Colt Weekly Update
Rise to the TOP!
Month of the Military Child
Please look at the dates for our end of year celebrations and save the date!
On-Line registration Instructions
A short video has been created with instructions for parents on how to login, retrieve their login and/or password. Below is the link and it is available on the Online Registration web page under the Parents tab. We are working on a Spanish video and it will be available on the website as soon as it’s ready.
Colt Parents,
We are down to the last 5 weeks of school. Let's try hard to have your child in attendance and finish strong.
There are a couple of important items that parents need to be taking care of as we get closer to the end of the year.
- On-line registration-please get your child registered. We are currently at 61%. We have computers in our front office if you need assistance. You do not need an appointment.
- Please save the date for your child's awards ceremonies. (they are below)
- Yearbooks are on sale for only $20, please submit a selfie of your child to the following link if you haven't done so and please use a WHITE background.
https://www.yearbooksspm.com/desertwind/home3/PhotoPost.jsp?ID=ZAOPA1GHZOSK
We will be collecting devices for all students in 1st and 8th grade. First grade students going to second grade next year will be getting a new device and 8th graders who will be going to the high school will also be getting a new device from the high school.
First grade students will return devices on May 26th from 12-5pm.
Eight grade students will return their devices on May 27th, the same day of their awards celebration from 5:00-6:30pm.
We will continue with our Saturday learning camps. Please make sure your child logs in from 8:30-11:30 tomorrow, May 1st if they have been invited.
Please have your child read a minimum of 20 minutes per day. I love to see our COLTS reading. You can find neat books in the links below:
May read alouds and digital makerspace to keep students engaged❤️💕: https://linktr.ee/desertwindPK8
MackinVia should be up and running--please schedule time for your child to browse and silently read from those books.
Attendance- PLEASE help us and continue to send in their doctor’s notes and absence notes to the following email address @dnevar05@sisd.net
Attendance
As a reminder, expectation is that all students have their cameras on during direct instruction and for attendance purposes. Once teacher has completed their direct teach, they will give students opportunity to turn off camera and start working on their independent work. The teacher will remain logged on and will be available for your child if they need additional support. Our students will then turn on cameras for dismissal at the end of the day. We appreciate your support in this as it is a part of accountability our teachers have for our students.
Friday Schedule
We will continue to have asynchronous (self-paced) instruction on Friday afternoons. We will begin our day like we usually do on Monday through Thursday in TEAMS. Teachers will post attendance and will have set up our students with their activities (independent work, Nearpod codes, book work). Students are to submit their work at the end of the day to their teacher. As a reminder, Fridays are not a half day and all work needs to be submitted by end of the day.
Warning Letters for Attendance.
We will continue to make contact with all families that have absences. As district protocol, we issue warning letters at 5, 10 and 15 absences. The goal is to collaborate and have parents submit the notes/justifications for the absences. I will explain the 90% rule for attendance and how it affects your children. At 18 absences, your child is at Loss of Credit and we need to work together to ensure they don't lose credit for the year. As we talk, I will explain the process and ask that you please help submit ALL notes for any absence that your child has.
I want to remind you about the importance of attendance. We need all students to be logging in daily. Attendance is mandatory and is necessary for student success. Warning letters have gone out and a second round will be going out. Please avoid court costs and other trouble by making sure your child logs in daily and completes assignments. Please contact your child's teacher if you are experiencing issues.
We will still be checking attendance for promotion and retention. Attendance is mandatory and we need students to participate in their classes. At this point, we are still taking the state assessments so we want to prepare our students for success.
Technology Updates
- Students with ANY issues must submit a work order under sisd.net/desertwindk8 > announcements > Submit technology work order
Wellness-TeamSISD is working in collaboration with the city to contact trace each COVID case. If your child tests positive, please complete the wellness form on eSwipe. Nurse A. Perez will be contacting you for details. Know that we are keeping each of you in our thoughts as so many of us as affected by COVID.
Educationally Yours,
Leticia Terrazas
Proud Principal of Desert Wind PK8 School
School Number: 915-937-7800
Email: lterra01@sisd.net
Twitter: @DW_K8S
#RiseToTheTop
End of Year Awards Celebrations
Please Save the Date
Pk/K-8:30am
1st-9:00am
2nd-9:30am
3rd-10:00am
4th-10:30am
Thursday, May 27th
8th grade Drive-Up 5:00-6:30pm
June 2nd
6th grade 9:00 via TEAMS
7th grade 10:15 via TEAMS
5th grade Drive-Up- 5:00-6:30pm
From our Library--Last day to order one is Monday, May 3rd!!
Support your library and purchase a t-shirt--only $12 or (3 for $30 for families). 50/50 cotton
Students and can wear jeans on the day they wear this t-shirt for the rest of the year and for the first semester next year (July-December)!
Please contact the school librarian at 937-7822 to reserve yours. Limited supplies!
Pre-K Registration for 2021-2022
ATTENTION 5th, 6th, 7th grade COLTS
PRE-AP INFORMATION
Attention 5th, 6th, and 7th Grade Students:
Want to know if you should take Pre-AP Classes?
• AP stands for Advanced Placement
• These courses are intended to prepare students for the rigorous course work of an Advanced Placement class (AP). At the end of each advanced course in high school, students take a placement test to see if they qualify to test out of a college course.
• Desert Wind offers Pre-AP courses in Math, Science, English/Reading (ELAR), and Social Studies
Still interested?
• Did you maintain an average of 90+ this past year?
• Are you self-motivated and self-directed?
• Do you like a challenge?
• Do you complete assignments and projects on your own?
• Do you perform well on state and major exam, such as Benchmarks and STAAR?
If you answered yes, then you should consider taking Pre-AP courses for next year. A yearly contract will need to be signed to agree with the criteria and the requirements.
Discuss this option with your parents, and if you think Pre-AP is right for you, don’t forget to include it on your Course Request Form at the time you are asked to fill out the Microsoft Form by your counselor; make sure your parents are in agreement!
Selfie Link for our YEARBOOK
Parents,
We had our photographers on campus taking Spring pictures for our students. Thank you to those of you who drove-up to have your child's picture taken. If you were unable to come, you may still come out in our yearbook. Please use the following link to upload your selfie. Please choose the PORTRAIT selection when submitting your selfie. Please use a white background.
https://www.yearbooksspm.com/desertwind/home3/PhotoPost.jsp?ID=ZAOPA1GHZOSK
Submitting a Technology Work Order
Tutorial on Technology Help Guide and How to submit a work order.
Interesting Facts of the Week
- Japan has the most vending machines per capita, a staggering 1:23.
- The opposite sides of a die will always add up to seven.
- A Greek-Canadian man invented the “Hawaiian” pizza.
- The infinity sign is called a lemniscate.
- Messages from your brain travel along your nerves at up to 200 miles per hour.
Join the DW Cheer Squad!
ATHLETICS-WEEK OF May 3-7
CALENDAR FOR THE WEEK
May 3-7
No athletic events scheduled. We are officially done with all sporting seasons. Thank you athletes, parents and coaches for all your dedication and grit throughout the year!
From our Library
Parents,
Add the MackinVia App to your phones to access thousands of ebooks.
Also, visit our Virtual Library link here: https://linktr.ee/desertwindPK8
Counselor Corner
A/B Day
Parent Corner
- A series of parenting groups in Spanish called Crianza con Cariño, for families or pregnant women affected by immigration, these groups are on Wednesdays from 12-1 pm.
Topics include: “Edades y etapas de desarrollo en niños y adolescentes”,
“Como comunicarnos con respeto”
“Como como Comprender nuestros sentimientos”
- Register here: https://epcgc.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_e5OdRV3Tsu7ceFg
- A series of support groups called Hope and Healing offered in English every Friday from 12-1pm, and in Spanish every Wednesday 4-5pm.
Topics include: “Healing as a family”, “Self-Care”, “Strategies to remain hopeful”
- Register here: https://epcgc.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_aYm7M82qJlgYY1o
- Starting in May, we will be offering: Wellness Wednesdays (1-2 pm) and Jueves de Bienestar (1-2pm), which includes body-based practices and techniques such as meditation, breathwork, and Tai Chi movements to alleviate stress that our community is experiencing as a result of the Aug 3rd tragedy and the pandemic.
Topics include: “Balancing the Mind, Body & Spirit”, ”Tension Release” “Balancing emotions”
- Register here: https://epcgc.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_cu8o6dcZr4n5ZgG