Empresa Weekly Newsletter
August 18, 2023
Hello Empresa Families,
Welcome to the 2026–2027 school year at Empresa Elementary! We are so excited to have you as part of our incredible learning community. Whether your family is returning or new to Empresa, we look forward to partnering with you to ensure a year filled with learning, connection, and joy. The first day of school is Wednesday, August 12, 2026.
As we begin this new school year, we remain committed to:
Creating a school culture where every student feels connected, valued, and supported
Partnering with families to support the academic, social, and emotional growth of every child
Immersing students in music, the arts, and meaningful creative experiences
Providing engaging, rigorous instruction that inspires curiosity, critical thinking, and growth
At Empresa, we are proud to continue growing as a PBIS (Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports) school. We believe in explicitly teaching and celebrating the positive behaviors that help students thrive. Our schoolwide expectations are grounded in The Empresa ROCKS Way, where students learn to be Respectful, take Ownership, Care for Learning, show Kindness, and make Safe decisions. These values are reinforced daily in classrooms, during Friday Flag celebrations, and throughout our campus. Together, we are building a school culture rooted in kindness, responsibility, belonging, and high expectations.
Our dedicated staff is excited to welcome your child into a safe, nurturing, and inspiring environment where they will grow academically, socially, and emotionally. Whether through hands on learning, artistic expression, meaningful collaboration, or playful exploration, our goal is for every student to feel a strong sense of belonging and pride in their learning.
We encourage you to stay connected with us throughout the year. Communication and partnership are key to student success, and we welcome your thoughts, questions, and ideas. Our PTA and the Empresa Performing Arts Foundation (EPAF) also play an important role in helping make Empresa such a special place. Their support provides students with enriching opportunities and memorable experiences, and we hope you will consider getting involved this year.
Please take a moment to review the important information, dates, and next steps included in this packet. We have an exciting year ahead and cannot wait to learn, grow, and celebrate together.
Let’s make it a year to remember. Empresa ROCKS!
Your Partners in Education,
Kim Hollowell, Principal
Whitney DeWeese, Assistant Principal
Lori Higley, Guest Assistant Principal
Final Step in the registration process!
All parents of students TK-5 must now complete the Data Confirmation Process in Parent Portal. You are required to complete data confirmation for each child every year. This is the final step in confirming your child’s enrollment for 2026-27! This process allows parents to verify student data, update emergency contact information, and acknowledge and review critical district information and policies.
Step 1: Begin the data confirmation process by logging into Parent Portal https://vistausd.aeries.net Use the Parent/Student Portal.
If you forgot your password, select the “forgot password” option.
New families: An email from Parent Portal will have been sent to you after you registered in the office with a link to create an account
Step 2: Locate your child’s 9 digit student ID to complete several of the forms.
If you need to locate the number, please follow these steps:
Select Student Info from the menu on the left side
Select Profile
Select General (in gray box next to student’s name all the way to the right)
Make a note of the Student ID
Step 3: Select how to proceed.
Option 1: In the yellow box look for “You have not yet completed the Data Confirmation. Click here to confirm the information about your student.” Click “confirm and continue” for each page.
Option 2: Click “Data Confirmation” on the Student Info Menu on the left. Click “confirm and continue” for each page.
Step 4: Please complete all the steps in this section, including the income section. This information helps with our school funding. Be sure to fill out these required documents while you complete data confirmation in the “Documents” section.
Example of important documents
- Student Health History (You will need the Student ID number for this section)
- Empresa Student and Parent Handbook
- Suggested Supply Lists are linked here for each grade!
Step 5: REPEAT the data confirmation process for EACH child attending Empresa. You will know you completed the process when you click on the finish and submit button.
Please Note: You do NOT need to print out the documents This year all data confirmation forms are strictly online. If you need help with the process, Empresa’s office opens August 3rd.
If needed, please click on links below for video explanation and additional guided instructions for the Data Confirmation process:
For support, please contact our front office on or after Friday, August 3, 2026
As we begin the school year, I wanted to let our Empresa families know that our Assistant Principal, Ms. Whitney DeWeese, will be on maternity leave as she welcomes her growing family. We are so excited for Whitney and wish her all the best during this special time.
While Ms. DeWeese is away, Mrs. Lori Higley will be serving as our Guest Assistant Principal. Many of our longtime Empresa families may remember Mrs. Higley from her time supporting our school in early 2024.
Mrs. Higley brings a wealth of experience, having served as both a principal and director in the Vista Unified School District. She is passionate about supporting students, partnering with families, and working alongside staff to ensure every child has a successful school year.
We are grateful to have Mrs. Higley joining the Empresa team once again and know she will be a wonderful addition to our community while Ms. DeWeese is away. If you see her around campus, please take a moment to introduce yourself and give her a warm Empresa welcome!
After you have completed data confirmation, teacher assignments will be visible on the parent portal (under the classes tab) on August 10, 2026.
Breakfast and lunch is free for all students at Empresa this year. You do not need to fill out an application.
Fruit and salad bar is also available. For menus and more information, please visit: https://wavecrestcafe.com/
Save the Date for our first day of school: August 12, 2026 at 8am
Families can walk their children to the blacktop on the first day only. We know how important these special moments (and pictures) are to our families. We ask that all parents stay in the blacktop line-up area. Then at 8:00, when the bell rings, it will be time to say goodbye and exit through the front gates. Starting the second day of school, parents will kiss their children Goodbye at the front gate.
Make sure you log into the Parent Portal in Aeries before school starts to find your students' teacher. This will help you and your student/s find their teacher on the first day of school. We will have printed lists available in the office if you or your student/s forget.
The board approved 2026-2027 School Year Calendars are linked here:
One of our favorite Empresa traditions is Friday Flag, held every Friday morning from 8:00 to 8:30 a.m. During Friday Flag, we celebrate our students' accomplishments with awards such as Student of the Month, Accelerated Reader, ROCKstar, Note-able Tickets, and POPP Stars. Each award is represented by a special charm that students add to their Empresa spirit necklace, creating a collection they can proudly build throughout their years at Empresa.
As we get ready for the new school year, please help your child find their charm necklace and send it back to school. Whether it is kept safely in their backpack or stored in the classroom, we encourage students to wear their necklaces every Friday to show off the hard work, positive choices, and accomplishments they have earned over the years. These necklaces are a source of pride and a wonderful reminder that every positive choice matters.
Families are invited to join us for our first Friday Flag of the school year on Friday, August 14, from 8:00 to 8:30 a.m. We look forward to celebrating together and kicking off another year of recognizing the amazing accomplishments of our Empresa Knights!
We can't wait to celebrate another year of student success together at Friday Flag!
Families, as you prepare your child to return back to school, please remember to:
- BRING WATER BOTTLES: We have water dispensers around our campus and want to ensure that our learners stay hydrated. When students forget to bring their water bottles, they can drink from the water fountains outside. We want to ensure that we do not disrupt their instructional minutes so that we can maximize their learning.
- LABEL EVERYTHING: We often amass a ton of lost and found items without knowing who they belong to. Please label jackets, sweaters, water bottles, lunch boxes, backpacks, and anything that may be misplaced.
- NO TOYS: Please keep all toys at home. The school is not responsible for any items brought to school. We also want to ensure that toys do not disrupt their learning.
- REVIEW THE HANDBOOK: Information and updates about this upcoming year has evolved. 26-27 Empresa Student Parent Handbook
NEW REQUIREMENT: Senate Bill 848, Volunteer Mandated Reporter Training
Pursuant to California Senate Bill 848, school volunteers who work with students are required to complete Mandated Reporter Training. This law was enacted to help ensure that adults serving in schools are informed about recognizing signs of child abuse and neglect and understand their role in helping maintain a safe school environment for all students
We need to have all volunteers complete the mandated reporter training. Effective July 1st 2026, this must be done on an annual basis for any volunteer who will be working with students.
You can do this in two ways:
1) Group Training: Empresa Admin or Designated Staff will set up a meeting and as a group, volunteers will be led through the training. Everyone will sign in using a sign-in sheet or a digital signature as annual documentation.
- IN PERSON: Fri., Aug. 21 8:40-9:40 (after Friday Flag) in person in the MPR
- VIRTUAL: Thur., Aug 27 5:00-6:00 (zoom) Pre-register HERE to receive zoom link
2) Individual Training: There will be a link for non-VUSD employees (volunteers) to create a Keenan SafeSchools account. This will enable volunteers to complete an online module on their own. Access and information for this option will be available in our next newsletter. If volunteers select this option, they MUST PRINT THEIR CERTIFICATE OF COMPLETION as annual documentation. Individual trainings require the volunteers to print and turn in their certificate of completion to the office for the annual documentation.
The primary email for each student will automatically receive the newsletter. Do you have someone who would also like to recieve a copy of our Empresa Weekly Newsletter. Sign up HERE
Empresa Elementary
Website: https://www.emp.vistausd.org/
Location: 4850 Avenida Empresa, Oceanside, CA 92056, USA
Phone: (760) 940-8454