Calhoun Ranger Report - 1/9

Dear Calhoun Early Childhood School Families,

I am thrilled to share that one of my all-time favorite presenters, Dr. Layne Pethick, Behavior and Autism Master Consultant for Region 10, will be leading our parent training on Thursday, January 15th, from 5:30–6:30 PM.

I first met Dr. Pethick in 2018 during my very first year as an assistant principal when he served as our welcome-back keynote speaker for staff. Even years later, many of the insights and strategies he shared have stayed with me and continue to influence the way I think about supporting children.

Last year, we were fortunate to bring him to Calhoun to present to both staff and parents, and the response was overwhelmingly positive—the most enthusiastic feedback I have ever received about a guest speaker. Teachers were already asking when we could bring him back!

While Dr. Pethick specializes in autism, your child does not need to have autism for you to benefit from this presentation. He does an incredible job of explaining how the brain works, how it is impacted by technology use, and—most importantly—he provides practical, easy-to-implement strategies you can use at home with your child.

Trust me—you won’t want to miss this opportunity. We hope to see you there!

Warmly,

Principal Anderson

As you make room for new clothing and shoes you may receive over the winter break, we invite you to clear the clutter while supporting our school! Please bag up any gently used or unwanted clothing, shoes, and bags and drop them off in the back car loop on Wednesday, January 28, from 9:00–11:00 a.m. Our team will collect the items straight from your car—no need to get out!

These donated items are converted into funds that directly benefit our students and staff, so your decluttering makes a meaningful impact on our school community.

In addition, we are collecting snack and drink donations to stock our staff break rooms as a special treat for our hardworking team. Please click the link below to sign up and choose an item to bring. When you drop off your clothing donations, we’ll gladly collect your snack and drink items as well—easy, quick, and drive-through style!

Thank you for your continued support and generosity—we truly appreciate our amazing school families. 💙

January 15 - Parent Training with Dr. Layne Pethick from 5:30-6: 30pm

🕢 Please remember that while our school time starts at 7:30am, we are outside and greeting kids starting at 7:00am. We have had very few cars arriving between 7:00am-7:20am. If you wait until the last minute to bring your child in the carpool line, you run the risk of arriving tardy. Please make sure to plan ahead and utilize the line before 7:15am. You will get in and out with no wait!

⏰ For safety and efficiency, students will not be released after 2:00pm. Please plan ahead for appointments or other time commitments to ensure your child is picked up before this time.

🚗 Please remember that we run two car lines at the same time:

From the North: Turn left into the left lane of the parking lot. This lane is for Piney Woods, Gulf Coast, and South Plains.

From the South: Turn right into the parking lot and use the right lane, which wraps around to the back of the building. This lane is for Big Bend, Hill Country, and Panhandle.

📵Please enter the parking lot with caution and avoid using your phone while driving. As you turn in, use your blinker to signal. This helps us clearly distinguish Calhoun families from neighborhood traffic and ensures a smoother, safer arrival for everyone.

Complete the form below to show your appreciation for our Calhoun staff!

Help me grow! I would love your feedback on how I am doing in my first year as principal. Thank you to those who have already completed the form. Your feedback has been so helpful!

If you attended our PTO events like Touch-A-Truck or our Family Engagement Night and had your picture taken by Panhandle Blended Pre-k Teacher, Adrian Gonzalez, he has kindly created a folder to house the great pictures he has taken of our families. I will keep this in the Ranger Report each week for you to be able to access at your convenience.