The Mata Memo
August 29, 2023
Principal's Message
Dear Mata family,
We hope that this message finds you well and your children are settling in the rhythm of Mata Montessori's wonderful community. As we journey into the third week of the school year, I wanted to take a moment to emphasize the invaluable role that your partnership plays in creating a thriving educational experience for our students.
At Eduardo Mata Montessori School, we firmly believe that the foundation of a successful school year lies in the collaboration between the school and our parents and guardians. Your involvement, support, and open communication contribute significantly to your child's growth and development, both academically and personally.
We understand that the start of a new academic year can bring forth questions and concerns. Please remember that our doors are always open to you. Whether you have questions about our academic programs, extracurricular activities, or any other aspect of your child's experience here, we encourage you to reach out to our teachers, staff, or administration. Your insights and feedback are invaluable in shaping our school's continuous improvement.
I am thrilled to share that this year brings an exciting addition to our curriculum. Amplify, Eureka, and Carnegie are designed to provide students with knowledge that sparks curiosity and wonder and enables them to discover the world. They also provide grade-level concepts that are outlined in the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills(TEKS) while developing thinkers and doers. Mark your calendars for September 7th at 5:00 PM to learn more!
None of this would be possible without your unwavering support. Your dedication to your child's education, whether it's assisting with homework, attending school events, or simply providing a nurturing environment at home, is deeply appreciated. Your involvement is a testament to the strong partnership between our school and our families, and it sets a powerful example for our students.
Thank you once again for entrusting us with your child's education. We are excited about the progress we have already made and the positive impact we will continue to make together.
Here's to a year filled with growth, learning, and shared successes!
Tomeka Middleton-Williams
Principal
Calendar at A Glance
August 29th - Chat with Principal 4:00-4:50 PM
August 29th - Mata Open House 5:00-6:30 PM
September 1st - Title I Meeting 8:30 AM
Sept. 4th - Labor Day, No School
Sept. 6th- Attendance Awareness: Jam Out in Jammies
Sept. 7th - Mata Curriculum Information Meeting 5:00PM
Sept. 5-15: NWEA MAP Testing Window
Title I Meeting
Open House- All Parents Come!
Mata Curriculum Information Meeting
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. Please come with enough time for student pick up.
-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. No black polos.Eduardo Mata Montessori Student Attendance Information
Texas Compulsory Attendance Information
Join Mata 6-8 Middle School Debate - See Ms. Z. Williams for details
Cheer at Mata Montessori!
We invite you to be a part of the cheerleading teams at Mata for the coming 23-24 school year. Here’s what you can do to prepare:
What? Middle School and Elementary Cheer Camps
Who? Current 4th-5th and 6th-8th grade students
When? Middle School- Saturday, September 16th from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.; Elementary- Saturday, September 23rd
Where? Barack Obama Male Leadership Academy at 3030 Stag Rd.
Why? Students will learn cheers, chants, dances, jumps, stunts, and a variety of techniques performed in cheer. Participants will be part of the 23-24 Mata Middle School Cheer Team! Other events to be announced soon.
The deadline to register is September 2nd. Don’t miss out!
If you have questions regarding Cheer, or would like to sign your child up, please contact Melody Singleton at 469-460-0650 or mesingleton@dallasisd.org
Mata Musical Auditions!
Come Visit Us at this Easy PTA Fundraiser!
Check out Dallas ISD's New Bus Tracking System!
We Have a New Bus Tracking System which replaces Bus Bulletin and My Stop App.
Tenemos una aplicacion de seguimento nueva para los padres de alumnos cuales usan el autobus.
View your Child's STAAR Scores!
Show Up! Attendance Matters!
Our 2023-2024 Dallas ISD Attendance Awareness theme is #Show Up! Attendance Matters. Our first challenge for the school year is the Student Perfect Attendance Competition by Trustee District scheduled for August 14th – September 1st (see flyer below).
September is slated as National Attendance Awareness Month and will be celebrated again in our district with weekly Wednesday activities during the month using the hashtag #showupdallasisd.
Beginning of Year Testing
PTA is For EVERYONE!
Joining the PTA is easy and only costs $10, but the impact you make on the community is tremendous. Sign up today! (link: https://txpta.my.salesforce-sites.com/JoinPTA)
Uniform Assistance Program
Each year, the Dallas ISD Uniform Assistance Program, administered by the Department of Family and Community Involvement, provides one free uniform per year to students from Pre-Kindergarten through eighth grade and limited uniforms available to high school students whose families meet. economically disadvantaged district guidelines. in accordance with board policy.
Parents can now request a uniform through PowerSchool for eligible students. See below for the guide for step-by-step instructions.
Drop Off and Pick Up Information
- 1st- 6th Grade students may be dropped off at the main entrance. 7th -8th Grade students may be dropped off at the cafeteria entrance. Prek-K students will be dropped off near the Media Center and report directly to class, 1st-3rd grade students will report to the gym, 4th-6th will report to the auditorium, and 7th-8th grade students will report to the cafeteria between 7:30-7:45 AM. All students arriving after 7:45 will report directly to class.
- Please drop off Pre-K-K students on the La Vista drive nearest the library. Students will report directly to their homeroom class.
- If you have multiple children, you may drop them off at the site for the youngest child.
- For safety, the back drive will be closed in the mornings.
After School Pick Up:
Carpool Pickup will be at the main entrance nearest the office. You will be given a carpool sign to use at pick-up daily. Please be patient with dismissal procedures and traffic, as we will be working to ensure the safety of all students.
Prek-K will be dismissed outside the main entrance beginning at 3:10.
1st-3rd will be dismissed from the door by the auditorium at 3:15.
4th-6th will be dismissed at the back of the school near the compass on the new drive at 3:15.
7th-8th will be dismissed at the back of the school near the middle school pods at 3:15.
Students in grades 4-8 will join with their siblings outside the main entrance.
Traffic flow:
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 Mata staff. We will call for your child as you drive around the wraparound drive. 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.
If riding a bus, please send information regarding your child's bus stop and location to the teacher. Bus pick-up is located on the main drive parallel to Grand. Please do not park in this driveway.
We offer afterschool care through the YMCA. Please see the flyers below for details.
2023-2024 Family and Community Engagement Survey
Please fill out the Survey below!
Check out our Mata Student on KERA
Episodes are also streamed on PBS and the CAMP TV site (and will be available through 2025).
Here is the link to view Liberty's episode now. The whole show is really fantastic, and we are happy they could showcase a Mata student. Liberty starts reading at 22:46 if you want to scroll to her section.
Trinity River Authority of Texas Art Contest
The 2023 TRA Art Contest kicks off today! This year’s theme is “Keep Litter Out of the River.” This theme aims to educate and highlight the issue of litter and illegal dumping and how it impacts our waterways. We hope to empower students and communities to be part of the solution by preventing and cleaning up litter in our waterways.
They have also updated the entry deadline to Friday, September 29 to allow more time for those needing to mail in their artwork.
Learn about the entries and contest rules, the required entry and information form, an FAQ, and a list of resources to help students learn about litter and illegal dumping. Explore these resources and see previous winners on the TRA website here.
After School Care - YMCA
Check out our Parent Involvement Meetings In Action!
Montessori Classrooms In Action this Week!
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.
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