Originally delivered on 8/4/2022 10:01 am

SUBJECT: Weekly eNews: August 4, 2022

Message from Principal Thompson

Dear Stallion Families, 

We are so very eager for our stallions to join us for the first day of school on August 15th! As our Lakewood staff and teachers join us this week while we set up our classrooms, the energy and excitement are palpable. On Monday, we had the opportunity to gather with new-to-Lakewood teachers to plan and prepare for a great school year. We feel so fortunate to welcome such a strong team of new staff to our family! Finally, the moment we have all been waiting for (drum roll please): we have begun uploading our class lists to Powerschool Parent Portal, and the majority will be ready for viewing by Monday. If you have registered online with your most updated contact information, you may also be receiving a phone call from your new teacher soon! 

We hope you have a great last week of summer, and can't wait to see you all soon. 

Stallion Strong, 

Principal Thompson 

UPCOMING DATES

AUG 8: New Family Orientation

AUG 10: J.L. Long BUC CAMP

AUG 10: 5th Grade Campus Clean-Up

AUG 11: Meet the Teacher 

AUG 15: First Day of School

AUG 15:  "Boohoo or Woohoo" Breakfast for Kinder Parents

AUG 25:  PTA Board Meeting (8:15am in the Cafeteria)

AUG 25:  PTA General Meeting (7pm in the Auditorium)

AUG 29:  Room Rep Drawing @ 8pm (more info to come)

AUG 30:  Parent Info Night (Kinder & 3rd Grade, 5 - 6:15pm)

AUG 31:  Parent Info Night (1st & 2nd Grades, 5 - 6:15pm)

SEPT 1:  Parent Info Night (4th & 5th Grades, 5 - 6:15pm)

SEPT 5: NO SCHOOL (Labor Day)

SEPT 30 - Oct 2: FOL Camp Lakewood  

NEW ANNOUNCEMENTS
Arrival & Dismissal Information

FIRST DAY ONLY- Arrival

  • Kindergarten students will arrive at 7:40 AM.
  • 1st - 5th grade students will arrive at 8:30 AM. 
  • Staff will be all hands on deck beginning at 7:40 AM to help welcome and guide our Kinder students to their classes.
  • Any student needing breakfast may enter through the cafeteria entrance at 7:30 AM. 

Arrival- EVERY DAY beginning Tues 8/17

  • Doors open at 7:40 AM
  • Tardies begin at 8:00AM
  • Any student needing breakfast may enter through the cafeteria entrance at 7:30 AM.

Dismissal by Mode of Pickup: EVERY DAY

  • 3:05 PM: FOL, Big Thought, YMCA, and Bus will be either picked up (K & 1) or released (2-5).
  • 3:10 PM: Announced carpool students will be sent to carpool and the remaining students will be taken into the auditorium and dismissed as they are announced. 
  • 3:15 PM: All walkers will be taken to their designated grade level locations and stand in a line with a grade/section sign. Students will be dismissed by the teacher in the PikMyKid app as solo walkers and/or as their parent/guardian arrives (Details on PikMyKid will be released in next week's eNews)
  • All students should be picked up by 3:30 PM unless they are in after school programing. 
  • All parents need to bring identification the first week of school to verify pick up (especially walkers, until teachers learn faces, names etc.). Teachers will be checking ID's at dismissal before dismissing in PikMyKid.
Help your Stallion practice entering through their designated doors:

Kindergarten/1st Grade- Main Entrance

2nd/3rd Grades- Sport Court at North Side

4th/5th Grades- Library Entrance at Front

Classroom Placement

As a reminder, the process of placing our students in their new homeroom classes is very important to us. Administration cannot make any adjustments for homerooms. We must consider the various input provided in the spring to meet each child’s unique needs, as well as the even distribution of students in each class. As the school year begins in August, we ask that you use the following campus procedure to address any concerns with your student's class placement.

  1. First, reach out to the teacher directly with any concerns or needs regarding your child's experiences. We are all learning together and there will be an adjustment period.
  2. If after reaching out to your teacher you still have concerns, please reach out directly to their administrator:

K-2: Assistant Principal Melissa James- Mjames@dallasisd.org972-749-7310

3-5: Assistant Principal LeAnna Bentley- Leamiller@dallasisd.org972-749-7384

Sign Up to Water the School Garden!

Please sign up to help water the school courtyard garden in August and September! Let's keep the school gardens thriving during the hot Texas heat. Sign up here: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/4090c4ba4ae2ea64-school1

New Teacher Spotlight!

Let's give them all a warm welcome to Lakewood!! And if you don't see your new teacher's bio below, stay tuned for next week's eNews! 

Kelsey Corban – 1st Grade

Hi! I’m Kelsey Corban, a new 1st grade teacher at Lakewood! I’m joining you from Armstrong Elementary in HPISD, where I specialized in 2nd grade reading intervention. I’m currently working towards my M.Ed. at SMU with a focus in Learning Therapy. My husband and I live in the area; our oldest child is entering 2nd grade and our daughter is starting kindergarten. I am so thrilled to join the Stallion family and look forward to getting to know each and every one of you!

Ellen Estes – 1st Grade

Hi! My name is Ellen Estes and I'm excited to join the Lakewood family as a 1st grade teacher. I am from Beaumont, TX and went to the University of Texas. I started my teaching career at Uplift Peak where I taught 1st grade for five years. Over the last three years, I have been teaching 2nd grade at Momentous Institute. I am looking forward to meeting everyone very soon!

Vaibhavi Kamat-Rao – 1st Grade

Hi! My name is Vaibhavi Kamat-Rao and I am so excited to join the Lakewood staff as a 1st grade teacher! This will be my third year of teaching, second year in first grade. I am from Apex, NC and moved to Dallas in 2020 where I began my teaching career in Crandall, TX. I recently got married so I love spending time with my husband, as well as cooking, doing the NY Times crossword, and shopping. Can't wait for a great year ahead!!

Sarah Lopez – 2nd Grade

Hi! My name is Sarah Lopez, and I’m excited to be part of the Lakewood staff this year teaching 2nd grade. I am from Dallas, TX and went to the University of Texas of Dallas. In my free time I enjoy spending time with my family, going to the movies, trying new restaurants, and playing fetch with my dog, Luke. I look forward to meeting every one of you and having a great school year!

Courtney Davis – 3rd Grade

My name is Courtney Davis and I am looking forward to joining the Lakewood team. I grew up in McKinney, TX and I now live in Lake Highlands with my dog (her name is Honey and she is the best!). I received my undergraduate degree from the University of Oklahoma, and I just graduated from SMU this summer with my Masters in Education. I have been teaching for seven years, all in Dallas ISD, and my favorite subject to learn and teach is reading!! I enjoy working out (I love SoulCycle), walking Honey around White Rock or my neighborhood, cooking (Defined Dish is my girl/favorite cookbook), and traveling (I am going to Europe this summer!). I can’t wait to meet everyone in August! 

Heather Shopoff – 3rd Grade

Hello! My name is Heather Shopoff, and I am so excited to be joining the Lakewood team this year! I have spent the last several years as a Pre-K teacher and can’t wait to jump into 3rd grade. My husband Kevin and I have a 13yr old son, Declan, and an 11yr old daughter, Ainsley. I enjoy spending time with family, reading, the outdoors and am a huge animal lover. I look forward to meeting you all!

Elissa Romines – 4th Grade

I am originally from Arkansas (Woo Pig!) and moved to Dallas 13 years ago. I earned a bachelor's degree in Communication Disorders from the University of Arkansas, then attended UT Dallas for graduate school where I earned a master's degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders. My husband Brian and I have three kids in tow: Hazel (8), Winnie (6), and Wilder (3; yes, he lives up to his name!). Without a doubt, I am happiest when I'm outside with my family. Working in my garden and reading (especially historical biographies!) tie for a close second. Last January I began subbing part-time and fell in love with teaching. One year and four grade levels later, I can say with confidence that we have the most incredible people at Lakewood, and I’m so humbled to be a part of the family! 

Jessica Franco – 4th Grade

I am so excited to be part of the Lakewood team! This year will be my thirteenth year of teaching. I received my bachelor's degree in education from Texas A&M and master's degree in literacy education from UT Arlington. I spent the last five years at home with my daughters (who are students at Lakewood), and I am thrilled to be back teaching fourth grade. I love spending time with my family, traveling, and reading. I am looking forward to a great year at Lakewood!

Abigail Hetrick – 5th Grade

My name is Abigail Hetrick I am a dog mom, lover of anything tie-dye, book enthusiast with a not so hidden obsession with yarn. I have a passion for teaching and have been in education for the past six years. I am so excited to be joining the team at Lakewood for the 2022-23 school year!

Addison Brewer – 5th Grade

Hi there! My name is Addison Brewer, and I am SO excited to teach 5th grade at Lakewood this year!  I am originally from Shreveport, LA but have loved getting to call Dallas home for the past 2 years. I graduated with my bachelors from LSU (Geaux Tigers) in 2019 with degrees in International Studies and Religious Studies and am now finishing my Masters in Education at SMU! I especially love spicy food, college football, and being outside! I can't wait to get to know my Lakewood family!

Sadie Clark – TC

Hi! My name is Sadie Clark and I’m so excited to join Lakewood Elementary as a TC teacher! This will be my second year as an assistant in a special education classroom. My family and I have lived in Dallas for four years and my daughter, Quincy, will be starting kindergarten this year at Lakewood, too!

Lorena Ramey – TC

My name is Lorena Ramey, TC teacher. I graduated with my Bachelor's in Interdisciplinary Studies from the University of North Texas at Dallas in 2018. I taught Middle School Special Education for 2 years with the Carrollton Farmers Branch school district and spent the last year teaching at a non-profit school for children with disabilities. My teaching style addresses the whole child, encompassing social and emotional functioning as well as academic achievement. I believe in meeting students where they are at, celebrating their mastered abilities and building on their skills to achieve milestones that are functional and appropriate for their individual growth. My classroom culture operates on three principles: safety, respect, and responsibility. Following these basic principles, I strive to create a learning environment that enables everyone to learn and grow both individually and as a whole.

Claudia Escobedo – TC

Hi, my name is Claudia Escobedo and I have been a SpEd TA since 2019. I worked in Middle school for 3 years and enjoyed working with students. I have been living in Dallas for 27 years and I am a mom of two teenagers. During my time off, I love to watch NBA games and garden.

PREVIOUSLY SHARED INFORMATION
Current Campus Security Safeguards

1. Video surveillance system to monitor grounds

2. Volunteer background check in VOLY prior to volunteering in building 

3. Front office check-in system (Raptor System Technologies and ID) to verify identification and screen for sex offenders

4. PikMyKid dismissal system to secure students at pick-up location and notify parents of dismissal 

5. Regular safety (lock down) drills to prepare for emergencies  

6. Key card access only on exterior doors to secure building

7. Controlled, monitored front entrance with locked secondary security doors (newly installed) for entry from foyer

8. Staff monitoring hallways throughout the day

9. Staff doing perimeter and entry checks throughout the day 

10. Lock-blocks on every classroom door to immediately secure the room from the inside in the event of an emergency

11. Perimeter fence to secure the campus grounds

12. District-performed campus safety checks

CALLING ALL NEW FAMILIES!

Please sign up here to attend the below event, hosted by the PTA's New Families Committee. 

There is also a New Family Resources document on the PTA site to answer the most commonly asked questions. 

We can't wait to meet you!

QUESTIONS ABOUT UNIFORMS?
5th Grade Campus Clean-up!

This school year, a different grade will be asked to help with a campus & garden clean-up each month and August will be our 5th graders!

Come help us Wednesday, August 10th from 9-10AM by picking up trash on the Lakewood campus so the school is sparkling clean and looking its best for Meet the Teacher and the first day of school. Trash bags and gloves will be provided. Meet at the front entrance.

Sign up HERE!

Save the date for the annual father/kids camping trip, organized by FOL, for September 30- October 2! Stay tuned for registration information on https://www.foldallas.org/

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