Weekly Update

Happy November, Diamondback Families!

It's hard to believe we are already welcoming a new month! October was filled with wonderful memories, exciting activities, and opportunities to celebrate our Diamondbacks. Thank you to everyone who helped make our Trunk or Treat and Book Fair such a success!

As we move into November, our focus remains on strong instruction, student growth, and creating a positive learning environment where every child can succeed. With the holiday season approaching, it's important that we continue prioritizing daily attendance, arriving on time, and making every instructional minute count.

November is also a wonderful time to reflect on gratitude and kindness. I encourage our Diamondbacks to continue showing respect, helping others, and finding ways to make someone's day a little brighter.

We have another exciting month ahead! Please take a few moments to review this week's newsletter for important dates, reminders, and upcoming events.

Let's make November a month of gratitude, growth, and Diamondback pride! 💙🐍

Impact Aid forms will be sent home Monday, October 26, and must be returned by Wednesday, October 28.

Killeen ISD receives federal Impact Aid funding that helps support our schools and students. Every family must complete and return the form, even if you answer "No" to all three questions.

📝 How to Complete Your Form

• Section I: Complete if your child lives on Fort Hood.

• Section II: Complete if a parent or legal guardian is an active-duty member of the Uniformed Services, regardless of where they are stationed.

• Section III: Complete if a parent or legal guardian works as a civilian employee on Fort Hood or other federal property, including schools, businesses, restaurants, government facilities, VA hospitals, and U.S. Post Offices located on federal property.

✅ Before You Return Your Form

• Answer all three questions and complete any additional sections that apply.

• Sign and date your form.

• Your signature date must be October 26, 2026, or later.

• Return the form to your child's teacher by Wednesday, October 28.

🔒 All personal information will remain confidential.

Our goal is 100% participation! Thank you for taking a few minutes to complete this important survey and helping secure funding that benefits our Diamondbacks!

Diamondback Families, as we begin our second nine weeks, we look forward to connecting with you during our Parent-Teacher Conference window, October 20 through November 20.

These conferences are a valuable opportunity to discuss your child's academic progress, celebrate their successes from the first nine weeks, identify areas for growth, and establish goals for continued success.

Please be on the lookout for communication from your child's teacher regarding conference sign-ups and scheduling. We encourage all families to take advantage of this opportunity to connect and partner with their child's teacher.

Diamondback Families,

Alice W. Douse Elementary, in partnership with our Douse PTA, invites our veterans to a special morning of appreciation!

📅 Monday, November 9, 2026
⏰ 8:30–9:30 AM
📍 Douse Elementary Library

Look for RSVP confirmation. Please send your pictures to cynthia.webster@killeenisd.org

Diamondback Families, we have some exciting events and important dates coming up! Please take a moment to mark your calendars so you don't miss out!

Douse Spirt Wear Ongoing- See PTA flyer below

🍁 NOVEMBER

• 🇺🇸 November 11 — Veterans Day: No School

• 💙 November 13- World Kindness Day

• 🦃 November 23–27 — Thanksgiving Break: No School

• 🎁 November 30–December 4 — PTA-Sponsored Holiday Shop: Students will have an opportunity to shop for special holiday gifts!

🎄 DECEMBER

• ✉️ December 10 — Letters to Santa with The Links: A special holiday family event!

• 💚 December 14–17 — Grinch Week: A week of holiday fun and festive activities!

• ⏰ December 18 — Early Release Day

• ❄️ December 21–January 5 — Winter Break: No School

We look forward to celebrating the season with our Diamondback families! Please continue checking our weekly Smore newsletters for additional details and event reminders.

Student cell phones must be turned OFF before entering through EntryShield.

Phones must then be secured in the student's assigned phone lock pouch/case and remain secured throughout the school day.

Please remind your child of this expectation before arriving on campus.

This year, we are using Rooms for school-to-home communication, and our goal is 100% family participation!

Please be sure to sign up for Rooms so you can stay connected with your child's teacher and receive important classroom and campus information throughout the school year.

Important updates can happen quickly, so we want every Diamondback family connected from the start!

📱 Sign up for Rooms and stay connected!

PK, Kindergarten & 1st Grade

Dismissal: 3:25 PM

PK: Door 2
Kindergarten: Door 11
1st Grade: Door 12

2nd–5th Grade

Dismissal: 3:37 PM

2nd & 3rd Grade: Door 2
4th & 5th Grade: Door 3

Please bring a valid photo ID when picking up your child.

Students who have not been picked up by 3:47 PM will be brought to the front office.

Dismissal changes will be accepted until 2:00 PM.

Please contact your child's teacher as early as possible when a dismissal change is needed.

If you have not received confirmation from the teacher by 1:30 PM, please call the front office to ensure your message has been received.

For student safety, we cannot rely on last-minute messages during dismissal.

Strong attendance means more than simply coming to school—it also means being present for the entire instructional day.

Beginning this week, we will start attendance intervention plans and parent contacts for students who have excessive absences or are consistently missing instructional minutes due to late arrivals or early check-outs.

Please remember that instruction continues after 3:00 PM, and our school day does not end until 3:37 PM. Frequent early check-outs add up and can impact both your child's attendance and learning.

We understand that emergencies and unavoidable appointments happen. Please limit early pick-ups to times when they are truly necessary.

⚠️ The front office closes for regular business at 3:00 PM as our staff transitions to dismissal responsibilities.

Every day matters. Every minute matters. Let's keep our Diamondbacks in school and learning! 📚🐍💙

We value open communication and truly appreciate when families share concerns with us. Your voice matters, and we are committed to responding in a timely and respectful manner.

If you have a concern regarding your child’s grades, behavior, or classroom experience, please start with the classroom teacher. Teachers know your child best and can often resolve concerns quickly through direct partnership.

If the concern needs additional support, it will move to the Assistant Principal and Principal as outlined in our Parent Guide. Please allow up to 24 hours for our Assistant Principals to review concerns and respond, so they can fully gather information and follow up appropriately.

We believe strong communication builds strong relationships — and together, we can ensure every student is supported and successful. 💛

As we welcome November, I want to take a moment to express how grateful I am for our Diamondback families, students, and staff. It takes all of us working together to make Douse a special place for our children to learn, grow, and shine!

Thank you for the smiles, encouragement, and school spirit you bring to our campus. I am excited for the wonderful memories we will continue making as we approach the holiday season.

Wishing everyone a beautiful November filled with kindness, gratitude, and joy!

Shine Bright — The Sky's the Limit! 💙