Deer Canyon Echoes
February 16, 2024
To Do
- Please submit your feedback via the PUSD LCAP Survey (today is the last day!).
- Collect and bring gently used books for TK-5th graders for the Book Swap starting 2/26 (Front Gate).
- Register for Camp Read S'more Read-a-Thon.
- Volunteer at the Talent Show! Sign up here.
- Order DCES Spirit Wear.
- Parent volunteers are needed for February Black History Month and Leap Day lunchtime activities: Contact Maha (melmeniawy@powayusd.com) if you’re interested!
Save the Date
February
- 2/16 - Read-a-Thon registration begins
- 2/19 to 2/23 - District Recess (school closed)
2/26 to 2/28 - Book Swap book collection
2/29 - Talent Show dress rehearsal @1:45 pm
March
- 3/1 - Talent Show @ 6 pm
- 3/1 and 3/4 - Book Swap for student selection (during school hours)
- 3/4 to 3/10 - Read-a-Thon
- 3/5 - Campfire Storytime in the Library @ 6:30 pm
- 3/11 - Pro Grow Day (no school for students)
- 3/19 and 3/20 - DC Dining: California Pizza Kitchen
- 3/20 - MVMS Incoming 6th Grade Parent Night
Principal's Message 📚
Good evening, Deer Canyon families,
How lucky are we to have had a full week of sunshine?! What a luxury!
This week was Random Acts of Kindness Week at Deer Canyon, and there was a whole lot of kindness, love, and appreciation shown toward one another and ourselves. Mrs. Macdougall and our DC Leaders did a fantastic job planning a week of opportunities to show kindness toward others and reflect on ways we can be kind to the people, places, and things around us. As I visited classrooms throughout the week, I saw teachers setting aside time for students to dive deeper into kindness activities. We are lucky to have such wonderful adults in our students’ lives!
This week, we also hosted a crowd-favorite spirit day (Pajama Day), spread love on Valentine’s Day, and continued our study of Mandarin through our GLES program. We hosted PUSD Inclusion Teachers and Counselors on Special Assignment and will welcome them back to campus at our next staff meeting for further discussion about inclusion, belonging, and supporting each DCES student.
Yesterday, the DCES Positive Behavior Supports and Intervention (PBIS) team met with other PUSD committees for professional development. We look forward to continuing our work and sharing all of the exciting things happening at DC!
Additionally, we participated in a Duck-Cover-Hold, Lockdown, and Evacuation drill as part of our annual safety compliance requirements and squeezed in some panoramic photos for our fifth grade class and various student clubs and programs. To no one’s surprise, Gerardy Photography staff made it a point to tell me how wonderful our students were throughout the morning!
We wrapped up our week with a fun-filled X-Ploration Day and lunchtime Lunar New Year recognition to launch us into our February Break! Thank you to the parent volunteers who worked so hard to put together the Lunar New Year recognition and connected us to community organizations (San Diego North County Chinese School) that donated their time, decorations, and activities for our students! Happy Lunar New Year from PUSD
February is Black History Month
This February and always, we aim to learn about, bring to light, and celebrate the many important contributions of Black Americans to our country and the world. The Black History Month 2024 theme, “African Americans and the Arts,” explores the key influence African Americans have had in the fields of visual and performing arts, literature, fashion, folklore, language, film, music, architecture, culinary and other forms of cultural expression.
We continue to thread meaningful conversations and instructional activities into our recognition of these important contributions in the world of art. In case you missed it last week: for parents at home, feel free to peruse Common Sense Media resources for shows, readings, movies, and more. Here are a few resources for adults, including a documentary on the history of jazz:
Black History Month Resource Guide for Educators and Families (hyperlink located on SDCOE website)
Watch Black History Month Special | Artbound Season 7 | PBS SoCal
PUSD LCAP
Today is the last day to submit your feedback on PUSD’s Local Control Accountability Plan, or LCAP, which shapes the District’s goals and guides our budgeting priorities for the 2024-25 school year. We want to hear from you: “What existing or additional programs or specific supports should we prioritize to ensure our students’ future success?”
Your responses are confidential, and you can respond with as few or as many different ideas as you’d like. After sharing your own thoughts, you’ll be asked to assign stars to the ideas shared by others, and read what’s most important to fellow stakeholders.
Click here to get started: bit.ly/2024pusdlcap
The survey closes today! Thank you in advance for your participation and partnership.
2024-2025 Transfer Information
The Poway Unified transfer window is now open! Transfer requests for students who live within the Poway Unified boundaries and would like to attend a different Poway school other than their school of residence should be submitted online by visiting the PUSD webpage and clicking the “Transfers” link on the home page. This includes incoming siblings of current students.
Please be sure to enroll your student at their school of residence when new student enrollment opens online on April 1, 2024. Transfer requests cannot be processed until the student is enrolled in their school of residence. The transfer window closes on March 31 at 5 pm. For more information, please visit PUSD’s Residency & Transfers webpage.
Parent/Guardians of Multilingual Learners
Through Friday, March 1, Poway Unified will be conducting our Family Engagement and Accountability Survey to gather input from all families of English Learner students. This survey helps shape the District’s goals and guides priorities for the 2024-2025 school year. Your feedback is extremely helpful as we continue to seek ways to better our English Learner program. Please click HERE to complete the survey.
Positive Attendance Incentives
This week, we saw a decrease in our Attendance Rate, with many absences due to illness or parental verification. Our chronic absenteeism rate has remained steady, which is heartening!
Please take care of yourselves over the break, so we can see your joyous faces every day and return to our increased positive attendance, with celebratory Friday music at lunch!
Updates from the PSO
Valentine's Day Thank You
Thank you DC families for all the contributions to the Valentine's Day Staff Lounge Snack Bar! DC Staff was very appreciative of all the goodies and felt all the love.
Razan Lin
DCPSO VP Programs
Palomar Council PTA JEDI Summit 2024
Interested in learning how National PTA guides diversity, equity and inclusion work? REGISTER to attend the Palomar Council PTA JEDI Summit to support and build our school community in the expansion of ideas to support our students on topics such as:
Ways to combat hate
Supporting LGBTQ+ students
Promoting neurodivergence awareness & action
Understanding the economic and language diversity of families in PUSD and how to better engage and meet those needs.
The event will be held Thursday, February 29, from 5:30-8:30 pm, at the Poway Unified School District Community Room, 15250 Avenue of Science, San Diego, 92128. *Only a small number of seats are available for our site, as we do not have a PTA connected to the national PTA organization, so register now if you are interested!
Families of students served through Special Education
PUSD and EFRC are hosting a 3-session, online IEP Training Series for parents, focused on the basics of an Individualized Education Plan, further detailed exploration of the IEP, and strategies and options for collaboration and meaningful participation in IEP meetings. CLICK HERE to register for one or all sessions.
Community is important to us here at Deer Canyon and our parent ambassadors want to connect with you on whatever level you need: general camaraderie, answering questions, or sharing their own experiences. Sometimes, simply connecting with another person through a shared experience can be powerful. Please do not hesitate to reach out to the PUSD parent ambassadors with students at Deer Canyon — Michael Matsuda and Stacy Zhang — using THIS FORM.
I look forward to seeing our students back on campus next Monday, February 26! During this District Recess, we will be honoring Presidents’ Day, a national holiday to commemorate all U.S. presidents. We will recognize the leadership and contributions of past presidents and be reminded of the democratic values that shape our nation. Let's take this opportunity to engage in discussions about the impact of presidential leadership and the responsibilities we share in upholding the principles that make our country strong and safe for all.
We will be sending an Echoes edition next Friday, February 24, to update you on the week ahead. I hope you are able to take time together as a family to recharge and just “be.” I’ll be going offline and recharging my battery with my family on a snowboarding trip. It doesn’t get better than being in fresh snow with my family!
Katie Bendix
Principal
Book Fair Thank You
Book Fair was a huge success because of the generosity of our school community!
For reaching our goal of increasing our community’s libraries with more than 2,000 books, we’ll
be having a surprise from Ms. Bendix soon.
We’d like to thank all of our volunteers, teachers, and staff members for making this a great
experience for our students.
Our amazing volunteers:
Mari Morita
Akiko Iwatsuki
Heather Hall
Melissa Davis
Cheyenne Ferrell
Eve Lanham
Clint Callahan
Michelle Zuluaga
Sahana Chiwane
Michael Matsuda
Jessica Crawford
Stacy Zhang
Trey Ustick
Chooi Hoong Choo
Kristina Boeing
Jade Lyles
Lauren Hemmaplardh
Razan Lin
Emily Ear
Zhiwen Xu
Erin Simpson
Tyler Huff
Miki Nagone
Yoyo Sasaki
Your Book Fair committee,
Kumiko Claycomb & Maha ElMeniawy
Spring Musical Theater Workshops
Our PSO is sponsoring after-school Musical Theatre workshops taught by Angie Serrano. Details and registration form are below.
Registration is limited. Sign up soon: first come, first served. Finding Nemo (K-3) is already half full!
Email Angie Serrano at jserrano@me.com with any questions..
Upcoming Events
Book Swap is Coming!
Are you ready to clean out your student’s book collection and make room for some new titles? Well, get ready!
From February 26-28, the DCPSO will be accepting book donations by the front gate and hosting a "swap" on Friday, March 1, and Monday, March 4. Students will have the chance to select a book from the collection during school hours.
This is a great way to reduce clutter, recycle and help inspire our readers just in time for our Read-a-thon! All books should be in good condition and appropriate for TK - 5th graders.
Please donate baby board books, young adult or adult books to your local library.
Thank you!
DC: The Eras Tour Talent Show — March 1
Don’t miss the Deer Canyon Talent Show presented by the PSO.
Join us on Friday, March 1, at 6 pm for the DC Eras Tour Talent Show! Admission is FREE and DC Leaders will sell popcorn & water.
Come see dazzling displays of dancing, gymnastics, martial arts, singing and more.
See our 5th grade Talent Show Crew entertain us with skits, as emcees, and running the show. And, of course, there’s the 5th Grade Dance!
We would love you to help out if you can volunteer. Sign-up here.
Questions? Email us at deercanyontalentshow@gmail.com
“Camp Read S’more” - Coming Soon!
Get ready to read and read s’more Deer Canyon!
Our annual Read-a-Thon is coming up March 4-10. Coinciding with “Read Across America,” all DC students (preschool to 5th grade) are invited to embark on a week-long reading adventure to inspire their hearts and minds and to raise funds to support the DCPSO.
This year, the DCPSO will use funds raised from this event to pursue hiring certificated specialist personnel such as an Art or P.E. teacher. We are so excited for this opportunity to elevate our resources for our students and hope you are, too!
Key things to know:
Registration and participation is FREE. All students who wish to participate and receive prizes must sign up on FundHub. Register today! They will set up a personal webpage, track their reading minutes and have the chance to send messages to family and friends asking them to sponsor their reading efforts and help support our school.
All participants will get a special DC bookmark just for signing up! The first 200 registrants will also receive a DC pen.
Readers of all levels can and should join in the fun! Younger students can be read to by parents. Older students can read solo or with parents, too. All reading after school hours counts!
There are various ways students can participate and win prizes:
Complete one-way bingos for small prizes or raffle entries
Read for specified amounts of time (ex: 40 minutes = Jr. Camper’s Club prize)
Raise money at different levels to support student reading (ex: $50 = prize)
Help their class achieve their fundraising goal for a special prize or experience
Help the school achieve a total reading minutes or fundraising goal for a schoolwide prize or experience
More specific prize information will be available soon.
Save the date:
March 5 @ 6:30pm - Get cozy in your pajamas and join us for Campfire Storytime in the Library with Ms. Bendix and a guest author.
Thank you in advance for your support — and happy reading!
Any questions? Please contact Melissa Davis, vpfundraising@deercanyonpso.org
Seeking Families to Participate in Family Heritage Night: March 29
Each spring, DC students and families get to take a trip "around the world” in one night at the Deer Canyon MPR. This year's event will take place on Friday, March 29, from 5:30 to 7:30 pm.
DC families set up tables with information about their country’s heritage, artifacts, and food samples. There are multicultural performances to enjoy, too. It’s a great way to celebrate and learn about the rich cultural tapestry here at Deer Canyon.
This is a FREE event for our families, but we need your help. We are looking for families to help host tables!
Interested in...
- Hosting a table? Sign up here! (deadline: March 1)
- Participating in the Fashion Show? Sign up here! (deadline: March 10)
- Performing for our audience? Sign up here! (deadline: March 10)
Questions/Concerns? FHN@deercanyonPSO.org
Important Updates
New Student Enrollment for ESS Summer 2024
We anticipate very limited capacity to enroll new students in the ESS Summer Program in 2024.
Space in the summer program is subject to the availability of staff, transportation, and priority enrollment for continuing students and unduplicated pupils.
To apply for the 2024 summer program, families must complete a separate interest application by completing this INTEREST FORM. The interest list for SUMMER will be open February 5- March 1.
If space is available, ESS will notify parents/guardians whether their child(ren) has been accepted to enroll in the summer program or placed on a waitlist by April 1, 2024.
Acceptance into ESS Summer 2024 does not guarantee enrollment in the program for the 2024-25 school year. Parents/guardians must complete the separate application process for new student enrollment in ESS for 2024-25 that will be available online beginning Monday, March 4, at 9 am.
Get Your DCES Yearbooks
Hold on tight to those Deer Canyon memories!
It's not too late to order a Deer Canyon yearbook — and you get two free custom pages! You can purchase the yearbook now (price: $25.06) and submit the pages by April 18.
Questions: Contact the yearbook committee at deercanyonyearbook@gmail.com.
How to Purchase:
- Visit the TreeRing website
- Enter the DCES passcode: 1015490278194159
Seeking: Pictures for the DCES Yearbook
Do you have pictures to share for our DCES Yearbook? If so, please upload them via TreeRing.com or directly from your phone using the app. We'd love to have them!
Instructions:
Show Your School Spirit with DCES Spirit Wear
Make Friday mornings a little easier by ordering Spirit Wear!
Our Spirit Wear shop is open and taking orders. Choose from a variety of options: tie-dye T-shirts (perfect for FUNky Fridays), cartoon T-shirts (perfect for kids — and adults!), school logo T-shirts, hoodies (perfect for the cold weather), zip-up jackets and more.
Orders are placed online and can be delivered to DCES for free.
Questions: Please contact Razan Lin rbattikha@gmail.com