Pinon Pawprint

• Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day - Monday, January 20

• Parent Council Meeting --- Tuesday, January 21---12:00 – 1:00pm

• Lost & Found - Please come check - things are still piling up!

• REMINDER: Please do not send kids to school with candy, soda, energy drinks, or coffee. They will be asked to throw these out.

--Next PTO meeting will be Tuesday, Jan 28th at 11:00 am at Pinon Elementary (new time to accommodate changes to lunch schedule)

Use this link to join remotely (link is different from previous meetings):

https://us04web.zoom.us/j/79925185198?pwd=17pVtlDMGB0rYkQOQxqorg3ZUeIlC5.1

Meeting ID: 799 2518 5198

Passcode: PWh8Uq

--Next evening parent update meeting will be in February

We are looking for volunteers for these upcoming events:

--5+ volunteers to help with teacher appreciation week in May

--3+ volunteers to help with senior scholarship essay judging in April

If you are able to help with the above, please contact us at pinonpto@gmail.com

In May we will elect new PTO officers for our organization, as the 2 year term for our current officers will be concluded. Offices that will need to be filled include President, Vice President, Secretary, and 2 Treasurers. Teachers are able to service as VP and Secretary. If you are interested in serving on our board, or would like more information on the duties of board positions, please reach out to us at pinonpto@gmail.com!

For our new families just starting at Pinon, please take some time to read through these handbooks.

They contain almost everything you need to know about LAPS and Pinon Elementary School.

• Piñon Family Handbook

• Piñon Preschool Family Handbook

Here is a section of the Family Handbook that is good to review....Attendance.

We are seeing an uptick in random vacations, sometimes of a week or more. These extra vacations can be very difficult for students, not just in terms of missing work but in terms of actual sequentially planned, instructional hours that the classroom teacher can not provide to your child. Learning is more than worksheets. We appreciate your help keeping students in school.

Maintaining regular school attendance, less than 9 or fewer absences a year, is the joint responsibility of students, parents, educators, and the legal system as regular attendance is essential to learning. Research shows that missing 10 or more days a year begins to create a downward spiral that ultimately affects reading and overall academic achievement. (Ten Facts About Attendance)

High absenteeism also negatively impacts skills that are essential to students for future education and employment. In addition, frequent tardiness to school can have a negative impact on student success. For these reasons, the New Mexico Compulsory School Attendance Law requires that all students of appropriate age and condition attend classes regularly (NMSA 22-12-1, et seq., 2009).

To Excuse an Absence: Piñon School Attendance Phone Number: 505-663-2681 or email: pinon.office@laschools.net

Provide the following information via email, phone call, or written note prior to the absence or within 24 hours of the absence:

• Student name & grade level.

• A brief reason for the absence with the date and time away from school. (Illness, Bereavement, etc.).

• Parent name, daytime phone number, and signature (if sending a written note).

Excused Absences

Our overriding principle is that ALL ABSENCES COUNT - whether or not they are excused. However, parents may excuse up to ten days of absences per academic year. After the ten days are used a medical note must be submitted upon returning to school in order to be marked excused. Just remember: ALL ABSENCES COUNT. Absences in excess of 10 days may result in a letter or phone call home by the Guidance Counselor or Principal.

It is the responsibility of the parent/guardian or adult student to notify the school of every absence within 24 hours. When a student is recorded as absent by the homeroom teacher, parents will receive a phone call from the attendance clerk, unless you have already called in. Please notify the school office by contacting the attendance phone line or attendance email on the day of the student’s absence. Absences may be excused for the following reasons with proper notification:

• Illness (including chronic illness documented on a health plan, IEP or 504 plan)

• Limited family emergencies

• Family deaths

• Hazardous weather conditions

• Late bus arrivals

• Medical, health or legal appointments

• Suspensions

• Religious observance

• College or University visits

• Deployment of a military parent

• Limited extenuating circumstances as approved in advance by the school principal

Pre-arranged Absence Notification

Parents planning to pull students for three or more days should obtain and complete a Pre-Arranged Absence Form from the main office. Please submit the form to the main office one week prior to departure. This is a courtesy to our attendance clerk and to the teachers who may be required to gather work for your student. These absences may or may NOT be excused based on how many days your child has been absent.

Unexcused Absences

All absences for reasons not included under excused absences shall be considered unexcused. Examples include, but are not limited to:

• Non-school sponsored activities or trips

• Family vacations outside of the normally scheduled school breaks

• Excused absences greater than 10 will be considered unexcused

Tardies, Lates, and Withdrawal During the Day

A child arriving less than 5 minutes after the bell is marked TARDY. LATE is marked for students more than 5 minutes late. Students who miss more than half a day of school (approx. 3.75 hours) will be marked absent for the day.

Requesting Work

After three days of unplanned absence parents may request work. Teachers will assign any make-up work that can be completed outside of class, but credit for class participation, discussions, and group activities cannot be guaranteed. To maintain continuity in learning, students are encouraged to complete work missed during unexcused absences.

• LAPS Policy/Regulation 5110/5110Rl

Release Of Students During The School Day

For the safety and protection of your child, a parent/guardian is required to report to the school office, present photo identification, and officially sign-out the student for early release. Parents/guardians have the responsibility to furnish schools with accurate, up-to-date contact information. Students will not be released into the custody of any organization, institution, or individual (without prior consent or communication with the parents/guardians) who is not listed as an Emergency Contact in Powerschool.

• No School - Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day

Tuesday

• Band and Orchestra 7:30 and 8:20
• Care Team 7:45

• Parent Council Meeting --- Board Room 12:00 – 1:00pm

• Homework Club 2:45 room 104

• Girls Who Code 4th-6th @ lunch
• Homework Club 2:45 room 104
  
• Pinon Choir 2:45

• Band and Orchestra 7:30 and 8:20
• LAMS Orientation for 6th Grade - Classroom Visit @ Pinon 9:10-10:10
• National History Club - Gr. 6 11:05 & 2:45
• Homework Club 2:45 room 104
• Rocket Club - 2:45-3:45 - Mrs. Rittner's Room

• 100th Day Celebration Day - dress up in your 100 (yr old) costumes and enjoy!
• Student Council 7:30
• 2nd Grade trash club @ lunch
• DIstrict Science Fair begins - through Saturday
• Have a great weekend!!

View menus online at https://laschools.nutrislice.com/menu in order to make the best choice for your student(s) but keep in mind that menus can change without notice and substitutions in the menu occur often. Special dietary requests should be made to Chartwells. When in doubt, pack your student's lunch or pack additional foods in case they do not like what is provided.

These students made the most growth between December and January!

Here is the link for One Circle girl's group. Please sign up here!

https://form.jotform.com/losalamosjjabinfo/one-circle-registration-spring-2025

We are participating in the American Heart Association Kids Heart Challenge. They have representatives coming to explain the challenge and to get the kids excited for learning about heart health in February.

Mrs. Gayner will be leading the charge in PE classes and there are all kinds of fun activities and prizes to earn. More information will come home soon!

Come out and join us for a fun and relaxing night of reading while enjoying milk and cookies!

Also, here is the link if you want to order a special t-shirt for the occasion.

THE ORDER WILL BE FINALIZED ON MONDAY.

https://www.customink.com/go/khn0-00cx-kpmg

Winter Break

• Mon, December 23-Mon, January 6

No School - Teacher Planning Day

• Mon, January 6

First Day of School Second Semester

• Tue, January 7

WIDA ACCESS Testing Begins

• Mon, January 13-Fri, March 7

School Board Meeting

• Tue, January 14 --- 5:30 PM Board Room

District Spelling Bee -Time TBD

• Wednesday, January 15, 2025 --- 6:00PM

Martin Luther King, Jr. Day - NO SCHOOL

• Mon, January 20

Parent Council Meeting

• Tue, January 21 --- 12:00-1:00 PM

School Board Meeting

• Thur, January 23 --- 5:30 PM Barranca Mesa

District Science Fair

• Fri, January 24 - Sat, January 25

Pre-K Math Night in gym

• Wednesday, January 29 --- 5:00 – 6:30pm

Piñon’s Vision Statement

All Piñon students will be Kind and Learn.

Piñon’s Mission Statement

Piñon Elementary provides the skills and values for student success now and in their future.

Piñon’s Core Values:

• Character: Piñon Elementary School teaches, models, and practices kindness, integrity, and resiliency.
• Community: Piñon Elementary School fosters a mindset of safety and respect in school and home communities.
• Commitment to Learning: Piñon Elementary School utilizes learning strategies that promote academic rigor and students' passion to learn.

90 Grand Canyon Drive, White Rock, NM, USA 87547

Principal Email: Ivanna Austell, iv.austell@laschools.net

Asst. Principal Email: Jennifer Kieltyka, j.kieltyka@laschools.net

Phone: 505-663-2680

Piñon Website: https://pinon.laschools.net/

PTO Website: https://pinonpto.org/