Ensor Eagle News

Week of 7/31/23

Welcome Back!

Message from your Principal

Hello Eagles! My name is Mr. Fernandez, your proud Principal at Ensor Middle School! I am so excited to start another school year! I want to welcome our new 6th grade Eagles to the nest and welcome back 7th and 8th grade scholars. I hope you all had a restful summer with family and friends and are ready to get back to work. At Ensor, we want our Eagles to take full advantage of being part of the highest performing middle school in Socorro District. Your job at Ensor is to work hard in your academics and have fun with your friends and in your extra curricular activities...and of course stay out of trouble and be kind to one another. This is going to be a fantastic year and I can't wait to see all the awesome things you all accomplish.

Parents, please go through this entire newsletter with your child. There is a lot of information and we all want to be on the same page for our first few days.

Have a great week, everyone! Gooooo Eagles!!!

Our Counselors, Ms. Ortega and Ms. Montano would like to say HI to all our eagles. Please click here to view.

First Day Procedures

Middle schools in SISD no longer have breakfast in the classroom. The cafeteria will be open from 7:15-7:55 am every morning. I anticipate traffic to be VERY congested each morning, so please make plans to come in early. We also ask that you do not drop off your child too early. There will not be any adult supervision until 7:10 am. Check maps below for drop off procedures. Our main faculty parking lot is closed to ALL parents. You must use the drop off near the basketball courts or the horseshoe in front of the school. Rosters for your first period class will be located in the gym and cafeteria. The gym will be open at 7:15 to check your first period class. You will then report to your first period where you will get your full schedule (similar to "Walk the Schedule" night).

Please remember that there are many road closures on the way to campus. Prepare for those delays.

Schedules

At the beginning of every semester (August/January), we balance class sizes. There are many scholars that don't show up to school the first day, who move, and withdraw from our campus. At that point, we make changes in our scholar schedules. Your child's schedule is tentative because we have to balance class sizes for the school year and this happens the first two weeks of school. This means that your child's teacher (NOT CLASS) may change the first two weeks and this MUST be done. Those moving classes are chosen at random. We thank you parents for supporting us with this process. If you want a schedule change, a form is provided to all first period teachers. Ask for one and turn it in NO LATER THAN FRIDAY, 8/4/2023. No Exceptions. If your first period teacher runs out of forms, you may go to the front office before or after school to get a form. Schedule changes take a few days. Please continue to follow your schedule until you get a new one from our scheduling clerk.

Attendance

Attendance is a prerequisite to learning. If your child isn't present, they can't be here to learn the material. Parents, we need your help to ensure your child is here all day everyday. If they are sick and go to the doctor, please bring in notes to our attendance clerk within 48 hours in order to excuse the absence. LOC and attendance court will only occur for unexcused absences. So again, bring in those parent or doctor's notes to prevent court and LOC.

Athletics

From our Athletic Coordinator, Coach Bianca Gutierrez

Attention 7th and 8th grade Eagles! Are you interested in trying out for Soccer, Softball, or Baseball? Tryouts begin Monday for boys Soccer and Baseball. Girls soccer and Softball will have a quick student meeting in the Gym after school Monday, and will begin try outs on Tuesday.

You must turn in your Physical/Medical History Form to Coach Bianca Gutierrez, as well as complete online parent forms at RankOneSport.com

Please reach out me with any questions at bbueno01@sisd.net

Preseason UIL Parent Meeting for Soccer, Softball, and Baseball will take place Thursday, August 3rd at 5:30 pm in the Gym. This is mandatory for all parents of student-athletes.

After School Pick Up

You may pick up in any of the parking lots after school. Parents, we ask that if your child does not have any business at Ensor, tutoring/athletics/clubs, that they be picked up by 3:45. Any scholar here at 3:45 will be escorted into the gym where they will work on homework or IXL math and reading plus. After school is when we see issues arise. To prevent issues, we are getting our scholars off campus immediately. Also, those who leave campus to the ice cream trucks, eateries, or corner store after school, will not be allowed back on campus. They must stay on campus if they are waiting for a ride. This is all for the safety of our Eagles.

Dress Code

Jeans are only allowed on Fridays with a school spirit shirt! All other days, scholars must be in uniform. We have updated the dress code. Uniforms are still the same color scheme (red, white, or blue polo with khaki or blue bottoms). Dress code will be enforced. Any scholar out of dress code after the first week will be required to attend detention. Please see more information below. We have the complete dress code on our website.

Laptops

Please bring your fully charged laptop to school every day. If you currently don't have a laptop, we will be working with our scholars the first week to get those issued out. Thank you all for your patience.

Bell Schedule

We have a new bell schedule. First bell rings at 7:45 AM every day of the week. We have eight periods with a 30 minute lunch. The bell schedule has been provided below for your viewing and planning. The first 12 minutes of everyday begin with SEL lessons (social emotional learning). This is a time where our scholars will learn how to deal with situations at school and how to cope with all the stresses of being a pre teen. It is extremely important to ensure our children are healthy emotionally so that they can be successful academically.

Cell Phone Policy

We have a "NO CELL PHONE" policy at Ensor. Scholars will NOT be able to use their cell phones/earbuds during the day and must be in their back packs. They may use our phone in the front office and all messages will be delivered to scholars when left by parents. Ensor does not allow cell phone/earbud use from 7:45 AM to 3:30 PM and also during "after school tutoring." If confiscated, the phone or earbuds will be turned into the front office and parents will need to pick up items. First confiscation is free, the second time and all other times after that, there will be a $15 charge. We thank you for your support.

School Supplies

A complete list of school supplies can be found on our school web page.

Want to Become a Parent Volunteer at Ensor?

Please contact Ms. Campos, our parent Liaison, at 915-937-6031 or email her at adsmin.campos@sisd.net

Pedestrian Safety

Pedestrian safety is an initiative we are continuing in TeamSISD. I want to remind you to please slow down when you are driving around the school. Please refrain from using your cell phones and be aware of scholars who may be crossing. I also want to remind our children about the importance of using crosswalks when walking to and from school or getting off and on the bus.

Message from Nurse Hernandez

Scholars, if you are sick or get sick please stay home! Get tested especially if you feel you have had contact with someone who has tested positive recently. If you test positive, ESWIPE! I will contact your parents about the details regarding your absences but the makeup work is up to you to email your teachers accordingly.

What to do if you are sick

· If I am experiencing symptoms

Please stay home if you have a fever (>100.3 F) and have to treat it with medication like Tylenol or anything that is a fever reducer. If you tested negative, you could come back after 24 hours of being fever free without the use of medication. Feel free to email me if you have any questions about your symptoms or what to do if you are feeling sick.

· If I have had contact with someone who has tested positive

If you don’t have any symptoms, you can come to school. If you have had contact and started feeling symptoms (usually it starts with a headache and/or a sore throat) stay home and get tested.

· If I tested positive

1. Stay Home! You are to quarantine for 5 days from the day you started symptoms or tested positive (if asymptomatic).

2. ESWIPE. Fill out the questionnaire fully because this will help with your clearance on coming back to school. Please have parents keep communication about illnesses with me and not attendance.

3. Email your teachers about your schoolwork. Each of your teachers might have a different process so email them individually if needed.

4. Once I receive the ESWIPE, I will reach out to your parents about the details of your case, and I will communicate with attendance to excuse your absences.

5. If you have any other questions, please ask your parents email me.

Feel free to email me as well if you have any questions or concerns!

Your school nurse,

Nurse Melissa Hernandez

Who is Your Child's Administrator?

Please contact us for any questions or concerns. Thank you!

6th Grade-Ms. Luz Palmer lpalme@sisd.net-Oversees Attendance and LOC

7th Grade-Ms. Renee King rkingp@sisd.net-Oversees AVID, buses, technology

8th Grade-Mr. Moises Loya mloya04@sisd.net-Oversees Athletics, facilities

Who is Your Child's Counselors?

6th/7th Grade-Ms. Belinda Ortega borteg06@sisd.net

6th/8th Grade-Ms. Anita Montano amonta08@sisd.net