The Moose Paper

Dear Montwood Families,

We are excited to start our first day with your child at Montwood Middle School! We appreciate you trusting us with your child education, safety, and personal overall development. We aim to help give your child a year they will never forget! With your support we know they will reach great heights and accomplish their goals!

Thank you to all who were able to come to our Orientation/Walk the Halls event. We had 68% of our families attend. Wow-what an an incredible turnout! If you have order shirts online we will be providing themt o your child during lunchtime over the next couple of days. Please keep in mind we have a spirit dress up week that student can participate in if they did not get a uniform in time (please scroll below).

Just a friendly reminder that our school announcements begin at 8:05 promptly. Please aim to have your child on campus by 7:45am breakfast so they don't miss out as well as have time to double check their 1st period class in our commons area.

This newsletter continues to keep some of the same information since we continue to have newly enrolled families and we do not want them to miss out on information. New information added to this newsletter are:

• Bus System Information updates/access to software
• Parking Procedures/locations for pick up- MAP included
• Food drop off policy
• Cell Phone Policy
• 1st day important entry procedures

Please scroll down to see all previous information that has not change:

• 2025-2026 Academic Year Calendar
• Dress Code/Uniform Guidelines
• T-Shirt Fundraiser Information
• School Supply List
• 2025–2026 Bell Schedule- updated
• 1st 9 weeks Sports Sign Up
• Technology/Laptop update
• 1st Day of Schools Procedures
• Schedule Change Request Form
• Parent Volunteer Sign Up
• Spirit Dress Up Week

We are committed to making this school year a successful and memorable one for your child. Please don’t hesitate to reach out if you have any questions or need assistance—we’re here to support you every step of the way.

Dawn Sisneros-Herrera, Registrar/Attendance email: dsisne@sisd.net Phone: 915-937-5809

Joanne Valles, Secretary email: jvalle07@sisd.net Phone: 915-937-5805

Erica Gonzalez, Counselor email: eromo02@sisd.net Phone: 937-5810

Lorena Sandoval- Assistant Principal Lsando04@sisd.net Phone: 915-937-580

Melissa Saenz- Campus Principal Mmarti4757@sisd.net Phone: 915-937-5802

Our office hours are from 7:30am-3:30pm Monday- Friday.

Once again, welcome to Montwood Middle School. We can’t wait to see you soon!

With gratitude and pride,

Dr. Melissa Saenz
Principal, Montwood Middle School

There is an update to the software program used for transportation. Please see below for more information. Need Help? Our transportation department can assist directly at 915-937-0600.

Crossguards: A crossing guard is on duty at Pebble Hills and Arrambide and at Pebble Hills and Saul Kleinfeld from 7:15 a.m. to 8:20 a.m. and 3:25 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.

School Zone/Drop Off Zones/Pick Up Zones: It is the goal of Montwood Middle School to provide the safest environment for all children. Parent cooperation with traffic around the school is needed in order to fulfill our goal. Please abide by traffic laws and drive the speed limit. No parking is allowed within the school zones and the bus loading/unloading areas. Students should have all belongings ready to get out of the vehicle quickly so traffic is not backed up. That means say your “goodbye” or “see you later” as you approach the drop off area. Please do not park in the drop off zones or in our teacher parking spaces. We ask that you SLOW DOWN and maintain a 10-mph speed limit.

Students who are getting picked up will be release to the Basketball and Tennis Court Area for parent pick up. Students who walk home will be release by teachers in the classroom and walked outside. Student who participates in sports or extracurricular activities may report to the their designated areas. To ensures crosswalk safety due to the large amount of students who walk home, the line to cross the street will start along the side of the MMS entrance.

We are aware of the possible traffic congestion and ask for your patience and care when driving children to school. Your child’s safety is of utmost importance to us. Leave home with plenty of time and be thoughtful of others. Traffic laws will be enforced by the El Paso Police Dept. as well as the SISD police dept. The school has no control over parents receiving traffic tickets. Visitor parking is available in the lot on the west side of the building.

For the safety of our students and to improve our traffic flow, we ask that you use the designated drop off areas when dropping off or picking up your child. For example, if you drive through Lane #1, please be sure to drop off/pick up your child in the Lane #1 drop off/pick up area to ensure the safety of all students. As you exit, be mindful of the crosswalks and be sure to use the designated exit for Lane #1. Lane #1 must exit to the right on Pebble Hills (toward Elfida P. Chavez Elementary). This will allow a more efficient traffic flow.

Lane #2, is used as a crossover lane to leave once their child has entered the vehicle. This will allow for vehicles to pass the vehicles in the front of the them still waiting for their child.

For additional safety, security and teacher monitors will be present to help guide traffic and assist at the Lane #2 crosswalk in the main parking lot. The traffic and parking lot monitors are there for the safety of our school community. Please be patient and respectful as they will be directing traffic and managing a safe arrival for all our students.

Please use the map on next below to better assist you with the drop off/pick up zones, as well as traffic flow:

• Please assist in ensuring parking lot safety by dropping your child off in the Moose Pick up or walking them home if you live close enough. Parking in the faculty parking will prevent our teachers from being able to report to their morning station on time.
• Please use Moose Pick up afterschool. Do not pick up directly on Pebble HIlls. This forces students to cross in front of our buses and is a safety hazard. See map above.
• No adults that do not have directly business with our front office staff (new registrations, appointments with administration) will not be allowed in the building. This is for safety. Our walk the halls event was our campus opportunity to enter together. Please take pictures in advance as parents will not be allowed to walk their child in. We will support and guide them and have a lot of help getting student to classrooms.
• Students who do not have a schedule, could not access online, or did not attend orientation will have an opportunity to check for their 1st period class in our commons.
• If you requested a schedule change last week please check your email in case you did not receive a phone call. All schedule requests have been completed and new schedule may be visible online.
• All teachers will provide a ORANGE COPY of updated schedules. All students need to follow their orange copy provided by their 1st period teacher. Maps will be provided to all students by 1st period teacher as well.
• As students are learning their schedules we will have a 1 week tardy amnesty period. Tardies will be enforced week 2.
• Students will be provided with our PBIS Matrix of Behavior expectations by their 1st period teacher. This will be reviewed on day 1. We encourage you to review with your child so they are aware how to be safe, respectful, and responsible at Montwood MS.

Food Services: A FREE breakfast is served from 7:45 am–8:00 a.m. each morning. Lunch is also free (see bell schedule for set grade level lunch time). For further questions, please contact the cafeteria staff at 937-5825. If you are packing lunch please note that there is not a microwave or refrigerator available for non-special education unit classrooms.

Food Drop Offs: No outside fast food will be allowed to be dropped off during school hours unless it is a forgotten personal lunch bag. Home lunch bag will be allowed to be received and taken to child. No fast food is allowed and will not be accepted via parent or uber delivery for students.

Please note that all students are provided an opportunity to eat from our cafeteria. If you child has a special diet please contact our Nurse so that they can inform the school. The school will not be held responsible or uber fees lost due to rejection of food deliveries.

Our campus has purchased technology pouches to help students keep all technology devices safe and organized in their backpack. The pouch is large enough to hold cell phone, earbuds, and smartwatch. This is for their convenience and a courtesy of the school to help them not loose items inside their backpack (there is no charge).They will be provided this bag by their 1st period teacher. Students are expected to have this technology off while inside this technology pouch. Technology can not be in any side pockets of backpack. It must be zipped away in the larger bag before they enter school. Students may take items out of bag after 3:30pm instructional day end of day bell for extracurricular use or parent contact.

We are big on "X"! We do our best to post on average 5 or more a week so share and highlight some of the incredible instruction, recognition and fun on campus. Some of our teachers and support staff also have accounts and also share that I usually will add to my thread. Use information below to follow.

This year, we’re charging into excellence with our bold new theme: Moose in Action! It’s more than a motto/theme—it’s a mindset. As a campus known for innovation, growth, and unwavering commitment to student success, we are embracing the power of movement, initiative, and momentum. Whether in the classroom, on the field, in the arts, or through leadership, every one of us plays a part in propelling our school forward. Together, let’s take bold steps, spark creativity, and lead with purpose—because greatness doesn't just happen… it happens in action. Let’s make this our most impactful year yet!

ALERT! All 6-8 middle school bell schedules in district have changed their start time. Students are starting later at 8:05am. Breakfast will be in the cafeteria from 7:45am-8:05. Doors will open for students at 7:30am. Our previous bell schedule had doors open at 7:15am. Please do not drop off students prior as this can create a safety issue as we do not have faculty/staff on duty at this time. Only exceptions should be teacher assigned tutoring, athletic practices, morning music rehearsals.

Hard Copy schedules will be provided at orientation but are accessible online via portal.

Schedule Change requests will be accepted as early as July 30th. Parents and Students DO NOT need to report to Front Office to request a schedule change. All Schedule change requests are done electronically and evaluated in the order they are received. Parents may be contacted by our Scheduler once the request has been reviewed and approved. Please be patient as we have only 1 Scheduler who manages these requests. Requests will be review on a first come first serve basis. Students are to follow the schedule provided until they are called out and provided a new schedule.

Reasons your schedule may not be approved: If the class/course you requested conflicts with another course. The class you requested is full. The class/course you selected was initially selected on your pre-registration course request form. Request made solely on wanting a different teacher will not be approved as we have majority of sections only 1 teacher teaching subjects areas by grade level.

For request for schedules changes use the link below..

Link: https://forms.office.com/r/AE0ktxpkkH

or scan QR Code:

Please complete the information below and our parent liaison will reach out to you at her first opportunity. Thank you for considering for volunteering at Montwood MS! We appreciate your support.

Areas of support weekly are morning, lunch, and afterschool duty/student supervision. Thank you for your help in advance!

LINK: https://forms.office.com/r/a6hwEzGKsC

We welcome you to come and walk our halls and follow your child's schedule that they will follow on the first day. We want students to feel comfortable and more confident as they start their new academic year. We will be following all safety protocols on first day of school for our campus. This means parents WILL NOT be able to enter the building to walk children to class. Please plan on taking your first day pictures at home prior school. We will also have a photo booth at orientation. This will support ALL of our families so not to block traffic or cause other students to be late. Thank you for your support with matter.

Students will be taking photos during the 1st week of school. IDs will be printed and distributed to students. Parents may pay in advance at orientation or online at myschoolbucks.com.

We understand that many may not get paid until end of month or start of month. To support our families and to bring some begining of the year spirit, we will have a 1 week dress code option for students. They may follow the spirit dress up week with school appropriate jeans and spirit top for week or our regular dress code of uniform top/bottom. Week 2 we will begin to further enforce our dress code.

We are in the process of finding a new cheer coach. We do plan on having cheer and will begin tryouts as soon as we can secure a cheer sponsor.

Students will continue to be 1 to 1 in the classroom. Teachers will be assigned computers in the classroom for student use. Students will NOT be assigned computers. Any homework, if any, provided will be paper based. This will lessen the weight of backpacks for students and reduce technology fee charges for the future.

**All fees from previous years do need to be cleared to attend school events. We will have a station at registration where you can check if you owe any fees from previous year. This fee does crossover if you are transferring or coming up from elementary schools. You will need to be cleared of fees for student to participate in activities for the upcoming year. Payments can be made on https://www.myschoolbucks.com/ver2/getmain?requestAction=home