The Mata Memo
March 28, 2023
Principal's Message
Dear Mata family,
We are making our way into the last two months of school. Report cards come home today for the 3rd quarter. Please be sure to ask your child about it. As we move into the 4th and final quarter, our campus is focused on making intentional instructional moves to make sure your children are academically successful. We are focusing on continuing Montessori lessons, reviewing student work, revisiting student goals and progress to ensure that all children show at least 1 year of growth. This week we start "Tuesday Tutoring", please read below to learn more.
Last week I began highlighting ways that you can make yourself dispensable in your child's life. Each one will help you move closer to your goal of raising an independent, autonomous, fully functioning young adult.
Check out this week's focus:
If you want a behavior, you have to teach a behavior. If you want a teenager to do their own laundry, begin when they are in preschool. Teach preschoolers to send dirty clothes down the laundry chute or place them in the clothes hamper. When they are older, teach them to sort laundry into piles according to color. Later, help them learn how to fold it correctly and put it away. Still later, teach them how to use the washer and dryer. By the time they are teenagers, they can be doing it all. Children do not naturally know how to bring in firewood, clean the fishbowl, set the table, dry the dishes, or take their own dishes to the sink after dinner. If you want a behavior, you have to teach a behavior. If you don’t, you could end up doing it all yourself.
Together we will give our children the roots of responsibility and the wings of independence!
Enjoy the Memo below!
Sincerely,
Tomeka Williams
Principal
Calendar at A Glance
District-Wide Calendar - Click Here
- Mar. 28th - Parent University - "ALL Things STAAR Testing" - 5:00pm in the auditorium
Mar. 28th- PTA General Meeting - 6:00 PM
March 31 - 3rd Grade Music Concert
April 1st - 2023-2024 Registration opens for ALL students (new and returning)
April 2nd - Autism Awareness Day
April 3rd - Start with Hello Week
April 3rd - 2nd Grade "Three Piggy Opera
April 6 - Lower & Upper field day
April 7 - School Holiday
April 10 - Inclement weather (no school)
April 19 - STAAR Reading (Grades 3-8)
April 22nd - Rainbow Run, Walk, and Roll
The 2023 National Women’s History Theme “Celebrating Women Who Tell Our Stories”
Tutoring Tuesday's
Please reach out to your child's teacher to obtain specific details on your child's goals and progress.
Tutoring will take place on Tuesday's from 3:30-4:30 starting now until the 2nd Week of May. If your child could not attend today, that's ok, feel free to have them come on the days that work with your schedule.
Our goal is for ALL students to grow at least 1 year, and we are here to partner with you to help our children succeed academically.
Parent University
PTA General Meeting
Mata PTA is working to make sure our elected officer positions are filled for the 23-24 school year. One thing that helps us ensure success is Your Involvement. PTA is strongest when Family Members, Community members, Teachers and Staff come together. We'd Love to have you! If you are interested in serving in an elected role or would like to nominate someone, please fill out this nomination form: shorturl.at/dfB09
Orchestra News!
Current orchestra students in grades 4-8 have been invited to take part in the Bryan Adams High School String Fling! The event takes place on Saturday, April 29 from 8:00-1:00 at Bryan Adams HS located at 2101 Millmar , Dallas 75228 (parents provide transportation). The students will be lead in rehearsals and other activities by the high school students and directors of the 12 participating schools. The session will end with a performance for parents at 12:00 noon that day. A free t-shirt will be included to participants who get their signed, green permission form turned in by Friday, March 31.
We have been working on the music in class. This is a wonderful opportunity for the students to see and hear other students just like them, who play an orchestral stringed instrument! Also, parents will have the chance to hear what their students have accomplished this year and what they may sound like in the years to come!
Please consider signing your child up for the Bryan Adams String Fling by completing the green permission slip and returning it to Ms. Powers no later than Friday, March 31st.
If you have any questions, please contact Ms. Powers by email at JPowers@dallasisd.org
MARCH MATHNESS CHALLENGE
It's time to register!
The registration for the 2023-24 school year officially begins on April 1, 2023. Parents of new and returning students are required to complete registration in the district’s online enrollment system, SchoolMint.
Mata PTA's Annual Rainbow, Run, Walk and Roll!
Mata Closet Needs!
Parents, the Mata Closet needs donations! Items we need most are:
- New boy and girl underwear in sizes 3T, 4T and 5T
- Boy and girl uniform pants in sizes 10 and above
- Girl uniform skirts/skorts (and privacy shorts) in sizes 10 and above
- Uniform shirts in sizes 12 and above
Please make sure your donations are free of stains and tears, with intact buttons and zippers. Donations can be dropped off at the main office. Thank you!
What's Happening Around Mata Montessori?
DESTINATION IMAGINATION TEAM MYTHICAL BEAST WIN AT STATE!
We are pleased to announce that our middle school Destination Imagination team, The Mythical Beasts, placed FIRST at the State competition at UTA yesterday. This means they will travel to Kansas City, MO in May for the “DI Globals” competition with other teams from around the world. Inspired by Greek mythology, these talented 7th and 8th-grade students wrote their own play, designed and painted their set and props, created costumes as well as compiled music. Congratulations to these phenomenal students for their dedication and hard work!
Thank you Mrs. Osborne for your sponsorship!
Ms. Manske's Class Creates Biomes!
STAAR SESSION 1 FOR PARENTS
It was a great turnout with great questions from parents!
Mata Montessori at FAM JAM! Thanks Ms. Cannon for representing!
The Spring Dances were a Success! Thank you PTA!
Middle School UIL Results have arrived!
We are so proud of the Middle School Team. They did an amazing job representing Mata, Saturday, February 25, 2023!
Lily Perez 7th Grade
2nd Place Calculator
9th Place Listening Skills
3rd Place Maps, Graphs, and Charts
2nd Place Number Sense
Yamileth Hernandez 8th Grade
7th Place Listening Skills
3rd Place Maps, Graphs, and Charts
3rd Place Number Sense
3rd Place Ready Writing
8th Place Spelling
Elian Ortega-Romero 6th Grade
1st Place Chess
4th Place Mathematics
10th Place Number Sense
Jackson Barbeau 6th Grade
4th Place Chess
4th Place Ready Writing
Ethan Gomez-Funes 6th Grade
5th Place Chess
Jayden Oliver-Jackson 7th Grade
9th Place Chess
3rd Place Mathematics
2nd Place Ready Writing
8th Place Number Sense
3rd Place Science
10th Place Spelling
Zabdiel Morales-Yepez
10th Place Chess
Bruce Gomez-Funes
6th Place Chess
Diego Garcia-Hernandez
9th Place Listening Skills
9th Maps, Graphs,and Charts
7th Place Spelling
Mrs. Pettigrew and Mrs. Vazquez Middle School Coaches
White Rock Spring Games!
ART with Heroes
Woodrow Wilson HS Presents Disney's Frozen!
After School Carpool Reminders
All cars will proceed down LaVista Dr. to the furthest entry past the school building. You will make a right turn into the drive nearest the apartments. You will remain in your car and show your sign to the Mata staff. We will call for your child as you drive around the wraparound drive. Please pull up as far as possible. Keep your child's tag showing until your child(ren) is brought to your car. When leaving the drive, turn left to circle under the bridge and proceed to the traffic light.
Please do not park in the NO Parking Zones, as this is a safety concern, and you can be ticketed.
Also, please do not walk through the lanes of the carpool. Please use the sidewalks when walking.
Thank you for your cooperation in keeping our students safe.
Friendly Office Reminders
- Always bring an ID to the office for all student pick-ups.
- Cut off time for early student pick up is 2:30 PM.
- Parents must complete VOLY every school year in order to volunteer at our campus.
- No cupcakes or snacks high in sugar are permitted for Celebration of Life. Please bring healthy snacks the whole class can enjoy.
- No fast-food deliveries for students.
- Doors for students to enter the building every morning open at 7:30 AM.
- School starts at 8:00 AM and tardies are distributed after this time.
- If a student arrives after 8:20 AM this counts as a partial absence (T99).
- Always submit an excuse note anytime your student is absent.
- Please have your student adhere to the uniform policy.
Buy your spirit wear from the Eagle Wagon!
Spirit wear may be worn with jeans on Fridays
Thank you for your patience while we organize our current on hand inventory.
For new shirts, more colors, expanded sizing and embroidered options plus delivery to your home see our PTA’s online fundraising store https://matamontessori.itemorder.com/shop/home/
Join PTA!
Check out your PTA membership perks and if you’re not a member you can join online:
Action for Happiness Calendar
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.
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
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MataMontessori/?fref=ts
Twitter: @montessorimata