MARCH 24, 2024
MARCH 24, 2024
Hello, Dolphin Families!
We only have 4 days of school this week, but there is something planned nearly every day, so it will be an eventful one!
Tomorrow, March 25, we invite all our 1st Grade Dolphins to attend Donuts with Dolphins in the front circle drive from 7:15AM to 7:40AM.
Be sure to look your best on Tuesday, March 26, because we will be taking Spring Pictures on this day!
Thursday, March 28 we will be hosting Donald After Dark on campus! Join the Donald staff and PTA for an evening full of fun on campus. Our PTA will be hosting outdoor events, and families can purchase wristbands to gain admission into the various attractions and rides. Indoors, we invite you to visit the Donald Auction which will be hosted by the campus staff. 100% of the funds raised during this auction will come directly back to the campus - and stay with the campus - to support our Donald students and staff!
You can plan to sleep in late after Donald After Dark because there will be NO SCHOOL Friday, March 29 or Monday, April 1. Enjoy the long weekend!
Heather Shorter
Principal
STEM Academy @ Donald Elementary
MARCH 2024
25 FIRST GRADE DONUTS WITH DOLPHINS @ 7:15AM
26 SPRING PICTURES
28 DONALD AFTER DARK
29 NO SCHOOL
APRIL 2024
1 NO SCHOOL
4 - 11 LITTLE LIGHTHOUSE
15 KINDER DONUTS WITH DOLPHINS @ 7:15AM
16 STAAR TEST: 3-5 READING
19 VOLUNTEER BREAKFAST
23 STAAR TEST: 5 SCIENCE
25 PTA MEETING @ 6:00PM
26 EARLY RELEASE @ 11:45AM
PICTURE DAY IS TUESDAY, MARCH 26!
Set your alarms a little earlier on Tuesday, March 26 because it will be Spring Picture Day! Students will be taking individual pictures before their scheduled lunch and recess to make sure photographers can catch everyone looking their best.
SEND NO MONEY TODAY! A proof will be sent home from the school with information on how to order in 3-4 weeks from the time photos are taken. If you love the photos, you can order a portrait package using the information sent home with the proofs. If not, the proofs can be returned to school.
DONALD AFTER DARK HAPPENS THIS WEEK!
Join us for Donald After Dark! This community event is the perfect opportunity to play, eat, and shop... all while supporting Donald and the Donald PTA!
PURCHASE YOUR WRISTBANDS TODAY!
Plan for fun in the photo booth, a ride on a trackless train, a run through the obstacle course, a climb in the Spider Climb, and a thrilling time on the Pirate Ship Ride! Wristbands that allow unlimited access to all games are now available for purchase now through Wednesday, March 27. CLICK HERE to order!
$15.00 per child 5 & up or $45.00 per family
Please note the $45.00 cap is restricted to Donald families only!
Wristbands are not required for guardians or children under 4.
Don't forget to bring your picnic blanket because Jet's Pizza, Island Whips, and Nothing Bundt Cakes will be on campus selling yummy treats, too!
BE SURE TO STOP BY THE SPRING AUCTION!
This is your chance to score some exiting opportunities for the upcoming school year! This year, our auction will be formatted a little differently as this fundraiser will be transitioning from PTA to the campus. That means 100% of all funds donated during the Spring Auction will come directly back to Donald to support our students and staff!
We will be auctioning off all the favorite items including:
- Birthday Marquees
- Birthday Lunch on the Stage
- Classroom Birthday Visits from Mrs. Norine
- Reserved Campus Parking Spaces
- Front Row Seats during the 5th Grade Ceremony @ FMHS
This is just a small handful of the exciting things we have to offer! All items will be posted in a silent auction. But, if waiting to win isn't your thing, please know every item will also have a "BUY NOW" option available! Be sure to stop by the gym and cafeteria for your chance to win!
VOLUNTEER TO HELP!
The Flower Mound High School Rosettes will be volunteering at our Face Painting booth, and The Flower Mound Fire Department has volunteered their time and a truck for students to view (pending any emergencies). The PTA needs lots of hands to support all the things happening at Donald After Dark, and we would love to have Donald families volunteer to help with several items as well! CLICK HERE to register for a job you can help with.
REGISTER TO VOTE BY APRIL 4
LISD residents are eligible to vote in LISD’s Bond election this spring. Ensure you are registered to vote by April 4 by visiting LISD.net/register.
Deadline to Register to Vote: April 4
Early Voting: April 22 - 30
Election Day: May 4
INFORMATION ABOUT THE UPCOMING ECLIPSE
Monday, April 8, our community will be within the path of totality for the once-in-a-lifetime view of the Great North American Eclipse. We are excited for everyone in our community to have the opportunity to share in this milestone, but we want to ensure safety is at the forefront of any plans we make. At Donald, we will be following the safety expectations for each grade level that have been shared by Lewisville ISD.
Kindergarten, 1st Grade, and 2nd Grade
It is not recommended that our youngest students view the eclipse outside, so students in grades K-2 may not view the event while they are on campus. Instead, K-2 students will have the opportunity to watch NASA's live stream of the eclipse.
3rd Grade, 4th Grade, and 5th Grade
Students in grades 3-5 will have the opportunity to go outside to view the eclipse in the early afternoon on April 8. While outside, students will be required to wear protective eyewear provided by the Perot Museum. This eyewear is thousands of times darker than standard sunglasses to protect students from the concentrated solar rays, and campus staff will monitor students to ensure the eyewear is on correctly before venturing outside. To learn more about safety considerations associated with the eclipse, including skin protection, click here.
Parents of students in grades 3-5 may choose to have their student opt-out of viewing the eclipse outdoors. If you prefer your student remain indoors during the eclipse, please email their homeroom teacher indicating you would like for them to opt-out of outdoor viewing. Students who do not go outside will be able to watch NASA’s live stream of the event.
The Perot Museum has generously donated protective eyewear for all students in LISD, and each student will be provided with a pair of glasses on the day of the eclipse regardless of whether they will be venturing outdoors during the school day or not.
Because our younger students will not be permitted to venture outdoors while the eclipse is occurring, we will have an adjusted recess schedule on the Monday, April 8. This will ensure everyone has time to play outdoors while also working within the district's recommended safety guidelines.
If you choose to keep your child home for any reason Monday, April 8, please know LISD attendance policies will apply.
WE NEED TO KNOW IF YOU'RE MOVING!
Parents,
It’s once again the time of year when we need to find out if your family will not be returning to Donald for the upcoming school year. If your child(ren) will not be returning to Donald for the 2024/2025 school year for any reason, please email our campus registrar, Julie Walters, at waltersj@lisd.net with the name of the school/district they will be attending.
Thank you!
Julie Walters
Phone (469)948-2401
Fax (972)350-9510
SECURE SPACE FOR INCOMING STUDENTS: REGISTER NOW!
REMINDER: CHILDREN MUST BE 5 YEARS OF AGE ON OR BEFORE SEPTEMBER 1, 2024 IN ORDER TO REGISTER FOR KINDERGARTEN
ORDER YOUR SCHOOL SUPPLIES FOR THE 24/25 SCHOOL YEAR
CONGRATULATIONS, CASSIUS!
Donald Dolphins have been participating the Learning Ally Great Reading Games, and it has taken dedication to reading to a whole new level!
Congratulations to 5th grader, Cassius Magaro, for being a National Student Winner in the Learning Ally’s Great Reading Games for 2024! Because of the amount he read, Cassius ranked 9th over all in the nation! He read a total of 25,362 pages read during the contest earning a score of 256,921. He will win a $50 gift card from Learning Ally, and was presented with a special certificate during celebration on campus.
Congratulations to all of the Donald students who participated in the Great Reading Games contest this year. Donald placed 8th in the nation among schools with a total score of 509,671 points. For placing in the top ten, our school will also win a $50 gift card. The top three students in each grade level earned a trophy. The top two students in the school received e-money for the book fair and the top ten students got a cool poster from the book fair. All students that participated received a medal and certificate. We are so proud of all of these Donald Readers!
Check out all things Donald PTA by viewing the latest PTA Newsletter!
We would love to have you volunteer in our classrooms and at extracurricular events! To get started, JOIN the Donald PTA, and then complete your yearly VOLY Background Check. All volunteers must have a current VOLY Background Check, so if it has been a while since you completed this process, check in with the Donald Office Staff to see if you're approved!
PTA MEMBERSHIP DRIVE
This month, Donald STEM Academy and Bridlewood STEM Academy PTAs have been in a battle for new PTA Memberships... and Mrs. Shorter and Mrs. Whitehouse, the Principal of the STEM Academy @ Bridlewood, have agreed to help! The principal of the school earning the MOST new memberships in the month of March gets to gift the other principal with a shirt from their feeder high school for them to wear on the next school spirit day!
Mrs. Shorter needs your help! We're all ONE LISD, but as a leader of future FMHS Jaguars and a LHS Farmer alumni, she's hoping to avoid donning a Marcus Marauder shirt! Invite your friends and family to JOIN THE DONALD PTA today!
DOLPHIN TALES PUBLISHING
We're extending the deadline to submit your books to Dolphin Tales Publishing! Parents can help students submit all their information digitally at DonaldDolphinTales.com this year, and the process it quick and simple. Students can write about any topic they choose whether it be a recording of a memory, an autobiography, a biography of a loved family member, or an imaginative story. All students receive their books during our annual Authors' Tea which will be held Tuesday, May 14.
DOLPHIN DADS
It's not too late to join this amazing team of men making an impact at our school! If you’re a Donald Dad or Grandad and are interested in joining the Dolphin Dads, make sure you have completed VOLY this year, and CLICK HERE to fill out the interest form!
CAMP INVENTION WILL RETURN TO DONALD THIS SUMMER!
Register at INVENT.ORG/CAMP!
Grades: K - 6th
Location: Donald STEM Academy 2400 Forest Vista Drive, Flower Mound, TX 75028
Date: June 10 - June 14, 2024
Time & Cost: 9:00 AM to 3:30 PM | $270
Register before March 27, and you can save $25 on your registration fee with code FUN25!
Camp Director: Kathy Hoffman hoffmank@lisd.net
FM YOUTH FOOTBALL ACADEMY
The LISD Recognize SomeONE program gives our staff and community members the opportunity to highlight the exceptional work the do. If a Donald staff member has made an impact on your student or family this week, please take a moment to Recognize SomeONE and let them know how much they mean!