Coyote Pride - Week of 08/18/25

This year, we’re inspired by Beautiful Oops! by Barney Saltzberg, which teaches that mistakes and surprises can spark creativity, learning, and connection. To celebrate, we’ve created a Beautiful Oops Kindness Wall where students, staff, and families can share notes about moments when someone turned a challenge into something positive or showed kindness and creativity. These uplifting messages will be proudly displayed for all to enjoy.

We had a fantastic first week at Desert Heights and are looking forward to greeting our incoming kindergarten students on Monday!

This week, teachers focused on helping students learn our H.O.W.L. expectations:

• H – Have Respect

• O – Own Your Actions and Choices

• W – Work to Succeed

• L – Learn by Leading

Teachers spent time teaching and practicing these expectations in the classroom and around campus. Ms. Thayer and I also held expectation assemblies where we taught, modeled, and reinforced what H.O.W.L. looks like in different areas of the school.

Our staff has already jumped into teaching content, too! For example, Ms. Parrish challenged her students with a Math Task that had them problem-solving and thinking critically right from the start.

It’s been wonderful to see our students already engaging in learning, building connections with classmates, and showing Coyote pride. Thank you for helping us start the year strong — we can’t wait for the exciting weeks ahead!

We are so excited to have Kindergarten start on Monday, August 18, 2025 at 9:30. Gates will open up at 9:15am. We have 3 Kindergarten teachers:

• Ms. Gonzalez- Room A-1/A-3
• Ms. Sachs- Room A-8
• Ms. Daniels- Room A-7

There are 2 ways to get to the kindergarten line-up area. You can gain access from Mt. Bismark St. into the kindergarten line-up area or from Echo Ave. Please do not leave your car in the Kiss & Drop area unattended. During the winter, the Echo Ave. entry will be closed due to ice and snow along the corridor.

All 3 teachers will go through the kindergarten area to get to their classrooms.

If you’re new to Desert Heights or have a kindergarten student joining us this year, we’d love to welcome you at our New Family Breakfast in the cafeteria. Enjoy some treats while learning about our school’s policies, kindergarten curriculum, supporting student behavior, and more. We’ll also answer any questions you may have. See you there!

We’re excited to let families know that Dippin’ Dots will be on sale every Wednesday and Thursday at Desert Heights!

Flavors: Cookies & Cream, Banana Split, Cotton Candy, and Cookie Dough – all delicious and sure to be a treat!
Price: $3.00 each
Punch Card: Buy a 10-punch card for $30.00 and enjoy the convenience all year.

Shhh… they’re actually yogurt dots — but the students just know them as a tasty, fun snack!

To help keep our school community healthy, please keep your child home if they have:

• A fever of 100.4°F or higher

• Vomiting or diarrhea

• Contagious illnesses (like strep throat or pink eye) until cleared by a doctor

• COVID-19 symptoms or a positive test

• Any illness that prevents them from participating in class

If your child has mild symptoms (like a runny nose without fever) and feels well enough to learn, they may attend school.

At Desert Heights Elementary, student safety is our top priority. Please remember:

• Notify the school in advance if someone other than a parent/guardian will pick up your child.

• Without prior notice, we will contact the parent before releasing the student.

• To designate regular alternate pick-up individuals (limit of 2), complete the Approved Release Form in the main office.

• Emergency contacts are not authorized to pick up students unless the parent gives direct permission.

• In emergencies, we will verify all situations with School Police before releasing a student.

Clear communication helps us keep every child safe. Thank you for following these guidelines.

There are 3 areas to drop-off/pickup your child at Desert Heights Elementary School.

1. Mt. Bismark Street (Front of the school)

2. Echo Avenue (North side of the building)

3. Mt. Babcock Street (Back of the school)

• Mt. Bismark Street (Parking Lot)- Parents can either choose to park their car and walk their child around the building or drop-off their child on the side of the building. We only ask that if parents are dropping off, that they should remain in their cars. Do not park your car in the bus lane in front of the school.

• Echo Avenue (Kiss & Drop)- Parents can drop of their child on Echo Avenue. We ask that parents drive forward as much as they can so they do not hold up traffic. *Parents need to stay in their cars or by their cars and may not leave their car unattended.

• Mt. Babcock Street (Back of the school)- Parents can drop off their child in the back of the school. Please be cautious of students in all of the crosswalks and please do not park in non-parking areas. These areas are enforced by school police.

If your child will be riding the bus this year, please take a moment to review the bus schedules before the first day of school. You can find all district transportation information by clicking the link below.

To help ensure every student gets on the correct bus home, we will be assigning each route a bus tag and bus color on the first day of school. Please make sure your child’s bus tag stays securely attached to their backpack throughout the year so we can get them home safely and without delay.

Here is the updated the School/Family Handbook that contains important information about our school. Please take some time to read it over. We will update it throughout the year but this should give you some basic information about our school.

Right at School’s Early Adventures™ program is now available at our school! 🏫

🕖 Time: 7:00 AM – Start of school
💲 Cost: $186/month for 5 days/week (see attachment for discount)
(Flexible pricing for fewer days available!)

✨ What’s Included?
✅ Fun fitness games & team projects
✅ Crafts, reading, and more
✅ Homework help from RAS staff
✅ Flexible drop-off times
✅ Financial assistance available!

📲 Register now: RAS.fun/register

Let’s learn, play, and grow—together! 🌟

Join DHESTV News as we spotlight how students at Desert Heights Elementary demonstrate “Learn by Leading” in the cafeteria. From using time wisely to showing respect to others, watch our Coyotes share examples and inspire positive behavior in our school community. 🐾🍽️

💡 Building Skills for Independence

This month’s focus is on helping children develop the skills they need for self-sufficiency—both now and in the future. Articles cover practical strategies for building communication, managing big emotions, fostering friendships, developing daily living skills, exploring housing and work options, and using special interests as learning tools.

The message is clear: start early, encourage independence, and provide opportunities for your child to build confidence in their abilities. Every step toward self-reliance is a step toward a brighter, more empowered future.

David Frydman, Principal

Chrystal Thayer, Assistant Principal

Juana Maya, Admin. Secretary

13948 Mount Bismark Street, Reno, NV, USA

Phone: (775) 677-5444