Families of Zavala Week of Aug.31st

A pioneer of the game, Roberto Clemente paved the way for Hispanic Americans in Major League Baseball. The prolific right fielder was born in 1934 in Puerto Rico, joined the island’s amateur baseball league when he was 16, and made the professional league two years later at 18.

Another two years and Clemente was off to Montreal to play in the minor leagues in 1954. That same year, the Pittsburgh Pirates scouted him during training in Richmond, Virginia, and Clemente was called up to the majors by November of that year in the rookie draft. Clemente, wearing the iconic number 21, went on to become the first Latin American and Caribbean to win a World Series as a starting player in 1960.

Bullying Prevention Month
5th: World Teacher Day
6th: 5th Grade Performance/Title 1 Meeting
6th: Coaches Day (I-Coach & PE)
7th & 8th: Q1 Checkpoint
8th: Dyslexia Awareness Day - Wear Red🔴
9th - 13th: Fall Break (create an image just for these dates)
12th: Indigenous Peoples’ Day
15th: PK/KG Coffee with the Counselors (8:30-9:30)
15th: Title 1 Meeting (9:30)
15th: National Hispanic Heritage Month Ends
16th: Sky Ranch 2nd Payment Due
14th-16th: National School Lunch Week
17th: Flight of the Monarch Festival - Kid Performance
21st: GT Field Trip (3rd Grade) - Dallas Arboretum
22nd: Raising Cane’s PTA Spirit Night
22nd: 1st/3rd/5th Hearing & Vision Mass Screening w/ Nurse
23rd: 50th Day of School
26th-30th: Red Ribbon Week (““Make A Diff. Be A Hero. Stay Drug Free.”) show for each day.
26th: District Trunk or Treat
27th: World Occupational Therapy Day
28th: National First Responders Day
30th: Fire Prevention Assembly (8:30-10:30)
30th: Character Parade
30th: Zavala Trunk or Treat/Fall Festival

Thank you to everyone who made this day a huge success. Our outdoor area looks completely transformed. It's so exciting to see what will happen with it to support students! You are incredible for your work.

Here is a quick look at what we achieved together:

• Butterfly Garden: Completely weed-free and looking fantastic!

• Grade-Level Beds: Cleared of all weeds, topped with fresh soil, and ready for planting.

• ESC Beds: Cleared of all weeds, topped with fresh soil, and ready for planting.

Our fundraiser did INCREDIBLE! Our families raised enough money to do many of the items promised, donating over $10,000. Thank you for being an active participant to get them excited! It made a huge difference to support our campus.

Neck Pillow are on their way! Here are the top 10 Teachers with donations! Congrats!

1st - Moore; 2nd - Noiel; 3rd - Johnson; 4th - Coleman; 5th - Sousa;
6th - Baca; 7th - Bowers; 8th - Jones; 9th - King; 10th - Ortiz

We had the most amazing Hispanic Heritage Night INSIDE...thank you families and community members for making it an extraordinary evening. Our kids were amazing and we enjoyed the performances, the food, and the fellowship. Even with the rain, it was a successful evening!

Last week we participated in the HEB Read 3. Small steps to excite our students with learning. We saw so many students enjoying reading for fun!

The Zavala staff decided to pull a secret dress up day and had students and principal show up wondering why there were minions everywhere! Click the pic and check out some of our fun!

REEL and Making Wildflower Seedballs

Zavala has taken the pledge and are asking that you consider joining us for the North Texas Walk and Roll to School Day - OCTOBER 7TH! This is a movement in the DFW region committed to fostering a culture of safe and active routes to school and building strong community partnerships.

What will my school receive by participating in the Walk & Roll to School Day 2026 promotion?

Safety Item Giveaways

Our school is entered in a drawing to receive safety-themed giveaways (such as safety lights, neon slap bracelets, etc.) that the school can hand out to students on Walk & Roll to School Day to generate excitement and incentivize participation.

Scooter & Helmet Drawing

Students at school that have submitted this participation pledge also will be eligible for a kid's scooter & helmet drawing. Students complete the Promise to Street Safety pledge and return them to the school. Pledges must be signed by a parent or guardian to be eligible. Only one pledge per student, please. These will be sent home 10/6. Return by 10/15.

We are excited to invite our students to participate in STARBQ on Tuesday, November 17, 2026, from 6:00-7:30 p.m. at the Kennedy Campus!

This is a great opportunity for students to share their creativity, curiosity, and love of STEM with families and other students from across GPISD.

Participating students should prepare a five-minute interactive presentation to share continuously throughout the event. Students may work in teams and take turns presenting so everyone has time to visit the other booths, purchase food, and participate in sky gazing with the telescopes on site.

Students may explore any space-related topic that interests them. Ideas include:

• What happened to Pluto?

• How are craters formed?

• What would I weigh on Mars?

• What are exoplanets?

• How many moons are in our solar system?

• Space-themed art projects or models

• Science demonstrations

• Interactive games related to space science

Please encourage your students to participate and help us showcase the amazing talent and creativity at our campus. Let’s make sure De Zavala is proudly represented at STARBQ!

If your student is interested, please encourage them to let their teacher know so it can be communicated to our staff that will be supporting the event.

Event Details

Tuesday, November 17, 2026

6:00-7:30 p.m.

John F. Kennedy Campus

2205 SE 4th Street

We want our staff to hear from you! If you have a teacher, employee, support staff, someone on campus that you would like to brag about, please send your email to Mrs. Whisenhunt at erin.whisenhunt@gpisd.org with the subject line "Shout Outs".

They will be shared with staff, and with permission shared in our staff and parent newsletters! These affirmations and Shout Outs mean everything to them, so send away!

Your Surprise Attendance Day is coming! We need you at school from beginning to end to make your successful! Don't forget to arrive before 8:10 and stay until the end....more exciting things coming!

If your child has been absent, Mrs. Yepez is your person. If your child is ill and will be absent, please call in to our office to report the absence. When you have a doctor's note for their absence, you make bring the note by the front office or scan and email it.

Don't forget to check your child's attendance regularly in skyward. Every minute counts and students will be rewarded for the highest grade levels in attendance - this includes leaving early and arriving late. Please know we are hear to help and support - working together is our mission to make every day the best day!

Please make sure forms are turned in by the 3:00 PM deadline on Wednesday so your student doesn't miss out!

Important Dates:

• Tuesday, September 22 - Students will receive a letter with their club acceptance.

• Week of September 28 - Clubs officially begin.

Club Fee Information:

Each student will need to pay a $20 club fee. All payments will be through School Bucks if a student receives an invitation to join. School Bucks payment window: Sept. 22 - Oct. 8

*Please note: Students should NOT pay until they receive an official invitation to join on September 22.

You may apply now at http://www.gpisd.org/freemeals or check your status at www.gpisd.org/mealstatus.

We have a change this year. We welcome parents and families to follow all expectations when you visit.

*All visitors will need to bring their photo ID and check in at back door - Door 15 nearest cafe. Please ring doorbell to be let in. Do not hold door open for other visitors. All visitors will receive a sticker.

*Due to the changes for students and to ensure we are giving all parents an opportunity for a comfortable visit. We are asking for parents to visit no more than 2x a week.

*You may only eat and bring food for your personal child/grandchild. Friends, neighbors, emergency contacts without relation, etc, must have a guardian present to eat.

My School Bucks (lunch account and tech insurance)

https://www.myschoolbucks.com/ver2/getmain?requestAction=home

GPISD Lunch Menu (breakfast/lunch)
https://www.schoolnutritionandfitness.com/index.php...

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Checkout the counseling newsletter for the month of September!

Click here >>>>> https://app.smore.com/n/b9mkt

Please consider joining our PTA to support our students and staff. Use the QR code below or use this link to join.

Don't forget to check our AMAZING PTA Page for updates, news, how to get involved, and all other events. Visit https://www.zavalaesa.org