Principal's Nest
Nov. 28-Dec. 2, 2022
WEEK
Monday, Nov. 28th is Spanish Day
Vision
To inspire all scholars to become inquisitive thinkers, who confidently and respectfully embrace the global challenges of the future.
Mission
Jose H. Damian Elementary will nurture our scholars so that they are healthy, feel safe, are engaged, feel supported, and are challenged through culturally responsive teaching and learning.
A message from the Principal
I hope you have had a restful Thanksgiving break with your loved ones. During this time of year, I like to reflect on the things that I am grateful and thankful for. This year I added my JDE school family. I feel very blessed to be part of this team and there is no other place I would rather be.
The next 3 weeks are filled with a little bit of this and a little bit of that...
We have interim assessments, 12 days of winter fun, toy giveaway, PBIS celebrations, and much more. Please refer to the annual calendar for more information.
We're making success stories at JDE and no one is more ready than us!
Kind Regards,
Dr. Aranda
#educatingwithheart
#OurFirebirdsDeserveIt
#KidsDeserveIt
#WithHeart
ATTENDANCE continues to drop
Our daily percentage continues to drop and we need to tighten some of our efforts. The goal is to have at least 96% every day and we have been below 90% every day for more than a week. The school day begins at 7:30 and it ends at 3:15 (with staggered dismissal times.) Please send a reminder to parents via class dojo to remind them of this.
If a student in your classroom is absent or tardy, please send a message of concern to parent. This does not serve as a "reprimand" but a reminder that attendance matters and that they miss so much even if they are tardy 15 minutes every day. Please remind parents that they need to provide a written note to excuse an absence. They have 5 days from the absence to provide this. This is important for many reasons. In the office, we will also be reminding parents about attendance expectations. If you have an issue with attendance in your classroom, please let Ms. Villasenor know so that we can address it right away.
PLEASE POST YOUR ATTENDANCE BY 9:45 AM EVERY MORNING!!!
Illnesses on Campus
Practice frequent hand sanitizing, wearing a mask, distancing, and all other protocols we followed at the beginning of the pandemic. These have proven to be best practices and would be beneficial right now.
Please don't allow your students to share any materials and social distance in the classroom as much as possible. If more than 10% of your students become ill or are absent due to illness, please let admin know so that we can get your classroom disinfected. If the illness is the flu or covid, please let us know after 1 case so we can disinfect.
I thank you for your cooperation!
Week E - Plan for Week 16
Remember that for PLC, you must bring the high leverage low TEKS for your grade level. You must come with this information ready to be discussed. Be prepared to model a strategy for your colleagues so that we can implement in other classrooms and put it in our lesson plans. EVERYONE must participate and BE PREPARED!
Grade Level Meeting Rooms
PLC Room: 4th, 3rd, PK, 1st
Instructional Coach's Office: 5th, 2nd, Kinder
Facilitators:
PK - Plaza
K - Davila
1st - Plaza
2nd - Davila
3rd - Lee
4th - Davila
5th - Lee
Student Growth Trackers
PLEASE UPDATE YOUR STUDENT GROWTH MONITORS WITH YOUR CURRENT UNIT ASSESSMENT RESULTS AND UNIVERSAL SCREENERS! IT IS TIME THAT WE LOOK AT INTERVENTION GROUPS SO THAT WE CAN ADJUST BASED ON STUDENT NEED.
If you need assistance with this, please see Ms. Davila, Ms. Plaza, or myself. We are here to support you.
BIRTHDAYS!
We are celebrating...
December
Patricia Lopez, Dec. 3
Elvia Truong, Dec. 3
Heather Atherton, Dec. 27
Diana Coronel, Dec. 29
Ana Caballero, Dec. 31
*If you have a birthday coming up in December and it was not listed, please let me know so I can add it.
November-December 2022
Annual Calendar: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1xKwv0h3VU22U9I89FKxK2mRhkyYbyOo0ZMeLGIvzk3k/edit?usp=sharing
Nov. 28 Week E
Welcome back!
Nov. 29
PLC - Plan for Week 16
Nov. 30
Picture Day Retakes
CIC Meeting @3:30 in Library
December
Human Rights Month
Learn a foreign language month
Dec. 1
RtI Rotation 1
12 Days of Christmas: Day 12
Dec. 2
Special Education Day
12 Days of Christmas: Day 11
Dec. 5
International Volunteer Day
12 Days of Christmas: Day 10
Dec. 6
PLCs - Plan Week 17
5th Grade etiquette field trip
Attendance Committee Meeting
12 Days of Christmas: Day 9
Dec. 7
Math Interim
PD Wednesday - PK-K Book Study Part 1: Developing Heart - H is for Happiness
Letter Writing Day
12 Days of Christmas: Day 8
Dec. 8
Reading Interim
Counseling Advisory Committee Meeting
12 Days of Christmas: Day 7
Dec. 9
Interim Make ups
Santa Pictures
Kids Excel Winter Program
12 Days of Christmas: Day 6
Dec. 12
12 Days of Christmas: Day 5
Dec. 13
PLC: Plan Week 18
Grade Level Ginger Bread Contest
12 Days of Christmas Day 4
Dec. 14
Science Interim
PBIS/SEL/Discipline Committee Meeting
CIC - If you belong to CIC and PBIS Committee, please attend CIC and have someone represent your grade level at PBIS Committee
12 Days of Christmas: Day 3
Dec. 15
Abundant Living Toy Giveaway
Safety/Crisis Team Meeting @3:30
12 Days of Christmas: Day 2
Dec. 16
Data Dialogue
2nd 9-week period ends
PBIS Celebration: Holiday Movie and popcorn
12 Days of Christmas: Day 1
Faculty and Staff Holiday Party 4:30-7:00 PM, location TBA - PLEASE RSVP ON THE LINK PROVIDED ON THIS NEWSLETTER
Click on the 12 days of winter fun calendar to enlarge it
On the 4th day of Winter Fun at JDE...
a few ginger bread houses made by each of JDE's grade level PLCs!!!!
Get creative with your designs and show off your architectural talents!
Any materials! Any size! No limits as long as it is built by you and your team.
Display your installation in the 400 hallway on Dec. 13th!
Journalism, Student Council, and 7 Strengths Club students will judge and select the winner.
FOR FACULTY AND STAFF ONLY: Please use the 2 links below to report your positive diagnosis after notifying Dr. Lee.
Please complete the form below on your 5th day of isolation in order to receive clearance to return to work from Human Resources