The Mata Memo
January 17, 2023
Principal's Message
Dear Mata family,
This weekend we remembered and celebrated the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. While he was taken from us far too young, Dr. King's charge to educators was clear - to prepare students with the tools they need to compete with their peers while giving them a moral compass with which to make positive decisions for the greater good of mankind. As we work together to focus on ways to help our kids succeed academically, we must remember that we (caregivers and educators) are also preparing our students so that they will make a positive impact on our society.
“Education must enable one to sift and weigh evidence, to discern the true from the false, the real from the unreal, and the facts from the fiction,” King wrote. “The function of education, therefore, is to teach one to think intensively and to think critically. But education which stops with efficiency may prove the greatest menace to society. The most dangerous criminal may be the man gifted with reason, but with no morals.”
Let's remember to reinforce morality, humanity, and kindness in our children.
Let's make it a great week!
Sincerely,
Tomeka Williams
Principal
Calendar at A Glance
District-Wide Calendar - Click Here
- Jan. 18th - 3rd-8th Grade Math MAP Testing
Jan. 17th-18th - 1st-2nd Grade MAP Fluency Testing
Jan. 19th - 5th, 7th-8th Science MAP Testing
Jan 19th - CICC Committee Meeting 6:00 PM
Jan. 19th - Book Fair Opens
Jan. 20th -Free Dress Pass Day ($1 or 1 can food item)
Jan. 23rd- Parent-Teacher Conferences
Jan. 27th- Community Coffee with the Principals
Jan. 31st- Deadline to Apply to Mata and Choice Schools
Jan. 31st - 100th Day of School!
From the Counselor's Office: Middle School Girls Group
Parents,
February we will begin a group for Middle School girls entitled “Effective Communication Skill for Healthy Relationships”.
This group is designed to develop or improve our girls' communication skills for healthy relationships in school and in the community. We will meet once a week for 30 minutes.
If you are interested in your student attending this group, please email me with the student's name and grade.
Thank you,
Sheila Gunter, MA
Counselor
Mata Montessori
972 749-7508
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.
- 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.
CICC Meeting
Mata's annual International Festival takes place next month on February 24-25. During this wonderful celebration, students and families learn about different cultures throughout the world. If you have ideas for the festival or want to learn more, join us at the CICC meeting next Thursday, January 19 from 6-7pm.
El Festival Internacional anual de Mata se llevará a cabo el próximo mes del 24 al 25 de febrero. Durante esta maravillosa celebración, estudiantes y familias aprenden sobre diferentes culturas en todo el mundo. Si tienes ideas para el festival o quieres aprender más, son invitados a nuestra reunión del CICC el próximo jueves 19 de enero de 6-7pm.
Parent/Teacher Conferences
P.A.L.S. CLASS HOPE CLOTHING DRIVE
Have you noticed that there is always really cold weather in Dallas during the month of February?
Well, the P.A.L.S. (Peer Assisted Learning Strategies) class in Middle School and the counseling office have decided that we want to do something about it!
HOPE is the name of the clothing drive that the P.A.L.S. class has started this month. Our goal is to collect as many hats, scarves, gloves, coats and blankets as we can for the homeless here in Dallas. We want to put together hygiene kits too, so we are collecting toothbrushes, toothpaste, soap, and deodorant. Drop off your donations in the main office. PLEASE help us help the homeless before it gets REALLY cold. This clothing drive will end on January 30, 2023.
Dallas ISD STEM Expo!
We hope to see you there!
Registration Link: https://bit.ly/STEMExpo23
Donor's Choose Opportunity! - Clean and Beautiful Cafeteria
Our public Montessori school strives to give students the independence needed for real life. I love how the students at Mata Montessori want to keep their environment clean, including the cafeteria! They will love the addition of extra cleaning supplies.
Starting today, our supporters can use the promo code ABBOTT at checkout and The DonorsChoose Community will double your donations, while funds last.
What's Happening Around Mata Montessori?
LEGO LEAGUE COMPETITION
Thanks for your sponsorship Ms. Paredes!
First Lego League Explore Competition
How does social awareness foster empathy?
Before we can get along with each other or work together towards a common goal, we must get to know, understand, and respect each other. A key skill related to social awareness is empathy - the ability to understand and appreciate the feelings, thoughts, and attitudes of another person.
Rather than ignoring or rejecting someone we disagree with, empathy helps us understand the other person, even if we don't agree. That understanding is essential to not only avoiding conflict but also working together to achieve a common goal.
As Abraham Lincoln once said, "I don't like that person. I have to get to know him better." Let's see how we can help our children and ourselves grow our empathy.
- Elementary Students:
A great way to develop this skill with young children is to read books together and discuss how the characters in the story are feeling. Ask children questions like “How do you think the character is feeling?” “Why do you think they feel that way?” Do you think you would feel that way too?” You can also encourage them to write short stories about people they know, focusing on how they felt in each situation. Make sure they focus on positive emotions and not just negative ones.
- Middle School Students:
We are Now Accepting Applications for Mata!
We are now accepting applications for new Mata students for the 2022-2023 school year. Parents can apply from November 1, 2022 to January 31, 2023 on choose.dallasisd.org. If you already have a student at our campus and would like to apply for a sibling, you must also submit an application. Please note, sibling entry is not guaranteed. Feel free to reach out to the front office with any questions at 972-749-7500.
Estamos aceptando aplicaciones para nuevos estudiantes a Mata para el año escolar 2022-2023. Los padres pueden meter una aplicacion desde el 1 de noviembre de 2022 hasta el 31 de enero de 2023 en choose.dallasisd.org. Si ya tiene un estudiante actual en Mata y desea aplicar para un hermano(a) también debe meter una aplicacion. La entrada de hermano(a)s no es garantizada. Si tiene alguna pregunta, comuníquese con la oficina principal al 972-749-7500.
Save the Date
A Mata Social Event benefiting Mata Montessori
After a taking a socially-distant couple of years off due to Covid we are back hosting a fun evening out together fundraising for our students and school!
More info coming soon, but some things to look forward to:
provided childcare, teacher gifts of time, sign up parties, goodies to bid on, delicious menu, fun with our community!
if you'd like to be a part of the planning,
email pta@matamontessori.com or text 214-250-4957.
Keep each other Safe! Help Teach our Children.
Buy your spirit wear from the Eagle Wagon!
Spirit wear may be worn with jeans on Fridays
Thank you for your patience while we organize our current on hand inventory.
For new shirts, more colors, expanded sizing and embroidered options plus delivery to your home see our PTA’s online fundraising store https://matamontessori.itemorder.com/shop/home/
Join PTA!
Check out your PTA membership perks and if you’re not a member you can join online:
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.
Mata Montessori School's Key Actions
- Maintain a climate and culture that fosters academic excellence.
- Improve quality of instruction and student achievement through an aligned Montessori curriculum.
- Actively engage parents in education in meaningful and relevant ways.
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