Pride Preview Vol. 9

Congratulations on making it to the final week of Quarter 1—time truly flies! Before we know it, spring will be here. I know many of you, like me, are looking forward to fall break, and each of you deserves time to rest, recharge, and refill your cup.

This time of year, it’s easy to let go of the systems and habits we worked so hard to build in our classrooms. I want to remind us all of the power of consistency—especially in these last few days before break. Whether you’re being observed or not, every moment in front of our students is some of the most valuable time they will have in their lives. Through our actions and expectations, we model discipline and teach discipline.

Remember: the standard is set by what we allow to be true. Every Monday is a new chance to reset and reinforce those standards—whether it’s walking to dismissal with purpose, ensuring students are ready to work right away, or holding firm on participation norms.

So I’ll ask you: What are the three or four things that matter most to you in your classroom? And how will you hold yourself accountable to maintaining them this week? Even 1% better each day will make us unrecognizable in just a few months.

Stick with it. Model it. This is our school, and its success depends on our mighty but small staff. Thank you for all you do, and let’s finish Quarter 1 strong.

Have a great week!

We are proud to celebrate Ms. Elias as our Pride Member of the Week! Ms. Elias has been a reliable and productive TA at Lipscomb for many years, all while being a rockstar mom of three boys. In her role, she consistently finds ways to make things better—whether it’s creating fresh bulletin board ideas or finding more effective ways to share information with parents. Many of the upgrades you see across campus likely carry her fingerprints, and we are so grateful for her dedication and creativity.

As part of this recognition, our Pride Members of the Week now receive a $15 gift card along with their reserved parking spot. Past winners will also be receiving their gift cards this week. Congratulations, Ms. Elias—we’re lucky to have you in the Pride!

• Shout-out to Ms. Acevedo for her active participation in testing training, library training, and technology inventory—all while checking in books! Your commitment to excellence and collaboration is truly appreciated.
• Shout out to Ms. Gamez for her leadership in planning our Mexican American Heritage Month celebration!
• Shout out to Mrs. Wright for the beautiful artwork her students are creating across campus!
• Shout out to Mrs. Benton for launching her brand-new Music Ensemble Club!
• And a huge shout-out to all teachers and staff for celebrating our ama
• Shout-out to Ms. Owens, Ms. Cecilia Martinez, Ms. Lozano, Mr. Austin, Ms. Timms, Ms. Elias, Ms. Banda, Ms. Green, and all our wonderful Pre K Teacher Assistants for greeting our students each morning with a big smile and lots of enthusiasm! Your positivity sets the tone for a great day.
• Shout out to Ms. Wilson for stepping up as our new E-Sports Coach!
• Shout out to Ms. Ragan for joining Ms. Morse in leading the Lone Star Challenge team!
• Shout out to Mrs. Owens for sponsoring our amazing Student Ambassadors!
• Shout out to Ms. Flores for her thoughtful work with student data tracking!
• zing custodians! Every single “thank you” note made a difference and meant so much. 💛

• the auditorium will be closed on Monday following arrival for installation of curtains! Music will take place in the Art Room alongside Art.

• Morning Announcements led by 3D this week. Ms. Davila, at 8:05 am please send two students to the main office.
• TA's clock in by 7:30am | Teachers clock in by 7:45am
• All Grades K-5 to collect 1 Data Point Weekly in All in Learning
• Morning Circle Lessons
• Hispanic Heritage Month Resources

Monday, Oct 6 (SMCQ1 - RLA)

• Specials will follow the adjusted schedule

• 3:45–4:45 PM | Faculty Meeting

Tuesday, Oct 7 (SMCQ1 - Math)

• Specials will follow the adjusted schedule

• 3:30–5:00 PM | Coding Club

• Lone Star Challenge Coaches Meeting

🚫 Thursday, Oct 9: No School

🚫 Friday, Oct 10: No School

• All Grades K-5 to collect 1 Data Point Weekly in All in Learning
• SLO Forms: 2025-2026-SLO-Rubric.pdf | 2025-2026-SLO-Form.pdf | 2025-2026-SLO-Goal-Setting-Submission-Guide.pdf | 2025-2026-SLO-Student-Growth-Tracker (2).xls

• Oct 5–8 – Grades 3–8 SMC Q1 (RLA, Math, 5th Science)
• Oct 6 (3:45–4:45 PM) – Staff Meeting: Accommodations
• Oct 7 – Lone Star Challenge Coaches Meeting
• ⏰ Oct 9 – Teacher SLO Goal-Setting Deadline
• Oct 10 – End of Cycle 1 / First Nine Weeks
• Oct 12–15 – SMC Q1 Make-Ups (By Permission Only)
• Oct 13 (6:30–7:30 PM) – SBDM Meeting (Campus Needs Assessment)
• Oct 13 (5:30–6:30 PM) – PTA Exec Meeting
• ⏰ Oct 13 – Teachers finalize grades for report cards
• Oct 13 – Staff Meeting
• ⏰ Oct 14 (11:59 PM) – Gradebooks lock
• ⏰ Oct 15 – Teachers print, sign, and date gradebook scoresheets
• Oct 19 – SLO Survey
• Oct 20 (3:45–4:45 PM) – Staff Meeting
• Oct 20–24 – IB Unit #3 Window
• Oct 20–24 – SEL Survey (K–5) Window
• Oct 23 (3:30–7:30 PM) – Parent-Teacher Conference Night (Elementary)
• Oct 24 (11:30 AM–2:30 PM) – Academy 4 Friday
• Oct 27 (3:45–4:45 PM) – Staff Meeting
• Oct 27–31 – Book Fair
• Oct 27–31 – Halloween Door Decorating Contest
• Oct 29 – Principal for a Day
• ⏰ Oct 31 – FCE Fall Parent Survey Closes
• ⏰ Oct 31 – Finalize Grades for Progress Reports
• Oct 31 – Story Book Character Day

We are entering the final interior phases of our bond project. After a staff vote, the decision was made to accept 8 weeks of inconvenience so that all classrooms will be fully restored and ready for use when we return in January.

Teachers in 3rd and 4th grade should now prioritize packing their classrooms into boxes. To support this process, these teachers will be excused from tomorrow’s faculty meeting to allow additional time. Movers will be on campus October 11–12 to transfer boxes into temporary locations. Watch D.O.G.S. volunteers will also assist with unpacking on Monday, October 13, ensuring classrooms are ready for students on Tuesday.

Boxes have already been delivered—please let me know if you need more and I will order them. All furniture will remain in its original room and will not move with staff. Displacement locations for affected teachers will be communicated tomorrow.

Please do not pack during the school day, as it may distract from testing and instruction.

Displacement decisions are being made with students as the top priority and to minimize movement as much as possible. You can review the provided map to see the areas that will be inaccessible. If you are concerned about your ability to complete packing by the deadline, please let me know.

• SMCQ1 begin tomorrow
• Oct 6 — Reading | Blueprint
• Oct 7 — Math | lueprint
• Oct 8 — Science | Blueprint
• As we prepare for upcoming local and state assessments, I wanted to share a few presentations for your review before our faculty meeting. Since this weekend is our Fall Break, it’s a great opportunity to get ahead and complete the required online training.

• 1. Accommodations Faculty Presentation
• 2. Test Security Faculty Presentation
• 3. Cambium Reset Password Request Email
• An email was sent earlier this week to all staff to reset your Cambium password. Once your password is reset, you’ll gain access to the online Test Security Training.
• Please take some time over the break to review the presentations and complete the online Test Security training.

Please contact Ms. Acevedo or Mrs. Yetts, should you have any questions.

Thank you!

• Platform: SchoolCity

• Testing Window: October 6–8

• Student Files Exported: October 8

• Scoring Window: October 9–13

• Scores Available: October 15

Thank you for your support in ensuring a smooth assessment window.

Teachers may choose to manually score their students' constructed responses. However, all All in Learning AI scores will override any scores manually inputted into SchoolCity. It is suggested that teachers keep a separate document to record their own scoring and can be used as a calibration with AI.

Question Breakdown

• RLA (3–8): 2-pt SCR, 1-pt SCR, and 10-pt ECR

• DL (3–5): 2-pt SCR, 1-pt SCR, and 10-pt ECR

• Science 5 (English): 2-pt SCR

• Science 5 (Spanish): 2-pt SCR

We are encouraging all teachers to create and submit an Amazon wishlist that will be shared with parents and included on the PTA website. This list can be used by parents throughout the year—for your birthday, classroom needs, or PTA support items—and serves as an easy way for families to directly help provide the things that make your classroom run smoothly.

Thank you to the teachers who are already using their wishlist! My hope is that by doing this together, we’ll see more requests filled and more support coming your way—because you absolutely deserve it.

How to Create an Amazon Wishlist:

1. Log in to your Amazon account.

2. Hover over “Accounts & Lists” at the top right and click “Create a List.”

3. Choose “Wish List,” give it a name (e.g., Ms. Smith’s Classroom Wishlist), and select your privacy settings (we recommend Public so it’s easy to share).

4. Add items by clicking “Add to List” whenever you find something you’d like.

5. Once you’re ready, copy the shareable link to your list.

6. Submit your wishlist link here

• It’s time to kick off our annual recognition process! Tomorrow, we will begin nominations and voting for Teacher of the Year, Teacher of Promise, and the Aspire Award (Support Employee of the Year).
• Attached to this Preview, you’ll find a one-pager with details on each award, including eligibility, qualities, and the selection process.

NEW CATALOGUE

Action Items for Sponsors:

• 🎯 Student Waivers — All club members must return a signed waiver by the end of this week.

• 🎯 Rosters — Update Student Activities Rosters.

• 🎯 Sponsor Training — 100% of sponsors must complete the 2025 training. A passing score of 80%+ generates a certificate emailed to you. Please provide a copy to Ms. Valadez for recordkeeping in case of audit/campus review.

One of the most impactful ways we can respond to CA and SMC data is through small group instruction. During LAB (Elementary) or the Tier 1 Instructional Block (Secondary), small groups can be structured in multiple formats to differentiate support and accelerate learning.

Small Group Structures

Teacher-Led Small Group

• Led by the classroom teacher

• Focused instruction based on formative data

• Includes reteaching, guided practice, and checks for understanding

Online Practice

• Students work on i-Ready / Imagine Learning MyPath

• Reinforces foundational skills tied to learning gaps

• Requires real-time teacher monitoring

Self-Directed Learning

• Students complete teacher-curated tasks

• Encourages independence and metacognition

• Can include goal-setting and self-monitoring tools

Look-For’s

• Teacher-Led: targeted questioning, checks for understanding, scaffolds aligned to data

• Personalized Instruction: students engaged on platform, teacher monitoring usage/progress

• i-Ready usage is actively monitored for the minimum 45 minutes per week in both RLA and Math.
• Access usage in: Reports > Instruction > Personalized Instruction Summary > (Select RLA/Math) > Show Results By

• As we move into quarter two, PLCs must be anchored in clarity, preparation, and consistency.
• Each one should have a clear identity - either a Planning PLC or a Data Meeting PLC - with a tight focus that leads to observable next steps and a plan for progress monitoring.

How are we shifting thinking and doing to students?

EIA Regulation:

• Grades 2–5 – At least one classwork grade per subject each week, or a minimum of nine grades per subject per nine weeks.

Unit #2 (Oct. 6 – Nov. 14)

Pride, thank you for a strong week of planning! Unit #2 launches Monday, Oct. 6 and runs through Nov. 14. Please use the rest of this week to collaborate and finalize Units of Inquiry in Toddle.

Classroom Reminders:

• Every PreK–5 classroom should have a visible space for student wonderings (KWL chart, Padlet, whiteboard concept map, etc.).

• Always connect lines of inquiry back to the unit.

• Encourage students to add their own wonderings as new readers and thinkers.

Effective Sept. 1, 2025, Senate Bill 12 requires parental consent for most health-related services in schools. TEA guidance confirms that nurses may still provide basic care and emergency support without prior consent.

What can be done without consent:

• Basic first aid (bandages, cleaning scrapes) unless a parent opts out

• Taking temperature, visual checks, simple symptom screening

• Comfort measures (rest, hydration, ice packs)

• Helping with change of clothes if needed for comfort/modesty

• Routine screenings (vision, hearing, scoliosis) if annual consent is on file

• Life-saving interventions in emergencies (e.g., epinephrine, CPR, choking response)

What requires consent:

• Any health service beyond general caretaking or emergency response

Teachers, if you are sponsoring a club or activity on campus, please remember that students must have a signed parent consent form on file before they are allowed to participate in any activities outside.

To help with this, we’ve created a roster system for you. You do not need to type anything—simply go to the tab with your club, select the student’s name from the drop-down list, and the rest will auto-populate.

Please ensure your roster is completed as soon as possible so that we remain in full compliance with new state laws. Thank you for taking care of this important step for our students’ safety and participation.

• From October 1 through December 12, 2025, teachers and staff can receive important seasonal and preventive vaccinations at various District locations.
• Flyer

• Each grade level must plan one field trip per semester.

• Fall Field Trip Form Deadline: October 24

• Forms must be submitted to Ms. Valadez at least 20 instructional days before the trip.

• The last day for field trips is May 3.

• PTA will sponsor two trips per grade level (one in fall, one in spring).

• More details on forms will be shared next week.

• Dallas ISD is offering a $500 incentive for EC–6 Core Content and Secondary ELAR teachers who earn ESL certification in 2025–26.
• Eligible teachers must attend a prep session, pass the TExES 154 exam, and add the certification to their license.
• 📎 Details and requirements are in the attached one-pager.

Video: How to create and manage a student plan in Powerschool Unified Insights

Naming Convention:

Student Initials_Student ID #_ConcernArea_Tier

Ex: TT_123456_Engagement_Tier2 or IC_654321_LanguageSpeech_Tier2

Important:

• All plans must be manually shared with: Ms. Timms, AP Yetts, Principal Carter, and other collaborative teachers (if necessary).

• To ensure students receive designated supports on assessments, they must have a documented intervention plan in Unified Insights.

Resources:

• BOY MTSS Slide Deck

• SST Meeting Prep video

For questions, contact Ms. Timms.

• Woodrow Grant Foundation (up to $60,000): Please submit ideas to Mr. Carter by October 25.
• LECPTA Grant: If you have proposals, please get with Mr. Carter by October 25 (this funded the 5th Grade camping trip last year).
• Maker Space: Nearly $20,000 remains for our new maker space (to be complete by December). If you’d like to join the design team, let Mr. Carter know.
• PTA Wishlist - Don’t forget—you can request up to $500 through the PTA using this form. Before submitting, please check with Mr. Carter to confirm the item isn’t already on campus.