November

November is a wonderful time to reflect on all that we are thankful for, and here at Escuela SMART Academy, our students, families, and staff are at the top of that list!

As we settle into the second quarter, we want to continue encouraging our students to make positive choices, show kindness, and treat others with respect. One place where these lessons are especially important is on the playground! Recess gives our students an opportunity to enjoy time with friends, build friendships, and practice important social skills. However, disagreements and unkind behaviors can sometimes occur. We ask that you continue having conversations at home about keeping hands and feet to ourselves, including others, using kind words, and following the directions of our playground monitors. A special thank-you to Mrs. Pelz and Mrs. Perez for helping keep our students safe during recess each day! We are also excited to welcome Ms. Rosales to our recess team! She will be joining Mrs. Pelz and Mrs. Perez in supervising and supporting our students during recess.

With colder weather approaching, we also want to remind families that students will continue to enjoy outdoor recess when temperatures are above 32°F. Please make sure your child comes to school dressed appropriately for the weather. Coats, hats, and gloves will help keep our students warm while they enjoy some fresh air and physical activity.

We also want to extend a heartfelt thank-you to all of our families who participated in parent-teacher conferences. Whether you joined us in person or by phone, we appreciate you taking the time to connect with your child's teacher. These conversations are an important part of working together to support your child's academic and personal growth. Remember, communication doesn't have to wait until conference time! We encourage you to stay connected with your child's teacher throughout the school year.

As we enter this season of gratitude, please know how much we appreciate the trust you place in us each day. It is truly a privilege to be part of your child's educational journey.

We are more than a school. We are a familia! ¡Somos una familia! 🧡💙

Wishing all of our Escuela families a wonderful November filled with gratitude, kindness, and special moments together!

With appreciation,
Ms. Natasha Allen & Ms. Marcela Velázquez

Nov. 3: Waiver Day - NO SCHOOL

Nov. 4: Suzie's Coats Distribution

Nov. 9: 1st Quarter Awards

Nov. 11: Picture Day Make-ups

Nov. 18: Fall Family Potluck

Nov. 23-27: Thanksgiving Break - NO SCHOOL

Nov. 30: Students return to school

• Please notify the office when your student is absent. The office personnel work with absences, late arrivals, and changes to transportation.

• For changes to transportation, please call the office no later than noon.

• We are still missing a few kindergarten physical/dental forms. Try to return these forms as soon as possible.

• If you want to bring something for your student's birthday celebration, please contact the teacher first before bringing anything to the school. We no longer accept cupcakes. You can bring individually wrapped items such as Little Debbie snacks and individual box juices. Always send enough for the entire classroom.

• If you still do not have access to Class Dojo, please call the school and make an appointment and someone will assist you with the application. Appointments are available early in the morning.

November is dedicated to kindness, empathy, and anti-bullying lessons. All classrooms will participate in social/emotional lessons that emphasize these topics and help students treat others with kindness. Please encourage your child to tell you about this lesson.

As a reminder, TPS partners with the Islamic Food Bank for weekly meal bags for families. If you would like a food bag, please contact me via email (kszozda@tps.org) or ClassDojo. Additionally, you may contact your child's teacher or the main office in order to request a bag.

Our music classes have been busy learning new skills and exploring different ways to make music!

Fourth graders have been doing a great job learning to play the recorder. They are developing their ability to read notes, follow rhythms, and play melodies while building their confidence as young musicians.

Fifth and sixth graders are taking their musical learning a step further by exploring how music is written. Using our online music curriculum, students are learning to create measures, organize notes and rhythms, and strengthen their understanding of music notation.

It's exciting to see students developing their musical skills and discovering that music involves not only performing, but also understanding how music is created!

Winter Music Performance Reminder

Our Winter Music Performance for kindergarten, first, second, and third grade will take place on December 10 at 5:00 PM. We look forward to sharing our students' hard work and musical learning with their families!

If you haven't already done so, please visit your student's Music Class page on ClassDojo and check the Class Story for the performance RSVP form. Please take a moment to complete the form if you haven't responded yet. Thank you to all the families who have already submitted their responses!

I will also be sending out a calendar invitation for the performance as a reminder. We look forward to seeing you there!