessori Celebrated Earth Day on April 22nd!
Morning Meeting Activities
PUT OUR HANDS TOGETHER!
TRUST WALK!
AN EXAMPLE OF ONE OF THE ACTIVITY CARDS!
April Dress Pass!
Thursday, April 28th is Dress Pass Friday! - It's time to sign up and sponsor a class for this month's Dress Pass. Let’s work together to make sure that no class/student gets left out!
Dress Pass Rules
No open toe shoes, flip-flops, or heels
All shirts, dresses, and shorts must be at least fingertip length
No spaghetti straps, spandex, PJ's, or jeans with holes or rips.
You may sign up to sponsor a class Dress Pass Here
School Lunch Hero Day!
Save the date! May 6th is School Lunch Hero Day! We want to invite you to celebrate with us the hard work of our school cafeteria staff. You can create thank you cards, drawings, or posters, to show appreciation.
Students may vote for their school lunch staff through an online survey. The School cafeteria staff with the most votes will receive an award. www.dallasisd.org/lunchhero
AFTER SCHOOL DISMISSAL SAFTEY
If you pick your students up under the Santa Fe Bridge, please note that this is not Dallas ISD property, and there is NO adult supervision. There are strangers and bikers constantly along that trail. If you are not arriving by 3:15, I encourage you to have your child picked up at the campus where they are supervised and safe.
Orchestra News!
Current orchestra students grades 4-8 will be performing in CONCERT THURSDAY MAY 5 AT 6:00 P.M. Your child will be bringing home a note on yellow paper that has all of the details!
Dallas ISD Instrumental Music in partnership with the Orchestra of New Spain will present a SUMMER ORCHESTRA CAMP. MONDAY-THURSDAY JUNE 27-30 at Conrad High School. This camp is free but optional to all current Dallas ISD orchestra students. Please visit your child’s Google Classroom for Orchestra for further information and to complete the application. Paper application is also available in the orchestra room.
Please feel free to contact Ms. Powers, the orchestra teacher at JPowers@dallasisd.org for any questions you may have.
Field Day will be May 13th! - Updated Date!!!
Field day is May 13th. This year, all Mata students will have
matching shirts that have been voted on by the students. Each
class will have its own team color.
Shirts cost $5. Kid sizes: Youth XS through Youth XL. Adult sizes: Adult Small through Adult
XL. (Adult sizes 2XL and larger are $9.)
You can also sponsor students who need help buying their shirts. Money raised over the amount of the shirts will be a donation to PTA to continue its work providing materials, events and programs for the students and school community.
Please send your form and payment to the front office by Thursday, April 28th. If you have any questions, please email eaglewagon@matamontessori.com.
More information regarding the logistics of Field Day to come!
Adopt an 8th Grader
Rainbow Run, Walk, and Roll
Join us April 30 at Lindsley Park
Rainbow Run, Walk & Roll details are here!
Saturday, April 30, check-in at 8:30 am
Registration is $5. Raise $20 or more and receive a pair of sunglasses and plain white t-shirt to wear at the event.
Register on the fundraising website below and share with friends and family. All proceeds go toward field trips, programs, classroom materials and student enrichment. Every student benefits!
Register here: https://matamontessoripta.membershiptoolkit.com/
Lots more details here: https://matamontessoripta.membershiptoolkit.com/rrfaq
Registration deadline is April 15.
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¡Los detalles de Rainbow Run, Walk & Roll están aquí!
Sábado 30 de abril, check-in a las 8:30 am
La inscripción cuesta $5. Recauda $20 o más y recibe un par de anteojos de sol y una camiseta blanca para usar en el evento.
Regístrese en el sitio web de recaudación de fondos a continuación y comparta con amigos y familiares. Todos los ingresos se destinan a excursiones, programas, materiales para el salón de clases y enriquecimiento estudiantil. ¡Todos los estudiantes se benefician!
Registrarse aquí: https://matamontessoripta.membershiptoolkit.com/
Muchos más detalles aquí: https://matamontessoripta.membershiptoolkit.com/rrfaq
Fecha limite de registro es 15 de abril.
2022-2023 Returning Student Registration
All students must register for next school year. Registration is completely online and can be completed by going to www.choose.dallasisd.org. Please complete registration as soon as you can! If you have any questions, please contact Mrs. Sosa or Mrs. Leija in the front office.
Detailed instructions can be found in the Registration Guides below.
STAAR Information
Dallas ISD Parent or Guardian:
An important part of the spring semester is measuring how well students have learned the skills and concepts taught during the year so we can ensure they are prepared for the following one. The State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness, or STAAR, is an effective tool for measuring performance. The STAAR results will be used by teachers and schools to determine areas where additional instruction is needed so students are better prepared to master next year’s learning.
The bulk of the STAAR tests will take place May 10-20 for grades 3-8.
Dallas ISD began the transition to using the online version of STAAR in spring 2021, so our students will be ready when the Texas Education Agency switches to an online-only administration in 2023. The district has been working to ensure students are familiar with online testing platforms and are comfortable taking exams electronically. We are actively preparing students to be successful in this format through our current instructional models and all resources provided by the TEA.
The STAAR tutorials can be accessed at https://www.texasassessment.gov/practice-tests.html. We encourage all students to become familiar with the tools in the Cambium testing platform.
The TEA requires that all students complete STAAR exams on campus. By choosing to offer the STAAR online, Dallas ISD will also have a longer window during which schools can schedule each assessment.
Our school’s testing window for each of the 2022 STAAR exams is attached is above listed in the May Calendar.
Thank you for your continued support in ensuring our students’ success. If you have any questions about our school’s plans for STAAR testing, please don’t hesitate to call us at 972-749-7500.
Mata's STAAR Dates!
Interational Service Project for Middle School!
Greetings Parents!
I would like to share with you a wonderful opportunity for our Middle School students to participate in an international service-learning project. Ms. Z. Williams' Middle School students are participating in an International Service Learning Project and would like for you to join them!
One of her sisters, Mrs. Carmalie Sims, is a music teacher at a school in South Dallas. During the month of February, they began to study the countries of Zambia and Kenya.
This study led them to a video, “A Child’s Life in Africa,” by Alan Riser. It was an eye opener. The students were able to learn about life in an African village in the country of Zambia. They were deeply touched by the experiences of everyday life and began to appreciate the things they personally had. One of the students suggested to Mrs. Sims that the class help the students that they saw. From this encounter, they began to communicate with the Coordinator and Lead Missionary in both countries, through Mr. Riser’s foundation, “Charitable Ingenuity.”
Ms. Z. Williams was asked by her sister to help and th organization “O’Levia’s Dream,” began. We know that NOT all of Africa is in dire need, as there are cities as large as Houston and Dallas all over the continent. But, for many in the outlying areas away from the major cities, the needs are great. We realize times are hard for us all during this pandemic, but O’Levia’s Dream is taking a lead in reaching out across the sea to help our children.
There are other organizations that are joining in with us to help in this endeavor. The plan is to partner with other schools and organizations to help these beautiful children overseas. Currently, we are serving Zambia. We will begin sending items to Kenya later when they return to school. Our long-term goal is to help with establishing a well in the village in Zambia so that students will not have to travel to the river and drink water that has not been purified.
We have a box at the front of the school, and we plan to send a shipment soon. The goal is to send a shipment every month. Feel free to begin to send the items listed below to school with your child.
The immediate needs are:
Flip-flops (All Sizes)
Soap
Toothpaste-Small Travel Size
Toothbrushes
T-Shirts
Pencils
Paper
Soccer Balls
(Everything must be in its original package. The flip flops will be bagged).
Gallon Zip lock Bags
THANK YOU!
All about Self Care!
This video shows how taking care of yourself is connected to the brain. (Youtube, 01:25)
Steps to Volunteer at Mata
Attention 5th Grade Parents
Our 5th Grade will be taking the Science STAAR this year! In an effort to help prepare them, our campus will be sponsoring our 5th-grade students’ attendance in a Science Camp at the Dallas Arboretum.
They will attend a Closing the Gap Learning Series to help get 5th-grade students STAAR Science ready. It is a 6-week series. Each week covers a different TEKS cluster and includes a hands-on lab, STAAR practice questions, and a time to explore the garden to make garden connections. Classes are held on Saturday mornings from 9:30-11:30, starting April 2nd and runs through May 7th. Classes include parking and garden admission for your family.
Here is the link to learn more about the programming. https://www.dallasarboretum.org/education/other-programs/
Please ensure that you have returned your child's permission letter and parent contact form. It was sent home by Mr. Delgado.
Audition Forms forms extended due date - Friday, - April 29th!
Talent Show Audition Forms
- Audition form in English https://docs.google.com/document/d/1NhrcC5lNqwyjnfP-CKVsmhlaYbigMMd2/edit
- Audition form in Spanish https://docs.google.com/document/d/1QHQTVVem7yXOPtxycsz2Ofp9VubL4G0h/edit#heading=h.30j0zll
Theatre Performance - April 27-28th!
Mata's PTA Walking Group!
Summer Activities! - Updated Weekly!
Career Explorations Camp for Rising 7th and 8th Graders
Dallas ISD's Career Institute East is excited to inform you of two summer camp opportunities for your students. They are hosting a summer exploration camp for students during two different time frames. Students will get an opportunity to get a hands-on experience in:
- construction
- interior design
- cybersecurity
- health science
- team building
- industry partner engagement
Dallas ISD Summer Breeze! and Summer Learning Guide
Enjoy!
Join PTA
Check out their webpage at https://matamontessori.com/
Sign up for the PTA newsletter: Click Here
Dallas ISD School Safety Protocols
Core 4
Parents, students, and community members can shout out a teacher, staff member, or Dallas ISD employee by visiting https://www.dallasisd.org/shoutout
Some of the top shoutouts will be spotlighted on social media, the Core 4 webpage, and in a monthly e-newsletter!
Action for Happiness Calendars
Mata Montessori School's Vision and Mission
Vision Statement: To provide an academic foundation which allows our students to be successful life-long learners.
Mission Statement: To provide an authentic Montessori education by focusing on educating the whole child academically, socially, and emotionally for all children.
Mata Montessori School's Key Actions
- Maintain a climate and culture that fosters academic excellence.
- Improve quality of instruction and student achievement through an aligned Montessori curriculum.
- Actively engage parents in education in meaningful and relevant ways.
The Mata Memo
Eduardo Mata Montessori School
Email: matamontessori@dallasisd.org
Website: http://www.dallasisd.org/Page/2376
Location: 7420 La Vista Drive, Dallas, TX, United States
Phone: (972)749-7500
Twitter: @MontessoriMata