Reminders for the Week of August 18, 2025
Mustang Families,
We are excited to kick off week two of Buzzing with Purpose, Blooming with Mustang P.R.I.D.E.! Thank you for a wonderful start to the school year. Please review the following important reminders for this week:
Blue Folder Information: Last week, information was sent home in the blue folder on Tuesday and Friday. Please review these handouts carefully—they include details about upcoming events as. Each Tuesday you will receive the folder with the weekly homework.
School Safety Video (Grades 3–5): Students will view the required DCPS safety video on Friday, August 22. If you would like to opt your student out, you must do so in the Focus app no later than Wednesday, August 20. Links to preview the video were included in Friday’s handouts. If you have any questions, please reach out to your teacher via Rooms.
Open House: Mark your calendars for Thursday, August 28. More details about times and location are included in the blue folder.
Car Rider Procedures:
If you still need a car tag, please request one from your child’s teacher through the Rooms app. You can always use your pikmykid app instead of using the car tag.
Beginning this week, car rider dismissal will begin at 2:40 p.m. (doors will not open earlier).
Please have your car tag visible on the driver’s side.
After 3:15 p.m., students must be picked up in the front lobby with your car tag or photo ID. Staff supervision is not available after 3:15 unless your child is enrolled in Extended Day.
Important: After 5 early checkouts or five late pickups, a parent conference with our attendance team will be required to create a plan for on-time arrival and pickup.
Code of Conduct: All grade levels will review the DCPS Code of Conduct next week. You may view it anytime on the DCPS homepage.
CTE Spirit Shirts: Orders are due by Wednesday, August 20 at 3:00 p.m.
This week we will practice our lock down procedures. Students will remain in their classroom as the teacher explains the importance of listening quietly to instructions in the event of an emergency. We will conduct these drills monthly.
PTA & SAC: Look for more information soon about how to get involved in these important organizations that help support and guide our school.
Mustang Meadow Garden Collection: Mrs. Hunt is collecting clean milk jugs for our garden project. Students may drop them off in her classroom.
Water Bottles: If students bring a water bottle, it must stay in their cubby during class time. Water bottles often spill and damage materials when left at desks. Each classroom and hallway have a water fountain available for student use.
Dress code- please monitor your student's dress. Often the clothes we were on the weekends are not appropriate for the school day. Be mindful that while some things might have fit last month it may no longer fit this month. Our students are growing daily.
Thank you for your support in helping us ensure a safe and successful school year! We are excited to see your students soar to new heights this school year.
With Mustang P.R.I.D.E.
Principal Doyle
Thank you for a wonderful first week! We are so excited to have all of our Mustangs back on campus.
Each Sunday, we will send out important reminders for the week ahead. Please be sure to check your student’s folder. This week, we sent home information about:
How to watch and/or opt out of the safety video that will be shown on Friday, August 22nd for grades 3-5.
Details about Open House
The FortifyFL Tip Line
Instructions for setting up the DCPS App
We appreciate your partnership and look forward to a fantastic year together!
https://www.duvalschools.org/page/student-training-for-active-shooter
We’ve noticed that historically some students are being checked out early to avoid the car rider line. While we understand busy schedules, early checkouts mean students miss important math instruction and small group reading support—key parts of their academic success.
Please help us protect learning time by allowing your child to remain in class until dismissal. Together, we can ensure every student gets the full benefit of their school day
The Dentist is coming to Chaffee Trail Elementary.
Great news! Our school has partnered with Big Smiles to offer dental care at school. Best of all, in most cases there is no cost to you if your child is insured with Medicaid/CHIP!
Having your child seen by the dentist at school saves you valuable time. Top quality care is provided by local, licensed dentists in the familiar surroundings of your child’s school.
You can sign up for this great opportunity either by completing the paper application which will come home tomorrow or via the link below.
Spots are limited and will be placed based on enrollment/return date.
Enroll online: https://www.myschooldentist.com/Default.aspx
If you have any questions, please reach out to Mr. Nelson, School Counselor (nelsonj@duvalschools.org) and more information is included on his website:
https://duvalschools.my.canva.site/schoolcounseling-chaffeetrail
We experienced two challenges this afternoon that slowed down dismissal:
*PikMyKid app/internet was down district-wide.
*Many did not have their car tags or PIKMYKID updated and available to view.
If you do not have a car tag, please pick one up tomorrow morning at the cafeteria doors from 7:50–8:15 AM. You must present an ID to receive your tag.
Tomorrow’s Arrival Expectation:
All families should use the car rider line rather than parking and coming inside.
Kindergarten and SLA parents who wish to walk their student in will need to check in with an ID at the front desk before escorting their child to class.
Water Bottles:
We ask that students leave personal water bottles at home. If they choose to bring one, it must be kept inside their backpack or lunchbox and stored in their cubby during the day. Every classroom has a water fountain. Unfortunately, the number of spills and damage to property makes this change necessary.
Thank you for your understanding and for working with us to make arrival and dismissal as smooth as possible!
Hope to see all of our families at orientation Thursday. Please us the QR code on this flyer to complete this back-to-school document.
Please use the QR code to complete the required orientation information.
The document can be accessed in multiple ways:
Attached to the email connected to your Focus account
On the DCPS School App (CTE page)
On our school social media pages
We appreciate your timely attention to this important step!
The first day of school is just around the corner, and if your child plans to ride the bus, you must apply/register through your Focus account—now!
🚌 Important Reminders:
✅ Bus transportation is not automatic
✅ Applications are approved by the district, not the school
✅ Approval can take time—don’t wait until the last minute!
⏰ There’s still time—register today to avoid delays and ensure your child is ready to roll on Day One!
Staying connected with your child’s school is essential and we don’t want you to miss a thing! Our school app is one of the main tools we use for rapid communication with families.
Through the app, you can:
✔️ Receive updates from the principal and your child’s teacher
✔️ Access the Focus portal and OneView
✔️ Check school lunch menus and transportation details
✔️ View event calendars and safety alerts
✔️ And much more!
To help you get started, we’ve included two short “how-to” videos below. Watch them to learn how to make the most of the app and stay in the loop all year long
https://www.duvalschools.org/o/dcps/page/duval-schools-app
If your child lives within our attendance zone and will be riding a school bus, they MUST be registered and approved before the first day of school if they plan to ride the bus the first day. No exceptions.
All bus and bus registration/attendance will be tracked using a new district transportation app, and approval is handled solely by the district transportation office, not at the school level.
Students will recieve an id that they will swipe when boarding the bus to and from school. Please make sure the student has their id daily. We will attach it to the handle of their backpack.
Please ensure you’ve completed the process as soon as possible to avoid any delays in transportation.
Due to inclement weather, we will need to reschedule tomorrow’s Campus Clean-Up.
Stay tuned, another opportunity to volunteer for our campus beautification efforts will be shared soon!
Thank you for your continued support