The Leadership Lens Issue #10

OCTOBER- National Principal Month, Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Cybersecurity Awareness

• Big Kahuna Delivery & Parent Pick-up: Thursday, October 16th

• National Boss's Day- Thursday, October 16th

• MLA's Garden Day- Saturday, October 18th

• National School Lunches Week- October 20th-24th

• National School Bus Safety Week- October 20th-24th

• Title I Meeting: Tuesday, October 21st, 5:30pm, Library

• PTA Meeting: Tuesday, October 21st, 6:30pm, Library

• NEHS and STUCCO Induction: Thursday, October 23rd 6:00pm, Library

• House Rally - Q1 Winner: Friday, October 24th

• Red Ribbon Week- October 27th-31st

• MLA PTA Book Fair- October 27th-31st

• GPPD Fire Prevention Program: Monday, October 27th, 8:00-10:00am

• Trunk or Treat: Thursday, October 30th, Time 5:30-7:00pm

• Clubs/Academy 4: Friday, October 31st

• Book Character Parade: Friday, October 31st

Hello Mustang Families,

At Marshall Leadership Academy, we know that great leaders understand the power of teamwork. That’s why we’re excited to focus on Habit 6: Synergize from The 7 Habits of Happy Kids.

Remember:

• Habit 1: Be Proactive reminds us that we are in charge of our choices.
• Habit 2: Begin with the End in Mind teaches us to plan ahead and set goals.
• Habit 3: Put First Things First helps us focus on what matters most.
• Habit 4: Think Win-Win encourages us to work together so everyone can succeed.
• Habit 5: Seek First to Understand, Then to Be Understood reminds us to listen with care and empathy.

Now, we’re building on these lessons with Habit 6: Synergize, which teaches students that together is better. When we synergize, we celebrate our differences, share ideas, and combine our strengths to create something even greater than we could on our own.

Habit 6 helps children understand the importance of teamwork, respect, and collaboration. It encourages them to see the value in others’ perspectives and to recognize that everyone has something special to offer.

Throughout the school year, our Mustangs will practice Habit 6 by:

• Working with classmates to solve problems and complete projects

• Listening to and valuing everyone’s ideas

• Combining talents and strengths to reach common goals

• Celebrating teamwork and shared success

Teachers will highlight students who demonstrate strong teamwork and collaboration. By practicing Habit 6, students learn that leadership isn’t about doing it all alone—it’s about lifting others up and working together.

Families can reinforce Habit 6 at home by:

• Completing a family project together, like cooking or building something

• Encouraging each family member to share their ideas and talents

• Talking about how teamwork makes tasks easier and more fun

• Celebrating moments when your child cooperates or helps others

At Marshall, we’re helping our Mustangs understand that when we synergize, we don’t just work side by side—we create harmony, strength, and success together.

Together, we can achieve more—because teamwork makes the Mustang magic happen!

Dear Mustang Families,

We hope you had a relaxing and refreshing Fall Break and enjoyed the extended weekend with your families. As we begin the second nine weeks of school, we’re excited to continue the momentum and keep growing strong academically, socially, and as leaders.

This new quarter offers a fresh start for every student. Let’s continue to work together to build consistent routines, strong attendance, and a positive mindset as we head into the heart of the semester.

A huge thank you to our PTA and wonderful parents for hosting a delicious luncheon for our staff, it was such a thoughtful gesture and deeply appreciated by everyone on campus!

We also want to give a big shoutout to our Multicultural Committee for organizing a special performance from the South Grand Prairie Ballet Folklórico and Mariachi. Our students were in awe as they watched beautiful dances and listened to vibrant music that celebrated the rich culture and traditions that make up our Mustang family. ¡Gracias!

We are less than three weeks away from Fall Summative Assessments, and our students and teachers are hard at work! Instruction is focused, small groups are in motion, and we are using every moment to help students grow in reading, writing, math, science, and leadership skills.

Don’t forget Trunk or Treat is coming up on October 30th, and we’re still accepting candy donations for our candy monsters! You can drop off bags of candy in the front office anytime before October 25th.

📧 Email: lakedra.anderson@gpisd.org
📞 Phone: 972-522-7210

Let’s make it a great year! 💙

Hello again Marvelous Mustang Parents,

As the leaves change and a new season of learning begins, it's the perfect time to support your child's academic growth with a little guidance from their instructional coach! Just like fall reminds us to slow down and reflect, take a moment to ask your child about what they're learning and how they’re being supported in the classroom. Instructional coaches work closely with teachers to enhance learning strategies, so don’t hesitate to reach out and ask how you can reinforce those strategies at home—whether it's through cozy read-alouds, encouraging curiosity, or setting up a quiet space for focused learning. Together, we can help your child "fall" into success this season! 🍁📚

Sincerely,

Your instructional coach

Hello, Marshall Families! Please see our weekly Leadership and Events page for:

🏆Leaders of the Week
🌟SB12 Information
🗓️Upcoming Events Calendar
🍪Big Kahuna Parent Pick-Up Information
📚Book Fair Dates
🚫Red Ribbon Week Dress-up Days
🎃Trunk or Treat
🍬Candy Donation Flyer
🚙Trunk Volunteer Sign-Up
👨🏾‍🚒Career Poster Contest
🔗Link to MySchoolBucks
📱Purchase iPad insurance
📿Purchase house lanyards & badge sleeves

Please check out our weekly Leadership and Events page!

Hello Marshall Families!

We have a few shout-outs and big thank-you's to give today! We’re beyond grateful and truly blessed to have such amazing Marshall Families, teachers and staff who are always ready to step in and make things happen at our school. Your support means everything! 💖🙌

We want to start by give a HUGE shoutout and THANK YOU to everyone who came out to support our school at Bahama Buck’s! We truly appreciate you taking the time to stop by, hang out, and show your school spirit!

Another big THANK YOU goes out to all the amazing parents and staff who made our Hispanic Heritage Teacher & Staff Potluck such a success! Your support and delicious dishes made this event unforgettable we couldn’t have done it without you and our volunteers!

💖 Big Hearts in Action!
A huge THANK YOU to the Alagenchev Family for treating our amazing teachers and staff to a delicious meal! Your generosity made everyone feel so appreciated and loved. 🥰

Exciting things are coming up! ✨ We have fun events right around the corner, and we’d love your help to make them amazing!

Trunk or Treat Volunteers Needed! We’re looking for helping hands at the school Concessions Stand! Volunteers will assist with the following: Setting up and organizing item. Preparing food and drinks for sale. Serving and
Restocking items when supplies run low.

📚 Scholastic Book Fair Volunteers Needed! We’re looking for amazing volunteers to help students at our bookfair! Your role will be to assist students in finding the perfect book and make their experience fun and memorable.

Even a couple of hours makes a big difference and every volunteer earns House Points for their student!

💫 PTA Membership Update: We currently have 144 members, but we’d love to reach our first goal of 200 members and main goal is 250 or more! Remember, anyone can join, even students! We have special activities planned for PTA families throughout the year.

Let’s keep the Marshall spirit shining bright! 🌟 Together, we make great things happen!

— Your Marshall PTA
Membership chair Iriz Benitez

If you’d like to get more involved, please reach out to Hilda Márquez at (469) 682-6422 for more info.

If you have ideas or suggestions, we’d love to hear them! Reach out anytime at marshallleadership.pta@gmail.com.

Please join us in help completing a background check for volunteering on campus, visiting, and joining us for campus events including field trips. This would need to be completed annually.

1st Grade Science students observe and record how living and nonliving things interact with their environment. Through hands-on exploration, students are developing curiosity, observation skills, and an appreciation for the natural world.

3rd grade students use manipulatives such as counters, arrays, or objects to model multiplication and division problems. By grouping and sharing objects, they develop a deeper understanding of the relationship between the two operations before moving to abstract equations.

Kindergarten students use magnets to explore how they can push and pull objects without touching them. Through hands-on play, they observe how magnets attract and repel, helping them understand that forces can move objects in different ways.

1st grade students decorate a pumpkin to represent a character, then write a story about their pumpkin’s adventure. This fun, creative activity helps students generate ideas, organize their thoughts, and write a short narrative—bringing their imagination to life through art and writing.

Need help accessing your child's report card? Attached are training PowerPoints that include helpful videos designed to guide parents through using Family Access. These resources provide step-by-step instructions on how to navigate the system, check student grades, attendance, schedules, and more. We encourage all families to review the materials to stay informed and engaged in their child’s academic progress.

English

Spanish

As cold and flu season upon us, please remember that cough drops ARE considered a medication and students are NOT ALLOWED to have them on their person or in their backpacks. The clinic is available to provide forms for parents to submit to providers if there is a need for any medication to be taken while at school.

A Title I meeting is an opportunity for parents and families to learn about the school’s Title I program, which provides federal funding to support students’ academic achievement. During the meeting, the school shares information about how Title I resources are used to improve instruction, support student learning, and engage families. Parents also learn about their rights, ways to be involved in their child’s education, and how the school and families can work together to help every student succeed.

Mustang Families, it’s time to feed our Candy Monsters! We’re collecting candy donations for our upcoming Trunk or Treat event, and we need your help to fill them up. Please send in individually wrapped candy to help make this year’s celebration extra sweet and fun for all our students. Let’s see how fast we can fill our Candy Monsters to the top! 👻

We are excited to announce a district-wide poster contest for grades PK-5!

Contest Details:

• Dates: October 1st–October 24th
  

• Participants: Students in grades PK-12
  

• Requirements: The poster must be student-created and include all the information listed on the flyer.
  

• Submission: Turn in finished posters to your grade-level counselor by October 24th.
  

Red Ribbon Week is a national campaign that promotes living a drug-free life and making healthy, safe choices. It’s a time when students, schools, and communities come together to raise awareness about the dangers of drug and alcohol use and to encourage positive decision-making. Through fun activities, themed dress-up days, and educational lessons, Red Ribbon Week reminds everyone to take pride in being drug-free and to stand strong for a healthier future.

Marshall Leadership invites parents and students to participate in two projects — sanding/refinishing school benches and sprucing up the school garden. The event offers a fun way to give back, meet other families, and support the school community. Volunteer sessions are scheduled for October 18 from 9:00–11:00 a.m. and November 20 from 5:00–7:00 p.m. in the school garden. Plus, everyone who helps will earn school house points for their participation!

FAMILY ACTION ITEMS:

1) Senate Bill 12: Grand Prairie ISD is implementing the SB 12 Consent Form in Skyward Family Access. Parents, you received an email with instructions to complete the form. This consent is required for counselors and social workers to provide routine check-ins, interventions, and follow-ups. Please log into your Skyward Family Access account today to review and sign the SB 12 Consent Form so I can support your student. Here is a link with more information. Click Here

2) Free and Reduced-Price Meals:
If you believe your family may qualify for free or reduced-price meals, we encourage you to complete the application as soon as possible. Currently we have 179 families that have not applied. Classroom teachers will be reaching out to families.

You can apply online at:
👉 www.gpisd.org/freemeals
You can also check your current meal status here:
👉 www.gpisd.org/mealstatus