Booster Amazon Gift Card Winners!!!!

What Is Expected of Me This Week

• PLTs:  5th, 3rd and 1st on Tuesday.  Make sure your agendas are updated! Note: Due to intervention groups happening in the PLC room, we will meet with teams in one of the team leads' room.

• TELPAS Make-Ups this week! We will be testing in the PLC room. We will pull students at 8 for testing. Make sure to remain quiet in the halls when the testing signs are up. 

• Update your Reading Tracker with current independent reading levels. We should see student growth from December to now. Update ELAR Win goal(s). Make sure your team has completed a midway checkpoint for student progress.

• Staff meeting on Thursday in Library.  Bring the ring with the pink Reflect on Learning cards from the last book study.

• End of Nine Weeks Task List -- The Math and Reading task lists must be completed before you leave on Friday. You may view/print the task list here. We will meet in the Gator Gallery following duty on Friday (around 12:15). For the most efficient use of your time, stand with your team and have your completed task lists ready to show. 

Upcoming Events:

March 3-7th -- "Read Across America" week (See graphic below!)

March 3rd -- 5th Grade Math PD (Asynchronous) REGISTER HERE <--New Link

*A link to the video training will be sent out to all registered participants on Monday, March 3rd

March 4th -- 4th Grade Math PD at Savannah 3:45-4:30 REGISTER HERE

March 4th -- Open House 5:30-6:30

March 6th -- Staff Meeting: Book Study 

March 6th -- Diagnostician Day

March 7th -- Grading Period Ends

March 7th -- Student Half Day/Reading Academy at PDC

March 7th -- ONLINE Celebrate Savannah, Staff Inflatable Race, Specials Teachers Dunk Tank Extravaganza, Duct Tape Hawkins to Flagpole (See times and instructions below)

March 10th-14th -- Spring Break 

March 17th-21st -- Spring Book Fair (See more info below)

March 18th -- 3rd-5th Math Test Prep PD at Paloma 3:45-4:45 REGISTER HERE

March 19th -- 3rd Grade Program/Family Book Fair Night

March 19th-21st -- 5th Grade Science Camp

March 24th-28th -- College and Career Week (See graphic below)

STAAR Dates

April 15th -- 4th, 5th, PABS & AFS ELAR

April 16th -- 3rd ELAR

April 16th-18th -- ELAR Make-Ups

April 23rd -- 5th Science

April 24th-25th -- Science Make-Ups

April 29th -- 4th, 5th, PABS & AFS Math

April 30th -- 3rd Math

April 30th-May 2nd --Math Make-Ups

Still Important:

• Intent Form 2025-26 School Year -- It is planning season again! Please fill out this form as soon as possible to inform Hawkins and Norris of your plans for next year. Please fill out this form even if you plan to stay in your current spot. 

• Attendance Challenge!!! Starting Monday, February 10th, any staff member with perfect attendance between now and Spring Break will be entered into a drawing for a $25 Amazon gift card. 

Read Across America Week March 3rd-7th:

A message from Holt

Read Across America Week is here!!! This should be a fun week of celebration!

I have created a slideshow for staff. This has the video read aloud for each day that you can play for your class when it is most convenient for you. There is also a slide for each day with additional related ideas you can use to celebrate! LINK

(Heads Up - Tuesday suggests Buddy Reading and pairing up with a class in another grade, so make those connections and get that scheduled if you would like to participate! Maybe with your sidekick's class? Just an idea! I'm happy to help facilitate if you need help finding a partner class!)

There have been a few changes and exciting additions since the slideshow was first shared last week. We have a CONTEST for participating in RAA week and added a fun Masked Reader activity. I hope you all love it!

And just some extra information for those who may not know - Read Across America is an event started by the National Education Association. It's always been a celebration of reading and originally was very focused on Dr. Seuss and his birthday. Over the years it has evolved and become a celebration of being a nation of diverse readers that can continue throughout the year. Many places still celebrate RAA day or week (like Denton) to bring extra focus to reading during this time. Check out more information about Read Across America on the NEA website. LINK

Grants to Teachers

The DPSF Grant to Teachers process has an update we hope will help you create an even better, focused grant application this year!  Think of this as a rough draft for your grant idea. There is a Laserfiche form that will be the pre-step for your 2025-26 DPSF grant application and it can be found here - https://forms.dentonisd.org/Forms/DPSF-GrantPreApplicationApproval. It is open NOW!

You will be asked to describe your grant idea, state what purpose or goal you hope to accomplish and then list the items you wish to purchase. It is ok if you are unsure of the cost – the important part for this stage is the “what” and from “where”.

This form will then be routed to the appropriate departments (Curriculum, Early Childhood, EXPO, Technology, Fine Arts, Library Services, Digital Learning, Bilingual, SPED, Counseling) to ensure that requests for items and projects are in compliance with DISD’s initiatives and guidelines. 

If you receive an approval or an approval with conditions, then you will attach a copy of the Laserfiche form to the full DPSF Grant Application that will open April 1 and closes Thursday, June 12 at 5 p.m.  If you receive a denial you will receive an explanation so that you will have the information needed to tweak your idea and resubmit.  If you submit your request early, you’ll still have time to re-assess and resubmit, if needed! Please give yourself at least 10 days to receive the DPSF Grant Pre-Application Approval back  as it must be attached to the DPSF Application before it closes June 12 at 5 p.m. 

You will receive an email from DPSF notifying you that the application process is opening up.  We’re looking forward to lots of great ideas and innovations!

March is Women's History Month. Please have your students show support by writing a report and presenting at morning announcements. Use the link to sign up your students. 

• Resources from Mrs. Curran-1

• Resources from Mrs. Curran- 2