The Mustang Message

Happy Fri-YAY Mustang Family!

We have officially completed our first three weeks of school, and what an incredible start it has been! Our Mustangs have been working hard, building relationships, and creating great memories along the way. As we continue our journey through the school year, please remember that progress reports for students in grades 3-5 will be sent home next week.

We also enjoyed a special start to our Friday as the Tivy Football players and Cheerleaders greeted students with smiles and enthusiasm this morning. Later, we celebrated our first Football Friday with members of the Schreiner Football Team, who spent time with our Mustangs during recess and specials. Our students had a blast playing, learning, and connecting with these outstanding role models!

Thank you for helping make our school community such a positive and supportive place. We are excited for all the great things still to come this year! 💙🐴

☀️ Labor Day Weekend Reminder
There will be no school on Monday in observance of Labor Day. We hope our Tivy family enjoys a relaxing and enjoyable three-day weekend. Stay safe, have fun, and we'll see everyone back on Tuesday, September 8th, ready for another great week! 🎉

📸 Fall Individual Picture Day is Tuesday, September 8!
Get those smiles ready! Individual student pictures will be taken on Tuesday, September 8. Families who would like to purchase photos can find ordering information below in this newsletter. We can't wait to see everyone's picture-perfect smile!

🦺Morning Arrival Reminders

We are dedicated to providing a safe and welcoming environment for all students. Please remember that morning supervision begins at 7:00 a.m. when school doors open. We have noticed an increase in students being dropped off before supervision begins. For student safety, we ask families to plan for arrival at 7:00 a.m. or later. Thank you for helping us keep our students safe each morning.

🤝 Get Connected Through PTO!
We invite all parents, guardians, staff, and community members to join us for our upcoming PTO Meeting on Tuesday, September 8th at 12:00 p.m. in the Library. PTO plays an important role in supporting our students and school programs, and we'd love for you to be part of it. All are welcome!

🌴 Hawaiian Spirit Day - September 10th 🌴
It's time to turn up the school spirit! On September 10th, we're celebrating with a Hawaiian-Themed Spirit Day. Wear your brightest tropical attire, leis, and island accessories as we rally behind our team. Tivy is ready to "Lei Down the Chargers!" Let's make it a sea of school spirit across campus! 🌺☀️

👵💙 Celebrating Grandparents and Grandfriends 💙👴

Although there will not be an official Grandparents Day celebration at DES, grandparents and grandfriends are welcome to share lunch with their favorite Mustang anytime during the school year. Thank you for being such an important part of our students' lives!

With Mustang Pride,

Katie Miller
Principal

Picture Day is coming on Tuesday, September 8!

You can place your order on mylifetouch.com using your Picture Day ID: EVT37G9GH. Order before midnight on Picture Day to get FREE shipping!

Your child can also bring their completed flyer with cash or check on Picture Day. Orders after Picture Day must be placed online on mylifetouch.com

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 4th: Happy Birthday, Mrs. Scogin!

September 7th: No School- Labor Day

September 8th: Fall Individual Picture Day

September 8th: PTO General Meeting at Noon in the Library

September 9th: Campus Improvement Team Committee Meeting at 3:45 p.m.

September 11th: Happy Birthday, Mrs. Russ!

September 11th: Lockdown Drill Practice

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.