Colt Chronicle

November 16 - A Day

November 17 - B Day

November 18 - C Day, PTA meeting #2 - at least one per team attend

November 19 D Day,

November 20 - Colt Stampede

November 23-27 Thanksgiving Break

Happy Friday, Colt Families!

What a wonderful week at Carpenter Hill. I want to take a moment to say thank you for the incredible love and support you continue to show our school. We know how much our families do for our Colts, and we never take that generosity for granted.

Our Apex Fun Run fundraiser is off to a great start, and we are so grateful for everyone who has supported and encouraged our students. The best part has been seeing the excitement on our Colts' faces as they participate in the Apex character lessons and learn what it means to be an everyday superhero. I love that this experience is about more than fundraising. It is also about building character, growing leaders, and having fun together.

We are looking forward to celebrating with our students at our Apex Fun Run on Friday, November 20. It is going to be a fun day filled with energy, smiles, and Colt spirit.

Please see the schedule below for grade-level run times. We hope you can join us to cheer on our Colts.

As we head into the weekend, I just want you to know how thankful I am to be part of this community. Your partnership, encouragement, and support make Carpenter Hill such a special place for our students and staff.

Wishing all of our Colt families a wonderful weekend.

Grow Together. Lead Together.

Colt Stampede - November 20

Two edits to our event calendar - April 1 will be Habit Hunt, PK-4th Field day was moved to April 23.

Because elementary school is basically a team sport. 😄

🍎Celebrations can still be fun without a sugar overload! 🎉Try fruit cups, popcorn, pretzels, cheese sticks, or even a non-food treat like stickers or pencils. ✏️✨

🪪 ID Backup Plan: Consider purchasing an extra student ID to keep at home or with their teacher. If one gets lost, they’ll already have a backup and won’t have to wait for payment to be submitted - before receiving a replacement. One less morning headache! LINK TO PURCHASE TAG

👟 Shoes Matter: If your child can’t tie them yet, Velcro is your friend. No judgment here!

🧥 LABEL. EVERYTHING. Jackets, lunchboxes, water bottles…if it can be left behind, it probably will be.

👕 Morning Win: Pick out clothes before bedtime. One less 7:00 a.m. negotiation!

📚 Skip “How was school?” Try: “Tell me something that made you smile today.”

😴 Bedtime Is a Superpower: Tired kids have a much harder time learning, listening, and managing those BIG elementary emotions.

❤️ And the biggest life hack: Give everyone—including yourself—a little grace. We’re growing kids, building routines, and figuring it out together!

📝 VIP = Very Important Parent! If you think you might want to volunteer at school or chaperone a field trip this year, go ahead and complete the VIP form now! Don’t wait until a field trip pops up. Getting approved ahead of time will save you time later—and you’ll be ready to go when the fun opportunities come along!

School + Home = One pretty awesome team. 🐴💙

Campus-Wide Service Projects:

• Each month, information about the current service project will be sent home.

• There will be a collection box in each hallway.

• Students are encouraged to donate if they choose.

Student Volunteer Logs:

• Each student will receive one volunteer log to track service completed outside of school.

• Completed logs should be placed in the red "Lighthouse Leaders" box outside the front office.

• Students with at least one hour of service will:

• Be recognized at the next Habit Assembly

• Receive a certificate

• Have their name added to the Lighthouse Leaders bulletin board in the cafeteria

At Hays CISD, we are dedicated to providing a safe and supportive learning environment. We recognize and value the essential role parents and guardians play in guiding their children's education.

We are excited to introduce new parental control features in our online library catalog. These tools will enable you to browse your child’s school library collection, view current checkouts, and restrict access to any materials you believe are not a good fit for your child. Click [here] to access your login credentials and begin exploring this new tool. Click [here] for more instructions on the library portal.

These features will enhance our partnership in supporting your child’s education. By tailoring library access, we aim to create a learning environment that aligns with your family’s preferences. We encourage you to utilize these tools to foster meaningful discussions with your child about their library selections.

Help us celebrate the amazing staff at CHES! Recognize a staff member with a Lighthouse Leader or Hays High 5 for making a difference, stepping up, showing leadership, or simply being awesome.

See it. Celebrate it. High 5 it! 💙

Your voice matters—because we lead the way, together.

We’re launching the Colt Voice Box—a place for families to share thoughts, suggestions, concerns, or ideas to help us make Carpenter Hill even better. Whether it’s something you’d love to see on campus, a concern you’d like us to know about, or a way we can better support your child, this is your space to be heard.

🧾 You can submit your feedback anytime—anonymously or with your name—using our digital form:
👉Colt Voice Box

We’ll regularly review responses and use them to guide improvement efforts. Look for updates in our monthly newsletter under “You Spoke, We Listened.”

Thank you for partnering with us to make CHES the best it can be!

Please do not park in spots that have a numbered sign. These spots are reserved for auction winners from the annual Colt Carnival benefiting the PTA. You'll have a chance to bid on a spot at the Carnival in March! (photo of sign)

We’re excited to share that this year we are implementing a new Specials rotation schedule using A-B-C-D days instead of specific days of the week.

Each day will be assigned a letter (A through D), and your child’s teacher will have a schedule that shows which Specials class (PE, Art, Music, ) your child will attend on each letter day.

To help you keep track, we’ve attached the monthly calendar that shows the letter schedule. This will make it easy to know what Specials class your child has each day.

📌 Please be sure your child wears or brings proper shoes on their PE days so they can participate safely and comfortably.

Beginning in January, all students will be required to have their IDs to ride a Hays CISD school bus. As you know, the district uses Smart Tag ™ which allows us to immediately know whether is student is on a bus, where they embarked, and where they disembarked. This information is essential during any type of bus crisis, or if a student is missing. Our transportation department won’t leave students unattended at bus stops on the way to school if they have lost their ID cards. However, students will have to get replacement cards while at school to ride buses home.

You’ll start seeing the posters on our buses and in school newsletters soon:
www.hayscisd.net/busid

To support a focused, distraction-free learning environment and comply with Texas law, Hays CISD has updated its expectations for student personal communication devices. During the school day, all cell phones, smartwatches, earbuds, tablets, and other personal electronic devices must be powered off and stored in backpacks or another approved location. Devices may not be used or accessed during the school day. Students who do not follow these expectations will have their device confiscated and returned according to district procedures, with repeated violations resulting in additional consequences. Thank you for partnering with us to keep the focus on learning!

All students will all get new tags for the 26-27 school year. Please dispose of this years tags. Please make sure your tag is visible and hanging from the review mirror.

If you do not have your car tag you will be asked to park, come to the office and show your ID to check out your student.

⏰ School Hours: Doors open at 7:05 AM. Students must be in class by 7:30 AM. Dismissal is at 3:00 PM, with pickup by 3:15 PM.

🚗 Arrival/Dismissal: After 7:30 AM, parents must check students in through the front office. Please use the Johnson HS light for drop-off/pick-up. Do not enter the side drive from FM 967 before 7:30 AM or 3:30 PM.

📝 Absences: Parent notes must be received within 5 days or the absence will be unexcused. Email CHES.Attendance@hayscisd.net.

Safety Newsletters

Safety & Security News

https://www.hayscisd.net/page/safety

Carpenter Hill Elementary is excited to announce that our school marquee is now available for parents to recognize and celebrate students on their birthdays! This is a fun way to make your child’s day extra special while also supporting our campus. Proceeds from the marquee celebrations will help us provide little treats and appreciation items for our teachers throughout the year. We truly appreciate your support of our students and staff!

Marquee Message Details:

• Cost: $30.00

• Requests must be submitted at least 1 week prior to your event.

• Your spot is not reserved until payment is received.

• Payment must be submitted within 48 hours of your request. Failure to do so will cancel your reservation.

Instructions to Reserve Your Spot:

1. Complete the Sign Up Genius form.Link to Sign Up Genius

2. In the comments section, enter the message you would like displayed.
   (Limit: 3 lines, 21 characters per line, including spaces.)

3. Submit payment (cash or check only) to the front office within 48 hours to confirm your date.

If you have any questions, please contact the Carpenter Hill office at 512-268-8509.

We look forward to helping you celebrate your child in a big way!

November 30 - MOY testing begins

December 4 - Synergize Day

December 11- Happy Birthday Ms. Rivera, Assembly Schedule, Grinch Day, Popcorn lunch Nov/Dec, Performance at 6 at the PAC

December 14 - Happy Birthday Ms. Cantu

Decemeber 15 - Cookie Exchange, Polar Express Day

December 16 - Jingle Bell Ball

December 17 - Holiday Parties

December 18 - Student Holiday, Staff Workday, Happy Birthday Ms. Rosales

December 19 Happy Birthday Ms. Del Toro-Esquivel

December 21-1 Staff and Student Holiday

December 29 - Happy Birhday Coach Castille

Office Staff:

Ginger Bordeau, Principal

Lynsey Brown, Assistant Principal

Danae Lancaster, School Counselor

Deborah Wilson, School Secretary

Pamela Muegge, Attendance Clerk

Marika Veregge, Nurse

School Hours:

7:30AM - 3:00PM

Email: firstname.lastname@hayscisd.net
Website: hayscisd.net/ches
Location: 4410 Farm to Market 967, Buda, TX, USA
Phone: 512-268-8509