Deretchin Back-to-School Update

We are only a few days away from the first day of school! We can hardly wait to see all of our new and returning Deretchin Dragons as we begin the 2026-2027 school year!

Our Deretchin Elementary Handbook Addendum is on the link below. Please review this prior to the first day of school because it contains important information such as arrival and dismissal procedures.

Please take a look below at our "Deretchin Back-to-School Checklist." It contains links to important and helpful school and CISD information.

Our Kindergarten students will have their "Teddy Bear Tea" (also known as "Kindergarten Meet the Teacher") from 4:00-5:00 PM. This is NOT a "come and go" event. At 4:00 PM, parents will take their child to their homeroom teacher's classroom, meet the teacher, and leave their child to have a snack and hear a story from their new teacher. Parents will make their way to the library where there will be a presentation about important kindergarten information from the administration team and members from our PTO.

Our "Meet the Teacher" for PK, Life Skills, and RISE is a "come and go" event and is from 4:00-5:00 PM.

Our "Meet the Teacher" for 1st-6th is also a "come and go" event and is from 5:00-7:00 PM.

Due to the increase in the number of staff members we have at Deretchin with the addition of several instructional programs, we no longer have enough space in our back parking lot to provide a parking space for each staff member. To help with this issue, we will have designated parking spots in the front with "Parking Reserved for Staff" signs in front of the parking spots. We appreciate your cooperation.

We are very LUCKY to have Mr. Joel Deretchin, our school namesake, here visiting during arrival on the first day of school! He will be here to greet our families and wish them well on this special day!

Did You Know?

Deretchin Elementary opened in 2005. For more than 30 years, Mr. Deretchin worked at The Woodlands Development Company as director of governmental relations before his retirement in July 2010. Although his primary job was to manage the relationship between The Woodlands and both the U.S Department of Housing and Urban Development and state and local entities, his role extended further.

Mr. Deretchin was instrumental in the planning and development of 17 schools in The Woodlands, helped grow the area parks from two to more than 100 when he retired and helped provide services to residents from trash to public safety. He also had a hand in the formation of The Woodlands current from of governance as it evolved from community associations to a township.

We appreciate everything Mr. Deretchin has done for The Woodlands and our school! We can't wait to see him on Wednesday!

We are LUCKY at Deretchin to have a group of students and parents who are dedicated to creating a beautiful and welcoming front of our school with lush landscaping plants and gorgeous flowers. The "Deretchin Yard Dragons" rolled up their sleeves last weekend to trim and plant bushes, spread mulch, arrange flowers, and clean everything up to help beautify our school. Thank you for helping make Deretchin shine!

Welcome Back, Dragons! 🐉

We are fired up for the 2026–2027 school year and can't wait to welcome everyone back!

🎉 Spirit Wear

Spirit Wear preorders are still available! As in previous years, all online orders placed before Meet the Teacher on August 10th will be delivered to your student's homeroom before the event. Don't wait until the last minute, inventory is limited!

🛍️ Visit the SPIRIT STORE to place your order.

We'll also have Spirit Wear available for purchase during Meet the Teacher, so be sure to stop by our table and say hello!

💻 Update Your PTO Account

Now is also a great time to update your information on our PTO website at deretchinpto.org.

We will once again be using the classroom boards on the PTO website for Room Parent communication. If you don't know your child's homeroom assignment yet, simply select their grade level and choose "Unassigned."

⭐ New This Year!

PTO Memberships now include having your family name proudly displayed on our PTO Member Wall in the cafeteria!

Memberships are $10 per family and also include access to our online directory.

Please note that PTO Memberships are not included with Spirit Wear purchases this year. They can be purchased separately in the Dragon Store.

🍦 Spirit Night – August 10th

Mark your calendars for our first Spirit Night of the year during Meet the Teacher! The Bruster's Ice Cream Truck will be at Deretchin, so be sure to stop by for a sweet treat.

☕ Volunteer Breakfast & First PTO Meeting

We'd love for you to join us on Thursday, August 20, at 8:30 a.m. for our Volunteer Breakfast and first PTO meeting of the school year.

This is a wonderful opportunity to learn about our committees, meet other families, and discover ways to get involved.

RSVP here:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScJEkPxwXfzAooMmxaiY_pKk0qV9nsVoLh_hvrEIOTFsLJnmg/viewform

We hope you're enjoying the rest of your summer and we can't wait to see everyone soon!

Narcisa Rincon & Maria Arambarri
Co-Presidents, Deretchin PTO

Deretchin Elementary School is a school for the community, promoting a safe and nurturing learning environment while developing the whole child and encouraging excellence in all we do.

Deretchin Elementary is a community that builds on best practices in order to help our students reach high academic, social, and emotional goals. Our school collaborates with our parents and community to provide a safe and positive culture the embraces the diversity on our campus where everyone is equal and achievements are celebrated.

Email: toliver@conroeisd.net
Website: https://deretchin.conroeisd.net/
Location: 11000 Merit Oaks Drive, The Woodlands, TX, USA
Phone: 832-592-8700
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DeretchinCISD/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/deretchinconroeisd/