Dear Andrews Family,

We immensely enjoyed seeing so many of you at Meet the Teacher this morning and at Kindergarten Parent Information Night last evening. We are very excited about the coming year and can't wait for Monday morning to arrive! If you are new to Andrews this year, I want to extend a warm welcome to you and your family. We are glad to have you join our Andrews Family!

The staff and I eagerly anticipate a year where all students will experience growth and success in a safe, nurturing and positive environment. At Andrews Elementary School, each day will be dedicated to the pursuit of academic and personal excellence. Thank you in advance for partnering with us on this educational journey – with your support our children will continue to reach new heights in learning!

Please read below for much more information that will help you and your family as you prepare for a wonderful start to this new school year.

• School Day: The school day begins at 7:45 a.m. and ends at 2:45 p.m. For your convenience, students may enter the building through the gym at 7:00 a.m. where a staff member is on duty to supervise the students.
  
• Morning Arrival: Andrews Safety patrol and staff will be in place to greet students by 7:25 a.m. each morning. In an effort to provide greater support for student safety and to keep traffic moving during arrival, always form a single line of traffic along the curb, reduce speed, cross at crosswalks only and refrain from cell phone usage.
• Dismissal & Parking: First through fourth grade carpool students (and 5th grade students with siblings in 1st - 4th grades) will be dismissed and supervised by teachers at the back of the building. Kindergarten carpool students (and those students who have a kinder sibling) will be dismissed from the "middle" kindergarten door at the front of the building; Fifth Grade carpool students (if there are no younger siblings) will be dismissed at the front double doors next to Fifth Grade and picked up in the front carpool line with kindergarten students. For the safety of all students, walkers, bikers and daycare buses will be dismissed at 2:40 a.m. each day. Carpool students will be dismissed at 2:45 a.m.
  

The PISD Parent Portal (https://parentviewer.pisd.edu) is the primary resource for all online services provided to parents. Every year, Plano ISD requires all parents to electronically review/update four important documents. In order to receive your student’s teacher assignment when the information becomes available in Parent Portal on Thursday, August 20th, please complete these four items in Parent Portal no later than Wednesday, August 19th:

• Update student(s) Emergency Card for 2015-2016 School Year
  
• Truancy Letter
  
• Student Policy Packet
  
• Student Information Release

• 8/24 - FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL!
  
• 8/25 - Parent Info Night - 2nd Grade - 5:00-5:45 p.m.
  
• 8/27 – Parent Info Night – 1st Grade – 5:00-5:45 p.m., 3rd Grade – 6:00-6:45 p.m.
  
• 9/1 – Parent Info Night – 5th Grade – 5:00-5:45 p.m., 4th Grade – 6:00-6:45 p.m.

Camp information will be discussed at the 5th grade 5:00 meeting; 5th grade parents are also invited to come to the library following the 5th grade meeting to ask any individual questions about camp. Teachers, nurse and a notary will be available.

Plano West Senior High School Drill Team Presents: Pre-Register today! MINI ROYALES GAME NIGHT Friday, September 25th – Check-in between 6:00- 6:30 PM at Front West gates of Clark Stadium; March on the field for pre-game activities @ 6:45 & sit in the stands with the Royales for the first quarter! & MINI ROYALES DRILL TEAM CLINIC Saturday, September 26th –1:00 PM to 4:00 PM; Check-in between 12:30- 1:00 PM in Plano West Senior High School Competition Gym foyer; Showoffs at 4:00 PM in Competition Gym! Open to All Girls Grades K-5 Cost: $50.00 for Clinic & Game, $40.00 for Clinic or $30.00 for Game Only.

Pre-Register today! Visit www.royales.org for more information and registration form.

4th & 5th graders will have the opportunity to participate in choir, which is a wonderful way for kids to learn diligence, listening, cooperation, & improve their musical abilities, of course! More details will come in the fall, but please note the days of the week so you can avoid conflicts with other activities. Contact Ms. Riordan with any questions at Sarah.Riordan@pisd.edu.

5th Grade Choir – Tuesdays after school at Andrews, Fall semester only (September-December)

• No auditions – all 5th graders can participate
  
• 4th Grade Choir – Tuesdays after school at Andrews, Spring semester only (January-May)
  
• No auditions – all 4th graders can participate
  
• Plano Children’s Chorale – Tuesdays after school at Hughston Elementary, October-April)
  
• Audition required – district-wide choir for 5th graders only. 6 Andrews students AT MOST can participate.
  
• North Texas Children’s Choir – Mondays after school at Andrews, September-February)
  
• Audition required – North Texas regional choir for 4th & 5th graders. 12 Andrews students AT MOST can participate.

Remember that the PISD volunteer application form/background check must be completed each school year in order to volunteer at Andrews. If you have not already completed this application for the 2015-16 school year, please visit http://www.pisd.edu/about.us/partners.volunteers/index.shtml.

This process can take up to two weeks, so don’t wait until the day before an important event in your child’s class. We need you and would not want for you to miss any volunteering opportunity!

Please remember to join Andrews PTA and look over the information that is found at their website www.andrewspta.org. The PTA supports Andrews in so many valuable ways; we immensely appreciate all of their time and dedication!!

Reflections Theme Search: The search is on for the future National PTA Reflections theme.

One exceptional concept may be chosen to inspire thousands of students across the nation and in American schools overseas to create original works of art in dance, film, literature, music, photography and visual arts. The Theme Search Contest Winner receives $100 and recognition at the Annual National PTA Convention.

Please click on the following link for additional information. http://tinyurl.com/nslscyx

We would love for you to follow Andrews on Twitter under the name @AndrewsEagles. Twitter will be used as an additional mode of communication for reminders as well as to highlight some of the wonderful happenings at Andrews!

Please be aware that the Student Information Release Form includes all forms of social media.

Email: Joy.Lovell@pisd.edu
Website: http://k12.pisd.edu/andrews-elementary-school
Location: 2520 Scenic Drive, Plano, TX, United States
Phone: (469)752-3900
Twitter: @AndrewsEagles

Much more information, including school supply lists and lunch menus, are located on the Andrews website. Please visit http://k12.pisd.edu/andrews-elementary-school.