Leadership Lens Vol. 2: Issue 3

Dear Marshall Mustang Families,

Can you believe we are already approaching September this week. We hope you and your child are enjoying a strong start to the school year. Please take time to review several important events happening this week:

Tuesday, September 3 Our TIA Pre‑Assessment will take place for 3rd and 5th grade students. Please ensure your child arrives on time, well‑rested, and ready to do their best.

Wednesday, September 4 We will kick off our Big Kahuna Fundraiser. Students will bring home information and materials to help support campus initiatives. Also on the 4th, our PTA Board Meeting will be held at 2:30 PM. We appreciate our PTA leaders and their continued support of our Mustangs.

Monday, September 7 School will be closed in observance of Labor Day. We hope your family enjoys a safe and restful holiday.

Thursday, September 10

We are excited to welcome the Zoo Crew to campus on September 10. Students will receive a flyer with information for online orders.

If families prefer to pay with cash, we will send home paper order forms next week. We look forward to this fun and educational experience for our students.

Arrival Times & Morning Procedures

Our campus opens its doors at 7:30 AM each morning. Students may enter at that time to begin preparing for the day. Breakfast is served in classrooms beginning at 7:50 AM, allowing students to start their morning calmly and with their peers.

The instructional day begins promptly at 8:10 AM. When students arrive after 8:10, they miss essential routines, morning instruction, and the academic foundation for the day.

Why Being On Time Matters- Every minute of instruction counts. Tardies and absences interrupt learning, cause students to miss key concepts, and make it harder for them to stay on track with grade‑level expectations. Arriving on time helps students start the day confidently, reduces stress, and supports strong academic growth.

Additionally, attendance and punctuality are reviewed as part of the determination process for School of Choice applications. Consistent on‑time attendance demonstrates responsibility, readiness, and commitment—important factors in district selection criteria.

Your partnership in supporting strong attendance is essential, and we appreciate everything you do to help your child succeed.

Thank you for your continued support of Marshall Leadership Academy. Together, we make a powerful difference in our students’ success.

Warm regards,

Mr. Amaton

Dear Marshall Families,

What a great week at Marshall! We have officially wrapped up our MAP and i-Ready diagnostic assessments, and we are excited to use what we learned to help every student grow. These assessments give our teachers valuable information about what students already know and where they may need additional support.

Now, we are ready to take that data and turn it into action, learning, and growth! Now that we have our beginning-of-year data, our teachers will begin looking closely at student needs and planning instruction and interventions to help each student make progress. We are excited to see how far our Mustangs will grow this year!

This week, our Mustangs continued to show what it means to be a LEADER throughout our campus.

A – Act Responsibly:
In First, students demonstrated responsibility by following classroom routines, taking care of their learning materials, and transitioning when asked. They are learning that being responsible means making good choices even when no one is standing right beside you!

E – Engage in Learning:
In 4th grade, students showed engagement by actively participating in their lesson, asking questions, sharing their thinking, and working through challenging tasks. Our leaders understand that engagement means giving their best effort and being an active part of their learning.

As always, thank you for partnering with us!

With Marshall Mustang Pride,
taelor.harris@gpisd.org

SEPTEMBER:

• 9/15-10/15: Hispanic Heritage Month

• 4: Big Kahuna Kickoff

• 4: PTA Board Meeting @ 2:30pm

• 7: Labor Day (No school)

• 8: First Day of Lunch Visitors

• 8: PTA Members Meeting @ 6:30pm

• 10: Progress Reports Accessible on Skyward

• 10: Zoo Crew, Starting at 9:00am

• 11: Grandparents Day Breakfast (brought to you by PTA)

• 14-18: Fitness Gram Week

• 14-18 I Am Enough Week (Suicide Prevention)

• 14-18: Freedom Week- Leaders of Freedom Memorial

• 15: A4/L5 Volunteer Training, 1:30-2:30pm

• 22: Fall Picture Day

• 23: Big Kahuna Brochure Sales End

• 24: 4th Grade Field Trip to Nature Center

• 25: House Rally/Family Time

• 25: Academy 4, 1:15-2:45

• 28: Council of PTA’s Meeting

• 30: Big Kahuna Online Sales End

Each week, we will be shining the spotlight on our amazing Marshall Leadership Academy staff members! Our staff plays such an important role in the success of our students, and we want our families and community to get to know the incredible people who serve our Mustangs each day. Through our Staff Spotlight, you’ll learn a little more about the people who make Marshall a special place to learn, grow, and lead!

1. What inspired you to become an educator?

My mother and grandfather, Mister Rogers, and Mrs. Rittenhouse are people that inspired me to become an educator.

2. What do you love most about being a Marshall Mustang?

The great camaraderie, laughter, and joy that the Marshall Mustang staff exhibits.

3. What is one thing you want every student to know about you?

I care about them.

4. What is one goal you have for your students this school year?

I want my students to believe in themselves and put forth their best effort.

5. Tell us something people might be surprised to learn about you.

People maybe surprised that I am a writer. I have published " Love Letters from God" and Love Letter from God for Students" on Amazon.

💬 We are so glad to have you on the Marshall team, Ms. Merriweather! We’re excited to see the impact you’ll make this year!

1. What inspired you to become an educator?

I am a natural teacher. It runs in my blood, literally I have multiple family members who were teachers.

2. What do you love most about being a Marshall Mustang?

A team both Administrative and fellow teachers are genuinely supportive.

3. What is one thing you want every student to know about you?

I love History. It is and will always be my favorite subject.

4. What is one goal you have for your students this school year?

To catch up as much as possible in their Grade reading Levels.

5. Tell us something people might be surprised to learn about you.

I love the Movies so much that I have my own Trivia Company, Wright Answers Trivia.

💬 We are so glad to have you both on the Marshall team! We’re excited to see the impact you both will continue to make this year!

Thurgood the Mustang is ready to celebrate! Join us as we launch our Big Kahuna Fundraiser this Thursday. Students will receive all the details to help support our campus and earn fun prizes along the way. Let’s show our Mustang spirit and make this year’s kickoff the best one yet!

Just a quick reminder that there will be no school on Monday, September 7 in observance of Labor Day. Enjoy the long weekend with your family, and we’ll see our Mustangs back on campus Tuesday morning—ready to learn and lead!

Schedule: Parents can come eat with students at scheduled time. (see pic.)

What to Bring: Visitors will need to bring their photo ID and check in at the front office.
Entry: Please ring doorbell to be let in. Do not hold door open for other visitors. All visitors will need to receive a sticker.

Visits: We are asking for parents to visit no more than once a week or 4x a month.

Attire: Just as we ask our students, parents must be appropriately dress for entry. No undergarments shown, see through clothing, or revealing attire.

Multiple Children: If parents have multiple children assigned to different visitation days, they may request to trade their assigned days so that all of their children can have visitors on the same day.

Please contact the front office for review at 972-522-7200.

Administration can/will deny entry if attire is deemed inappropriate.

We know parents love snapping pictures of their children at school! To respect the privacy of other students, we ask that you please refrain from taking photos while on campus. This is a wonderful opportunity to connect with your child and chat on a personal level.

Please remember, parents will not be able to walk students back to the classroom, but your time together at lunch is special and meaningful!

***DUE TO SCHOOL CLOSURE ON SEPT. 7th, MONDAY CLASSES WILL BE ALLOWED ON FRIDAY, SEPT. 11***

The Zoo Crew Fundraiser arrives at Marshall on September 10! In the flyer sent home, families will find a QR code for online pre‑orders. If you prefer to pay with cash, we’ll send home paper order forms next week. Thank you for supporting our campus and helping our Mustangs shine!

We’re excited to celebrate Grandparents Day at Marshall Leadership Academy! 🐴❤️

Our Mustangs can’t wait to welcome grandparents and special guests for this meaningful celebration.

📋 Reminder: If you plan to attend, please complete the required background check—instructions are included in this Smore.

✅ Completing your background check now ensures you’re ready for Grandparents Day and all future campus events.

Thank you for helping us keep our students safe while creating special memories together! 💕🐴

We love having our Mustang families involved, and volunteers are always needed and appreciated! Whether you’re helping on campus, Presenting, attending a campus event, or chaperoning a field trip, we want you to be part of the experience.

📝 Before You Can Volunteer

All parents and guardians who wish to volunteer, visit campus, attend campus events, or chaperone field trips must complete a volunteer background check annually.

⏰ Plan Ahead!
Volunteer applications may take up to 72 hours to process. Please complete the online application at least 3 days before you plan to volunteer or chaperone an event.

📌 Important: You will not receive an email confirming your approval to volunteer. Please plan accordingly and complete the application in advance.

Thank you for partnering with us and helping make Marshall Leadership Academy a place where every student can learn, lead, and thrive!