Dear Parents and Guardians,

As we welcome the month of March, we are entering a very important time in the school year. With the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness (STAAR) assessments right around the corner, every instructional day counts. Daily attendance is absolutely critical to ensure our students are fully prepared and confident.

We need your partnership now more than ever. You can support your child by:

• Ensuring they attend school every day and arrive on time

• Encouraging them to stay focused and actively engaged in class

• Talking with them about doing their best and believing in their abilities
  
  

In addition to academic preparation, we are continuing to emphasize the importance of being Respectful, Responsible, and Safe at school. Please take a few moments to talk with your child about their behavior choices. Remind them to:

• Treat teachers, staff, and classmates with respect

• Take responsibility for their learning and actions

• Make safe choices throughout the school day
  
  

When school and home work together, our students thrive. Your encouragement, conversations at home, and daily support truly make a difference in your child’s success.

Thank you for your continued partnership and commitment to our school community. Together, we will finish this school year strong!

Respectfully,

Register for our upcoming parent training here.

Mozart Elementary Core Values

Supporting Our Core Values at Home

At Mozart Elementary, we work every day to help students live out our core values: Be Safe, Be Responsible, and Be Respectful. These values guide our expectations, shape our school culture, and help students develop strong habits that will serve them well in and out of the classroom. Your partnership in reinforcing these messages at home makes a tremendous difference.

Here are a few simple ways families can help support these core values:

Be Safe

• Talk with your child about safe choices—online, at home, and in the community.

• Establish routines like consistent bedtimes, healthy meals, and safe technology use.

• Encourage them to speak up if something doesn’t feel right.

Be Responsible

• Help your child practice responsibility by setting up a spot for their backpack, homework, and school materials.

• Encourage them to take ownership of their actions, finish tasks, and ask for help when needed.

• Model responsibility by following through on commitments and showing how to manage time.
  
  

Be Respectful

• Practice active listening at home—taking turns speaking and acknowledging others’ feelings.

• Encourage your child to use kind words and show empathy toward family members, friends, and classmates.

• Model respectful communication, even during disagreements.

When students see these values emphasized both at home and at school, they learn that these expectations are not just rules, but lifelong skills. Thank you for your partnership and support in helping our students grow into safe, responsible, and respectful young people. Together, we build a strong and caring school community.

Mindfulness and Positive Self Esteem Connection

Understanding Mindfulness
Mindfulness involves being present and fully engaged in the moment, which helps individuals recognize and accept their thoughts and feelings without judgment. This practice can lead to improved self-esteem by reducing negative self-talk and promoting a kinder self-view.

Benefits of Mindfulness on Self-Esteem

• Increased Self-Awareness: Mindfulness encourages individuals to observe their thoughts and feelings, helping them identify and challenge negative beliefs about themselves.

• Reduction of Stress: Mindfulness practices can lower stress levels, which often contribute to feelings of inadequacy and low self-worth.

• Promotion of Self-Compassion: By treating oneself with kindness, individuals can cultivate a more positive self-image.

Practical Steps to Enhance Self-Esteem through Mindfulness

• Challenge Negative Beliefs: Identify and question core beliefs that contribute to low self-esteem.

• Practice Positive Self-Talk: Replace negative thoughts with affirmations to build a more positive self-image

• Students are encouraged to practice calming strategies and take brain breaks during testing to support them during testing due to the rigor of the assessements and resilience needed to be successful on the exams.

• Deep breathing. Deep breathing reduces anxiety by slowing heart rate, lowering blood pressure, and triggering a feeling of relaxation. Concentrating on breathing also distracts from negative thoughts related to testing. Deep breathing is discreet, effective, and easy to use. Here’s how to practice: 

• Sit back in a comfortable position, and close your eyes if you feel comfortable doing so. TIP: When learning deep breathing, place one hand on your abdomen so you can feel it rise and fall with each breath.

• Breathe in slowly through your nose for 4 seconds.

• Hold the air in your lungs for 4 seconds (or less, if this becomes uncomfortable).

• Pucker your lips, and slowly exhale through your mouth. Time the exhalation to last 6 seconds. TIP: For practice, try exhaling through a straw. This will get you in the habit of exhaling slowly.

• Repeat the breathing cycle for at least two minutes.

Every Minute Matters at Mozart Elementary

At Mozart Elementary, we know that every minute of learning counts! When students arrive late, leave early, or miss a day, they miss valuable instruction, discussions, and activities that support both academic and social growth. Even small amounts of missed time can make it harder for students to stay on track, as key lessons and practice opportunities are difficult to make up later. Over time, those few minutes here and there truly add up.

We understand that appointments and family needs sometimes can’t be avoided. Whenever possible, please try to schedule these outside of school hours and help your child be at school on time and ready to learn each day.

Reminders

• Instruction begins at 8:00 a.m. Please ensure students arrive on time so they are ready to start the day and not miss valuable learning.

• Dismissal is at 3:45 p.m. Parents, please make the necessary arrangements to have students picked up promptly at dismissal time.

• Early pick-up cut-off time is 3:00 p.m. To minimize classroom interruptions and ensure a smooth end to the school day, early dismissals must occur before this time.

Thank you for your cooperation and support to ensure every student has the best opportunity to succeed!

Pre-K 3 loves to learn letters of the week though a variety of ways during their centers. This month they learned about letter P and B. They worked together in their centers to learn about these letters.

Pre-K 4 is currently learning about different types of patterns in fun ways! They have explored patterns through block patterns, frog patterns, interactive worksheets, and in fun ways like getting in line in a pattern! They have enjoyed learning about patterns in many ways. 

This month, our students have been working hard on strengthening their reading skills! 📚✨

Students practiced annotating their texts by highlighting unknown words and using context clues to figure out their meanings. It was wonderful to see them thinking deeply, making notes in the margins, and discussing their ideas with partners.

We are so proud of how they are becoming stronger, more independent readers by using strategies to understand challenging vocabulary. Keep up the great work, 3rd Grade readers!