Deretchin Weekly
11000 Merit Oaks Drive
The Woodlands, Texas 77382
832-592-8700
Alicia Reeves, Principal
Sarah Howard, AP K-3rd
Melissa Johnson, AP 4th- 6th
Tisha Smith, Counselor K-3rd
Angie McGhee, Counselor 4th – 6th
April 20, 2015
Upcoming Events
Upcoming Events
April
May 1
20 – 24 – CLOSED CAMPUS
20 – Gr 5 Math STAAR
21 – Gr 3, 4, 6 Math STAAR
22 – Gr. 3, 4, 6 Reading
22 – Kindergarten Field Trip to the Pavilion
23 – Gr. 5 – Science
24 – Makeups
27-May 1 – Spring Bookfair
28 – Late Night Bookfair 4:30-7:00
28 – Art Show – 4:00-7:00
28 – Deretchin Drive Thru (Order your meals through the
PTO)
29 – Kindergarten Graduation Pictures
29 – Incentive Day for School Store
30 – PTO meeting
4 – 4th grade Water conservation program in the
morning
4-8 – Teacher Appreciation Week
4-8 – Deretchin Book Drive for Hailey Elementary
5 – Crust Pizza night for Deretchin (% donated
back to the school)
5- 6th grade field trip
6 – Student Council Meeting – 3:30
7 – Choir Concert 8:15/6:30
7 – Band/orchestra concert 9:15/5:30
7 – Anna King here to talk to first grade in PM in
library
7 – Mentor meeting 3:30
8 – Deretchin Gives Back 4:30-7:00
11- 15 – CLOSED Campus – Gr 5 STAAR Retest
13 – Fr 1 and 2 EOY math benchmark
14 – Science Gr 1-4, 6 EOY benchmark
16 – Houston Astros Game 6:15 – Boys choir sings
19 – Math Advanced Placement test for gr 4 and 5
20 – Fine Arts Day at the pavilion Gr4
21 – SS EOY BM for Gr 2-6
22 – School Store
22 – Envision Projects 1:00-2:30 in the library
26 – PTO meeting 9:30 in the library
27 – Incentive Day from School Store
27 – 5th/6th grade girl/boy talk
28 – Field Day K-3
29 – Field Day 4-6
Counselors’ Corner:
The Character Trait for the month of April is “Perseverance”. Perseverance is steady persistence in a
course of action, a purpose, a state, etc.; especially in spite of difficulties, obstacles, or
discouragement.
“It's perseverance that's the key. It is perseverance that's the key. It is preserving for long enough to
achieve your potential.” - Lynn Davies
Our next scheduled meeting for our “Distinguished Dragons” mentor program will be on
Thursday, May 7, 2015 from 3:20 – 4:20 p.m. All students must be car-riders when we dismiss them. If
you have any questions, please let us know.
We are always accepting applications / permission slips for “Deretchin Has Heart”.
Deretchin Has Heart is a support group for our students whose parents are either divorced or going
through a separation. The group is designed to help students express their feelings, resolve conflicts,
get some coping tips, and provide a chance for students to talk, listen, and support each other. This is a
teacher-led group with the counselors available if needed. The group meets once a week. If you are
interested in your child participating, please contact one of the counselors. Our next scheduled
meeting will be announced. If you missed our Parent Information Night and would like some of the
presentation materials, please let Ms. T. Smith (Counselor) know.
“Lunch Bunch” groups are in full swing at this time. Some of these groups are: making
new friends, strategies to be more successful in school, social – skills. If you would like more
information about these groups, please contact one of the counselors.
At Deretchin Elementary, we are a bully-free campus. We take bullying very seriously and have a zero –
tolerance for it. Each day during announcements, our students recite a “Bully-Blocker” pledge. We
teach our students about empathy and helping one another.
In Conroe ISD, bullying is defined as:
engaging in written or verbal expression, expression through
electronic means, or physical conduct that occurs on school property, at a school-sponsored or
school-related activity, or in a vehicle operated by the district and that:
(1) Has the effect or will have the effect of physically harming a student, damaging a student's
property, or placing a student in reasonable fear of harm to the student's person or of damage
to the student's property; or
(2) Is sufficiently severe, persistent and pervasive enough that the action or threat creates an
intimidating, threatening or abusive educational environment for a student.
[Act of June 17, 2011, 82th Leg., R.S., H.B. 1942, § 7 (to be codified at Texas Education Code § 37.0832)]
Counselors’ Corner (continued):
Conduct is considered bullying if it…
(1) exploits an imbalance of power between the student perpetrator and the student victim
through written or verbal expression or physical conduct; and
(2) interferes with a student's education or substantially disrupts the operation of a school.
[Act of June 17, 2011, 82th Leg., R.S., H.B. 1942, § 7 (to be codified at Texas Education Code § 37.0832)]
The Conroe Independent School District prohibits bullying as defined by state law. The District
also prohibits retaliation against anyone who makes a bullying complaint.
For more information:
about retaliation, you may look under "Issues Related to Bullying “on the CISD web page.
Angie and Tisha
Curriculum – Kindergarten:
Deretchin kindergartners will be traveling to Arts Day Out on Wednesday, April 22 and Kindergarten Graduation
Pictures will be taken on April 29. In class, we are enjoying reading poetry and becoming poets through Writers'
Workshop. We are proud of how so many of our young learners are seeing the world through a poet's eyes.
Students will be reviewing rhyming words and exploring the -eep and -op word families. Comparing measurement
(length, capacity and weight) will be the focus of math instruction.
Curriculum – First Grade:
First graders are geared up for another action-packed week of learning. Students will revisit fiction stories and
practice their retelling skills. Practice makes permanent and readers become stronger with daily practice. Don't
forget to have your child retell important details and story elements. Fact recall is vital to non-fiction passages as
well. Poets will conclude their unit of poetry writing and gear up for writing personal narratives. Geometry,
fractions, and non-standard measurement will be our units of math study. These topics make for wonderful
conversations and real-life applications. Students will be able to describe and explain the fish and frog life cycle.
Scientists will also celebrate Earth Day by learning that even children can have a positive impact on keeping Earth
clean.
Curriculum – Second Grade:
It's been another great week in second grade! We are continuing with our economics unit in social studies as the
students have quickly learned that great citizenship equals more income in their banks. Please make sure your
child is preparing their poster and products to sell for our May 1st Economics Fair. They should produce 56 to 64
goods to sell for the big event. In reading, the children will be reviewing the genre of drama. Not only will we be
performing reader's theater's, the children will also be focusing on summarizing and making inferences. The
students are continuing with our poetry unit in writing, and measurement in math. While at home, please have
your children practice telling time to the minute using an analog clock. We are determining the area, length, and
height of objects using non-standard and standard measurement.
Curriculum – Third Grade:
Third grade students can't wait to show what we have learned this year on the STAAR Math and Reading tests. We
are totally prepared to shine like stars!
Curriculum – Fourth Grade:
We have focused on the genre of test prep and our students have responded in an exceptional way! We are so
proud of their hard work!! They will continue working toward the completion of their fiction story, and we will
continue discussing the Civil War.
In math, 4th graders will be learning more about geometry through discovery with tangrams and tessellations. In
science we will be learning about life cycles. The students are currently observing the complete life cycle of a
monarch butterfly and will be creating Animoto videos to demonstrate their knowledge of life cycles.
Curriculum – Fifth Grade:
5th Graders will be administered the Reading and Science STAAR Tests the week of April 20th. We know our 5th
Graders have been working diligently and will excel. Following the week of STAAR testing, 5th Graders will begin
preparing for Deretchin Gives Back. 5th Grade will be researching the country of Haiti. Deretchin Gives Back is
scheduled for May 8th. We look forward to a fabulous night.
Curriculum – Sixth Grade:
In science we are continuing our study of cells and their functions. In social studies we are studying about Latin
America. In math we are working on personal finance. In language arts we are practicing grammar skills.
PPCD:
PPCD is going great! We are enjoying the new friends that have joined our class. For the week of April 20 and
April 27 we will be working on our names, continuing letter and number recognition, and our shape monsters!
Curriculum – Fine Arts and PE:
PE:
We have been working on basketball skills such as learning To dribble and shooting with Kindergarten through
Third Grade. We have been using these skills in game settings.
Grades 4 through 6 have been participating in a Basketball Tournament where they are learning social skills and
how to work together as a team.
Band, Choir, and Orchestra:
The Deretchin 5th and 6th grade band and orchestra will be performing at 9:15 and 5:30 on May 7th. We will also be the
guests of the Houston Symphony on the 20th of May at the Pavilion.
Choir:
Choir-4th Grade Choir and Intermediate Choir are getting ready for the Spring Concert that will take place on
Thursday, May 7th 8:15am and 6:30pm. Keep on singing!!!
Nominations for Gifted and Talented Testing
Nominations will be accepted for Conroe Independent School District Gifted and
Talented program's summer testing from April 1st - 29th. Although the testing will not
take place until this summer, nominations will be accepted during this time.
Nominations can be made by the parents and/or teachers. If you are interested in
nominating your child, you may want to discuss this with your child’s teacher at
conferences. You may request a nomination form from the front office or our Assistant
Principal, Melissa Johnson. You can also find the nomination form and other GT
information on the CISD GT homepage.
Second grade is representing Africa/Tanzania and Toms Shoes for Deretchin Gives Back
on Friday, May 8th from 4:30-7:00.
We will be collecting new and gently used shoes ( preferably 2-3 pairs per family) which
will be donated to a charity in Africa.
All pairs of shoes that are donated should be brought in a bag or box. Your donations
should be brought to Deretchin on the evening of the event. Second grade will have a
donation box next to their Toms Shoes display.
We appreciate your support in helping to make our project a success.
~Second Grade Teachers/Students
Deretchin PTO:
Deretchin Gives Back:
Save the date for the Deretchin Gives Back- Be a Global Citizen. Friday May 8th 5-7pm. Need more info
or would like to volunteer contact Irum Khan at [email protected].
Crust Spirit Night:
May 5th from 3-close Crust Pizza will be giving us 15% of total purchases from our Deretchin
Family!!! Please join us for another fun Spirit Night. It can be take out or dine in!
Crust Pizza, 8000 Research Dr. Set #340, The Woodlands, TX 77382
Book Drive:
Book Drive - May 4th - May 8th
Deretchin Drive-Thru::
No time to make dinner? NO PROBLEM! Deretchin Drive-Thru is almost here! Order your Dickey's
Barbecue Pit meals online starting this Tuesday at www.deretchinpto.org and pick them up between
4:30 & 7:00pm on Tuesday, April 28th. Check your Tuesday folder for details.