The DES Community Newsletter
December 2025
IMPORTANT DATES
Monday, December 1st: High School Jazz Band convocation
Monday, December 1st: First Grade Christmas Music Program
Monday, December 1st - 12th Food Drive for the Food Pantry
December 2nd and 3rd: ILEARN Checkpoint 2 for 3rd graders
Week of December 8th - 11th: Santa Secret Shop
Monday, December 15th: PTO provides Grinch Punch for students
Week of December 15th - 19th: Holiday Dress up Days
Tuesday, December 16th: Third grade will have Junior Achievement
Wednesday, December 17th: Third graders sing at Oak Grove
Thursday, December 18th: All School Sing around the Christmas Tree @ 1:45
Friday, December 19th: Classroom Christmas Parties @ 2:15
Friday, December 19th: End of the first semester.
December 22 - January 5th: Christmas Break for Students
Tuesday, January 6th: Students return
Friday, January 9th: Report cards will be posted on Skyward.
Monday, January 12th: LifeWise will start up again.
Friday, January 16th: 100th Day of School
Monday, January 19th: NO SCHOOL (Martin Luther King, Jr. Day)
PTO Happenings!
We LOVE our PTO here at DES. They do amazing stuff for our students and staff. If you would like to be a part of it, please reach out to our PTO board at des.pto@yahoo.com. All our parents are welcome to attend the monthly meetings. The next meeting will be on Wednesday, December 3rd. at 4:00 p.m. in the library.
ILEARN Checkpoint #2
Our 3rd graders will be taking ILEARN Checkpoint #2 on December 2nd and 3rd. This is the second of three Checkpoint assessments and there will be a summative ILEARN assessment in late April/early May. Parents of our 3rd graders can use their access code to view their child's results on these assessments through the new ILEARN Parent Portal that Indiana Department of Education has developed.
Dress for The Weather!
As our seasons change, our temps are dropping. Please be sure to send your child to school with the appropriate hats, coats, and gloves.
If you need any assistance with getting hats, coats, or gloves for your child(ren), please reach out to Mrs. Delaney, our school social worker/counselor.
When Chromebooks or IPADS are sent home, please help your child remember to bring them back the next school day. Your help with this is greatly appreciated!
Weather Delays & Cancellations
As we approach the colder months of the year, we may experience delays and cancellations. Delays and E-Learning Days will be announced on Class Dojo, DES Facebook Page, KV Website, and local radio stations like 97.7 and 105.5.
E-Learning Day Information
Due to changes at the Indiana General Assembly, all eLearning days will include live instruction equal to at least 50% of our daily instructional minutes. Teachers will deliver instruction via Google Meet and each school has developed a schedule for students to follow.
eLearning Model
Teacher Office Hours: After 9:00 a.m. /anytime not on Google Meet.
Teacher Lunch: Teacher will communicate with students/parents lunch time.
Classroom Expectations
Teachers will schedule a Google Meet session from the hours of 9:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Teachers will schedule a Google Meet session between 1:00-3:00 pm to check-in with students and offer support that students need.
Reading & Math lessons will be live.
Following the grade-level’s schedule, students will complete Reading, Math, and lessons in Art, Music, or Gym. In addition to whole group lessons, students will also work with their teacher in small group lessons and there will be some opportunities for a student to check in 1-1 with their teacher.
Students should participate and behave appropriately, misconduct will be addressed by school personnel.
Classroom Morning Session Time
Teachers will schedule a Google Meet session for Live Instruction from 9:00-11:30 am
Specials Teachers Session Time (Art, Music, & P.E.)
Specials Teachers will meet with their scheduled classes that they are regularly scheduled to meet with.
Specials Teachers will teach a lesson on Google Meet with their classes.
Classroom Afternoon Session Time
Teachers will schedule a Google Meet session between the hours of 1:00-3:00 pm to check-in with students and assist as needed.
Attendance
We are responsible for 180 days of instruction. Therefore, attendance will be taken daily, Monday-Friday. Teachers may use discretion on due dates.
Dismissal Information
REMINDER: Please call the office if you need to make a change for your child's dismissal transportation. For example: You will be picking your child up rather than riding the bus home. Please DO NOT message your child's teacher on Class Dojo. We want to make sure the message gets to your child and your child's teacher. Please call in at 219-987-2789. Please call in before 1:00 pm. Thank you!
