Deer Canyon Echoes
March 15, 2024
To Do
- Trimester 2 Progress Reports are available in ParentVUE.
- Check out the minutes from this week's PSO meeting.
- Order your DCES Yearbook by April 18.
- Register your child(ren) for Continuing Student Registration by March 31. This is required for all continuing PUSD students.
- Follow the PSO Instagram @deercanyonpso for announcements, reminders, and pictures of fun events organized by the PSO.
- Seeking parent volunteers for lunchtime activities: Developmental Disabilities Awareness and Women’s History Months. Please contact Maha (melmeniawy@powayusd.com).
- Got design skills? The PSO is still looking for someone with graphic design experience to help us design a new logo. Please contact Eve Lanham at president@deercanyonpso.org.
- Order DCES Spirit Wear.
Save the Date
March
- 3/19 and 3/20 - DC Dining: California Pizza Kitchen
- 3/20 - Coffee with the Principal @ 8:30 am in Room 14
- 3/20 - MVMS Incoming 6th Grade Parent Night @ 5:30 p.m.
- 3/29 - Family Heritage Night @5:30 pm
April
- 4/15 to 4/19: Career Café for students
- 4/19 - STEAM Night @ 5:30 pm
- 4/26 - DC Dining: Chuck E. Cheese, 3 to 9 pm
Principal's Message 📚
Good evening, Deer Canyon Families!
Thank you for all of the birthday love today (and throughout the week)! I feel so special and it has been such a treat to spend my birthday week with your kind, loving students and our incredible staff!
We started this week with a Professional Growth Day for staff, where we reviewed our School Plan for Student Achievement (SPSA) goal progress, action items, and we discussed important items and dates for Trimester 3 as well as 2024-25 school year planning.
On Monday, I also attended the PUSD Foundation Summit alongside our DCPSO President, Eve Lanham. On Wednesday, the Deer Canyon Equity Committee met to continue discussions around increasing meaningful parent engagement on campus, the DCPSO held its monthly meeting, and I attended the PUSD Equity Advisory meeting, where students, parents, staff, and other stakeholders discussed priority areas for our racial equity and inclusion work as a district (elementary through high school). It was a day full of important conversations, and I was particularly impressed with the insightful conversations initiated by PUSD students at the Equity Advisory meeting!
On Thursday, I attended the PUSD Safety Summit alongside a parent/community member who sits on our Deer Canyon Safety Committee. We learned a ton, and I encourage you to view the recording to learn about the importance of talking to our children early and often (at developmentally appropriate levels) about safe choices, substance abuse, and addiction. See links below!
Next week, I will participate in a feeder school equity walk at Mesa Verde Middle School on Tuesday morning. I look forward to visiting classrooms at MVMS and collaborating with staff thought partners.
On Wednesday, please join me for Coffee with the Principal, where we will review our progress on Deer Canyon SPSA Goals and thoughtfully discuss our hopes for next school year! During our time-banking early release day on Thursday, staff will engage in professional learning around Universal Design for Learning, presented by our very own teacher, Mrs. Regardie!
As high-quality educators, our teachers continually exude a growth mindset, reminding each other that there is always something to learn and improve upon…and we’re better together! We are so fortunate to have a staff committed to equity, inclusion, and best practices to support and provide instruction for our students. I look forward to this opportunity on Thursday.
On Friday, our fourth graders will participate in a Gold Rush reverse field trip on campus. I can’t wait to see what’s in store!
TK-5th Grade Trimester 2 Progress Reports
You are now able to view your student's Trimester 2 Progress Report in Synergy ParentVUE. For directions on accessing your student's Progress Report, click here: (English) (Spanish). If you are unable to access your student's progress report online due to limited internet access, please call 858-484-6064, email kbendix@powayusd.com, or drop by the Main Office by Friday, March 22 for a printed copy.
5th Grade Families:
Please join Mesa Verde Middle School this Wednesday, March 20, at 5:30pm in their gym for an Incoming 6th Grade Parent Night!
Do you wish to be considered for Math 6/7 at your middle school next year? Interested students must take the Math Diagnostic Testing Project (MDTP) Assessment and must meet or exceed grade level standards (3s or 4s) in math on the 5th Grade Winter Progress Report to be considered for Math 6/7. Sign up for the MDTP HERE. Families that have signed up will be contacted on Monday, March 18 with details on Deer Canyon’s assessment date, time, and classroom location .
ALL TK-4TH FAMILIES: ACTION NEEDED — 2024-2025 Enrollment
Only 53% of Deer Canyon families have completed the required Online Continuing Student Registration. All returning families must complete continuing registration by March 31, 2024, if you plan to return to Deer Canyon next school year.
We must receive a completed digital packet for all returning students. This will allow for proper placement of your student for the 2024-2025 school year. Please check your email for instructions. If your student is not returning to Deer Canyon next school year, please email me as soon as possible at kbendix@powayusd.com.
Continuing Registration Steps:
Login and complete the digital registration packet via the online registration portal found here.
Review and complete any required forms located at the conclusion of the process. A packet is not considered finalized until this step is completed.
Forgot your username or password? Need technical help? You can retrieve your username as well as reset your password by visiting https://password.powayusd.com and clicking the button that represents the help you require. Technical help is also available by sending an email to accounthelp@powayusd.com.
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 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.
PUSD Safety Summit
The third PUSD Safety Summit for the 2023-2024 school year was hosted last night on the topic of Substance Abuse & Addiction. I attended alongside Safety Committee members. Interim Superintendent Greg Mizel was joined by an expert panel of representatives from the San Diego County District Attorney’s Office and Department of Behavioral Health Services, in addition to local first responders. For access to the slide deck and recording, visit the PUSD Safety Summit website.
Positive Attendance Incentives
We continue to remain below our chronic absenteeism rate from last school year, but also continue to see a rise in chronic absenteeism. We appreciate your support in ensuring your student attends school regularly, when able, and scheduling appointments or other commitments outside of the school day (or at a time that your student can return to school during that school day).
Families of Students Served through Special Education
PUSD and EFRC are hosting a 3-session, online IEP Training Series for parents, focused on the basics of an Individualized Education Plan, further detailed exploration of the IEP, and strategies and options for collaboration and meaningful participation in IEP meetings. CLICK HERE to register for one or all sessions!
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.
Have a wonderful weekend, Deer Canyon!
Katie Bendix
Principal
Updates from the PSO
Camp Read S’more Update and Congratulations!
What an amazing week, Deer Canyon! Congratulations on rocking our Read-a-thon!!
With your help and support, students were able to crush all of our goals:
254 students registered.
Students read for 70,881 minutes.
Participating families raised $20,465 to date.
Two classrooms met their fundraising goals to date (congrats to Mrs. Friedman and Mrs. Graham!).
As a result of this week’s fun and success, our students won the following prizes:
Rockin’ Recess for one week
Ms. Bendix will wear a silly costume for one school day
Crazy Hair Day
Glow Party in the MPR
Stay tuned for dates and details on these exciting prize experiences!
Final prizes for top classrooms and classrooms that reached their fundraising goals will be announced next week.
Donations for the Read-a-thon will be accepted and encouraged through March 17, including company matching. Thank you to families who are pursuing a match. We appreciate you!
As of earlier this week, only 163 out of the 254 registered students had received donations. Please consider sharing your student’s webpage with family and friends for their support. It’s never too late to celebrate your student’s accomplishment. Every little bit helps a lot.
All funds raised for our PSO directly enriches the experience of all DC students. We are excited to use the funds raised from this event to help support the hiring of certificated specialist personnel such as an Art or P.E. Teacher.
Donations by check/cash will be accepted in the front office through Friday, March 15. Online donations will be accepted through Sunday, March 17. Students will receive credit for fundraising through March 17. Final prizes will be distributed on March 18.
Thank you again to Sunray Pediatric Dentistry for sponsoring our bingo cards and opportunity drawing prizes and for providing free hygiene kits and stickers.
Thank you in advance to Kona Ice for sponsoring a celebration for the top 3 classrooms with highest participation. The students will be thrilled!
Finally, a HUGE shout out and THANK YOU to the parent and staff crew that helped make the Read-a-thon such a big success. We sincerely value all of your time, ideas and dedication to making it all happen.
Dani Cook, Stacy Zhang, Erin Simpson, Leah Lewis, Eve Lanham, Katie Bendix, Ira Sleder, Pete Schwaab
Thank you again Deer Canyon for all of your support. An enriched education today, ignites possibilities for tomorrow
With much gratitude,
Melissa Davis, VP Fundraising & Readathon Chair
Deer Canyon PSO Elections for 2024-2025
Our PSO is accepting nominations for next year’s Board, Chair and Staff positions. We hope you can take a moment to consider offering your talents and expertise as a volunteer.
PSO is responsible for several beloved events and programs, including Book Fair, Family Fun Night, Family Heritage Night, Character Counts, Math Olympiads, Direct Ask Fundraiser, Monster Mash, School Assemblies, Yearbook, and Echoes Newsletter.
Without Board, Committee Chair and Staff members, many of these programs would not exist year over year. Numerous PSO volunteers are wrapping up their time at Deer Canyon as their youngest children are promoting to Mesa Verde Middle come June.
Current volunteers are available to share their experiences and will support you as you begin a new volunteer role. Please consider how you can support Deer Canyon next school year!
Elections take place in April to serve the following school year; please reach out by 3/31 if you have an interest in any of the open roles below. For questions about the roles and expected time commitment, please email melissa.doctor@yahoo.com or call/text Melissa at 760-518-3757.
THANK YOU!
Upcoming Events
DC Dining: CPK — Special 2-Day Event!
Save the date for a special two-day, all-day DC Dining event at California Pizza Kitchen in Carmel Mountain!
Join us Tuesday, March 19, and Wednesday, March 20, for delicious salads, pizzas, pastas, and other delicious entrees and desserts, including plenty of vegetarian options.
CPK is generously offering a 20% donation to our DCPSO for all food and beverage sales during the event. Dine-in, take-out, catering and online orders included.
This is a great opportunity to have some yummy food and support our school. Eat with the family, dine out with friends, make a catering order for a work meeting, eat lunch with co-workers and more. So many options! Please join us — thank you for your support!
Family Heritage Night Needs Your Help on March 29
This amazing event on March 29 allows Deer Canyon families to take a trip around the world in one evening!
It's our chance to experience the culture, fashion, art and food of our diverse community.
We are looking for volunteers to help with set up, passport and drink stations and tear down.
Come be a part of this meaningful event.
STEAM Night is Coming
Deer Canyon is excited to announce STEAM Night on Friday, April 19, from 5:30-7:30 pm. Join us in exploring science, technology, engineering, art and mathematics through engaging hands-on activities. We welcome students and families for a night of science and fun! Want to help with STEAM Night? We need volunteers! We need parents to help with set up, clean up, and run the welcome table during the event. Please contact Jamie Harris at Jaharris@powayusd.com.
Counselor's Corner
Career Cafe is Coming!
Deer Canyon will be hosting our first-ever Career Cafe on April 15-19. Students will have an opportunity to have lunch in room 22 while learning about different career paths.
Do you have a career you’d like to share with our students? Mrs. MacDougall is inviting you to share a short 10-15 minute presentation or Q&A with our TK-5th grade students. Please plan on committing to one day that week from 11 am-12:30pm.
Please email Mrs. MacDougall directly for additional details at cmacdougall@powayusd.com.
For Parents: Coffee with the Counselor & Book Club
Mrs. MacDougall is inviting you to join a Book Club that will meet Thursday mornings after drop off. Come have a cup of coffee and discuss key takeaways from “The Good Inside: A Guide to Becoming the Parent You Want to Be.”
Let’s connect with and learn alongside each other as we dive into the work of Dr. Becky Kennedy, a clinical psychologist whose approach is based on attachment theory and the internal family systems model. We will explore the goodness of our children and prioritize connection over consequences as we take a long-term view of parenting.
We will meet at 9 am on these Thursday mornings: March 21, April 4, April 18, May 2.
Please RSVP by emailing Mrs. MacDougall at cmacdougall@powayusd.com.
Important Updates
ESS: New Student and Summer Enrollment
New TK/K and New Families to PUSD in '24-25
We want to inform you about a slight change in the enrollment process for our incoming Kindergarten/TK and new students to PUSD.
In previous communications, we mentioned that you could fill out the interest list for ESS before enrolling and being accepted into the school. However, we have received updated information that the process will now require you to enroll in school first and be accepted before being placed on the ESS interest list.
Once you have successfully enrolled and been accepted into the school, you will be able to proceed with the ESS Interest Application. You will need to use the Parent Vue account that you receive from the district once you are accepted into the school to fill out the application. Since enrollment will be done by lottery, there is no advantage or disadvantage having to wait to apply.
New Student Enrollment for ESS Summer 2024 ONLY:
The interest list for the 2024 summer program for new students closed on March 1. We aim to notify families by April 1 if they received a spot or were placed on a wait list.
Current ESS Families:
Summer and Fall 2024-25 registration for CURRENT families only is happening now through March 15. There will be no exceptions. If current families miss the deadline, they will need to apply as a NEW student through the new application management system, which opens March 18.
Get Your DCES Yearbook - Deadline is April 18
Hold on tight to those Deer Canyon memories!
Have you ordered this year's yearbook? If not, it is not too late!!
Deadline to purchase the yearbook and customize the 2 free-custom pages is Thursday, 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