August 1, 2026
Greetings, District Heights Families!
I hope your summer has been filled with rest, family, fun, and maybe a little adventure! As we prepare to welcome our students back, I am excited about what this new school year holds for our children and our entire District Heights community.
Last year, our students showed us that growth is possible—and we are ready for even more!
Our theme is inspired by one of the greatest upsets in sports history. In 1964, Muhammad Ali stepped into the ring against Sonny Liston, the reigning heavyweight champion whom many believed was unbeatable. When Ali emerged victorious, he didn't simply celebrate the win—he declared to the world, “I shook the world!”
His victory became more than a boxing match. It became a symbol of what can happen when preparation meets purpose, when courage overcomes doubt, and when people refuse to let others define their potential.
That is the spirit we are bringing to District Heights this year.
Shocking the world does not mean surprising people with one moment of success—even though earning a 3-Star ESSA rating would certainly be something to celebrate! It means becoming the kind of school that consistently exceeds expectations through strategic action, purposeful planning, and an unwavering belief in our students.
We are not competing with other schools. We are challenging ourselves to exceed our own expectations, accelerate student growth, and demonstrate what is possible when an entire school community believes in every child.
Our DHES theme supports and undergirds the Superintendent's districtwide theme:
Forward by Design: Every Student, Every Standard, Every Step Forward.
Our Comprehensive School Improvement (CSI) Plan provides our focus:
🥊Increase literacy achievement
🥊Increase mathematics achievement
🥊Accelerate growth for students in Special Education and English Language Development
🥊Strengthen school culture by reducing chronic absenteeism and improving climate outcomes
Last year, our students made gains on MCAP and MISA, and we saw improvement in student attendance. Five students successfully exited the English Language Development (ELD) program, and our ELD students achieved 60% proficiency on the WIDA ACCESS assessment.
Our students receiving Special Education services are growing as well, and this year we are committed to creating even more profound academic gains for all of our learners.
These accomplishments matter because they remind us of what can happen when students, families, teachers, staff, and community partners work together.
People didn't necessarily expect Ali to win. People may not always expect schools like ours to excel either.
Our response to every doubt, every obstacle, and every low expectation is simple: We will continue to prepare, continue to grow, and continue to believe in what our students can accomplish.
Our students deserve our strongest effort, our clearest systems, and our highest expectations.
When you return, you will notice some improvements to our school grounds. Our parking lot has been resurfaced, and new traffic markings have been added to help improve the flow and safety of arrival and dismissal.
We appreciate your patience as everyone becomes familiar with the updated markings and traffic patterns.
Please do not double-park or park along the emergency curb. Police will monitor two areas: the school parking lot and District Heights Parkway. Double parking may result in ticketing. The Kiss & Ride lane must keep moving. Please have your pickup tag ready and follow staff directions. If you have not yet registered for a pickup tag, please do so.
Construction Alert
Construction will be underway as we begin building our first outdoor classroom! Changes are happening because we are improving and upgrading our school! Please plan ahead, allow extra time, and be patient as we adjust.
⭐ September 2, 2026
⏰ 5:30-7:00 p.m.
We look forward to welcoming you into the schoolhouse!
🗓️September 7, 2026
Schools and Offices Closed
🗓️September 16, 2026
Schools Closed for Students
Pre-K registration is ongoing!
We want to keep both of our Pre-K classrooms filled with young learners. If you have a child who is eligible for Pre-K—or know a family who may be interested—please encourage them to complete registration. We need our little learners!
Last year, District Heights students traveled to New York City to experience The Lion King. It was more than a field trip. It was an opportunity to connect learning, culture, literacy, the arts, and the world beyond our schoolhouse.
This year, we plan to continue expanding our curricular field trip itinerary with even more adventurous learning experiences.
Parents, we want YOU to come along! Chaperones are welcome and encouraged. We are looking for families who want to participate in creating memorable learning experiences for our children.
Our vision is to become a true community resource where all members share responsibility for educating the whole child.
One way we can live that vision is by building a community of literacy-minded children.
We are looking for adult volunteers who are willing to come into our school and read to our students. There is something powerful about a child watching an adult get excited about a book.
Readers get to travel without leaving the room. Readers discover new worlds. Readers meet people they may never otherwise know. Readers expand their horizons.
If you love books, love children, or simply have a little time to share, we want you in the schoolhouse!
This year, we are also going to place greater emphasis on attendance and punctuality.
Our students deserve every minute of quality instructional time available to them. Every morning matters. Every lesson matters. Every minute matters.
We want our children in school, on time, and ready to engage in rich, meaningful, and purposeful instruction with their teachers and classmates.
We also recognize that families sometimes face challenges that make attendance and punctuality difficult. Our goal is not to judge those challenges, but to partner with families, identify barriers, and work together toward solutions.
As we begin this new school year, I ask that we approach this work with high expectations and plenty of grace—for our children, our families, and one another.
There is so much ahead for District Heights Elementary.
We have made progress.
We have more work to do.
We are ready for the next chapter.
Thank you for trusting us with your children. Thank you for partnering with us. Thank you for believing that our students are capable of more.
This year, District Heights will SHOCK THE WORLD!
With appreciation and excitement,
Principal Tracey Smith Walters
