Pride Preview Vol. 33
Week of Monday, Apr 20 - Friday, Apr 24, 2026
Principal's Message
The Final Stretch!
This is one of the most important stretches of the year. Our Lions are counting on us for strong Tier 1 instruction, intentional planning, and a consistent presence in the classrooms and hallways. The small, daily moments—the micro-corrections, the encouragement, the reteach, the celebration—are what make the biggest difference. Let's hold the line on our expectations and finish this STAAR season with a bang!
🦁✨📣Shoutouts!!🦁✨📣
Big shoutout to our wonderful cheerleader coaches —Ms. Jackson, Ms. Johnson, and Ms. Burns—and our amazing Lions for earning an Excellent rating at the competition on Saturday! 🦁📣
Congratulations to Mrs. Gosling and our Lions for placing in the Top 50 and Top 10 speakers at the Debate competition on Saturday! We are so proud of your hard work and dedication!
Shout out to Mrs. Wright for getting our Nemo Cast booked to perform at the Swiss Avenue home tour at 9:00 May 9th in Savage Park!
Shoutout to Ms. Acevedo and Mrs. Martinez for going above and beyond to ensure a flawless testing environment, and for your thoughtfulness in taking care of our teachers with coffee and sweets. It definitely made the day even better. ☕✨
Shout out to Mrs. Wright and Mrs. Benton for spending their Saturday working on our upcoming Nemo production set! We can't wait until the show!
Shout out to our 3-5 Teachers who have worked to transform the 3rd floor into an awesome
We are so proud of our Lions and grateful for the incredible team that supports them every day!
Pride Member of the Week: Mrs. Gosling!
This week, we are so excited to celebrate Mrs. Gosling! Thank you for your leadership and dedication to our debate students. Under your guidance, our Lions placed in the Top 50 and had Top 10 speakers at this weekend's Debate competition! We are incredibly proud of your hard work and the confidence you inspire in our students.
WEEK AT A GLANCE
- Morning Announcements by 2A
Campus Design Advisory Team
We are forming a Campus Design Advisory Team to support final design decisions tied to our ongoing renovations.
This team will review and provide feedback on items such as murals, hallway visuals, locker wraps, and staircase graphics. The goal is to ensure a cohesive, high-quality look across the building.
Participation will involve a small number of focused meetings where members review curated options and provide input. If you are interested in serving on this team, please complete the interest form
- April 19: Afterschool Professionals Week & Public School Volunteer Week begin
- April 22–23: STAAR Math (Grades 3-5) & Make-Ups, Earth Day, Administrative Assistant Day, and City Dance Ballet.
- April 24: 1st Grade Field Trip (Sea Life Aquarium), Academy 4 Friday, and Principal Deadline for Open Transfer Recommendations.
- April 27: Circle EOY (Pre-K) and Staff Meeting.
- April 28: 5th Grade Field Trip (Grady Spruce) and School Bus Driver Appreciation Day.
- May 1 - School Lunch Hero Day; Principal Day; Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month; Jewish American Heritage Month; National Mental Health Awareness Month
- May 3 - May 8: Teacher Appreciation Week
- May 4: No School (Inclement Weather)
- May 5: Cinco de Mayo; Testing Coordinator Day
- May 6: School Nurse Day; Coffee w/Principal
- May 7: Roster Verification Window-All week; 5pm - 6pm KN-2nd Showcase
- May 8: Field Day; Annual Cybersecurity Training Due
- May 9: School Communicators Day
- May 10: Mother's Day
- May 11: 🎂 Mrs. Moncada Bday; iReady RD/Math EOY KN-5th; PTA Meeting 5:30pm-6:30pm; SBDM 6:30-7:30pm
- May 13: IB Student Exhibition; 🎂 Ms. Gamez Bday
- May 14: Nemo Spring Musical; TEI SLO Goal Accomplishment; SLO Goal Accomplishment in Cornerstone
- May 15: Pay Day; Senior Clap Out; Academy 4; Picnic Day for Teachers (run by Ms. Colleen)
ACTION 🎯
- 🎯VOTE FOR YOUR IB STUDENT OF THE MONTH HERE
- 🎯 Seating Charts & Supplemental Aids due during planning time 04/20/26
CAMPUS-WIDE NEWS
STAAR Math Assessment this Wednesday 04/22/2026
Good afternoon team,
Thank you all for providing an excellent testing environment during Science last Wednesday—your preparation and attention to detail made a big difference for our students.
As we prepare for STAAR Math on Wednesday, April 22, please be sure to review the testing plan and come prepared.
Security Browser Update Grades 3-5:
In order to avoid delays when locating the correct Test Secure Browser during STAAR Math, if you have not already done so, take the following steps today 04/20/2026:
- Follow the instructions on this link.
- Once students find their specific Security browser, have them write it on a Post-it note and tape it to their chromebooks.
End Of Year Grade Reporting
- 🎯May 19 – Guardians notified of student retention (teachers may need to support communication/info)
- 🎯May 22 – Deadline: Enter Cycle 4 (C4) grades
- 🎯May 27 – Report cards go home with students (grades must be finalized before this)
- 🎯May 28 (by 3:00 PM) – Print, review, sign, and submit scoresheets (all grading cycles must be completed, signed, and dated)
📖 DISTRICT NEWS
- Classroom Call Buttons: Ensure your call button remains visible and accessible at all times (not covered by furniture/paper). Please teach students not to press it.
- Bond Renovation Check-In: Please submit the Classroom Check-In form to report any construction items or touch-ups still needed in your space.
- Courtyard & Campus Murals: We received a grant to enhance our courtyard and install new campus murals! If you are interested in helping plan or design these spaces with our visiting artist, please let Mr. Carter know.
INSTRUCTION
LEVEL-UP PEP RALLY
Let's finish this STAAR SEASON with a BANG!
Tuesday at 2:15 PM, we will host our Pep Rally to finish the STAAR season strong.
2:05 PM - 3rd Grade proceeds to the auditorium
2:10 PM - 4th Grade proceeds to the auditorium
2:15 PM - 5th Grade proceeds to the auditorium
2:15 - 2:55 PM - STAAR Pep Rally
3:00 PM- Level Up Parade before Dismissal
(Pre-K - 2nd Grade Teachers and students line up outside the Auditorium hall and 2nd Floor leading to the makerspace to give students some final words of encouragement!)
Maximizing Every Minute
As we move deeper into this stretch of review and preparation, a reminder: the most impactful instruction keeps students at the center.
Review should prioritize intentional student practice—where students are doing the thinking, writing, and problem-solving, not just watching or listening. This means creating space for multiple at-bats on high-leverage TEKS, paired with immediate, meaningful feedback.
As you circulate, focus on identifying patterns in student work, naming what students are doing well, and addressing misconceptions in ways that lift the entire class.
Time is one of our most valuable resources right now—how we use each instructional minute matters.
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Are students engaged in productive struggle?
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Are they applying their thinking, receiving feedback, and trying again?
Strong review isn’t about doing more—it’s about being more intentional: in what we prioritize, how we respond to student thinking, and how we ensure every student has access to meaningful practice.
The first staff member to text/email Carter with code word: Minute will receive one free lunch meal coupon to cash in on a day of their choosing.
- Operation Math Magic: Continue pushing fact fluency in Grades 1-3 this week! Keep tracking progress on your classroom medallions and encourage students to hit their targets.
OPERATIONS
Attendance & Work Hours
As we return from Spring Break, we will be closely monitoring attendance and work hours procedures. Please ensure absences are entered in Frontline in advance and sub plans are updated.
Indoor Recess & Laptop Usage
District-issued laptops are for instructional use only. Students should not be using laptops during indoor recess or other non-instructional times. Please actively monitor and enforce this expectation.
CULTURE
VOTE FOR YOUR IB STUDENT OF THE MONTH (MARCH)
VOTE FOR YOUR IB STUDENT OF THE MONTH HERE
In March, we highlighted Knowledgeable — students who explore concepts deeply, develop understanding across disciplines, and use what they learn to make sense of the world around them. Knowledgeable students are curious thinkers who value learning, ask meaningful questions, and connect new ideas to prior experiences.
As we moved through the spring semester, March offered many opportunities for growth and discovery. Students engaged in rich learning experiences, strengthened academic skills, and expanded their understanding through inquiry, collaboration, and reflection. This month also invited us to recognize the importance of lifelong learning and the power of education to open doors, build confidence, and inspire action.
As IB educators, we nurture knowledgeable classrooms by creating engaging learning experiences, encouraging curiosity, and helping students make meaningful connections across subjects and real-world contexts.
How are we intentionally fostering curiosity, deepening understanding, and empowering students to use their learning in meaningful ways within our school community?