Good morning Doss Families - 

The first week of school was a great success. Students are adapting well to new routines, approaching learning with enthusiasm, and beginning to feel at home, though understandably a little tired by week’s end. 

A huge thank you to our fabulous Doss PTA for making the new playground mulch and track updates happen! We’ve been waiting two years for the mulch to be refreshed, as it is a key safety need - and thanks to our amazing PTA, the wait is over. The track, which naturally washes out each year, has also been replenished with crushed granite. We are so grateful for their continued support of our students’ safety and play. THANK YOU, DOSS PTA!

At Doss, our core values are Safety, Respect, and Responsibility. You'll see these expectations prominently displayed around the campus. We encourage you to use this language at home as well, as it reinforces the school-home partnership.

Dismissal Update

Thank you for your patience during dismissal this week. As we all adjust to new routines, the process may take a little longer over the first week or two.

A few important reminders to help dismissal run smoothly:

• Please stay in your car; a staff member will escort your child to you and open the car door.

• Please display your child’s carline sign on your dash so we have them ready to load quickly. 

• Encourage your child to practice buckling their own car seat or seat belt—this greatly speeds up the carline.

• Out of safety and respect for our neighbors, please do not drive down Northledge Dr. during dismissal. Doss Dismissal Map

• If your child has a sibling for after-school pick up, please notify their teacher. Older siblings will meet younger siblings at their outside dismissal area at 3:10.

• Rainy day dismissal is always slower. This year we encourage only carlines during rainy day dismissal.

We truly appreciate your cooperation and support as we work together to make dismissal safe and efficient for everyone.

Austin ISD is excited to participate in National College Colors Day, scheduled for this Friday, August 29th. Across the United States, students, parents, family, faculty, fans, and alumni celebrate College Colors Day every year on the Friday before Labor Day. Let’s go Doss Owls, show your spirit and school pride by wearing college colors and/or apparel. 

Thank you to those who were able to join me for our first Parent-Principal Coffee last week. You can view the presentation slide deck HERE. Please don’t hesitate to reach out if you have any questions or would like to discuss anything further.

As we discussed during the Parent-Principal Coffee, the official attendance time (OAT) has changed to 9:45am this school year. It is very important that students are in their classrooms by that time. In Texas, schools receive funding based on the number of students present each day at OAT. Last year,  Doss’s attendance rate was 96% which is awesome. However, even though many absences were excused, Doss lost over $400,000 in funding due to students not being present.

Texas law requires that elementary students maintain an average daily attendance of at least 90%. While excused absences are not funded, they do protect students from being marked as truant. We understand that illness and appointments are sometimes unavoidable, but whenever possible, please schedule appointments outside of the school day or after 9:45am.

If your child is absent, please complete this form and attach a doctor’s note or a brief explanation for the absence.

We’re excited to share our Doss Family Handbook with you. Inside, you will find helpful information about our school procedures. Please review it and keep it handy as a resource whenever questions come up. 

Mark your calendars, Doss Back to School Night (Curriculum Night) is Wednesday, September 3rd at 5:30pm - 7pm. The night consists of two sessions: the first session is 5:30 - 6:10pm, and the second session from 6:15 - 6:55pm. It is a great opportunity for you to meet your child(ren)’s teachers, learn about the curriculum, and ask questions. 

Have a wonderful week -
Principal Sheridan