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November is here, and we have so much to be thankful for at Black Elementary! This month is extra special as we celebrate 20 YEARS of Bearkat BEST! We are excited to welcome our Bearkat families, former staff, and community members back to celebrate 20 years of memories, traditions, and excellence. What a special milestone for our school! Please see below for specific event info.

We are also excited for Field Day on November 4th! This year, we are trying something new and hosting Field Day for ALL grade levels on the same day. Families are welcome to come cheer on their Bearkats during their designated 45-minute relay times. With half of our building participating outside throughout the day, we are asking families to help us by allowing students to remain at school and go home through their regular dismissal routes. Early checkouts and dismissal changes will be especially challenging that day, and we appreciate your help in keeping everything running smoothly!

November also brings our Veterans Day performance, Bearkat Elite inductions, the TEA STEM Truck, and several opportunities to celebrate kindness and gratitude. We look forward to honoring our veterans and recognizing the many people who make our school such a special place. Please register your Veteran for our event here if you have not already done so.

As we head toward Thanksgiving break, I want to take a moment to say how thankful I am for our Bearkat families. Your support, encouragement, and partnership make a difference every single day. For 20 years, Black Elementary has been a place where students learn, grow, and shine because of the amazing people who make up our school community.

Thank you for being part of our Bearkat family and helping us continue the tradition of educating the whole child: mind, body, and spirit. Thank you for supporting our BIG fundraiser for the Fall - Adventure Dash was a giant success and our minor fundraising spirit nights have all been successful too!

Wishing all of our families a wonderful Thanksgiving filled with family, laughter, and a little extra rest!

20 Years of Bearkat BEST, and still going strong! ❤️🖤

Follow us on Facebook, Twitter/X, and Instagram.

@BlackBearkats

9:00 - 9:45 - 5th Grade

9:50 - 10:35 - 3rd Grade

10:40 - 11:25 - 4th Grade

12:45 - 1:30 - 2nd Grade

1:35 - 2:20 - Kindergarten

2:25 - 3:10 - 1st Grade

***Extra parking available around the Car rider "u" - on the right side all the way around. Please do not park on the "outgoing" side of the straight away coming into the school off of Grant Road as we have buses that come through mid day and end of day.

***Field day is actually much longer for students so please do not plan to take them home, just come and enjoy them for a little while. Thank you for supporting us.

Here are a few dates to save: (changes or additions will be noted in bold)

November 2 - Fall Pictures / 20th Anniversary Celebration

November 3 - Teacher Work Day / Student Holiday

November 4 - Field Day (All Grades)

November 6 - Fire Drill

November 1 - December 1- Native American Heritage Month

November 10 - Chick-Fil-A Spirit Night

November 10 - 13 TEA Stem Truck

November 11 - 13 - National School Psychology Week 9th-13th

November 11 - Veteran's Day Performance / Bearkat Elite Induction Day

November 12 - CFISD parent collaborative/ DigiSafe parent night - Berry Center

November 13 - World Kindness Day / Wear blue for World Diabetes Day or Kind shirts for World Kindness Day / Spirit Shop

November 18 - Education Support Professionals Day / PTO Board Mtg.

November 19 - National Parent Involvement Day

November 23 - 27 Thanksgiving Holiday

December 1 - Fall Picture Retakes / Campus Spelling Bee

December 3 - McTeacher's Night at McDonalds / WHO (Anti-Victimization) Puppet Show - 1st & 2nd

December 4 - WHO (Anti-Victimization) Puppet Show - Kinder / PTO Board Meeting / Fire Drill

December 7 - National Letter Writing Day

December 8 - Holiday Night/(sign up for a cultural arts booth here) / STUCO Store / Chick-Fil-A Spirit Night

December 9 - Bearkat Elite Induction Day

December 11 - Kindergarten Gingerbread Man day

December 15 - 4th Grade Performance

December 16 - Spirit Shop / Bearkat Elite Activity

December 17 - 1st Grade Holiday Around the World / 2nd Grade Polar Express

December 18 - Holiday Parties

December 21 - January 1 - Winter Break

January 4 - Professional Day / Student Holiday

January 7 - Fire Drill

January 12 - Nature Trails 3rd & 5th / Chick-fil-A SPirit Night

January 13 - Nature Trails 3rd & 5th

January 18 - Student/Staff Holiday

January 19 - 5th to 6th Grade Transition Parent Meeting

January 21 - Bearkat Elite Induction

January 25 - Grade Level Name That Book Competition

January 26 - District Spelling Bee

January 27 - Classroom Picture Day

The 2026-2027 calendar includes the following key dates:

• Thanksgiving break is scheduled for Nov. 23-27, 2026.
• A winter break is scheduled for students and staff (Dec. 21, 2026-Jan. 1, 2027).
• Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Jan. 18, 2027, is a student/staff holiday.
• A five-day spring break is scheduled for March 15-19, 2027.
• Friday, March 26, 2027, is a student/staff holiday.
• The school year will end on May 27, 2027 for students.
• Memorial Day, May 31, 2027, is a staff holiday.
• The calendar features teacher work days that are also student holidays: Nov. 3, 2026; and March 12, 2027.
• March 12, 2027 are designated as inclement weather makeup days.

To download a copy of the 2026-2027 school calendar, visit the CFISD website at www.cfisd.net/calendar.

We are in need of boys and girls underwear (sizes 4/6/8/10) and boys shorts/pants (sizes 4-10) - please feel free to drop off next week at meet the teacher or anytime to the front office - we appreciate your support.

See pdf files for information regarding GT testing - deadline is this month.

Please contact Tiffany.Bowles@cfisd.net with any library needs.

The CFISD 2026-27 Districtwide Educational Improvement Council requests your feedback regarding two proposed versions of the 2027-28 Instructional Calendar. Please visit our website https://www.cfisd.net/calendar/calendar-feedback

for the draft versions of the calendar and a link to the survey.

Please complete the survey by November 4, 2026 at noon.

Julia Ortiz

PTO President

president@blackpto.net

Facebook: Black Elementary PTO

Website: blackpto.net

PTO Memberships are an essential part of PTO! Your membership not only keeps you informed about opportunities to participate but supports a variety of events.

PTO Memberships do not require you to volunteer. Volunteer opportunities are separate.

Membership perks

- Access to Bearkat Directory

- First to know - As a member you will receive communications from PTO

- Access to the online spirit store

Signup today at https://www.blackpto.net

We are excited to serve our staff with a caramel apple bar! We would love your help in contributions, please see the sign-up genius link and deliver to the school labeled “hospitality “ by November 13. *NOTE: this will take the place of the Pie Day we have done in the past.

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/805084BA5AF2EA6FA7-66939052-carmelchocolate#/

STAFF SPONSORSHIP:

Thank you again to our October sponsor, Adrianna Orrostieta and Moor Insurance and Multiservice Team! The staff absolutely loved the Hydration Station!!

Thank you to the amazing Nothing Bundt Cakes on Fry Road! They donated a Bundt cake for every staff member in October!!

Houston-Cypress Bakery #382

9822 Fry. RD STE 170 Cypress, TX 77433

(281) 671-0775

www.nothingbundtcakes.com

Are you interested in becoming a Bearkat Sponsor? PTO offers a few different options this year. We offer Tiered Sponsorship Opportunities that offer special perks depending on donation as well as NEW Monthly Sponsorship Opportunity. View the flyers below for additional information. For any questions, please reach out to president@blackpto.net or membership@blackpto.net today!

V.I.P.S. - Volunteers in Public Schools

Samantha Anchia (Pre-K - 2nd) vips1@blackpto.net

Cemone Robinson (3rd - 5th) vips2@blackpto.net

VOLUNTEER OF THE MONTH -

Our Top Bearkat Volunteer of the month is Mary Kay Moritz! Congratulations on being our VOTM!

Each month VIPS will recognize the volunteer who has the most hours logged.

TOP VOLUNTEER PERKS: 🎉

● A Personalized Reserved Parking Space at the front of the school.

● Your name displayed on the PTO Board and in the front office

● A Friday Lunch with your student (Must be used that month)

● A gift card donated by staff

OPEN CHAIR POSITIONS -

We still have a few open Committee Chair positions and WE NEED YOUR HELP!

Click here -> PTO Committee Chair Positions 2026-2027

👥 Want to team up with a friend or another parent? Co-Chairs are welcome! If you’re interested in taking on an open position together, just let us know.

Questions? Email: president@blackpto.net.

GRADE LEVEL COMMITTEES

SIGN UP TODAY!

♥️ Homeroom Parents' jobs have become a bit easier! We will now have Grade Level Committees! Same fun helping but now you’ll have a bigger team to assist! Interested?

📣 👉 CLICK HERE Grade Level Committee Form 👈

Holiday Party Planning has started!

FOMO? (Fear of missing out?)

Join the Grade Level Committee today!

CLICK HERE Grade Level Committee Form

Themes for this year's party:

PreK-2nd Grade: Polar Express ❄️🔔🚂

3rd-5th Grade: Holiday Workshop 🎁 ⚒️ 🎄

🚨🚨🚨 Mother/Son Game Night & Father/Daughter Night is coming soon in February! Have great ideas? Love party planning?

Contact your VIPS Coordinators:

Samantha Anchia (Pre-K-2nd) vips1@blackpto.net

Cemone Robinson (3rd - 5th) vips2@blackpto.net

📅 Important Dates:

11/05/26 – Holiday Party Plans Due for AP Approval

12/18/26 – Holiday Parties

1/26/27 – PTO General Meeting ⏰ 9:30 AM at Black Elementary

Thank you for volunteering your time making these events special for our students and staff!

Ensure your volunteer time is being captured!

Does your badge at the front say "VISITOR" instead of "VOLUNTEER"?

Make a CFISD Raptor Portal account today.

Full sign up instructions can be found here - https://www.cfisd.net/departments/community-engagement/volunteer

If you have any questions about your volunteer status, please call 281-894-3950.

Parents & Grandparents

If you are the parent, grandparent or legal guardian of a student enrolled in the CFISD school where you wish to volunteer, you must create a volunteer portal account with CFISD.

Create a Volunteer Portal Account https://apps.raptortech.com/Apply/MzYxOmVuLVVTand receive your account information and password from donotreply@raptortech.com (may take up to 5 business days).

Global Volunteers

If you are NOT the parent, grandparent, or legal guardian of a student enrolled in the CFISD school where you wish to volunteer, you must apply to be a global volunteer with CFISD.

Global Volunteer Application https://apps.raptortech.com/Apply/MzYxOmVuLVVT

A Global Volunteer is a non-parent or non-grandparent who would like to volunteer with

CFISD.

If you have any questions about your volunteer status, please call 281-894-3950.

This year, we have moved to **Grade Level Committees**, which replaced having a homeroom parent (HRC) for each classroom.

Each Grade Level Committee will work together to help coordinate grade-level events, communicate volunteer opportunities, and support teachers as needs arise.

Additional benefits of having Grade Level Committees include:

* It will allow volunteers to share responsibilities

* Greater flexibility for volunteers as our schedules change.

* Consistency across each grade level.

* Better support for all classrooms and teachers throughout the school year.

*You can sign up for more than one grade level!**

Grade Level Committee members will have support from a **Grade Liaison and PTO Board Member** throughout the year.

Scan the QR code or click the link below to sign up today and learn more! https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScukHu7Els5tYuJNE0blmcvFAxEAGMIcmOYgp2YjeT9xHkA7g/viewform?usp=publish-editor

📣 VIPS – Next Steps & Important Dates for Grade Level Committee Members & Liaisons

Thank you to everyone who attended the VIPS General Meeting or the September Leadership Meeting! Your attendance and participation help ensure our staff and students are supported throughout the school year. 💙

Our Grade Level Committee Members and Liaisons are getting ready to start planning for the Holiday Parties! 🎄🎉

VIPS will be sending more information to all Grade Level Committee Members as holiday party planning gets underway via email soon please keep an eye on your inbox!

👉 Want to help? Join the grade level(s) you’re interested in helping with today!

📅 Important Dates:

10/23/26 – Holiday Party Plans Due for AP Approval

12/18/26 – Holiday Parties
1/26/27 – PTO General Meeting ⏰ 9:30 AM at Black Elementary

Thank you for volunteering your time and helping make these events special for our students and staff!

Ensure your volunteer time is being captured! If you do not have a CFISD Raptor Portal account you can make one today. Full sign up instructions can be found here - https://www.cfisd.net/departments/community-engagement/volunteer

If you have any questions about your volunteer status, please call 281-894-3950.

Parents & Grandparents

If you are the parent, grandparent or legal guardian of a student enrolled in the CFISD school where you wish to volunteer, you must create a volunteer portal account with CFISD.

Create a Volunteer Portal Account https://apps.raptortech.com/Apply/MzYxOmVuLVVT and receive your account information and password from donotreply@raptortech.com (may take up to 5 business days).

Global Volunteers

If you are NOT the parent, grandparent, or legal guardian of a student enrolled in the CFISD school where you wish to volunteer, you must apply to be a global volunteer with CFISD.

● Description of a Global Volunteer

https://www.cfisd.net/fs/resource-manager/view/c6a8ab94-76d1-4d63-8be2-999f6f60543b

● Volunteer opportunities at the SRSC https://www.cfisd.net/fs/pages/27832

How to Apply to be a Global Volunteer

Complete a Global Volunteer or Mentor Application*, including consenting to a criminal history record check. You will receive account information and password from

donotreply@raptortech.com (may take up to 10 business days) after your application is

Approved.

Global Volunteer Application https://apps.raptortech.com/Apply/MzYxOmVuLVVT

Select only one option on your application based on the type of volunteer that you would like to be. A Global Volunteer is a non-parent or non-grandparent who would like to volunteer with

CFISD.

If you have any questions about your volunteer status, please call 281-894-3950.

Library:

Opportunities for the library are coming soon!

Name that Book 3rd grade and 5th grade chairs have both been filled! We are still looking for our 4th Grade Name that Book chairperson- Reach out to secretary@blackpto.net

Workroom:

New workroom volunteer opportunities will open up soon!

Spirit Shop:

Upcoming Spirit Shop Dates

11/13

12/16

Volunteer Sign Up https://www.signupgenius.com/go/60B094BABA62FA6FE3-67079965-spirit

5th grade parents and friends - We need pictures to fill up the Memory Book.

Send you photos to 5thgradememorybook@blackpto.net

Please include the name of the students pictured and a brief description.

The arts encourage creativity, innovation, and self-confidence. The Cultural Arts program at Black Elementary achieves this by utilizing community-based programs that come to our school for a firsthand and up-close peak into the arts. We are working on scheduling some amazing programs for this coming school year. We look forward to seeing the students’ smiling faces in the audience. Stay tuned for more information.

Thanks!

Cynthia Dennis

Junior Achievement:

JA is in need of a Chair. Coordinate volunteers to teach short economic lessons to students. Announce training dates to volunteers. Responsible for overseeing all JA materials. All materials are provided

We have an in-class volunteer opportunity for grades 1-5 coming soon as we get ready to kick off our Junior Achievement Program. Junior Achievement is a program that focuses on teaching a combination of economics and social studies at an age appropriate level. Subjects include businesses in our community, taxes, needs and wants, spending and saving, how to start a business, etc.

About Junior Achievement

Each class needs at least one volunteer to teach 5 sessions to the students. All teaching materials are provided including a teaching script, so you don't have to come up with your own. You coordinate directly with the teacher on days and times that work for the classroom. The kids love this program and would love to have someone step up to take this on in their classroom. Please sign up using the signup genius link: Junior Achievement Grades 1-5

Additional Information

1. Each session lasts about 30 minutes

2. Training is online format at your own pace for each session

3. No training required if you have taught in the previous years

4. All materials are provided

5. You coordinate times and days directly with the teacher

6. Materials will be available for pick up within one week of sign up

7. You can start as soon as you have determined times that work with the classroom, and you have your materials.

8. Sessions must be completed by the end of the spring semester

9. Total time involved including training, prep, and driving to school 5-6 hours for all 5 sessions

10. There will be a few online forms to fill out upon completion of teaching sessions

Please contact Cynthia Dennis at culturalarts@blackpto.net or Julia Ortiz at President@blackpto.net for more information.

Science Resource Center:

Have you heard about SRC demonstrations? The Science Resource Center offers opportunities for volunteers to bring fun and educational animal demonstrations to the classroom.

● Animal Friends: Pre-K/ECSE (30 minutes). An assortment of live animals (such as a rabbit, bird, turtle, frog, snake or lizard) is used to introduce students to basic animal traits.

● Bunny Tales: Pre-K/ECSE (30 minutes). This Demo is designed to combine a read aloud, discussions about the science connections within the text, and observations of a live rabbit. For the best experience for students, this Demo should be presented to one class (no more than two) at a time. Presentation limited to cooler weather months between October and April.

● Opossums: Pre-K/ECSE (30 minutes). A stuffed opossum is used to demonstrate the special adaptations and characteristics of this Native American marsupial. Please limit these presentations to fall semester only.

● Guinea Pigs: Kindergarten (30 minutes). A story, Guinea Pigs Don’t Read Books, is read and discussed. A live guinea pig is shown. (Pig can be handled.) Please limit these presentations to fall semester only.

● Hedgehog: Kindergarten (30 minutes). The Hat by Jan Brett is read and discussed and a live hedgehog is shown. (Hedgy can be handled.)

● Eggs and Nests: 1st grade (45 minutes). Students observe a variety of eggs as they compare and contrast their physical properties. Children explore a bag of objects to discover if and how the items roll to discover why egg shape is important. A variety of bird nests are displayed for observation. Please limit these presentations to fall semester only.

● Small Mammals: 1st grade (45 minutes). A live chinchilla is used to demonstrate its characteristics, behaviors and adaptations to the environment. Then students compare this mammal’s adaptations to those of the hamster. (Animals are not handled.)

● Aquatic Birds: 2nd grade (45 minutes). Students observe different aquatic bird skins to discover their adaptations for life in or near the water. Students will participate in an exploratory activity to discover how certain beaks are adapted to eat specific foods.

● Insects: 2nd grade (45 minutes). The insect's place in our ecosystem will be discussed. A sample insect collection will be shown along with live African hissing cockroaches. (Animals may be handled.)

● Snakes: 2nd grade (45 minutes). Students review characteristics of reptiles and learn the unique adaptations of snakes. They will observe several live, non-venomous specimens and various teaching aids. Featured animals include the Trans Pecos rat snake, gray banded king snake and a coral mimic. (Animals are handled.)

● Amphibians: 3rd grade (45 minutes). A selection of live amphibians is available for close examination by the students. Various characteristics and interesting behaviors of amphibians are discussed. Featured animals may include the salamander, fire belly newt, gulf coast toad, clawed frog, siren and rococo toad. (Animals are handled.)

● Arthropods: 3rd grade (50 minutes). Live and preserved specimens are used to compare and contrast characteristics of different classes of arthropods. Featured animals may include the millipede, tarantula, hissing cockroach, land hermits, a scorpion and pill bugs. (The millipede and hissing cockroach are handled.)

● Bird Structures: 4th grade (50 minutes). Bird study skins will be used to illustrate the many unique characteristics and adaptations of this class of animals.

● Body Coverings: 4th grade (50 minutes). A combination of live animals and teaching aids are used to describe the body coverings of fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals. Featured animals include a lizard, tree frog, dove and hamster. (Animals are handled.)

● Reptiles: 4th grade (50 minutes). A selection of live reptiles will be available for close examination by the students with a discussion of their various characteristics and interesting behaviors. Featured animals include the box turtle, soft shell turtle, red-eared slider, lizard, and corn snake. (Animals are handled.)

● CSI Cy-Fair: 5th grade (50 minutes) Students solve a “who done it” mystery as they rotate through three station lab investigations analyzing fingerprints, fiber samples and chromatography samples.

● Mammal Skulls: 5th grade (50 minutes). The volunteer discusses traits such as eye placement and tooth arrangement to provide clues for the students to guess the identity of common skulls. They will then be given the correct answer with a discussion of similarities and differences and identifying characteristics. Students need paper and pen or pencil.

Third and Fifth Grade Nature Trails

NATURE TRAILS CHAIR NEEDED! If you are interested please email president@blackpto.net

The Nature Trails learning experience is facilitated by 3rd and 5th grade teachers and trained Volunteers (VIPS).

Volunteer (VIPS) Training is at the CFISD Nature Trails located at 13500 Shaft Drive (Behind Millsap Elementary).

Training is required for VIPS to lead a station and assist teachers.

Register in advance using the following link to a Google Form: Volunteer Registration

Yearbooks for the 2026-2027 school year are available to order!

** Get special pricing of only $40.00 if you order by 12/31 **

The price will increase after 12/31

Childfind services

The Cypress Fairbanks Independent School District Special Education Department provides educational services to over 10,000 students with special needs.

Teachers, instructional aides, speech pathologists and related service personnel provide instruction and related services to students who have a disability. Students are eligible for special education services from the age of 3 through 21. Students who have hearing and vision disabilities may receive services from birth.

To be eligible for special education services, students must meet eligibility requirements as a student with an orthopedic impairment, other health impairment, auditory impairment, visual impairment, diagnosis of deaf/blind, intellectual disabilities, emotional disturbance, learning disability, speech impairment, multiple disabilities, autism, non-categorical early childhood, or traumatic brain injury.

Cypress Fairbanks ISD instructional arrangements for elementary school-aged students include in-class support, resource classes and speech/language therapy. Early Childhood Special Education (ECSE, formerly PPCD), adaptive behavior, and LIFE Skills classes are offered as cluster services at the elementary level.

In-class support, resource classes, LIFE Skills, adaptive behavior and speech/language services are available at all secondary level campuses.

Related services may include psychological services, occupational therapy, physical therapy, orientation and mobility training, school health services, adaptive equipment and special transportation.

Other special education service options include the Dorothy Carlton Center, the Maybelline Carpenter Center, homebound, adaptive physical education, itinerant and on-site services to the visually impaired.

As part of the Northwest Harris County Cooperative for the Hearing Impaired, services for students who have auditory impairments are offered at Birkes Elementary, Matzke Elementary, Spillane Middle School and Cy-Ridge High School. In addition to receiving instruction at the on-site campuses, students may be served by itinerant teachers, speech pathologists, and/or an audiologist at their home campus.

Are you the parent of a pre-school (3-5 years) or school aged child and have concerns regarding your child’s physical, speech, and/or emotional development? Is your child experiencing academic problems which could interfere significantly with educational success? If so, contact the Special Education Department at 281-897-6400 to discuss your concerns and learn more about the referral process.

Cy-Fair Tipline is an anonymous reporting system that allows students and parents to communicate school concerns or threats to their campus administration through the Internet or via text messaging. Students and parents are able to submit reports/tips via text or email anonymously 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. To access the system: http://www.safe2helptips.com/cf148s. This link is also located on the school website under 'Contact Us'.

Email: black@cfisd.net
Website: black.cfisd.net
Location: 14155 Grant Road, Cypress, TX, USA
Phone: 281-320-7145