Dr. Green Elem Family Newsletter
December 15, 2025
December 15, 2025
Dear Dr. Green Elementary Families,
During this holiday season, I want to take a moment to thank you for your continued partnership and support throughout this school year. Your involvement, encouragement, and caring disposition help make Dr. Green Elementary a kind and thriving learning community.
I wish you and your loved ones a joyful holiday season filled with peace, warmth, and special moments together. May the coming year bring good health, happiness, and continued success for you and our students. Thank you for being an important part of our Dr. Green Elementary family.
We look forward to welcoming everyone back refreshed and ready for a wonderful new year of learning. Students return on January 7th.
In our efforts to increase our attendance record, we need your support by bringing your children to school, even on early release days, which is coming up this Friday. We have planned a half day full of beautiful and fun activities to include a special visit--The Grinch and the Green Dog. We should have 100% attendance on that day as nobody wants to miss this fun!
For the safety of all children and adults, here are a few things to remember:
- We urge you parents to please be mindful of school traffic.
- Respect the school speed while driving in the main street or in the parking lot.
- Use the crosswalks.
- NEVER leave your child unattended in the parking lot, or in front of the school.
- Tardy bell rings at 8:15 am. We close the front doors for 5 minutes to do the school announcements and flag pledges. If you are running late, please do not send your children on their own to the office. Please remember if students are tardy an adult have to come in to sign the students in.
- El Paso weather has been recently very gentle overall, however, cold weather is expected in the coming days. Please do not bring your children before 7:30 am as the building opens at 7:30 am. Children can't be left alone by the front doors especially when temperatures drop. Your attention is appreciated. Best time to drop off your children is from 7:45 to 8:00 am.
- If you are reporting an absence for your children, please send an email explaining the reason for the absence to: green_notes@episd.org
UPCOMING EVENTS:
- Friday morning, The Grinch and Green Dog Visit. This presentations is for students only in all grade levels.
- Friday 10:00 am, students will have lunch provided by the cafeteria.
- Friday 10:30 to 11:30 am, all classes will have their winter classroom party.
- Friday 11:30 to 12:00 all classes will be clean up time, please remind your children to take all their Christmas art home and any leftovers from the parties. Christmas art will make a great keepsake as you display them during your home activities.
- Friday, December 19th is an Early release day. Students and staff will be dismissed from school at 12:00 pm. Please ensure you have a reliable pick up arrangement.
- Winter break is scheduled from December 22nd through January 6th. Students will return on January 7th.
Thank you for your ongoing support in making Dr. Green a great school to be. Please know that I foster an open-door policy for continuous communication. Do not hesitate to reach out to me with ideas, suggestions or any concerns you may have. Merry Christmas and enjoy the Holidays!
Respectfully,
Guadalupe Pineda
Dr. Green Elementary, Principal
We Are Hawks, Watch Us SOAR!
2025-2026 Handbook
Acknowledgement Page
Dear Families,
As we continue the season of gratitude, I want to take a moment to thank you for your continued support and partnership in your child’s learning journey. Your encouragement at home makes a big difference in the progress we see every day. I hope your Thanksgiving holiday was filled with joy, family, and special moments. Thank you for all you do to help your child succeed. Wishing you and your loved ones a safe and happy holidays!
I will continue to pull students that were identified based on NWEA MAP scores and STAAR scores. I pull the students during WIN time.
Reading Update
We are focusing on comprehension and fluency. Students are practicing:
Making predictions before reading.
Identifying main ideas and details in stories.
Using context clues to figure out new words.
Making inferences based on passages.
At home tip: Read together for 15–20 minutes daily. Ask questions like, “What happened first?” or “Why do you think the character did that?” to build understanding.
Phonics Tips
Phonics helps children connect letters to sounds for better reading and spelling. Here’s how you can support:
Practice letter sounds daily (e.g., “b” says /b/).
Blend sounds together: Say “c-a-t” and have your child put it together as “cat.”
Look for patterns: Point out word families like -at (cat, hat, bat).
Use real-life practice: Read signs, labels, or menus and ask your child to sound out words.
Math Update
Our goal is strengthening number sense and problem-solving. Students are working on:
Addition and subtraction strategies using number lines and fact families.
Understanding place value for larger numbers.
Explaining their thinking when solving word problems.
Solving multi-step problems.
At home tip: Play math games like rolling dice and adding numbers or ask your child to explain how they solved a problem—it reinforces learning.
Cooking: Have your child help measure ingredients for a recipe. Ask questions like: “If we need ½ cup of sugar and double the recipe, how much sugar do we need?”
Grocery store math: Give your child a small budget and let them “shop” for items. Practice adding prices and estimating totals before checkout.
Phonics Tips
Phonics helps children connect letters to sounds for better reading and spelling. Here’s how you can support:
Practice letter sounds daily (e.g., “b” says /b/).
Blend sounds together: Say “c-a-t” and have your child put it together as “cat.”
Look for patterns: Point out word families like -at (cat, hat, bat).
Use real-life practice: Read signs, labels, or menus and ask your child to sound out words.
📧 Email: Landreas@episd.org
Lindsey Sims
Elementary Interventionist
The holiday season is fast approaching! Please continue to support your child’s reading skills at home. Below are some fun ideas that you can do:
Writing and creative activities
Holiday cards: Have children create their own cards with messages for family and friends.
Letters to Santa: Use this as a writing prompt for a letter to Santa or to tell a story about gifts.
Gingerbread stories: Read different versions of the gingerbread man story and have your child write and illustrate their own.
Reading and language activities
Cozy reading time: Set up a reading corner with blankets and pillows and have daily storytime sessions with winter-themed books.
Discuss stories: After reading, talk about the story's key characters and events to build comprehension.
Links to Holiday books on Youtube:
Grumpy Monkey Oh, No! Christmas: https://youtu.be/sS2UW5sQjzw?si=729AqpVH77HgG8pc
It’s Christmas, David: https://youtu.be/R1rJ_t0pFZ8?si=csHpzr9BHYyXAiBn
Llama Llama Holiday Drama: https://youtu.be/Qbj4xsoDBXs?si=3JA7ISoOzU1eZXzp
How to Catch an Elf: https://youtu.be/0rnxol7Wln0?si=0179QndNbJC-VP5a
How the Grinch Stole Christmas: https://youtu.be/RTuYTfPzLUc?si=e3KuvgRS5ZeaMMeU
The Crayons’ Christmas: https://youtu.be/SXjnu1-DlqA?si=ZrOA75qPGmGxeRtS
The Polar Express: https://youtu.be/b8QyG2wZf7s?si=c3GsL7YPfY0Q4jE-
Let’s Celebrate! Special Days Around the World: https://youtu.be/dTLNHW3ZqE8?si=XWOzaf4y6Mgf7D_d
BISCUIT'S HANUKKAH: https://youtu.be/5lEI-Yel2xY?si=xinFOyElQqXdg_-Y
What is Kwanzaa, Hanukkah, and Diwali?: https://youtu.be/kkINRdhT004?si=XOiirCRNZIRbPnT7
Hello, Math Families!
As we wrap up the year and head into December, I wanted to share some fantastic resources to help your students sharpen their multiplication skills over the winter break. The key to mastering multiplication is consistent practice, and these websites offer fun, engaging, and most importantly free ways for students to practice their times tables and build fluency. Whether they’re just starting or looking to challenge themselves with more advanced problems, these sites have something for everyone!
1. XtraMath-Visit XtraMath
XtraMath is a well-known resource for practicing basic math facts, including multiplication. The site tracks your child's progress and adapts to their level, making it perfect for students who need consistent practice to master multiplication facts. It’s simple, effective, and completely free.
Why it’s great: Personalized learning, progress tracking, and an easy-to-use interface.
2. Multiplication.com
Visit Multiplication.com
Multiplication.com offers a variety of free interactive games, videos, and worksheets to practice multiplication. There’s something for every learner—whether your student prefers quizzes, memory games, or fun challenges.
Why it’s great: Lots of variety, easy to navigate, and engaging visuals for learners.
3. Khan Academy
Visit Khan Academy
Khan Academy offers free, high-quality video lessons, practice problems, and quizzes for students at all levels. The multiplication practice section allows students to practice specific multiplication tables and track their progress. They also offer plenty of tips and tricks for students who may need extra support.
Why it’s great: Well-structured, teacher-approved, and adaptable to any student’s level.
4. Math Playground
Visit Math Playground
Math Playground is a great site for engaging, hands-on learning. Students can practice multiplication through interactive math games, puzzles, and challenges. There are also timed tests to help kids improve their speed and fluency.
Why it’s great: Fun, interactive games with a focus on building speed and accuracy in multiplication.
Tips for Multiplication Mastery
Consistency is Key: Set aside just 10-15 minutes a day for focused practice.
Challenge Speed: Once your student is comfortable, encourage them to increase their speed to master the multiplication facts.
Mix It Up: Use different websites and activities to keep the practice fun and engaging!
I hope these resources will help keep your students excited about math as they prepare for the upcoming year. Remember, it’s not just about practicing—it’s about enjoying the learning journey. Wishing you all a cozy and math-filled December!
Happy Holidays
https://www.episd.org/page/non-cep-meal-application-cep-information-copy
EPISD offers the Extended Daycare Learning Center at Dr. Green for a weekly fee.
Daycare Manager: Grace Gonzalez
Hours of Operation:
Monday-Friday
6:00 am to 7:30 am
3:30 pm to 6:00 pm
Please access the EPISD webpage for more information. https://www.episd.org/o/episd/page/extended-day-learning
From the Dr. Green Library, I wish you a safe, healthy, and happy holiday! Looking forward to reading with you in 2026 ! I am including a list of book recommendations for winter reading or gift ideas for your children. Happy reading!
The Core Essential Value for December is Joy.
SAY IT: Joy: Finding a way to be happy even when things don’t go your way
ASK A GROWN-UP:
• What are some things that bring you joy?
• Describe a time when you chose to have joy, even though things didn’t go your way.
ASK A KID:
• What are some things that bring you joy?
• How can you choose to have joy, even when things don’t go your way?
SEE IT:
It is usually easy to be joyful when things are going our way, but what about when things
get tough? It is important to focus on the people and activities in our lives that bring us
joy. Even when things get challenging and we have a lot of work to do and we are facing
some problems we don’t really know how to fix…we can choose to have joy. In the movie
Despicable Me 2, Gru is a pretty mean and grumpy character, but he breaks out of his
negativity when he finds something wonderful in his life to focus on.
Watch this clip of Gru choosing to be joyful and happy as he thinks about the things that
bring him joy: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mdr8vI37MvY.
BE IT:
As a family, make a list of ten things that bring you joy. Talk about the things, the people, the
songs, the shows, or the activities that bring you joy. Make a conscientious effort to spend
time every day this month enjoying the things and people that you have identified. Create
a habit of being joyful together, even when things aren’t going your way. Choose to be a
family that focuses on joy every day.
DECEMBER 2025
Joy
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