Parent Newsletter - Holiday Edition

Wonderful CSE Parents,

I am thankful for you! I am including November and December events in one Holiday Edition newsletter so you can get it on your calendar. November 2 - December is the 3rd six weeks - let's make it a great one!

November events:

• We have the TX Mobile STEM lab visiting our campus the first week in November. All 2nd and 3rd grade classes will get to visit the lab for a 1 hour STEM activity. Students must have a signed permission form to visit the lab. There will be a 1 hour family night on Tuesday. See the flyers below for more information.
• For our Kindness Week project this year, we are collecting donations for Pets Fur People, a local animal shelter, November 2-6. See the flyer below for all the items this shelter needs. Classes that collect the most "points" during this service project will win an ice cream party with Mrs. White.
• On Wednesday, November 11, all Veterans are invited for a free, delicious lunch at CSE! If you have a Veteran in your family, we have Veteran posters coming home for you to fill out and we will hang them on our "Hero Wall" in the cafeteria.
• The iconic 3rd grade Veterans Program will be Thursday night, November 12, at 6:30 at the PAC. This is an amazing tribute to our Veterans! The students and teachers have been working so hard on this - you don't want to miss it!
• Friday the 13th 🫣 we are having a $1 Hat Day for Lindale Christmas Helpers.
• The famous 2nd grade Balloon Parade will be Tuesday, November 17 at 8:45am. Parents do not attend this, but I will Facebook Live it for everyone to see. This event is a culmination of our second grade book study of Balloons Over Broadway.
• CSE's Turkey Trot and Camo Day is Wednesday, November 18. Students can wear their camo for Wellness Wednesday! We are also doing a Cash & Coins for Camo on this day benefitting Lindale Christmas Helpers.
• The beloved 1st grade Poetry Feast is Friday, November 20 at 9:45am. Students will perform a variety of Thanksgiving read alouds for parents and staff. This is a very short program that takes place in their classroom and is usually over within 10 minutes, so don't be late!

December events:

• We will have 3 days in the month of December that our campus will be closed to lunch visitors: December 1st, 10th, and 11th. This is due to a special event on campus for our staff and third grade testing.
• The adorable 1st grade Christmas Program will be Thursday, December 3 at 6:30pm at the PAC. Make plans to attend!
• Our fabulous Polar Express Reading Challenge will be December 4-15. More information to come about this!
• The track at Eagle Stadium is getting resurfaced in December so we will not have track days on December 9 & 16. First grade parents - your children will not have a track day on December 2 either due to program practice on campus.
• The High School Ensemble Band will be performing for College Street on Tuesday, December 15 at 9:00am. This is a special presentation that our students love every year. Parents do not attend this event.

Thank you for your kind words, warm smiles, sweet treats, gifts from the heart, and encouraging messages. You are the best! I pray you all have a blessed Thanksgiving and a peaceful Christmas holiday.

Love,

Connie Forsyth

College Street Elementary Principal

forsythcj@lisdeagles.net

November

• 2: Beginning of the 3rd six weeks

• 2-6: Pet Shelter Supply Drive

• 3-6: Texas Mobile STEM Lab Campus Visit

• 3: Mobile STEM Lab Family Night 5:30-6:30 at CSE cafeteria

• 5: Report Cards & College Colors

• 5: Fall picture retakes

• 11: Veteran’s Lunch in the Cafeteria

• 12: Third Grade Veterans Program at PAC at 6:30pm

• 13: World Kindness Day - $1 Hat Day Fundraiser for Lindale Christmas Helpers

• 17: PTP Thankful Luncheon / 2nd Grade Balloon Parade @ 8:45am (will be on FB live)

• 18: Turkey Trot & Camo Day - "Cash & Coins for Camo" for Lindale Christmas Helpers

• 20: First grade Poetry Feast @ 9:45am

• 23-27: Thanksgiving Holidays

December

• 1: Closed campus to all lunch visitors due to a special on campus event for CSE staff

• 2: No tracking time at Wellness Wednesday for first grade only due to program practice on campus

• 3: First Grade Program @ PAC 6:30 pm

• 4: Kona Ice (for Nov & Dec)

• 9: No tracking time for Wellness Wednesday due to track closure

• 10-11: Closed campus to lunch visitors due to 3rd grade testing

• 4-15: Polar Express Reading Challenge

• 14-17: PTP Selling Candy Cane Grams

• 14-18: Christmas Dress-up Days

• Monday-Grinch Day

• Tuesday - Frosty Day

• Wednesday - Reindeer Day

• Thursday - Polar Express PJs

• Friday - Party Day & 2 hour Early Release

• 15: LHS Band Performing for students

• 16: PTP Coffee Truck / No tracking time for Wellness Wednesday due to track closure

• 17: Polar Express Day / 3rd Grade Field Trip to Movie Theater

• 18: Christmas Parties / 2 hour Early Release / End of the 3rd six weeks

• 21- Jan 4: Christmas Holidays

• Kona Ice will be during recess once a month (Nov & Dec have a combined day- December 4)
• I will send a new Kona Ice QR code each month in my newsletter. Purchases must be made before 8:00 am on the day of Kona Ice
• You can "pay it forward" for another student by using that option on the order form. Click on "PLACE YOUR ORDER" then scroll all the way to the right

Morning drop-off - Doors open at 7:25am

Parents are encouraged to drop off in our car line in the mornings. You may also park across the street and walk your child to the front sidewalk.

Afternoon pick-up

Please have your car tag visible throughout the afternoon car rider line. If you do not have your car tag, you will be asked to park in the front parking lot and enter the office with a valid ID. Walk-up pickups are only allowed on an emergency or appointment basis (doctor appointment, etc). These end at 2:30.

Tardies- Daily attendance is an essential part of your child being successful in school. All students should be at school on time daily. Any student arriving after 8:05 will be marked tardy. Tardies should not be a regular occurrence. Teachers begin their instruction at 8:05. We ask for your cooperation and assistance in maintaining a classroom environment conducive to the development of good study habits and uninterrupted academic instruction.

Transportation- It is important that your child maintain a consistent afternoon dismissal routine. Changes in afternoon transportation must be made by NOON. Call the school office at 903-881-4350. ONLY legal guardians may request transportation changes. The caller will be asked various questions to validate identity and relationship to the child.

1. Our car line is a phone-free zone by law. No texting or calling.
2. Have your car tag visible the whole time during car line.
3. If you do not have your car tag, please park and bring your driver's license to the office.
4. Do not get out of your car during car line. This is for safety and to keep the line flowing.

Your child's safety is our #1 priority at CSE.

When we ask for car tags and photo IDs, please understand that this is for the safety of our students. Outside doors are locked at all times. We have a single entry point for any visitors on our campus. Please ring the buzzer at the front doors and state your child's name and the reason for your visit when coming to our campus.

SAFETY PROCEDURES

All visitors must sign in at the front office before going to any room in the building. This includes: parent/teacher conferences, picking up a student, and visiting for lunches. Visitors must be listed in Skyward and have a valid photo ID. Be sure to sign in and obtain your visitor’s pass at the front office. All visitors must have a visitor’s pass before leaving the office. When leaving, you will sign out at the front office.

CHILD CUSTODY

It is important that our school office be made aware of, and have on file, any legal papers that pertain to unique circumstances concerning your child. Custody documents must be a CURRENT legal order, judgement, or decree signed by a judge. A petition or transcript is not acceptable. Please be advised that the natural mother or father can obtain their child or information from school at any time unless a court order is on file indicating otherwise.

You can put money on your child's lunch account by going to the LISD website and using the Lunch Money NOW! link under QuickLinks.

LUNCH VISITORS

Beginning September 21, parents are welcome to eat lunch with their children. We have reserved a section of tables in the cafeteria for parents and their children to sit together and eat during the child’s regularly scheduled lunch time. Any visitor attending lunch must be listed in Skyward and have a valid photo ID.

All visitors must have a state issued ID to be scanned in the office. If the person eating with your child is not listed in Skyward, please call the office and let us know beforehand. Visitors will receive a sticker to wear and can wait for the student in the cafeteria where we have designated tables set up. Visitors may eat lunch with their child only. Please do not bring lunch for another child or ask if another child can come sit with you. Once lunch is over, check out in the office. Visitors are not allowed to go to the playground or to the classroom.