Welcome Back Zorros! August 2021 - Christine Duncan's Heritage Academy

Welcome Back Zorros!
      August 2021

School’s Leadership Team
Dr. Jesús Moncada, Principal
Ms. Veronica Vigil, Director of Curriculum and
Instruction
Ms. Rachel Gamboa, Dean of Students
Mrs. Julie Weeks, Director of Special Education

Staff Updates

Attendance and Tardies
●   It is essential that your child/children are at school daily and on-time.
●   Tadies disrupt the learning process of not only your child, but other
    children in the classroom.
●   Per state law, if your child is absent from school 3, 5, 10 days you will
    receive a letter from the school.
     ○   CDHA can make a determination based on circumstances if we report to CYFD after the
         5th absence.
●   If your child is going to be absent, please call the Front Office at
    505-839-4971.

Arrival and Dismissal
                    Arrival                                               Dismissal

7:30-8:30 am: Students can arrive to school for     All students in grades K-2 will exit through the West
breakfast in Gym/Cafeteria                          gate at 3:40. Students in grades 3-5 will exit
                                                    through the North gate at 3:50. Students from 6-8
8:30: Students are picked up by their teachers in   will exit through the North gate at 4:00.
the cafeteria

If students are not at school by 8:30 am they       Parents and siblings must wait outside the gates
MUST be signed in at the front office and they      until children are dismissed, please do not allow
will be marked tardy.                               them to interrupt instruction. In case there is an
                                                    event after school (school activity), students must
MUST have a mask on upon arrival. Let us know
                                                    leave the campus and return at the time of the
if the child needs a mask.
                                                    event, unless they are enrolled in the after school
                                                    program or tutoring.

Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner

●   We are a 100% Free and Reduced Lunch school
     ○ Students receive breakfast, lunch, and supper
     ○ Students will receive fresh fruit and vegetable two times a week
●   Students can bring a lunch from home
     ○ It MUST be a cold lunch
     ○ We are no longer allowed to heat up food
●   Students cannot bring soda or fast food for breakfast or lunch
     ○ Families cannot drop off fast food

Schedules
          LUNCH                                        RECESS

PreK 10:30 in the classroom        11:00-11:30 Kinder (K-3 Playground)
10:30-11:00: K Lunch
                                   11:30-12:00 1st Grade (K-3 Playground)
             st   nd
11:00-11:30: 1 - 2     Lunch
                                   1:00-1:15 2nd Grade (K-3 Playground)
11:30-12:00: 3rd - 4th Lunch

12:00-12:30: 5th – 6th Lunch       2:15-2:30 3rd and 4th Grade (MS playground)

12:30-1:00: 7th – 8th Lunch
                                   2:30-2:45 5th Grade (MS playground)
*Teachers 30-Minute
Duty-Free Lunch                    *No recess for middle school students
                                   *Grade-levels will cover their own recess duty

Cell Phones and Smart Watches: PK-8th Grade

●   Cell phones/Smart Watches MUST be turned off from the time your child/children arrive at
    school until 4:00pm.
●   All students (PreK-8th) will place their cell phones/smart watches in a ziplock bag and the
    teacher will collect them in a safe location at the beginning of the day.
●   At the end of the day students will collect their cell phones/smart watches when dismissed.
●   If a student does not follow the rules:
      ○ 1st Offense: Verbal Warning and cell phone/smart watch is taken by teacher. Students
           can have it back at the end of the day.
      ○ 2nd Offense: cell phone/smart watch is taken by teacher and given to the front office.
           Parents MUST pick up the cell phone/smart watch and privileges are revoked for the
           year.

Dress Code

●   Yes, we will be back to wearing uniforms at CDHA
●   Uniforms MUST Be:
     ○ Navy blue polo
     ○ Any CDHA shirt with logo
     ○ Khaki, Navy Blue or Black pants or shorts
●   Students are not allowed to wear caps, beanies, or their hoods while in class or
    buildings.
●   Students must wear a mask inside of building and classrooms, except when eating
    or drinking. Wearing masks is encouraged outside but not mandatory.
●   We do have vouchers for uniforms
     ○ Please contact Theresa Bustos at CHDA

COVID Guidance
●   Students will be back in-person.
●   All students PK-8, staff, and visitors MUST wear masks when at
    Christine Duncan Heritage Academy
●   Visitors are discouraged from being on campus but not prohibited
     ○   Students can take their masks off when they are outside and eating lunch or drinking
         water
●   We have installed:
     ○   Hand sanitizer stations in each classroom and throughout CDHA
     ○   Water stations in each classroom
     ○   Touchless faucets in restrooms
●   We will continue to take temperatures in the classrooms and have an
    isolation room.
●   We will continue with disinfecting the facility on a weekly basis.

Health Office Requirements
●   Vaccination Records
●   Birth Certificates
●   Dental Exams
●   COVID-19 vaccine cards
●   Signed permission slip for participation in surveillance testing (optional)

School Wide Behavior Expectations: PAWS
                          ●   Students will be taught and re-taught
Positive Attitude             the “PAWS” expectations for all areas
                              of the school.
                          ●   Students will be rewarded for positive
Attentive                 ●
                              behaviors with “PAWS” tickets.
                              At the end of each month, students will
                              have an opportunity to shop for prizes

Wise Decision                 at our “PAWS” store, using their
                              tickets.
                          ●   Each month teachers will choose 1-2
                              students for “PAWS” Student of the
Show Respect              ●
                              Month.
                              We will hold monthly Student of the
                              Month assemblies.

Special Events
●   At this time we are planning to have as many in-person events as
    possible.
●   Virtual Events will continue to be an option.
●   We will always use our best judgement and put the safety of our
    students, staff, and families at the forefront of our decision-making
    process.
●   Masks will be required at all times, during special events.
●   We ask for your understanding and cooperation as we make these
    difficult decisions.
●   All students will continue to have access to Google Classroom

School Supplies
●   We did our best to limit the amount of school supplies students need.
     ○   Supply lists can be found on the Christine Duncan Heritage Academy website christineduncan.org
●   We want students to participate in hands on activities while at school but will not be
    able to share materials.
●   Students will bring their chromebooks/chargers back and forth each day; as there
    will be times they will need them.
     ○   We MUST be prepared at any moment for a possible school shut-down if COVID-19 Cases increase.
         Please check school’s website frequently and/or listen to school robocalls. Teachers will also
         communicate through Google Classroom

Title I Learning Compact
●   We must have a signed copy in students files per Federal Law
●   Agreement between teacher, students, parent/guardians, and
    administration to be active participants in learning.
●   Agreement to be a partner in our CDHA community to meet the needs of
    your child/children.

IMPORTANT: Your son/daughter teacher will send home a learning compact
the first week of school. Please read with your child/children, sign, and
return.

Kids Focus
●   We will have Kids Focus for PK-5 this year.
●   A permission slip for Kids Focus will be sent next week (green paper).
     ○   Please sign and return
     ○   This is precaution for on-line learning as students

Visitor Policy
●   No Background Clearance Required
●   Brief visit to CDHA for a special event, dropping items off for a student, attend
    school to eat lunch.
●   Visitors MUST:
     ○   Present some sort of identification
     ○   Sign-In and Sign-Out in the office
     ○   Wear a visitor badge in plain sight at all times
     ○   Follow the CDHA safety protocols in place at the time of the visit
●   Visiting rights can be terminated at any time, per administrative discretion.
●   Visitors who are at school regularly will be asked to process as volunteers
    and get a background check done so they can be at the school.
●   Due to student and staff safety, we are discouraging visitors from being in
    school.

Volunteer Policy
●   Authorized parents, guardians, family, or community members.
●   All volunteer serve at the discretion of school administration.
●   All volunteers MUST adhere to a background check.
●   Provide support to CDHA students and staff.
●   MUST sign-in and sign-out of front office and adhere to the safety
    policies and procedures at CDHA.
●   Volunteers will wear a CDHA volunteer badge, in plain sight, at all times.

1st Day of School
●   1st-8th grade families will not be allowed to enter the building with their
    child.
●   PreK-Kindergarten families will be allowed to escort their child to the
    classroom, but will have to say their goodbyes at the door.
●   We understand the importance of this day, however we are still in a
    pandemic situation and need to use our best efforts to keep everyone
    safe.
●   Thank you for your understanding.

Student Rosters
Student rosters will be on display in the gym and in the front office.

Please stop by the office and check the windows.

Teachers were asked to contact parents and introduce themselves.

All staff rosters will be on school’s website under parent tab.

THANK YOU!
Thank you so much for entrusting us your children and for joining us this
afternoon. We look forward to meeting you in person this school year and hope
that you get involved and join us in parent meetings and events.

Always feel free to contact us with any questions or concerns!