Panther Periodical
2026-2027
Novermber 13, 2026
Happy Friday, Panther Families!
This week, our Painted Rock community came together for a beautiful Veterans Day Assembly to honor the brave men and women who have served our country. It was heartwarming to see our students, families, and special guests gathered in appreciation of their service and sacrifice.
A special thank you to our veterans who joined us and to everyone who helped make this meaningful event possible. We are proud to teach our Panthers the importance of gratitude, respect, and honoring those who serve.
Wishing all our Panther families a wonderful weekend!
Warm regards,
Lisa Banuk
Important Dates to Remember!
District Recess - 11/23/26 to 11/27/26
- Monday, November 16th
- Non-Student Day - Parent Teacher/Conferences
- Tuesday, November 17th
- Panther Pacers
- Minimum Day - 1:00 p.m. Dismissal
- Wednesday, November 18th
- Minimum Day - 1:00 p.m. Dismissal
- Thursday, November 19h
- Panther Pacers
- Regular 1:25 p.m. Dismissal
- Friday, November 20th
- Minimum Day - 1:00 p.m. Dismissal
After School programs available after school are linked below.
REMINDER: PARENT/TEACHER CONFERENCES NEXT WEEK
Next week is Parent Teacher Conference week at Painted Rock Elementary School . Our schedule for the week will be November 16 - 20th. Teachers are looking forward to meeting with parents and guardians to share and celebrate student progress.
Progress reports will be available online through Synergy ParentVUE beginning on Wednesday, December 2nd at 5:00 pm. Please use the following links - English | Spanish - to learn how to access the progress report.
Elementary school families can access the Trimester 1 Parent-Friendly Page 3 through the PUSD website under Parent Resources or by clicking HERE.
District News
Annual Community Advisory Committee (CAC) Fall Family Night Event Information
Join us for Fall Night of Inclusion, sponsored by the Special Education Community Advisory Committee (CAC).
Families, educators, district staff, and community partners are invited to an evening focused on fostering inclusive school communities where every student feels welcomed, supported, and connected.
Hear from keynote speaker, Rick Daynes, as he discusses what meaningful inclusion looks like in school settings. Engage in a community panel discussion and explore resources, supports, and opportunities that help students participate in school life, build connections, and experience a sense of belonging.
Together, we'll learn how schools, families, and community partners can work together to support student success and create inclusive environments for everyone.
đź“… Date: Tuesday, November 17, 2026
⏰ Time: 6:30 to 8:00 pm
đź“Ť Location: The Community Room of the District Office, 15250 Avenue of Science,
San Diego, CA 92128
Please see the flyer for more details. Kindly RSVP here or on the attached flyer to help us plan for the evening. We look forward to seeing you and your family!
CHARACTERSTRONG NEWSLETTER FOR EMPATHY
Foundation
PTA
Mrs. Finn's Counseling Corner
No Place for Hate Meeting Dates
November 13th
Hope Squad Meeting Dates
November 20th
đź‘źMonthly Run Down đź‘ź
Student Council
26/27 Spirit Days:
December 18th- PJ Day
January 22nd- Crazy Hair Day
February 26th- Stuffy Day
March 19th- Sports Day
April 23rd- Twin Day
May 21st- Anything but a Backpack Day
Lost and Found......... Are you missing anything?
Please have your child check our lost and found. Thank you
Lost and Found will be donated before all big district recesses.
November
December
February
April
June
Traffic Reminders
Please continue to follow traffic expectations to ensure the safety of our students and staff during drop-off and pick-up:
Yellow Zone: The yellow curb next to ESS is for drop-off and pick-up only. Do NOT leave your car or park in this zone.
Pull Forward: In the morning, please pull as far forward as possible in the horseshoe when dropping off your child.
Afternoon Pick-Up: When picking up in the afternoon, please tell the staff member the name(s) and grade level(s) of the student(s) you’re picking up. This will help us stage students by grade level, with 1st-grade classes near the office and 5th-grade to the north of the horseshoe in the grass area.
Student Safety Patrol: Please be mindful of the safety patrol members and follow their instructions during drop-off and pick-up.
Drive slowly and carefully: During drop-off and pick-up. Your attention, respect, and courteous behavior are greatly appreciated.
No Cell Phones: For everyone’s safety, please refrain from using your cell phone while driving students to and from school.
We appreciate your full attention to students and other drivers during this important time in the morning and after school.
After-School Programs
The following organizations have programs on our school site after school. Please reach out directly to the after school programs with any questions. Click Name of Program to sign up.
Most programs need minimum number of participants to run program.
Please sign up as soon as possible.
Lando Classes - See Website for Session Dates
Level Up Enrichment - CHESS - See Website for Session Dates
Aya Art - See Website for Session Dates
i9sports - See Website for Session Dates
Fit Kids - See Website for Session Dates
Soccer Shots - See Website for Session Dates
Painted Rock Housekeeping
Reporting a Student Absent
Report your child's absence 1 of 3 ways:
1.**NEW** Parent Portal - Parent Digital Attendance Reporting
- Instructions for submitting a digital absence are available by clicking HERE.
- 858-753-9870
- When reporting your child's absence, please include the student's full name, date and reason for absence, and the relationship to the student of the person reporting the absence
3. Email:
- Parents/guardians may email us at presattendance@powayusd.com each day your child is absent or tardy. Please be aware that only your valid PUSD registered email will be accepted to clear any absences or tardies.
- When reporting your child's absence, please include the student's full name, date and reason for absence and the relationship to the student of the person reporting the absence
Students Being Checked In or Out
1. Checking in Late Students:
- Please walk your child to the office to sign your student in late on the computer.
2. Checking Out Students Early:
- Parents/guardians - Please make sure you bring ID to the office when checking out your child. ONLY parents/guardians can check out during school hours. We do not release students to contacts on the emergency list, unless it's a school emergency. We need prior authorization.
Family Academy
Families can visit the website below to better understand the various educational technology tools used to support student learning in meaningful ways.
Classroom Deliveries
Please ensure your Panther has their lunch, water bottles, homework, band equipment, Chromebook, etc., that is needed for school before dropping them off. We want to create the best learning environment for our students with the least amount of disruptions during the instructional day. Please see section below regarding "Student Responsibility".
Promoting Student Responsibility
To help our students build independence and avoid disrupting classroom instruction, we kindly ask that you communicate directly with your child before the start of school if you plan to drop off any forgotten items (such as lunches, water bottles, or jackets) at the office. The School office understands that sometimes this communication between parent/child cannot happen, so we will ensure lunches and snacks are communicated to rooms by your childs recess time.
This allows your child to check the office before their recess or lunch break without needing a classroom interruption. Thank you for your support in fostering responsibility and keeping our learning time focused!
Parking and Dropping Off
Thank you for driving with extreme caution when dropping off and picking up your panther. When you pick up your Panther please stay behind the yellow line on the sidewalk when you walk your Panther off campus. Please be patient, kind, and attentive when dropping off and picking up your Panther(s). Please remember to follow the flow of traffic through the parking lot across the street from school that loops around to enter the horseshoe in front of school. Please ONLY park in marked parking spaces and do not leave cars unattended in yellow zones. If you park in the adjacent neighborhood to drop off or pick up please be courteous to our neighbors. Please do not block driveways, we want all in our Panther Community to be good stewards and model appropriate citizenship for those watching us.
Campus Security
As a reminder, Painted Rock Elementary School is a closed campus, and all visitors to campus must check in at the front desk. To continue our efforts to increase campus safety, the door to the front office has been equipped with an intercom and camera. This means the front door remains in a locked position throughout the day. When approaching the door, you will ring the doorbell, and school staff will speak with you through the intercom and ask you what your business is with the office.
We remain committed to welcoming and supporting all families coming to Painted Rock Elementary School and appreciate your patience in working with us to ensure all Panthers remain safe.
Food and Nutrition
Updates and Reminders:
School breakfast and school lunch are FREE for all enrolled students, every school day. Meals must still be entered into the cafeteria computer by individual student account.
Even though meals are free, families are still highly encouraged to complete the application for free and reduced-price meal eligibility. School site funding depends in part on the number of students eligible for free/reduced-price meals. Families that qualify for free/reduced-price meals may qualify for other benefits, as well. The meal application is available online at MySchoolApps.com.
Printer-friendly PDF menus are available on the PUSD Food and Nutrition webpage. At the top of the page, click or hover over School Menus + and then Printable PDF Menus.
Interactive, web-based menus containing nutrient and allergen details are available at MySchoolMenus.com, as well as via links from the F&N webpage.
