As we approach the holiday season, I want to take a moment to share an important concern we’ve observed among some of our students. Recently, we have seen an increase in students engaging in inappropriate conversations through group text chats and sharing videos containing adult content. In addition, several parents have contacted us after monitoring their children’s devices and discovering conversations involving explicit language, discussions around mature content, and even references to self-harm.
These topics are not age‑appropriate and can have a harmful impact on students’ emotional and social well‑being. With the upcoming break, students will have more unstructured time, which often leads to increased screen time, gaming, and social media use. While technology can be a wonderful tool for learning and connection, it also presents risks when it is not closely monitored.
We encourage you to take time over the break to:
Review the apps installed on your child’s device and understand their purpose. Some apps appear harmless at first glance but function very differently once opened.
Be aware of how certain apps and games may expose your child’s information or interactions to the wider internet.
Monitor text conversations, group chats, and social media activity to ensure they remain appropriate and safe.
Talk with your child about online safety, responsible communication, and what to do if they encounter something concerning.
Please also be aware that even tools designed to be helpful—such as AI chat features or interactive gaming platforms—can be misused by others in harmful ways. Recently, news reports highlighted an attempted kidnapping in Nassau County connected to an encounter on Roblox. Staying informed and engaged is one of the most effective ways to protect your child.
In January, we will host a Parent Night focused on online safety, monitoring strategies, and ways to support healthy digital habits. We hope this session will provide practical tools and guidance as we work together to keep our students safe.
Thank you for partnering with us to support the well‑being of our students. If you have any questions or need additional resources, please do not hesitate to reach out.
Mrs. Doyle
Tomorrow, 12/17/25, we will have our faculty meeting after school. This means car line will end at 3:10 PM.
If you arrive after 3:10, please park and bring your car tag inside to pick up your child.
Thank you for your cooperation!
✅ Spirit Week Begins Tomorrow!
Tomorrow starts our schoolwide Spirit Week. Please refer to the attached spirit calendar that was previously posted.
🧪 5th Grade Mid-Year Science State Assessment – Tomorrow
Tomorrow our 5th graders will take their Mid-Year Science State Assessment. Please help your child do their very best by:
Powering down electronics early
Getting a good night’s sleep
Sending them in with a little encouragement and a pep talk—when students know it matters to you, they try even harder!
📌 SAC Meeting – Thursday at 3:30 PM
Our School Advisory Council (SAC) meeting will be held this Thursday at 3:30 PM.
⏰ Arrive On Time
We can’t wait to see everyone tomorrow morning! As a reminder, school begins at 8:30 AM. Students arriving after 8:30 are tardy.
We want to send a huge thank you out to our PTA for hosting our Whoville, all those employees who helped prepare and assist with activities at the event, and Mr. Carter for the amazing student holiday performance.
Have a great evening, and we’ll see our Mustangs bright and early tomorrow! 💙💛
I want to let you know about a medical situation that occurred today involving one of our students during last lunch. The student received immediate care and was transported for further evaluation. They were alert and responsive before leaving school.
We understand that events like this can be unsettling. Our counselors are available to support any student who may feel anxious or would like to talk.
Thank you for your continued support as we prioritize the health and well-being of all our students.
Sincerely,
Principal Doyle
A big thank you to all who attended to represent their schools and DCPS, as well as to the parents who came ready with thoughtful questions—from the application process, to lottery timelines, to transportation options. Your engagement and curiosity show just how committed you are to helping your students find the best possible fit.
You don’t have to look far to see that DCPS truly offers every pathway you can imagine when preparing for your child’s future.
The School Choice application window is still open, and we are here to help! If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to call the school—we’re happy to support you through the process.
Take a look at a few sneak-peek promos on social media showcasing some of our students’ favorite things you’ll experience at the event. This is truly one of the most magical nights of the year here on the Trail!
✨ Event Highlights You Won’t Want to Miss:
🎶 Mr. Carter and his students performing in a holiday extravaganza 6pm in cafe
📸 A festive Photo Booth
🎅 Visits with Santa—share your wish list and snap a picture
🛍️ Santa Shop to purchase a few holiday trinkets
☕ Bloom & Brew’s Holiday Treats
🌟 A walk through the Mustang Meadow Twinkly Lights and enjoy your cozy beverage
🏠 Make Your Own Gingerbread House
✉️ Write a Letter to Santa
Parents: Please help your child clearly write their name and address so Santa can send a response!
❄️ Create Snow or Build a Snow Launcher
❤️ Make an Original Grinch Heart
📚 Book-Themed Crafts like bookmarks and more
🎉 After the performance, swing by the café for even MORE fun:
💚 Grinch Bingo
🤓 Whoville Trivia
📖 A cozy read-aloud of How the Grinch Stole Christmas
There is so much Literary joy and memory-making in store, and we truly hope you and your family will join us for this magical evening!
We are so excited to see everyone this Thursday for an evening full of holiday magic and free family fun!
✨ Event Schedule
📣 6:00 PM — Mr. Carter’s students will kick off the night with their magical seasonal performance.
🎉 6:30 PM — Let the Whoville fun begin as we open all activity stations!
🎨 Activities Include:
❄️ Building snowball launchers
💚 Making Grinch Hearts
📬 Letters to Santa
✨ The art of making a snowflake
📚 Bookmark Mania
🏠 Gingerbread house painting
🎲 Grinch Bingo & Trivia
⛄ Make-your-own snow
🎅 Photos with Santa
📸 Photo booth fun
… and so much more!
☕ Be sure to stop by Brew and Bloom to grab delicious holiday drinks and treats.
🎁 And don’t forget to visit everyone’s favorite Santa Store, open for those last hours of shopping!
We cannot wait to celebrate the season with you—see you this Thursday at Welcome to Whoville! You are welcome to tour the hallways to see all the wonderful decorations for the event. Our teachers have invested a lot of time into making this event magiclal for the kid in all of us! We hope you enjoy this family event.🎁✨
🌟 State Testing – Week 2
We begin our second week of state assessments. Tomorrow, Monday, our 3rd graders will take the ELA assessment. Tuesday 4th grades with take their ELA state assesmment and 5th grade will take theirs Wednesday .
Please make sure your student arrives on time and remains for the full school day. Encourage them to take their time, use the strategies they have practiced, and do their very best.
We will share student results with families—including fall-to-winter growth and end-of-year expectations—once they are available.
🎄 PTA Santa Store Opens This Week
Classes will visit the Santa Store during scheduled times. Please remind your child to:
Keep their money secure in their backpack.
Avoid showing money in the hallways or classroom.
Practice honesty and integrity—if it isn’t ours, we don’t touch or take it.
We are unable to track down lost money, so reinforcing these habits at home is very helpful.
🏫 5th Grade Transition to Middle School Night – Tuesday @ 6 PM
All 5th grade families are invited to attend our Middle School Transition Night this Tuesday at 6:00 PM.
At this session, families will learn:
How to complete the school choice application
How the lottery works
Transportation information
The wide variety of magnet and special programs available
Do not wait till spring—the application window is open now and closes in January.
Keep in mind we are hosting five schools, so seating will fill quickly. Please arrive at 6:00 PM.
🎁 Evangel Temple Christmas Party – Tuesday (Invitation Only)
Families who received tickets for the Evangel Temple Christmas Party should bring their ticket to the door.
Mrs. Doyle will be there to greet you.
If you are unable to attend, please notify Mrs. Doyle immediately so we can offer the spot to another family. No-shows may affect the number of invitations we receive in the future.
🎉 Welcome to Whoville – This Thursday!
Get ready for one of our favorite events of the year—our Annual Welcome to Whoville Literary Event!
This free, family-friendly night includes:
Special appearances by The Grinch, Santa, and Santa’s helpers
Winter performances by students under the direction of Mr. Cart
Literacy activities and Whoville fun for all ages
We cannot wait to celebrate with our Mustang families!
📚 Weekly Homework & Blended Learning
Your student needs your support at home. Each week, students should complete:
30 minutes of reading on a blended learning platform
30 minutes of math on a blended learning platform
Their weekly homework assignments
If your family needs a laptop, DCPS can provide one at the Schultz Center, Team B Building (Beach Blvd.). You will need your student’s ID number to complete the request.
Each Tuesday, student folders come home. Please review, sign, and return any work or assessments included. We are noticing many items are not being checked or signed.
📲 Stay Connected in ROOMS
Did you know less than one-third of our families are connected in ROOMS?
ROOMS on the DCPS App is our primary communication platform for classroom updates, teacher messages, and school information.
Please join your class in ROOMS as soon as possible. If you need help, call our front office—we’ll gladly walk you through the steps.
Thank you for your continued partnership. Together, we can ensure every Mustang grows, succeeds, and shines
We heard the original form was hard to read, so we’ve made this version easier to view. We hope this one comes through clearly!
Explore all the exciting options for your future middle school students at our CTE Showcase on December 9th.
Learn more and start planning today!
If you were not able to get your CTE 2025 Spirit Shirt in the fall there is still an opportunity via this forms link.
https://forms.office.com/r/RSBx0ANDCj
Patrols have extended the deadline until December 5th. The cost is $16.00.
All funds must be turned in by December 5th in order to purchase this shirt. We will place the order for those who have paid on Dec 5th at noon.
We hope you all had a wonderful and restful Thanksgiving break! As we move into December, our students will begin their mid-year state assessments. To help them feel confident and prepared, we kindly ask for your partnership in supporting consistent blended learning and homework completion each week.
Blended learning resets every Sunday, and we check progress mid-week to see which students are on track with their allotted time and which students may need additional support. These online programs play a critical role in filling skill gaps and strengthening your child’s learning path. If you are unsure which platform your child should be completing at home, please reach out to your child’s teacher—we are happy to help.
This week, we are kicking off our Blended Learning Blitz!
Over the next four weeks, we will be monitoring students who meet their weekly blended learning goals. Students who show consistent growth and engagement during this period will be invited to our Winter Blizzard Celebration! ❄️
We would also like to remind families that our school day begins at 8:30 a.m. and ends at 3:10 p.m. Daily attendance and punctuality are essential for your child’s success. We start and end each day with targeted intervention and support during WIN Time (What I Need Now). Students who arrive late or leave early miss this valuable instructional time that directly supports their academic progress.
We are excited for this final push of learning before Winter Break, and we appreciate your continued support in ensuring student success. Thank you for being our partner in helping every Mustang grow and shine!
Warmly,
Ms. Doyle
Principal, Chaffee Trail Elementary School
We wish you and your loved ones a joyful and restful Thanksgiving! We are incredibly grateful for each of you and for the privilege of serving your amazing students. Thank you for being such an important part of our MUSTANG FAMILY.
Important School Choice Reminders:
School Choice/magnet applications open December 1st!
CTE will also be hosting our 5th Grade Transition to Middle School Event on December 9th, where families will have the opportunity to explore all that DCPS has to offer through School Choice programs, magnet options, and specialized pathways for our students. We hope to see you here at CTE for our transition information night.
To support you even further, we’ve attached several Parent Academy courses that provide answers to common questions about the School Choice and magnet process, including how to apply and what programs may be the best fit for your child.
Learn more here:
https://dcps.duvalschools.org/o/dcps/page/parent-academy
Thank you for your continued partnership, trust, and support. We are thankful for you today and always!
With gratitude,
💙 The Chaffee Trail Elementary Team
#OnceAMustangAlwaysAMustang
This is our annual winter literary family night!
Our hallways are transforming into a magical Whoville Wonderland this December! Families, staff, and students are invited to enjoy the creativity and fun as we celebrate literacy.
This event is all about community and winter joy, so everyone can join in the excitement! We can’t wait for you to see the amazing work our team has put into making this a night to remember.
📅 Save the Date: December 11th
📍 Location: Chaffee Trail Elementary
Holiday Choral Performance: 6:00 pm
Whoville Literacy Fun: 6:20–8:00 pm
Come ready to experience the magic of Whoville! 💚🎄
(Grinch-approved!)
See the attached flyer for detailed information about LaVilla’s Cinematic Arts Program, along with links to audition requirements for all arts areas at LaVilla School of the Arts.
Tomorrow we have a faculty meeting immediately after school, and we need your help with timely student pickup. Each day, we have a group of 10–15 who are picked up after the designated time. Unfortunately, we do not have extra staff available to supervise students after school tomorrow due to our meeting.
The car line will close at 3:10 PM. After that time, families will need to park in the parking lot, walk to the lobby with an ID for pickup. The lobby line may move slower than usual because fewer staff will be assisting at the front desk.
Thank you for helping us keep things running smoothly and ensuring all students are safely dismissed on time!
https://forms.office.com/r/RSBx0ANDCj
Patrols have extended the deadline until December 5th. The cost is $16.00.