Spicewood Elementary School Dear families and community members,
As we prepare for the beginning of the 2018-2019 school year, I would like to share information that may answer some of the questions you might have. Please be sure to read about Spicewood Elementary’s new dismissal procedures. For families new to Spicewood, the next few weeks will be an amazing opportunity to make connections and learn about the culture of our campus. Be sure to check out the new Spicewood Elementary Parent Teacher Association website! This is a great way to stay connected with our PTA and school community.
CELEBRATIONS
New Assistant Principal: I am very excited to announce that we have finally hired an assistant principal! Ms. Erika Cruz joined our Spicwood family last Thursday. She has 3 years of administrative experience and most recently served as an assistant principal in Pflugerville ISD. Before becoming an administrator, Ms. Cruz was a proud teacher in Pre-K, Kinder, 2nd, and 3rd grade. She received a Bachelor’s Degree from UT Austin and Master’s Degree from Texas State University. Ms. Cruz has 6 year old son, Jules, who she enjoys spending all of her free time with. He is also very excited to join Spicewood as a 1st grader this year.
“Coming to Spicewood Elementary feels like coming home. The wonderful traditions, strong community, and high academic expectations align perfectly with my beliefs as an educator. I look forward to serving with you in moving the campus vision forward!”
Spicewood Teachers are Amazing! Our faculty and staff finished the first week of professional development. We had an amazing time getting to know new members of the Spicewood family, creating expressions of our teaching pedagogy, revisiting our campus vision and mission for the 2018-2019 school year, and delving into the PYP curriculum framework. There was certainly a lot of positive energy and new ideas- it was a wonderful week!
IB PYP 101
(This portion of Ms. Page’s newsletter is contributed by Mrs. Vance, our PYP Coordinator.)
Welcome back parents! Hello! My name is Jessica Vance, I’m the IB Coordinator here at Spicewood. I work closely with our teachers and students on a daily basis supporting them as they write and implement the PYP curriculum in our classrooms.
The PYP program is a unique education setting that supports the growth of the whole child while valuing children’s natural curiosity about the world around them. As a parent at Spicewood Elementary, you will see a multitude of learning opportunities that are probably unlike that of which you experienced as a child in school. The PYP 101 section of Ms. Page’s weekly newsletter is an excellent resource for parents to get an inside look into our classrooms and learn a bit more about the IB program and what makes it so different. Each week, I explain different elements of the program by sharing examples from our very own classrooms.
As a PYP parent we invite you to take an active role in your child’s education, adding rich conversations at home that support the learning that happens here in our classrooms. This section also includes resources for parents that will allow to go continue to support your child in their time in the PYP.
We are excited for another inquiry filled year with our students! You can always go to our campus website to find more information about the IB program. The IB page is filled with lots of information for our community to learn more about the program. Stay connected with us on Twitter, Instagram & Facebook as well!
Back-to-School Information
School Hours
School will = start at 7:40AM, the same as last school year. Official school hours are 7:40AM-2:55PM.
Office Hours
Spicewood Elementary office hours will be from 7:15AM -4:15PM
Meet the Teacher Event
Kindergarten Orientation is on Wednesday, August 15 from 2:00 – 2:45PM. Parents and students will begin their visit in the cafeteria and then proceed to the classrooms after introductions. Spicewood’s Meet the Teacher Event for all students in 1st-5th grades will also be on Wednesday, August 15 from 2:30- 3:15PM. During this event, students and parents can go to their teacher’s classroom, meet their teacher, drop off their school supplies, collect their “First Day Packet of Information,” and review bus routes provided.
Class Assignment
All postcards were mailed out on Thursday, August 9th. Students should receive a postcard from their teacher this week. Class lists will also be posted on the front glass door, sorted by student last names in an alphabetical order by grade level on Tuesday, August 14th at 3PM.
e-Newletter Subscription
Our system only allows one email per household to automatically receive school emails.
For any additional recipients, they can to go RRISD e-News Community Subscription and sign up specifically for Spicewood ES. Please note that the additional recipients will be considered “Community members” in the system, which means, if the school chooses to send an email out just to Spicewood parents/guardians, the community members will not receive the email. It will only be sent to the email address that we have in our system- one that you provided when you registered your child. Updates from the Principal will always be sent to ALL members- teachers, parents and community members.
After School Care Options
Many parents have asked about after school care for students. If you’re wondering which day care programs are in partnership with Spicewood, please refer to the “After School Care Options” document posted on our school website under Parent Resource.
School Supplies
Please bring your child(ren)’s school supplies to our Meet the Teacher event on Wednesday, August 15 so you can drop them off in their homeroom. If you cannot attend the event, you may bring them on the first day of school on Thursday, August 16. The school supplies list is available on our school website. (School supplies purchased through PTA will have been delivered directly to classrooms.)
Student Arrival
School doors open at 7:20AM. Students arriving before 7:25AM will need to wait in the cafeteria. At 7:25AM all students will be dismissed from the cafeteria and may walk directly to their classroom. Students who are not in their classroom by 7:40AM will be counted as tardy.
For the first week of school (August 16- August 24), parents are allowed to walk their child(ren) all the way to their classrooms. Starting on Monday, August 27, parents are asked to drop off their children at the front entrance of the school.
Student Dismissal
Please be sure students should know whether they will be riding a school bus, going to after-school daycare, staying at YMCA in the cafeteria, walking home, or a parent pick-up. Parents will have an opportunity to share this information with homeroom teacher at the Meet the Teacher event or via parent note to teacher on the first day of school.
Kindergarten students will be under the portico at 2:50PM with their homeroom teachers. First and second grade teachers will walk their students to the portico area starting at 2:50PM. Third and 4th grade teachers will walk their students to the portico at 2:52PM, followed by 5th grade students at 2:55PM. If you plan to drive through the circle drive during pick-up, it is very helpful when parents have student’s name(s) written/printed on a piece of paper placed on the dashboard of their car.
New Dismissal Procedures
We have heard the voices of concerned parents, and agree that we must go above and beyond to ensure the safety of all students. In the past, as classes were exiting the building, students were taken out of the class line while teachers were tending to other students. This year we will have certain areas in the front of the school roped off. Only teachers and students will be allowed under the portico connecting to the mail building. Please do not enter into this area. Instead, please wait until students walk to their assigned area under the portico. You may then acknowledge your child’s teacher, either by making eye contact or speaking with them briefly, as you pick up your student. We want to ensure the safety of each child by making sure students are dismissed properly to parents/guardians. Once you pick up your child(ren), we ask that you clear out of the front entrance area. There will be limited space available and we would like to keep the front portico area circulating at all times to alleviate congestion.
Drop-Off & Pick-Up Traffic
No cars should be parked in the circle drive at all times during the drop-off & pick-up time. It is only for drive through drop-off/pick-up. Hope Church is always very gracious in allowing us to use their Northeast parking lot. Please avoid using their circle drive (as shown below) at all times as the church wishes to reserve this for their church members. There’s also street parking available on Tin Cup Dr. and Swan Dr. Please drive slow and alerted at all times during the drop-off & pick-up time.
Please Do Not Use Staff Parking Lot
Parents and/or students are not allowed to walk or drive through the staff parking lot at all times to ensure safety. All golf carts must follow the same expectations as other vehicles.
Lunch Account- Message from Food Services
You can visit our school cafeteria or give the money to your student to pay with either cash or check. The cafeteria staff will apply the funds provided directly into your students meal fund account. If paying by check, please make it payable to RRISD Food Service, include your driver’s license number, phone number and add your student’s name and school ID number to the memo field of the check.
Or you can pay online with a credit card, debit card or draft from your checking account via payment transaction service. A transaction fee of $1.95 per transaction will be applied. Visit MySchoolBucks.com online or download their app on your smart phone.
Accounts through MySchoolBucks are free. There is only a fee to perform an online money transaction. Transactions made through the school cafeteria are free of charge and will be able to be managed at no cost through MySchoolBucks. Other features such as low balance notifications, access to your student’s cafeteria meal history and managing accounts for multiple students are free.
For returning students, parents can access the online payment system, MySchoolBucks and use student ID# to make sure students have sufficient amount prior to the first day of school.
For new students (including kindergarten students), parents will receive a packet on the first day of school which will include student registration form with their student ID#. Using the student ID#, parents can set up an account (very easy!) using the online payment system stated above.
Free, Reduced Meal Application
Application forms are being distributed to all households with a letter informing households of the availability of free and reduced price meals for their children. Applications also are available at the administrative office in each school and at the Food Service office located at 16255 Great Oaks Drive, Suite 100 in Round Rock. To apply for free and reduced price meals, households must fill out an online application at https://roundrockisd.org/departments/food-services/freereduced-price-meals/ or a paper application and return it to the school or Food Services office. Applications may be submitted anytime during the school year. The information households provide on the application will be used for the purpose of determining eligibility and verification of data. Applications may be verified by the school officials at any time during the school year.
Breakfast Available in the Cafeteria
Breakfast will be available for purchase for $1.35 this school year. Breakfast line is open from 7:25-7:40AM in the cafeteria. Students who qualify to receive Free/Reduced Meals will be able to eat breakfast at no cost.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Back-To-School Party
Our Back-To-School Party at Urban Air Cedar Park (down from Lowes at 620/183) is this Tuesday, August 14th, 6-8PM. We’re looking forward to seeing everyone!
$16.99 for the Ultimate Package ($8 off!) for kids
$8.99 for kids under 5
$5.99 for parents who want to participate
Two things you can do in advance:
Dig out your Urban Air socks. Urban Air requires the use of THEIR socks. Bring them if you already own some, otherwise they will be for sale at the party.
Fill out your waiver. The waivers are location specific, so if you have never been to this particular Urban Air, you need to fill out a new one. https://hq.vendsy.com/signwaiver/78
(PTA) Parent Teacher Association
Spicewood PTA is excited to launch our brand new website-www.spicewoodpta.com! This site allows users to sign up for and access the school directory, purchase your PTA memberships, view and sign up for our volunteer opportunities and buy Spicewood t-shirts all in one convenient location. For a limited time only, get a PTA membership and a Spicewood T-shirt for just $18, and we will deliver your t-shirts to your child’s classroom within the first two weeks of school. Don’t miss out, this deal ends at midnight on August 14th!
DATES TO REMEMBER
Week of August 13
Students will receive a postcard from their teacher in mail.
Tuesday, August 14
3:00PM Class List will be posted at the main entrance.
6:00PM-8:00PM Back-To-School Party at Urban Air Cedar Park (down from Lowes at 620/183)
Wednesday, August 15
Meet the Teachers
2:00-2:45PM Kindergarten [Cafeteria]
2:30-3:15PM 1st-5th Grade [Classrooms]
Thursday, August 16
First Day of School for Students
8:00-8:30AM Kinder Round-Up Coffee and Kleenex
Kindergarten parents are encouraged to join the leadership team in the library.
Thursday, August 30
PTA General Meeting #1 & PYP Information Night
Monday, September 3
Labor Day – No School
Thursday, September 6
Spicewood Open House
5:00-5:30PM Kinder & 1st Grade
5:30-6:00PM 2nd & 3rd Grade
6:00-6:30PM 4th & 5th Grade
5:00-6:00PM Specials, Spanish (In the Library)
5:00-6:00PM Be sure to stop by the Inquiry Lab and see what we’ve done with our Innovative School Grant!
Friday, August 31- Friday, September 7
Adventure Dash Run Fundraiser
More information TBA.
Warm regards,
Teyan Page
Proud Principal