The Mustang Message

Happy Fri-YAY Mustang Family!

We had another great week in the home of the Mustangs! We had lots of spirit on campus for both our Hawaiian Day as well as Red, White, and Blue for Patriot's Day today. Next week there is not a Tivy Spirit Day. We are excited to announce though that we did win the KISD spirit stick for the Gold Out Day!!!

Next week we will be having a "Grand Lunch" where Grandparents and Grandfirends can come and join their Mustang for lunch. There is more information in the section below. We will be celebrating all week long due to the size of our cafeteria. We do just ask that Grandparents and Grandfirends just come once during the week.

We would also love to celebrate our amazing DES Staff! Below you will find a link to share staff affirmations. Please take a moment to share about those staff members who make a difference in your student's life each and every day!

Have an amazing weekend! We know lots of our Mustangs are excited for their first YMCA games and second soccer games! Maybe I will see you at a field or gym sometime soon!

With Mustang Pride,

Katie Miller
Principal

Grandparents, Grandfriends, and Special Guests... this week is for you!

Join your Mustang for lunch during Grand Lunch Week, September 14-18 and enjoy some special time together at school.

If your schedule doesn't allow you to visit during Grand Lunch Week, don't worry! You're always welcome to come eat lunch with your Mustang on another day that works better for you.

A valid photo ID is required for all visitors at check-in.

We look forward to welcoming our Mustang families to campus!

What is Empathy?

Empathy is the ability to be aware of, understand, and be sensitive to another person’s feelings. Instead of focusing on how these feelings impact ourselves, empathy motivates us to focus on others and respond with care and compassion.

Why Focus on Empathy?

• Empathy builds a positive classroom culture. Empathy empowers students to learn to understand each other to build trust and safety in the classroom.
• Empathy strengthens community. Empathy helps students strengthen their relationships with classmates, other students and adults at school, and at home.
• Empathy prepares your students to be leaders in their community. The best leaders understand the people they lead and are able to show they care.

Empathy in Action:

• Take a different perspective. When you take a different perspective, you put aside your own feelings and reactions to see the situation through another’s eyes.
• Put aside judgment. Take a pause, and rather than express conclusions about a situation based on what you see, step back and consider other things you may still need to know or understand.
• Communicate that you understand. Instead of giving advice, respond with reflective phrases like, “It sounds like you...” or “I hear that you...” to express that you understand and care.

Could Your Child Use Some Extra Tools for Managing Worries?

I will be starting a small group for students who may benefit from learning healthy and positive ways to manage worries, stress, and big feelings. The group will provide a safe and supportive space where students can learn practical strategies they can use at school and at home.

Students will learn how to:
✨ Recognize how worry can show up in their bodies
✨ Practice calming strategies like breathing and grounding
✨ Identify trusted people they can turn to for support
✨ Recognize their strengths and use them when facing challenges

If you think your child would benefit from participating, I would love to hear from you! Please email me with your child's name and a brief note about what you are noticing or what you feel they could use support with.

Groups will start September 22nd and run for 6-8 weeks.

Mrs. Mohnke

💙💛 Mustangs, we need YOU! 💛💙

Join the Tom Daniels Elementary PTO and be entered to win exciting rewards every 6 weeks! The more you participate and volunteer, the more chances you have to win.

Let's work together to make this school year unforgettable for our students!

September 15th: First Day of Mustang Melodies until 4:30 p.m.

September 16th: Musang Music Maker Auditions until 4:30 p.m.

September 18th: Happy Birthday, Ms. Mack!

September 22nd: Happy Birthday, Ms. Morris!

September 25th: End of the 1st 6-Weeks

September 28th: Student Holiday/Staff PD Day

September 28th: Happy Birthday, Ms. LeMaster!

September 29th: 1st Day of the 2nd 6-Weeks

Each Wednesday at Daniels, our staff will be trying to help promote CCMR (College, Career, and Military Readiness) by wearing shirts of different colleges, careers, and branches of the military. Although attending college is a great option for students when they graduate from high school, it isn't the only option that can lead to a rewarding and successful future. Our students may be young, but their future is bright! We invite all of our Mustangs to join in on Wednesdays and wear their favorite CCMR shirt!

Please note the following procedures that will be in place to help this process go smoothly.

• Visitors MUST check in at the front office by presenting their ID and obtain a visitor's pass.
  
• Visitors will be able to eat with their student in the designated seating. No friends or classmates will be able to join.
• Visitors are not permitted to sit at the student tables with homeroom classes.
• You are welcome to bring food for your student, but it cannot be shared with other classmates.
• Visitors will NOT be able to walk with students back to their class after lunch or attend recess with them.
• Visitors MUST sign out in the Office before leaving campus.

Scheduled Lunch Times

Kindergarten: 10:45-11:15 a.m.

1st Grade: 11:05-11:35 a.m.

2nd Grade: 11:25-11:55 a.m.

3rd Grade: 12:35-1:05 p.m.

4th Grade: 12:15-12:45 p.m.

5th Grade: 11:50-12:20 p.m.

Our campus goal this year is 96% school-wide attendance. Regular attendance is extremely important. If your child is absent from school, please call or email your child's homeroom teacher and our Attendance Secretary as soon as you know they will not be attending school that day. Please include the reason for the absence. Excused absences are illness, medical appointments, or death in the family. Notes, calls, or emails must be received within 3 school days of the child returning. Unexcused absences may result in your child being placed on an attendance plan, prevent your child from being promoted to the next grade level, or may result in truancy charges being filed. Attendance is taken each day at 10:00 a.m. A student must be on campus at that time to be counted present.

Students are counted tardy if they are not in their class by 7:45 a.m. Parents are required to bring the student into the office to check them in if arriving after 8 a.m. Chronic tardiness will be addressed by administration. It is vital that students arrive to school on time. This time is important to helping develop social skills, organization skills, and learning to begin the day prepared. Students that arrive after 7:45 often come in behind the rest of the class, causing anxiety and stress on the student. Always allow time for traffic delays due to weather conditions and the first few weeks of school.

All visitors and volunteers must sign in at the front office before entering the campus. Our Raptor system requires a valid photo ID for all first time visitors. Each year this is reset. Visitors will be unable to enter the campus if they have not signed in with proper ID, even if the DES team knows you. We will not allow visitors to be released to classrooms unless the teacher has previously let the office staff know.

Parents are welcome to visit at lunch time during your student's grade level lunch time starting Monday, August 31st. We will continue to have a visitor's table.

At the conclusion of their visit, all visitors MUST sign out in the office before leaving campus.

Birthday treats must be store bought with a nutrition label. Treats from bakeries must also include a nutrition label.

Birthday treats may be dropped off in the front office. Visitors will not go to classrooms for birthday celebrations. Teachers will celebrate the last 15 minutes of the day, prior to dismissal. Flowers and balloons are not to be sent to school for delivery for any student.

If your student needs a transportation change for the day, please contact the office by 2:00 p.m. As it gets closer to 3 p.m., it can sometimes be difficult to locate students as the dismissal process begins. We understand that emergencies happen and will assist when those arise.

We also ask that students who need to leave early are picked up by 2:30 p.m. as well. This will allow our office staff to focus on dismissal and to ensure that it runs smoothly.

Thanks for your cooperation and understanding!

Breakfast and Lunch are offered on campus daily. Please check the menu frequently to see any changes that might occur.

2026-2027 Meal Prices

Breakfast Paid Student - $1.75

Breakfast Reduced Student - Free

Lunch Paid Student - $3.50

Lunch Reduced Student - $0.40

Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) is an evidence-based, tiered framework for supporting students’ behavioral, academic, social, emotional, and mental health. When implemented with fidelity, PBIS improves social emotional competence, academic success, and school climate. It also improves teacher health and wellbeing. It is a way to create positive, predictable, equitable and safe learning environments where everyone thrives.

Kerrville ISD is utilizing PBIS on all four elementary campuses.

At Daniels, we have adopted the acronym of PRIDE. Our Mustangs are expected to show PRIDE in all they do and in all areas of the school. Students are asked to wear their badge so they can be rewarded for showing PRIDE throughout the school and by all staff members. Students are able to use their points to shop in Teacher Stores and to participate in school-wide incentives.

The safety of our students and staff remains a top priority. To support a coordinated response during emergencies, our campus follows the Standard Response Protocol (SRP) developed by the I Love U Guys Foundation. The attached graphics explain the five SRP actions and what they mean. We encourage families to review this information so we can partner together in promoting a safe school environment.