Message from the Principal
Dear Dragon Families,
Hope you enjoyed your weekend!
National Library Week - April 8th - 12th - We will be celebrating our Librarian all week. Ms. Dixon loves sharing her love of reading with our students. We appreciate you!
NEW - Solar Eclipse on Monday, April 18th - NEW - As a safety precaution, all students will remain inside the building for PE and recess in elementary. For middle school our Dragons that are usually at the portables will be housed in the gym/cafeteria from 11:13am-1:35pm. If teachers planned to have a viewing party in their grade level, permission slips were sent out during the past weeks. Everyone else will have an indoors viewing party via the live feed.
NEW - Attendance/Tardy Policy - NEW - EFFECTIVE ON MONDAY, APRIL 8TH
We are implementing a new Attendance/Tardy Policy at Drugan effective Monday, April 8th. It was approved on March 28th during our monthly SIT meeting. There will be consequences for an excessive amount of tardies to include lunch detention and SAC. Please review the JDS 2023-24 Attendance/Tardy Policy flyer for a specific amount of tardies and consequence attached to each.
NEW - 2024-25 Online Registration - NEW
Monday, April 8th - 2024-25 Online Registration will be open. Every school year all returning/new students need to submit their 2024-25 Online Registration and upload the required documents (state ID/license, current utility bill, etc). If you have any questions, please contact Ms. Norma Trevino at 915-937-6814.
STAAR T-Shirts - We have some extra t-shirts for our 3rd-8th grade students that might have misplaced theirs. Please send students to the front office to receive one. We are limited on sizes (only Adult M and L are available). First come, first serve.
Parent Spring Title I meeting, Wednesday, April 10th @8am and @5pm - Ms. Zais will be presenting the purpose and description of Title I Parent engagement.
NEW - 2024-25 Transfer Request - NEW
Monday, April 1st - 2024-25 Student Transfer requests are open. Every school year all students need to complete a transfer form. If you don't complete the transfer form before May 1st, your child will be moved to home campus for 2024-25 school year. Transfers will be approve if student is in good standing in academics, attendance, and discipline. Transfers will be denied if student is failing any class, has more than 10 absences, and/or has a discipline referral. If you have any questions, please contact Ms. Norma Trevino at 915-937-6814.
SKYWARD Attendance - You can add absence requests for your child to indicate a day or range of days your student will not be in school. This is helpful so you can add absence requests for your child via Family Access instead of being required to send a note or email the school to enter an absence request on your behalf. For example, if your child will be out sick for the day, or if your child will be gone due to a family emergency, you can enter an absence request to indicate these details. Flyer with step-by-step instructions can be found on the table of contents - Instructions on HOW TO Absence request.
Parking Blocks have been installed. Please go around the parking lot to form in the appropriate line for drop off/pick up in the PK-2nd area and 3rd-5th area. Exercise caution when parking to avoid any damage to your vehicle.
Friendly reminder - Middle school students need to be picked up in the middle school drop off/pick up zone. If parents are in the PK-2nd grade zone, they will be asked to move as it is creating traffic pile up for PK-2nd grade. Thank you in advance for your cooperation.
2023-2024 District Academic Calendar - UPDATE
An adjustment has been made to the 2023-2024 District Academic Calendar for the Socorro Independent School District. Friday, May 31, 2024, has been designated as a non-instructional day and a teacher workday. With several high school graduations set for May 31, the new designation of the day will provide flexibility to families who will be attending graduation ceremonies. The last day of school for students will be Thursday, May 30, 2024 (Early release).
Friendly Reminder
FREE DRESS Mondays
We are starting FREE DRESS Mondays effective October 23rd. In order to earn FREE DRESS on Monday, student needs to comply with the following during the previous week:
1. NO Absences
2. NO Tardies
3. NO Discipline Referrals
Students need to continue to follow DRESS CODE policy. First period teacher will check students for eligibility. If student is in free dress and had absences, tardies, or discipline the previous week, administrators will do the following -
1st Offense - 2 days lunch detention
2nd Offense - 5 days lunch detention
3rd Offense - 1 day In School Suspension (SAC)
Technology Monday/Friday CHECKS
Fridays: Grades 3,4,and 5 teachers will complete technology checks at 8:30-9:30 for their class.
Fridays: Electives and P.E. During 3rd period
Fridays: 8th grade 10:30-11:30
Mondays: Grades 6 and 7 those who are in the portables will use 3rd period
Teachers will -
1. Have students Shut down laptop from the power window
2. Once Laptop has completely shut down, have student log in and wait for the 'Logon Scripts' black box to pop-up on the screen (this indicates that the laptop is being updated by the district).
3. Verify that the student can log in to Eduphoria, Clever and has Wi-Fi connectivity.
4. Verify that all keys are working correctly
5. Verify that each student's audio is working correctly (and audio works through headphones)
6. Verify that each student has a working charger
Our teachers will continue to communicate individually by class but will mute conversations. If you need any information, please message teacher individually.
This month, we ask for your support to help our scholars with the following:
- read daily for 20 minutes (anything of interest to child);
- practice addition & subtraction facts (these bring confidence);
- practice multiplication & division facts (upper grades need for problem solving);
- go to bed early enough to be ready to learn the next day; &
- continue to communicate with classroom teachers
Arrival & Dismissal
Arrival and Dismissal will be our greatest challenges. Please be patient and kind. We will have all staff on duty to assist and create a system that is safe and efficient.
NEW - If you your child will have to cross to the passenger seat, an adult will escort him/her to the other side of the vehicle. You will receive a neon sign with this instructions as it is a new procedure to keep all our Dragons safe at all time.
For Dismissal, we do ask families to ensure their SIGN with child's name in posted in the front windshield so that we can read & call out the name.
Attendance
If your child is absent, we must have a doctor's note or a personal note explaining why they were absent upon their arrival. NEW: This year, district policy indicates parents/guardians have 72 hours to submit excuse notes justifying child's absence.
Attendance is vital to our scholars success. Every absence, scholars lose 7 hours of skills, strategies and support for learning.
We track attendance daily and will communicate with families when children have 5 absences & tardies to establish a Loss of Credit Contract. Our goal is for your child to be healthy and at school without losing credit.
COVID & Absences
If a student tests positive with COVID, child must see a doctor to get a test and be diagnosed with COVID. If parents submit a home COVID test, it will NOT qualify for the Q code of Quarantined. Therefore, these absences will count towards Loss of Credit. Ensure your child is seen by a doctor and diagnosis is sent as an excuse for absences to qualify for Q code.
Reporting Absences
If you need to report an absence, our PEIMS Clerk will be able to assist you. Our team will be receiving the email to help assist you. I will forward all of your messages to the classroom teachers so they are aware of the absence.
Email: attendancejohndrugan@sisd.net
Please include as much detail as possible:
- Child's name
- Grade
- Teacher
- Student ID
- Reason for the absence
All notes will be collected via the attendance email as well. Be sure to include details in the note as the child returns to class.
Breakfast in the Classroom
Our district will continue to provide breakfast in the classroom for ALL scholars. Breakfast in the Classroom, BIC, will be served daily from 7:30 AM to 7:45 AM. Please be on time to take advantage of the most important meal of the day.
Water Bottles
Please continue to send your children with water bottles. This will help them stay safe & hydrated. They can refill them in from the water fountains.
Safety
The building will be cleaned throughout the day in high traffic areas to ensure safety. We will have hand sanitizing stations at all classrooms, restrooms, cafeteria and playground. If you wish for your child to wear a mask, please send them with a mask that fits them comfortably.
Thank you for your continued support! We are blessed with an amazing learning community!
Together, we are better!
Respectfully,
Frenda Serda-Gerardo
Proud Principal of John Drugan School
Office Number: 915-937-6802
School Nurse
Our school Nurse, Susana Dorado, will continue to serve our learning community. She loves our scholars and working with our parents.
Time: 7:30 AM to 3:30 PM
Phone: 915-937-6896
Email: sdorado@sisd.net
Frenda Serda-Gerardo
Email: fserda@sisd.net
Website: https://www.sisd.net/o/johndrugan
Location: 12451 Pellicano Dr, El Paso, TX 79928, USA
Phone: (915) 937-6802
Twitter: @JDrugan_K8