Coyote Connection
Desert Sage Elementary Newsletter- September 2023
Upcoming Dates
- September 4: NO SCHOOL - Labor Day
- September 5: PTO meeting 4:30-5:30pm (in the staff room)
- September 20: No School (Professional Learning/Collaboration)
- October 3: PTO Meeting 4:30-5:30pm (in the staff room)
- October 9: Picture Day
- October 11: Parent Teacher Conferences in the evening
- October 12: No School (Parent Teacher Conferences)
- October 13: No school (End of Quarter)
Leadership Meetings at 8:00am (in Rm. 12)
- September 14
- September 28
- October 26
Family Engagement Meetings at 8:15am (in the library)
- September 8
- October 6
A message from the principal
At Desert Sage we have always a mission that drives our instruction and interaction with students. It has stayed mostly the same over the years, with some minor changes. This year our mission reads, "As a community, we work together to support high levels of learning for all to empower lifelong learners." To simplify this into an every day saying, our leadership team came up with the mantra,
"High levels of learning for all."
Please encourage your students with this mantra, and when collaborating with staff at the school keep it in mind. It is our driving force and we truly believe in it.
Happy September!
Beau Dahlgren
WELCOME, SRO ARNOLD!
SRO Arnold will also serve four other neighboring West Ada elementary schools, as well as assist at Lake Hazel Middle School as needed. As the SRO, his job is to promote a positive and safe school environment. In addition to training staff on emergency protocols, SRO Arnold will focus on cultivating positive relationships with students through mentorship as well as educating students and families on various topics including internet safety and bullying.
We are fortunate to have SRO Arnold as another adult that our students can turn to for help! If you see SRO Arnold, be sure to say hi and introduce yourself.
From the Health office
A note from the nurse!
Please go into PowerSchool as soon as possible and make sure your student’s health history is updated and ALL medical consents are signed! If you did this prior to mid-July you will HAVE TO DO IT AGAIN. This allows your student to be seen and taken care of in the health office. Here are the steps, please don’t hesitate to call if you need help!
1-log into PowerSchool
2-open the menu toolbar on the left
3-click into School Forms
4-scroll to the bottom
5-click into the Medical link
6-edit if there are changes to medical/health history
7-scroll to the bottom, sign, and save form
8-this should take you right to the medical consent page. read through and answer EVERY one
9-save/submit at the bottom
From PE
Hello DSE Families!
We are off to a great start to the school year in the gym doing different cooperative games and activities! We would like to emphasize the importance of students wearing appropriate shoes on the days they have PE. This sets your students up for success as we are actively moving around in PE.
Starting after Labor Day we will be beginning our soccer unit. In this unit we will learn to dribble the soccer ball by keeping it close and in control. We will also be learning to pass accurately to a partner using the inside of the foot. We’re excited to start this unit!
We are looking forward to watching your students grow and improve their skills this year in PE!
Thank you,
Mrs. Seatz
Mrs. Royce
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
From the Library
Welcome back Desert Sage Coyotes to a brand-new school year. We have missed you, I missed you and the books most of all missed you.
We have a few things coming up. We have our fall book fair, and I am ALWAYS looking for parent volunteers to help me run this FUN-tastic week of book shopping. FYI It will be held during the week of parent teacher conferences. More information will be coming out later.
Secondly, When I left my last day for the summer, I ran a report of all overdue books. Your child will be receiving a notice of lost/overdue book notices if they are ones who have not turned in their books. They will have to be resolve the issue of overdue or lost books before they start checking books out here in a couple weeks. Right now, we are re-learning and I am re-teaching library skills to refresh their memories of how to behave and find materials in the library.
I look forward to another year with your kiddos. I look forward to seeing them grow, lead and achieve their academic goals.
Laura Thompson-DSE Librarian
From PTO
Thanks to everyone that was able to celebrate back to school and support us for Reed's Dairy Ice Cream Night.
Looking Forward...
Come soak up the last warm days with Kona Ice. The Kona Ice truck will be at the school September 14th at 3:55. A portion of the sales will be returned to the Desert Sage Elementary PTO to be used for the students throughout the year.
From previous newsletters
Breakfast and Lunch services
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/