Orenda Superintendent Newsletter
January and February 2024
Open Enrollment and Re-Enrollment January 1-31, 2024
January 1-31 is open enrollment and re-enrollment for the 2024-25 School Year. During the month of January, all current students will complete their re-enrollment form for the next school year. This is also the time that any new students, including siblings of current students, will complete an application for enrollment to be included in the lottery for the 2024-25 school year. The 2024-25 Re-Enrollment links for each campus will be posted on each website and are below.
2024-25 Gateway Prep Re-Enrollment Form (Current Students Only)
2024-25 Gateway Tech Re-Enrollment Form (Current Students Only)
2024-25 Kingsland Re-Enrollment Form (Current Students Only)
2024-25 Nolan Creek Re-Enrollment Form (Current Students Only)
Do you have family, friends, and neighbors interested in enrolling for the current school year? We are still accepting applications for this school year and have immediate openings at Kingsland, Nolan Creek, and Gateway Tech Schools along with Gateway Prep at select grades.
Orenda Report Cards
Orenda Charter School District is sharing district and campus data as part of its obligations under the Federal Every Student Succeeds Act of 2015 (ESSA).
The Texas Academic Performance Report (TAPR)
The TAPR report contains the current performance on the TAPR indicators for Orenda Charter School District and each campus in the District. The most recent full report (for the 2022-2023 school year) is accessible in PDF format via the links below. TEA-issued reports for prior years are available online at TEA Performance Reporting.
Federal Report Card
The U.S. Department of Education requires each state to publish an annual report card with specific district and campus-level data related to meeting federal accountability targets. Find the Federal Report Card for any campus or district via TEA.
The two reports above are also available on the Orenda Education Website under the Governance--> Annual Reports tab found here.
Attendance is Important!
Good attendance is important for both students and schools. Students receives the maximum educational benefit by being in school every day. Studies show a strong link between academic performance and consistent daily attendance. In addition, public schools receive state funding based on daily attendance, which is essential to providing high quality instruction, support services, and extracurricular programs.
Holocaust Remembrance Week: January 22-26
State law requires that school campuses use the week to teach about the Holocaust using resources developed or approved by the Texas Holocaust, Genocide, and Antisemitism Advisory Commission (THGAAC). Orenda campuses will be implementing instruction and activities that are age-appropriate during this week.
Black History Month: February 2024
Each year, during February, Texas schools celebrate the history and cultural contributions of Black Americans in the United States. Students learn about the achievements, perspectives, struggles, and experiences of Black Americans throughout more than 400 years of American History.
Emergent Bilingual Family Resources
Below are several resources for parents and families for English as a Second Language and Emergent Bilingual students.
Monthly Parent and Family Newsletter and other resources for families to support Emergent Bilingual students at home www.txel.org/Parents-And-Families
Region 12 Padlet for Emergent Bilingual families bit.ly/PFCE2324
How to use the Steinhardt Glossaries to leverage native language skills when learning concepts in English: https://steinhardt.nyu.edu/metrocenter/language-rbern/resources/bilingual-glossaries-and-cognates
How to use the Google Translate Camera feature to access content: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=03ERe14AZvA&t=1s
AVID Focused Note-Taking
This is more than your average notes. Focused notes have an Essential Question at the top which
helps to guide learning. All the notes relate to the Essential Question. In Grades 7-8, students are also
learning to include a summary of their notes which carries over to high school.
It is important for your student to review notes nightly, even for 5 minutes per subject. This is also a
great time for your student to add layers to their notes, such as questions they may have or clarify
information within their notes.
Parents, you can review notes with your child at home to gain a better understanding of what they are learning in school and help your child reinforce the content in their notes for better retention.
Volunteer Process
One of the key pillars in a successful organization is volunteers. Orenda Charter School District appreciates all who give of their time and talents. If you are interested in volunteering, Click here to review the Orenda Volunteer Handbook. You will then complete our application and return the Volunteer Agreement at the end of the Volunteer Handbook to the campus principal. Thanks to all who give graciously to our students and teachers!
Kingsland School Ribbon Cutting
Congrats to our Kingsland community on their ribbon cutting celebrating the long awaited construction completion!
School Board Recognition Month
Thank you to Andrew Cottrill, Herman Matthews, Mick Swope, Travis Graves and Richard Rickey for your dedicate service to our schools!
Just Keep Swimming!
Congrats to the Gateway Gators who won the District 16-4A Swim Meet. Eighteen Gators have advanced to regionals!
Upcoming Dates to Remember
February 19 - Staff Development Day, No School for Students
March 11-15 - Orenda District Office and All Campuses Closed for Spring Break
Contact Us
Email: carla.silber@orendaeducation.org
Website: www.orendaeducation.org
Location: 2951 Williams Drive, Georgetown, TX, USA
Phone: (512) 869-3020