JNE'S Friday Newsletter

Dear Longhorn Families,

We’ve had such a great start to the school year, and it’s been wonderful to have our Longhorns back on campus! The halls are once again filled with energy, laughter, and learning, and we’re excited for all the great moments this year will bring.

Thank you to all our Longhorn families for your patience and support as we worked through arrival and dismissal. We know the first few days can move a little slower as everyone learns the routines, but we’re already seeing great progress. We’re confident that, with students, staff, and our community working together, next week will bring even smoother and faster transitions.

Next Friday marks our first HERD event of the year! Our new Longhorns will be welcomed into their new HERD, and we’ll cheer on our Excellence HERD—last year’s champions—as we kick off another year of fun, teamwork, and community spirit. Be sure your Longhorn wears their HERD colors next Friday!

Our amazing JNE teachers have been (and will continue) teaching students all about our HERD System and what it means to show LONGHORN PRIDE, so they’ll be ready to demonstrate great character, be a good friend, and start earning those HERD Bucks!

Thank you for exercising caution during our arrival and dismissal times. As a reminder, use of a wireless communication device is prohibited in a school zone unless the driver is using a hands-free device or the vehicle is stopped, according to Texas Transportation Code. Statewide, drivers face $200 tickets if caught using cell phones in school zones while the car is in motion

Upcoming Events

Friday, August 22nd- First HERD Event of the Year! (Wear Your HERD Colors)

Week of August 25th- Lunch Visitors Begin

Items in our Newsletter Include:

Campus Flyers
Lunch Visitors Announcement
Campus Reminders
Attendance Information
FBISD Whole Child Health
Fort Bend Education Foundation Announcements
Staff Contact Information

Thank you for your partnership in making this year’s start smooth and successful. We look forward to seeing your children tomorrow and working together for a fantastic year ahead!

Sincerely,

The JNE Admin Team

JNE Student/Parent Handbook

Dismissal Information

Dismissal: Students dismiss in various ways (walk, bike, car rider, daycare, and bus), so it is crucial that the dismissal is systematic and organized to ensure the safety of all involved. Parents will indicate a dismissal plan to the teacher at the beginning of the school year. To adequately prepare for dismissal, parents may not check students out of school after 3:00 pm. All students MUST be picked-up by 3:40 pm.

Dismissal takes a little longer the first few days, so please exercise patience as student safety will always be our number one priority. To have a more efficient dismissal, we ask that you help support our process to maintain safety.

Below are our previously created dismissal procedure videos.
While some dates and times may be outdated, the overall system remains the same. Please review the videos to refresh your understanding of our dismissal process before the first day of school.

CAR RIDER: https://www.wevideo.com/view/2762565855

UPDATED!--WALKER BIKER: https://www.wevideo.com/view/3858238538

BUS RIDER: https://www.wevideo.com/view/2757246549

EXT DAY/DAY CARE: https://www.wevideo.com/view/2762575989

SEVERE WEATHER: https://www.wevideo.com/view/3135744275

So that we can ensure all Longhorns dismiss the correct way starting on day 1, please complete this Microsoft form for the campus: 25-26 Campus Dismissal Link

August Outclass Calendar- NEW!

Travis Cheer Clinic- NEW!

FBISD Medication Policy

GT Referral Flyer

Celebrating Our August Staff Birthdays! 🎂

This month, we’re celebrating the Longhorn teachers who are marking another trip around the sun in August! We’re so grateful for the passion, care, and dedication they bring to our students each day. Join us in wishing them a happy birthday when you see them around campus!

2025-26 Free and Reduced-Price Meal Application and Income Survey

Please complete complete the 2025-26 Free and Reduced-Price Meal Application and Income Survey online at www.schoolcafe.com/fbisd. Your help ensures that every student has access to the resources they need to thrive.

Why It Matters

One application can make a big difference - not just for individual students, but also for your entire school community. By applying, families secure meal benefits for their student(s), support school funding, and may even qualify for additional benefits like reduced fees for testing or activities. Even if you are unsure whether you qualify, we strongly encourage you to apply. You may be eligible and not realize it.

What’s New This Year

Free Meals for Qualifying Students: For the 2025-26 school year, students who qualify for free or reduced-price meals will receive both breakfast and lunch at no cost every school day.
CEP Campuses: Students attending Fort Bend ISD’s Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) campuses will automatically receive free breakfast and lunch each day-no application required. However, we ask all CEP families to complete the Income Survey at www.schoolcafe.com/fbisd to help maintain vital funding and support.

Lunch Visitors

Neill Elementary School will be closed to visitors at lunchtime until August 25th.

Each campus is asked to evaluate its room to accommodate visitors during lunch while providing student space. Once the year gets underway, we will communicate the JNE plan for lunchtime visitors. Please know that we enjoy our visitors, and we look forward to hosting lunchtime visitors in a safe and secure manner.

Lunch Times for the 2025-2026 School Year:

Kindergarten- 10:00am-10:35am

First Grade- 10:45am-11:20am

Second Grade- 11:20am-11:55am

Third Grade- 12:00pm-12:35pm

Fourth Grade- 1:15pm-1:50pm

Fifth Grade- 12:35pm-1:10pm

Dietary Restrictions through the Child Nutrition Department

The Child Nutrition Department can offer dietary accommodations for students at no extra cost for students or families when it is medically necessary. The request forms must be signed by a physician or recognized medical authority and submitted to the Child Nutrition Department by:

Fax: 281-634-1862 attn: Dietitian

OR by email: DLCNDSpecialDiet@fortbendisd.com

A new Request for Dietary Accommodations form does not need to be submitted each school year unless there are any changes.

Link to Request Form

District Diversity Calendar & Days of Fasting

Fort Bend ISD is happy to serve a community with families from all around the world. We are proud to be culturally diverse and celebrate our unique traits as a community of compassionate citizens.

We recognize that fasting practices occur throughout the calendar year. As a school community we are sensitive to and accommodate students and staff observers who express they are fasting.

If your family would like the campus to be aware of your student's wish to fast, please send an email to your child's classroom teacher so that we can be aware of any needs that may occur during an observance. Our partnership with our school community is important to us and we thank our families for their communication with the campus regarding special occasions and observances that may impact the instructional day.

Attendance Information

Neill Elementary School recognizes the value and importance of school attendance and encourages regular attendance to help our students be successful through the school year. Please email the attendance office within five days of the student’s recorded absence explaining the reason for the absence or the absence will be marked as unexcused. You may send an email to attendancejne@fortbendisd.gov.

Other Campus Announcements

Add text here

Become an UPLIFT Mentor for the 2025—26 School Year

Fort Bend ISD is looking for mentors for the 2025—26 school year!

If you are a member of our community or part of the FBISD staff and are interested in making a meaningful impact in a student’s life, we invite you to fill out the UPLIFT Mentor Interest Form.

What to expect:

Meet with your mentee once a week for 30-45 minutes
Read books and provide support at elementary level
Provide support at secondary level

Questions? collaborativecommunities@fortbendisd.gov

Clinic Reminders

Clothing reminders:

We kindly ask that all families place a change of clothes for ALL students, as well as extra shoes for little ones– soiled, torn, accidents, spills etc. happen to everyone.
Please consider to donating gently used black girls stretch pants in various sizes especially larger;
Please consider to donating some gently used ELASTIC waist boy gym shorts and sweat pants (now that it is winter) in larger sizes

Health Reminders:

If your child is ill – keep them home.
Parents please medicate or treat for allergy symptoms at home.

Contact Reminders:

Please make sure the clinic has the most up-to-date contact information for parents, guardians and emergency contacts.
Please add the clinic phone number to your contact list so urgent phone calls do not come up as SPAM – 281-327-3768.

FBISD Medication Policy

Birthday Treats

Students will be allowed to celebrate their birthday at the end of the day, by bringing individually packaged store-bought food products, provided by the parent or grandparent. Treats may be distributed to classmates on or near (i.e. bring treats on Monday when the birthdate was on a weekend) the student’s birthdate.

Prior to sending any treats, we ask that you contact your child’s teacher to discuss the date you will send treats. The nutritional label must be attached to your store-bought item. A parent or guardian must bring them into the building and fill out the proper form which is submitted to FBISD’s Child Nutrition office.

Parents or grandparents of a student at Neill may provide one birthday treat per child to share with the student’s homeroom class only. This may be in the form of ONE individually wrapped edible or ONE small tangible item (such as a pencil) with the value of the individual item not to exceed $5.00.

We require single serving items, which must be pre-packaged and individually wrapped, such as mini- cupcakes, cookies, brownies, or Krispy treats.

We respectfully request no cakes, drinks, balloons, flowers, donuts, stuffed animals, or goody bags. To preserve instructional time, additional party favors ARE NOT permitted. Birthday treat time is not a “party” but a simple, quick recognition of the child’s special day.

Please keep in mind that we have several students with food allergies. For this reason, products containing peanuts or manufactured on equipment that processes peanuts are prohibited. No nuts please, due to allergies.

Neill Elementary Parking Lot is a Hands- Free Zone as per Texas Transportation Code 545.425

Use of a wireless communication device is prohibited in a school zone unless the driver is using a hands-free device or the vehicle is stopped, according to Texas Transportation Code. Statewide, drivers face $200 tickets if caught using cell phones in school zones while the car is in motion