Coyote Connection
Desert Sage Elementary Newsletter- March 2024
Upcoming Dates
- March 4, 7, 8: Krispy Kreme Donut Money Pickup
- March 6: No School (Professional Learning/Collaboration)
- March 15: Krispy Kreme Donut Delivery
- March 15: Reed's Dairy Spring into Something Sweet
- March 15: End of Quarter 3
- March 18-22: No School (Spring Break)
- March 26 and 27: Spring Break Bingo Return
- March 27: Popcorn Money Due
- March 29: Popcorn Friday
- March 29: Coyote Pride Ticket drawing
- April 11-May 3: ISAT Testing
- April 26: Jog-A-Thon 4:30-7 pm
Family Engagement Meetings at 8:15am (in the library)
- April 5
- May 3
A Message from the Principal
Hello Desert Sage Families!
Happy March. We have had a busy February with ACCESS testing for our Multi-Lingual Learners, Drills as well as a lot of opportunities for students to learn and grow in a variety of ways. Thank to those who have helped to support our learners.
As we look forward this month, we have our spring break. Please check out the Bingo that PTO has been working on. There are so many great enrichment activities that students can work on over the break to help with high levels of learning for all. You can also always dig into a new book or series and practice those reading skills.
Please notice that ISAT testing will start in April. Look for communication regarding the dates as well as strategies to help our coyotes be the most successful they can be.
Beau Dahlgren
We Need Your Help!
Our Multi-Cultural Family Night is on Thursday, May 2, 5:30-7:30pm. We want to learn about the different cultures of our families and celebrate the diversity of our school. We need your help to make this event successful. If you are interested in participating, please click on this link https://forms.office.com/r/D45J0yLNK4 and complete the form by Friday, February 15.
From PTO
PTO Thanks to You...
Thanks for your support in our Panda Express Restaurant Night This money is used to continue to support our students and staff in activities. We hope you enjoyed the yummy food.
Thanks to all the students who showed their kindness in the Kindness Gram & Carnation Sale.
Thanks for making Friday more fun with an outstanding response to Popcorn Friday. We will be continuing making Friday fun with Popcorn.
Looking Forward...
Popcorn Friday:
March 29th is Popcorn Friday. Money will be due back Wednesday, March 27th. Each bag of popcorn is $0.50 with a limit of 2 per student. Keep an eye out for the form to come home for payment options.
Krispy Kreme Donut Fundraiser:
We will be selling dozens of glazed or assorted donuts in March. Look for the order forms to come home. Order forms and money will be collected on March 4th, 7th and 8th. Donuts will be delivered to students for taking home on March 15th. Join us in kicking off your Spring Break with something yummy for you and your family.
Reed's Dairy Spring in to Something Sweet:
Please join us in getting something sweet from Reed's.
Spring Break Bingo:
Spring Break Bingo flyers are coming home with your students. Mark those boxes off with fun activities throughout the week. Bring your Bingo sheet back on March 26th and 27th to earn a prize for any Bingo. Blackout Bingos will earn you the chance to pie Mr. Dahlgren, Mrs. Carbajal, Ms. Kim, Mrs. Pierce, Mrs. Sapp, Mr. Tony or Cassie (for pre-school only).
2nd Annual Jog-A-Thon
We will be hosting our 2nd annual Jog-A-Thon on April 26th from 4:30 PM - 7:00 PM. It's an evening of jogging, fun and food trucks. We will be sending home the fundraising papers at the beginning of April. Fundraising will earn you a chance at winning some of our great prizes. All students are welcome to participate in the Jogging (even if they have not been able to fundraise). Some of the donations we have for prizes are a game play certificat at Top Golf, 4 tickets to a Boise Hawks game, tickets to Birds of Prey, tickets to the Warhawk Air Museum and tickets to the Old Idaho Penitentiary. We need some more parent volunteers to help with the night. Please reach out if you are available to help by emailing desertsagepto25@gmail.com
Next Meeting
Come join the PTO at their next meeting, March 5th from 4:30-5:30.
If you can't come to the meeting but have time to volunteer or have questions or suggestions, please email desertsagepto25@gmail.com
Early Enrollment Device Protection - 5th & 8th Grade Devices
New Devices Coming for 5th and 8th Graders
Over the coming weeks, all 5th-grade and 8th-grade students will be receiving a new device that they will take with them over the summer to use for the next few years at middle and high school. To coincide with the deployment of these new devices, we will also be opening early enrollment for Device Protection for the 2024-25 school year on March 1st. Families will be able to log in to the Payment Portal in PowerSchool and purchase Device Protection for $20 instead of $25. This coverage will be effective immediately and run through the summer of 2025. Additionally, please note that as part of the process of checking in these students' older devices, inspections may identify damaged or lost components. Fines resulting from these incidents of damage and loss will start showing up in the Payment Portal, and notification emails will start going out shortly after your 5th or 8th grader receives their new device. For any questions about Optional Device Protection or outstanding balances in our online payment system, Rycor, please send an email to onlinepayments@westada.org, or call our IT Service Desk at 208-350-5300, Monday-Friday 7:30 am - 4:30 pm.
"Always-On" Laptop Case Reminder
This year, to cut down on the frequency of device damage, and to further safeguard families from unplanned repair expenses, protective "always-on" cases were purchased for all Lenovo laptops. If your student has one of these devices, we hope you will join us in encouraging them to keep this device on at all times. This case should not be removed for any reason except by a trained staff member. Removing and installing this case can be difficult and may even damage the screen if not done correctly. If you see your child using their blue Lenovo 500W G3 or G4 laptop without its protective case, please have them bring the case and the laptop to their school's library or designated technical support location and have the case be properly, and safely reinstalled. We appreciate your partnership in protecting these devices!
How to Purchase Optional Device Protection (On or after March 1st):
- Login to PowerSchool (https://ps.westada.org/public/)
- Click on the Payment Portal in the left sidebar
- Click on the name of the child you would like to purchase protection for
- Add Early Enrollment Device Protection to your cart.
- Click the cart icon in the upper, right-hand corner.
- Enter payment information and click Submit to complete your purchase.
For more detailed information and answers to frequently asked questions, please visit our website:
Device Protection Program | West Ada School District)
Each year, 5th and 8th grade students receive new laptops as a part of their transition to middle/high school. To reduce the burden on school staff with end-of-year device-related tasks, the refresh of these devices will take place earlier in the school year with a target date for completion before the end-of-year testing window.
The information below is related only to the 5th and 8th-grade device refresh.
Additional information and guidance around end-of-year timelines and processes will be provided to schools before Spring Break 2024. However, we have provided information on a few frequently asked questions and/or items to consider as you begin planning for the remainder of the year:
- Elementary devices for K-4 should be collected between May 10th and 23rd. Schools will design and communicate their collection plan to parents/staff. More guidance and resources to come.
- 5th graders and secondary students will take their devices home for the summer.
FROM PREVIOUS NEWSLETTERS...
Breakfast and Lunch services
Birthday Celebrations
At Desert Sage, we want families to have the opportunity to celebrate their child's birthday at school in ways that fall within West Ada School District's Wellness Policy. To ensure that you are able to plan accordingly, please note the following:
- Birthday celebrations will happen the last Friday of the month. Please consider sending non-food items such as a favorite book to be read, a game to be played, or donating a book/game to the class in your child's name.
- If the teacher is accepting food for monthly celebrations, healthy options must be included. It is the teachers discretion whether or not to accept any food and to coordinate the inclusion of healthy options.
For more information regarding the Wellness Policy, click on the following link: Wellness Policy
Student Drop-off Times
- K-5 (M/T/Th/F): 8:45-9:05am*
- Wednesday K-5: 9:00-9:20am*
- AM Preschool (M-Th): 9:00am
- PM Preschool (M-Th): 12:55pm
*There is no adult supervision outside of these drop-off times. Please do not drop off students before the indicated times. Students are to go to the playground and line-up when the bell rings. If a student arrives after the drop-off times, they will need to enter through the office.
Breakfast is served starting at 8:45am every day except for Wednesdays when it is served starting at 9:00am.
All West Ada elementary schools are closed campuses, meaning parents and community members are not allowed to enter campus without checking in at the front office when students are present. Parents are asked not to access classrooms and hallways for the first two weeks of school as we build routines for students. Therefore, please be sure to drop off your child outside of the campus gates that access the playground or in front of the school.
For the elementary school bell schedule, click here: Bell schedule
Important Safety Information
- All roads surrounding Desert Sage are 20 mph speed limit.
- On school grounds, speed limit is 10 mph or slower as traffic allows.
- Use the loop at the front of the school for drop-off and pick-up of students. The back of the school building is reserved for staff parking and school buses only.
- There is no double-parking or double drop-off/pick-up. Students must be dropped off and picked up at the curb. All drivers need to stay in the line and continuously pull forward so as not to leave any gaps in the line. Other cars will follow in line and move forward as the line moves.
- Do not pass other cars in drop-off/pick-up area. Please wait patiently in the line until the car ahead of you moves.
- Do not block crosswalks.
- Have student ready to exit the car immediately.
- If you need to get out of your vehicle, please park in the marked spaces in the parking lot. Do not park in the loop or in the daycare line.
- Unless your vehicle is clearly defined as being qualified to use the handicap parking, please be aware and refrain from parking or sitting in your car in these spots. Signs are posted as a reminder.
- Keep the area directly in front of the gate at parent pick-up clear so students can exit the gate and navigate to their parent/guardian.
- Please cross at the crosswalks.
- When conditions are wet/snowy/icy, please slow down and plan on additional time.
- Please refrain from using/checking your cell phone while in the drop-off/pick-up line.
We appreciate your help in keeping our students safe!
Visitor Check-in Procedures
We also want to make all of our families aware that pets are not allowed on campus when students are present.
Thank you for helping us keep our students safe!
Student Absences
If your child will be absent from school, we ask that you please call our attendance line at (208) 350-4021 by 9:30am and leave a message with your child's name, date(s) of absence, and reason for absence.
End-of-Day Transportation Change?
Desert Sage Elementary
Website: https://www.westada.org/desertsage
Location: 9325 West Mossywood Drive, Boise, ID, USA
Phone: (208) 350-4020
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/desertsageelementary/