Hirsch Hawk Herald

Dear Hirsch Hawk Parents and Guardians,

We are thrilled to announce that last week marked the kickoff of Hispanic Heritage Month, and we couldn’t be prouder of our predominantly Hispanic student body and community. This is a special time for us to honor and celebrate the rich history, culture, and contributions of Hispanic Americans who have made a lasting impact on our nation.

Throughout the month, we’ll be highlighting the achievements of notable Hispanic Americans during our daily announcements. We’re excited to share stories of trailblazers like Sonia Sotomayor, the first Hispanic Supreme Court Justice, Cesar Chavez, a leader for farmworkers' rights, and Ellen Ochoa, the first Latina astronaut in space. These individuals remind us of the power of perseverance and the importance of lifting each other up, a value we hold dear here at Hirsch.

To make this month even more special, we have several events planned for our students:

• Dress-Up Week in late October, where students can celebrate their heritage through fun and creative outfits.
• A Ballet Folklórico performance, where a local group will showcase traditional Mexican dance and music for our students. We can't wait for this exciting cultural experience!

As a school community, we strive to foster a sense of belonging for all of our students, celebrating that out of many, we are one. We encourage you to celebrate this special month at home too! Here are a few tips:

• Share stories of influential Hispanic figures with your children. There are great books and documentaries that highlight their achievements.
• Cook a traditional Hispanic dish together as a family. This can be a fun way to explore the rich diversity of Hispanic culture through food.
• Talk about your own family’s heritage and the importance of uplifting one another in our school, our community, and beyond.

Let’s continue to honor and celebrate the beauty in diversity, lifting each other up and empowering every student to soar.

We also want to remind everyone that our Big Kahuna Fundraiser is underway, and we need every family to commit to selling at least one item. Your participation directly supports our school programs and helps us continue providing enriching experiences for our students!

Sincerely,

Principal Patterson

Hirsch Elementary School

"Unstoppable Heroes: Empowering Every Student to Soar"

P.S. Don't forget...Attendance is so important for student success. Hirsch Elementary is committed to encouraging students to come to school everyday. Each grade level is participating in weekly and monthly attendance contests to see who has the highest attendance. For the past two weeks, 5th grade has had the highest attendance with 96.53%. This week Kindergarten has the highest attendance with 96.63%. Everyday attendance equals everyday success. Thank you for partnering with us for your child's success.

On September 26, you can order your child Chick-Fil-A for lunch, while also helping to support Hirsch Elementary! We are excited to offer six days throughout the school year where you can order a special lunch for your child! Each meal starts at $9.50. Use the link below to order! All orders must be received by noon the day before delivery.

https://form.jotform.com/ChickfilASpring/hirsch-elementary-school

We're pleased to announce our partnership with Brighter Bites! This wonderful program offers our families fresh produce free of charge each month! This program is open to EVERYONE at our school, regardless of income. Please see the flyer below for more information and to sign up! Click the picture for the link, or use the link here: https://fs27.formsite.com/brighterbites/enroll23/fill?id82=707&id161=1

If you want to volunteer to help bag the pallets of fresh produce, then click HERE!

• September 24: Watch D.O.G.S. Kickoff @5:30 p.m.
  
• September 26: Chick-Fil-A Day at School
• September 27: House Day (Make sure your child wears his/her House Colors)
• September 28: Saturday School Begins (Invited Students from 3rd to 5th Grade)
  
• September 30: Title 1 Parent Meeting (If you missed the meeting at Open House, you can login virtually: Google Meet Link) @ 5 pm
• October 4: World Teacher Day

Hirsch Elem PTO

Stay up to date on our PTO by following our PTO Facebook page:

https://www.facebook.com/HirschPto/

The H-E-B Excellence in Education Awards are designed to honor outstanding public school professionals and to thank them for their dedication and commitment. The H-E-B Excellence in Education program awards cash grants to finalists, winners, and their schools.

Nominations for the 2025 Excellence in Education Awards close on October 7, 2024.

Nominate your favorite teacher today at https://heblovesteachers.com/nominate/.

After being approved by the Spring ISD Board of Trustees in early August, the district will include a Voter Approval Tax Rate Election (VATRE) on the upcoming Nov. 5 ballot.

The measure proposes a tax rate of $1.1569 per $100 of property valuation for the 2024 fiscal year, a 5-cent increase from the current rate. This would cost the average homeowner an extra $7 per month, generating about $20 million for the schools on an annual basis and allowing the district to eliminate its budget deficit and provide teacher and staff raises.

Homeowners who are receiving a homestead exemption for disability or are age 65 or older would not see an increase above their tax ceiling as a result of the VATRE.

The proposed tax rate, if approved by voters, would provide critical funding for teacher and staff salaries, including a 2% across the board raise for all staff. Starting teacher pay would increase from $60,500 to $61,500 per year, and targeted adjustments would be made for teachers with 5-15 years of experience, putting it in line with other local school districts.

With no increase in the state’s per-student allotment since 2019 and an inflation rate that has hit 17%, many school districts, including Spring ISD, have had to look to tax increases to generate needed funding.

Voters will have the chance to vote on the measure on Tuesday, Nov. 5.

Please complete the form below if you would like to request GT testing for your child:

https://springisd-prod.azurewebsites.net/home/CustomGTParentReferral

We want to show our Hawks that the sky is the limit when it comes to how high they can fly! On Wednesdays we ask all students and staff to wear their favorite college, university or military shirt!

https://www.schoolcafe.com/springisd

Please visit the website above to see the menus for each week. If you click on the third button (View Menus (as a guest)), you can navigate to Hirsch Elementary to see what's being served each week. Please be aware that menus can change due to available inventory.

• Parents may send treats to their child’s class.
• Only store bought cupcakes or cookies (no peanut butter or nuts)
• Sent with child or dropped at office
• Parent may NOT come to class
• Teacher’s discretion when to do cupcakes (not at lunch due to regulations)
• No goodie bags, balloons, etc.

We need you! We all know that parent involvement goes along way in ensuring our students' success! We want you to use your gifts and talents here at Hirsch!

How do I get involved?

Step 1: Complete the volunteer application.

English

Spanish

Step 2: Our Counselor will contact you once you have been approved to volunteer.

Step 3: Choose where you would like to help.

Volunteer Menu

• Reading Buddies
• Our young scholars are eager to read! Volunteer in 30 minute time slots to listen to students as they practice their reading skills!
• Library Helpers
• Help shelve books and organize the library!
• Workroom Helpers
• Help make copies, cut out lamination, and deliver copies around the school!
• Classroom Helpers
• Help during classroom parties and special event days!
• Help decorate bulletin boards and classroom displays!
• Office Helpers
• Volunteers needed at 2:15 p.m. to distribute transportation changes to the classroom!
• Lunch Helpers
• Volunteers needed to help with PK and Kindergarten lunch!