I hope this message finds each of you in good health and good spirits. The second six weeks of school are over, and we are now beginning our third six weeks of the school year. I would like to start off by wishing everyone a Happy Holiday Season. Please reach out to our counselors if your family needs support during this Holiday Season.

In the next week, parents will receive their child's report cards with important flyers that communicate important information. You will also find a letter from me explaining the attendance requirement in high school. Please make sure to remind your child that school starts at 8:10 every morning and ends at 4:15 PM. Students who have excessive absences will not receive credit for courses they earned a passing grade on during the 1st semester, if they have 6 or more absences for a course. Students who need to make up hours to regain attendance credit for first semester will need to attend Saturday School, Intersession, and/or Night School. The deadline to complete hours for this first semester will be February 24, 2022.

In this newsletter, you will also find important dates for the 3rd six weeks. EOC state assessments begins on the week of December 5th. We also want to remind our students taking college courses that college finals are the week of December 5th. Winter Intersession will run from January 3rd through January 6th. We will offer numerous options for students that include credit recovery, attendance make-up, and EOC support. Please reach out to your child's administrator or counselor if you have any questions. Finally, we want to remind parents about our Community Posada that will be taking place on December 15th after school.

Our Memorial staff is committed to supporting each student and family we serve, so please reach out to us if you need any assistance. In collaboration with our families, we ask that parents support their child by:

• Making sure your child is in school by 8:10, and remind your child to attend all classes.
• Communicating with our staff when your child will be absent.
• Having your child join a club or organization.
• Checking in on your child's academic progress and communicating with our staff if assistance is needed.

Respectfully,

Mr. Elizondo

Principal

During the next 4 weeks, the counselors will be working with your children to choose their classes for next year. If you have any questions, please contact your child's counselor. In addition, the counselors are organizing college field trips for each grade level. We have taken students to Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, Texas State University, and the University of Texas at Austin. Trips are already planned for after Christmas break to Palo Alto College and Texas A&M Kingsville. Your child will be able to attend at least one trip this year.

As the first semester comes to a close, the counselors wish your family a very Happy Thanksgiving and a Merry Christmas.

Carla Eads (last names A through Garces, and PTECH) Carla.Eads@eisd.net

Oralia Gomez (last names Garcia through Ochoa) Oralia.Gomez@eisd.net

Renee Michale Reyes (last names Ojeda through Z) Renee.Reyes@eisd.net

Theresa Fisher (Lead counselor and Early College High School students) tfisher@eisd.net

Kristeena Dewberry (SEL counselor) Kristeena.Dewberry@eisd.net

Tila Lopez (Counseling Assistant) tlopez@eisd.net

We want to remind students and parents that our mission is to provide exceptional support and guidance that fosters success in post-secondary employment, academic, and military readiness, along with personal/social development that prepares students for success in life. Our values statement is "We HELP without exception!"

Please reach out to us if you need any assistance. If you have any questions about your child's academic progress you can contact our counselors at 210-898-4110 x 3742, or email them to set up a conference.

Thanks,

Ms. Fisher

Lead Counselor

Mental Health Awareness Month is celebrated across the country during the month of May. Since its inception in 1949, the objective of Mental Health Awareness Month has been to reach out to millions of people in order to spread the word that mental health is something everyone should care about. Since the pandemic, it’s become even more clear how much stress, isolation, and uncertainty can take a toll on well-being.

While 1 in 5 people will experience a mental illness during their lifetime, everyone faces challenges in life that can impact their mental health. Mental Health America’s Tools 2 Thrive series provides information, tips, and practical tools that everyone can use to improve their mental health and increase resiliency regardless of situations they are dealing with. Throughout the month, these mental health tips and resources will be shared with students, staff, and the community. They can also be found here: Mental Health Month | Mental Health America (mhanational.org)

I want to remind students and families that I am available to provide the following support: individual and group counseling, classroom guidance lessons, and training/education to staff and caregivers on the importance of social emotional wellness for themselves and their students. Please reach out to me to if you need any assistance or have any questions about the support I offer. You can reach me by email at kristeena.dewberry@eisd.net or by calling 210-898-4110 X 3742.