Deer Canyon Echoes
February 2, 2024
To Do
- Treat someone to a Nothing Bundt Cake for Valentine's Day - order here by February 5!
- Check out the Agenda for the Deer Canyon PSO meeting this Wednesday, February 7th. There is no more Deer Deck, so if you have questions to add to the agenda, please email President Eve Lanham: president@deercanyonpso.org
- 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
- 2/5 - Nothing Bundt Cakes order deadline
- 2/5 to 2/9 - Book Fair
2/6 - Book Fair Night @ 5 pm
2/6 - Nothing Bundt Cakes final payment day
- 2/7 - DCPSO meeting @ 5 pm in Room 14 ( or via Zoom: link to join)
- 2/8 - Morning with Books @ 8 am
- 2/13 - Nothing Bundt Cakes pick up (12-3:30 pm)
- 2/19 to 2/23 - District Recess (school closed)
March
- 3/1 - Talent Show @ 6 pm
- 3/4 to 3/10 - Read-a-Thon
- 3/11 - Pro Grow Day (no school for students)
- 3/20 - MVMS Incoming 6th Grade Parent Night
Principal's Message 📚
Good evening, Deer Canyon families,
Hello rainy February! This month is one of love, kindness, and an extra special Leap Day! How fun. :)
This week started off with a Professional Growth Day for all of PUSD. Our teachers engaged in conversation around discourse in the classroom; it was impactful to collaborate with grade-level teams and have time as a staff back on campus in the afternoon. But, we missed our students!
On campus, we kicked off the week reviewing Rainy Day Expectations in preparation for the week of wetness. I also visited more classrooms to review School Expectations and answer student questions.
Outside of the classroom, we hosted our Winter Music Recital, FUNky Friday, and Coffee with the Principal. Turnout and fun at all events were through the roof! Additionally, students and staff both continued our preparations for the March 1 Talent Show.
In the classroom, our 4th grade students learned science with Westview students, and Mrs. Regardie’s third graders filled Mrs. Graham’s first graders with knowledge and excitement about Ozobots. If you saw me today, I hope you noticed that something was different…Kindergarten celebrated Wacky Tacky Day, as they continue their penguin unit with a nod to Tacky the Penguin!
Next week, I am thrilled to participate and watch the joy that comes with our students experiencing the Book Fair! We will be a little snug in the MPR, likely due to rainy day indoor recess, but we’re family…we’ll make it work!
Staff will continue our work on Equity and PBIS Committees next week, as well, gathering with other PUSD school committees to engage in dialogue around positive behavior interventions and increasing parent engagement.
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.
Black History Month's 2024 theme, “African Americans and the Arts,” explores the key influence that African Americans have had in visual and performing arts, literature, fashion, folklore, language, film, music, architecture, culinary and other forms of cultural expression. We look forward to threading meaningful conversations and instructional activities into our recognition of these important contributions. For parents at home, feel free to peruse Common Sense Media resources for shows, readings, movies, and more.
PUSD LCAP
Starting yesterday, we began gathering your input 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! We will be asking everyone to answer the following question: “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
During our open survey period, from February 1 - February 16, you can come back to the survey as often as you’d like to participate. In fact, we ask that you do come back to some of the new ideas that have been shared since you first participated. Thank you in advance for your participation and partnership.
Digital Citizenship
We continue our work on and emphasize the importance of digital citizenship and will soon apply for our Digital Citizenship Badge through Common Sense Media. Our teachers regularly implement lessons around digital citizenship and are often engaged in organic conversations about safe, responsible use of technology. Please take a look at some available resources for parents:
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 also 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.
We have more positive attendance data to celebrate, Deer Canyon! We are noticing student and family efforts to attend school regularly -- thank you! I'm proud to see that our attendance rate has increased and our chronic absenteeism rate has decreased!
I'm hopeful that this is also an indication that many of our students are healthy and taking care of their bodies. Each day is a new opportunity to continue our improvement, and I look forward to more celebrations ahead.
Families of students served through Special Education: Deer Canyon’s Parent Ambassador(s)
In PUSD, we offer a wonderful resource for families of students served through Special Education: the PUSD Parent Ambassadors Program. At Deer Canyon, parent volunteer representatives whose own child(ren) access special education services through PUSD are available as mentors to guide and support parents of children with IEPs or those exploring special education options. Drawing from their own experiences, they offer invaluable insights and advice to encourage collaboration among parents and school staff on behalf of students.
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.
Wishing you all a restful, dry weekend (I think the sun will be peeking out!) as we prepare for another rainy week.
Katie Bendix
Principal
Updates from the PSO
Order by Feb. 5: Make Valentine’s Day Sweet with Nothing Bundt Cakes
Celebrate the special people in your life this Valentine’s Day with a Nothing Bundt Cake! So many delicious flavors to choose from and three sizes available, starting at $8 per bundtlet.
Online ordering runs through Monday, February 5. Pick up your cakes at the Deer Canyon office conference room (near the front gate) on Tuesday, February 13, from 12-3:30pm, just in time for Valentine’s Day! All ESS Family orders will be delivered to ESS for pickup.
See the order form for more details and for alternate pick-up arrangements, if needed. Cash, checks and Venmo will be accepted.
Approximately 20% of each cake sold will be donated back to the DCPSO to help support critical staff positions, enrichment programs, teacher supply budgets, student events and much more.
Questions? Email Melissa Davis - vpfundraising@deercanyonpso.org
Wishing you and yours a sweet (and delicious) Valentine’s Day. Thank you for your support!
Seeking Donations for DCES Staff Lounge
Let's show our Deer Canyon Staff some love this Valentine's Day by filling up their staff lounge with snacks and treats! To donate, CLICK HERE, and please drop off items by Tuesday Feb. 13.
You can also purchase a Nothing Bundt Cake as one of the items. All Nothing Bundt Cake orders must be placed by Monday, Feb 5 (link in signup genius). We will take care of the rest (we'll pick up your order and bring it to school on Valentine's Day for the staff).
If you have any questions, please contact Razan Lin at VPPrograms@deercanyonpso.org.
Upcoming Events
2024 Book Fair - Next Week!
The annual Book Fair will be held February 5-9, and the MPR will be filled with our children's favorite books from Scholastic. Get ready for the Read-a-Thon in March and stock your libraries!
This is a great shopping experience for kiddos and a perfect opportunity for you to expand your home, class and school libraries.
Hours:
- Mon, Tue, Wed, Fri: 8:30 am to 3:30 pm
- Thu: 8:30 am to 2 pm
Special Family Events:
- Family Book Night: Tuesday 2/6 @5-7pm. Enjoy shopping, cookies and milk, and a Choir performance
- Morning with Books: Thursday, 2/8, @8-9am. We'll serve coffee, juice and yummy muffins.
eWallet:
Scholastic offers a “cash-free digital payment” system for the Book Fair and for online purchases on the Scholastic website. This is a hassle-free and convenient way for your child to shop at the Book Fair. Any remaining money in your account can be carried over to next year’s Book Fair or for use online, anytime. Click eWallet for setup and more details!
Volunteers needed!
This is one of the favorite events for our awesome volunteers! You don’t have to be a
district-approved volunteer and the jobs are very simple. Join us and let’s help our
students to shop! Please sign up.
If you're wondering when your child's class will visit the Book Fair, click here.
Teacher Wish Lists:
You can purchase a book for your child's classroom by viewing our teachers' wish lists at the Book Fair. Come in, find paper slips with book titles from your teacher, and send a book or two to the classroom with love!
Questions: Please email Maha at melmeniawy@powayusd.com or Kumiko at kumiko_ijichi@hotmail.com.
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!
Please join us on Friday, Feb. 9, @ 3:30 pm to learn more.
Zoom Link:https://us04web.zoom.us/j/75207967021?pwd=EM0sZni0UpBz087lZOjEghbKubLdK4.1
Meeting ID: 752 0796 7021
Passcode: FHN2024
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
Student Activities
Congrats to DCES First Lego League Teams
Deer Canyon's eight First Lego League teams participated in the Westview FLL Explore Expo last weekend.
This year's theme was Masterpiece; each team built a model and coded it, showing how people’s passion for the arts are shared through STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math). Their models, posters and presentations were nothing short of amazing. Way to go Deer Canyon!
Congrats to our FLL teams:
- Blue Dragons
- DC Lego Snakes
- Flaming Dragons
- Lego Girls
- Little Rainbows
- Master Builders
- Master Minders
- Pro Master Builders
Important Updates
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