2022-2023

Cardinal Spotlight 9/11

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Victoria Solano

Ms. Solano is one of MECC’s newest staff members. Ms. Solano allows students to develop independence while encouraging them to play and interact all while learning.  Ms. Solano has instantly connected with students and knows exactly what to do when support is needed. She always has a smile that brightens the day for everyone around her.  Thank you, Ms. Solano for supporting our students and for being a part of Menchaca! You Rock!!!

Madilynn J. Herrera

Madilynn Herrera is one of MECC’s PK-3 students who has a love for learning and her teachers, Mrs. Rendon and Mrs. Amaton. Madilynn is in the Dual Language program so she is learning all her core content in Spanish! With great modeling and guidance she is now counting to ocho (eight) and singing songs in Spanish. Madilynn is a joy to have in class. Her spunk and love for her peers makes her a great role model. Way to go Madilynn for being our Cardinal Spotlight student.

Safe Spaces and Calming Corners Support Our Littlest Learners

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Self-regulation, or the ability to control one’s emotions while they are high, is a learned skill. When a child’s brain is developmentally prepared to self-regulate, similar to when they are taught to tie their shoes after they possess the necessary fine motor skills, they can learn various techniques and methods that suit them. Consider what helped you the last time you felt angry, ignored, anxious, or any other negative emotion. Did you step outside to get some fresh air? Did you engage in any meditation or yoga or take 10 deep breaths?  Or did you go read in your favorite space? Each of us has developed a unique set of coping skills that we can employ to manage our emotions and get back to a more neutral or optimistic frame of mind. Kids are no different!

The purpose of a calming corner is to provide a child with a safe place to go in a classroom when they feel their emotions are out of control or running too high and they need to regain emotional and physical control. These spaces are equipped with comforting objects and soothing materials that can promote mindfulness, breathing, and reflection.

Mrs. Esparza’s PK-4 class has a Safe Space/Calm Down Corner for little cardinals to use. These two littles have BIG emotions and they both found their way to the Calming Corner/Safe Space on their own. They were so engaged showing and talking to each other about their feelings books.

Morning Meetings at Menchaca

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In order to engage children and foster a feeling of community in our classrooms, we lay the groundwork for this throughout the transition back to school. We know that taking the time to reestablish connections and give kids the chance to check in with one other is essential as we look for strategies to create safe and inclusive settings. Hosting morning meetings is an exciting approach to start the school day while encouraging teamwork and kindness. Morning meetings are a scheduled daily routine that provides a supportive transition for kids as they enter the classroom. Morning meetings are a school-wide classroom management strategy used to meet daily demands of kids for social-emotional learning. Teachers gather their kids each morning to start the day off with interaction.

The most common format of a morning meeting consists of four key components: greetings, sharing, activity, and a morning message. However, these daily warm-ups will appear different in different classrooms as educators alter them to meet the particular needs of their students. When greeting one another, teachers and students typically do so at the entrance as they enter the classroom. Students are able to share details about personal experiences. Activity motivates students to engage in a quick activity that builds relationships and offers chances to apply SEL or academic abilities. Last but not least, during the morning message, students practice listening and reading skills of a brief message written by their teacher to prepare them for the tasks they will do that day. In elementary schools, morning meetings are most frequently conducted as a class gathering at the start of each school day. For the duration of the school year, many primary teachers hold morning meetings to foster a sense of community and make sure that every student is treated with respect and feels heard and valued.

In the following pictures, you can see PK-4 teacher, Mr. Guillermo Zavala, leading the class through a morning welcome song with movements as a part of their morning meeting.

Seeking Volunteers for Breakfast with Cici Mascot

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We are looking for volunteers to dress as our mascot, Cici, for our great character reward – Breakfast with Cici! You must complete a background check/Raptor check to volunteer (for our students’ safety) but it is a great way to volunteer on campus! Our past Cici mascots have danced with students, given hugs and high fives, taken photos with, and just motivated and pumped students up! Students participating have been nominated by staff members for exemplary character. The following link has all of the dates we will host Cici for the first semester. Thank you for your consideration!
(Due to the mascot costume limitations, the person volunteering should be approximately 285 lbs or less.) You will receive an email confirming your sign up, when you’ve been cleared, and what to expect on the day of the event.