The Exley Express

September 20, 2016

DATES TO REMEMBER

Sept 20 – Progress Reports go home

Sept 29 – School Pictures

This Month's Core Essential is Responsibility.

Responsibility is proving you can be trusted with what's expected of you. One way you can practice responsibility at home is to cook dinner as a family one night this month. As you cook dinner, assign each family member a responsibility. For example, younger children might set the table while older children might be able to make a dessert or a salad. As you eat your dinner, have a discussion about how it is someone's responsibility to feed the family dinner each night.

Parents Save the Date: October 26 Greg Tang

We are bringing in a guest speaker just for our parents. On October 26 Greg Tang will be at Exley Elementary sharing his

passion for math. He has presented to many of our teachers who absolutely loved him. He has a parent presentation

that he does. We have heard from other campuses that parents left saying it was wonderful. Parents walk away with a

better understanding of what is happening in the math classroom. This is one event you will not want to miss. We will

have a night of fun math games planned for the children in their classrooms while you learn from one of the experts in

the field. The event will be from 6-7:30pm. Please see the attached letter for more details, and instructions on how to

RSVP.

LUNCH VISITS

A reminder for our parents who visit for lunch. We tend to have an abundance of lunch visitors,

especially on Fridays. We ask that you limit the Fridays that you have lunch with your child and come on

other days if at all possible. Lunch visitors are limited to parents, younger non-school age siblings (who

Mrs. Juli Noeldner, Principal Jo Ella Exley Elementary ph. 281-237-8400

can sit on your lap if space is limited), and grandparents with written permission. Also remember that

per the KISD student handbook, parents may only bring/buy lunch for their own child/children. Thanks

for your support as we strive to maintain a safe and orderly school environment!

3rd GRADE ART NIGHT All 3rd grade students and families

Thursday, September 29 Exley Elementary GYM

Following the 6:00 pm, PTA Meeting

Come join us on (Thursday) 9-29-2016 for a Fun night of “quilting.” We will learn about Faith Ringgold and her beautiful Story Quilts. Each 3rd grade student who attends will get to create a quilt square for this year’s Story Quilt. Quilts will hang outside the Gym in the Exley hallway until auctioned during your child’s 5th grade year! All Family is welcome with at least one parent/adult chaperone attending with the student. Only 3rd grade Exley students will be making Story Quilts squares, but other activities will be available for siblings.

FYI: Exley’s Read Deed Run Club and Art Club are teaming up with #SoleLoved to collect “gently” used shoes for children in our Houston community. If you would like to donate a pair of used shoes, we will have a bin at the Art Night. Your kindness is greatly appreciated!

Thank you, Mrs. Marker and Mrs. Mendenhall

Dear Parent(s):

This year your child will be writing a great deal because at Exley Elementary we want our students to be

intellectually active and thinking about their learning. To achieve this purpose, we will be using the Collins

Writing Program, which involves giving five different types of writing assignments. This year we will be

focusing on the first two types of writings. Some assignments are designed simply to help students get their

ideas on paper or to discover what they already know about a topic. These assignments are called Type One assignments and are evaluated very simply—did the student do it or not? Type One assignments are not

designed to be compositions or essays. They are simply ways to guarantee that your son or daughter is thinking

about a topic.

Type Two assignments require that students provide the correct information in response to

a specific question. In Type Two writing, we do not judge the quality of the writing—just the

content. These grades may be used as an “other” grade or can be a minor grade in the gradebook.

Type One and Type Two writing assignments are designed to be completed quickly

and to promote thought.

Parents often ask, “How can I help?” Here are a few suggestions: First, be aware of the

types of writing assignments and realize that sometimes writing assignments will not have

to be perfect. Be a helper and an encourager, not a critic. Provide a quiet place to write with

good lighting and a dictionary. Talk about the assignments and help your daughter or son generate many ideas

for that topic. If you are asked to review a composition, read it out loud to your child. Ask them if it sounds

right. You’ll be surprised at how many of their own mistakes they will be able to hear. We are looking forward

to seeing how this program grows our students as writers and thinkers.

Kindergarten Gifted and Talented Screening Kindergarten Information packets will be sent home the week of September 19-23, advising parents of the opportunity to have their child screened for participation in the district gifted and talented program. Parents wishing to have their child screened must submit a completed Parent Checklist by the firm deadline of October 11, 2016. Screening will begin at the end of October and continue through February. Notification letters will be sent home via the US mail in late February. Identified kindergarten students will begin receiving services the week of March 1. If you have any questions please contact the GT facilitator, Donna McCarthy by phone at 281-237-9791 or by email at donnammccarthy@katyisd.org.

Gifted and Talented Screening for Current Fifth Grade

Students (NON IDENTIFIED GT STUDENTS) Students in fifth grade who are not currently identified for the elementary Challenge program have the opportunity to be screened for Gifted and Talented Program service to begin in the fall of sixth grade. Secondary gifted program options are available in English, Reading, Mathematics, Science, and Social studies. Students may be screened in any or all of these content areas. Firth Grade Parent Referral Letters will be sent home the week of September 12-16. Parents interested in referring their child for secondary Gifted and Talented screening need to complete a Secondary Parent Checklist and return it to the elementary campus by the firm deadline of September 29, 2016. Screening will occur during the months of October through December. Parents will be notified of the placement decision via U.S. mail in January. Parents may obtain a Parent Checklist from the front desk or by downloading a Secondary Parent Checklist by going to: http://www.katyisd.org/dept/gt/Pages/default.aspx

Please make sure you are completing the Secondary Parent Checklist, not the Elementary Parent Checklist.

I-Station Reading

At school your child is currently receiving individualized reading instruction through the use of

a computer-delivered program called I-Station Reading. In the Tuesday folder this week, you

will find a way to install it on your computer so your child can use it at home. If you have any

questions, about the program please contact your child’s teacher or Kris Frederick at

281.237.8458. If you have trouble with installation, contact I-Station directly at 1-866-883-

7323 or support@istation.com.

_______________________________________________________________________

MAD SCIENCE

Does Science “Spark” Your Interest? Exley Elementary is excited to have the Mad Science After-School Program again this year! This program offers a fun, inquiry-based, hands-on after school program that covers a wide range of science topics. Your child will even come home with a take home project! So, let your child see just how cool science can be! If interested, parents will need to need to fill out the attached registration form and either mail it to Mad Science, 6300 Westpark, Suite 500, Houston TX 77057 or email it to: www.houston.madscience.org (Click After School!!!) The first session is 9/29/2016-11/3/2016.

COMMUNITY-WIDE GARAGE SALE

Ready to clean out your closets and earn some extra cash? The Cinco Ranch High School PTSA

Fall Garage Sale is scheduled for Saturday, October 8, in the CRHS parking lot. Go online to

rent your booth space for this spectacular event, with room for over 150 vendors! Act now to get

the Early Bird price of $25 per space! See the attached flyer for registration information. Visit

www.crhsptsa.org for more details.

Cinco Ranch High School Cheer Clinic!!

Come learn cheers, dances, stunting, and more with the Cinco Ranch HS cheerleaders.

Date: Saturday October 8 from 9:00-2:00

Registration Form is attached!

Exley Book Fair

An amazing selection of books is headed our way! The Exley Scholastic Book Fair will be from October 13-18. At the book fair you’ll find the latest and finest titles for kids. Please mark your calendar for our Family Night event where the whole family can join in on the fun. It will be on Thursday, October 13 from 4:00-6:00. We hope you’re able to come with your child and purchase books. If you’re unable to come to Family Night we hope that you can come with your child to shop during his/her shopping time. A schedule of your child’s shopping time will be coming home soon. We are in need of volunteers for our Book Fair. If you’re able to volunteer please e-mail Caryn Hall at cjh4232@gmail.com We will need volunteers from October 10-19. Thank you and we look forward to seeing you soon! Millie Burch Library Media Specialist

http://tinyurl.com/Excellentdads2016-17

Adventure Awaits: Explore KEYS Mentoring Be a friend, spend an hour, change a life

Join us for the KEYS Kick Off September 22, 2016

8-9:30 a.m. The Merrell Center

RSVP HERE Apply to be a mentor

Katy ISD Partners in Education

Bringing the Community into the Classroom

The JEE Library has iPads available for student checkout! Katy ISD is excited to provide the

opportunity for students to take home a digital device for learning. A Student/Parent Equipment Use

Agreement form must be on file and can be obtained from Ms. Burch or Mrs. Henry in the JEE

Library. The form outlines the cost if damaged, stolen, or lost. Students must follow the Katy ISD

Responsible Use Guidelines. These guidelines can be found on katyisd.org. Prior to taking the

learning device home, students will be instructed and evaluated on proper use and care. If you have

any questions please feel free to contact your library media specialist for more information.

GT Information for 2016-2017

5th Grade 5th grade GT information letter will go the week of September 12. The firm deadline for turning a completed Secondary Parent Checklist to Donna McCarthy is September 29, 2016. See more information above.

Kinder Kinder GT Parent Checklists will go home the week of September 19. The firm deadline for returning completed Parent Checklists to Donna McCarthy is October 11, 2016. See more information above.

If you would like information on the GT program for Kindergarten please consider attending one of the following sessions: 10/4/16 USE 7pm (Spanish and English session offered) 10/5/16 CRHS Commons 5pm or 7pm (English sessions only)

1st- 4th Grade

Grades 1st-4th GT information letters will go home the week of November 3. Parent checklists will be available at the front desk or you may download an Elementary Parent Checklist from the KatyISD website by going to District> Departments>Advanced Academics> Elementary Parent Checklist. ALL completed Parent Checklists are due back to Donna McCarthy no later than the firm deadline of December 9, 2016. If you would like information on the GT program for grades 1-4 please consider attending the following GT Awareness meeting: 11/14/16 ESC 7pm-9pm in room 1200

Please email Donna McCarthy, Challenge Teacher, at donnammccarthy@katyisd.org with any questions about the GT program

With 1000 students this year, our cafeteria is an incredibly busy place. In order to get our routines and procedures firmly into place, we will not allow lunch visitors during the first two weeks of school. After Labor Day, we will have limited seating available at lunch. We ask you to limit visitors to no more than 2 visitors per child. Seating is very limited and visitors must sit at the visitor table. The table does fill up, especially on Fridays. Please understand we do our best to accommodate our visitors, but we just don’t have much space. Visitors may bring lunch for their child/ren only. You are not allowed to bring lunch for another child.

Many of you returned the Parent Permission for Elementary Lunch Visitors form with lunch guests listed other than those outlined on the form. As the form stated, Katy ISD district guidelines limit lunchroom visitors at the elementary level to parents/step-parents/guardians, non-school-age siblings (younger siblings not of school age) and grandparents (with parent permission), or campus mentors. Due to space limitations at the elementary level, no exceptions to the list of approved visitors can be made. Lunch visitors do not include, aunts, uncles, friends, or neighbors. Please make note that if you included guests on the form other than those on the KISD approved list, they will not be able to have lunch with your child.

Parent Information

Katy ISD’s electronic parent access site eSchoolPLUS Home Access Center will allow you to access your child’s grades online as well as notify you of your child’s teacher for the 2016-17 school year. The Home Access Center link can be found at www.katyisd.org . For new pre-k and kindergarten students who registered last spring, your log-on information will be mailed on August 18. The district will have classroom assignments available for viewing on the Home Access Center beginning August 18.

We have parent resources!

Want more information about curriculum and what is happening in your child’s classroom throughout the year? The district has some great resources including videos. Visit the following location on www.katyisd.org

KISD home page/parents/curriculum

JEE Walkers Who is a Walker: Walkers are students who walk from our campus to their front door. If students are walking to a parked car, they will need to change to a car rider and be picked up in our car rider line. Back Walker: Must live behind the school Cross Walker: Must live in Shadow Bend, Lamp Light Village, Kelliwood Links or Ashley House Apartments. These are students crossing Westheimer Parkway. East Side Walker: Must live in Kelliwood Pointe or Kelliwood Terrace Pre-K to First Grade walkers: Must have a parent to meet them at the dismissal spot or be walking with a sibling 2nd grade or older. Dismissal spots listed below: East Walkers: Outside the first grade door Back Walkers: By the bike rack

Cross Walkers: At the crosswalk on the south side of Westheimer Parkway

Inclement Weather: When weather is deemed inclement at 3:15, a text message will be sent to those parents who have subscribed to Text 101 letting them know. In this case, if your child has an inclement weather dismissal plan in place, we will follow that. Please see our E-news on how to subscribe to Text 101. For those students who are still walkers in inclement weather, they will not be released until staff deems it safe for them to exit the building.

Dress Code

As you shop for school clothes, please keep our district dress code in mind. According to Katy ISD policy, shorts are to be no shorter than mid-thigh and may not be split or fringed at the hem or seams. Students wearing shorts that are too short or fringed will be calling home for a change of clothing. Please remember that tank tops, see-through shirts or blouses, midriff tops or clothing with spaghetti straps are not acceptable for school wear unless worn under other clothing. Please visit the KISD website for the full dress code. http://www.katyisd.org/Documents/Discipline%20Management%20Plan.pdf

JEE Text Notifications

Parents, we will be using the same texting notification process as last year to get last minute info out to you for situations like inclement weather dismissal or other last minute news that is timely in

nature. Remember that we will not call inclement weather dismissal for light rain – send an umbrella as it will be normal dismissal. If you signed up last year, you should still receive the notifications. If you have not signed up and would like to receive these text notifications, please sign up following

these directions.

How to sign up for JEE-'s notifications:

Text @jee124 to 81010 (or use 707-733-4758 if having trouble using 81010)

Standard text message rates apply. Learn more at www.remind101.com

Once you sign up, you will receive a message to confirm.

Morning arrival—Drop off by 8:15am

This year we will be starting our instruction at 8:20am. It will be very important that your child be in the

classroom by the time the 8:20am bell rings. In order for you to ensure your child is ready for learning, we are

asking that if you are walking or dropping your child off by car, you ensure he/she is walking through our front

door by 8:15. Please understand we cannot control traffic. I would suggest you plan to be in the drop-off line

by 8:05am to ensure your child is not tardy. Students walking into the school at 8:20 or later will be tardy.

Announcements will begin at 8:15 and teaching at 8:20am. Maximizing instructional time for your child is

important to us. We appreciate your help with starting your child’s day off on time. Traffic between 8:00-8:10

is much lighter. Arriving during this time frame will help your child be ready to learn in class. Traffic becomes

much heavier between 8:10-8:20am.

If you will be dropping off your student by car this year, please be sure to read our procedures below so we can

provide a smooth and safe arrival process for all:

We ask that parents do not park in the front of the school or in the back bus/faculty lot to walk their

child into the building. These limited spaces are for those with school business.

Do not park in red fire lanes, or police department will ticket/tow your car

Students arriving to school in a car will need to remain in the car rider line and proceed to one of the 10

number loading stations along the curb where safety patrol or staff will help the student out of the car.

We are working hard to keep this line moving efficiently and safely. Please do not pull into the thru

traffic lane (left lane) and allow your child to exit the car. Remain in the lane by the curb for drop off.

Parents with school business (dropping off medication/needing to speak to the nurse, parent conference,

or a scheduled meeting) may park and walk into the school using the cross walk.

Students should not be dropped off prior to 7:45 a.m. according to the campus clocks. Once Mrs. Lanza-

Sanchez or another staff member is stationed outside to supervise the children from 7:45 – 7:55 a.m.,

you are free to leave and your child will be supervised. Students must remain in the car until this time.

Students will remain outside with staff from 7:45-7:55. Our school doors open at 7:55 at which time

students may enter the building.

We appreciate your support with following these drop off procedures as we structure an arrival system that is

safe for all students and efficient for our JEE families.

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Exley Elementary | 21800 Westheimer Pkwy, Katy, TX 77450 | 2812378400